NOVEL WEB chapter 178
103. The Fallen City
“Indeed, it seems I, this old man, have been overly concerned.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury settled back into his stone chair, a kind smile on his face, showing no trace of anger or frustration.
“Then, let us return to the main topic, Your Majesty.”
He turned to gaze at the languid emperor on the throne, a glint of sharpness appearing in his narrowed eyes as he asked the question that Celicia had longed to pose:
“Why have you gathered all of us here?”
As his words fell, the grand hall, filled with a grotesque and brutal beauty, fell silent. The esteemed guests on the right side of the round table also focused their attention on King Aldrich III.
They could not help but feel puzzled, for after the brief novelty wore off, they were horrified to realize…
At this round table, there were now over ten crowned powerhouses, representatives and even leaders of various great forces, as well as… the very foundation upon which the empire stood.
This was a lineup so lavish it bordered on terrifying; it was likely the first time since the establishment of the Leopold Empire that such a meeting of this caliber had occurred.
If the Pope or other rulers of great nations were invited, it might even influence the direction of the entire world.
“If everyone here were to be wiped out in one fell swoop, it seems the Leopold Empire would face immediate ruin.”
“No, what we should be worried about now is if a demon clan were to attack at this moment; it might only take the dispatch of a single demon duke to conquer Berland.”
“Ha, then we must pray that Duke Campbell on the border doesn’t falter.”
After such casual banter, the expressions of the crowd grew increasingly solemn.
For King Aldrich III remained silent, like the calm before a storm.
“Indeed… haven’t you all noticed?”
After a long while, King Aldrich III suddenly let out a soft sigh.
He first looked at the Archbishop of Canterbury and gently asked:
“Archbishop of Canterbury, has the Holy City mentioned anything to you recently?”
“The Holy City? They are naturally busy preparing for that matter…”
As he spoke, the Archbishop cast a glance behind King Aldrich III, his words momentarily trailing off.
King Aldrich III waved his hand, signaling him to continue:
“It’s fine; although this matter is still kept secret at the imperial level, the level of secrecy has now dropped to the point where a silence pact is unnecessary, and this hall has long been sealed with a forbidden spell, so you may speak its name without concern.”
“Since that’s the case, I will speak plainly.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury surveyed the crowd and continued:
“I believe not only the Church but also the attention of various powers and even the higher-ups of different nations is now focused on that matter…”
The Archbishop clenched his fist and slammed it on the table; this seemingly frail old man’s tone was unexpectedly powerful.
“—That is, the Divine War of the Withered King and the Silent Moon!”
At the round table, aside from Celicia, whose heart was stirred by tumultuous waves, everyone else’s expression remained unchanged.
Within a certain scope, this matter has long been an open secret. In fact, most of their work during this time has been to cope with the unknown consequences arising from the impending divine war.
“So, I find the behavior of His Majesty quite puzzling. At this juncture, the most prudent course of action should be to watch and wait, yet His Majesty has gathered us together, which makes me feel…”
The Archbishop of Canterbury squinted slightly, weighing his words:
“You intend to take us to the heavens to fight those two evil gods.”
“……”
The atmosphere became stagnant as King Aldrich III silently exchanged glances with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Inside the great hall, an eerie silence fell.
“Ha ha, the Archbishop certainly has a way with jokes…”
Adolf Lovis, the president of the Adventurers’ Association branch, stood up to ease the tension, chuckling:
“No matter what, His Majesty cannot possibly undertake such an impractical endeavor, right? Fighting evil gods is no different from an ordinary person intervening in a lion’s den. I believe His Majesty is just… hmm? Your Majesty?”
Adolf sensed something was off, his smile gradually stiffening.
He suddenly realized that on the other side of the round table, those representing the pillars of the empire—heads of various departments or their representatives—were all wearing solemn expressions, incredibly grave.
It was as if they were parents whose child had come in last place yet still had to attend a parent-teacher meeting, completely devoid of any intention to laugh, even filled with a sense of helplessness and bitterness.
But fighting evil gods, isn’t that the funniest joke in the world?
Wait.
Could it really be that they would fight?
“Is it true then?”
The gray mist churned, just like the dark clouds overshadowing everyone’s hearts. Aldrich III lowered his gaze, a hint of sarcastic amusement curling at the corners of his mouth.
“The gaze of the Holy City is still set too high.”
“What do you mean by that?” The Archbishop of Canterbury maintained his smile, but a trace of displeasure flickered in his aged eyes. Even the Emperor of the Empire, blaspheming against the Holy City…
“Then let us watch quietly.”
Aldrich III lightly tapped the round table. “Heather.”
“Yes.”
“You will be responsible for explaining this to them.”
“Understood.”
Dressed in a professional outfit with a short skirt and black stockings, the mature and poised Heather stood up, instantly capturing everyone’s attention.
“I have already introduced myself earlier, so I won’t repeat it.”
Heather said succinctly:
“First, let me ask you a question. Where do you think… we are right now?”
“This is indeed an interesting question.”
The Alchemical Grandmaster Adrien of the Stone Oven Society sneered, “Wasn’t it you who invited us here?”
Before coming here, they had all received a personally penned invitation from King Audric III, along with a precious scroll inscribed with spatial teleportation magic.
After using the teleportation scroll, they were transported to this unfamiliar space, so it should be them who posed this question, no matter how one looked at it.
“It must be a special space,”
the Truth-level Archmage Doch raised his head, gazing up at the magnificent hall. In his eyes, no flow of magic could conceal its traces, yet here, he felt only a profound silence.
“And the structure seems quite similar to the Throne Room in the palace,” added the Archbishop of Canterbury. “The details may differ, but that similar framework cannot be disguised.”
“And our perception cannot extend.”
Adolf had begun to fidget restlessly. “It’s as if something is suppressing us.”
Then, all eyes turned to Heather.
Too much suspense only breeds impatience; it was time to reveal the answer.
“Indeed, strictly speaking, this is the Throne Room, but it is not the Throne Room you are familiar with.”
Heather replied:
“To help you understand as quickly as possible, let’s have you see for yourselves.”
She raised a delicate hand above her head, as if to gently sweep away the dust on the glass with a light wave.
The gray mist that enveloped them began to swirl, then was driven away by some unseen force, receding like ocean waves.
But what was revealed was not the familiar dome of the Throne Room, but… a city!
Above the hazy gray mist, beneath the tranquil and profound sky like a lake, a grand and enormous city hung suspended, imposing in the astonished gazes of all!
ps: I’m very sorry, I had to step out today, so I only managed to write two thousand words. I’ll make it up tomorrow.