Imperial Capital.
Hayes; Columbus had barely returned to the Imperial Capital, his face full of rage, when the capital's nobles erupted into chaos.
"What does this mean? What exactly is the Burning Legion? What is the Church of Light trying to do?!"
Quite a number of nobles had known nothing at all about the Church of Light's plans. The Northlands were simply too far from the Empire, and learning of the Burning Legion so suddenly naturally left them both shocked and furious.
Such an army might be intended to support the war on the southern battlefield, but how many of the Empire's resources would an army of that scale consume?
And weren't those resources ultimately to be borne by them?
What? The Church of Light would bear full responsibility, and this army had been created to protect the Grand Cathedral of Light and prevent another past tragedy?
Then it was fine.
The atmosphere in the Council of Elders was exceptionally strange. The nobles looked around at one another, and no one looked like a good person.
They all understood that the Church of Light could not possibly have accomplished this alone. Nobles had certainly been involved—and a great many of them at that. "That land is overseen by Baron Ryan; Clayton. Why has Baron Ryan never reported this matter to the Council of Elders?" someone asked. The faction of Count Clayton, where Ryan belonged, was firmly a pro-war faction. Yet Ryan had simply watched as the Church of Light built an army that had little to do with ordinary mortals?
What was Count Clayton thinking?
Even the other nobles of Count Clayton's faction were uncertain and suspicious. They knew absolutely nothing.
"Or perhaps Baron Ryan and Count Clayton have had a falling-out."
A father and son turning against one another