Chapter 875: Empty-Handed
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
At the same time.
A hundred miles away from the capital, beneath Pearl Lake.
"Where... exactly is this?"
The tunnel, which had been pitch dark, was now lit up brightly by the light from clusters of flames. The vast rocky cavern was filled with people standing within it; after the members of the Black Nightmare Army had separated and escape inspection by the Church, they had all gathered here. Disbelief filled their eyes as they gazed around this piece of wide and gigantic underground world.
Morris turned his wheelchair around and looked at Benjamin in a confused manner, asking the question above.
"It’s a bit complicated to explain, but... you have heard of the inheritance left behind by ’Soul’s Fire’, haven’t you?" Benjamin mulled for a while, before speaking slowly. "This is the true location of the inheritance."
For a moment, Morris was dumbfounded.
"Soul’s Fire... There’s really an inheritance? How did you discover this place?"
"It’s a rather long story," Benjamin scratched his head, thinking that it was really difficult to explain everything from the beginning until the end. Finally, he said, "I came across this place by accident. The area here is huge and extremely well hidden. The Church will definitely never be able to find us now that we’re hiding here."
Hearing that, Morris nodded and said nothing more.
There were still many kinds of questions in his heart, but as Benjamin had said, this underground world was definitely a perfect hiding place. It was spacious enough here that the Black Nightmare Army could continue operating without any hindrances at all, and the Church would never imagine that a small world like this existed under Pearl Lake.
There were two exits to this tunnel; one led to an area near the Crusader’s Gateway. When they wanted to go out for battle, they could also leave from the other exit and attack the cities and towns in that region.
He was curious about what the inheritance of the ’Soul’s Fire’ was, but it was obvious that Benjamin did not seem to be in a position to talk about it. Thus, he did not pursue the matter.
Morris turned around and began to busy himself with the setting up of their camp, along with the other mages.
Benjamin, on the other hand, walked towards the direction of the masses of soldiers.
"...Have you discovered it?"
As he walked, he suddenly spoke in his head, asking the System a question. The System emerged very quickly to toss its answer back at him.
"I’ve sensed a weak magic oscillation, it’s the oscillation of a magical instrument sending a message. However, the magic shield we’ve set in place before this has blocked the message. I’ve just decoded it, and yes, it’s a message for the Church."
Benjamin could not help but take a deep breath.
The fact that they had a spy in their midst was something he had confirmed a few days ago.
A few days ago, Duke Collin had written a letter to him, informing him of the news that their location in the Mountains of Magic Beasts had been leaked. At the time, he had already realized that something was not right. The exact details of the camp were only known to the members of the Black Nightmare Army, and at the time, the scouts of the Church had not yet come close to their area, not in the slightest.
Because of that, while they were moving, he had decided to lure the spy in the camp out.
Hidden under Pearl Lake, the Church would not be able to find them. The spy would then definitely be anxious to send his message out. Morris had used runes to create a set of tools that could block the delivery of the message.
Now, he had finally found the spy.
"I just never thought that someone like you would be a running dog for the Church."
At the fringes of the cavern, in a hidden tent that had just been erected, Benjamin swung the door curtain open to look at a shocked and frightened Bill. There was disappointment on his face.
He had never imagined that the leader of the first batch of rebel forces to join him in fighting the Church, would be a spy.
"W-what? Great mage, I..." Bill was frantic. He had just kept his bead of communication into his pocket, and forced a confused smile, asking in an attempt to cotton up to him.
However, Benjamin waved his hand to cut his words off.
"How many people of the Church are hidden in the Black Nightmare Army?"
Beads of cold sweat started to form on Bill’s forehead. "I really don’t understand what you’re saying..."
Seeing that, Benjamin shook his head. As the water elemental domain spread, a soundproof water bubble suddenly caught and engulfed them up. Subsequently, pieces of ice needles, glistening with frozen light, appeared.
"You will soon understand."
Scream after scream of anguish were isolated away in this remote tent. In the underground cavern, the majority of the Black Nightmare Army were still as busy as bees. No one knew what was happening.
It was approximately around this time.
Right above them, in the district of Pearl Lake, the great army of the Church had just arrived.
"...Where are they?"
Due to the current chaotic times in the kingdom, the village of the lake had been completely deserted. The villages had all escaped after being raided by the mountain bandits a few times. The royal army stopped beside the lake and sent out sentries to search the area in and around Pearl Valley. In the end, however, they came back with a disappointing answer.
"We, we couldn’t find anything... In the direction of the valley, and the surrounding areas of the lake, almost every corner has been searched. This group of rebels should not be nearby."
Hearing this answer, Grant, who was sitting atop his horse, turned his head to look at the bishop. His expression could not even be described as ugly now.
The bishop was completely unable to meet his gaze.
"I’m asking you. Where are they?"
Grant’s voice drifted into his ears once more, and sounded as though there was an echo, exploding in his ears like thunder. The bishop felt his brain go numb; he was incapable of speaking a single word.
Behind them stood tens of thousands of soldiers and horses, equipped with the best weaponry, but they did not know where to charge at. The hordes of priests exchanged looks. In the confusion, there was starting to be rather unpleasant expressions.
The entire scene was quiet... So quiet, that it was rather awkward.
After a long silence, the bishop still could not put together words to form an answer. Grant turned his head to look at the team of sentries reporting to him, and gave another order. "Continue searching."
Receiving their instruction, the sentries turned and scurried off as though they were fleeing for their lives.
"I will spare you." Grant looked at the bishop once more, speaking in a low voice. "Now tell me. From where did you get the information that the enemy is in Pearl Valley?"
"It’s... information we received from an agent we planted in the Black Nightmare Army."
"Where is he? Contact him now. I want to know where that group of rebel has hidden themselves."
"I, I understand..."
The bishop took out his cross of communication in a hurry to activate it, trying to use it to send a message. However, no matter how he tried to activate the cross, the cross did not respond in the slightest.
Grant’s eyes grew colder and colder, and the movements of the bishop became more and more flustered.
"...No reply, so there’s only one possibility," Finally, Grant interrupted the bishop impatiently, saying, "The tool of divine art on him has been destroyed."
The bishop lowered his head. "Yes, yes."
Grant turned his head to look at the vast Pearl Lake. He was expressionless, but his fists were clenched tightly under his sleeves. So tight, that his knuckles were turning white. Even the horse under him seemed to feel something, and was trembling slightly, uneasy.
There were so many people there, but no one dared to say a word.
The clothes of the bishop had long been drenched in his cold sweat.
He was very clear what His Highness the Pope was feeling right now. It was shame. Not only the Pope, but the entire great army had rushed over with great pomp, but had ended up pouncing into emptiness. His heart was also filled with shame. He knew that they had been tricked; the Black Nightmare Army was as familiar with their movements as they were with the back of their hands. Even the spy they had planted carefully seemed to have been used by the enemy as a counter, to beat them at their own game.
All he had to do was think about how they had put on such a huge parade, going out into battle in front of the entire city so magnificently, and yet ending up empty handed, and the bishop’s heart would be filled with shame.
If his own emotions were as such, then needless to say, so would those of His Highness the Pope.
However, it was precisely because he was clear about it that he felt even more horrified. No one knew what His Highness the Pope would do, with a heart filled with shame.
Silence... A silence that trailed on for no one knew how long.
"Report!"
A hasty announcement broke the silence, and the bishop was violently woke up, as though he had just been in a long dream. However, when he looked towards the voice, he discovered that the one making the noise was not one of the sentries who had been sent on the search.
It was a Holy Knight, rushing towards them on a speeding horse.
"Your Highness, the Pope! Something’s happened! A few nobles, led by Duke Collin, suddenly appeared at the palace with a few mages and abducted Her Majesty! He used Her Majesty’s life as a hostage and has now escaped from the capital. No one know where they have gone!"