Chapter 1572: Interlude II

The impact of the interview sparked outrage and skepticism in the community. Many questioned the veracity of the matter, and many refused to believe it, despite the presence of a significant witness and strong evidence.

Especially when it came to the S.A.I.N.T. organization.

After the Dark Age War, they meticulously crafted their image as a righteous institution, with the Saintess as its living symbol of compassion and hope.

They spent millions, perhaps even billions of rohm not only on charity, but also on lobbying efforts, funding think tanks, sponsoring international peace forums, and securing influence within struggling nations through loans and infrastructure projects.

They used mainstream media to highlight their good deeds and shape public perception.

Through entertainment, like films and songs, they carefully crafted narration that would favor the organization. They also used celebrities to speak well of them.

The organization had carefully cultivated admiration and loyalty among the people for years, especially among the younger generation.

So it’s understandable they find it hard to believe what Samuel, Madelline, and Alfred had said. They rather accused them of being a liar, a coward, an attention seeker, and whatnot.

Still, doubt lingered, tensions inevitably rose, and the world found itself divided, not just by politics, but by belief.

What began as testimony quickly hardened into a geopolitical fault line between Dolza, Luxemborough, and Harland. Diplomats worked through the night. Emergency briefings were called. Every word released to the public was weighed, measured, and sharpened.

Eventually, Dolza responded first. Two days later, they make a press conference. Their representative declared that the government had no prior knowledge of the alleged activities connected to the religious organization operating within their borders.

His expression remained stern, his tone measured and deliberate. He stated that the Dolza government would initiate a thorough and independent investigation into the allegations. Should any violations be uncovered, he assured the public that they would be addressed decisively and without hesitation.

Shortly after, the S.A.I.N.T. organization issued its own statement. They firmly denied any involvement in the events described during the interview and further rejected the claim that Madeline, Olivia Myre, and Jessi Hubert had ever been members of their organization.

They called the accusations ’baseless and politically motivated,’ and they expressed full willingness to cooperate with any official investigation.

They emphasized their long-standing humanitarian work and framed the allegations as an attempt to destabilize faith-based institutions. The message was clear: the organization will accept the challenge.

Luxemborough’s response the next day was far more aggressive.

Luxembourg’s response the following day was far more aggressive.

Their official representative categorically rejected every allegation made during the interview. Samuel was portrayed as a disgraced officer, a habitual drunk, a violent man, and an individual involved in the embezzlement of military operational funds.

According to the statement, he had been suspended from duty and was scheduled to face a military tribunal before fleeing the country with his family and allegedly faking his death.

Luxembourg further accused him of conspiring with foreign powers for financial gain, framing his testimony as a deliberate act of betrayal. The government announced its intention to pursue formal legal action against him on charges of treason and defamation.

Luxembourg further accused him of conspiring with foreign powers for financial gain, framing his testimony as a deliberate act of betrayal. The government announced its intention to pursue formal legal action against him on charges of treason and defamation.

In addition, they released what they claimed were medical records belonging to Alfred Hubert. According to those documents, Alfred had sought psychiatric treatment after losing his daughter during the Dark Age War. The records indicated he had suffered from severe depression and had been prescribed medication.

Citing this, Luxembourg’s officials portrayed Alfred as mentally unstable and therefore unreliable, suggesting that his statements could not be taken as credible testimony.

Meanwhile, Harland maintained a carefully measured neutrality.

In an official address, the kingdom confirmed that Samuel Albretch, Madeline Myre, and Lydia had formally requested political asylum. In accordance with international law and established humanitarian principles, Harland had granted their request.

Regarding the allegations presented during the interview, Harland stated that it had conducted its own preliminary review of the claims made by Alfred Hubert, Madeline Myre, and Samuel Albretch.

The government affirmed that the testimonies had been cross-examined and supported by material evidence, which would be released to the public at an appropriate time.

Reiterating that the Kingdom of Harland upholds truth and justice above all, the statement declared that it would support Miss Myre, Mr. Hubert, and Mr. Albretch in their pursuit of legal redress.

As long as they remained within Harland’s borders, the government guaranteed their protection.

The tone was calm. Diplomatic. Lawful.

But the message was clear, harland give middle finger and said: If you want to take them, over our dead bodies.

Thus, the war had begun as the three giants who were able to control the course of the world now stood facing one another. And when powers of that scale begin to shift into hostility, the world does not remain steady for long.

__________________________________

___Lat atnight at Cestine Palace__

The secure line connected with a soft click. Then, on the other end, President Zhang Yu Wei’s voice came through, calm but edged with something between amusement and admiration.

"You’ve caused quite a ruckus, Your Highness."

Lucas gave a quiet chuckle. "It’s only the beginning." ⅇℯ𝚕.

Zhang Yu Wei inhaled slowly. "How long have you known about this?"

"Quite a while..."Lucas answered in a casual tone.

A brief silence followed. When Zhang spoke again, his voice had deepened. "So it’s true..."

Lucas paused before answering. "Unfortunately, it is. And the reality is even worse than what’s been made public. As I told you before, it’s worse than we thought."

The weight of that settled heavily between them. Lucas heard a long exhale through the line.

"What the hell were those two crazy old men thinking?" Zhang muttered, the sharpness in his voice barely restrained. "We haven’t even fully recovered from the last war, and they pull something like this?"

"That’s exactly why they released Nazareth in the first place," Lucas said quietly.

There was no humor left in his tone now. Only something cold. Something that had been waiting for years.

"To cripple the world. Start by eliminating the strongest pillar, and the rest will collapse on its own."

A faint static hummed between them.

"Your father... and your sister..." Zhang Yu Wei’s voice lowered. He did not finish the sentence.

He remembered the headlines. The state funerals. The grieving nation. King Marcus fell in battle like a legend carved into stone. The Archknight who died beside him. And later, Princess Lorient, gone in an incident too sudden, too convenient.

If it had all been engineered, Zhang Yu Wei exhaled slowly. He could not imagine the weight Lucas had been carrying all these years. Nor the hatred.

"So," Zhang Yu Wei said at last, his tone turning cautious, "what’s your next move?"

"I need a legitimate reason," Lucas replied. His voice smoothed out again, calm as still water. "I need legitimated reason when I move against Luxemborough and the S.A.I.N.T. organization."

There’s a momentary pause hung between them, before Lucas continue "But for now," he added lightly, "I think I’m gonna cook a little bit more." The ease in his voice was more unsettling than anger.

"And Emery?" Zhang asked. "Where does Dolza stand in this whole situation?"

Lucas gave a quiet sigh. "Naturally, he agrees that Alexander must fall. But he’s wary of us..." A faint trace of mockery touched his lips. "Years of being compressed like a tuna can have a way of making a man paranoid."

"That’s not entirely unreasonable," Zhang Yu Wei replied. "You haven’t told him everything, have you?"

A soft chuckle drifted through the line. "Of course not. I don’t know how many people Alexander planted in Emery Barco’s government. From my investigation, at least half of his generals lean toward Alexander, and two cabinet ministers are proven to have accepted money from the organization, and those are only the ones we’ve identified, so far."

His voice lowered. "Therefore, I won’t risk exposing anything to him when his goverment plague with Alexander’s men."

Zhang Yu Wei clicked his tongue in agreement. "That’s fair."

Then, more lightly, he added, "Just make sure you’re not treating me the same way you treat that ’stupid’ Barco."

Lucas laughed, the sound warm but edged. "I wouldn’t dare. That’s not how I was taught to treat the elderly."

"..."

Zhang Yu Wei stared at his phone, his expression turning dark.

Only ten years older. That was all. Not even fifty yet. Still in his prime.

"Since you’ve planned everything so thoroughly," Zhang said at last, his tone smoothing back into diplomacy, "I’m reassured. Have a good night, Your Highness."

"Good night, President Zhang."

The line disconnected.

And just like that, the exchange between two rulers ended, not with ceremony, not with signatures, but with quiet understanding.

Lucas lowered his phone and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window. The capital stretched beneath him, a river of lights cutting through the dark. Towers glittered. Highways pulsed. The city looked peaceful.

It always did at night.

"Well planned," he murmured.

A faint smile touched his lips.

Had he learned the truth a year ago, the world would have burned for it.

Strategy would have meant nothing. Patience would have been a hollow word. He would have marched on Luxemborough without hesitation, and if Dolza had stood in his path, then Dolza would have fallen too. The wreckage left behind would not have mattered. Not the cities. Not the lives. Not the stain on history.

Let them call him a tyrant.

Legacy was a luxury for men who still had something left to lose. At that time, he had been drowning. And he knew, Fredhardt and the others would not have stopped him.

After all, they loved Lory just as much as him. ℯⅇ𝙡.

After she disappeared, anger and guilt burrowed into them like a slow-growing malignancy, eating away at reason and restraint. It hollowed them out from within, leaving only rage where clarity should have been.

The truth was, those dark emotions had nearly destroyed them all.

But then, miraculously, she returned. And more astonishing still, she had not changed. She was still carefree, still silly, still infuriatingly annoying.

If there was any change, she had grown more mature, steadier, wiser.

She had come back, and that was the greatest miscalculation their enemies had made.

She was his protector; that much had always been true. And as long as she stood by his side, nothing in this world could stop him.

And now... it was time for retribution.