The Five-Nation Alliance's Statement

Li Lin wasn't surprised by the arrival of this day. Through Angela and the intelligence network of City of a Thousand Towers, he already knew that this matter had caused a huge uproar throughout the continent. Representatives from the Five-Nation Alliance, the Mages' Association, and the Temple had all been wiped out in one fell swoop; it would be strange if this didn't cause a sensation. For days, the continent had been in an uproar. The Five-Nation Alliance was in turmoil, the Five-Nation Alliance and the Mages' Association were arguing, the Mages' Association and the Temple were arguing, and the Temple was arguing with the Five-Nation Alliance. All sorts of speculations were emerging. Despite the fierce commotion, none of the parties involved had released any official statements. It should be known that... The truth is, those who were taken down this time were all the second-in-commands of these countries and forces. Their roles in the countries were sometimes even more important than the rulers. Now that they're all dead, their subordinate factions will naturally seize the opportunity to take power. The Five-Nation Alliance, the Mages' Association, and the Temple are all busy managing their own internal power struggles and won't spend time making a public announcement. Moreover, although the Five-Nation Alliance, the Temple, and the Mages' Association are a community of shared destiny, there are bound to be various shady dealings within them. Who wouldn't want to take this opportunity to spread rumors detrimental to the other side?

Now, it seems they've either managed to smooth things over, or barely managed to smooth things over, the turmoil caused by the sudden death of an important figure. Therefore, it's about time they publicly state their positions. Otherwise, while it might be fun to smear others, if it turns out to be true, no one can afford the consequences.

This joint statement, however, was proposed by the Temple as its representative.

According to the Temple, although they haven't yet identified the true identities of these evil and terrifying criminals, they have determined that they are cultists who refuse to accept the light and teachings of the God of Justice and are attempting to spread evil and fear across the continent. The Five-Nation Alliance has also issued a call to action, expressing its willingness to fully assist the Temple in the campaign against the cultists. While the announcement is vague, not specifying the names of the perpetrators or which cult they belong to, the lengthy announcement of several hundred words represents the stance of the Five-Nation Alliance and the Temple —this is a premeditated attack by cultists whose aim is to bring disaster to the entire continent. The Temple and the Five-Nation Alliance, as faithful followers of the God of Justice, are determined to fight these evils to the bitter end.

Ordinary people would just read this and move on. The fight against evil and the protection of the Earth weren't their concerns. A good harvest and rising pork prices were their biggest worries. Therefore, since the Five-Nation Alliance and the Temple had made their stance clear, these matters were left unresolved. For most people, there was no immediate, visible danger. Although the ordeal in Saint Rolante City was terrible, most of the world's news was just rumors; events elsewhere were too distant for most to grasp.

However, observant people can see some problems in this.

That is, the Mages' Association did not appear in this statement.

This is a very strange thing. Generally speaking, when something like this happens, the Mages' Association should be the first to stand up and state its position. After all, only mages have a different status than the other two. As the most hated and feared people on the continent, the Mages' Association has always tried its best to create a good image. So, the fact that the Mages' Association did not show up for something like "declaring war on evil" inevitably made some people with ulterior motives feel uneasy.

Li Lin, however, had a different opinion.

"The God of Justice has shifted his focus."

He casually tossed aside the intelligence report in his hand and looked at Nia and Angela with a slight smile.

"Clearly, we did a good job. We caught that guy's attention. Although I suspected he would make a move sooner or later, it seems his vision is still too narrow."

"But wouldn't such an encirclement weaken the power of the other gods?"

Nia frowned and raised her concerns.

"Believers can be called again after they die, but once they die, it's all over."

Li Lin tapped the table a few times lightly, and Nia and Angela understood that this was a sign that he was in a good mood.

"Furthermore, the Five-Nation Alliance says they're going to encircle and suppress them. Did they just let these heretics spread their religion all over their land in the past? To put it bluntly, this time it's just a matter of increasing the intensity. I highly doubt how many of them, and even some of the members of the Nationalist government, truly believe that this is the work of heretics... But that's not our concern. Moreover, this matter might not be entirely without benefit to us."

As Li Lin spoke, he casually pushed the intelligence report aside.

"Right now, we have more important things to do."

Then, Li Lin took out a contract from his pocket and handed it to Nia quickly took it, examined it carefully, and then looked up at Li Lin in surprise.

"You entered into such an agreement with the Elf Queen?"

"It's a great deal, isn't it?"

Li Lin shrugged.

"Once the war begins, we will assist them in defending the Land of Elves, and in return, they will give us a future Arcane Mage to fight at the appropriate time. I think that will be enough."

"According to the alliance, they can indeed make such a request."

After carefully reviewing the contract once more, Nia casually put it into her bosom.

A library is originally used for storing information and intelligence.

"However, is the situation among the elves really that tense right now? Although I haven't been to the Land of Elves to check, judging from this agreement, they clearly have some concerns."

"Not only nervous, but extremely nervous."

As he spoke, Li Lin repeated the information he had heard from Nisi to Nia verbatim, which made Nia look somewhat uneasy.

"It seems time has indeed changed many things. I never expected the once peaceful elves to... But perhaps this is a kind of change in itself."

"Whether spontaneous or forced, change will always occur."

Li Lin sighed and leaned back in his chair.

Then, that playful smile reappeared on his face.

"So, which country should we deal with next?"

The "deal" that Li Lin spoke of was not a fair and square confrontation, but rather a sinister calculation.

Lalia is finished, and the prince certainly won't give up so easily. Li Lin has already given him enough power and motivation. A tragic scene of father and son killing each other will likely unfold soon. As for Kudel, Li Lin doesn't plan to deal with it for the time being. After all, Kudel has always been exploiting the island nations of the Sea-Ring Alliance. Once its power is weakened, the pressure on the Sea-Ring Alliance will be greatly reduced, which is not what Li Lin wants to see.

So, the next targets are the Vila Federation, the Xialuo Kingdom, and Dideyasi.

The Vila Federation is the most powerful of the five nations. Both in terms of location and influence, it occupies the central position. It borders the kingdoms of Kudel and Xialuo Kingdom, acting as a central support point. In fact, most of the Five-Nation Alliance's affairs and meetings are held in the Vila Federation. Therefore, Li Lin initially excluded it from his target list. The current collapse of the Five-Nation Alliance was not what he desired, and moreover, the Five-Nation Alliance was not so easily broken. In the event of any anomalies, the Vila Federation, as the center of the Five Nations, would be under the closest surveillance. Li Lin has so far shown no intention of revealing his identity or plans. His preferred approach is either a swift and decisive strike or to remain hidden.

The Xialuo Kingdom is an ally of the Vila Federation. Although the Five-Nation Alliance is only nominally an alliance, the relationship between the Xialuo Kingdom and the Vila Federation goes a step further. Since the formation of the Five-Nation Alliance, conflicts have arisen among the allies due to their respective interests. However, only the Xialuo Kingdom has always stood firmly on the side of the Vila Federation. The other three kingdoms sometimes can't help but think that they are simply inseparable... as close as brothers.

Therefore, Li Lin also excluded the Xialuo Kingdom from his target range. If something happened, it would attract the attention of the Vila Federation, which was not in line with Li Lin's current principles of conduct.

So, that leaves only Dideyasi.

Its condition perfectly matches Li Lin's requirements.

Although the Five-Nation Alliance was strong, it was not immune to rise and fall. During the Magic Empire era, Dideyasi was a very powerful nation, but the war with the Magic Empire resulted in the highest number of deaths, a sparse population, and a desolate landscape. While the Five-Nation Alliance helped each other, they also engaged in numerous acts of sabotage. Seeing Dideyasi's decline, the other four nations naturally sought to gain a share. Through various schemes and plots, Dideyasi's territory has shrunk by nearly half. Moreover, the effects of that war have not subsided, and many people have left their homes to live and work in the other four nations. Forced into a corner, Dideyasi had no choice but to ally with the Temple, using the Temple's power to strengthen its own power and influence.

For the Temple, this was naturally a perfect opportunity, since Temple hadn't established a nation to demonstrate the absence of threat. However, while this showed their sincerity, it also placed them under someone else's control. No matter how powerful the paladins in the various Temple were, their numbers were always limited. A good dog can't beat a bad one; numbers matter everywhere. Even Arcane Mage, who could kill thousands with a casual wave of their hand, fell to sheer numbers; these paladins, no matter how powerful, couldn't compare to an army with such vast numbers. Besides, the number of paladins wasn't even one-thousandth that of Arcane Mage.

The only opportunity the Temple could show off its power was by bullying the Mages' Association and monitoring those mages.

Unfortunately, the Mages' Association knew they were under someone else's roof and had to bow their heads, so they were always submissive, preventing the Temple from finding any fault. Anyone would get tired of a dog that constantly follows you around, obediently biting its tail and never fighting back no matter how much you kick it.

At that moment, Dideyasi's request gave the Temple a glimmer of hope.

Within the Five-Nation Alliance, there are only a few autonomous territories belonging to the Temple. While the autonomous territory within Dideyasi is not large, it possesses the most authority and is home to the largest number of paladins stationed by the Temple. In other Holy Autonomous Territory, there are large numbers of devout believers, plus paladins responsible for protecting the city. Therefore, their numbers are not particularly high. However, within the Holy Autonomous Territory of Dideyasi, everyone in the city is a paladin!

The Temple's official explanation is that it is a training camp for paladins, a place established to train those who will become paladins in the future.

Now, the Five-Nation Alliance had nothing to say.

The Five-Nation Alliance wasn't stupid, but the Temple wasn't foolish either. Although they hadn't considered any conspiracy or coup, as the only religious Temple on the entire continent, they certainly didn't want to see their power divided and held in the hands of other countries.

Moreover, Dideyasi's role in this was undeniable. Everyone knows that armies cost money to maintain, and even paladins need to eat. Other Holy Autonomous Territory rely on donations from believers to sustain their operations. But Dideyasi's Holy Autonomous Territory is entirely populated by paladins. So where does their money and food come from?

The Five-Nation Alliance naturally disliked this situation, and thus they gradually distanced themselves from Dideyasi. This, in turn, forced Dideyasi to grow closer to the Temple, and in this generation, the royal family even offered their precious princess to the Temple, making her a saintess of the Temple of the God of Justice.

Now, the connection between Dideyasi and the Temple has finally become a real alliance.

"I suggest we start with Dideyasi, for example, that princess."

Nia's suggestion hit the nail on the head.

"If we can do something to that princess, it will definitely shake the relationship between Dideyasi and the Temple. I once served as a saintess, so I know very well that the position of saintess is not a nominal one. They can use divine magic and can hear the words of the gods. Their influence in the Temple is very significant."

"Oh? So, Sister Nia, when you were a saint, did you also hear the words of the gods?"

Upon hearing this, Angela's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Nia.

"But aren't you a weapon? And a mage at that? Didn't that idiot god notice?"

"Even so, I am still the first of the Seven Ring Spirit Envoys of the Eternal Library."

Faced with Angela's surprised gaze, Nia puffed out her chest with a hint of pride.

"I possess all the knowledge in the world, and I know all the secrets of the gods—including how they spy on believers. As one of the Seven Ring Spirit Envoys, I also have ways to evade such detection... As for divine magic, although I cannot cast true divine spells, there are always substitutes in magic, so it's not a problem."

"The Saintess... is different from the Divine Chosen, isn't she?"

Li Lin frowned and asked. Nia gave an affirmative answer.

"That's right, a Saintess is a position—in this position, they can receive divine commands and be granted divine magic. However, they cannot be possessed by gods. Of course, the selection of Saintess is usually conducted in secret, choosing only devout young women. After all, for gods, devout faith is beneficial for them to transfer energy and interact with mortals. If someone is not so devout, even if they become a Saintess, it is meaningless."

"So, what if we were to do something to this saintess?"

Li Lin wasn't asking a question in return, but rather repeating Nia's words. Then, a slight, cold smile appeared on his lips.

"Dideyasi... right, that's Catherine's country. So, this saintess is Catherine's descendant... I wonder which man she eventually married and had children with... but I'm not really interested in that. However... since such a good opportunity has come up, I certainly can't let it slip by."

"That's right, Master. We can capture that saintess, then thoroughly train her into a lowly plaything, and then make her public... That would definitely be a very interesting thing."

Angela's eyes also sparkled with excitement, filled with both savagery and anticipation.

"You've taken her virginity, so what's next? Are you going to torture her until she gets pregnant?"

"I'm so sorry, Angela."

Upon hearing this, Li Lin looked at Angela and spread his hands.

"I never imagined that someone who always takes pleasure in tormenting others would have such a limited imagination. Believe me, magic can do far more than you think."

"Then, I will immediately prepare intelligence and information about Dideyasi."

With that, Nia smiled slightly, nodded to Angela and Li Lin, and then turned and left the study. Angela silently stared at Nia's retreating figure, then suddenly jumped off her chair.

"Master, I have something to discuss with Sister Nia. I'll be back shortly."

"Um?"

Hearing this, Li Lin was somewhat surprised, but he still nodded and agreed to Angela's request.

Angela immediately flashed a sweet smile and disappeared into the dark corridor.

"Sister Nia, I truly never expected you to make such a suggestion."

Just as Nia left the study and reached the stairwell, Angela walked up behind her, intentionally or unintentionally approaching Nia's side.

"That kind of suggestion?"

Nia paused for a moment, seemingly not understanding Angela's meaning.

Is there anything wrong with that suggestion?

"If it were up to me, there wouldn't be a problem at all. But Sister Nia, you're not that kind of person."

Angela's doubts weren't unfounded. After all, the little one had always enjoyed tempting humans to depravity, and would naturally vie for such a good opportunity. But Nia was different. No matter how you looked at her, she was just a quiet, gentle girl, completely unsuitable to make such a suggestion. Although she only expressed her opinion very subtly, everyone present naturally understood what she meant.

"Sister Nia, don't you think it's inappropriate to suggest something like 'capturing a woman and disciplining her'? After all, you're still a young girl."

"If someone has a human personality, is it impossible for them to make such a suggestion?"

Nia looked puzzled when Angela asked her question.

"However, Miss Angela, I am not human, but a weapon. A weapon created by Li Lin —I have an obligation to devise the best strategy for my master, don't I?"

"Regardless of the means?"

Angela narrowed her eyes slightly, a flash of crimson light appearing within them.

"The means are the master's choice; as weapons, all we need to do is carry them out."

At this point, Nia smiled gently and reached out to stroke Angela's little head.

"So, Miss Angela, has your curiosity been satisfied at all?"

"Waaah..."

Angela, whose secret had been exposed, looked a little embarrassed. She shook her head slightly, stopped in her tracks, and pouted in dissatisfaction.

"As expected, Sister Nia, you really resemble Master. You didn't fall for my tricks at all."

Thank you for your praise.

Nia smiled and withdrew her hand, then turned and walked down the stairs.

When Angela returned to the study, bored, she was greeted by Li Lin's gentle smile, just like Nia's.

"How are you, my lovely little princess?"

Li Lin sat in the chair, leisurely looking at the somewhat dejected little guy.

"What did you talk about with my most beautiful and perfect weapon?"

"As expected, I am no match for you, Master."

Angela sat back down in her chair, resting her hand on her cheek out of boredom, and answered casually.