Chapter 83: The Mastermind (24)

"The Wang Cheng Imperial Guard, the Northern Witches… heh."

"You really are unwilling to let me go."

Herbert thought of the details he had just obtained from Blake, and couldn't help but laugh quietly to himself.

Things were getting interesting.

Someone couldn't resist biting the hook.

Herbert had long been clear that his own fishing letter would surely stir up those who had been watching him, drawing their gaze over.

But what he hadn't expected was that these people's patience was so poor, so utterly unable to wait.

For this, they were even willing to reach their hands into the Mist Monastery.

Who has the qualifications to plant eyes within the Wang Cheng Imperial Guard, and to send him into the Duke's household early on as an inside agent?

The interior of the Frost Crystal royal family is probably even more chaotic than he had imagined.

As for that talisman, it was even more interesting.

The Northern Witches, in full "Northern Witches Mutual Aid Alliance," is also called the Witch Society by some.

The Northern Lands are a vast region covered in ice and snow with treacherous terrain, where there are snow-capped mountains soaring into the clouds, deep and cold ice valleys, and mysterious glacial lakes.

Once, the Northern Lands were one of the most developed regions of ancient magical civilization, but after a divine war long ago, the magical kingdoms of the Northern Lands were destroyed for the most part, leaving only many broken ruins that became uninhabited forbidden zones.

Due to the harsh environment, ordinary humans rarely set foot there, making it an ideal hiding place for persecuted witches.

Compared to ordinary witches, witches mostly are wild wizards and sorcerers with non-human characteristics, who were persecuted by others because of the awakening of their talents.

Later, under the advocacy of several legendary witches, the wandering witches gradually came together and established the Witch Society.

The original purpose of this alliance was to protect them from outside persecution, while sharing the magical resources of the Northern Lands and exchanging magical arts with each other.

But later, as the mutual aid society grew, they gradually evolved into a powerful magical organization.

Although the name remained unchanged, they also absorbed some male wizards and sorcerers outside of the witches, making their factions more complex.

If Herbert remembered correctly, Felia's mother had once been a member of the Northern Witches Alliance.

Moreover, she was one of the twelve chiefs of the alliance, and only voluntarily withdrew after giving birth to Felia, handing over her duties to someone else.

If we follow this line of reasoning, the identity of the mastermind who initially framed Herbert seems to be becoming clearer and clearer.

Connected to the Frost Crystal royal family, connected to the Northern Witches… such candidates don't seem to be many.

"Then, my dear close friend Felia, what role exactly did you and the person behind you play in this process?"

Herbert did not rashly assume that Felia was the true mastermind; there were too few clues, and more evidence was still needed to prove it.

But regardless, her suspicion was really very great.

"…Heh."

But Herbert was not in a hurry; once he returned to Frost Crystal Wang Cheng, everything would naturally come to light.

What he needed to think about more now was how to deal with the immediate crisis before him.

The two bishops did not ask Blake about related matters; that kind of trivial matter was simply not worth mentioning in their eyes.

After Herbert returned, the two continued forward, silently leading him toward the Sealed Sanctuary where the Archbishop was.

Bishop Rusty Nail himself had an icy and taciturn personality, while Bishop Thorns was silent for some unknown reason.

Is it that time of the month?

Herbert followed the two bishops, winding through the monastery for half an hour, and finally passed through a massive door, descending along a long flight of steps to the monastery's underground.

The underground space was unexpectedly vast, as if a giant air-raid shelter had been hollowed out, but it was not cold, and traces of great power beyond human capability remained everywhere.

At the end of the staircase, Herbert saw a massive stone door erected in mid-air.

There was no solid substance in front, behind, or to either side of the stone door, as if it were merely an ordinary large door that had yet to be installed.

And before that great door, he saw the third bishop draped in a red robe.

"Your Excellency the Watcher."

Herbert bowed along with the other two bishops; he was also somewhat curious about this mysterious bishop.

For instance—what exactly was the Watcher watching over in the monastery?

"He is that young man?" The Watcher's gaze passed over the others, landing directly on Herbert, sizing him up with what seemed like some curiosity.

"Yes."

Bishop Rusty Nail nodded, stepping aside to reveal Herbert behind him.

"Young man, come, step forward before me."

The Watcher chuckled softly, saying with some feeling: "That old thing hasn't taken such an interest in a young man in many years."

Old thing?

The old thing you're talking about—it's not the Archbishop, is it?

Herbert blinked, not daring to think too deeply, and obediently walked before the Watcher, humbly offering a slight bow.

This one is an even more powerful and ancient existence than the other two bishops; better just behave and listen.

Obedient. JPG

"Heh."

The Watcher seemed amused by his appearance, laughed twice, and gently shook his head: "Young man, no need to be nervous, relax a little. Do you know why he wants to see you?"

"I probably know." Herbert nodded, answering matter-of-factly: "Because I did some things that slightly crossed the line."

"Just 'slightly' crossed the line? What you did has even surprised me a little."

The Watcher laughed, teasing: "If this is only 'slightly' for you, then what would truly be crossing the line?"

"Uh…" Herbert said somewhat uncertainly: "Forcibly releasing all the prisoners?"

?

The Watcher's expression-obscuring shadow stared blankly at Herbert for quite a while, then laughed somewhat out of character.

"Hahaha, hahaha… interesting, you little fellow are truly too interesting!"

The Warden laughed until his entire robe shook, shaking his head in amusement, and said: "I'm now a little curious, what do you want to say after you meet him?"

"The Berserker can be controlled."

Herbert answered honestly, and at the end deliberately added a sentence: "Although only I can control her."

She is one I raised.

"So, do you think you can successfully control her?"

"Complete control… at present it's probably still not possible."

Herbert hesitated for a moment but did not exaggerate, choosing to tell the truth: "But my existence can impose a certain restraint on her; as long as it's not a situation that endangers her life or mine, she will obey my words."

"Only this much?"

"For now."

Herbert looked at the Warden and said seriously: "After all, she and I have only been in contact for a little over a week."

(End of this chapter)