Chapter 265: Reinforcements and New Leads

The group continued westward.

The deeper they ventured into the heart of the Talin region, the more undead creatures roamed the paths.

Holy light flashed repeatedly; Ansu noticed that Freya's enthusiasm for battle had increased significantly.

Whenever she spotted an undead creature, she was the first to charge, swiftly dispatching it with her powerful holy light.

"If I keep fighting, I'll definitely get stronger..." Freya muttered to herself.

If she became stronger, she could protect what she held dear.

Ansu watched her bustle about, refusing his help, and shook his head helplessly.

He thought to himself: If this is the extent of her training, she could grind for a hundred years and still never match Celia's strength.

To go head-to-head with that absurdly powerful witch, she would likely need a massive stroke of luck...

Still, as long as the little Holy Maiden was happy.

Ansu gazed at her expectant eyes; those pale gold eyes were sparkling as if they held tiny stars.

Her mood had clearly brightened since they left Norvigel; she was smiling all day long...

Ansu even suspected she went to sleep with a smile on her face.

It seemed taking her home for a change of pace was the right call.

The great plan to protect the little Holy Maiden's mental health was a grand success!

Sensing the thickening aura of death, Archbishop Paul furrowed his brows.

"The number of undead here is far too high."

He looked at Ansu, his eyes filled with worry.

"The wolfgars have already abducted so many innocent people. If they truly turn them all into undead... I fear even when reinforcements from the Church of Holy Light arrive, it will be too late to suppress them."

He paused and said in a low voice, "The few of us aren't enough. Ansu, if your communicator can truly contact the outside world, we must find reinforcements quickly."

"I've already notified the outside," Ansu nodded. "But if you're looking for support from the Church or the Empire, I'm afraid distant water won't quench a nearby fire."

Archbishop Paul knew this well and sighed helplessly.

The Novalon Empire's control over local regions was weak, especially in these borderlands.

By the time the Imperial Army mustered and arrived, the entire North might have fallen... villages would be empty, their inhabitants harvested by the wolfgars to be turned into undead.

Ansu watched the hideous figures wandering the mountain path; the greatest support he could call upon was actually the Echoes of Truth.

Second to that were the various lords of the North.

He pondered the current state of the Empire. The Novalon Empire had always been known as a "fragmented empire."

Though unified in name, it was not the centralized empire one might imagine; it was held together by religion and built on many compromises.

Besides the direct provinces, there were many local lords and autonomous territories that functioned like nations within a nation.

Thus, in places like the Mutual Aid Tavern, one often heard "Empire jokes."

For example: "What? The Novalon Empire? Where is it? I can't find it on the map."

Or: "What is the Novalon Empire? I only see the Duke of Novalon pretending to be an Emperor, and his hundred allies."

Since distant water couldn't quench a nearby fire, Ansu thought of Edmond Alston, the man he and Celia had supported.

Although his uncle, Count Alston, was still in power, the current situation in the North was a perfect opportunity for him to rise.

Ansu took out the tactical communicator that allowed one-way external contact.

After a moment's thought, he typed a few brief messages:

【The interior is like a barrier; impossible to leave.】

【Undead creatures are rampant.】

【Reinforcements from Norvigel's army needed.】

【Speed up production of magic armor and tactical staves. Our battle mage regiment can test its combat capabilities.】

【I am safe, do not worry.】

After sending them all, Ansu tucked the communicator away.

Celia on the outside must be going crazy with worry...

He wondered when he would see her again.

...

After traveling for a long time.

"I see the church."

Archbishop Paul stopped, looking toward the west.

Ansu followed his gaze.

It was a church built in the center of a village, with the silhouette of an attached monastery visible behind it, but both were now charred ruins.

Aside from some roaming undead, there was no sign of life in the village.

"Are we too late?" Freya sighed softly.

Archbishop Paul quickened his pace; his attendant immediately drew his sword and moved forward.

Ansu and Freya followed closely.

After clearing a few undead, they searched the area but found no corpses.

"Could they have all been taken and then..." Freya thought of the worst outcome.

Ansu closed his eyes and cast reconnaissance magic, sensing faint sounds around him.

After a moment, he opened his eyes and stopped at a ruin.

"There's a sound deep underground here."

Archbishop Paul's eyes flashed. "It might be the monastery's hidden cellar."

They moved the charred planks and found a hidden stone door beneath a pile of collapsed beams.

Opening the stone door revealed a narrow staircase leading into the darkness.

"Is anyone down there?" Paul called out softly, trying to keep his tone gentle. "I am Father Paul."

After a brief silence, a response came from deep within.

Hiding in the cellar were the only two remaining nuns of the church; they were filthy and haggard when they were rescued.

Recognizing Paul, they burst into tears.

"Father Paul!" The older nun knelt on the ground, her voice hoarse. "Please save us!"

Paul helped them up. "It's alright, you're safe now."

Avoiding the undead being drawn toward them, they moved to a safe spot outside the village.

The two nuns sat on the ground and began to recount the events of the past few days.

Six days ago, after sending a request for help to Paul's church, a massive horde of undead surrounded and slaughtered their own.

"The undead were so numerous, they were like an army..." The older nun recalled, still shaken. "There were so many, it was terrifying..."

Then the wolfgar wolf cavalry arrived, occupying the village, killing those who resisted, and abducting the rest.

They had hidden in the cellar under the cover of the wounded Father John and hadn't dared to leave.

"Father John didn't survive." The older nun handed Paul a parchment scroll. "Father John left this behind. He said if we survived, we must hand it to you personally!"

Archbishop Paul took the parchment map and slowly unfurled it.

Ansu leaned in and saw a location marked in red among the mountains.

"What is this?" Paul looked at the nun in confusion.

The older nun explained, "Villagers had been disappearing for some time, and Father John suspected something was wrong..."

"He often went out secretly to investigate. By comparing the intensity of the dark aura, he believed this place might hide a large number of undead, perhaps their secret base for transforming the villagers."

Paul knew the area better than Ansu and Freya. He looked at Ansu. "This location should be one of the karst caves; the Talin region has many underground rivers..."

"Then let's go there quickly!" Freya said. "If we destroy it, can we save the abducted people? We can also thwart the wolfgars' plot!"

Ansu agreed; he wanted to follow the trail to find the mastermind behind these undead.

The high priest of the Wolfgar tribe.