From the moment I was chosen by the holy relic

Levin's laughter rang out first, laced with a merchant's shrewdness and undisguised greed: "Oh, this is a very good deal. Who would refuse to exchange a sword that will never respond for Iser's treasure?"

Sigmund's brow furrowed even deeper, as if he were struggling against some unseen force. He knew all too well the weight of the Iser treasury; each item in its collection was enough to cause a stir in Nosteria.

He hesitated.

His armor clattered softly as he took a deep breath, as if reminding everyone that this was a man accustomed to making decisions from the center of the battlefield. He spoke slowly, "I will take your proposal back to my king for discussion. This matter must be decided by him personally."

Eric had remained silent, but now a complex emotion welled up within him, a mixture of glimmering hope and unease. He could sense that the Radiant Sword was waiting quietly somewhere unseen, as if it knew this struggle would not end there.

On the other side of the long table, Eileen's gaze remained calm, but her fingertips tapped lightly on the armrest of her chair—a subtle gesture typical of elves when the situation was at a stalemate, as if she were silently counting down the moments to come.

Sigmund's last words were still echoing in the air when Irrfan spoke again, her voice as clear as a stream, yet with a firmness that could cut through stone.

"Gentlemen," she said, raising her chin and scanning the room, "while the ownership of the Radiant Sword is important, the real threat lies in this pendant. If it falls into the hands of the dark forces, no ancient sword will be enough to turn the tide. We should discuss how to preserve it."

She placed her hands on the table in a gesture often used even by human generals, as if she were setting up for a silent battle.

Talia, the mercenary captain of the Northern Free City, slowly rose to her feet. Her shoulder armor was etched with dark patterns by time and sword wounds, and her voice was deep and powerfully hoarse: "I have a suggestion. We can store the pendant at the border of several countries, and then each country can send an army to garrison it. The military expenses will be shared equally; no single country can control it alone, and no country will suffer for nothing."

Her suggestion was like a pebble thrown into still water, immediately creating ripples.

"That's a good idea," Archmage Thorne was the first to agree, a shrewd glint in his eyes. "This will not only ensure its safety, but also test whether the nations are truly sincere in protecting the continent."

Levin chuckled and stroked his beard. "Equal military spending? Ha, that sounds like the fairest thing I've heard in years."

Even the usually silent Queen of the Qinglin Kingdom nodded slightly: "Trust can only be established on the basis of fairness."

Soon, everyone agreed on Talia's framework plan. The only remaining question was where to choose the location.

Some suggested placing it in Wind Whisper Valley, arguing that the canyon terrain there is easy to defend;

Some insisted on placing it at Stone Crown Fortress, which is close to the northern border, has a harsh climate, and is less vulnerable to long-distance attacks by the enemy.

Some suggested using isolated islands in the sea to isolate the threat, but others immediately countered that sea routes could not guarantee year-round accessibility.

Round after round of debate ensued, with voices of rejection rising and falling. The candlelight on the long table burned shorter and shorter, and the twilight outside the window gradually dyed the sky a deep blue.

As the first night star twinkled above the dome, Irrfan spoke again: "If we want to balance security, symbolism, and the interests of all nations, I recommend the Gray Tower."

"Grey Tower?" someone repeated in a low voice.

Irfan's gaze seemed to pierce through the crowd, looking towards a place even further back in time: "It stands atop a cliff at the border of four kingdoms, with sheer cliffs on three sides and a single mountain path only wide enough for one person. A thousand years ago, the major powers signed their first peace treaty in that tower."

Queen Qinglin slowly revealed a smile: "You're right. That's a neutral territory; no country can enter unilaterally."

"Moreover," Talia grinned, "that place is easy to defend and difficult to attack. The only mountain path can hold off an entire army with just thirty men."

Although Sigmund's expression was grim, he did not immediately object. He weighed the situation in his mind. The Gray Tower was not close to Nostria, but it was not too far either. Moreover, given the terrain there, even if the dark forces came out in full force, they would have to pay a great price to get close.

Finally, King Iser brought the discussion to a close with his deep, steady voice: "Then Grey Tower. Let it once again become the place of oaths for the continent."

Then his gaze slowly swept across both sides of the long table, his deep, ocean-like eyes gleaming in the candlelight, as if he could see through everyone's expressions and into their hidden thoughts.

"Before we leave here, I must remind you of one thing: this parliament is not just about pendants. You all know that our history has been collectively distorted."

The air in the hall seemed to freeze suddenly, and even the candlelight flickered slightly.

"Such a massive deception," he paused, his eyes turning cold, "and we were completely unaware. This can only mean that dark forces have already infiltrated every one of our nations and have the ability to influence the most fundamental annals and memories. Their goal is not only to steal the truth, but also to lower our guard against them."

Levin's expression shifted, his knuckles tightening slightly beneath the wooden table. A thought flashed through his mind: could the old priest in his advisory group, who always said "ancient tales are nothing but legends," be a part of it all?

Sigmund lowered his head, his fingers tapping lightly on the edge of his armor. He was already calculating in his mind that if the dark forces could infiltrate to this extent, the military, mining bureau, and even the royal guard of Nosteria might not be completely clean.

Queen Qinglin narrowed her eyes slightly, as if recalling something. She remembered the inexplicable fire in the palace archives many years ago, in which many scrolls related to the "First Era" were reduced to ashes. At the time, her great-grandfather believed it was just an accident. Now, it seemed that might not be the case.

Talia narrowed her eyes, a cold sneer typical of Northerners on her face: "If they really are among us, then I'd like to see who dares to plant henchmen in my camp."

Irfan remained calm, but her fingers tapped a very light rhythm on the table, a habit of the elves to send danger signals. She had secretly memorized several faces.

King Isel continued, "Therefore, I hope that upon your return, you will immediately launch a thorough investigation. No matter the institution—the royal family, Parliament, the military, or even the most inconspicuous archives—no one should be overlooked. Only by bringing them to justice can we truly safeguard our future."

When he said the word "expose," his tone carried an unusual sharpness, as if he were not only giving an order but also declaring war on some invisible enemy.

After a moment of silence, Queen Qinglin responded softly, "I will order the sealing of all border crossings of the kingdom, and any travelers of unknown identity will be thoroughly investigated."

Levin nodded: "I will have the caravans re-register, whether they are going out to sea or entering port, every ship must have a detailed crew record."

Sigmund hesitated for a moment before whispering, "I will take this message back and have His Majesty the King personally order an investigation. But in Nosteria, if anyone dares to sabotage us in secret, we will not hesitate to take action."

"Very well." King Iser exhaled slowly, as if a heavy stone had been temporarily lifted from his shoulders. "Then, the council meeting is adjourned for today."

He stood up, the chair making a low scraping sound on the stone floor. As he did, everyone in the hall rose one after another, the chair legs beside the long table making a rustling sound on the floor, like a secret ensemble.

Dusk had completely enveloped the royal city, and the moonlight streaming through the high windows, like a silver waterfall, illuminated every face.

Despite the exhaustion from a day of arguments, discussions, and heated debates, strangely, no one showed any real fatigue. Each person's eyes shone with a different light: some with caution, some with suspicion, and some with the cold glint of a hunter.

Eric stood still, sensing an undercurrent flowing through the air of the hall. The sounds of footsteps, the rustling of armor, and whispers mingled together, like a prelude to an unknown battle.

The heavy doors of the main hall slowly opened, and a cold night wind rushed in from the palace corridor, dispersing the candlelight smoke that had filled the hall during the day. The crowd filed out, their footsteps echoing and mingling on the stone-paved corridor, like a symphony that had not yet ended.