The battle is finally over.
Lynn stood in the center of the restaurant, looking around.
The golden flames had died down, the purple Psychic Power had dissipated, leaving only corpses scattered on the ground, broken furniture, and wounded people being carried away.
The Ecclesiarchy's armed forces suffered heavy losses.
Of the fanatics who entered the restaurant, less than one percent survived.
Those who had been charging forward while shouting the Emperor's holy name were now either lying in pools of blood or being supported by their comrades, as weak as candles flickering in the wind.
The survivors were all at least thirty years older.
Although he dispelled the blue, weakening shockwave with his golden flames, the unprotected mortals bore the brunt of its power.
Some of the pastors, who were already quite old, died on the spot.
A nun passed by him, helping another nun along.
Lynn remembered the one being helped up; during the battle, she had been at the forefront, cutting down countless demons with her Power Sword.
She looked to be in her early thirties then, capable and spirited.
Now her face is full of wrinkles, her hair is gray, and she needs help to walk.
Lynn silently gave her a look.
Isolde walked to his side and gently took his hand.
Rena's palms felt cool to the touch.
"Let's go," she said. "There are people waiting outside."
Lynn nodded and walked out of the restaurant.
The moment Lynn rushed out of the castle, he was taken aback by the sight before him.
The area outside was packed with people, at least tens of thousands of Ecclesiarchy armed men, plus tens of thousands of PDFs, completely surrounding the Saint Garus Castle.
The fanatics brandished rudimentary weapons, the Sisters of Battle stood in neat formations, and the priests held up icons, chanting purification prayers in unison.
What caught Lynn's eye most were those towering figures.
Paragon Warsuit.
Although that thing wasn't very big, its combat power was equivalent to the Ecclesiarchy's own Dreadnought.
Piloted by the most steadfast and loyal high-ranking Sisters of Battle.
This thing is even more powerful than a regular Dreadnought against Chaos Daemons.
At the very front of the crowd stood two familiar figures.
Archbishop Goodwin and Chief Archon Carter.
Goodwin was dressed in a magnificent priestly robe and held a scepter in his hand.
His face was unusually solemn, devoid of a smile.
His eyes lit up the moment he saw Lynn come out.
Carter was even more direct; this usually composed chief Archon charged in.
"Governor!" He grabbed Lynn and looked him up and down.
Are you alright? Are you injured? Should we call a doctor?
Lynn patted him on the shoulder to indicate that she was alright.
Goodwin also came over.
"Thank the Emperor, you're still alive." His voice was filled with relief.
Lynn gave a wry smile, "Almost."
Goodwin didn't press further; he simply nodded, then turned and gave orders to the priests behind him.
"The purification ritual begins now. No trace of corruption may be left."
The priests responded in unison and began organizing people to enter the castle.
Carter then sent men to assist the Sisters of Battle in searching for Caladogon within the castle.
But Lynn knew that there was a high probability that he wouldn't find it.
The search lasted for a full three hours.
As Lynn had predicted, they did not find Caladogon.
The castle was filled with traces of battle and remnants of decay, but the High King seemed to have vanished without a trace, neither alive nor dead.
After the purification ceremony, the Ecclesiarchy held a mourning ceremony for the believers who sacrificed their lives in the square outside the castle.
Tens of thousands of people stood silently in the cold wind, no one spoke, only the pastor's chanting echoed around them.
A huge pyre was piled up in the center of the square, with the remains that could be found, or the personal belongings they used in life, laid out on top.
A broken sword, a helmet, or a blood-stained holy book.
Goodwin personally presided over the ceremony.
He stood before the pyre, reciting the martyrs' prayers aloud, his voice loud and solemn.
Lynn stood at the front of the crowd with Isolde in his arms.
He wore his tattered governor's uniform, and carried the Sword of Valenia on his back.
Goodwin has already admitted that the sword belongs to Lynn.
The ceremony was halfway through.
A servant hurried over and whispered a few words in Carter's ear.
Carter's expression changed, and he walked over to Lynn, whispering what he had said.
"Your Excellency, news has arrived from the St. Garus Family..."
Lynn listened intently.
" Luna St. Garus, Leo's aunt and the family's technical director, just made an announcement."
"High King Caladogon has disappeared; Callum St. Garus and his cronies have defected to Chaos; Leo St. Garus is suspected of treason."
" Luna is currently in temporary control of the St. Garus Family, serving as Lord Regent."
Lynn: "?"
Then, he smiled somewhat helplessly.
Is it really necessary to rush into seizing power right after something like this happened? Isn't that a bit too hasty?
Isolde leaned closer and lowered his voice:
"This Luna must be the same Tzeentch Sorcerer from earlier."
Lynn nodded. "Most likely."
But he still found it somewhat unbelievable:
"But how did she do it? St. Garus is Knight House, how could she, a mere 'technical director,' possibly control it?"
Isolde, or rather Rena, remained silent for a few seconds.
That's her synchronizing her consciousness with her original self.
A few seconds later, her voice echoed in Lynn's mind; what she was about to say must not be heard by anyone else.
" Lynn, ever since you cut off contact, I've mobilized the entire network of Genestealer within the main hideout to relentlessly investigate the St. Garus Family."
"We've made some progress."
Lynn remained calm and listened attentively.
"In the power structure of the St. Garus Family, apart from the Supreme King, the three lords responsible for major affairs wield the most power."
"They are War Lord, Interior Lord, and Technology Lord."
"The War Lord was originally Alistair, the eldest son, but he died in battle two years ago, and the position has remained vacant ever since."
"The Lord of the Interior was Callum, and he's dead now."
"The whereabouts of the High King Caladogon himself are unknown."
" Leo St. Garus, though deeply loved by his soldiers, was too young, inexperienced, and had always been excluded from the inner circle of power."
"He's neither in a position nor old enough to hold power."
"So..."
Lynn chimed in, "So Luna's rise to power is legally justifiable."
"Yes." Rena nodded.
"Furthermore, she has close ties with the Adeptus Mechanicus, and at this critical juncture, the Adeptus Mechanicus will certainly support her."
Lynn felt a chill run down her spine upon closer examination.
He began to sort everything out in his mind.
He had just learned about the Forbidden Wall.
A Noble Council, Leo was hunted down by the Knights of Aiden.
The fact that these two events happened simultaneously is definitely not a coincidence.
The fact that Aiden could be mobilized indicates that someone can control the Knight Mech.
Luna is the technical director and works with the Adeptus Mechanicus year-round.
If she and the Adeptus Mechanicus were both Tzeentch...
" Rena," Lynn lowered his voice, "How many knight mechs does St. Garus have?"
"Nobody knows the exact number," Rena replied.
"But when St. Garus first Brevis, in that crucial battle, twelve mechs were deployed."
"That means the Great Bear St. Garus has at least twelve knight mechs."
Lynn's heart sank.
Twelve knight mechs, combined with the power of the Adeptus Mechanicus, that's a considerable amount of energy.
But then he thought about it again and breathed a sigh of relief.
Luna cannot control all the Knight Mechs.
The St. Garus Family, with its centuries-old heritage, those long-established Knight House, those paladins who have piloted mechs for generations—how could they all possibly succumb to Chaos?
There is still room for maneuver.