The Little King worried. "But... the Holy Light Church doesn't know, while we know exactly what's going on! Grand Duke Mora dug this pit, and whoever falls into it is out of luck. If we really let the Holy Light Church in, won't they... What if they take their anger out on us? Saintess Xiweina Ye isn't easy to reason with."
The Little King's shrewdness had returned. Frowning over his dilemma, he stopped descending and sat on the cold, damp stairs. He took a fierce bite of the apple in his hand, chewing with a loud crunch.
Marquis Belon paused. He hadn't expected the Little King to start thinking clearly at the crucial moment. His eyes flickered as he continued, "Your Majesty has a point. But it takes two willing parties to make a deal. The Holy Light Church came to us of its own accord; we didn't set out to trap them. Besides, to put it plainly, Your Majesty and I are both expendable. How could we know what Grand Duke Mora planned or what arrangements he made? Even if something goes wrong, the Holy Light Church can hardly blame us!"
The Little King nodded thoughtfully and looked down toward the exit not far away.
Two more flights of stairs, then through the Space-Time Gate, and he could leave this place.
At last, the Little King sprang to his feet. Ignoring Marquis Belon's advice, he quickened his pace and continued down.
Marquis Belon's argument sounded reasonable, but the Holy Light Church, furious at being duped, was unlikely to listen to reason. By then, the Little King would have thoroughly offended the Lorenzo Kingdom, and the Rune Federation would hold it against him too. The Holy Light Church would be all he had left to rely on.
Then he would