"The Grey family's vanguard team, Manfred and the others, actually defected from the family!"
"How is that possible? That's the Grey family. Who in the North dares to defy them? Are those people crazy!"
"Caiman Grey... even the Grey family's knight order has been mobilized."
"It's said that the captain and vice-captain of the Grey family's knight order must be at least third-rank knights to hold the position."
"Everyone in the knight order is an extraordinary being."
Inside the town, the Adventurer Association and the taverns were abuzz with intense discussion.
No one expected that at this critical juncture, while the Grey family and the prince were fighting over Gray City's dungeon, the Grey family could still spare such a knight order for this border dungeon.
It seemed the vanguard's rebellion had touched a taboo that the Grey family absolutely would not allow to be violated.
That was why they were willing to pay any price to settle the rebellion and make an example of them.
People did not dare to discuss the Grey family openly, but the meaning was clear.
Everyone knew the Grey family was going to use Manfred and the others as a typical example, using thunderous methods to show the other tools under them the consequences of rebellion.
Tools.
Even glamorous extraordinary beings were nothing more than tools under the thumb of a colossus like the Grey family.
Before one wave could settle, another rose.
Not long after the Grey family's knight order arrived, a carriage drove into the town once again.
Behind the carriage was a troop of riders on white horses, all wearing white robes with gold trim.
Both the carriage and the robes were embroidered with an emblem featuring a golden ring as the base and a Holy Staff of Light on the face.
This was the mark of the Church of Light.
The carriage and the convoy stopped at the town's church. A middle-aged man holding a staff as tall as a person and wearing a golden miter stepped down from the carriage.
Several priests in the church had already come out and lined up to welcome him.
"Bishop Claude."
Claude Grey was the very bishop dispatched to this location.
Similarly, he was also a member of the Grey family.
A bishop position could only be held by a fourth-rank priest. Originally, according to the plan, he was supposed to serve as the priest of the church here later.
However, because of the vanguard's betrayal, he had set out ahead of schedule.
At this time, the church was not yet fully completed.
"May the holy light of the Goddess of Light shine upon this place."
A woman dressed as a bishop also stepped down from the carriage with Claude.
In the entire magic world, only the bishops of the Church of Light could be female.
This female bishop's name was Elsa. Although it was not explicitly stated, Claude knew very well that she was the prince's person within the Church of Light.
She was the vice-bishop sent here to assist him in handling all matters concerning the dungeon and the church.
Coming here was, of course, the art of balance.
It was for the sake of stopping the Grey family from occupying this dungeon.
This border dungeon was becoming more and more lively.
The growth of one faction would cause the other to quickly increase its stakes to maintain balance.
It was estimated that once the Adventurer Association learned of the changes in power here, they would also quickly adjust their personnel and send more adventurers.
"Bishop Claude, I hope you can properly fulfill your duties as a bishop and let the holy light spread across this land," Elsa said softly as she followed Claude into the church.
Claude understood that under this woman's gaze, it would be nearly impossible for him to excessively interfere with the dungeon.
However, even if he could not interfere with the dungeon directly, allowing the church's priests to enter the dungeon to assist the Grey family in their exploration should still be possible.
And after the sixth floor of the Well of Eternal Imprisonment, there were a large number of undead types.
The holy light of the light priests happened to counter these undead perfectly.
"Naturally."
"However, Manfred's group committed an unpardonable murder, and the impact is extremely bad. Their filthy souls are destined to need purification by the holy light."
"This is also my responsibility as the bishop here."
Claude had already prepared his excuse.
Elsa revealed a smile.
"If that is the case, there is no need to trouble you, Bishop. My holy light can just as easily purify their sins."
Claude's steps stopped abruptly, and he turned his head.
"As the vice-bishop, this matter is not for you to handle."
Elsa smiled again.
"There have always been bishops in the church who harbor discrimination against female bishops. Could it be that Bishop Claude is the same, thinking that as a woman, I, a bishop, am ultimately inferior to you?"
"You believe in the Goddess of Light, yet you look down on women?"
Elsa had delivered a finishing blow, her verbal strike sharp and aimed straight for the vitals!
Claude was immediately drenched in sweat.
"By the Goddess of Light, how could I possibly have such thoughts!"
"It is just that, Vice-Bishop Elsa, you and I are both bishops. Our purpose for coming here is to spread the holy light, which is a more important mission."
"How can we let such trivial matters delay our important work?"
Claude did not want to gain a reputation for discriminating against women within the Church of Light.
Otherwise, he could forget about any further advancement.
"I see. It seems I misunderstood your meaning, Bishop Claude."
Elsa did not mind. Her goal was to tie Claude down so he could not enter the dungeon to explore.
As for Caiman Grey's knight order, she had no way to stop them from entering.
Claude did not continue to bicker with Elsa and walked to the depths of the church with a sour expression.
Since the knight order had been mobilized, the Grey family absolutely could not spend too much time in this Well of Eternal Imprisonment.
Given the current situation in the North, drawing out a knight order was already very difficult.
The medium-scale dungeon in Gray City was the Grey family's main target and strategic goal.
Therefore, the knight order had to conquer the Well of Eternal Imprisonment as quickly as possible.
To this end, the Grey family had brought out their true foundation.
An item that could be called a treasure across the entire continent. Even the Grey family, one of the overlords of the North, only held seven treasures of the same level.
A masterpiece grade magic item, the Life Casket.
The Life Casket could absorb all the vitality of a dying person into the box, recreating the deceased's memories, combat power, and even magic equipment.
And now, the Life Casket stored the vitality of a fifth-rank mage.
That was an enemy who had offended the Grey family; even after death, they would find no peace, eternally enslaved and driven by the Life Casket.
In addition, the vitality imprisoned in the Life Casket could be consumed to perform super-intensity healing.
Masterpiece grade magic items were the limit of what intelligent life could create.
They were the legendary works of geniuses throughout their lives.
But they were still man-made and had their limits.
The Life Casket could only imprison life below the sixth rank. Above the sixth rank were existences beyond humanity.
The Life Casket could not imprison them.
But for now, it was enough. The power of a fifth-rank mage inside the Life Casket, combined with an entire knight order, meant there was no longer any suspense about the Well of Eternal Imprisonment being conquered.
To prevent the plan from being ruined—for instance, if Elsa found out about the existence of the Life Casket—Claude had kept it on his person, shielded by the aura of holy light.
Only after carefully taking out the Life Casket and sealing it in the depths of the church's basement did Claude feel at ease.
The more powerful a magic item, the stronger its mana, making it easier for mana-sensitive people to discover.
Generally, when using a magic item with great mana, one would take time to shield its mana.
But the situation was urgent this time, and the Life Casket's mana shielding was incomplete.
Only he knew of this place in the church.
After all, this was the Grey family's territory. When building the church, it was not difficult to carve out an absolutely secret space.
After setting up a holy light barrier for the Life Casket, Claude waited for Caiman Grey, the knight order's captain, to come to the church to pray.
At that time, the Life Casket would complete its mana shielding unnoticed and be handed over to Caiman Grey.
Then, relying on the Life Casket and an entire knight order, the Well of Eternal Imprisonment, a small-scale dungeon, would be conquered at the fastest speed.
Claude could not help but laugh.
Rebellion... perhaps Manfred's rebellion was a good thing.
It gave the family an excuse to mobilize a large force, and even the other factions would not be able to find any fault with it.
"By the Goddess of Light."
Excited, Claude could not help but praise the Goddess of Light.
"By the Goddess of Light! Oh! My Goddess of Light!"
This prayer did not come from Claude, but from Dalun Li deep within the dungeon, following the local customs.
The Grey family was getting serious.
Even a fifth-rank power had been mobilized; he could not be passive anymore.
Everything in the Church of Light currently could not escape Tongmu's eyes.
However, Tongmu's eyes could not penetrate the holy light.
Once the Church of Light was completed, the statues erected, and the holy light cast down, even Tongmu would not be able to observe the church at all times.
But isn't it not finished yet? The statues have not been built either.
Therefore, Dalun Li clearly saw the Life Casket.
"Zeno."
"I am here, my lord."
"Go."
"Steal this for me. If you can't steal it, take it by force."
"But remember, you must not let the opponent activate this magic item. If it is activated, flee immediately."
"Yes, my lord."
Rate on N.U.
