Chapter 14: The Fugitive Archbishop

Bonn Hamsworth had never imagined that humans could be this powerful—especially when it came to a boy who seemed to be only fifteen or sixteen years old. Yet, that powerful sacred energy mixed with darkness, that godlike presence…
“Crack, crack!” The walls of the meeting room seemed unable to withstand this pressure, developing web-like cracks. The silver cups on the shelves, the silver crucifixes hanging there, and even the statue—these sacred relics representing the Salonia Church also showed signs of weakness, cracking under that overwhelming force.
The cardinal deacon was right. This was by no means indulgence; it was simply because the power possessed by that young archbishop was far too great, far too terrifying…
“What are you doing, Lord Klaest?”
“Please stop this foolish behavior, Archbishop Volmon Klaest!”
“Do not forget this is the highest council of Salonia!”
In Bonn Hamsworth’s eyes, those revered archbishops were combining their powerful sacred energies to counter that storm-like fury. Yet, seemingly out of some restraint, they did not dare take actual action. Otherwise, just disrupting the highest council would be enough… Well, as archbishops, they shouldn’t disrupt the highest council, right? Such a thing had never happened in history…
Watching the young archbishop stand by the table, his hands on the surface, staring coldly at the highest leader of the church, Bonn Hamsworth could hardly believe what he saw.
“What are you doing, Volmon?” The old pope, who had been staring at the boy for a long time, slowly stood up, slapping the table hard with his right hand and shouting, “What do you think this place is?”
For a moment, Bonn Hamsworth had the illusion that the pope had simply used his authority as a superior to calm that violent energy… No, it was more likely that, faced with the pope’s rebuke, the boy’s anger finally subsided.
“…” Unexpected. Completely unexpected.

“Send him to the dungeon to reflect properly—what kind of behavior is this! This is the highest council of the Holy See, where we discuss matters of great importance to all of humanity! Are personal grudges and hatreds more important than the safety of entire peoples? Volmon! You…” As he spoke, the old pope pointed at two cardinal deacons and ordered in a low voice, “Lock this fool in the dungeon. Do not let him out until he has reflected on his mistakes!”
Though he said so, looking at the embarrassed and uneasy expressions of the two cardinal deacons, it was clear they did not dare step forward at that moment.
Bonn Hamsworth clearly saw the young bishop gaze at the pope for a long time with a complex expression, then sigh subtly and say in a low voice, “It’s not Volmon—it’s Thors…” After that, he silently left the meeting room, and the two cardinal deacons exchanged a glance before hurrying after him.
When he came back to his senses, Bonn Hamsworth found himself drenched in cold sweat.
Yes, that was hardly the power a human could possess. Behind the sacred light, he clearly saw that the young bishop carried an aura even more terrifying than that of a demon—a dark force that stemmed from darkness and was deepened by it…
In that instant, Bonn Hamsworth had no doubt he would suffocate under that dark force. What kind of person was this, to possess such terrifying power and make even the cardinals at the top of the Holy See wary?
“Sigh!” The pope sighed helplessly, seeming to have aged greatly in an instant. Waving his hand, he said in a tired voice, “Let’s proceed according to the decisions just made. As leaders of various regions and departments, I hope you cardinals will take on the responsibility of guides, uphold our Holy See’s teachings, protect our people, and not give any opportunity to dark forces. Bishops Jasper Warrenner and Adlington Kanto—if they gain Vandell’s approval, then the Crusaders will need to put in extra effort…”
“Yes, Your Holiness!”
“And for gaining Vandell’s approval, Bishop Bonn Hamsworth, I’ll leave that to you!”
“Uh? Y-yes, Your Holiness!”
“Then, after resting for a night, take on your duties as clergy once again. The Lord is with me. Amen!”
“Amen!”

In the end, the Supreme Council of Salonia came to an end. Watching the cardinals leave one after another, Archbishop Gary Wheplington glanced back at the Pope, who sat in his chair as if lost in thought, his mind filled with thoughts.

As night fell, the aged Pope, having dealt with the day’s affairs, walked slowly through the courtyard. His expression showed a hint of regret, yet also a sense of relief.

As he walked, the Pope stopped and, gazing at the flowers and plants in the courtyard, said softly, “Is it Gary?”

“Oh, Your Holiness,” replied Archbishop Gary Wheplington, stepping out from the darkness behind a column with a wry and self-mocking smile. “I somewhat believe what you said about that child… But rather than saying the child trusts the Church, it’s more like he trusts you. Compared to three years ago, the child has indeed changed. During the day, I was really worried something might go wrong…”

“Hehe, Volmon is a good boy. It’s just a pity he can’t let go of that increasingly forced hatred…”

“Increasingly forced hatred? What do you mean?” asked Archbishop Gary Wheplington curiously.

“If it were just hatred, I wouldn’t worry so much. You know, that child is influenced by the power of Sloth. No matter what happens, he can’t maintain interest for long. But in the case of Argus, the child has yet to forget him over these three years—this is clearly odd! That child might have already forgotten that resentment due to the power of Sloth. Realizing this, for some reason, he deliberately weakens his anger caused by the death of his mentor, Hodd Kenda, replacing it with deep guilt. Subconsciously, he doesn’t want to forget. Carrying such a heavy burden, just out of hatred—how sad. In a way, he’s just a silly child…”

“I think the key is that the resentment in his heart can’t be erased. Perhaps, once Argus is dealt with, this situation might improve. The child’s obsession with that dark power stems from Argus being too powerful. Once he defeats Argus, his obsession with dark powers will naturally diminish. By then, he’ll willingly let go of the evil in his heart…”

“If only it were that simple…” The old pope sighed softly, looking up at the moonlight, and said in a deep voice, “Communicating with Vandel this time is truly a very risky endeavor. Aside from the newly appointed Bon Hamsworth and Volmon, the other ten cardinals are all seasoned elders who have been governing various regions and departments for ten or twenty years. The empire’s dark magicians are wary of them. Although it’s meant to be communication, it might also trigger unnecessary conflicts. In that regard, Bon Hamsworth is indeed the best candidate. You must have seen his records too—he doesn’t possess any extraordinary strength. Over the past twenty years, he has never relied on force to solve problems; instead, he has managed the local dioceses with eloquence and a kind heart. Even those who have committed sins enjoy a good reputation among them. As someone who doesn’t advocate force, I personally think he is the best choice to send to Vandel…”
“In that case, I think that boy is more suitable. He graduated from the Empire’s Riox Magic Academy and also has some connection to Vandel…”
“That’s true, but that boy relies too much on strength, always trying to solve everything with force… Although sending him there might help gain Vandel’s trust, if a conflict arises, it will surely affect the entire Church…”
“You’re overthinking it. That boy has already been to Vandel before…”
“The past is the past; it’s the present that matters. The key issue is that that boy is no longer just an apprentice of the empire’s dark magicians—he is there as an envoy sent by our Church…”
Staring at the old pope in astonishment, Archbishop Weplington smiled reassuringly and sighed softly, “It seems that boy hasn’t understood your kindness…”
“Hehe, after all, he’s still too young…” The old pope smiled slightly before shaking his head and sighing, “Time is still too tight… A few years ago, I was deeply grateful to the Merciful Lord for allowing me to linger on earth, but now, I’ve developed some selfish thoughts. If only I could have more time—just three more years…”
“Your Majesty…”
“Ah, that’s not something a cleric should say, hehehe…”
“Your Holiness…” Archbishop Weplington sighed softly, hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, “Your Majesty, do you think that boy will simply give up?”
“He? Of course not! Didn’t I say he’s a stubborn and determined boy…”

“Well…” Archbishop Weplington was momentarily stunned, then seemed to remember something. He glanced at the old Pope skeptically and asked hesitantly, “Did you… go to the cell just now?”
“Heh?” The old Pope smiled slightly, leaning on his cane as he walked toward the distance of the courtyard. As he walked, he suddenly stopped and said in a somewhat melancholic tone, “In my name, it is declared that Volmon Klaest, a cardinal of the Papal Curia, as well as head of the Inquisition and supervisor of the Inquisition Tribunal, disobeyed orders, violated doctrine, failed to reflect during his imprisonment, and left Salonia on his own for personal reasons. Effective immediately, he is temporarily removed from his positions as cardinal, head of the Inquisition, and supervisor of the Inquisition Tribunal. All dioceses are ordered to arrest him as appropriate… That’s it!”
“…” Opening his mouth, Archbishop Weplington could only smile helplessly.
Temporarily removed? Arrest as appropriate? This…
You’re really too lenient with that boy!
Sighing slightly, Archbishop Weplington said with a mix of laughter and frustration, “You’re truly wise!”
“Heh, isn’t that cunning?” The old Pope winked playfully before saying seriously, “I’ll leave the future to you, Gary!”
“Yes, Your Holiness!”
A few days later, a series of major events occurred in Salonia.
First, Volmon Klaest, one of the twelve cardinals of the Papal Curia, disobeyed orders due to personal reasons, left Salonia for the Empire during his imprisonment, clearly violating sacred doctrine. He was temporarily removed from all his positions and placed under arrest.
Second, the elderly Pope, due to the passage of time and his severely ill health, could no longer govern the Papal Curia. He retired to his residence to recover, while Archbishop Gary Weplington and several other cardinals or their representatives temporarily served as papal regents. Until a new pope was elected, all appointments and dismissals of clergy above the diocesan level were suspended, with this function to be reinstated one year after the new papal regents took office.
Third, during the vacancy of the papacy, any major decisions had to be made in a meeting attended by at least six cardinals. Additionally, with the unanimous agreement of at least six cardinals, they could mobilize all relevant personnel and military forces of the Papal Curia, including all believers, including the Crusaders, in the name of an acting pope.
Finally, the Papal Curia sent the newly appointed cardinal, Bon Hamsworth, as an envoy to the imperial city of Sgeldel, the City of Astrology.

When they heard about these events, Katerina, Eddie, Gert, and Get were in their house discussing organizing a secret gathering. After all, it had been a long time since they had been together, and they planned to invite a few more friends for a small party. Hearing this suddenly, they were clearly skeptical, especially about the first point…
“That guy… he defected?” Gert stared in shock, with a few drops of juice still on his lips.
“He didn’t defect at all!” Katerina rejected Gert’s claim angrily, biting her lip and speaking softly, “He just… just…”
“He just doesn’t obey orders!” Get, who was wiping his monocle, spoke up for Katerina. “Is it so strange? That guy never cared about orders or rules anyway, did he?”
“Yes,” Eddie, as a trainee holy knight, smiled and shrugged, imitating Thors’s tone, “‘Not satisfied? Complain to me!’ That guy really angered Archbishop Naomi Metmenter back then…”
“Eddie, Gert…” Katerina said hesitantly, biting her lip, “It’s not like that. I think Thors was very serious when working…”
“Whether he’s serious or not is another matter,” Gert said triumphantly, licking the juice from his lips. “I knew trouble was coming. I didn’t expect that guy to be so bold as to go to the Empire without following the Council and the Pope’s orders. Tsk tsk… I’m curious what kind of team will be sent to chase him—Inquisitors? Dark Priests? Or maybe even a cardinal in person… Hey, an ordinary team won’t be able to catch him!”
“I don’t think Inquisitors or Dark Priests will be sent. After all, Thors is their leader and inspector… Besides, I find this whole situation a bit strange…” Gert shook his head calmly. “I haven’t heard anything from the Church these past few days. Even Thors couldn’t easily leave the cell without alerting the other guard priests. It seems like someone deliberately let him go. And that decree… it just feels off no matter how you look at it…”

“It must be thanks to His Holiness the Pope’s protection,” Eddie said with a shrug, taking a big sip of his juice and smiling. “Because of Bishop Weplington, Sos and I used to meet often. That guy, though a cardinal, has strained relations with several other bishops due to his work attitude. After all, His Holiness is quite old, and I heard he passed on his sacred power to Sos to suppress that dark force. It’s already quite remarkable that he’s managed to hold on with just an ordinary old man’s body. I think it’s using this incident as an opportunity to temporarily protect that brat, Sos. As you know, that kid has a terrible temper, but he bears His Holiness’s surname. The two deceased archbishops also had close relationships with him. Even worse, he’s also eligible to become pope… Do you think those stubborn, conservative archbishops will just let him be? Especially Archbishop Naomi Metmenter…”
“That makes sense,” Gert nodded in agreement, speaking calmly. “Sos is originally from the Empire. He only became a cardinal because of his great strength, his relationships with the two deceased archbishops, and His Holiness’s trust. Those conservative archbishops don’t object just because of His Holiness. Once He Holiness is no longer around, Sos’s situation will become very difficult. It’s better to use this opportunity to keep him out of the conservative faction’s sight. As for when he can regain his position, that’s uncertain…”
“Anyway, whether it’s a general order or a manhunt, it’s just a formality. The conservatives within the Vatican who know Sos’s strength won’t push him too far. No problem!” Eddie concluded.
Indeed, under the coordination of Archbishop Gary Weplington, one of the members of the council acting as pope, those cardinals accepted this fact. After all, to be honest, they didn’t want to see that lawless brat every day either.
Just like their attitude toward the Empire, the Vatican wasn’t monolithic. Fractures such as radicals and conservatives were even more entrenched than in the Empire. Although not driven by self-interest, these differing viewpoints stemming from personal opinions, or even extreme firmness in faith that led to distorted personalities and perceptions, were even worse.

And what’s worse is that there are certain people in the Vatican who know that a young boy with three “holy seals” on him is now a wanted man. This boy not only possesses great power but also holds the key to unlocking the Vatican’s ultimate power—the ancient relic, “City in the Sky”… All these problems that Bishop Weplington is troubled by are clearly beyond Thors’ comprehension. Or rather, even if he knew, he wouldn’t care. Although he has three holy seals to defend against that dark force, the power of Sloth, the ancient will at the apex of the dark forces, cannot be easily dispelled. Slowly but surely, Thors’ body is also becoming demonized like Argus’s, especially when he uses too much holy power or when his holy power is suppressed. Black runes unique to apostles then appear on his skin’s surface. As this phenomenon becomes more frequent, his soul is inevitably consumed by Sloth’s power, drawing him further and further away from his human identity. Human identity… A few days later, Thors arrived in the Colt Wasteland in the border region. Although it’s called a wasteland, it doesn’t mean there’s nothing but sand and dirt here. In fact, there are quite a few forests and rivers. What’s meant by a wasteland is that there are no people living in this area. After all, this is one of the battlefields where the empire and the Vatican have been at odds for hundreds of years, so it’s not unusual to find vast areas uninhabited. Over the past few days, to avoid unnecessary conflicts, Thors avoided cities, monasteries, and local churches along the way. After all, he is still a wanted man. Though he doesn’t take those pursuing him seriously, walking openly through the streets near churches could still lead to various unnecessary conflicts. After all, the followers of the Vatican can be far more stubborn and persistent than those of the empire. Moreover, when leaving Salonia, Thors didn’t have enough gold coins with him. After all, over these three years, such matters were usually handled by his deputy, Brother Chesho. Indeed, it would be quite absurd for a cardinal to pay for things personally with his subordinates following behind. Thus, Thors, who had gradually gotten used to that kind of life, suddenly found himself unable to obtain food in the cities along the way. Although the people of Salonia are devout and not as materialistic as those of the empire, basic trade relations remain the most fundamental element for sustaining family life.

After traveling for several days and constantly using teleportation to overcome obstacles along the way, even Sos, whose physical strength far exceeded that of humans, was starting to feel exhausted. He was eager to find a place to rest—of course, with food if possible. Unfortunately, the Colt Wasteland was sparsely populated due to its border location, so there were hardly any villages to be found. Sleeping outdoors wasn’t a problem, but food… “Tch!” Feeling the growing hunger in his stomach, Sos looked around irritably on the path, searching for something to eat. Suddenly, the grass by the roadside moved in the distance. Sos’s gaze sharpened slightly as he wondered if it was a rabbit, a wild boar, or a mountain wolf. No—it seemed to be human presence… Initially hoping to eat roasted rabbits, wild boars, or mountain wolves, Sos felt slightly disappointed. Within his magical perception, two figures emerged from the grass. One of them, perhaps noticing Sos standing on the path, shouted urgently in a clear and pleasant voice, “Run… run quickly!” Confused, Sos glanced at them and saw that they were just an eleven- or twelve-year-old boy and a slightly older girl. “Run, hurry up!” the girl shouted again. By the time her voice reached Sos’s ears, the two had already passed by him. Their panicked expressions suggested they were being chased by something… “Hmph!” Seeming to sense something, a faint smile appeared on Sos’s lips as he saw a very large black-brown wild boar burst out of the grass behind them, its nose puffing white vapor and its fangs exposed as it charged at Sos… Hmm, looking at the stick stuck in its body, it seemed its target was just those two children. Food… What was that person doing? Was he crazy? The girl who had already run back turned around out of concern and saw Sos standing motionless on the path. She shouted, “What are you doing? Run!” Amid her cries, as the fierce wild boar drew closer, Sos raised his right hand and seemingly casually slapped it on the boar’s head as it approached. With a loud crash, the boar’s body flipped completely, its head buried deep in the ground. Its legs twitched once before it fell motionless, while spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the ground around it.

“Wow… that’s amazing…” The girl widened her eyes in surprise. After hesitating for a moment, she carefully walked back and saw the boy in the black-and-red uniform staring at her left hand with a complex expression. She whispered, “Are… are you okay?”
Staring at his right hand for a while, Thors shook his head slightly. Just as he was about to bend down and lift the wild boar stuck in the mud, the little boy ran back suddenly, holding a sharpened stick, and said fiercely to Thors, “Don’t move! This is our prey!”
Glancing at the boy, Thors snorted coldly and said indifferently, “Your prey?” He deliberately emphasized the word “prey.”
The boy’s face showed a hint of annoyance. After all, it had been the wild boar chasing them before. Calling it prey did seem a bit far-fetched, but…
“Yes,” the boy said, raising his head defiantly in response to the contempt in Thors’s eyes. Pointing at the stick stuck in the wild boar, he said angrily, “See? This is proof. We were going to exhaust its strength. Who asked you to interfere?”
“Oh? Competing with a wild boar in strength? Not bad…” Thors nodded perfunctorily, bent down slightly, and lifted the massive wild boar with just one hand.
“Don’t move! I said don’t move…”
Before the angry boy could finish speaking, the girl pulled him back, shook her head, and said softly, “Don’t do this, Aji…”
“But Sister Bella…”
“Enough. One must be honest,” the girl named Bella said, patting the boy’s head to comfort him. Then she turned around and thanked Thors sincerely, “We’re very grateful that you saved us. Thank you!”
Staring at the two children for a long time, Thors suddenly felt a strange sense of dizziness. It seemed as if the images of the two children, who appeared to be siblings, blurred in an instant. Especially the girl named Bella—she turned into the girl who had appeared in his dreams, someone familiar yet whom he couldn’t remember anything about…
Covering his eyes and shaking his head to shake off that strange feeling, Thors said indifferently, “There’s no need. I didn’t do it just to save you…” With that, he dragged the wild boar away. As he walked, he suddenly stopped and looked at the little boy clinging desperately to the boar’s hind legs, saying oddly, “What do you want to do?”

“Give us half!” the little boy named Aji said firmly, “That wild boar was already injured, and we caused it. So we deserve half!”
“Aji!” Bella rushed over, looking annoyed, and whispered, “Stop causing trouble for others. Haven’t you realized your mistake? If not for that person, we might have been killed by that wild boar… How could you do this?”
“But it’s our prey!” Aji struggled hard, trying to pull his hand free from Bella’s grip.
Suddenly, with a snap, five red marks appeared on the little boy’s face. Bella gently hugged him and cried silently, “Stop like this…”
Watching the two of them, Thos felt a shiver run through his body, as if the slap had been given to him. He was shocked to realize he seemed to have experienced something similar before, but why couldn’t he remember anything at all?
After apologizing to Thos, Bella took her brother Aji’s hand and left. Watching them go, and seeing the little boy keep looking back at the wild boar with a stubborn and unwilling expression, Thos couldn’t help but sigh and shake his head, saying lightly, “Wait!”
A few minutes later, the little boy Aji finally got his wish, happily dragging the wild boar along the road. Though he looked very strained, he was extremely happy.
In front of him, Bella curiously observed Thos, who was a few years older than her, and kept saying thank you.
“Enough, no need to thank me! — I can’t eat that much by myself. Wasting food is immoral; it’s a desecration of what the gods have given us!”
“Huh?” Bella was stunned and asked, “Gods?”
Thos finally came back to his senses, frowning and covering his forehead. Indeed, those words didn’t sound like his own. But having lived in Salonia for three years, hearing those people talk about “gods” every day, he had inevitably been influenced by it.
“Don’t worry. I just think it’s a waste!”
“Oh,” Bella smiled in understanding, then stopped and watched the little boy struggle to drag the wild boar, saying with a smile, “Idiot, how can you drag it by yourself? Let me help you!”
“I don’t need your help!” Although his face turned red with frustration, the little boy remained firm. “I’m a man! I don’t need a woman’s help!”
“Is that so?” Bella teased, looking at the panting little boy with amusement.

Watching the scene before him, Thors couldn’t help but smile sincerely. Then, with a serious expression, he walked over, lifted the wild boar onto his back with one hand, and said calmly, “A man? Kid, you’re still too young!”
“You…” Seeing Thors effortlessly lift the wild boar that he couldn’t move on his own, Aji glared at him angrily, yet there was also a hint of longing in his eyes.
A few minutes later, they arrived by a small stream, where there was a grove of trees. Looking at the simple campfire circle made of stones by the stream, it was easy to guess that this was the “habitation” of those two kids.
To roast the wild boar, enough firewood was needed. Bella, sitting by the stream, was cleaning the boar and cutting off its meat, while the little boy Aji went into the woods to gather fallen branches.
A few minutes later, he returned with a large pile of branches, sat down beside the stone circle, and struck flint against flint to start a fire.
Thors sat on a rock, watching them with interest, as he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity about them.
Seeing Thors sitting there in a daze, the little boy said angrily, “Hey, help out too!” With that, he forced two pieces of flint into Thors’ hands and ran toward Bella by the stream, saying, “You start the fire, I’ll go help Sister Bella!”
“…” Looking at the slightly wet flint in his hands, Thors shook his head helplessly, tossed them aside, and snapped his fingers with his right hand.
With a “whoosh,” the campfire immediately caught fire.
It’s been about three years since I last used it… Fire magic…
Before Thors could finish pondering, a surprised cry was heard. The little boy rushed over excitedly, eyes wide, and said, “You… you can use magic? Are you a dark mage?”
“A dark mage?” Hearing that familiar title, Thors froze for a moment, glanced at the boy’s clothes, and said oddly, “You… you’re not from Salonia?”
As if something had been exposed, the little boy stepped back nervously. Just then, Bella came over with some cleaned wild boar meat, nodded earnestly, and said, “Yes, we’re not from here. We come from the Empire, a small town called Gilri…”
Hearing the restraint in her tone, Thors said calmly, “Is that so? Is the Empire still at war?”

“Hmm,” Bella sighed softly, lowering her head as she threaded pieces of meat onto a bare branch. With a hint of sadness in her voice, she said, “There are wars everywhere. Knights in black armor drove us out of the town, saying they would take us to Sasan. But I heard none of those taken to Sasan ever returned…”
Has that guy Argus already started collecting soul energy? Tch!
Frowning, Thos asked in a deep voice, “What are those knights in black armor? The Royal Knights?”
“No, it’s not them. Though we’ve never seen the Royal Knights, those knights in black armor… they’re not even human. They’re cruel. Anyone who resists is killed on the spot. Even Uncle Rio, the strongest man in the town, couldn’t defeat them and was killed instantly. They’re nothing but demons…”
“What are those black magicians from Sgder doing? Didn’t they help you?”
“Sgder?” Bella paused, trying to recall. “I seem to have heard of it…” She froze again, looking at Thos in surprise. “It seems you know quite a lot about the Empire…”
“Hmph, of course. I lived in the Empire for a long time!”
“Are… are you also from the Empire?”
“Sort of. I used to live in Vando, Heliriox of Vando City. Have you heard of it?”
“The City of Magic? Heliriox Magic Academy? Yes, I’ve heard of them,” Bella nodded repeatedly in surprise, her tone becoming much lighter.
“Is that so? Then… why are you here?”
Hearing this question, the joy on Bella’s face vanished instantly. She fiddled with the roasted meat in her hands and said softly, “The people in the town migrated south to escape the war. We followed the group to [Arabel], but the people there wouldn’t let us enter Salonia, saying demons dwell within us…”
[Arabel] is a border fortress of Salonia, the main battlefield during the [One-Year War]. The Crusaders are also stationed there. It’s true they can’t just let Empire refugees enter the city, especially these days when even Salonia is under the influence of Mammon’s forces. The Empire is hit the hardest, so this situation must be even more apparent. Accepting refugees controlled by evil forces into the city could lead to many unnecessary conflicts.
More importantly, [Arabel] doesn’t have enough food. After all, besides the city’s residents, they also have to provide rations for thousands of Crusaders…

At this thought, Thos fell silent. He felt a slight headache, as crossing the border required passing through [Arabel]; otherwise, it would take several times or even dozens of times as long to navigate through the uncharted and dangerous mountain paths. He had originally planned to slip through unnoticed, but now there were many imperial troops outside [Arabel], and the defenses must be quite strict. Under such circumstances, it would be extremely difficult to get by undetected. If he tried to force his way through, not only did Arabel have Salonia’s strongest defense system, but worse still, any conflict would surely violate his promise to the old man not to become an enemy of the Church… Tch! Just as Thos frowned in thought, faint sounds suddenly came from the woods in the distance. “Are… are those wolves?” Agi’s face turned pale with fear, but he still managed to stand up, holding the sharpened stick tightly. Thos’s expression also turned serious and alert for a moment, but soon that seriousness and alertness were replaced by a look of exasperation. With a series of soft footsteps, a figure emerged from the woods—a man, around forty years old, wearing a heavily wrinkled bright red robe, with an obviously embarrassed expression. “Um… it smells so good. If you don’t mind, could you share some with me? I’ve been lost and hungry for days…” As he spoke, the man’s voice suddenly stopped. He stared at Thos in disbelief, pointing at him as if trying to say something intermittently. Meanwhile, Thos, who was holding roasted meat, was also surprised. How could this guy be here? The newly appointed Cardinal Archbishop, Bon Hamsworth!