Chapter 97 - 97 Departure
97 Departure
“So? Are we qualified to knead a world we saved at will?” Remides Shadowmoon asked.
Byron sighed and continued, “I didn’t mean to offend you, Ms. Shadowmoon, but do you really know how people choose their fates?”
As he spoke, he picked up a few documents from the table, got up, circled the round table, and handed the documents to everyone.
“This is what I arranged for Black Blade to collect in the Blackwater Kingdom, the Storm Kingdom, the Twilight Kingdom, the Black Iron Kingdom, and the Kos Empire. As the Moon Realm rifts have all been closed, the Void Sovereigns can no longer interfere with Currere. The greatest worry of war between the seven kingdoms is gone.”
During the Moon Realm invasion, to reduce the nourishment of the King of Deathblood, the Ruin Demon God, and the Mad Sovereign, who involved violence, destruction, and domination, the various countries maintained extreme restraint. As long as there weren’t Moon Realm believers in the palace, most of them were extremely cautious about starting a war.
Now that the Moon Realm had been sealed, more secular problems could be brought up.
Valk, who was sitting at the side, suddenly tapped the golden staff in His hand and said excitedly, “Ah… It’s coming, it’s coming. A dispute formed from overextending one’s authority.”
When William heard the lines from the actor playing Byron, he roughly guessed what would happen next.
The humanoid black shadow sitting in front of the round table didn’t even look at the document after receiving it. Instead, he said in a singing tone, “Byron, who gave you the authority to send the Black Blade to the palaces of the various kingdoms to spy on them?”
Although his voice was very soft, the shadow that formed him trembled violently.
Koos was the tenth Judge. He had become Lightless because of a magical accident, and the Elementals in his entire body had turned into a shadow. His control over Shadows was peerless, so he was also the person-in-charge of the Doomsday Watcher’s intelligence center and the Assassinate department’s Black Blade.
In the Doomsday Watchers, only the Presiding Judge, William, and he had the authority to command the deployment of Black Blade to carry out missions.
Byron replied unhurriedly to the other party’s doubts, “Koos, think back carefully. Where did Black Blade recruit members from? Other than the ten people who absorbed the remnants of the previous generation’s Black Blade forming the initial backbone, weren’t they all sent by the Ministers of Espionage of the seven kingdoms during the second war? I only persuaded my old subordinates in the Baroque Kingdom to carry out missions.”
With that said, he stood up and swept his gaze across everyone present.
“Since I can override Koos’s command of the Baroque Kingdom’s Night Blade, can the other kingdoms send their subordinates out to control them again? In addition, since that’s the case with the Night Blade, what about the Mason Order? The Ring Order? The Armory? The various knightages? Everyone, all external threats have been eliminated, but we actually have the strongest military power on the continent. What do you think the seven secular kingdoms will do to us?”
The current Doomsday Watchers were like an invisible country that enveloped the entire Vic Continent.
Sibylla, whose eyes were as white as a blind person’s and whose entire body reeked of alcohol, replied, “What else can it be? A savior, of course.”
She continued, “Byron, you’re always thinking too deeply about political matters. Even if they have such thoughts, they won’t dare to do anything to us. Even if they go out of their minds and attack us, will they be stronger than the Moon Realm? Moreover, isn’t what you just said the reason why we should disband the Doomsday Watchers? Just as the Presiding Judge said before he left, we have at least brought a thousand years of peace to this world. Since the goal of gathering us together no longer exists, it’s time to let everyone go home.”
Just as Sibylla finished speaking, a black-haired woman wearing plate armor that shone with silver light and holding a magical medium that looked like a spiked mace mocked, “Sibylla, is the wine already in your skull? Or can’t you even spare a sober hour for the entire day?”
Evelyn was the person-in-charge of the Judgment’s Ring Order and the Chief Battle Mage. Other than William, she was the best magic chanter in spell combat.
She frowned and looked at Sibylla’s drunken expression.
“Of course, the seven kingdoms won’t or can’t do anything to us. However, if we disband the Doomsday Watchers, especially with Lord William gone, the seven kingdoms can boost their prestige for ‘resolving the Moon Realm crisis.’ After all, they have sent a large number of helpers to support us since the second war. Releasing those former heroes now is equivalent to giving them jurisprudence—jurisprudence as the savior.”
She looked at Sibylla as if she was saying—do you know what they will use this for?
Byron seemed to heave a sigh of relief and said, “Looks like there’s finally another person with a clear head.”
However, Evelyn ignored the other party’s flattery and said to him, “Don’t misunderstand. I don’t support your proposal. It’s just that it’s safer to maintain our current situation for the time being than to throw the tinder into the forest so irresponsibly. However, maintaining this situation doesn’t mean that we’re going against the original intention of establishing the Doomsday Watchers. It’s best not to have the Doomsday Watchers turn into a secular power organization like the Holy Spirits Church.”
Byron coughed awkwardly when he heard that.
Evelyn ignored him and continued, “Therefore, the most important thing now is to find the Presiding Judge as soon as possible. As long as he’s around, no one will dare to declare themselves as the hero who saved the world even if the Doomsday Watchers are disbanded. Even if he wants to establish the Doomsday Watchers as a country, that’s…”
“Evelyn, you are the one who ought to wake up,” Sibylla looked at the black-haired woman holding the staff in her hand drowsily and said.
“I know it’s difficult for you to accept Lord William’s departure, but he has left. I can’t see him at all. No matter what we discuss now, it’s under the premise that he has left,” Sibylla pointed at her white eyes and said.
The two of them looked at each other and fell silent for a long time.
Byron fell silent for a moment when he saw this scene. Then, he continued, “I know many of you hate me for going out of my way to broach this topic, but if you don’t let those who are qualified to wield power, it will fall into the hands of those who aren’t. At the very least, the initiative is still in our hands. I beg everyone not to let the crown fall to the ground irresponsibly and let those who aren’t qualified fight over it, okay?”
“Have you noticed the details? What’s the difference between the members of the two factions?” Valk suddenly turned to look at William and asked.
William naturally noticed that the long-lived species were more inclined to disband. Those who knew the cruelty of power struggles in the human world were more inclined to maintain order. After all, to the long-lived species, the changes and disputes of countries were only a footnote in their long years. Only a Moon Realm invasion could be considered a true threat.
William nodded.
“Then, something interesting is about to happen.”
Valk chuckled.
As Byron said this, the debate in the venue became more and more intense. An urgent violin accompaniment was played behind the stage. For a moment, the scene was so noisy that William couldn’t hear what they were talking about.
At this moment, a voice suppressed all of them.
“Enough!”
The person who spoke was the crow standing on the back of a chair.
“Byron, let me ask you. You said that authority has to be handed over to someone qualified to control it. Do you think that person will be you after the Presiding Judge leaves? Do you have the power to control that authority?” Coles Jackdaw asked.
Byron remained silent.
Coles took off the badge that symbolized Judgment and threw it on the round table.
“Continue playing this game amongst yourself. I quit.”