When A Mage Revolts

A few days later, unexpected news came to them.

"The Church doesn't seem like they intend to go into hiding." Miles had just left on his search, so it had been unexpected that he would return to the Town of Crewe this time. He reported to Benjamin, saying, "The latest news is that Grant has brought his men to enter and stationed themselves in a village on the mountain in the north, called Karl. They've not hushed up the news, so now believers from all over the country are gathering there."

Hearing that, Benjamin frowned.

What was this about?

Although it already felt slightly as though the Church was at a dead end, it was still not so bad that they had to run into a small mountain village. If the Church was thinking about gathering their forces and fighting to the death, they should have chosen a large city at least, and engage in battle in a situation where they had city walls and the advantage of the terrain, instead of being like this now.

Had they already... given up?

"That village..."

"I know what you mean." Miles nodded, however, and continued Benjamin's sentence. "It's that village, the hometown of the legendary Cain and Abel. I don't know why the Church wants to do this, but you had best pay a bit of attention."

Hearing that, Benjamin was rather suspicious.

Wait a minute... It seemed that he had never heard of this legend before.

"It's a rumor that's less believable. Even the Church hasn't written it into their bible, so I've never mentioned it to you." The System emerged to explain. "According to the legend, a few thousand years ago, there was a village called Karl, which had been one of the few human settlements at the time. The two brothers were born there and led the humans into the future... Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, things like that. After a few thousand years had passed, and great changes had taken place in the world*, the small mountain village still remained a small mountain village, and has never changed. However, no traces concerning the two brothers can be found in there."

Having listened to him, Benjamin thought for a while before shooting a question back at him. "Isn't it just that their names are the same?"

"It's very possible." The System answered casually. "Anyway, from the outside looking in, it's just a very ordinary village. Although the terrain and environment match the legend, how can it be that a place doesn't change at all over a few thousand years? The credibility of this legend is really not that high."

Benjamin rubbed his chin and fell into deep thought.

It really did seem like a made-up story. However, the problem was that the Church had chosen that place, so he was forced to think more about it. In hopelessness, had the Church already given up on putting in effort, and had placed their hopes on vague, mythical legend to save them? Or was it to say... that there was really something strange going on somewhere?

There were sufficiently enough secrets upon this great land, indeed.

"How? What do you plan to do?" Miles waited beside him for a moment. When he saw that Benjamin continued keeping quiet, he could not help but ask.

"What can be done?" Benjamin came back to his senses. He took a deep breath and said, "There's one final step left in destroying the Church. Since we know the location of the enemy, naturally, we must rush over there immediately. We cannot give them half a chance to take a breath."

"Then... What time do you plan to set off?"

After being quiet for a moment, Benjamin lifted his head. "Right away."

Saying thus, he took a few strides and walked out from the tent.

The entire Black Nightmare Army began to mobilize once more.

In reality, everything was the same as the plan they had at the very beginning. Benjamin defended the Town of Crewe from the invasion of the royal army, while the Wood army took over the Imperial Capital and destroyed the cathedral. Because of that, the Church was plunged into a situation where it was trapped in between two attacking parties, and had no home to return to. The location of Karl village was in between the Black Nightmare Army and the Wood army. Thus, Benjamin brought his men and set off, while Elizabeth also sent out large numbers of soldiers and mages to lay siege on the Church together.

Both parties had not been in a military conference, and had not discussed what they should do now. However, they had decided on the same thing. They wanted to take the opportunity while the enemy was at their weakest, to press them to their deaths.

The Kingdom of Helius was in desperate need of a future without the Church.

Of course, to prevent the Church from escaping secretly, the army marched on slower this time. They first surrounded Karl village, arranging themselves together in a circle around it. It was only after they had confirmed that the Church would be unable to send a troop out to attack their base, that they entered this area of the hill and set up their camp outside this legendary village.

The camps of both the Black Nightmare Army and the Wood army were extremely long. They were arranged in the shape of arcs, meeting each other at both ends. A slightly irregular circle was drawn on the ground.

Karl village was like a fly trapped in a bowl, unable to fly out no matter how hard it tried.

"They are very quiet." Elizabeth stood on the sentry platform and spoke to Benjamin, who was next to her. "We've investigated. They've been very quiet ever since entering Karl village, there's been practically no movement. Almost all the exiled priests outside have rushed over, and the believers from all over the country have gathered here as well. It's like..."

Benjamin continued her sentence. "It's like they've gathered here specially for us to capture all of them in a single swoop."

Elizabeth nodded.

"Or perhaps we've already driven them to desperation." Benjamin continued speaking. "They know they're already powerless to save the situation, which is why the congregation has hurried over here to witness the final traces of the Church's existence, or maybe they wish to perish with the Church."

Elizabeth looked to the faraway village in the mountain. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Let's just hope so."

Benjamin looked at the unusually quiet village as well. However, at the moment, he suddenly turned his head and looked at Elizabeth again.

"...How does it feel like to have command over the Imperial Capital?"

Elizabeth turned her head and frowned. "What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing much. I'm just curious, what your thoughts and feelings are when you sit on the throne." There was a careful smile on Benjamin's face. He felt that this question had to be put forward. "Was it relief that you've finally fulfilled your father's dying wish, or feeling the liberation of having great power in your grip, and everything under the sky in your hands?"

"...Neither."

"Then what is it?"

"It's a breath of relief." Elizabeth shifted her gaze as her expression became cold once more. "You've always wanted to ask this question, I know. That's right, my father's dying wish is for the Wood family to be the new royalty in the Kingdom of Helius. He wants me to ascend the throne, which was why he had prepared so much at all costs."

Hearing that, Benjamin still shook his head despite already knowing the answer in his heart beforehand.

"...Then, do you wish to be Queen?"

However, to his surprise, Elizabeth nodded without hesitation.

"I do." She spoke in an unusually determined manner. "Not just for father. Do you know how I'd escaped when the Church laid siege on the Academy of Silence? Everyone had been sacrificed, the teachers, the elder... They'd entrusted their own lives to me, so I must carry all of these through and fulfil the dream of every mage in the Kingdom of Helius, to be a crowned mage and rule this country."

Benjamin sighed.

If this was the case... It seemed that it would be very difficult for her to take his advice.

"Do you want to be king too?" At this time, Elizabeth suddenly looked at Benjamin. "Father had kept on avoiding this when he was still alive, but I don't mind. You were a noble of the kingdom previously, and also a mage, the person who truly overthrew the Church. It is reasonable and fair if you wish to ascend the throne. I can let you have it."

Benjamin immediately waved his hands. "Not interested."

"Then why are you so persistent in pursuing this matter?"

"Because mages are not suited to govern a country." Benjamin crossed both hands, speaking slowly. "Governing a country is an extremely worldly job, and mages... Even if we draw closer to the commoners, it's still impossible for us to become worldly, at the end of the day. We could form an assembly like Icor, or we could withdraw and go behind the scenes. The key point is that the monarch isn't necessarily the person with the highest status. Also, a person being able to learn magic well doesn't mean he'd know how to govern a country."

Hearing that, Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and looked at Benjamin up and down for a while, contemplating him.

"...In that case, we have nothing else to talk about on this topic."

Benjamin put his hands up helplessly. "Do you really want to ascend the throne so badly?"

"This country is different from Icor. The mages here have gone through too much pain and suffering. The entire Academy of Silence is watching me from behind, and all the mages in the Kingdom of Helius are watching you as well." Elizabeth turned around. Before flying off the sentry platform, she turned her head and said to him, "You've chosen to disregard. To disregard their expectations. So all I can do is to bear your part as well, and carry out this responsibility."

Saying thus, she flew off into the distance like the wind, disappearing from Benjamin's sight.