Chapter 401 (2): Neither Heaven Nor Earth Responds
“Oracle High Reverend, keep going. I like how you talk.”
“Why would you say that? Her Holiness is even more eloquent and skilled than I am. I’ll have her serve you later.”
“Forget it. She’s too much of a brute. I can’t take her service,” Silvia complained. “What is she thinking? The church is in need of talented people right now. Why hasn’t she transferred me to the headquarters? At the end of the day, I’m her stu—her mother, am I not?”
“Yes, that’s unwise of her.”
Wayne nodded. Senna did want to transfer Silvia, but he shot her down immediately. That was why Silvia hadn’t been promoted and summoned to headquarters.
That, however, was something he could only tell Auston. It was better for Silvia to blame Senna in this case.
“Really?” Silvia turned around in surprise.
“Really.”
Silvia’s expression stiffened. Though she had known about their relationship, she still found it difficult to believe when she was staring the truth in the eye. “I know that woman,” she said skeptically. “She’s ill-tempered, stubborn, arrogant, and does not listen to reason. How did you win her over?”
I put white foam of evolution in and wait a little while. Then here we are.
Senna was an accident just like Anastasia. Wayne disliked the former and respected the latter, thus never planning on getting involved with them. After a series of coincidences and accidents, though, they turned out like this.
It wasn’t a story he could tell, though. He hesitantly answered that love couldn’t be resisted. Perhaps the older sister liked them young.
“Older sister? Her? An old witch is more like it.” Silvia huffed and coughed into her fist. “This isn’t something I’m in a position to say, but no one else could. While the old hag is a real bastard, she is beautiful. Watch your health. At her age... Anyway, just be careful and don’t let her fool you.”
“I understand, Master.”
Wayne was about to massage the District High Reverend’s shoulders as an Oracle High Reverend meekly, like a dutiful son, when the door to the study opened. Auston walked in with Megan in tow.
“Finally!” Auston scoffed.
(ŏ_ŏ;)
Wayne blinked in surprise. Wait, this shouldn’t be your line, should it?
It was the first time Wayne had seen proof that Auston was Veronica’s father. After two months of not seeing Wayne, he said the exact same line.
“Speak!”
“Oh, Auston. How did you know I’m now a legendary mage?”
“...” x3
Silvia jumped up in pleasant surprise, pulling her good son into her arms. Megan also looked at Wayne with joy, quietly congratulating Young Master’s progress in his pursuit of magic.
Auston’s face darkened as he staggered back. Not even regressing to the hexagram stage would make him feel worse than seeing Wayne reach Legendary.
It wasn’t because of their personal conflicts. It just made him feel terrible!
Wayne extracted himself from his overly loving mother and sat her back down to resume the massage. “Other than that, I’ve also become an Oracle High Reverend of the church. Things have settled down there. Master Senna has become the new Pope, and the church won’t be messing around with Prussia.”
“What about the previous pope?” Auston asked with a frown. “I haven’t heard anything about him. Has he been imprisoned?”
Wayne blinked at him. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s dead.”
Auston fell silent, feeling a chill in his neck. He could tell that Wayne was insinuating something.
“There are three other Oracle High Reverends at the Church of Nature. What’s their stance? Why haven’t they... gone missing? Are you sure the church won’t get into trouble?” Auston pressed. The church must not get involved in the coming war. It was of utmost importance.
“The Oracle High Reverends are all legendary mages,” Wayne huffed. “Why would a Silver-ranked mage like you be concerned about them? Are you the expert here?”
Silvia scoffed. “That’s not right. A certain someone may seem like a mere Silver-ranked mage, but he’s actually the Darkness Knight. He reprimands his wife at home and scolds his son outside. Quite arrogant, isn’t he?”
“Master, who would be that arrogant? How terrible!”
“I’m not sure. It’s the Darkness Knight after all. I dare not say anything or ask any question.”
“...”
Hearing their sarcastic comments and Megan’s smothered laugh, Auston pulled a long face, fiddling with his silver coin aggressively, as if it were Wayne.
When Wayne was away, Auston was so worried that he would encounter danger and fail his mission that he couldn’t sleep. Now that Wayne was back, though, he wished nothing more than his death. Then there would be one less troublemaker in the world, and the Lando family would have peace again.
“As long as you’re back...” Auston said reluctantly. “Come to my study. I have important matters relating to the fate of the country to discuss with you. Since you’ve succeeded in rebelling, these are things you have to face.”
“You can talk in my study, too!” Silvia huffed. It grated on her nerves that the father and son always had private conversations, making her and her daughter-in-law seem like useless deadweight.
If you hold such disdain for me, why did you marry me?
You scumbag!
Auston felt a headache brewing, unsure how he had angered his wife again. If it was because he had been working overtime with the Queen, he had already explained himself and gotten beaten for it.
Tension had been high over the past two months, requiring him to stay in office. He had no other choice.
The blame should go to Wayne. If the rebellion hadn’t succeeded, the Queen would’ve been the one required to shoulder the burden. The responsibility would have nothing to do with him.
As soon as Megan set up a soundproof barrier, she heard someone knock. Veronica came over with a pot of black tea and a teacup for her mother-in-law.
Seeing the innocent girl Wayne had victimized, Auston swallowed his remarks and made a gesture. “Megan, prepare a banquet to welcome the young master.”
***
Auston’s study.
After the dinner, Silvia’s frustration with not getting promoted receded. She said nothing when her husband and son walked away quietly, allowing the father and son to reunite in Auston’s study.
“What?!” Wayne shot to his feet in disbelief. “How did you know that I’m now a legendary mage?”
(눈皿눈)
Have you had enough? Auston scowled. Wayne didn’t have to say it twice. So he was a legendary mage now. So what? Did he think that Auston would envy him?
“Strange, you shouldn’t be able to notice as a mere Silver-ranked mage. How did the secret get out?” Wayne mumbled as he sat back down on the sofa.
“Stop it already,” Auston deadpanned. “Tell me what’s happened lately. Why did it take you two months?”
“The Church of Nature’s headquarters in Ostarrichi... killed Pope Ludwig... Church of Darkness in the Rus Federation... killed Great Sage Kane... Berlo, Prussia... banished Wrath and Gluttony...”
With Auston, Wayne didn’t have to hide anything. He explained what had happened over the past two months, including his encounter with the two reincarnated angels.
Of course, he didn’t include his private life, instead filling the blanks with talk of diligent training.
“Because of my hard work, I was able to reach Legendary rank. Auston, if you would just put more effort into cultivation instead of burning warehouses for embezzlement, you would also...” Wayne paused, stopping his pep talk to apologize, “I’m sorry. I forgot that there is such a thing as natural talent. I’m a genius, while you’re mediocre at best. You cannot reach my height even after a lifetime.”
Auston’s breathing quickened. It had been two months since he last faced this punchable face, and already he was so angry he wanted to fetch a barrel of cement.
He took a deep breath. “Where’s the previous Darkness Knight? Can she still wield Twilight Despair?”
“Oh? Asking about Knight Vichy rather than what’s truly important...” Wayne smiled wickedly. “Why? Are you worried that you’ll lose your voice without Twilight Despair?”
“Whatever you say, I’m still the head of the family.”
“You won’t be soon.” Wayne took the world map off the desk and pointed at the presumably impenetrable defense line. “Here. If this place is broken through, Franc’s ultimate defense will be obsolete, and the entire line will fall apart. Prussia’s tides of steel will be allowed to run free in Francan territory.”
“You’ve said that before,” Auston said. “At your request, I’ve warned the Francan government on behalf of Windsor. They accepted the advice with humility and have reinforced the defense here.”
Auston pointed at the forest in the rear and drew a new defense line with a pencil. It wasn’t meant to stop Prussia’s tanks from blitzing through, but it should at least slow down the army to buy time for strategic adjustments.
Wayne had wagered with Auston that if the unbreakable defense line broke down, Auston would resign as the head of the family, yielding the seat to Wayne. If Wayne lost, Auston would reaffirm his status, and Wayne would be prohibited from ever snarking at him again.
Wayne wanted to win, but he wanted Franc to stop Prussia’s army of millions even more. He thus reminded Auston several times and asked Auston to warn the Francan leadership as a representative of Windsor.
“Would it work?” Wayne looked at the new defense line.
“It’ll depend on the weather...” Auston shook his head. The makeshift defense line was far from well-constructed due to the lack of budget, and the army stationed there wasn’t the main force.
Franc had accepted Windsor’s advice and recognized the century-old friendship between the two countries, but as an independent sovereign, Franc had her own strategy. They weren’t going to make adjustments just because Windsor issued a warning.
Besides, whatever Windsor could think of, Franc could, too. The leadership of the military wasn’t all fools. They must have considered and reconsidered their strategy before deciding not to set up defense at a critical strategic location.
“The defense line is going to break...” Wayne sighed, turning to the door. “Second Mother, clean up Auston’s room. Veronica and I will move into the master bedroom. Auston will be staying at the young master’s mansion.”
Auston scowled silently until Wayne stopped taunting him. “There are scouts stationed on the frontline, and Prussia’s main force is sighted on the other side of the defense line. It’ll hold.”
“We’ll know in the next two days, so I’m not wasting my time arguing with you.” Wayne looked at the map, his gaze stopping on Palis. After a moment, he said, “If the defense line breaks, I’m heading to Palis.”
“What for?” Auston frowned. To his knowledge, Wayne very much dreaded the Death Knight.
“To eliminate the risk of the Gates of Hell opening before Prussia could act. Also...”
Wayne looked up and said solemnly, “Return liberty to Death!”
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