Chapter 206: Declaring War!

Chapter 206 Declaration of War!

In the early dawn, Karen pressed a hot towel against his face. After a long while, he removed it and looked at his reflection in the mirror, noting the bloodshot veins in his eyes from the lack of sleep.

This place was indeed a prison; the longer one stayed, the more gaunt and withered they became.

Fannie and Peggy were dressed in the same attire as yesterday; today, they still appeared remarkably voluptuous.

Therefore, despite the fact that they would occasionally subject him to some workplace sexual harassment, Karen found it difficult to harbor any resentment toward them.

After all, stuffing a massive amount of food beneath one's garments was certainly no comfortable task, yet they had taken the initiative to bring enough for themselves, sparing Karen from having to tuck food into his own clothes.

Adjusting his attire, Karen opened the door, only to find Delius standing in the corridor.

According to their past routine, Karen would usually be the one to knock on the door and await his emergence.

Delius was the one truly serving a prison sentence, for without the accompaniment of Karen and the others, he could not even board the elevator, utterly incapable of leaving this floor.

"Are you ready, My Lord?" Karen inquired.

Delius nodded.

With Karen leading the way, the group stepped into the elevator.

This morning, Richard wore a silver mask upon his face. Although it was impossible to see his features, one could discern from the taut muscles of his body that, owing to this mask, his inner excitement ran higher and surged more violently.

Arriving at the floor where the assembly hall was located, they entered the conference room.

The time was half past seven.

Delius walked straight toward the negotiation table, while Karen took his old seat alongside Fannie and Peggy.

The personnel from both sides filed in one after another. Karen noticed that the divine robes on many individuals were somewhat bulging, and for quite a few, the bulge was situated right at the belly, making it look as though the conference had caused many of them to become pregnant, regardless of gender.

Clearly, the lessons of the past two consecutive days had taught everyone to adapt; there were many ways to meet God, but to meet God by means of starvation was undoubtedly far too impolite.

Leon and Lore entered cradling document boxes, which surely contained far more than mere paperwork. After taking their seats, the two of them deliberately cast a smiling glance toward Karen.

In short, the finer details of the entire venue felt somewhat farcical. The negotiating representatives from both sides upon the dais were bound to argue fiercely for the survival of the Pamires Cult, while the crowd below had to find their own means for individual survival.

The cause of this phenomenon lay in the imbalance resulting from the simultaneous execution of security regulations, conference regulations, and various other rules. They could neither provide sufficient food to this floor nor allow anyone else, aside from the records managers of both parties, to enter with cases or backpacks.

Ultimately, this forced everyone to smuggle food inside like thieves, bearing the heavy burdens of both appearance and conscience.

Still, did the grand figures at the negotiation table above truly not perceive the issue at all?

They certainly perceived it, but they were provided with catered meals. Since it did not affect them, they did not bother to adjust or amend these regulations during the conference; after all, it might not be them participating in the next negotiation anyway.

Karen even felt that those sitting above might derive a sense of gratification from seeing their subordinates below starving until their chests clung to their backs.

As eight o'clock approached, the personnel from both sides were fully assembled, and the meeting was about to commence.

Yet at that very moment, Delius rose from the negotiation table and walked toward the entrance of the assembly hall.

Karen and the other two immediately stood up, following him out.

The protected target enjoyed the right to be undisturbed only when within his own chamber; once he left the room, the personal security detail had to follow, unable to let him out of their sight.

Many within the assembly hall were bewildered by this spectacle.

Leon remarked to Lore beside him, "Where is he going?"

Lore replied, "With the meeting about to start, did he realize he forgot to use the restroom?"

…

The direction Delius took was not toward the restroom, but quite the opposite. Located here were two smaller auxiliary assembly halls, though they were not used for meetings, but rather housed communication arrays.

Both doors were tightly shut, yet Delius walked directly toward the door on the left. After a brief distortion of his silhouette, he vanished straight through the door.

Karen, Peggy, and Fannie followed him inside. Upon entering, Karen beheld an array set upon the floor, above which floating a dozen or so blue gemstones.

Several members of the Pamires Cult were organizing documents at a table beside the array. Seeing Delius enter, they immediately bowed to him, and the leader stepped forward, saying:

"Son of God, we have just activated the array and are preparing to receive feedback on the initial draft of the treaty submitted last night. The array on the Council's side should also be fully activated by now."

"Send a request to the Holy Hierarch; I demand an audience with him."

"Understood, Son of God."

These few Pamires Cult clerics began to adjust the communication array.

"Son of God, the request has been sent."

A short while later,

"Son of God, the Chief Executive has granted your request."

"Very well, all of you may leave."

"Understood."

"Understood."

Several Pamires Cult believers withdrew from the chamber.

Karen and the other two, however, remained standing right where they were.

Under most circumstances, such an awkward situation would not arise, as a protected target could simply direct his subordinates to conduct the communication, but this time Delius insisted on holding the audience personally.

He could drive away his own people, yet he had no way to drive away Karen and his companions, even if this was highly inconvenient and defied all reason, verging infinitely close to pulling down one's trousers just to flatulate…

But just like the people in the assembly hall starving for two consecutive days, when security regulations clashed with conference regulations, such bizarre scenarios were bound to happen.

In the central area of the array, the gemstones emitted a blue radiance, converging into the silhouette of a woman. Her image was somewhat blurred, allowing only a general impression of her posture and attire to be seen.

Long hair, a long dress, very tall, a very slender waist, and an absurdly large chest.

Karen discerned the details carefully before realizing that blue gemstones must also be floating in front of the other party, positioned precisely before her chest, causing the projected effect to overlap.

"Son of God."

"Chief Executive, please awaken the Holy Hierarch for me. I wish to hold a private audience with him."

"The Holy Hierarch has only just retired to sleep. Is it urgent?"

"Yes, it is highly urgent."

"Very well, please wait a moment."

The woman within the array stepped away.

After approximately five minutes had passed, the figure of an elder appeared within the array. Strangely enough, when he manifested, his image was incomparably clear, as though a real person had descended in the flesh.

Karen was startled, his hands tightening instinctively, while Peggy and Fannie mirrored the exact same movement.

"Son of God, I have reviewed the initial draft of the treaty. You have done exceedingly well. Do not concern yourself with the opinions of others; simply adhere to your original intent and do what you believe to be correct."

"Holy Hierarch, I must report to you that someone is attempting to destroy the Cage Space. I believe there is a spy from the Church of Order within the team maintaining the Cage Space array."

"Is the information reliable?"

"Absolutely reliable. They are planning to destroy the Cage Space."

"And their purpose?"

"I do not know."

"I understand. I shall have the Chief Executive replace the array maintenance team immediately."

"Hierophant, it is also possible the spy is within the squad slated to be replaced."

"Is that so..."

"Because it is highly probable that my very process of reporting this to you was also factored into the adversary's calculations."

"What do you mean?"

"Withdraw the barrier-maintenance squad."

"Then we will lose control over the cage dimension. Without our concealment, the Seventh Legion of the Order of Light inside will be able to contact their people. When that time comes, they could completely teleport out of the cage dimension through the arrays they have constructed.

Our bargaining chips... would be gone."

"Hierophant, our Church of Pamireth never had any bargaining chips to begin with. Since the initial draft of the treaty has been finalized, it is time to let the Seventh Legion leave."

"But if it is only a draft, will the Order of Light refuse to recognize it and propose a new round of revisions?"

"Even if a treaty is finalized, if the Order of Light wishes to disavow it, it would be an exceedingly simple matter, for we are, inherently, the absolutely weaker party."

"Mm, you speak truly. I shall immediately order the barrier-maintenance squad to withdraw. As for the negotiations, I can only trouble you to continue your arduous efforts."

"I will. For Pamireth!"

Delius fell to one knee in obeisance.

"I am deeply gratified. Your piety shall be infused into the missive, and ultimately rest before the great Pamireth."

The communication ended, and the old man’s figure vanished.

Delius stood up and walked toward the grand doors, with Karen and the other two following closely behind; the group returned once more to the conference hall.

Delius ascended to the dais, while Karen and the other two resumed their original seats.

Before the negotiation table, Vofuren held a document in his hand, which was presumably the feedback from the high-ranking officials of Order regarding the initial draft of the treaty.

However, because Delius had previously occupied the communication array, and nearly ten minutes had passed since his return, it was only then that the Pamireth priest they had seen earlier in the communication room delivered the feedback draft to Delius.

Delius began to review the feedback draft; after finishing, he passed it to the other negotiating representatives of his party beside him.

Once the review and notation were complete, Delius looked toward Vofuren, the Chief Bishop of York City Archdiocese, and said, "We may begin."

Vofuren cleared his throat, picked up the document, and said, "Then shall we go through it article by article again, to see the similarities and differences in the feedback from both sides?"

Delius’s gaze swept across the array of negotiating representatives at the opposite table, pausing slightly longer upon Bishop Byrne, before he responded, "Very well."

Next came the article-by-article review.

After listening for about an hour, Karen saw Leon and Laurel stand up and head outside to the restroom, both casting a glance at Karen.

Hungry this early?

Karen figured they probably had not eaten breakfast.

Though Karen felt no urgent desire to flatter these two young lords, and understood the conspicuous gap between them left no illusions about forging true friendships, considering the future, deepening their impression of each other as fellow prisoners was a good thing; perhaps it would be of use after leaving confinement.

Thus, Karen stood up and walked out of the conference hall.

There was no one at the restroom entrance. Karen walked to the storage room and pushed open the door; the two were sitting inside, with several packages of fragrant food arranged on the table before them.

These were all high-end delicacies that could only be purchased with point vouchers. Karen had only tasted them when freeloading at two banquets; this was definitely not within the reimbursable scope of the Ankara Hotel’s regular provision, but something they had ordered themselves using their own point vouchers.

So, although Karen was not hungry having already eaten breakfast, for the sake of the food, he still sat down and joined them in digging in.

Once this mission concluded, he would have to spend some point vouchers to buy some of these high-end ingredients to cook for Richard. He was his younger cousin after all, and as the older brother, he certainly needed to take extra care of him.

Once he spoiled his palate, he would have him buy the ingredients himself and beg Karen to cook.

Karen recalled the last time at Richard’s house, when Richard had gone out at night and bought fried chicken and chicken rolls for a late-night snack... that was truly too rustic, unbefitting his noble status as a young master of the Guman family.

"What did that Son of God go to the communication room for?" Laurel asked, seemingly in a casual manner.

Karen noticed Leon slowing his chewing, his fingers brushing against a napkin prepared at his side, looking as though he intended to intervene and break the awkwardness when Karen showed signs of embarrassment or remained silent for too long.

"He met with their Hierophant to inform him that there is a spy within the squad maintaining the cage dimension that traps Elder Sitti and the Seventh Knight Legion. The spy is preparing to destroy the maintenance array, triggering the collapse of the cage dimension.

He suggested to the Hierophant to recall that squad, and at the same time, forgo replacing the maintenance squad, lift the concealment, and allow Elder Sitti and the Seventh Knight Legion to contact our church and return via the teleportation array."

"..." Leon.

"..." Laurel.

The two young lords silently stopped eating, staring at Karen, who was still savoring the fine food with relish after speaking these words.

Leon smiled. "You are truly a true friend."

Laurel also nodded. "Mm, yes, a friend indeed."

Clearly, Karen’s directness and candor had left both of them, who had intended to fish for information, somewhat at a loss.

Laurel looked toward Leon and said, "Should we go tell your grandfather?"

Leon shook his head and said, "No need. The negotiations won't change because Elder Sitti and the Seventh Knight Legion regain their freedom. At this point, this counts as an active gesture of goodwill on their part. To overturn yesterday’s treaty now would be even more inappropriate."

"True. When Elder Sitti and the Seventh Knight Legion emerge, this side will receive immediate notification anyway. I noticed just now that your grandfather was deliberately dragging out the pace of the meeting."

Leon glanced at Laurel and said, "Isn't the opposite side doing the same? The question now is, which faction does the spy belong to?"

Karen cast a glance at Leon and shook his head;

He did not say that the "spy" was currently in the conference hall, sitting right next to his grandfather.

The three of them quickly finished eating. Because Karen was not hungry, he merely tasted a bit of each food, while Leon and Laurel ate quite a lot.

"How should I describe the atmosphere of today's meeting? I wanted to laugh just sitting down there," Laurel said.

Karen spoke. "The first day was like a newlywed couple, wishing for nothing more than to tussle and tangle all night long. The second day was like five years into marriage; though they bicker, they already weigh the pros and cons, knowing neither can leave the other, because leaving makes it hard to find someone with better conditions."

Leon took up the thread. "Then today they intend to divorce, and are making the final division of property?"

"Hahaha!" Laurel burst into laughter. "Oh dear, if your grandfather knew you were arranging him like that, watch your backside."

Leon stretched his arms and said, "Alright, let's head back and see what stage the divorce property division has reached."

The three walked out of the storage room together. Just as they were about to reach the entrance of the conference hall, they saw; two priests wearing the divine robes of Order running toward them, clutching missives, their expressions exceedingly furious;

Behind them, there were also two Pamireth priests in blue divine robes running likewise with missives in hand, their faces bearing expressions of sheer terror.

The three exchanged glances, each reading the same meaning in the others' eyes:

Something has happened!

Returning to the conference hall, they sat down in their respective seats.

Inside the conference hall, the atmosphere had turned immensely solemn due to the unseemly entry of the two previous waves of messenger priests from the communication room.

The negotiation process was directly interrupted.

Both Vofuren and Delius were examining the missives delivered by their respective communication priests.

After they finished reading, the missives were passed to the other representatives beside them.

Next,

The crowd sitting below only witnessed two starkly contrasting emotions, which corresponded perfectly with the expressions of the two groups of communication priests who had entered earlier.

Several negotiating representatives on the side of the Order of Light clenched their fists, their countenances furious.

On the Pamireth side, faces were stricken with horror, and a few among them even shed tears. Just how deep must the despair be to elicit such a reaction?

Cullen noticed that Delius seemed to fall into a daze, though the periphery of his vision remained fixed squarely upon his own father, who sat directly opposite.

The second and third batches of letters were delivered.

The crowd below could only whisper and murmur among themselves, utterly blind to what was truly unfolding.

"What is it?" Pegg asked in a low voice.

Cullen spoke up: "It seems... something has happened to the Seventh Knights."

"What? Oh!" Pegg's eyes widened.

At that moment, the communication priests from both sides delivered yet another letter each, placing them into the hands of Wolfrun and Delius respectively.

Having read his letter, Delius stood up and said, "I require an explanation and a statement."

Wolfrun raised a hand and said, "There is no need."

Immediately following this, Wolfrun also stood, his gaze majestic and his expression grave as he spoke:

"The Church of Pamires has violated the good faith of these negotiations, deploying the Pamires spatial divine artifact—Silence—to trigger the collapse of the space where our Seventh Order Knights were stationed."

The moment these words were uttered,

The expressions of the priests from both sides below underwent a cataclysmic shift.

Nearly every priest on the side of the Church of Order rose in fury, glaring fiercely at the Pamires delegation seated across the aisle; had it not been for the presence of the bishops on the platform, the Order priests below might have already drawn blood.

Meanwhile, the priests of the Church of Pamires had all plunged into a state of sheer astonishment and despair, with several slipping directly from their chairs onto the floor, their faces ashen and their expressions hopeless.

Everyone present understood precisely what consequences this incident would unleash.

Once Order truly unleashed its wrath, the Church of Pamires would have absolutely no hope of mounting a successful defense.

Delius spoke once more:

"Regarding this matter, I must offer a statement and an explanation."

"The divine artifact, Silence—its status within the Church of Pamires, Divine Son, do I truly need to describe it to you?"

Just then, another communication priest from the Church of Order came running in, clutching a letter, and handed it directly to Wolfrun.

Wolfrun opened the letter,

And spoke:

"A divine decree from the Senate of Order!"

On the spot, the negotiators of the Church of Order behind the conference table and all the Order priests below rose as one, drawing themselves up straight, placing both hands over their chests,

And chanted in unison:

"We heed the divine decree!"

Wolfrun cast a glance at Delius opposite him, and in a voice of immense majesty, he recited:

"In the name of Order:

From this moment forth, the God of Pamires is judged an evil god, and worship is forbidden;

From this moment forth, the Church of Pamires is judged a heretical cult, and proselytization is forbidden;

From this moment forth,

Order

Declares war

Upon Pamires!"