Within the City Lord’s manor in Siofra’s central district.
Gunther Hoffmann, the middle-aged City Lord with graying hair at his temples, listened to his subordinate’s report with a furrowed brow.
Once the subordinate finished, he spoke with displeasure, “The Nature Church wants to demand someone from the Church of Holy Light?”
“That is what Cardinal Valerie meant. She is currently in the reception room. How would you like me to handle this, My Lord?”
Gunther Hoffmann leaned back, propping his head with one hand while the other continuously tapped the armrest of his chair.
He appeared deep in thought, but his heart was filled with irritation.
Lately, the three Churches were becoming more and more outrageous, constantly eroding his status and authority in Siofra.
The three districts governed by the Churches were the best evidence of this.
Even as a Saint-Rank expert, he found himself constantly forced to make concessions to three juniors who were only at the Elemental Tier…
Taking a deep breath, the City Lord of Siofra gradually calmed himself.
Currently, the dynamic balance between the three powers remained the most favorable state for him.
Otherwise, if a Holy War broke out again, Siofra would turn into a living hell. In such a conflict, a so-called “Saint Rank” like him would be nothing more than a pebble easily crushed.
Thinking of this, the middle-aged man clenched his right fist tightly before instantly relaxing it.
‘It is not yet the time… I have not found “Him” yet.’
As long as he could find that entity, he might be able to break through the shackles of the Saint Rank and completely master the hidden laws of Siofra…
At that point, let alone a Regional Cardinal, even if the Pope or the Pontiff of the three Churches arrived in person, he, as the master of Siofra, would be able to hold his own.
With a soft sigh, the old City Lord stood up to stretch his muscles and casually gave his instructions.
“Since Cardinal Valerie has come in person, we must naturally provide proper hospitality… I will go to meet her in a moment. You go and attend to them first.”
“Yes, City Lord!”
……
“Auntie…”
“Cough! Call me Cardinal when we are outside!”
“Fine, Auntie Cardinal. Why hasn’t the City Lord come out yet… If it gets any later, it will be too late…”
Cardinal Valerie looked on speechlessly at the girl, realizing her correction had done absolutely nothing.
They had been sitting for less than fifteen minutes, yet the girl could no longer remain still.
The other party was a Saint Rank, and she herself was a Cardinal.
Given that they had arrived without a prior appointment, they had to give the man some time to prepare.
This girl was far too anxious! At this rate, she was going to suffer a great loss.
After traveling for so many years, how had she not made any progress in matters of the heart?
“Rest easy. A little bit of time won’t prevent you from saving your little sweetheart.”
“How could it not?” Astrid was about to retort when her ears suddenly turned red. She stammered, “What little sweetheart! Auntie, don’t talk nonsense!”
“Fine, fine, I’m talking nonsense.” Valerie put on an indifferent expression, letting Astrid’s string of explanations go in one ear and out the other.
Excuses like ‘He is my savior,’ ‘He was caught because of me,’ ‘We are adventuring companions,’ and ‘I have an obligation to save him’ might fool Astrid herself, but how could she use them to stall her own aunt?
Besides, what use was it whether Valerie believed her or not?
She would have to convince her ill-tempered and stubborn older brother!
If he ever found out his daughter had fallen for a low-born human Adventurer, that boy would be in real trouble!
Seeing her aunt’s calm and dismissive attitude after she had said so much, Astrid felt a surge of irritation.
At the same time, she began to reflect on her own behavior. Being anxious was indeed useless.
She couldn’t save Lance directly and had to rely on her aunt and the City Lord.
Just then, the doors to the drawing room were pulled open by a servant.
Valerie instantly wiped the expression from her face, adopting a dignified and serene posture as she slowly stood up.Seeing this, Astrid also rose quickly and stood behind Valerie.
“Hahahaha! Cardinal Valerie, what a surprise! Why didn’t you inform me of your visit in advance?”
“I’ve truly kept you waiting!”
A hearty, bold voice echoed from the doorway. Astrid looked up and saw a middle-aged man dressed in noble attire who had a slight paunch.
He walked toward them with an enthusiastic expression.
“Not at all. We are the ones who arrived unannounced; it was rather abrupt and presumptuous of us.”
“Hahaha, Cardinal Valerie, please don’t say such things!”
‘Is this the [Black Dragon of Sifral], Gunther Hoffmann?’
Upon seeing this famed City Lord, Astrid felt a wave of disappointment. After all, this was a figure revered by all Adventurers!
He had come from a common background and rose rapidly, becoming a top-tier Adventurer in the Adventurer’s Association at a young age.
Rumor had it that the [Black Dragon of Sifral] had explored as far as the 80th floor of the Maze and touched upon the true secrets of the Siofra Underground Labyrinth!
Because of that, he had been able to use the domains and laws existing within Siofra to leap into the Saint Rank, becoming a top-tier expert that the entire continent could not underestimate.
But…
Astrid looked at Gunther Hoffmann’s protruding belly and his graying hair…
This was quite different from the image she had imagined!
Aside from the numerous scars on his face, he looked no different from an ordinary middle-aged human noble.
After some simple pleasantries, the two groups finally took their seats.
Once seated, the City Lord, who had started as an Adventurer, was very direct and got straight to the point.
“Cardinal Valerie, have you come this time because you want me to arrange a meeting with the Church of Holy Light?”
Valerie smiled and nodded. “That is indeed the case.”
“That isn’t difficult. As long as you aren’t trying to see the new Saintess of the Church of Holy Light, I can arrange it.”
“Oh? Even you cannot meet the Radiant Saintess?”
Hearing the underlying meaning in Valerie’s words, Gunther Hoffmann gave a bitter smile and explained, “If you wish to see the Radiant Saintess today, I’m afraid you will be disappointed. It isn’t that I am unwilling to help. I have sent over ten invitations to that Radiant Saintess so far…”
“However, the Saintess hasn’t accepted a single one. She simply makes excuses, saying she is new and her schedule is quite busy.”
At this, Valerie’s brow furrowed. From the sound of it, was this Radiant Saintess some kind of socially inept novice?
That might actually be a problem… If she insisted on keeping Astrid’s little sweetheart locked up, what would they do?
Calculating in her mind, Valerie turned her gaze to Astrid, wanting to hear what she had to say.
Seeing this, Gunther Hoffmann’s gaze naturally fell upon the young woman sitting beside the Cardinal.
With a single glance, he recognized her noble Elga bloodline.
He averted his eyes normally, no longer scrutinizing the girl.
Astrid was caught in a dilemma. She quickly sifted through the information she had gathered from the Adventurers’ Guild.
Lance seemed to have been cornered by that blonde Knight who was looking for trouble… So, he must have been captured by that same knight.
In that case, if they summoned that blonde Knight and pressured him using the names of the Nature Church and the Elgar Royal Family, the problem should be resolved, right?
Thinking of this, Astrid leaned in and whispered her idea into Valerie’s ear.
Valerie nodded and spoke to the middle-aged City Lord, “I wonder if Your Excellency could invite the blonde Knight Squad Leader from the Church of Holy Light’s Knight Order?”
‘The blonde Knight Squad Leader?’ Gunther Hoffmann repeated the phrase in his mind before realization dawned on him. It was the young apprentice of the Order of the Temple’s Hammer’s leader. He was only at the High Rank.
“Certainly! Please wait a moment with this young lady. I will send someone to find that Squad Leader and explain the situation.”
“If there is a misunderstanding, it should be resolved very quickly!”
“Then we shall trouble you, Lord City Lord!”
……
“Demand a prisoner from me?!”
“Are you joking?!”
Clatter—
Joel Crais, the blonde knight, swept everything off his desk in a fit of rage. The veins on his face bulged.
He was already depressed because he hadn’t caught the target, and now someone had come to provoke him!
Drawing his longsword, Joel Crais was ready to cut down the messenger who had brought the word.
Seeing this, the handsome knight who had previously been nearly slashed in the throat by Lance rushed to stop him.
“Calm down! Calm down, Excellency Crais! This is a messenger from the City Lord of Siofra! You cannot harm him!”