"I'm feeling a bit depressed." Watching Golden Tower City erupt in cheers from amid the clouds, the God of Nobility wore no smile. Instead, he looked rather troubled. "I keep feeling like I somehow took the blow for Void Mask and the others."
"Your feeling is correct." The God of Guardians smiled. "With Golden Tower City declaring independence, vast stretches of the Arcane Tower Federation's western and northern regions have effectively become independent as well. But throughout those regions, the churches of the Void Pantheon gods hold the dominant position. Your church only has one or two footholds."
"They took the lion's share of the benefits, yet it was my followers who bled and fought. Damn it!" the God of Nobility said angrily. "And those bastards from the Arcane Tower Federation are no better! Gray Tower City was the one that declared its withdrawal from the Federation first, so why did they come attack Golden Tower City instead? I specifically told my followers not to be the first bird to stick its head out, so why were the arrows still aimed at us?!"
"You can't blame them for that," the God of Diplomacy explained. "Gray Tower City has been the God of Scholars' private preserve for at least a century. It had long since become effectively half-independent. Over the years, the Arcane Tower Federation had consistently suppressed its development and had long been mentally prepared for it to break away. Besides, although it is surrounded by vast tracts of fertile land, its location is rather remote. At most, it can support a relatively large population; it has little commercial or political influence. Naturally, they can tolerate its independence."
"By comparison, Golden Tower City occupies a far more important location. It can be called a commercial hub. If this place breaks