Simon walked deep into the cathedral.
Here, the boundary between reality and shadow grew increasingly blurred. The hall of holy light was fragmented by darkness, with only a few faint rays of light falling upon the empty pews.
He was long accustomed to traversing this domain ruled by shadows. He didn't even need to look down, skillfully avoiding the scattered rubble and debris on the floor, as well as the brass candelabras suspended in mid-air.
Ahead, at the end of several rows of toppled pews, a shadowy figure sat quietly.
The silhouette of that shadow looked human, yet also like a flickering black candle flame, as if it did not belong to this world, merely a projection existing between presence and nothingness.
"Bishop." Simon stopped a few steps away from the pew, took a deep breath to slightly calm the unease in his heart, then bowed his head and greeted in a respectful tone.
The shadow on the pew still drifted without wind, seemingly showing no reaction to Simon's arrival.
A long time passed, so long that Simon almost thought the Bishop was not here or had fallen into deep meditation, before the shadow finally moved slightly.
"Simon?" A man's ethereal voice sounded. "Weren't you supposed to go to the palace today to discuss with those creatures crawled out of the Abyss about how to cooperate against the green-skinned beasts in the north?"
"Your subordinate, feeling moved and respectful, came specifically to receive the Bishop's teachings."
Morrigan seemed interested in Simon's words.
"Oh? You know about my arrangements in the Southern Territory?"
Hearing this, Simon felt a wave of relief in his heart.
Perhaps that envoy in the Southern Territory was indeed dispatched by the Bishop, carrying out secret plans even he was unaware of.
Thinking this, most of his previous unease instantly dissipated, even giving rise to an "ah, so that's it" realization and shame for his earlier suspicions.
He said admiringly, "I only know a bit from the followers' discussions. I heard the brothers in the south have clashed with those entrenched Demons, then infiltrated the Southern Army."
Hearing this, Morrigan seemed to have misunderstood something, letting out a soft, dry chuckle.
"Heh... those Demons are not as foolish as you imagine. As long as Casaric is still willing to shelter the church, those demonic lords wouldn't dare to easily offend us."
Simon was taken aback.
Offend us?
Didn't we offend the Demons and wipe out the demonic forces from the Southern Territory?
Morrigan didn't seem to notice Simon's confusion and continued, "To show our stance clearly before Casaric, I even specifically warned the followers in the south to stay away from Demons and avoid unnecessary conflicts."
"Our most important task now is to await the moment of the new sun's descent, not to provoke those troublesome Abyssal claws..."
Simon's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, and he cautiously inquired, "But what I heard is that the brothers in the south have already eradicated all demonic forces."
Eradicate Demons?
Morrigan was momentarily dazed, falling into a brief silence.
When did I ever offend Demons? How come I don't know about it myself.
He looked up and met Simon's gaze. Eye to eye, they could both see the bewilderment on each other's faces.
Just as Morrigan thought his envoy might be talking nonsense, Simon's face instantly turned deathly pale.
"B... Bishop, this really happened. Actually, I just received an urgent secret letter from Southern Territory Commander Raymond Sterling."
"The letter states that several high-ranking demonic lords in the Southern Territory were recently eliminated one after another by church followers using a mysterious sacred relic. Now, the Southern Army Commander has invited those followers into Chester Garrison City to participate in the fortress defense battle."
"What?!"
Morrigan's shadow showed its first clear fluctuation.
"Fools! Someone is impersonating us!"
Cold sweat instantly broke out on Simon's forehead.
Impersonation?!
Who... who is so bold? To actually dare impersonate church followers?
Morrigan's shadow boiled like water coming to a boil, showing his inner fury.
Who did this?!
Was it his sister, or other Shadow Scions, or perhaps that crow born from shadow in the Slime Kingdom...
Crow?
That's it!
It must be that crow from the Slime Kingdom.
Morrigan's voice returned to icy coldness. "Cunning enemy! Cunning Slime! You must immediately send the message back now."
"Yes..."
Simon's face was pale, his heart sinking to the bottom.
Now, only one thought remained in his mind—
It's over.
...
Early morning, Chester Garrison City.
The chill of early spring had not completely faded. In the distance, faint morning mist rose from the canyon, shrouding the perilous mountain ranges and the winding river below like a light veil.
Raymond Sterling, draped in a heavy dark blue fur-trimmed cloak, stood behind the city wall battlement of Chester Garrison City with several fully armed knights and mages.
He slowly exhaled, his breath condensing into a small puff of mist in the cold air. His gray eyes pierced through the thin morning fog, landing on the faintly visible outline of the continuous camp at the distant canyon exit.
He gazed like this for a long time, lost in thought, until a voice from an adjutant beside him brought him back: "Commander, Envoy Roy has entered the fortress with the religious group."
Raymond withdrew his gaze, nodded, and was about to turn and descend the wall to welcome them.
"No need to trouble the Commander."
Just as he turned, the shadow beside the wall battlement twisted slightly. Three figures draped in heavy black robes grew out from the shadows.
This was precisely the shadow power rumored to be mastered by the New Sun followers. Seeing this scene, some of the doubts in Raymond's heart dissipated.
Raymond gave a slight nod towards the lead black-robed figure. "You must be Envoy Roy. Welcome to Chester Garrison City. I am Raymond Sterling, Commander of the Southern Army. Thank you for your religion's assistance in this time of crisis."
Max, disguised as "Envoy Roy," said hoarsely, "Commander Sterling, you know why we've come. There's no need for pleasantries."
Raymond wasn't bothered by the other's cold attitude. After all, in his impression, these cultists were mostly eccentric in character.
"Please follow me, gentlemen. Let's take a look at the defensive line arrangements on the city wall, so you can have an intuitive understanding of the situation."
As he guided the three along the wall, he seemed to ask casually, "May I ask where in the south the Envoy and brothers have come from? Was the journey smooth?"
"And... has that sacred relic been brought along as well?"
Mask stopped walking, remained silent for a moment, then slowly extended his right hand, which had been tucked in his sleeve all along, palm up, slowly opening it.
In his palm lay a fist-sized, writhing mass of shadow.
"This is a partial manifestation of the sacred relic," Max's voice was firm. "We will naturally use it to eliminate the common enemy of the church and the Merchant Alliance."
Raymond focused his gaze, but a strange feeling arose in his heart.
Why does this so-called sacred relic look... a bit like a particularly dark Slime?
This thought flashed through his mind, and he then chuckled dryly, feeling the pressure from those Slimes was too great, making him mistake even a mass of shadow for a Slime.
But in fact, this really was a Slime—the Shadow Slime contracted to Max.
After all, no one had seen a Shadow Slime before, making it perfect for impersonating a sacred relic.
Raymond steadied himself and emphasized seriously, "Exactly! That evil Demon King Slime, the Demon King's Army it controls, and those bewitched puppet armies have brought too much disaster and suffering to this land. We are determined to drive them out completely and restore order and peace to the south."
He paused, then suddenly changed the subject. "However... to better formulate defensive and counterattack strategies, I need to verify the power of the sacred relic. This isn't distrust, but a battlefield necessity."
He was still probing.
Max didn't answer immediately. He remained silent for a moment, then, under the gaze of Raymond and several surrounding officers, he slowly tossed the writhing mass of darkness in his palm upward.
The moment that fist-sized shadow left his hand, it seemed to break free from some restraint and began expanding at an astonishing speed.
Like nightfall suddenly descending, profound darkness rapidly spread, obscuring a large swath of sky above the group.
The originally gray morning light and thin mist seemed to be swallowed up under this expanding shadow. The surrounding light abruptly dimmed. The edges of the shadow continuously twisted and churned, like a dark cloud hanging over the city wall.
Immense, pitch-black, overwhelmingly oppressive.
Raymond looked up at the massive shadow blotting out the sky, his face showing astonishment. Even the eyes of those well-traveled mages were filled with uncertainty and shock.
Max timely recalled the Shadow Slime.
The shadow rapidly shrank. The sky returned to its gray brightness, but the shock from that scene lingered.
Only then did he speak hoarsely, "This is only a partial release of the sacred object's power. If fully unleashed, I'm afraid it would destroy this entire section of the city wall."
Raymond looked at the restored sky. The suspicion in his heart finally dropped to its lowest point, and he secretly sighed in relief.
The sacred relic was actually real, and its power was astonishing.
This way, in the upcoming fortress defense battle, the sacred relic might even play a key role in turning the tide.
Max and the other two stood quietly, waiting for his response.
A much more sincere smile appeared on Raymond's face. "You've come a long way. You probably haven't had breakfast yet? I've had some simple meals prepared. Shall we talk while we eat?"
Success.
They had gained Raymond's trust.
Elara behind Max was feeling happy. Hearing there was food, her stomach suddenly growled loudly.
Raymond's gaze instinctively turned towards Elara.
Leon beside her reacted extremely quickly, chuckling hoarsely, "We set off immediately after receiving the message and indeed haven't eaten this morning."
Hearing this, Raymond not only didn't become suspicious but nodded understandingly. "I see, that was my oversight. You've toiled tirelessly for our common cause, truly admirable. Please follow me, breakfast is ready."
As he spoke, he turned and instructed the adjutant beside him, "All defense sectors, increase vigilance. Closely monitor the Restoration Army camp movements. Report any unusual activity immediately. The Demon King's puppet army could attack at any time."
The adjutant accepted the order and left.
Only then did Raymond lead Max and the other two down the city wall steps.
...
North of Chester, on a relatively high hillside.
Alice, clad in silver-gray knight half-plate armor, stood alone atop the slope. She gazed quietly at the faintly visible outline of the garrison city below in the mist.
Only after a long while did she raise her hand and gently take out a silver pendant from her neck.
She held the pendant in her palm, her fingertips feeling the metal's slight coolness and familiar texture. She whispered softly, her voice so light only she could hear it:
"Are you doing well, brother..."
"Now, I've also become a knight who can stand on my own, valued by the Princess, trusted by the knights. I haven't disgraced the honor of the Arevalo Family, right?"
"I hear the mountain ranges of the Western Continent are even grander and more magnificent, far more spectacular than the canyon before me... Father sent me a letter the day before yesterday, urging me to be careful. But I think he's actually very worried about you too, just doesn't know how to say it."
"He feels guilty about what happened to you..."
"Lately, I feel like I'm touching the end of the path..."
"Soon... I can already feel the will of guardianship. Cardos is favoring his believer."
After Alice finished her soliloquy, footsteps and a query tinged with laughter came from behind her. "So, my dear Knight Commander, were you silently praying to a distant loved one, wishing for their safety?"
Alice tucked the pendant back inside her clothes and turned to see Princess Louisa, who had walked up the slope at some point. She performed a Knight's Salute to her.
She remained silent for a moment before saying softly, "Your Highness jokes. It's just someone very important. That feeling is perhaps more complex than simple affection, maybe... it's a kind of attachment."
Princess Louisa walked to her side, also looking towards the distant garrison city. Hearing this, she raised an eyebrow in surprise.
She hadn't expected this usually strong-willed Knight Commander to have such a soft side within.
But soon, she realized who the person Alice mentioned was.
That knight who returned from death—upright, brave, reliable as a rock—was indeed someone worthy of reliance.
Alice adjusted her emotions and inquired, "Your Highness came personally. Is there something you wish to instruct before launching the attack on Chester Garrison City?"
Princess Louisa withdrew her gaze, looking at Alice. The smile on her face faded, her expression turning serious. "That new commander of the Southern Army, Raymond Sterling, is a clever man."
"He has likely already guessed our intentions, suspecting we are concealing our strength. But that's fine. Our objective has already been achieved. We just need to continue waiting."
"However, hiding everything would actually make the Orcs suspicious. We need to appropriately show some edge, let them see the Restoration Army is not useless."
Alice nodded thoughtfully.
Princess Louisa turned slightly, gesturing down the hillside. "Alice, come, let me introduce you. This is Mr. Gim, who has specially come from the Slime Kingdom to participate in this campaign."
Alice looked in the direction Louisa indicated.
She saw a Slime hopping up the hillside, but this Slime was completely different from any of its kind she had seen before.
Its entire body showed a dark golden hue, emitting a restrained and noble glow under the morning light. Its small eyes were serious, like a warrior already prepared for battle.
This was the first, and currently only, Golden Slime of the Slime Kingdom.
Big Brother Slime hopped before Louisa and Alice, straightened its dark golden body, and emitted a buzzing greeting.
Alice made a fist with her right hand, placed it over her left chest, and performed an equal knightly salute to Gim.
"Mr. Gim, welcome to join us."
Big Brother Slime's dark golden body rippled slightly with pleasure, returning the greeting.
"For the King, for the Kingdom, for victory."