Chapter 340 - 248: The Appearance of the Demon

The Lord had barely warmed his seat after returning to camp before he had to summon his people for a meeting in the Inner Castle.

After some thought, Levi decided to bring Mier, Zat, and Leiden, while the other leaders of High Cliff Castle would remain to guard the camp.

The New Southern Border Group, led by him, headed for the Inner Castle.

Along the way, they occasionally saw soldiers patrolling the streets and maintaining order.

"Liya, where’s Fatir?"

The journey was getting boring, so Levi decided to strike up a conversation to kill some time.

The Church Saintess was not under his command. After all, she was assisting him in a personal capacity, so they were considered equals. The Lord normally never asked about her whereabouts, only seeking her out when he needed her.

But when he had gone to ask the Saintess to join the meeting and lend some weight to High Cliff Castle’s side, he found her bedroom was empty.

"She arrived a long time ago. We’re probably the last group to arrive." Liya sniffled, her delicate nose a little red.

Although the worst of winter had passed, that was only true during the day. The drastic drop in temperature meant the nights were still bone-chillingly cold.

Just then, a gray wolf-pelt cloak was draped over her, making Liya feel much warmer. Looking at Levi, who was now only wearing his Leather Armor, she said, "Thank you, Levi."

The Lord waved it off and said worriedly, "I just don’t know what these Griffin Knights are up to. If they influence Fulina’s decision, then..."

He didn’t finish his sentence, but everyone present understood what he meant. Monvert was the first to shake his head. The Wolf Island Count offered his opinion, "Even if these Griffin Knights brought the King’s decree to push for a ceasefire, they failed to persuade her before. Why would they succeed now, after both sides have invested so much in terms of manpower and resources?"

"This is now an established fact that can’t be changed with just a few words."

Levi knew he was worrying for nothing. Fulina had already lost nearly half her Casting Corps and an entire small legion. Even if the King himself were to come, it would be impossible to stop this war now. Both sides had to fight until there was a clear winner.

The group chatted idly as they passed through the Inner Castle gate and turned down several bluestone-paved roads. When they reached the entrance of the main keep, they found someone waiting for them.

"Welcome, my lords." Count Andao came forward with a smile. "I’ve been ordered to escort you to the meeting."

Levi didn’t respond, his gaze simply flicking to the figures standing behind Andao.

They were none other than Marquis Cross and the Count named Sith, who had been thrown into the Water Prison just that day.

"Heh, our ’friends’ arrived before you did," Andao said with an ambiguous chuckle, putting heavy emphasis on the word "friends."

Then he beckoned them. "Let’s go. We’re just waiting for you."

The two groups merged and walked toward the castle’s great hall.

"We meet again," Marquis Cross said, initiating the conversation with the Lord. "Hero of the Northern Territory, don’t you find it strange for us to be gathered here?"

"I do. I thought you’d be dead by now," the Lord replied casually, glancing at the little old man.

"To be honest, I thought so too. I thought I would never see the sun again and would end my days in that damp, dark Water Prison." Cross ignored the Lion Hunter Knight’s impatience, his gaze shifting to the flickering torchlight along the corridor. "It seems the arrival of those Griffin Knights wasn’t entirely pointless after all."

From the way he was acting, he clearly knew something and was deliberately trying to pique Levi’s curiosity.

But the Lord refused to take the bait. He turned a deaf ear and simply quickened his pace to stay beside Liya.

’He hadn’t forgotten how he’d messed with the old man earlier. Now, he was obviously holding a grudge and trying to get one over on him.’

A squad of Silver Armored Long Halberd Guards stood at the entrance to the great hall. They were powerfully built, but they were dwarfed by the doors, which stood over a Quadruple Blade high.

With a grinding sound, the great doors were slowly opened, and the group stepped into the hall.

In the next moment, the view opened up before them.

Bright white light radiated from hundreds of unknown gemstones embedded in the massive chandelier at the center of the hall, illuminating the entire chamber as if it were day.

The floor was covered in thick, woolen carpets, and walking on them felt like treading on clouds.

Chairs were arranged on both sides, most of them already occupied. A single glance revealed that the seats were filled with Northern Nobles, with no military officers to be seen.

Clearly, this was a high-level meeting where only the nobility was permitted to sit.

At the very front, two of the four exquisite chairs were already occupied. Fulina sat in one of the central seats, and to her right was Fatir, who had arrived much earlier.

She had changed into her Holy Light Robe, wore a Gilded Bishop’s Hat, and held an exquisite Magic Staff, looking both holy and noble.

After a moment’s thought, the group started toward the empty seats on the right. However, Fulina stopped them halfway. She beckoned, "Liya, come sit by me. This seat was saved for you."

"Yes, Auntie." Liya nodded, then looked at Levi. "Levi, you come with me, too."

The Lord, who had been just about to sit down, had to get back up. He turned to Leiden and instructed, "Keep an eye on these two for me. Make sure they don’t do anything stupid and completely embarrass me."

The Lord didn’t bother to whisper, causing Zat and Mier—who had never witnessed such a grand occasion and were busy whispering excitedly to each other—to instantly look aggrieved.

’Sam was the one who was always embarrassing High Cliff Castle. Since when did that become our job?’