1030 Joint Operations (1/2)

Backlund, North Borough, Saint Samuel Cathedral.

The cardinal of the Church of Storms, archbishop of the Backlund diocese, Deep Blue Officiant Randall Valentinus descended amidst the wind, landing inside the steeple with a huge clock to the left.

He donned a black robe with the Storm symbol and had thick facial hair. His hair was short and stood up, colored in a dark blue that was almost black.

This muscular demigod cast his gaze to the other side and said to the figure who was already waiting there, ”Horamick, do you know what happened? Why did Anthony suddenly invite us over here?”

The person he spoke to was dressed in a white priest robe and a clergyman's bonnet. He had a genial and mild expression, and he was none other than the Church of Steam's Divine Council member, archbishop of the Backlund diocese, the demigod, Horamick Haydn.

Upon hearing Randall's question, Horamick calmly replied, ”I didn't arrive here much earlier than you. In fact, I only left the laboratory for a few minutes.”

He wasn't only a clergyman but also a famous scientist. He was an emeritus professor at Backlund University's physics department.

Randall Valentinus was just about to say something when he suddenly saw a figure walk up the narrow spiral staircase and arrive at the peak in the darkness that the crimson moon wasn't able to illuminate.

This figure was dressed in a black clergyman robe with red accents. By his chest hung five Dark Sacred Emblems. He was clean-shaven, and his eyes were deep, dark, and tranquil. He was none other than one of the thirteen archbishops of the Church of Evernight, Backlund diocese's person-in-charge, Saint Anthony Stevenson.

”Is there something that can't wait until daybreak? Or do people from the Church of Evemight enjoy discussing matters at night?” Deep Blue Officiant Randall Valentinus asked.

Anthony came to a stop after walking up the flight of stairs and said with a serious expression, ”A very pressing matter.” ”What is it?” Randall asked immediately.

At this moment, Horamick Haydn also cast his gaze at Anthony Stevenson, awaiting his answer.

In similar situations, Horamick especially liked the existence of people from the Church of Storms. This meant that they would take the initiative to ask questions and that there was no need to be euphemistic. It didn't require him to say anything else.

Anthony looked at them separately and said, ”It's related to the royal family. I'll let Ma'am Arianna do the honors.”

Just as he said that, a barefoot, bun-haired female figure in a simple robe with tree bark for a belt quickly outlined itself out of the shadows.

Upon seeing this figure, Randall and Horamick immediately bowed.

”Good evening, Ma'am Arianna.”

Their expressions turned solemn at the same time, for they had a deep understanding of how important and crucial the matter that was happening tonight was.

It was definitely not a small matter for a Grounded Angel to appear!

Meanwhile, they couldn't help but be roused up. They realized that they had no idea when this matron of the Evernight cloister, the servant of Concealment, Ma'am Arianna, had arrived in Backlund.

Under normal circumstances, the three Churches, the royal family, and the military enjoyed a certain degree of tacit cooperation—Grounded Angels and Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts wouldn't appear in Backlund.

”Good evening, Archbishops,” Arianna answered without any signs of haughtiness.

She then raised her right hand and grasped onto thin air.

A faint light was emitted as it transformed into a scene along with the darkness. It was the entire conversation between Arianna and Qonas Kilgor.

This secret that appeared to have been kept for quite some time had finally presented itself before others.

As they watched, Deep Blue Officiant Randall Valentinus couldn't help but say, ”He actually advanced to Sequence 4 and became a demigod.”

This archbishop knew Qonas Kilgor. He originally believed that this deputy director of MI9 was only a Sequence 5 and had relied on a Sealed Artifact with severe negative effects to obtain combat strength at the demigod level. He never expected it to be a disguise.

The Church of Storms's influence on the military was greater than the two major Churches.

No one answered Randall. After the secret was fully revealed, Horamick said, ”One involves a secret ruin of the Blood Emperor, and with large numbers of people sent in... These two points put together cannot be anything good.”

”Indeed!” Randall nodded in agreement. ”Let's head to the ruins now!”

Arianna looked around and calmly said, ”This involves the royal family and the king. It's best if you seek permission from your own Holy See.”

In this angel's choice of words, the Holy See referred to their respective Church's headquarters, the core seat of power of the Church.

”Alright,” the two archbishops replied without any hesitation.

After a while, Deep Blue Officiant Randall Valentinus and Horamick Haydn received feedback from the Sealed Artifacts they carried. Together with Anthony Stevenson and Arianna, they headed for the Blood Emperor ruins that Qonas Kilgor had previously entered.

Arianna then took out an iron-black coat of arms with complicated symbols, and she tried to activate it.

”She” didn't make any disguise attempt, and she stood there calmly as though ”She” wasn't worried that the guards in the ruins would recognize ”Her.”