Chapter 21: Absolute Strength

“Prevent problems before they arise? Noroyla, we of the Tribunal cannot waste our precious energy on something intangible or even non-existent. Dark forces are already spreading wildly around us, and we need to pay close attention. But not in the Caucasus, a land filled with half-orcs and barbarians. Even the dark forces wouldn’t waste their energy on such inferior creatures. There are intelligent people among the dark forces as well; what they seek is to compete with us for the minds of mortals. Mortals are our foundation. If you ignore this, you’re putting the cart before the horse!”
Lorenzo was equally unyielding. What was most admirable and satisfying about this group was their complete independence of will and absolute freedom of thought. As long as it served the cause of light and the defense of the Tribunal’s honor, any opinion or idea could be raised for discussion at any time.
“Lord Lorenzo, there are quite a number of mortals in the Caucasus, and that region is developing rapidly. It’s separated from those areas in the south where dark forces are rampant only by the Cordillera Wasteland under barbarian control. If those dark forces truly intend to find a foothold to penetrate the central and northern parts of the continent, the Caucasus would be the perfect location. They know we’ve established a strict surveillance network in other parts of the continent and are continuously spreading the teachings of our holy faith southward. It is precisely because of the Caucasus’s unique isolation that we might overlook this region. But once the dark forces take root there, we may have to pay a much higher price to eradicate them.”
Karu spoke in a calm tone, yet the firmness and determination in his voice were evident to everyone. The serious expression on Lorenzo’s face showed that he clearly preferred to listen to the other party’s opinion rather than be swayed by Noroyla’s attitude.
A hint of sarcasm appeared on Noroyla’s face. He knew his colleague’s personality well. If he supported him, Noroyla would surely question it; if he remained silent, Noroyla would take it seriously. So he simply stayed quiet, letting Lorenzo make his own judgment.

“Karu, are you saying those dark forces have spread beyond the Cordillera Wasteland and penetrated the Caucasus? But I didn’t detect that from what you mentioned. Most of your predictions and estimates are based on subjective assumptions, with nothing of practical value. Have the ordinary people in the Caucasus and Leon already been infiltrated by those dark forces? How many of them are loyal? How many missionary sites exist there? Which sect within those dark forces do they belong to? Who is their leader? If you don’t want the valuable resources of our Inquisition to be wasted, I expect you to provide accurate answers to each of the questions I just asked.”

Lorenzo’s tone remained aggressive and full of skepticism, but those who knew him well understood that if he could ask such detailed questions, it meant he had already accepted the other party’s views to some extent. Even Boriz couldn’t help but sigh in relief—at least the initial goal had been achieved. Now, the task was to further strengthen this vice-leader of the Inquisition’s doubts about the Caucasus and Leon, so that he would unconsciously follow their line of thought.

“Lord Lorenzo, if I could understand the details of those dark forces so thoroughly in such a short time, I think they wouldn’t be able to be so arrogant and rampant in the South as they are now. We all know the dark forces are not as simple as we initially thought. Our struggle against them has lasted for generations, and despite centuries of efforts, we’ve never managed to eradicate them completely. Yet they’ve never before expanded their influence so openly as they do now. The conflict in Bessarabia has just come to an end, and the dark forces certainly won’t stay idle. We must prepare for the worst. Therefore, I believe it’s absolutely necessary to thoroughly investigate all the suspicious signs in the Caucasus and eliminate every trace of those dark forces there.”

Karu’s attitude was now even more resolute, and his tone even firmer. “The strategic importance of the Caucasus will become increasingly evident. With the opening of the Cattania River route and the growing number of colonial settlements across the vast continent, shipping in the Mediterranean Sea will develop further, leading to increased exchanges between the South and the North. The Caucasus shows signs of becoming a transit point for these exchanges. The dark forces will never give up such an opportunity. Even if they haven’t fully realized the Caucasus’s importance yet, they will soon realize it. Matdan, Bahomon, and Bruce on the Nise River could all become bases for the dark forces’ northern invasion. Therefore, I earnestly urge Lord Norolla and Lord Lorenzo to pay close attention. Once the dark forces establish a firm foothold in this region, it will be extremely difficult to drive them out completely.”

Norolla watched the man who spoke so eloquently with a hint of jealousy. Although his overly independent mindset didn’t quite suit Norolla’s taste, comparing Boriz, whom he had painstakingly cultivated, to this man revealed a clear gap—whether in the thoroughness of thinking or breadth of vision, in the clarity of argumentation or firmness of will, Boriz was not even on the same level.

There were no mediocrities in the Tribunal, but the most outstanding talents were not necessarily all concentrated there. Over the years, Frunest and Vazinki had been striving to cultivate talents loyal to themselves, and it was said they had achieved remarkable results. Norolla didn’t mind Frunest and Vazinki’s actions; in his view, as long as the goal was to ensure that the blessings of the Holy Church reached every corner of the continent, minor deviations were unimportant.

Although the Holy Church demanded that its believers meet the standards of saints, not everyone could achieve those standards. It was more like a lighthouse set in the believers’ minds, inspiring them to strive toward that goal. Before that, any actions taken, as long as they served the spread of the Church, required flexibility. Frunest and Vazinki were both rare and outstanding talents in the Church. It was undeniable that it was thanks to their support that the Pope could maintain strong vitality even after years of seclusion.

“Do you mean the dark forces in the south have set their sights on the strategic location of the Caucasus?” Lorenzo’s attitude began to change. Without Norolla interjecting, Karu had successfully won his initial agreement on this matter. Now it was time to turn this suspicion into concrete action.
“Not only that, but I believe they’ve already started implementing their first plan. The lord of the Caucasus clearly serves as their spokesperson. The missionaries sent by the Church of Light there face various unseen pressures, and their missionary work has come to a standstill—a situation unseen elsewhere. I earnestly urge both of you to send sufficient forces as soon as possible to help the mortal inhabitants of this land completely eradicate the darkness’s influence.”
Silence fell once again in the chamber. Norolla remained stoic, while Karu lowered his gaze and said nothing more. Boriz even closed his eyes, seemingly waiting for their decision.
Lorenzo glanced around hesitantly, unsure of what to do. Norolla’s expressionless face made him feel trapped. In truth, he already believed Karu’s view, but he had previously firmly opposed sending anyone to the Caucasus to resolve the crisis. Now, retracting those words felt embarrassing.
Norolla noticed his colleague’s awkwardness. Knowing his suspicious and face-conscious partner was wavering, it was time for him to help him make up his mind.
“Lorenzo, I think your earlier doubts are valid. The power of our tribunal is quite limited. Aside from you and me, it seems no one else is at rest right now. Please don’t include me—I’m not feeling well and need the sunlight at sea to wash away the shadows of the world. Well, let you decide on this matter. I’ll be leaving now.”
Glancing angrily at Norolla as he drifted away, Lorenzo snorted through his nose and said, “Karu, Boriz, you’ve done well. This inspection of the Caucasus and Leon has yielded significant results. We can’t ignore the darkness spreading right under our noses. I’ve made up my mind—we must resolve this grave threat immediately. We must not allow the dark forces to take root in the Kingdom of Nicosia. I’ll go with you, and Norolla must go too. I’ll make sure he understands the importance of this mission.”

With a clever sidestep, they exchanged glances filled with joy. Both Karu and Boriz knew that this vice-leader had ultimately fallen into Noyora’s trap. Considering the power of Rebrí and that enigmatic young lord, it seemed only Lorenzo or Noyora could take control of the situation. If the two could go together, no problem would remain—no matter how strong that lower-ranking noble was, no matter how many dark forces he hid behind, everything would vanish in the face of overwhelming power!