Sleepless Night

The meeting room was deathly silent. Even the Silver Dawn knights who disliked the Crusade's way of doing things did not want to see so many brave warriors so easily buried by the Undead's schemes.

Knight Roderick's image changed dramatically as well. After the battle of Tarren Mill, his brutal slaughter of Undead prisoners had left many Silver Dawn knights criticizing him, believing that he had strayed from the Holy Light's mercy.

But this time, Roderick had been far away in Southshore, yet with only a brief description, he had accurately judged the Scarlet Crusade's unfavorable situation. He had entered Undead-infested Stratholme alone to lie in wait, then chosen to stay behind by himself so the Scarlet Crusade's main force could withdraw. They could not help but admire such a hero.

Some of the Scarlet Crusade's younger knights could no longer hold back their quiet sobs. Many of the soldiers who had entered Stratholme might have been their friends, mentors, or family.

Those courageous soldiers had not died on the front lines. Instead, they had been silently killed by the Undead's schemes and turned into hideous Undead monsters within the incomparably grim Stratholme.

Maxwell had not expected the Undead's methods to be so vicious. After this disaster, the Scarlet Crusade would surely suffer a devastating loss of strength.

Just as he was searching for suitable words to ease the atmosphere and raise morale, the Scarlet High Inquisitor Isillien, whose face had been dark and who had remained silent all along, suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. He shouted, "Dathrohan!" and then fainted.

After the flustered crowd carried the severely injured Isillien out of the meeting room, Maxwell knew it was no longer appropriate for outsiders to remain. He led all the Silver Dawn knights away.

Augustine's expression remained calm.