I find it very sacred to pick someone up and make them a saint.

With Rachel's declaration of war, the High Council came to a complete end.

People stood up from their seats, talked to each other, and more often moved over to Rachel in an extremely smooth manner to chat with her.

Rachel is open to all and embraces diverse perspectives.

He even laughed heartily, deliberately letting it reach Phil's ears, making his face even paler, and he got up and left alone.

Mien also took Lucia's hand and stood up, bowing slightly as they left to avoid the surging crowd.

They soon spotted a man walking in the opposite direction ahead. It was General Sestan, who slowly rose and calmly walked toward the gate.

Even though he voted for Rachel, he still refused to talk to her.

Rachel's gaze swept over the smiling faces and caught sight of Sestan's actions. A hint of coldness flashed in her eyes, but she didn't care.

Neuer, standing behind Sestan, turned to look at Mien and the other man, nodded in acknowledgment, his eyes filled with fervor.

It's not just about expressing warmth; it's also like saying that her commitment to the Academy will not change.

Mien and Lucia smiled and greeted them in return.

After that, no one stopped them or paid them any attention; they just understood.

Perhaps because of Milne's low profile, or perhaps because of Milne's lack of resolve, Milne did not occupy a significant position on Rachel's ship.

But just as they were about to leave the hall, a voice suddenly came from behind them.

The sound was like the breath of a giant beast, faintly carrying the wheezing of an elderly person:

"Are you only planning to go with the two of you?"

The two turned around and found that it was Duke Flami, the city lord of Lino City.

Previously, Mien had guessed that Flami would be very friendly to him and Lucia, since he had given Lucia the family heirloom early on.

But at this moment, Flami's tone was skeptical and contemptuous.

"Yes, Duke Flami." Mien stopped Luya.

Lucia nodded in acknowledgment: "I received the gift you sent me through someone. Thank you for your kindness."

Upon hearing this, Flami did not respond. Instead, he frowned and looked Lucia up and down for a moment before turning his gaze to Mien.

"Chief Mien, what are your thoughts on this war?"

The words sounded like a question.

Mien seemed to understand Flami's thoughts from his attitude: he and Lucia had failed to live up to his respect.

Mien smiled, not flustered, but calmly replied:

"As I said, Lucia and I are only responsible for preventing and resolving the hidden dangers of esoteric cults; that is our duty."

We are powerless to intervene in other wars.

As far as I know, there seem to be over 100,000 soldiers in your city of Reno.

That's not something our academy can possess.

The usually composed Flammy was clearly dissatisfied with this answer and instead let out a cold laugh:

"Everyone says that the chief of the Academy of Scholars possesses the supreme wisdom of the entire continent. Today I have learned from him, but perhaps I am too dull to perceive it."

As he spoke, he glanced at Lucia beside him:

"The family token I sent you is to congratulate you on becoming a successor to the Holy Maiden, just like before. Fulfill your duties well."

Having said that, he took a long, swaying step to leave.

"Mr. Flammy," Mien called out calmly.

Flammy did not turn around.

"The war has only just begun, hasn't it?"

Flammy paused for a moment, then strode away.

Mien and Lucia left the palace together.

The capital city was bustling with activity as people outside, having heard the news of the battle to begin in three days, were busy preparing.

They all needed to communicate with their territories, prepare their troops, and join the main force along the way to the border.

As they approached the Academy of Scholars, Lucia asked:

"Teacher, what does Duke Flami mean? Why did he give me the family heirloom, and why does he seem somewhat hostile?"

"Because he saw what we saw."

"What is it?"

"Like what you see in Iron Cans Street, things that these princes and ministers can't see, the other side of the empire."

Although it's unclear what he learned, he must have known that the Cassirer Empire was in decline.

"What does that have to do with us?"

"Because he alone cannot protect anything."

Leaving aside the entire empire, they might not even be able to protect their own families.

He wanted to find someone to work with to try and reduce the potential impact on the future.

When Lucia heard Mien say that Flami was also worried about something similar to Iron Can Street, she felt a surge of goodwill and her previous displeasure vanished.

"Then why don't you respond to him?" Lucia blinked.

"Because he is responsible for his family and territory, and I am responsible for the Academy."

Even if our interests align, it's not the right time yet.

Lucia nodded as if she understood, but her doubts were gone, and she no longer needed to worry about anything more complicated.

Mien knew very well that the Academy of Scholars had to have its own armed forces; it was only a matter of time.

Now he has two directions: one is Neuer and the other is his father, General Sestan.

The other was Duke Flami and his city of Reno.

The corners of his mouth curved into a smile. The little 'conflict' just now may have displeased Flami, but he was quite satisfied.

The testing is mutual; he also needs to understand Flami's motives and sincerity.

It now appears that Flammy is facing an even greater crisis than the Academy.

This put Mien in the upper hand, making it impossible for the other party to do without him.

The rest can be discussed during the war.

After all, Lino City is located on the border between the Severn Empire and the Cassirer Empire.

…………

After returning to the Academy, Mien and Lucia made some simple preparations.

Pope has been ordered to return to Neuer, and after receiving a small squad of knights promised by Neuer, he will reunite with Mien on the way.

Phyllis and the others protested repeatedly, insisting on bringing some Holy Chapter scholars to protect the two, but Mien refused.

On one hand, they didn't want to implicate them, and on the other hand, these Holy Chapter scholars were really no match for that knight squad...

However, Mien naturally didn't say it aloud, only mentioning:

"If you're really worried, take a few people to the research camp in Reno City."

Phyllis then gave up.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

After all, there was no need for a large-scale deployment; it was just these important figures heading to the border of Reno City together.

He will only lead a small portion of the elite troops from the capital, while the rest of the imperial and local armies will join him along the way, eventually assembling in the city of Reno.

Then, they quickly launched an attack on the Seferen Empire, giving it as little time to react as possible.

On the morning of the third day, a battalion of elite Imperial soldiers led the way, and the luxurious carriages slowly drove out of the capital.

Rachel's reputation as the supreme commander had long since spread throughout the capital and across the entire empire.

By arousing people's sensitivity to war, they prepare for the future harvest of fame.

Mien and Lucia rode alone in a carriage, refusing to participate in the discussions of war details among the generals and lords at the forefront.

With the aid of machinery and magic, the wheels rolled on, and the scenery outside the window changed rapidly.