Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

Jukrati's vivid description brought back memories of that day for Viscount Anthony on the ground. He scrambled to his feet as if possessed, letting out a muffled but furious roar from his shattered jaw:

"Curse! Curse you demons!!!"

Unfortunately, he now resembled a demon from hell, while Ruklati remained a beautiful illusion. Ryūsha seemed to understand that the unfortunate viscount was an innocent victim, and couldn't help but feel a pang of pity. But this had little to do with him, and he couldn't possibly destroy Ruklati to avenge this man.

Regardless of whether the sword is good or bad, he needs Ruklati to serve him and be under his control.

"Save your breath, you're also at fault for misjudging people..."

Ruklati knocked Anthony unconscious again. This time, Ryūka didn't stop her because his screams were too loud. Besides, he didn't want to see the undead man's pitiful appearance with black, pus-like tears streaming down his face... Ruklati's words also piqued Ryūka's curiosity: "Unable to judge a person? What do you mean?"

"Hmm... I'll get to that in a bit. Anyway, Carmela didn't visit as a saintess of the Church, but as a mysterious woman. And this person appeared at the wedding, and her first words were to ask this human to lend her their family's heirloom sword, of course..."

"And his daughter, the bride at the wedding, and Carmela kindly explained that she didn't want the bride herself, but the child in her womb. If Nur Antony handed over the sword and the man, she would return his daughter intact a year later..."

“'I know this is rude, but children can be born again, and I am willing to offer sufficient compensation'…”

Ruklati mimicked Carmela's tone, slightly lifting the hem of her skirt as she smiled politely at Ryūka, but her voice was utterly devoid of humanity, sending a chill down Ryūka's spine. As she had described, Carmela was not only dangerous but also incredibly cruel. Her appearance at the wedding was definitely deliberate, a calculated attempt to create a dramatic, destructive spectacle.

This woman is awful...

What does she want that child for?

Ryūka knew without a doubt that Anthony would refuse, and this became the spark that ignited the war. But more importantly, why did Carmela want Viscount Anthony's child...?

"The reason is simple: an infant who has absorbed a large amount of Holy Power from the Vatican while still in the womb, whose bloodline has been influenced by Idunir for generations and who possesses a powerful life force, is the perfect experimental subject for her... She needs such a subject to experiment on whether 'Domination' is effective on 'life,' and whether she can use the Vatican's holy arts as a foundation, along with her own various powers, to develop a technique that can control the human body in a way that cannot be detected by those within the Vatican..."

As for retrieving the other demonic sword, it seems to be just a secondary objective that happened incidentally.

"Wait, 'it absorbed a large amount of Holy Power from the Holy See while it was still inside'?"

Seeing Ryūsha's furrowed brows, Ruklati revealed a mocking smile, looking at Viscount Anthony lying on the ground:

"That's right, his daughter's love affair was a scam from the very beginning. Everyone praised that 'noble' young knight, but no one knew that he was not a fallen nobleman at all. He had his own family and status in another city thousands of miles away, and even already had a wife and children..."

“I just didn’t expect that after I regained my memories, I would find that guy was still here. You’ve heard his name too—the new owner of this territory, Matt Harvey.”

Chapter 20: The Past of Crow Ridge (Part Two)

Hearing this, Ryuuya suddenly realized that this was a meticulously planned conspiracy. But what he couldn't believe was that Matt Harvey would even abandon his own bloodline. Was it his status as a Holy Knight of the Church that gave him such a twisted mentality, or was he acting on Carmela's orders, committing such a heinous act?

"What's surprising is that, despite having Matt Harvey as an inside man, Carmela wasn't in a hurry to destroy the Anthony family on the front lines. She needed more power to nurture the child in Miss Anthony's womb, so she gradually forced Noor Anthony to use Iduniel's power... even at the cost of secretly revealing the truth about Iduniel."

Unfortunately, Noor Anthony ultimately did not gain Iduniel's approval. This wasn't because Iduniel was overly picky; she was simply still asleep…

However, no one anticipated Viscount Anthony's immense appeal to knights and adventurers. Despite being accused of deriving his power from heresy, he still had many loyal followers. The war dragged on, people died daily across the land, and his spirit reached its limit, desperately seeking Idunir's power. Idunir, in turn, unconsciously released some of its power due to the tragic fate of this land; crimson vines and flowers sprouted and bloomed, tearing apart Carmela's men, but also cementing the Anthony family's reputation as heretics…

With his rapid healing abilities, he could fight even with his heart pierced, and soft vines sprouted from his severed limbs to reconnect them... Viscount Anthony, wielding Idunir, became a monster in the eyes of the people. Carmela, finally acting as a saintess of the papacy, mobilized the surrounding nobles to intervene in the war, because she knew it was time to close the net...

“Anthony divided Idunir’s power among his subordinates and family, including his pregnant daughter and his trusted son-in-law, Matt Harvey. Regardless of how the world viewed them, he had to win this war. Unfortunately…”

Ruklati's words plunged Ryūsha into silence. He could imagine that Núr Anthony had no way out at that point. Before Carmela revealed her identity as a saintess, he had no idea who his opponent was. Forced to use Idunir's power, he faced the antagonism of the entire world. But things had come to this point; he had no way out…

Human emotions can unleash tremendous power; this is no exaggeration in this world. The 'spirit' responds to the human mind, not to mention the powerful spiritual energy inherent in the demon sword Iduniel. Even the slightest leakage of this power is enough to cause immense changes in ordinary people. This was true for Nur Antoninus, and even more so for his unborn grandson.

The night of her delivery was precisely the moment Carmela would close the net.

"At that time, the last of the Anthony family's forces had been forced to move to this fortress, which was also part of Carmela's plan. Compared to the Rose Castle campaign, which involved many noble allies, a more secluded battlefield was more suitable for her to finish things off. It was on that night that Matt Harvey, who had been hiding his identity, finally made his move."

Strong fortresses are often breached from within, not to mention that the war had been going on for months, and the tense soldiers would never have imagined that a sword would be thrust at their backs... The young mother who had just become a mother would never have imagined that the man who had been by her family's side through thick and thin was an undercover agent...

Ryūka understood why those fallen knights and retainers harbored such deep resentment. Perhaps in the end, they would never know the truth, betrayed and dying in shock and despair. Ruklati simply recounted it all quietly, without pity or argument. Because it was only then that she had truly participated in this war.

"Idunir's power is beyond the reach of ordinary Grand Knights. Anthony, having discovered all this in time, must have stopped his good son-in-law immediately. But unfortunately, Carmela's last army had already surrounded the castle. She first sent the militia to wear down the Anthony family knights who had become 'half-familiars' of Idunir, then sent the Judgment Knights to take action, simultaneously holding me against this human who had fallen into madness and despair..."

Having witnessed all of this, are you still willing to help someone like Carmela?

Ryūka calmly looked at Ruklati, wanting to see what the demonic sword would say. She wasn't human, so she couldn't be judged by human morality. Yet, Ryūka still found her cold-blooded; after all, the Chloe he had encountered possessed both 'divinity' and 'humanity.' Ruklati, on the other hand, had the ability to communicate with people, yet she seemed completely indifferent to right or wrong in this matter.

Hearing this, Ruklati lowered her eyes: "I have nothing to say in my defense. After Carmela made me fuse with the power of the fragments of order, I gradually became less resolute... I once thought that as the Holy Sword of 'Domination,' I couldn't possibly lose to a mere fragment of the same nature as myself, but unfortunately, in hindsight, even this was within Carmela's calculations..."

“I don’t want to fight Iduniel, especially since she hasn’t fully awakened yet. It’s unfair…”

It seems Ruklati's lament wasn't about the humans in the story, but rather her reluctance to fight her fellow demon swords. However, the outcome of the fight surprised her greatly…

"Carmela betrayed me. Ha, the mighty Holy Sword of Domination has been toyed with by a mere human girl..."

Rukla laughed self-deprecatingly and told Ryusha the final result.

“Just as I was clashing with Idunir, Carmela suddenly extracted the power of the fragments of order from my body, along with most of my abilities… Her experimental subjects weren’t just that human infant; even beings like me and the Holy Sword were within her scope of exploration and experimentation…”

Recalling what happened back then, Ruklati was no longer angry. She quietly looked at Ryukyu and said:

“As I said, that human girl harbors a deep hatred for the Holy See, right? So what she's after is the Pope, who possesses the power of a goddess and a holy sword. Therefore, she's trying to find a way to counter any kind of extraordinary power…”

The experiment involved using the power of fragments of order to fuse with Ruklati, who possessed an independent consciousness, and then reclaiming the power of the fragments at a crucial moment. Deprived of her power, Ruklati became incredibly vulnerable and was severed by Idunir, another demonic sword. After shattering, her power was completely controlled by Carmela, but her consciousness, along with a portion of the power of the fragments of order, resided within Idunir…

"So, I only came into contact with your power through Atina? When?"

Hearing this, Ryuga finally understood the source of his power. It all began with a demonic sword sleeping in the old Mya's warehouse—a demonic sword with two souls and three powers.

"I don't know. The fragments of order choose their own masters. Perhaps when they sensed you were suitable, they transferred to you. As for me, I've long since lost the right to control everything... Even my lucky escape from Carmela was thanks to Idunir. As the Sword of Life and Destiny, even in her slumber, she always influences the fate of those around her. Although she has many personality problems, she's more like a bystander, never making any decisions on her own initiative..."

"And what about them?"

Ryūka looked at Viscount Anthony, who was now inhuman. If Ruklati's words were true, what had happened to them afterward? Why were they reduced to this half-dead state? And why was the infant, the experimental subject, still on the altar?

“I don’t know, I lost consciousness after it shattered. But from what you’ve told me, Carmela must have gotten what she wanted. It’s just that she didn’t find Idunir, which must be a pity, but it doesn’t seem to matter to her.”

Ruklati shrugged, but she pointed out that mere shattering wouldn't destroy a holy sword like her. As long as the broken sword was reforged, she could return to her original form. Perhaps that's why Carmela hadn't retrieved this fragment.

"Ask him how it goes? If Carmela hasn't finished wiping out the Anthony family and has even made Matt Harvey the lord of this place, she must have her reasons."

Seeing Ruklati point to Nur Antony on the ground, Ryusha wasn't sure if this zombie-like knight still possessed enough intelligence. But at least she'd try; if it didn't work...

"The only way is to ask Earl Harvey now."

Ryūka used his spiritual power to lift Nur Anthony from the ground, waking him up before slowly recounting everything. He made no attempt to conceal the fact that he had already released his undead subordinates and daughter, and simply asked him calmly:

"Believe it or not, Carmela and the others are my enemies. If you still have any sense, please tell me the truth, and I will avenge you if it's convenient."

The flames of resentment flickered silently in Nur Anthony's empty eye sockets as he looked at Ryusha without uttering a word.

"Looks like it's useless..."

Ryūsha sighed. After hearing this story, he didn't know whether he should plunge his sword into Nur Anthony's head, putting him to a final, peaceful sleep. Or should he leave him there...?

Seeing that Ryūka had released him, as if casually tossing away an insignificant object—neither killing him nor knowing what to do with him—Nur Anthony finally opened his hoarse throat:

“Experiment…record…Matt…Harvey…”

"Experimental records? You mean Matt Harvey knows what Carmela did?"

Noor Anthony nodded, then pointed southwest:

“Carmela…the Southern Kingdoms…the Chosen Ones…their organization…”

"The Chosen One?"

Ryūka frowned; he seemed to have heard something similar before. Those favored by the gods... but Anthony seemed to have nothing more to say. He looked quietly at Ryūka and calmly said:

"Free me..."

Chapter 21: Mysterious and Unpredictable

His half-human, half-ghost appearance meant little purpose in his life. The only thing that kept him and his subordinates from disappearing was the infant on the altar. As long as there was even a sliver of hope for his offspring, Nur Anthony didn't want to give up, but all of that was destroyed by Ryūsha.

But he had no way to argue. If it was deception back then, today he was completely overwhelmed by Ryūka's strength. If the boy before him was truly, as he claimed, an enemy of Carmela and the others, then letting him rest in peace would be Anthony's wish.

"I understand……"

Although he couldn't fully empathize, Ryuga knew he had intruded recklessly today. But since he had taken advantage of the situation, he naturally had to take care of Nur Anthony's funeral arrangements. Ryuga sent him to his final rest with a single sword strike, the flames engulfing his ashes and burying them with his men and family. After searching the fortress and finding nothing of value, he simply smashed it to pieces. The scattered stone bricks in the dust became a tomb. At this time, the sun was not yet at noon, and less than half a day had passed since Monica and the others had fled in shock.

"What are you going to do next? Continue chasing after those Bauhinia people, or go find Matt Harvey?"

Rukla looked at Ryusha, who was deep in thought, trying to recall something. Finally, she remembered where she had heard the name 'Chosen One' before.

“When we ambushed the Imperial Legion in the Snow Valley, Quaid said I was ‘the one favored by the gods,’ and reminded me that I wasn’t the only one…”

Ryusha suddenly looked up at Ruklati and asked, "Can you remember anything more about Carmela and her secret organization?"

Ruklati shook her head: "Carmela is resolute; I've never been able to read her mind. Even when no one else is around, those people communicate using code names. However..."

She pondered for a moment, then said, "When they discussed 'gods' and ancient powers, they didn't show any reverence or longing; on the contrary, there was some arrogance..."

Arrogance? Liu Xia frowned. There was nothing to be gained from this information; it seemed that only what Anthony said at the end came up.

Southern Kingdoms...Chosen Ones...

The 'Southern Kingdoms' have always been within the sphere of influence of the Papacy. If this 'Chosen Ones' organization is also operating in that region by taking advantage of Carmela's status as archbishop, then the end of my journey may very well be due to these people plotting behind the scenes.

Linor's father, the former king of the Bauhinia, obtained a secret technique to prolong his daughter's life using a magic sword, after which he was accused of heresy and instigated to a coup. This plot is strikingly similar to the story of the Anthony family! It's hard not to suspect that Carmela is repeating the same trick! But over a decade ago, she did it for experiments on a prototype; what is she after now? If she can even abandon Idunir, is Linor, a mere witch, and the Bauhinia Tear with a magic sword really worth all this trouble?

And now Monica and Greg are going to delay their journey again. Delay, not sabotage. They're in a hurry to do something, and what if that thing is also related to Carmela…

Ryūsha became troubled. On one hand, he wanted to know from Matt Harvey what Carmela had done back then. But on the other hand, he didn't want to delay the mission's journey; the Bauhinia Kingdom was clearly racing against him. He could only stay in Matt Harvey's territory for a maximum of five days…

"If Anjaberg could have made the listening magic device sooner, I would have known more about the Bauhinia... Wait!"

Get the magical equipment made as soon as possible...

A magical technology similar to, but more advanced than, that of the Merchant Guild Alliance… The Merchant Guild Alliance obtained teleportation magic from a certain southern country… Merchants travel all over the world… Yurina and her brother were once test subjects for magical armor… Ansel gel, an important magical material, could not be exported from its place of origin due to internal strife within the Bauhinia region…

"Could it be that this is what Monica and the others meant by the nation's destiny...?"

Seeing Ryūka muttering to herself, Ruklati couldn't help but ask:

What are you saying?

Ryūsha suddenly looked at Ruklati and asked:

"Do you remember why I wanted to go south with the mission?"

Ruklati thought for a moment: "The deal with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the acquisition of Ansel Gel, and what else?"

Liu Xia said in a serious tone, "We will build a large teleportation magic array between the two places to achieve rapid teleportation on a continental scale."

After acquiring teleportation magic, my first thought was to apply it in this area. Those merchants who knew it even earlier, and even the people of the Bauhinia Kingdom, were probably already doing the same thing. The person who communicated with Monica mentioned that they had connections throughout Otus, and that these connections had been established long ago! What would a small southern country be doing developing connections and spies within the heart of the largest empire?

war!

Over the years, magical technology has developed to a similar pace across different sectors. The problems one encounters on this technological path are also encountered by others! Ansel gel, as an excellent magical material, is precisely what magical engineers like Anjaberg desperately need. Other forces researching magical technology will face the same issue, especially the magical amplification suit that Yurina wore, which is similar to a bodysuit – it's highly likely that it utilizes the same technological method!

If the Chamber of Commerce Alliance and the Bauhinia Kingdom have some connection, Liu Xia basically assumes that the Bauhinia Kingdom would have the same technology.

Magical equipment that enhances soldiers, a secret teleportation network between nations across continental continents, and a monopoly on essential magical technology raw materials...

These are indeed conditions powerful enough to change the future of the nation!

"Hello, is this Zona? Could you please check the list of domestic and foreign trade of the Bauhinia Kingdom in recent years? You can ask Hayden."

Ryusha quickly contacted Zona in Sochi. If the Bauhinia Kingdom was conducting large-scale magical technology research, then various raw materials, magical crystals, and different kinds of ores would be essential resources for them. The Bauhinia Kingdom's territory is roughly the size of Sochi Province, making it difficult for them to supply these things themselves. By checking their trade volume, it would be easy to draw a conclusion!

"Now, it's time for us to go back."

Ryūka glanced at Ruklati beside her. After the golden scepter in her hand disappeared, a fragment of Ruklati's original body floated into Ryūka's hand—a small, broken metal sword. This thing wasn't convenient to carry around, at least not as a Tear of Jewelry...

"Then let's go back first. Perfect timing, I've also regained some new abilities, you can familiarize yourself with them..."

Chapter 22 The Ever-Changing Demon Sword

At Yuya Bay, sailors and laborers were busily loading supplies onto the mission's ships. This was, after all, a royal mission; the water had to be clean, the food fresh, and appearances and prestige couldn't be compromised. If these factors weren't considered, Liu Xia and his group could have traveled even faster. However, not everyone possessed his resilience to harsh conditions; the situation of most ordinary crew members had to be taken into account. For example, those with lower cultivation levels, like Adela and Anjaberg, would likely fall ill if they didn't stop for rest periodically.

The members who had previously arrived here temporarily on small boats would now transfer to larger ships provided by the Harvey family.

Starting from Raven Ridge, the southwest route passes through two regions: Linze Fortress and Shadowless Forest. Linze Fortress is fine; as its name suggests, it's a fortified city built beside a lake. Shadowless Forest, however, this further south region possesses unique geographical features found nowhere else in Ottus. Its climate is similar to the tropical rainforests that Liuxia knows, and the abundant magical elements make this sparsely populated area extremely complex. Rivers there become wide and turbulent, possessing a ruthlessness no less than the ocean.

Although nominally a viscountty, the local lord only established a few towns in habitable areas; most of the region remained undeveloped, rich in resources but also teeming with monsters. Tipalotura decided not to linger in the complex waterways of the Shadowless Forest, opting instead to disembark at Linze Fortress for supplies. Based on this, Ryusha tentatively concluded that Linze Fortress was the next rendezvous point Greg and Monica had mentioned…

"You mean, you went to a place that hides Matt Harvey's past secrets, caused a huge disturbance, and even destroyed the entire fortress. Then you wanted to get some 'experimental records' from him, and most importantly, our journey couldn't be delayed, is that what you mean?"

On the deck, Tipalotura stood at the door of Ryukia's RV, asking a question under a parasol held up by a servant. Ryukia, meanwhile, was inside the RV, having found a pretty rope and braided it into a bracelet, embedding a fragment of Ruklati's magic sword into her wrist.

That's what I mean.

Ryuga glanced at the fragment of the demonic sword on her wrist, then at the young maid behind Tipalotura—probably also a witch. Like her princess mistress, she wore a veil, and a barely perceptible aura of magic emanated from her, causing everyone to automatically ignore them. It was she who had used her power to keep the residents from noticing when the ships set sail from the Wei River port.

But Ryūka wasn't interested in the witch herself. Tipalottura was like Doraemon's pocket, able to summon a horde of witches at any time. Who knew how many different witches she had under her command? Remembering them all would be too much trouble. Ryūka looked at the parasol the maid had held up for Tipalottura and reached out to ask:

"Can I borrow it for a bit?"

The maid glanced at Tipalottura. Although she had heard that their sister You was quite familiar with this young man, the fact that the question was asked of a servant instead of Tipalottura herself made her somewhat uneasy. Tipalottura, however, seemed unconcerned and waved for her to hand the parasol to Ryukyu.

"Thank you."

With a swift movement, Ryūka quickly folded the umbrella. The metal handle felt somewhat heavy, indicating that the umbrella ribs were made of expensive materials such as mithril and magical crystals, and the canopy was not made of ordinary fabric. Rather than an umbrella, it was more like the witch's staff and weapon, which is why she handed it to Ryūka somewhat reluctantly.

As expected of a witch under Tipalotura's command, nothing she uses is cheap. This umbrella alone could be a family heirloom for some minor nobles, yet this witch is merely an ordinary attendant to her. This made Ryūka realize once again that the person before her was indeed the princess of the world's number one empire.