Chapter 314 - 280: Revealing the Truth, Plotting to Crown a King

Chapter 314: Chapter 280: Revealing the Truth, Plotting to Crown a King

"Jon, I’ve received a secret order from Her Majesty the Empress."

Claudio got straight to the point the moment he entered.

"She views your appearance with great importance and will be dispatching a support team here. They will number around thirty."

"However, for your protection, they will enter the Empire under the guise of a Trade Team to avoid attracting the attention of certain... interested parties. This will take a few days."

This was great news.

Jon was just starting preparations to establish his territory, so he could never have too many people. He welcomed any and all assistance with open arms.

However, before he could offer his thanks, Sutton’s signature booming voice echoed from behind Claudio.

"Claudio, you old Elf, you’re always making things so complicated! Dragging your feet over a simple matter. ’A few days’?"

"Ha! If it were us Dwarves, all it would take is a single call—"

He slapped his chest hard, and the metal shavings clinging to his leather apron fell away with a RUSTLE.

"My kin would show up right away with their hammers on their shoulders. None of this beating around the bush!"

Claudio remained standing where he was, his gray eyes as calm as a frozen lake. He paid Sutton’s taunts no mind, and instead, the corner of his mouth curled up slightly as he said flatly,

"Hmph. One tall person can accomplish more than ten short dwarves."

His tone was light, yet it struck a precise blow to Sutton’s... no, to the sore spot of all Dwarves, making the Old Dwarf fume with anger.

"What did you say? You... you pointy-eared bastard!"

Seeing that the two elders were about to perform another act of their Otherworld Elf-Dwarf comedy routine, Jon quickly stepped forward to mediate.

"Elders, please, stop fighting! I’ve invited you both here tonight for an important matter."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over both their faces as he spoke, word by word.

"This concerns... ’Deities’!"

At his words, Sutton and Claudio glanced at each other, their expressions turning serious.

The Old Dwarf stroked his beard, staring intently at Jon’s earnest face.

"That’s right. You mentioned it when you returned today. You met the Sun God—and learned about the Ancient Gods."

"What exactly is going on?"

Jon sighed softly and gestured for them to sit.

"That is one of the topics we need to discuss tonight. Let’s sit and talk."

—

After some discussion, Jon had shared most of what he knew with the two, and Claudio summarized with a grave expression.

"So, the Ancient Gods failed in their fight against the threat from beyond the heavens. Their remnants then transformed into all sorts of malevolent creatures..."

"If these creatures are left to run rampant, they will develop minions and continuously try to communicate with their source, allowing those ’unknowable beings’ to break through the barrier set by the Mother God and plunge this world into ruin..."

Sutton, stroking his long beard, sighed.

"No wonder the great Ancient Gods never responded to Their people... They sacrificed Themselves for this world..."

A thoughtful look flickered in the depths of Claudio’s gray eyes.

"There are indeed some fragmented records among my people. When they mention the ’celestial objects’ and the ’Mother Tree’s lament,’ the language is vague, like a stain deliberately wiped away."

"Looking at it now, it wasn’t that our predecessors couldn’t explain... but that they were unwilling. Fear itself is the bait cast into the abyss."

"Ha!"

Sutton slapped his thigh forcefully.

"The pointy-ear is right about that! Those old tales carved on stone slabs... This old man snuck a peek at them as a lad, and they were all gibberish. I thought some drunk ancestor had just carved them randomly!"

"Now I get it! Tell the future generations that there are monsters out there that can defeat even the Ancient Gods? Why would the young ones even bother forging iron then! They’d probably be scared witless and dive straight into a rabbit hole, or... worse!"

The Old Dwarf’s wrinkled face flushed with agitation, and his short, thick fingers nervously tugged at his whitening beard.

"Some fools would lick a devil’s shit for a sliver of Power! If they knew there was something in the void that could ’devour gods,’ there’s no telling how many lunatics would be clamoring to get their hands on that Power!"

At these words, all three of them sighed.

As long-lived beings, Claudio and Sutton had seen too many similar things in their time. They had even known people who fell into the abyss of seeking Power, never to return.

As for Jon, he had seen similar things while playing *Yino*. In fact, he probably knew of more such cases than his two mentors.

For a moment, the small meeting hall fell into silence.

After a brief pause, however, Jon broke the quiet.

"Erasing the truth was an act of desperation, but also one of protection."

"But no matter what, cleansing the corruption of these malevolent creatures is something we cannot avoid. Whether it’s to buy time or for self-preservation, it must be done."

At this, he raised his hand, revealing the faint holy mark on its back.

"Of course, we are not fighting alone."

"His Majesty Po Ao has granted me the authority to mobilize all the armed forces of the Sun Church outside the secular order."

His ice-blue eyes swept over the two elders as he enunciated each word clearly.

"High Priest Finian and Knight Royce have both received the divine oracle. They will represent the Sun Church and enter into a full partnership with our Giant God Workshop."

Claudio looked at the faint holy mark on the back of Jon’s hand, a symbol of divine favor, and asked softly,

"Then, Jon, where do you intend to direct this Power?"

Jon didn’t answer directly. Instead, he beckoned with his hand, lifting the heavy brass map tube that had been leaning against the corner of the table. He used a hand of Magic Power to unroll it, letting it spread out across the wide oak tabletop.