A week passed quietly amid the increasingly tense situation.
All anyone could see was an army moving into Cru Town. A few hours later, the Rune Defense Array slowly rose, protecting the frontier town from every direction. Thus, when the news spread, the entire Hori Kingdom immediately realized that the Black Nightmare Army had merely vanished for a while—they had now returned!
And when the Black Nightmare Army joined forces with the Wood Family... no one knew what had happened in between, but every person opposed to The Church felt a surge of exhilaration because of it.
On The Church's side, however, although most people could see nothing, through street rumors, inside information, and the like... they caught the scent of a great war approaching. Some claimed that the Kingdom Army had forcibly conscripted every able-bodied man in the entire Royal Capital; others said that every workshop in the city had been commandeered by The Church, their lights burning through the night as they manufactured who knew what; still others swore that priests had visited every household around the Royal Capital, taking away anyone with even the slightest talent for divine arts to an unknown destination.
In short, another great war was brewing. People watched the sky rumble with thunder, waiting for the first torrential downpour that might fall at any moment.
"Did you find out what trump card The Church has?"
Inside the Black Nightmare Army's tent, Benjamin looked at the newly returned Miles and asked.
"No. They won't be able to put together another fleet to circle around us this time." Miles shook his head and said, "But I should remind you that the Kingdom Army's vanguard secretly left the Royal Capital last night. They may be planning to approach Cru Town this way and catch you completely