665-670

Chapter 665: Between Light & Light (III)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

In the game, there were two military campaigns that left the deepest impression in Rhode's mind. One of them was when the Disaster Army retreated, leaving Lydia to withstand the attacks from the Four Legendary Generals and Dark Dragon herself, leading her to dying in the battlefield. From that moment on, Rhode loathed the Country of Light and set off the beginning of using the players' strength to change the history of the entire Dragon Soul Continent.

The other military campaign was the Diamat Campaign before it.

Back then, the Munn Kingdom was a mess both domestically and abroad. The Undead Army leading the battlefront of the Country of Darkness came in strong while the Country of Light backstabbed from the rear. Even with the help of the Battle Angels, the Munn Kingdom's front and rear defense was shaky under the violent, storm-like aggression. In the end, the northeast defensive line crumbled due to the lack of manpower and millions of Undead Creatures swarmed like a broken dam and flooded the Munn Kingdom.

At that moment, Rhode and 200 more other players who had the highest reputation in the Munn Kingdom were summoned by a special mission. They had to work together and head into Diamat while boarding the First Fleet of the Royal Magic Fleet to stop the enemies and buy time for the Munn Kingdom to rebuild their defenses. Back then, it was this Heavenly Class Magic Warship that Rhode and his fellow players had boarded.

It was the largest floating magic warship on the entire continent. The Saint Lady Vessel was 333 meters in length, 39.6 meters wide, and 22 meters high. Its deck was 332 meters in length and 71 meters wide, equipped with a total of 3500 siege magic cannons, almost equivalent to a hovering fortress in the air. Two Battle Angel Armies boarded the warship. But, in fact, no one had heard about this magic warship. It was the top secret of the Munn Kingdom and even players like Rhode only got to know about its existence after boarding it. Their mission was to protect the warship from enemy destruction. Back then, the average player levels wasn't too high, only about level 45. They felt powerless against the terrifying creatures of the Country of Darkness.

If the scene where Lydia died in battle left Rhode indignant and sorrowful, the Diamat Campaign had brought him overwhelming fervor. He still remembered the scene until now.

They stood on the deck and watched the massive magic warship sail along the tide like a heavy, razor-sharp sword slicing through the clouds. When the white cloud layer vanished, the view left them astounded. Millions of Gargoyles like migratory locusts had shaded the entire sky. Looking down from the edge of the deck, countless of Undead Creatures could be seen flooding forward like a raging tide. This spotlessly white warship flickering with sacred radiance was like a canoe that had intruded into the black tide alone and only an instant was needed to devour it entirely.

This scene left the players trembling while some could hardly stand on their feet. Even though they were players and could respawn unlike the NPCs, the shock and terror perceived from their sense of sight was enough to freeze them to the spot.

Then, everything changed completely.

A deafening horn sounded. The warship shook as rays of brilliant light beams erupted from its hull, converging into a river of light that shone upon heaven and earth. Then, a series of brilliant explosive sparks dazzled before their eyes. Countless Gargoyles were shattered by the artillery fires and the concealed sky once again revealed its azure base as though the filthy dust had been wiped off in a single swipe. The Undead Creatures on the surface turned into dust as flames blazed through the land. A glaring magical radiance blasted in a loud rumble and ignited a series of explosions that burst skyward — This scene was deeply imprinted in Rhode's memories. If the Munn Kingdom could create a few more ultra warships like the Saint Lady Vessel, perhaps they wouldn't be in that miserable state.

The strength of a single warship was enough to last them 5 days in Diamat and the amount of Undead Creatures destroyed during this period was countless. The players had taken turns on duty on the deck and assisted the Battle Angels in annihilating the Undead Creatures that descended from above. However, no matter how formidable a warship was, it wasn't a match for the existence of rules. It was the end for this most formidable warship when the Four Legendary Generals formed an alliance and attacked. No matter how strong the warship was, it was still a man-made product, after all and was no match for the creator of rules. Under the attack of the Four Legendary Generals and even with the desperate struggles of the players, the Saint Lady Vessel fell from the sky and crashed on the surface.

After the Munn Kingdom was destroyed, several players, forces, and guilds had tried to get their hands on the design diagram of the Saint Lady Vessel because they knew that even though this powerful warship could only operate in the tempest areas, it would be more than enough to threaten their enemies. But players returned without attaining any of them. Not to mention an ultimate warship like the Saint Lady Vessel, they couldn't get their hands on even the information of ordinary floating magic warships.

Never in the world that Rhode had expected to have the chance to step onto it once more. And this wasn't even during war.

Rhode stood on the flat, spacious deck and gazed meaningfully at Lydia. This was simply thought-provoking for him. The ruler of a nation would normally take an ordinary plane and train when they went on a visit in an official capacity. But, have you ever seen a ruler boarding a fully-armored aircraft carrier or fighter aircraft for this purpose?

Moreover, the Dragon Soul Ceremony wasn't only a matter between the Country of Light and Munn Kingdom. As this was related to the Light Dragon Soul, the guild leaders and overlords of various territories protected by the Light Dragon Soul had to participate. This could be considered as an 'international' ceremony.

Under such a circumstance, Lydia actually boarded the Saint Lady Vessel into the Country of Light?

Rhode knitted his brows. The development of history had changed once again. In the game, he had never heard of Lydia boarding the Saint Lady Vessel to participate in the Dragon Soul Ceremony. If this had happened, the massive size of the Saint Lady Vessel would have created a big disturbance among the players in the Country of Light. And now, Lydia actually decided to do this?

Interesting.

Rhode took a good look at the hull and there wasn't a single weapon at all. Magic crystals and exquisite, gold-embossed relief sculpture in picturesque disorder were as though a part of the ship. But Rhode knew that this warship could strip off its elegant and beautiful veil and reveal its malevolent side. Perhaps the entire Country of Light capital would need to be rebuilt if this warship blasted all its magic cannons...

"I didn't expect to see you here, Mr. Rhode."

As Rhode was gloating over the disaster of the Country of Light's capital, razed down to a sea of flames by the magic cannons, a voice dragged him back to his senses. He was surprised when he turned around.

"General Garcia? Long time no see... I've never thought that I would see you here."

Garcia was still presenting the same sloppy look. However, he wore a much more formal attire compared to back when they were in the Cloud Summit. He wore a straightly-ironed military uniform and pinned with various shiny badges like an honorable soldier. However, his lazy posture exposed his idle personality.

"Not only me. Look."

Garcia smiled in response and pointed over. Rhode turned around and quickly spotted the other group of people. There was a dozen of them which included male and female nobles and soldiers. They looked like an ordinary representative team at first glance. But Rhode took a closer look and realized that they were mostly young adults who weren't older than 30 years old. Apart from Grand Mage Amund and a few others, most of the participants joining Lydia were young people with an average age of 20, which was rather strange. Besides, from Garcia's introduction, Rhode realized that these young people had extraordinary identities. Most of them were famous among their generation. Some were future stars whom Rhode had heard of while some were unheard of. However, no matter what, they were outstanding talents from various regions and were well appreciated by Lydia.

Although these people had enjoyable conversations with one another, their attitude toward Rhode was rather cold. However, Rhode wasn't too surprised. According to Garcia, most of them were famous talents and were usually proud and arrogant, which was fine as they had their own opinions. However, Rhode had sprung up too quickly, where most of the people in the Munn Kingdom weren't even aware of his name just a year ago. Then, Rhode rose abruptly to a towering position, gathered a whole lot of attention, and even received Lydia's recognition. It seemed that Rhode was the first person among them to have received a feudal rank from Lydia personally.

Rhode knew that it was understandable that these people remained at a respectful distance from him. Just like in the game, there were several other top-rated players in the Dragon Soul Continent apart from him. Perhaps they had incompatible temperament, but it was inevitable for the players to sympathize with one another after being the top players of their class in the world's most popular game. But no matter what, their reputation was built up and accumulated from dominating countless dungeons and arenas. If a mysterious person who the top-rated players hadn't heard of emerged out of nowhere and was termed by the officials and players as the 'Number One Player of the xx Class', nobody—including Rhode—would be pleased about that. In order to maintain their reputation, they would confront that fella and shatter his legacy as this didn't conform with their rules.

Although young, rising stars had heard of Rhode's well-known reputation, Rhode had been in the border regions most of his time and wasn't around the central zone like Golden City, after all. Therefore, the young rising stars were rather concerned when this 'newcomer' appeared out of nowhere. But, fortunately, they understood the current situation and didn't naively look for trouble with Rhode. After all, some idiots had personally experienced that finding trouble with Rhode wouldn't end with a great result. Besides... They didn't have benefits that were worth disputing for.

Rhode knew what was going on in their heads. Even though he had a reputation that spread far and wide, it wasn't anything impressive in their eyes. After all, they had never personally seen Rhode unleash his potential. Although he had performed well in the Midsummer Festival and celebration feast, this could only prove that he was powerful individually. So what was the point? This group of young people here was the future of Munn Kingdom and their strength naturally wasn't in individual capabilities in slaughtering and killing. Unless Rhode could be as impressive as Grand Mage Amund who could turn about the situation in a battlefield alone... If not, there was no purpose with his strong individual capability.

This was why he didn't bother socializing with them. He was clear that he needed to display his skills to them. And that wasn't only referring to his individual capabilities because it wouldn't be enough for him to be a member who would be accepted by the ruling class. During such times, he could only go with the flow and observe the situation first.

"Everyone! Welcome aboard the Saint Lady Vessel!"

A voice so loud that even the chilly winds couldn't resist sounded. Rhode turned around and spotted an old Dwarf striding toward them. A thick, whitish long beard had covered half his face and almost touched the ground. The group watched on, worried that the old Dwarf would trip on his beard. However, the old Dwarf was surprisingly nimble. He took large strides forward and chuckled before bowing respectfully to Lydia. Got to say, it wasn't easy doing this motion with his stature.

"Hi there, Your Highness Lydia. Welcome to Saint Lady Vessel! I guarantee that this ship will send you and everyone to wherever you wanna go!"

"I'm glad to see you're doing fine, Mr. Gunter."

Lydia showed a gentle smile while Gunter burst into laughter. He raised his right foot and stomped the deck thrice.

"Your Highness., I haven't been feeling much better than now. Frankly speaking, I would've preferred to step on solid ground than this rocky thing! You see. The sky..." Gunter let out a shiver, "... I suspect that once I leave the surface, I will be sucked into the sky immediately! But I feel relieved whenever I'm on board this ship! It's like a reliable mountain with a pair of legs!"

Pfff.

Anne couldn't help but burst into laughter. She leaned to Rhode and chuckled.

"Leader, that Grandpa Dwarf speaks funny. He doesn't have wings, so how is it possible that he will fly into the sky..."

"Hey hey hey, that girl over there!"

Gunter rolled his eyes and glared.

"Who are you calling a Grandpa? Call me Uncle! I, Gunter, haven't reached the age of being called a Grandpa yet!"

"Anne won't call you that."

Anne replied without any fear of consequences before hiding behind Rhode and peering out to look at the old Dwarf.

"Anne knows it. You are surely a Grandpa with such a long beard. You're already so old but you're still pretending to be young! Shameful! Shameful!"

"You... You..."

Gunter raised his arm furiously and pointed at Anne with a trembling finger. Anne stuck out her tongue and put up a comical face while hiding behind Rhode. The crowd around the amusing duo laughed up their sleeves. Lydia even turned around and couldn't restrain a smile.

"Hmph!"

Perhaps sensing that he was wasting his breath, Gunter let out a groan and glared at Rhode.

"Watch your tiny wolf cub, young man. This isn't a damn zoo. I, Old Gunter... Damn it. I'm not old at all!"

"Mr. Gunter."

Lydia gazed playfully and spoke.

"We're all here and ready to move out. Could you please..."

"Oh, sure! Your Highness! Don't worry! We can move out anytime!"

Gunter bowed respectfully to Lydia before making eyes to the group around him. But his expression turned solemn instantly as soon as he spotted Gaya who stood quietly beside Lydia. The thick beard on his face concealed the drastic change in his expression so that even Rhode didn't notice.

Then, Gunter turned around and scuttled to the gigantic bugle horn. He sucked in a deep breath and blew with all his might.

Ooo... Ooo....

The deep bugle horn filled the atmosphere and the massive magic warship emanated an incomparable magical radiance.

Chapter 666: Between Light & Light (IV)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Magical radiance shone from the hull. Spotless white luster enveloped the entire warship slowly to the top. An invisible barrier expanded and in the blink of an eye, the whizzing, chilly winds vanished to nowhere. Then, this enormous warship sailed forward.

Rhode looked into the distance from the trembling deck. He felt as though he had become one with this warship. He keenly sensed the roaring tempest beneath his feet engulfing this warship like a fury of huge waves. Most of the passengers stopped their conversations abruptly. They lifted their heads and gazed forward simultaneously. The ground had slowly 'sunk' and the distant sky was approaching them. The pointed warship bow split the soft bread-like dense clouds into two. There was an instant when they were shrouded in snowy clouds and mist entirely.

At the next moment, the warship broke out of the dense mass of cloud.

In the blink of an eye, the dense layer of cloud gradually faded away to the sides of the warship as though they were shredded into cotton by a violent storm. The bright, dazzling sun and azure sky re-emerged before their eyes. The boundless blue shaped a brand new world as though the enormous warship was soaring in the clouds and riding valiantly through the wind.

"Woah..."

This dreamy, scenic view left Lize and Anne exclaiming in awe. Even though most of the people in the Munn Kingdom had experience boarding floating boats, but the floating boats couldn't reach such heights, after all. The basic floating boats for civilians were only capable of hovering and moving along the wind due to the insufficient powers of their magical mechanisms. Only magic warships that were designed and built exquisitely were capable of self-driving.

Rhode gazed at the sky with a curious glint. During the day, it didn't seem to be any different from the sky on earth. But the difference was apparent from the suspending full moon and halo in the night sky. Since the magical technology in the Dragon Soul Continent was so advanced that magic warship could reach this incredible height, would the magic warship be able to break the atmosphere if the technological development improved in future? If that happened... What would the view of the entire continent be?

But this was just his senseless guess.

No matter how breathtaking the view was, the day would come when one got sick of looking at it. Rhode turned around and headed into the warm cabin. Marlene, Lize, and a few other young nobles were gracefully chatting over tea and marveling at the stunning view through the French windows. This scene instantly reminded Rhode of an old movie, The Titanic... How ominous.

"Rhode, I didn't expect that you'd be here. Wanna have a chat with us?"

Marlene stood up and greeted with a gentle smile. Her behaviors instantly attracted the attention of the nobles, and they turned to Rhode in unison. Rhode shrugged helplessly and approached the group.

"Sure, Marlene. As long as I'm not intruding your conversation."

"You're not intruding into our conversation at all, Earl Rhode."

A young man who appeared to be in his mid twenties stood up and revealed a passionate smile. He stretched his hand forward for a handshake.

"Hi there, Earl Rhode. Nice to meet you. I'm Derick Vas."

"Hi there, Mr. Vas."

Rhode twitched his brows. He knew who this man was. The Vas Family was one of the three largest families in the Munn Kingdom and their ties with the Senia Family was like the sunlight and shade. The Senia Family was mainly responsible for producing 'hardware' like Mage Equipment for the Munn Kingdom, while the Vas Family's mission was to nurture the 'software' like spell-casters for the Munn Kingdom. In the game, Derick Vas was a popular, good-looking talent in the Munn Kingdom. As Rhode didn't compare him directly with Marlene before, he didn't know who was more formidable. But now, he was sure that Marlene was ahead of him. Moreover, the player-created spell-casting techniques that Marlene had learned from Canary was more than enough to beat him.

Derick wasn't well-known for his strength or wisdom. Instead, it was his marriage that garnered all the attention. When he was 25 years old, he married his biological elder and younger sisters. His elder sister was one year older than him while his younger sister was only 16 years old. Both of their appearances were as lovely as flowers. Even though the Vas Family had upholded this tradition of maintaining the pure blood within their family, this had gathered a whole lot of envy, jealousy, and hate among the players. Back then, several players had lamented that their deaths would be worth it if they could enjoy such a blissful life... This damn life winner should be burned to death!

And now, Derick, who was nominated by the players into the rankings of characters who should be burned to death on the flame rack, was full of mettle. It was apparent that he was valued highly by Lydia too, which was why he had joined the representative team. In fact, Rhode had also discovered that, apart from him, the others were also more or less excited in participating in the Dragon Soul Ceremony. Perhaps the ultimate reason was that they were people of the Munn Kingdom, after all, and they were educated since young about worshiping the Light Dragon Soul. It was considered a supreme honor for them to witness the Light Dragon Soul personally and receive blessings. Even a carefree young lady like Anne appeared seemingly excited. On the contrary, Rhode felt rather dispirited like an unsociable person who drank alcohol to drown his sorrows at the corner of a crazy dance party. As a transmigrator and a player who had been implicated by the Light Dragon Soul in the game, Rhode found it hard to look forward in meeting the Light Dragon Soul 'innocently'. Although he knew that the uselessness of the Light Dragon Soul hadn't brought any disaster to the Munn Kingdom yet, and the conflict between the Munn Kingdom and the Country of Light was still going on privately and hadn't exploded to the surface. Rhode loathed the Country of Light—don't ask why. He just hated them to the core.

"You came at the right time, Earl Rhode. We were just talking about you."

Although Rhode appeared rather apathetic, Derick didn't seem mindful at all.

"Oh?"

Rhode gazed at the group curiously. As expected, there were glints of curiosity and fascination in their eyes.

"I hope you guys aren't saying things behind my back."

"Of course not, Earl Rhode. We were just a little curious."

At this moment, a young lady seated beside Marlene pushed up her golden-framed spectacles.

"We heard that Royal Highness Lydia also invited your two legendary companions to the Dragon Soul Ceremony, but they aren't here... This was something that has piqued our curiosity."

The nobles nodded slightly. Lydia's invitation wasn't kept a secret and the list of names were public to them. Mini Bubble Gum and Canary's names had naturally garnered a whole lot of attention. Not to mention their strange names, the rumors regarding them were enough to attract their eyeballs. They were only about 16 years old and yet, possessed the formidable strength of the Peak Legendary Stage. Many of them were dubious about the rumor of them defeating the Duke Fiend hand in hand. However, it further proved their credibility when Mini Bubble Gum crippled the Mist Sword Saint thereafter. After all, no one had ever seen the Duke Fiend, but the news that the Mist Sword Saint was moving about as a handicapped person had spread all around the continent.

Many of them had hoped to meet the two legendary figures in this ceremony and witness their heroic mannerism. But they didn't expect that they actually refused Lydia's invitation and didn't turn up!

Fortunately, Lydia was respectful of Rhode and she didn't question their absence. On the other hand, Rhode had no way to explain the existence of the Phantom Guardians. It would be incredibly absurd. He didn't need to explain to Lydia, but he had to face the inquiries of others.

But he was prepared for them.

"They were ecstatic when they received Royal Highness' invitation. But they have their own research to complete and couldn't find the time to join us. Moreover, they aren't too favorable of the Country of Light, so, frankly speaking, they dislike heading into there."

"I remember that Miss Canary and Miss Bubble used to be your subordinates, right, Rhode?" Marlene said. "If that's the case, they've been to the Country of Light with you in the past?"

"That's right, Marlene."

Rhode turned to Marlene. Of course, he knew the reason behind Marlene raising this question. In order to receive the recognition of these young talents, they had to be convinced that Rhode had rich experience, knowledge, and wasn't only powerful in strength. Marlene was giving Rhode a chance to come out strong to dispel their hostilities. This was a kind of rule in the circle and Rhode wasn't about to give this opportunity a miss. He didn't wish to make enemies without good cause. Even though he had several enemies, he was aware of their capabilities. He didn't want to be struck down for no apparent reason by some unknown haters...

"Previously, I've been going on adventures with my companions and subordinates for a long time, exploring and unraveling the secrets and mysteries of this continent. There was a saying in my hometown that reading thousands of books isn't as fulfilling as traveling thousands of miles. There will be many times when you personally experience the benefits that books can't provide. Of course, I've been to Country of Light and the experience left unpleasant memories in my head. I guess you're aware that in the Country of Light, they will treat you passionately like any ordinary person if they aren't aware that you're from the Munn Kingdom. As soon as they knew that you're from the Munn Kingdom, they will instantly put up a long face as though they're looking at a bunch of thugs, villains, and rogues..."

Rhode shrugged and let out a long sigh.

Was Lydia a great ruler? Of course she was. What about her domination? Of course she was wise and brilliant.

But it was definitely impossible to say that the ruling class in Munn Kingdom was perfect. In fact, Rhode found that there was a lethal shortcoming.

And that was their arrogance.

Why was the Country of Light able to receive strong support from their people? One of the reasons was that their politicians often dove into the crowd of their people and announced their thoughts and heartfelt wishes to the people through means of speech and propaganda. Regardless of the amount of lies in their speeches, the politicians had at least gotten off from their high horses and enjoy the experience with the people together, in exchange for their respect, value, and favorable impression on the Light Parliament. In contrast, perhaps due to the difference in races, Lydia and the Battle Angels had never done so. They had never stepped down to explain, encourage, or incite the people with their thoughts and goals. They were only responsible for giving out orders and ensuring the people abide by them. The same went for the nobles. Taking Marlene for example. Although she could usually communicate and stay in contact with the civilians in peacetime and listen to their thoughts and opinions, she didn't regard the civilians highly because their opinions were only worthy as references. As a noble, it was impossible to change their own thoughts and ideas with the opinions of civilians because it would be an insult for the nobles.

The lack of the right to speak was a weak spot and shortcoming of the Munn Kingdom. The Reformist Party was able to receive the support of their people because the people had learned the methods that the Country of Light often carried out. Even though Southern nobles and merchants didn't reveal themselves in public, they manipulated mercenary groups and guilds under them to subtly spread rumors that were beneficial for them, at the same time smearing the reputation of the Munn Kingdom. Ordinary tax collection could be manipulated into Lydia wished to purchase new furniture and satin, which was why she tried to exploit the people's assets. A group of bandits attacking a regular military team could be exploited into people rebelling against the tyranny. Anyway, the Royal Family wouldn't get off their high horses to refute the rumors. Moreover, the Southerners were generally far from war and threats. People who lived in peaceful society for a long time would naturally believe whatever they listened. As the saying 'a thousand lies transform into the truth' goes, the Reformist Party spared no effort in tarnishing the Munn Royal Family while the Munn Royal Family did nothing to retaliate, which led to social unrest and turmoil. The Munn Royal Family appeared to be adopting a 'the wise man knows he knows nothing, while the fool thinks he knows it all' kind of passive response. They believed that as long as their conscience was clear, they wouldn't need to clarify the situation like a crime suspect.

The reason why the Northerners didn't believe the rumors was that the stability of their lives were different from the South's. They were directly threatened and the Myriad Flowers Battle was the shame and pain for all Northerners. Under such a circumstance, the North naturally leaned to the Royal Family for support and also presented the spirit of 'we must support those who the enemies oppose and oppose those who the enemies support' in resisting the South. Therefore, from this aspect, the main reason why the North wasn't affected by the rumors from the South was that they were protecting their benefits and Lydia's charisma and had nothing to do with the Royal Family at all. The entire ruling class had always been apathetic to people, apart from occasionally announcing important events publicly or revealing themselves during ceremonies or banquets to speak a few words to inspire the people. This was because the arrogance and pride of them as nobles made them feel like they were superior. It would be too embarrassing for them if they were to respond to whatever the people commented.

The Light Parliament was smart in capturing and exploiting them, spreading words among the people that the Munn Royal Family was domineering and treated people as animals. The Munn Royal Family looked down on the Light Parliament to begin with, and had never thought of retaliating, which resulted in them sinking even deeper. From a certain perspective, the reasons for the Munn Kingdom's sufferings from the accusations weren't totally unrelated to them.

But Rhode knew that this was a profound social and cultural issue, where over a thousand years weren't sufficient to come up with a solution to resolve this problem, even on Earth. No matter which country, the privileged class was always above the civilians and the only difference was that some knew how to manipulate and take advantage of the public opinions to attain a positive facade. But even so, that was only on the surface. In fact, a beggar roaming the streets would never be compared to the glamorous tycoons cruising down Wall Street. The latter could manipulate the media to his benefits while the former could only protest, protest, and protest. Even if they protested to their deaths, the problem wouldn't be resolved. The only meaning of their existence was that they had protested.

That was in Earth where the strength of Humans were almost equal. In this alternate world where the constitution of each unique races were in a serious unbalance, it was almost impossible to convince the privileged class nobles to respect the opinions of the civilians. Rhode felt that this was too exhausting and he lacked the capabilities to do so. He was neither Martin Luther King nor Abraham Lincoln. Furthermore, even they had proven that shooting their mouths off wasn't omnipotent—a bullet would be able to stop them in the shortest time possible even without the existence of magic and spiritual powers.

However, Rhode could only process such thoughts privately and had never mentioned this to Marlene before. He also couldn't mention this complex social problem before this group of people. Therefore, he changed the topic and talked about his 'Adventure History' on the continent. With his rich experience in the game, he could easily come up with something that would be an eye-opener for them.

In fact, that was the truth.

Even though there were experienced ones among them who had traveled abroad and seen the world, they definitely couldn't beat Rhode who had left his footprints on almost every corner of this continent, including Hell and the bottomless abyss. Rhode appeared exceptionally aloof, but the group was astounded when they realized that he wasn't reticent at all. Not only was he familiar with the unique customs and cultures of various places, but he was also knowledgeable about the mysterious, historical rumors. Besides, he was eloquent and instantly intoxicated the group with his stories.

When Rhode's stories came to an end, the group realized that it was already dusk. The sun had fallen into the clouds below and painted a layer of golden brilliance to them.

"It's unimaginable, Earl Rhode."

A young lady folded her hands and placed them by her chest. She gazed at Rhode with widened eyes.

"I've never expected that someone could experience such plentiful adventures. You make me wanna report back home immediately after the ceremony and request for permission to travel abroad for some time. After hearing your stories, I realized that the knowledge gathered from the books are so inadequate. Perhaps... we shouldn't only rely on our heads to think of the problems because experiencing them for ourselves are equally important."

"You're right."

Another man beside her nodded meaningfully. During the conversation, he had raised a few doubts to Rhode about the contents in some books, but Rhode managed to resolve them easily. Not only that, but Rhode also corrected him about the misconceptions between the book contents and reality.

"Now... I think I understand why you were able to achieve such accomplishments in a short period of time."

Derick Vas revealed a pensive expression and looked at Rhode with an admirable glint.

"Honestly speaking, Earl Rhode, I have previously thought that luck played a huge part in your success. But it seems that your rich experiences was the fundamentals to everything. I hope... we will have more opportunities in the future to seek your guidance."

"Sure. I would be glad to do so."

Rhode nodded slightly and shook hands with Derick.

Rhode sensed that the hostility and doubts in Derick's eyes had turned into admiration, astonishment, and even some respect.

Rhode turned to Marlene while the latter presented a warm smile. Her eyes glinted with flashes of smiles.

Chapter 667: Between Light & Light (V)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"Sigh..."

Standing on the sleek, towering platform, Carl let out a helpless sigh. He put his hand to his forehead and stared into the distance. But he didn't see what he had expected.

"Could Royal Highness have gotten the time wrong..."

He murmured under his breath and couldn't calm his anxiousness. Then, this pitiful old man turned around and looked down the flight of steps at the clamoring, disgusting mass of people by both sides of the road. As the diplomatic envoy of the Munn Kingdom, Carl knew that these people weren't there to welcome Lydia. Instead, they were holding a protest against her. This had become an annual program for the people of the Country of Light whenever the Dragon Soul Ceremony was held. They would raise highly all sorts of portraits with dishonoring slogans to 'welcome' the ruler of the Munn Kingdom. Not only that, but Carl also knew that this was undoubtedly the trick of the Light Parliament. But what could he do to them? The Light Parliament announced that their people had the freedom and privilege to enjoy parades and Carl could only watch from behind as the crowd treated Lydia like a joke. However, Lydia was indeed a figure beyond expectations. She had participated in the Dragon Soul Ceremony annually and had never been bothered by the hateful crowd as though the deafening clamors were nonexistent.

Carl had arrived in the Country of Light a month ago to begin preparations to receive the guests. Independent duchies and territories would normally dispatch their diplomatic envoys to get in touch with the Light Parliament. However, Lydia took things one step further. After she took over the throne, she revoked the envoy stationed in the Light Capital with the reason that the Munn Royal Family were the subordinates of the Light Dragon Soul and there was no reason for them to report to the Light Parliament. If the Light Parliament wished to contact the Munn Kingdom, they could dispatch their envoys to the Munn Kingdom or report to the Light Dragon Soul directly.

The Light Parliament was naturally discontent as Lydia's methods obviously treated the Light Dragon Soul and Light Parliament as separate existence. All this while, the Light Parliament had been considering themselves as the 'supervisor' of the Light Dragon Soul. But Lydia's actions clearly told them that they had nothing to do with the Light Dragon Soul and they should stop taking the name of a great cause as their shield.

Due to this reason, the Munn Kingdom didn't have any diplomatic envoy in the Country of Light. They would dispatch men to the Country of Light a month before the start of the Dragon Soul Ceremony in preparation to receive their great ruler. Of course, the Country of Light deliberately made things difficult for the Munn Kingdom. However, they didn't dare go too overboard because they would be at the losing end if Lydia knew about it and cut down the sum of money offered to the Light Dragon Soul.

Even though there would be parades at this period of time every year, the situation was a little different this year. Carl scanned the high-raised written slogans in the parade.

"Evil dictator! Get out of this land of freedom!"

"Release the Reformist Party! Return their freedom and justice!

"Cruel murderer! Your hands are stained with the blood of Humans, but we will never back down!"

"Angels are a group of whores! Get off the surface that belongs to us Humans!"

"Oppose the vicious suppression! Oppose the bloody massacre! Lydia has to apologize to the Humans! Angels have no right to conduct trials on Human behaviors!"

京急本線県立大学駅 徒歩9分 - 1LDK／39.78㎡

"Get out of here! The Country of Light doesn't welcome you! Dictator! Tyrant!"

"Make the South independent! That's their rights! They should be free!"

"Suppressing the freedom-seekers is a disgraceful move! We have no need for friendship with a tyrant!"

The written slogans were strangely glaring under the beaming sun. Some of them even lifted a portrait of a prostitute with a pair of blackened, rotten wings and Lydia's head. The prostitute spread her legs wide with a heavy, bold 'X' between her legs.

Carl felt his blood boiling in wrath. He wished so hard that he had the spiritual power to roast all the hateful and disgusting people to corpses. But now, all he could do was to wait for Lydia's arrival. He wasn't sure what she would feel if she saw the disrespectful signs. Carl lifted his head and gazed into the distance. He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sun rays. However, he soon realized that the spotlessly white clouds shrouding the entire sky dispersed as a long, an enormous object that broke through the cotton-like layer of cloud.

What... is that?

Carl widened his eyes in astonishment. An incredibly gigantic magic warship emerged from the clouds. Its flawlessly white, towering hull glittered in sacred radiance under the passionate sun. This massive presence slowly descended along with the wind and silenced the noisy haters instantly. The haters opened their eyes wide. The warship brought about an incomparable pressure before them, as though a floating mountain was above them. No one was sure if it wouldn't come crashing down on them.

In an instant, the bustling noises were muted.

"It seems like there's a large group welcoming us warmly down there." Rhode gazed at the dense mass of people. As the warship descended, he saw all the various written slogans and portraits raised highly in their hands. Even though he couldn't read the text clearly from the far distance, he knew that they weren't saying anything nice.

There's so many people. There must be thousands of them...

Rhode was entranced as he scanned the crowd. At the same time, he was fantasizing the moment this Saint Lady Vessel stripped off its veil and reveal the rows of magic cannons to raze the entire capital to the ground. Soaring blaze. Flying limbs. Screams and blood-curdling screeches. Crimson blood that stained the roads. Thoroughly mashed corpses lying flat across the ground. Not good. He almost drooled at his delusions.

Rhode wiped off the non-existent saliva from the corner of his lips. At this moment, the sound of the deep bugle horn filled the sky.

The show was about to start.

The gigantic warship adjusted its direction in the strong winds and leaned toward the tall platform. Then, a metallic flight of stairs was released from above that connected to the ground. Shortly after, the group stepped down the flight of stairs following Lydia's lead.

Lydia donned a splendid dress for the event. But compared to what she usually wore in the Munn Kingdom, this dress was rather 'conservative': a white dress with golden outlines and embroidered with the mark of the Munn Kingdom wrapping her curvy body closely. Gaya and Amund followed closely behind her. The black-haired young lady presented her usual, aloof expression, carrying her precious harp in her hands. The elderly Mage held his staff and displayed a calm, steady face. Marlene, Lize, Derick, and the others were the next to follow.

"This..."

The crowd was left speechless. Lydia's representative team was mainly filled with young, rising talents. Even though they were mostly capable, they had basically never been to the Country of Light. This was because they were mainly the pillars and heirs of their large families in the Munn Kingdom. Due to the sinister relationship between the two nations, the Country of Light surely wouldn't mind causing some trouble for the families. If any of these people died in the Country of Light, it would be too much of a loss for the families. Due to this reason, the young people mainly never went to the Country of Light. However, they were reminded by Rhode before they stepped down from the warship that they would face hostile treatment here. But even so, they had never imagined that the Country of Light's people were this unfriendly. Just look at the written slogans in their hands. Damn it. That's totally blasphemy!

"Oh my goodness... I thought I've just arrived in an enemy country..."

The female scholar in golden-framed spectacles sucked in a deep, cold air and mumbled under her breath. But shortly after, Rhode's voice pulled her out to her senses.

"This IS an enemy country, Miss Cohen. Stand strong. Don't let them see your weak side. They're gathering here to make a joke out of us. If we look weak to them, we may even become the laughing stock of the Munn Kingdom."

"What should we do, Leader? Should Anne give them a good bashing?"

Anne asked curiously with clenched fists while the others turned to Rhode. Rhode had entirely convinced this group of people with his experiences and erudition over these few days. Perhaps due to the differences in standpoints and identities, Rhode's reputation in this representative team was one of the highest.

"I don't mind if you can handle all of them."

Rhode didn't sound like he wanted to stop Anne at all.

"Staying calm will do. Don't take their words to heart. Everyone, you're nobles while they're civilians. You should know what to do. Perhaps you can also try to block out their meaningless clamor and treat as though they are welcoming us wholeheartedly."

Rhode paused for a moment. Then, he revealed a gentle smile.

"Like this."

Rhode extended his arm and waved warmly to the civilians, leaving them exasperated. They pushed forward and berated at Rhode while pointing their fingers.

"Lackey of the tyrant! How dare you smile and even be willing to become the slave of the Angels!"

"Get out of our country! We don't welcome you!"

"You aren't suited to be a Human! Bastard! You're nothing more than a lover of that Angel whore!"

The smile on Rhode's face remain unchanged. He perambulated along the carpet and waved his hand continuously. Perhaps due to the overwhelming pressure that they felt from the massive warship from Munn Kingdom, the civilians blew their tops. They decided to use all their strength to show the tyrant's lackey that even the strongest violence wasn't enough to stop them from upholding justice and determination!

"You see. They're getting even more furious now. Don't you think that's kinda fun?"

Rhode turned around and said to the group behind him.

Chapter 668: Between Light & Light (VI)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

As elite talents who could enter the representative team, these young rising stars were not to be trifled with. They felt relatively flabbergasted by the 'overwhelming support' from the people of the Country of Light. However, they quickly returned to their senses under Rhode's lead, descending the ramp and stepping on the solid ground with calm, collected expressions. They lifted their heads and fixated their gaze forward. Just as Rhode had mentioned, they were nobles, while the crowd was composed of civilians. They didn't need to lower themselves to their levels. Some of the nobles even mimicked Rhode in waving back to the civilians 'passionately', and, of course, they stirred up yet another wave of curses and criticisms. However, it sounded like rumbles in their ears as the place was overly noisy. Even though it got under their skin, the nobles couldn't hear the buzz clearly as though a swarm of houseflies were dancing around their ears.

Lydia led the way and it went without saying that she had garnered the most hatred among them. If it weren't for the soldiers maintaining the order, perhaps the civilians would have encircled her. However, Lydia wasn't in the least bit concerned. She strode forward and waved her hands to the two rows of civilians lined along the passageway. It was apparent that she was used to such treatment.

"Your Highness, you're finally here."

Carl wiped the sweat beads off his forehead before bowing deeply to Lydia. At that moment, a soldier in a straightly-ironed attire walked forward in large strides and gave the Country of Light's military salute to Lydia.

"Greetings, Your Highness Lydia. I'm the 3rd Guard's Commander of the Light Dragon Soul. I'm abiding by the Light Parliament's orders to receive you. The chariots are ready. Please follow me."

The soldier revealed a smile.

"I apologize for this unsightly scene. This is spontaneously organized by the civilians. All we could do was to maintain order. Please don't take offense."

"It's fine. I know the people of the Country of Light have always been passionate."

Lydia said with an unchanged expression. She nodded slightly after sweeping a glance to the civilians.

The distance from the ramp to the chariot wasn't far and the process was smooth without hiccups, except for the annoying verbal abuse, humiliating written slogans, and insulting portraits. Yes. Everything was smooth.

"This is ridiculous!"

Marlene exploded in wrath as soon as she board the chariot.

"They're too much! This is the solemn and sacred Dragon Soul Ceremony. How can the Light Parliament shame us this brazenly!"

"Ah..."

Lize let out a long, subtle sigh. Her exhausted expression said it all.

"Anne feels that it's quite fun to see them screaming from behind the soldiers and they didn't dare to pick a fight with us. It's interesting to infuriate them to death."

バス 東恩納下車 徒歩5分 - 2LDK／56.43㎡

Rhode wasn't surprised by their reactions at all. Even though the Dragon Soul Ceremony was held in the Light Capital, all the duchies and territories under the Light Dragon Soul protection would also participate in it as it was closely related to the Light Dragon Soul.

However, not every territories and duchies shared the same pair of trousers. Even though they were equally under the Light Dragon Soul protection, there were several conflicts between the Country of Light and other territories. The Country of Light always made use of the Light Dragon Soul presence and they believed that they should be the dominator of all the territories under the Light Dragon Soul's protection. This left the overlords resentful. It was mentioned previously that many regions of the continent were enveloped in Chaos and had lost their Order. In order to receive one's territory, one had to penetrate deeply into it and awaken the slumbering Dragon Soul's powers. Thus, according to the treaty, one would gain the rights to receive the territory after fulfilling the requirements. Apart from the Country of Light, several overlords had taken great pains and sacrificed countless men to awaken the Dragon Soul power and receive their territories. They didn't receive a single bit of help from the Country of Light. After the overlords built their nation, the Country of Light emerged before them like a savior and told them that they should respect the Light Dragon since it was due to the Light Dragon Soul's protection that their territories were in a stable condition. Of course, there must be substantive representation to their respects... And everyone knew that.

The overlords were naturally dissatisfied with this attitude. They fought hard for their territories and not only did the Country of Light not assist them, but they also demanded for their service? Just because the Light Dragon Soul was in the Country of Light? Alright then. Retract the Light Dragon Soul's protection if you're capable and we shall see if it listens to you.

Therefore, there were plenty of conflicts between the Country of Light and several territories. However, even though the overlords were furious, they didn't dare speak about it. Some of them had even turned to the Country of Light and became one of their protected members, while some had chosen the other path: joining the Anti-Country of Light Alliance.

And the Munn Kingdom was the head of this 'Anti-Country of Light Alliance'. Even though this alliance didn't officially exist, there were indeed presences of this alliance. Although the Munn Kingdom and the other territories had vastly different goals and weren't as determined as Lydia in restoring the Light Dragon Soul's dignity and status, they had the same enemy: the Light Parliament.

Lydia was determined to weaken the authority of the Light Parliament while strengthening the dignity of the Light Dragon Soul. On the other hand, the overlords were mostly looking to weaken the Light Parliament's forces and stop them from their criticisms. It would be more justifiable for the Munn Kingdom to take the lead. Lydia, as one of the three Archangels and a subordinate of the Light Dragon Soul, would be easily accepted by others. But it would most probably be deemed as mortals attempting to disobey the gods if the overlords opposed the Country of Light instead. Perhaps their people wouldn't even dare imagine such a terrifying future. As a result, the only choice the Anti-Country of Light Alliance had was to follow the Munn Kingdom's lead under Lydia's flag to reach their goals.

With this level of relationship, it wasn't hard to see that the Light Parliament and the Munn Kingdom was as incompatible as fire and water. If it weren't for Country of Darkness eyeing territory covetously and the Light Parliament not being foolish enough to snatch the Light Dragon Soul's authority and position, both sides would have erupted into a huge war a long time ago.

The Munn Kingdom had expectations to bring order out of chaos and allow the Light Dragon Soul to regain its deserved authority and position.

The various overlords hoped to diminish the strong, imperialism influence that the Light Parliament had on this continent.

On the contrary, the Light Parliament hoped to remove the Light Dragon Soul entirely, turn the Country of Light into a true master of their own affairs, and not entrust their lives and hopes on nations ruled by other races.

Unless one party gave way, conflicts were inevitable.

But none of the parties would give way.

It was only right that Lydia, as an Archangel, treated the Light Dragon Soul as her main priority. A parliament that tried to snatch the Light Dragon Soul's authority away wasn't necessary.

The various overlords were naturally more concerned about their territories. If their territories had been squeezed dry by Country of Light, their roles as overlords wouldn't last long.

The Light Parliament had established in the hearts of their people through years of propaganda that they were heroic Humans who went against the pressure and resistance from other races. They definitely couldn't lower their heads before the Light Dragon Soul as this would destroy their authority, wealth, position—everything. This was why they had to suppress the Munn Kingdom and hold down the Light Dragon Soul's most powerful assistant forever. If not, they weren't sure if the Light Dragon Soul would borrow the strength of the Munn Kingdom in overthrowing the Light Parliament.

There shouldn't be any emotions involved in a fight for authority, just like how there would only be one winner standing at the end of a war. There could only be one side with the most authority. With their background and standpoint, there wouldn't be a chance for other parties to share the authority. Either you or I will live in the end.

This was a zero-sum game.

The chariot slowly moved ahead as the soldiers in front cleared the road of the protesting civilians. Not only that, but perhaps civilians had also realized that their disorganized protest wasn't effective. They lined up neatly and yelled out in unison.

"Get out of our land of freedom! You bloody butcher!"

"Even though you've killed our people, you can't kill their freedom-seeking hearts!"

"Release the brave warriors of the Reformist Party and oppressed civilians under you!"

"You lackeys of the Angel betrayed yourselves for authority! You lackeys aren't fit to be Humans!"

"The Country of Light isn't a place for a tyrant like you who devours the flesh and blood of your people to enjoy luxury!"

The objections got louder and clearer. Marlene put up a gloomy expression as she clutched the handle beside her. Lize covered her ears and closed her ears in her lowered head, rejecting everything that was booming at them. On the other side, Anne looked on listlessly as the chariot traveled at a snail's pace as though she were a criminal trapped in a prison car and humiliated on a street show.

"I'm really sorry, Your Highness Lydia."

The soldier once again emerged by the chariot door and presented a fitting smile. But it was obvious that his smile wasn't genuine.

"We're doing our best. But there are too many of them, so we can only travel slowly..."

"Sure. No problem."

Lydia's smile was still as wide as before. She admired the view as though she was unfazed by the curses and insults. On the other side, Grand Mage Amund had closed his eyes to attain his mental composure while Gaya suddenly opened her eyes wide. She displayed an emotionless face and pressed her hand against her precious harp.

"Cover your ears!"

Rhode sat up with knitted brows and yelled out hurriedly.

"—!"

In an instant, the clamors were gone.

The yelling civilians instantly felt as though their voices had materialized. A strong, invisible force had as though plunged into their mouths, followed by a hammer that crashed down onto their throats.

"—!"

The choking pain was simply unimaginable. In an instant, the crowd around the chariot rolled their eyes and plummeted to the ground with their wide-open mouths were like desperate, beached fish gasping for air. The civilians who were blocking the way ahead also lost their enthusiasm. They held their throats and scattered in retreat. Those who were less fortunate either sat down or leaned on the walls weakly. The high-raised banners and portraits had fallen to the ground and submerged in the collapsing crowd.

The chariot picked up speed and dashed forward.

Gaya put down her slender right hand and turned to the annoying crowd that was suffering in pain. She let out a soft grunt as a glint of disdain flashed in her eyes. Then, she shifted her gaze back before shutting her eyes for a rest.

"A group of lowly maggots."

The black-haired young lady said in an ice-cold tone.

Chapter 669: Between Light & Light (VII)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The journey was smooth thereafter. Even though there were still protests going on in the background, at least nobody was hindering them any longer. But even so, the atmosphere in the chariot wasn't all that nice. Marlene gazed out of the window gloomily and her eyes flickered in wrath. Lize puckered her brows and didn't hide her resentments from her face at all, which was rare to see from this meticulous young lady. On the other hand, Anne had fallen asleep in the comfy seat, drooling and snoring away.

Shortly after, the Light Capital, Casabianca, presented itself before everyone.

Casabianca and Golden City were somewhat similar in appearances—white, tall city walls, wide streets, buildings in picturesque disorder. However, Golden City had more natural, scenic views with lush forests under its golden castle and mountains that blended in with the calm, beautiful lake, forming a magnificent, picturesque scroll. In comparison, the Light Capital appeared more like the miracle of human civilization. The most eye-catching feature weren't its natural views, but high-rise buildings instead. A spotlessly white, towering building stood head and shoulders above others, announcing its heavy presence.

The most striking presence was the Light Dragon Temple situated to the east of Casabianca. Unlike the castles with distinct edges and corners, the Light Dragon Temple appeared more like a majestic flower with petals unfolding in all directions, revealing its pure, sacred stamen. On its sides, the circular pillars supported the temple that penetrated deep into the clouds. That was where the other two Archangels resided. Unlike Lydia, the two Archangels lived in seclusion. They secretly ensured the safety of the Light Dragon Soul while also commanding the remaining Battle Angel Army.

In the game, many players discussed about why the other two Archangels didn't establish themselves like Lydia. This was because if they also established their own countries like Lydia, there wouldn't be a need for the Country of Light. As long as the three Archangels worked hand in hand, they could establish a sacred nation that belonged to the Light Dragon and didn't need to lead such sorrowful days. This was especially so in the past. The existence of the two Archangels were close to nothing when the Light Parliament offered the Light Dragon Soul to the Dark Dragon, where almost nobody remembered that they had once existed. Under such circumstances, the two Archangels should have stepped out to protect their master, but they were nowhere to be seen. Some of the players concluded that they had been secretly annihilated by the Light Parliament, while some players claimed that they were discouraged after witnessing Lydia dying in battle and as a result, gave up on their duties and chose the fallen path. But even the players of the Country of Light weren't sure where the two Archangels had gone to.

Although the Light Dragon Temple emanated dazzling brilliance under the bright sun, for some unknown reason, Rhode felt that it looked rather dull, as though he was looking at it through a pair of sunglasses...

Apart from the Light Dragon Temple, there were two buildings that captured their attention. They were neither luxurious nor beautiful in appearance. But the extravagant, imposing round pillars surrounding and supporting the tall triangular dome, as well as merging with the quadrangular roof and rectangular walls as one, brought about a sacred and solemn presence. This was where the Light Parliament was located and it was also the political center of the Country of Light's parliament... Or perhaps their core.

But the Light Capital wasn't only famous for this.

Rhode shifted his gaze to the southern beach. He spotted a tall structure carved from stone in the shape of a massive right hand. It lifted a torch and stood far apart from the Light Dragon Temple.

That was the most famous structure in the country: the Lighthouse of Liberty.

It was built at the centennial celebration of the Light Parliament's establishment. Back then, the Light Parliament built this lighthouse to 'warmly celebrate the gained independence and freedom of mankind.' They no longer needed to take their cues from the Creator Dragon Soul and Archangels and could dictate their own future!

Rhode shook his head helplessly. He didn't know what was going through the Light Dragon Soul's head. As a Creator Dragon Soul who had taken part in the Creation War and sacrificed many in exchange for peace, hadn't the Creator Dragon Soul seen through the nature of Humans yet? Humans were filled with desires and essentially, Rhode wasn't much different from the Light Parliament. Humans yearned to receive authority, stabilize their forces, and dominate as much as they could. Why couldn't the Light Dragon understand this? Rhode didn't believe that the Light Dragon had low IQ. If that was the case, the Light Dragon wouldn't possibly be in possession over such a large piece of land after the Creation War ended. The land would've been squeezed into a corner by the Country of Darkness and Country of Law instead.

Why did the Light Dragon do that?

Perhaps only the Light Dragon back then in the Creation War knew the answer because its heir would only inherit all its wisdom and strength, and not its memories. Therefore, for the answer... Rhode wouldn't be able to hear it even if he asked the current Light Dragon Soul.

The chariot slowly came to a halt as it arrived before the Light Parliament entrance.

Then, the door opened.

Lydia exited the chariot and met the formally dressed parliament members smiling warmly at her. They revealed smiles one after another. Their smiles were from deep in their hearts, especially after they learned of what had happened just now. Apart from the Light Parliament members, several overlords and representatives stood on the long flight of stairs from both sides. They had differing expressions. Some appeared hesitant while others appeared to be mocking Lydia's group. Some even looked as though they were watching a good show from the side. It was apparent that they knew what had just happened.

"I represent the Light Parliament in welcoming you here, Archangel Lydia."

The chairman brought on a smile and bowed deeply. Then, he gazed at the group behind Lydia and revealed a regretful and apologetic smile.

"I represent the Light Parliament in apologizing for the disturbance caused. I seek your understanding on this. As a country of freedom, we have no right to stop the people's protest unless they take it too far. If not, we can't do much about them in order to prevent unnecessary conflict. But I believe that our people are reasonable and wouldn't behave recklessly..."

Most of Lydia's group sulked instantly.

No one who followed Lydia here was an idiot. They instantly understood what the old chairman's words meant. Even though he appeared apologetic over what happened, the fact that he defended the people's actions proved otherwise. He said that the people wouldn't behave recklessly, so that was to say that this protest was an organized, disciplined, and intelligent move by them. Wasn't he ridiculing them with those words?

"Of course I understand the situation, Mr. Chairman. It is a difficult challenge to manage a city or a country."

Lydia spoke as though she didn't realize the nuances in the chairman's statements. Then, she stretched out her right hand gracefully. But she wasn't about to shake his hand as a greeting; instead, she placed her hand before the chairman's face with her palm facing down.

"..."

This time, the Light Parliament members glowered, while the overlords and representatives widened their eyes in astonishment!

They knew what Lydia meant by that. She was getting the chairman to kiss her hand!

On the Dragon Soul Continent, a kiss on the hand was a solemn and formal custom of the upper class. But, this was where the problem lay.

A kiss on the hand was an etiquette between the top and bottom class among the upper class. Lydia's actions signified that her position was higher than the elderly chairman and that she was the direct subordinate of the Light Dragon Soul and one of the three Archangels! It was like saying, 'on the contrary, you people are just underlings! Your statuses are lower than mine!'

Lydia had never behaved this way in a previous Dragon Soul Ceremony!

If the elderly chairman followed suit, he would need to be half-knelt to kiss Lydia's fingers. An ultimate humiliation of the Light Parliament in public!

They had worked so hard, but in the end, the representative of Light Parliament had to fawn an Angel!

The reputation of the Light Parliament would be swept to the ground if he obliged! But it would undoubtedly mean that they were officially breaking off their relations with the Munn Kingdom publicly. Lydia was the ruler of Munn Kingdom. If the elderly chairman were to refuse her, their relationship would completely shatter before the eyes of the overlords and representatives!

The Light Parliament members didn't expect that karma would come so soon after they mocked Lydia's group. This was a formal diplomatic event—what should the elderly chairman do before the observant eyes of the bystanders? Lydia had placed her dewy hands before his face perfectly and he had no time to hesitate. Lydia's strength was only second to the Creator Dragon Soul while the elderly chairman was an ordinary mortal. In terms of level and attributes, he wasn't even level 10.

It was impossible for Lydia to let him off the hook.

In an instant, the air froze.

Rhode watched on amusingly. The representative group around him also presented righteous smiles to the Light Parliament. Lydia was an Archangel who served the Dragon Souls and it was only right that the mortals greet her with a kiss to her hand due to the major difference in identity. Besides, she was doing them a favor by not requesting them to kneel down fully.

The air became incredibly dense. The bystanders looked on in disbelief as they didn't expect that both parties to clash as soon as they met. Currently, all eyes were on the elderly chairman. Would he do it?

No one knew.

Many of them were aware that the elderly chairman's position in the Light Parliament was shaky due to the string of muddleheaded policies and decisions that he had implemented. The support he received in the Country of Light had fallen to its lowest, where even the internal Light Parliament department had discussed the possibilities of replacing him. And now, if he were to yield, it would mean that his hopes serve for another term of office would be dashed. A person who abandoned the traditions of the Light Parliament in public views had no right to manage this country.

But what if he refused?

The hostilities between the Light Parliament and the Munn Kingdom would instantly be materialized. Perhaps they might face an obstacle in the form of the Country of Darkness due to it and not only that, but it was also almost for sure that Lydia would reduce the sum of money to be presented to the Light Dragon Soul. This would undoubtedly be a huge blow to the Country of Light, which had sunk into financial crisis! If they weren't able to replenish the financial deficit, it was pretty much predictable what riots regions that didn't receive fundings would put up in the coming year. Perhaps they might even affect the entire stability of the Country of Light!

Should I go for my political prospects? Or for the future of the Country of Light?

The elderly chairman lifted his head and looked at Lydia's gentle, yet determined smile. That was her answer. She was firm and unwavering. The elderly chairman gazed past her and spotted his old rival, Amund, supporting himself with his erected staff, watching in silence. Behind him were young people who observed the show quietly. Their eyes were filled with resolute and definite will.

So they're the Munn Kingdom's future...

The elderly chairman let out a long, inward sigh. He finally understood why Lydia didn't bring members of the three largest families this time. Instead, she brought along a group of young, determined people. Besides, they had also experienced the torturous trip in the chariot... So then, what would become of our Country of Light's future? The elderly chairman didn't turn around, but he sensed the gazes from his companions. Glinting with hatred, helplessness, worries, and ridicule. Were they doing it for the country's benefits? They believed that the elderly chairman's strategic decisions were frivolous, which brought the nation to this current state. But what else could they contribute? They would always come up with hundreds and thousands of excuses to protect their benefits. But what else could he do? Could he defy them? Could he ignore their opinions? He would be seen as a tyrant if he did. Perhaps he might be instantly fired, not to mention serving another term in office. And now, even though it concerned the honor and pride of the Light Parliament and the entire Country of Light, they weren't even standing on the same side as him. In contrast, some of them were even treating him as a joke?

Could it be that they've forgotten that they are also a part of the Light Parliament and people of the Country of Light?

I'm already old...

This thought cropped up in his mind. Then, he felt his breathing became heavy. He knew what he should do now.

He lowered his old and white-haired head.

The bystanders' pupils shrunk. Some clenched their fists and took half a step forward subconsciously while some gaped in disbelief. But, they couldn't stop the elderly chairman. He stooped down and got down on one knee!

The parliament members behind him felt chills all over. They widened their eyes in disbelief.

This embarrassment had ruined the Light Parliament's pride and glory over the centuries!

Does he know what he's doing?!

"I welcome your arrival, Your Highness."

The elderly chairman greeted with his hoarse voice. Then, he softly held Lydia's right hand and kissed her fingertips.

Everything ended in this moment.

Chapter 670: Between Light & Light (VIII)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

None of the participants of the Dragon Soul Ceremony expected that the representatives of the Munn Kingdom and Light Parliament would be this hostile to each other. From the thousands in the parade in the Light Capital to the arrival of the massive magic warship from the Munn Kingdom and the clash between Lydia and the elderly chairman, this series of unusual movements made many people aware that the situation was abnormally strange. Although the Light Parliament and Munn Kingdom always clashed heads in the Dragon Soul Ceremony, such an acrimonious falling-out had never happened before. In an instant, the participants of the Dragon Soul Ceremony turned panicky. Even though they mostly had clear standpoints, that was during a period when the Munn Kingdom and the Light Parliament hadn't torn into each other yet. Although they backstabbed each other, they appeared warm and affable on the surface. But this time, the Munn Kingdom obviously displayed a side that was tougher than ever. It was totally possible for both sides to fall out in this Dragon Soul Ceremony.

After all, the news of the Reformist Party's rebellion in the Munn Kingdom had spread throughout the entire continent. The various representatives clearly knew that the Reformist Party was secretly supported by the Light Parliament. However, Lydia was merciless and could even be considered cruel in taking them down in a pool of blood. The Light Parliament seized the chance to make a fuss and sniped at the Munn Kingdom, leading to an unprecedented deadlock on both sides. This time, the Light Parliament used the people's protest to display their strength. But Lydia retaliated with the 'kiss on the hand' without showing any mercy. In a formal diplomatic event, this was basically considered thoroughly breaking off their relations with each other. Even though both sides were enemy countries, it was impossible to be this cruel.

It was due to this that the overlords and representatives re-evaluated their standpoints and attitudes. Previously, they were able to express their views because there weren't too many critical conflicts between the Light Parliament and Anti-Light Parliament forces, where it was more beneficial for them to make clear their position. Some territories that leaned toward the Light Parliament's side wasn't because they recognized their authority. Instead, they had simply taken a fancy to the huge and generous welfare policies of the Light Parliament. Those who relied on the Munn Kingdom were the same. Although not everyone agreed with Lydia that the Light Dragon Soul should regain its power and status, the Munn Kingdom was rich in natural resources, well-developed in commerce, and had high-end magical technology, after all. Moreover, the existence of floating boats had expanded the Munn Kingdom's influence over them.

But everything was different now.

The Munn Kingdom and Light Parliament. It would definitely be a courageous fight at bayonet-point if both sides tore into each other. With the opposing ideas and accumulated grievances of over hundreds of years, it would surely result in a bloodbath if the bucket of gunpowder were to explode. Perhaps the entire Country of Light would sink into an unprecedented chaos of war. Facing such a possible circumstance, the duchies and territories representatives leaning towards the Country of Light were forced to make a choice—their final choice. If they chose the wrong side, it wouldn't be as simple as being blocked off to receive punishment. They might face the crisis of having their nation perish to the ground.

Some of them were considering how to survive between the conflicts from both sides, while others were thinking of obtaining generous profits from it and some were looking to persuade and convince Lydia and the Light Parliament, with hopes that their hostility wouldn't brim so vivaciously. After all, the Country of Darkness had always been eyeing territory covetously. The Munn Kingdom would be the first barrier for the Light Mainland to defend against the Country of Darkness and consequences would be devastating if the Country of Darkness started a war with the Country of Light. The 'people' of the Country of Darkness weren't modest gentlemen. There were no two ways about it that their Undead Army would infiltrate the Country of Light. For the sake of the entire Light Mainland, representatives prayed that they would calm down and compromise with each other by making some sacrifices.

What assured most of them was that the situation barely came to an end after the elderly chairman greeted Lydia in humiliation. The satisfied Lydia let the Light Parliament off thereafter and even though the Light Parliament was extremely resentful, the elderly chairman seemed to have transformed into a totally different person. He was no longer as stubborn and overbearing as he usually was. Even though several Light Parliament members had blown their tops at the elderly chairman's actions, they were still rational, after all. They knew that it wouldn't be smart of them to interrogate the elderly chairman in public. Although the support that this elderly chairman received in the Country of Light had reached its all time low, he was still the chairman of Light Parliament before the end of the election. If the parliament members objected in the public's view, it would sweep the Light Parliament's dignity to the ground.

But this didn't mean that the folks in the Light Parliament were clueless on what they should do next. After the greeting ceremony, they shut their doors and left the dotard to suffer alone!

No matter what was going on in the elderly man's head, there would still be room to maneuver since the Light Parliament hadn't fallen out with the Munn Kingdom yet. Currently, the parliament members were also in a precarious situation themselves, so who would be concerned about a dotard who had one foot in his grave?

The representative team of the Munn Kingdom headed to the imperial residence in the Light Dragon Temple for their rest. This was their only privilege in the Country of Light. As one of the three Archangels, even though Lydia wasn't by the Light Dragon Soul's side all year round, she still held the authority to have her own imperial residence in the Light Dragon Temple. Of course, her room wasn't as huge as the two other Archangels.

On the other hand, the other representatives came up with random excuses to swiftly take their leave. This was the first time that they had joined such a dangerous welcome ceremony. It was as though they were walking on thin ice. Even though the Light Parliament organized the welcome ceremony rather grandly, their minds weren't on the gorgeous female dancers or delicious food. They widened their eyes and held their breath while watching the back and forth between the Light Parliament and Munn Kingdom's representative team, afraid that a foolish person would ignite the huge bucket of gunpowder.

Fortunately, both sides were rather calm about it.

Many of them left the venue and felt their backs were filled with cold sweat when they stepped up onto their chariots, as though they weren't here to participate in a banquet, but a trip around the gallow in the execution ground. Fortunately, none of them kicked the stool beneath their feet. At this moment, the crowd that finally escaped the gallows retreated hurriedly and considered their rightful choice. There were two more days left before the start of the Dragon Soul Ceremony. This was their only chance to reflect on their choices clearly. To follow the Light Parliament or Munn Kingdom? Or to look on with cold indifference? No matter what, they had to make a choice.

It wasn't only them who had such doubts.

"I didn't expect Royal Highness Lydia to do that."

Marlene held the teacup in her hands and puckered her brows as she gazed out the window. It was pitch-black outside, but the fluttering goose feather snow could be vaguely seen under the radiance of the torches, which brought about a dreamy view to the night. On the other side, Anne laid on her stomach by the window and drew on the misty glass with her finger. Lize sat by the side and listened to Rhode and Marlene's conversation.

Rhode knew that Marlene's suspicions weren't unreasonable. Although Lydia's actions had made the Munn Kingdom proud in the face of the Light Parliament... This wasn't normal at all. Ultimately, it was due to the system of the Munn Kingdom. The reason why the Munn Kingdom and Light Parliament had never fallen out with each other all these years wasn't because their strength, wealth, and allies were weaker than the Country of Light's. There was a fairly simple reason. The Munn Kingdom's ruler was one of the three Archangels under the Light Dragon Soul, so it was only right that she abided by the Light Dragon Soul's orders. On the contrary, it was due to this that the basis of the Munn Kingdom falling out with the Country of Light never existed as the Light Dragon Soul was the owner of the Country of Light in name. Moreover, it would mean that the Archangel had rejected the Creator Dragon Soul if the Munn Kingdom were to fall out with the Country of Light.

This was definitely, definitely impossible.

This was why the Light Parliament dared to go so brazenly against Munn Kingdom, as though a hooligan who had kidnapped a beautiful pair of mother and daughter wasn't worried that they would retaliate. Thereafter, the Munn Kingdom gradually grasped the Country of Light's lifeline through economics, which led to changes in their forces. When it reached the era of Lydia's rule, she swept out the past Archangels' meekness and gentleness and brought about unyielding resistance.

But she was still an Archangel, after all.

Rhode regarded the scene today heavily because a wrong step would lead to a full-scale war. Even though the eventual results were decent, he knew that they were just being fortunate. If luck wasn't on their side, perhaps the Munn Kingdom and Country of Light would announce war in the Dragon Soul Ceremony.

But why did Lydia dare to do that?

In an instant, Rhode's thoughts developed into a whole new direction.

"Could it be that Royal Highness Lydia wanted to show the Light Parliament our strong side? And warn them that we're no pushovers?"

Lize knitted her brows and said. Marlene shook her head slightly and disagreed.

東海道本線岐阜駅からバスにて30分 松ノ木下車 徒歩4分 - 1LDK／39.6㎡

"Royal Highness Lydia isn't a reckless person. That spectacle was dangerous and everyone present knows it. Perhaps we would be discussing about tactics against the Country of Light now if the Light Parliament Chairman acted tough back then."

"That..."

"Rhode, what do you think about the whole thing?"

Marlene lifted her head and turned to Rhode. The latter knitted his brows slightly.

"I have a thought. But I shall put it up front first. I will not admit that I've said these words once I step out of this room."

"Mr. Rhode?"

Perhaps due to Rhode's overly stern tone, Lize tensed up a little. She placed her hands on her chest and watched worriedly at the black-haired young man. On the other hand, Marlene opened her eyes wide as though she had thought of something. At this moment, Rhode said in a calm tone.

"... I suspect that Royal Highness Lydia is forcing the Light Dragon Soul to make a decision."

"What...!"

This statement came out like a rolling thunder. Lize and Marlene jumped to their feet. The former looked on palely while the latter had as though made a sudden realization. They knew why Rhode said that—this statement definitely shouldn't be heard by others.

The Light Dragon Soul was a mysterious presence on this continent. Almost 90% of the people living under the Light Dragon Soul's protection had only heard its name and never seen it before. But no matter what, as the Dragon Soul Heir, the Light Dragon Soul had a certain reputation on this continent, where it was a taboo that no one could mention the name of the Light Dragon Soul as it would be deemed as a major disrespect. Even in the Country of Light, the Dragon Soul Heir itself was a taboo. Seldom would there be people mentioning it in public. As to the Light Parliament, they naturally wouldn't wish for the Dragon Soul Heir to be a huge existence in the people's hearts. Therefore, they disregarded its presence completely.

And now, this statement from Rhode equalled an 'insult' to two of supreme presences.

But Rhode didn't care, as he really thought so. His judgment came from his experiences in the game. Back then, even though no players had seen the Light Dragon Soul personally, Rhode had concluded that the Light Dragon Soul lacked self-awareness and thoughts judging from its behavior or perhaps, it found it hard to persevere with its own views. Even after Lydia died in the war, the Light Dragon Soul didn't display the grandeur the master of the three Archangels should have. Not only that, but it actually also obediently allowed the Light Parliament to offer it to the Dark Dragon.

Weak.

This Dragon Soul Heir was as though an extraordinarily weak presence who couldn't express itself. Reserved personality. Timid. A yes-man. Lacked one's own view. Followed the crowd blindly. Left its fate in the hands of others. It would be acceptable if it were an ordinary mortal who lived this way. But considering the formidable strength of the Dragon Soul Heir, its personality was the only reason for it to live like a coward!

Lydia's actions were literally the same as telling the Light Dragon Soul that her relationship with the Light Parliament couldn't be resolved, where even maintaining peace on the surface was absolutely impossible!

So how would the Light Dragon Soul make its choice?

Rhode didn't know if his guess was accurate and all he could do was to wait and see. If this was Lydia's intention, the clues would reveal themselves during the Dragon Soul Ceremony!

Rhode shifted his gaze out of the window.

***

The deep night had devoured the entire sky.

Warm flames burned in the fireplace, setting off the crackling firewood and driving away the chilliness. But that was only the chill on his body.

The elderly chairman curled up on his chair and looked at the furious group of colleagues before him. They clenched their fists as though they couldn't wait to shred him to strips. How ridiculous.

The elderly chairman felt like bursting out into laughter. He felt like he was part of a mime show. He looked at his companions and wasn't afraid for the first time. In the past, he had beat his brains out to pull them together in order to receive more authority. But now, he realized that everything was senseless. He was like a clown, while they were a group of clowns.

"We're waiting for your explanation, Thomas Kryan."

Finally, one of the men broke the silence. He took half a step forward with clenched fists, staring at the elderly man with wide-opened eyes and omitting his title as the 'chairman'.

"You've brought about shame and humiliation to our predecessors who struggled for us and the Light Parliament! For generations, we've stood up and fought hard to be independent! But now! The blood and sweat of our ancestors were destroyed in your hands! You, alone, have destroyed the entire glory of the Country of Light! Don't you have anything to say for yourself? Why?! Why did you make such a humiliating move in front of that woman!"

"Hahaha..."

The elderly chairman didn't panic or fly into a rage at all. Instead, he burst into laughter.

The elderly man curled up on his chair and this was the first time he felt this carefree.

"Explanation? All of you should be clear of that, isn't it? Are there any other choices left for us?"

"But why must you choose such a foolish method? We still have..."

"We still have other choices?"

The elderly man interrupted. He lifted his head and squinted at his raging colleagues calmly.

"Do you really think that we have other choices? We need money and that woman can give us what we need. You think we should give up on that huge sum of money for the sake of a false reputation? Tell me, then. How do you intend to fill the financial deficits for the upcoming year?"

"We can increase taxes! We can even increase commercial tariffs!"

"From who? Do you think we have the right to do that?"

"..."

The elderly chairman scanned his colleagues from left to right and right to left.

"Now, you're furious. You're outraged. You're roaring at me like I have abandoned the glory of the Light Parliament all by myself. Stop feigning innocence. You've seen that woman's actions, but who stepped out back then? And now, you're berating me for not protecting the honor of the Light Parliament. Why didn't any one of you step out alongside me back then?"

The elderly man stood to his feet and glared fiercely. The group of men subconsciously took a few steps back.

"I know you're only waiting to see my decision and you'll criticize me no matter which choice I take. Just like now. You claim that I've abandoned the Light Parliament's honor since I knelt before that woman. But what if I rejected?" The elderly chairman spread his arms apart and displayed an ironic smile.

"Wouldn't you accuse me of failing to grasp the bigger picture and making a dangerous move in order to save my reputation?"

"..."

The group of men was at a loss for words because that was indeed what they would do.

"You said that I've insulted the Light Parliament's honor, but I know that many of you hoped to see me embarrass myself by kneeling before that woman! You must be feeling great inside! Not only would you have an excuse to kick me off my position, but you also get to see my desperate side! Have you considered the honor of the Light Parliament just now? Have you considered everything that our ancestors have done for us?!"

The elderly chairman raised his voice while the others remained silent. However, the elderly chairman wasn't expecting a response from them.

"I'm different. I still love this country. I can forgo my reputation. You see, just like now, at least we aren't worried that the woman will cut down on the sum of money that'll be given to us. She might even increase the amount if she's in a good mood. If that's the case, our financial deficit can be fully covered and there may even be surplus. Isn't that great?"

"Sir Chairman, please conduct yourself with dignity!"

Finally, someone couldn't hold it in any longer.

"What you're saying now is totally..."

"I don't care."

The elderly man waved his hand and interrupted.

"I know more than anyone that I can't serve for another term of office anymore. So, if there is still some value in this old pile of bones in me to allow the people of the Country of Light to lead a comfortable, peaceful life, what's there not to do? Besides, didn't you wish that I do the same?"

The elderly man straightened his back. The group surprisingly discovered that this cautious yes-man who always carried a smile on his face was actually this tall.

"But I'm still the chairman of the Light Parliament. As long as I'm still in position, I will ensure that you follow my orders."

The elderly man had never revealed such unswerving determination in his eyes until today.

"I will give my all for the sake of the Country of Light."