Chapter 254

Elvian looked at the illusory figure of 'Avril' before her, a hint of tenderness appearing in her cold gaze.

"Well done, Avril. Your teacher has already told me about your performance recently. I'm very happy to see that you've fully adapted to the role of the Queen."

"It's all thanks to Alfred. He knows everything about the kingdom and can handle all the things that bother me."

"Teacher's abilities are the best in all of Wildea, and he is also the most trustworthy." Elvian nodded. "By the way, regarding this incident of blocking the Arcadia army, I will secretly meet up with you after you lead the Moonlight Knight Order out of Wildea."

"Empress Augustus has granted you permission to leave the Kingdom of Lotte?"

"This is all thanks to Ryan."

"Ryan?" Avril exclaimed in surprise. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know, maybe he just wants to use me to deal with Arcadia." Elvian shook her head gently. "In any case, I have to thank him, otherwise I wouldn't feel at ease letting you deal with Arcadia alone. So what I want to tell you is, put aside your hatred for Ryan from now on, Avril. Ryan is not the enemy we should defeat. Our enemy is our past selves. Only by breaking through ourselves can we lead Wildeya out of its predicament."

Avril tilted her head. "Your Majesty, I'm glad you think that way."

10⑵⑧⒊⒐8

Elvian: "..."

What do you mean? Are you saying that I'm the only one who hasn't let go?

"Phew~ Anyway... Arcadia isn't that scary." Elvian breathed a sigh of relief and smiled confidently. "In a head-on battle on the battlefield, Wildea has never been afraid of anyone. Arcadia has their Twin Star Emperors, so let's fight together as sisters!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I look forward to the day we meet again."

After giving her instructions, Elvian clenched her fists, her eyes revealing excitement and anticipation. At least she still had the chance and the power to fight, didn't she?

Perhaps I should double-check the Holy Blood Army's itinerary with Ryan, just in case something unexpected happens...

Just then, Amabena's voice came from outside the room.

"Elvian, what are you doing? Come out for tea."

Elvian frowned slightly and said calmly, "Why are you drinking tea so late? I'm sorry, I'm going to rest."

"What's late? The nightlife has just begun! Hurry up! I order you to come out right now, or I'll tell Ryan you're planning to cook."

"..."

Quite a while.

Elvian opened the door, looking expressionlessly at the woman carrying a pile of snacks, followed by two maids, one carrying food and the other holding tea.

"Hurry up, let's go admire the moon. I'm bored by myself."

Amabena urged him excitedly and turned to leave.

Elvian's lips twitched slightly, wanting to explode but holding back... Oh well, it'll only be a couple more days, just bear with it a little longer, and soon she'll be able to go to the front lines to fight.

She planned to unleash all her pent-up frustration on the battlefield against those damned Arcadia.

Biyi Temple, order umbrella, seven-fold fence

The next day, under the watchful eyes of the people and nobles of the Augustus Empire, Saintess Lin Qi, representing the Gate of Janus, proclaimed the selflessness and greatness of the gods. Under the Saintess's holy radiance, Empress Vainay and Empress Motis signed an alliance treaty.

When the power symbolizing order enveloped the castle, everyone in Baron City seemed to receive a revelation, and then the news began to spread rapidly outwards.

Archbishop Josh was in a gloomy mood, though he still maintained a gentlemanly smile. The Saintess's unilateral decision had completely ruined the task the Pope had entrusted to him. When the news got back, those who didn't know the situation would still sing praises of the Saintess's greatness, while he could only wait for the Pope's punishment with a humiliated expression.

"Earl Ryan, what have you thought about what we discussed last time?"

While waiting for the signing ceremony to end, Josh decided to do something to make amends for his mistake. He walked over to Ryan and asked him quietly.

"What was that about last time?" Ryan asked, looking puzzled.

"Yes, I'm considering Gate of Janus."

"Oh, that? I've always kept that in mind!"

Josh thought to himself, "You just remembered this, didn't you?"

"This question... isn't it obvious?" Ryan chuckled. "Now that Augustus has allied with the Northern Federation, I feel that staying here will allow me to better utilize my abilities."

Josh pondered for a moment, then said, "Your value can also be realized at the Gate of Janus. The Southern Continent is a chaotic place, where no hegemon has emerged like those in the Eastern and Northern Continent. The Gate of Janus plans to expand into the Southern Continent in the next two years. If you are willing, you can go there as a bishop. Once you have achieved this merit, you may be able to return and become an archbishop."

"The Southern Continent? That chaotic land where desire and conspiracy intertwine? It won't be easy to spread faith there." Ryan shrugged. "Archbishop Josh, I think you should go back and confirm things with His Holiness the Pope before coming to me."

Why would I, a perfectly good Imperial Earl, go to Africa to mine for you?

Given the situation in the Southern Continent, it was a complete mess. Back then, the Old Emperor even considered establishing a colony there, but he was brutally beaten to death by a bunch of evil armies. This proves that although there were no major powers on the road, it wasn't something that could be conquered just like that.

This may explain why it is difficult for a great power to rise there, let alone for outsiders to establish colonies. However, with the secret unification of the Northern Continent, the Holy Blood Army and the Moonlight Knight Order may be able to open up a new world when they march south.

If he were to spread the faith of the Gate of Janus, wouldn't he be assassinated every day by the Outer Gods forces entrenched in the Southern Continent?

Because of the chaos, the Outer Gods are quite active in the Southern Continent. War goes without saying, but desire and scheming are also characteristics of the Southern Continent. Plagues are relatively rare, perhaps because they themselves are afraid of them, so they pay special attention to this aspect.

Ryan's move was a blatant rejection. Since the best you could offer me was a bishop position, I'd raise my price and push my luck. No matter what the Pope was thinking, he couldn't just bypass the archbishopric and try to recruit him, could he?

After learning about the inner workings of the Gate of Janus, he felt much more at ease. As long as it wasn't a one-man show by the Pope, things would be fine. Hey, Cardinal Bishop, keep it up! Give the Pope some more control, let me and the Saintess develop more power, and then I'll overthrow the Pope and make you Cardinal Bishop again!

The signing ceremony was sacred and lively, but Ryan talked to Josh the whole time and didn't listen at all. After all, he had already had in-depth discussions and repeated confirmations with the two Empress the night before.

After the ceremony ended, Josh left looking worried, having not gotten anything out of the conversation. As he left, he didn't forget to look back at 'Lin Qi', who was surrounded by admirers, even though that should have been his spot.

"Earl Ryan, what are your thoughts on this alliance between the two great empires?"

Just as Ryan was about to leave, a reporter suddenly ran over.

Ryan glanced at the 'Baron's Morning Post' tag hanging on the other person's chest. 'Baron's Morning Post' is a fairly well-known news agency in the Empire. Baron, its business actually extends to the whole country.

Instead of interviewing the two Empress and the Saintess, this guy came looking for him.

"I think this is a momentous event of epochal significance. It will represent the beginning of a stable order in the Northern Continent. Perhaps many years later, all the people living in the Northern Continent will be grateful to those who contributed to this conference, because it was they who brought about a stable and peaceful life."

The reporter asked, "Do you think this alliance will still exist if Arcadia withdraws its troops?"

"Madam, your question is rather bold," Ryan chuckled.

"Oh, I'm sorry, please forgive me for getting a little too excited, Lord Ryan. Please forget about what we were talking about earlier, I..." The reporter seemed a little flustered.

"Why forget? Isn't this a question everyone cares about?" Ryan spread his hands and said loudly, "Go ahead and declare it boldly, just as I said, the significance of this meeting is not so simple. You should be glad to be born in this era, with the great Empress and the equally venerable Grand Duke Magana Magna—"

The history of Augustus will take a great turn today!

The reporter was startled; even someone in a profession known for its boldness couldn't help but tremble slightly. He quickly turned to look around and found that, sure enough, some people had already been attracted by Ryan's 'high profile'.

Perhaps they didn't hear the whole story, but on such an important occasion, Earl Ryan's performance was indeed more eye-catching than that of the two Empress and the Saintess.

"Alright, Ms. Reporter." Ryan smiled, unconcerned by the stares. "I have other matters to attend to and must go. I hope to see a more precise analysis of this meeting in tomorrow's morning paper. As a journalist, it's not enough to just report on hot topics; I also hope that reports are accurate and offer unique insights."

"Yes, yes, Your Excellency."

The reporter was already wondering if the nobleman behind the Baron's Daily could withstand her publishing Ryan's answer... Wait, am I going to be drowned in the Nilos River?

Amid the reporter's anxious expression, Ryan left the scene and then found Haino to discuss the trip to the Western Territory.

The Avril family's caravan has arrived in the Western Territory and is preparing to enter the Great Plains, but the caravan's strength is insufficient to deal with the dangers, so the presence of Haino, a seventh-tier Holy Word Master, is crucial.

Haino was clearly eager to take a spontaneous trip with Ryan.

Staying in Baron all the time is so boring. You know, she used to be an 'adventurer' who always loved exploring all kinds of ruins... well, that is, the academy didn't have its own courses, although she would often take leave for half a month or even a month.

More importantly, having left Baron, the place of her heartbreak, and no longer facing the seemingly Saintess but secretly wicked 'Lin Qi,' she felt she was about to be reborn.

Because of her failure to channel desire into the Pot of Greed last time, she now suffers from extreme sleeplessness every night, and she even needs to take a calming remedy to sleep soundly.

Even so, for the past two days, she's still having strange dreams after falling asleep, and the content of each dream is remarkably similar—she and Ryan doing shameful things in different places. Haino even tried reading the Bible of Janus every night before bed, but it was no use; she would always dream about those things whenever she had a dream. Sometimes, if she slept for too long, the events in her dreams would even affect her physical reaction in reality, leaving her with a sticky, damp, and hot sensation.

So much so that now, when Haino faces Ryan, he always looks away guiltily.

God of Janus, I am guilty! I have fallen into the trap woven by desire!

Hainuo silently repented in his heart.

When Caslathdi returned from the meeting, she saw Haino and Ryan chatting and smiling, and the strange idea from yesterday immediately resurfaced.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to go to the Western Territory with you," she said, somewhat dejectedly. "I received a message from Kavanagh; she's in Kazar. I'll go see her in the next couple of days to discuss the dwarves."

"Kazar?" Ryan was somewhat surprised. "What was she doing in that chaotic area?"

The Kazar Plain, a buffer zone between the Eastern and Northern Continent, and home to the infamous City of Sin, was already chaotic, but the recent war between Arcadia and the Northern Federation has made it even more chaotic.

"Because there are many undiscovered ancient civilizations in Kazar, especially recently, there have been rumors about witches. You know the dwarven civilization is very interested, Kavanagh is even more so. She's not going to excavate the power of the ruins, but to find the technology that carries that power. These things are different in every ruin, although I can't really tell."

Ryan thought to himself that he was quite an active dwarf.

"Are you going to Kazar alone? Will it be dangerous?"

"It's alright." Ryan's concern pleased Caslathdi, and she smiled gently. "It's alright. I have the keepsake my teacher gave me with me. My teacher will protect me."

She emphasized the word "teacher" very much.

Hainuo pretended not to hear and lowered his head to take a sip of tea.

She was already feeling guilty, and now she felt even more guilty. If Ryan hadn't kept saying "please, please," she would have thought she shouldn't go at all. Why did it feel like she was fighting with her student for something?

Wait, Caslathdi and Ryan don't have any special relationship, do they?

What am I feeling guilty about?

Besides, I was just there to help.

Haino turned his head to look at the scenery in the garden, indicating that he did not see Caslathdi's slightly resentful gaze.

Meanwhile, Ryan was preoccupied with sending the Burning Covenant to secretly protect Caslathdi and did not notice the subtle changes in the expressions between the two women.

"I think we should take action."

After entrusting the matter to 'Vainay', Ryan said to Haino, "The decisive battle between the Western Barbarian Army and the Iron Blood Army is about to begin. This war is related to the future situation, and I have to go and take a look."

"I can leave anytime. Shall we go to the train station now?"

"No, go to my room."

After speaking, noticing the strange looks in the two women's eyes, Ryan coughed lightly. "I know a Janus Ritual that can open Chaos Space passage and go directly there."

Caslathdi exclaimed in surprise, "Ryan, so you were Supernatural Being Janus Path?"

"Ha~ I know a little bit, but it's a long story."

There's no way to explain why I can sing so smoothly even though I'm not Singer. Don't ask, the answer is I know a little bit of everything.

Haino didn't really believe it until she followed Ryan out of the castle and into his room.

My first instinct was to observe the room, not out of any sense of caution, but purely out of curiosity. It's said that some boys' rooms always contain treasures that are appropriate for their age.

The furnishings and daily maintenance of a person's room can reflect their personality, upbringing, character, and so on.

The room was very clean. Ryan is truly a person who is consistent inside and out.

She didn't believe Ryan had prepared everything in advance and then invited her over.

"Wait a mininute."

Ryan began preparing the materials for the ceremony.

Hainuo watched with curiosity.

"... pure water, narcissus extract, Demon Horn, is that... moonstone powder? A pair of eyes, those should be the eyes of a feathered bird, and this blood is..."

Many of the materials used by alchemists are related to sacrificial rituals, and the two have a closer connection than outsiders. Haino recognized most of the materials Ryan used, and she watched Ryan perform the ritual very carefully to ensure that it was accurate.

Any slight error could lead the ritual in a mysterious and unknown direction, which is the biggest difference between it and alchemy.

Alchemy is about creation and crafting, while rituals are about prayer and sacrifice. The latter involves praying to higher beings through rituals, and because it involves exploring and excavating the mysteries, it inevitably attracts the attention of the Chaos Space's Power.

If the direction of the ritual is wrong—for example, if it should be pointing to Janus but instead points to the God of Desire —then it is conceivable that some strange and dangerous things will happen next.

Therefore, the materials for the ritual are prepared in quantities less than or equal to the required amount, as close as possible but not exceeding it. Insufficient quantity will basically result in the failure of the ritual, while exceeding it is uncertain, since the ritual itself can also unleash power and erode the spirit.

"Such practiced movements, how many times has he done this? The margin of error is a bit large... Was that too much just now? Was that the correct amount, or was the margin of error too high?"

The entire ceremony was prepared in less than ten minutes, a speed that surprised Haino. As far as she knew, any ceremony involving Janus usually required more than half an hour of preparation and repeated confirmation by multiple people.

Seeing that Ryan was already getting ready, Haino asked with concern, "Shouldn't we double-check the materials for this ritual?"

Ryan waved his hand dismissively. "It's okay, I've done it several times before, no problem."

"Is that so?"

Will things go wrong when it comes to me?