At the exact center of the hall's northern end stood a solemn goddess statue. The goddess wore a long linen robe and held a cedar staff in one hand, while the other hung naturally at her side. A giant spider crawled at her feet. This was the image of Krais, Goddess of the Dead Moon. Legend had it that Krais was one of Martha's many incarnations in the mortal world, which was why the undead often believed they worshiped Martha.
The atmosphere in the temple was somewhat solemn. Beneath the high arches, many acolytes in black robes lay prostrate, murmuring scriptures praising Krais. Their chanting rose and fell in a distant, buzzing murmur that converged and echoed throughout the hall.
Brando watched the scene with a grave expression.
Footsteps echoed hollowly behind him. Andria followed not far away, only a few steps behind. She looked around the hall but asked a question that had nothing to do with it:
"Why did Queen Madara suddenly summon us?"
Brando silently shook his head. How could he know? Perhaps it was a whim. Perhaps Delphine's negotiations with the queen had made substantial progress. Perhaps the envoy sent to Eluin had received a reply. Or perhaps it was for some other reason.
Delphine's negotiations had entered their final stage a week ago. A thick stack of agreements and secret treaties had been signed, and overall, the terms favored Eluin. They included clauses requiring the undead to unconditionally end their invasion and return the Buchi region. The Chancellor's daughter had done an excellent job—one might even say a perfect one. He knew that some of his decisions might have aroused resentment in Eluin, or even harmed certain people's interests, but that was nothing serious. These terms were enough to silence anyone.
Unless those people believed