"The Empire''s army attacking Thompson and the others have retreated?"


    "Yes, Mdy."


    "They are surprisingly weak."


    "The senior Pacifer''s Servants and the Alliance Army fought well. The Empire''s army was not weak—it was just lesspetent."


    A soft smile crept up Eloreth''s face as she listened to the report of the leader of the intelligence squad she sent out to watch over the situation on the battlefield. She never undermined thepetence of her warriors but she was pleasantly surprised by their improvement.


    The Empire''s army was not weak. Basil and her fellow Emperors were the only people who could stillugh if it surrounded them. That was saying something considering how special they were. For being able to defeat such apetent army, the Alliance Army needed to bemended heavily.


    Of course, the role of the senior Pacifer''s Servants was also important. They didn''t only increase the total power that the army had but also boosted the morale of the army. Things would be different if they weren''t part of the army. Thinking that their loyalty belonged to Basil made Eloreth sigh in admiration.


    "What about the movement on the west?"


    "Negative, Mdy."


    "Oh, so, Lord Basil—"


    "However, fifteen Legions of humans that areprised of Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Circle Mages; Blue, Violet and Early-Stage Purple Core Knights; and Pdins areing from the southwest. ording to our calction, they will arrive in two hours."


    "He missed but isn''t wrong."


    Elorethughed softly in disbelief. She was extremely curious about how Basil could predict anything. She wondered if he could read people''s minds because he understood everyone''s behaviour well. The next move of the Empire—he had predicted it based on how it behaved.


    "Then, I think it is time to proceed with the n." Eloreth looked at the leader of the intelligence squad seriously. "You will propagate the truth about the Pacifer with the Shadows. They wille to meet you themselves, so don''t ask me how to meet them."


    Her statement made her feel slightly bitter. Despite the trust that Basil put in her, she still felt like a stranger. She understood that a few things needed to remain a secret but the fact that she didn''t know anything about the Shadows made her think she was unworthy. It made her think that Basil still couldn''t trust her enough.


    Shaking her head to discard the thought afterwards, she ordered the intelligence squad''s leader to gather his subordinates. The said leader left the room and as he did, Eloreth could see his shadow flicker like a candle blown by the wind.


    Smiling wryly at how astonishing and creepy the scene was, she stood up from her throne and went to the manor that she gave to Basil. She knew Basil wasn''t there but she had to meet someone who refused to leave the manor.


    Creak.


    She purposely opened the door of the manor loudly but no one came to check who was entering. The Mana in the air spiked soon after and it made her rush to the point where it spiked. It was in the basement. She didn''t bother to knock and just kicked the door open.


    Upon seeing what was inside, she was both appalled and terrified. Dantalion was experimenting on August''s dead body. It was dissected and stuffed with a lot of machines and organs that didn''t belong to humans. It would move at times, making it look more alive.


    "You could have just told the Shadows that you wanted to meet me, instead of meeting me at my workshop," Dantalion who was standing before the body remarked.


    "I…don''t know where to find them," Eloreth replied in a daze.


    "I will give you a tip to find them. Lift your dress and finger yourself—it works."


    Dantalion''s weird remark awakened Eloreth from her daze. Blinking her eyes, she said, "That was not an appropriate joke. I thought Lord Basil had taught you to be less vulgar."


    Turning around, without saying anything, Dantalion pulled down her shorts. Before Eloreth could ask if Dantalion had lost her mind, she saw the shadow of the table flicker. Turning her attention back to Dantalion, she smiled awkwardly as Dantalion smirked. The experience was rather surreal, yet she was d to know that Basil''s Shadows were respectful men.


    "Ah, it is worth remembering that the trick will work if you don''t find yourself in these two situations. First, you are nning to do something bad—the Shadows are good at smelling ill will. Second, the Shadow watching over you is a female," Dantalion exined as she pulled her shorts up.


    "Uh…thanks for the information, I guess?"


    "If you don''t want to take a risk embarrassing yourself, though, try the second method."


    Quirking her eyebrow in interest, Eloreth asked, "The second method?"


    "Yes. You can just simply ask to be left alone. They will immediately leave. After all, Basil doesn''t tell them to watch over you to spy on you but to protect you."


    "…."


    As Dantalion snickered, Eloreth looked at her unamused. She was fully aware that Eloreth would be able to kill her then and there but she didn''t care in the slightest. Looking at that Dantalion, Eloreth shook her head faintly. She wondered how such a calm and quiet person like Basil could stand having her on his side.


    "Anyway—"


    "Yeah, I know," Dantalion interjected seriously. "Another Ninth Circle Mage ising here."


    "Wait, what?" Eloreth asked in surprise. "I didn''t hear anything about this."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Sometimes, you have to find that out yourself."


    "That is…"


    Eloreth frowned and considered fighting on the battlefield. Fifteen Legions weren''t a lot with how manypetent men they had in the army but it was a different story if a Ninth Circle Mage was involved. Humans became the leader of the Great War for a reason. Despite being naturally gifted in Magic, very few Elves could beat Ninth Circle Mages.


    They might have the former Ninth Circle Mages with them but relying on them to defeat the Ninth Circle Mage was a ridiculous notion. She was the strongest person that Padeitophys had, so she had to participate if she wanted the army to remain existing.


    "Don''t think about it too much, silly." Dantalion''s remark awakened Eloreth from her thought. "I am working on this masterpiece for a reason." Dantalion gestured at August''s body. "Leave it to the army and my creations. You and your fellows will find your time to shine and it is not now. Sit back and rx."


    Seeing the look in Dantalion''s eyes, Eloreth finally understood why Basil put up with her. Eloreth was familiar with the look. She often saw it in Basil''s eyes. It was the look of someone who knew too much—someone who was fully aware of the grand scheme.


    Nodding her head, Eloreth returned to the pce. She ordered the remaining troops to set out and faced the iing Empire''s army.


    She told them the number of Legions and none of them was surprised. When she told them about the existence of the Ninth Circle Mage, none of them was surprised either. Befuddled, she asked why, which was something she never did. In unison, everyone answered because they believed in Basil and her.


    The answer astounded her. She couldn''t help chastising herself for doubting the army. She saw the brave people off afterwards and then returned to the pce to sit back. She trusted the army like how it trusted her, so she didn''t waste her time worrying about them.


    When the Alliance Army was half an hour away from shing with the Empire''s army, Dantalion''s Monsters were released. Those that could fly carried those that couldn''t so all of them travelled airborne. They caught up with the army two minutes before the sh. As soon as they did, the non-aerial Monsters were dropped.


    "It is true, huh? That brat called Basil is cooperating with an Obelisk Master."


    Amongst the appalled people who watched as the Monsters fell, the Ninth Circle Mage from the Empire looked at the scene calmly. He could tell the supply of Monsters would be limitless. It was troublesome but not something to worry about. The same was also true for the senior Pacifer''s Servants in the army. They would hurt him but he would win.


    Thinking about the Empire''s warning of Basil''spetence, a smirk crept up his face. Basil was delusional for thinking the Monsters and his army would be enough to defeat him—he couldn''t get why the Empire thought the brat waspetent.


    Charging at the Alliance Army confidently, his domination of the battlefield began.


    ….


    "Great, now he has be overconfident. His death is sure."


    "Did you say something, Uncle?"


    Basil, who hadmented on what he saw through [Visualization], looked down at thess who was holding his hand. Her green eyes sparkled with curiosity, staring at him in admiration. He smiled wryly inside but softly outside. He shook his head faintly, saying no to thess'' question.


    "Anyway, where are we going, Uncle?"


    "Somewhere I like about Werspien."


    "Oh, I have a lot of that but I want to see yours. Bring me there!"


    When Basil asked if he could take Calliope on a walk, everyone looked at him weirdly. Oseya tensed up and Iliana was close to taking out Sinister Piercer. What made them calm down was what he dered afterwards. He told them he wanted to take her as his disciple because he saw a lot of potential in her.


    Everyone didn''t question him as they saw the look in his eyes. Oseya immediately gave him the green lights, no longer fearing what Basil might do to her daughter.


    Basil didn''t lie; however, he wasn''t being honest either. The true reason why he wanted to take Calliope on a walk was what she had with her. The jewel that was hanging on her pendant was not ordinary. It was a Runestone that was crafted by Solomon. It was the real Runestone that should be attached to Solomon''s Mana Amulet.


    It was what would make Solomon''s Mana Amulet part of Solomon''s 9 Seals.


    Basil only figured out that the broken Artefact he found deep in the Vyres Forest was an iplete part of Solomon''s 9 Seals after Solomon told him the location of the remaining Solomon''s 9 Seals. Only then did he also figure out about the other effect the amulet had on its wearer.


    Aside from elerating the speed of the wearer''s Mana gathering, as demonstrated by Calliope, it protected the wearer from any form of suppression. This was what made Basil floored about what to do since taking the Runestone from Calliope could potentially make her a cowardly child.


    "Calliope."


    "Yes, Uncle?"


    "Since you have be my student, why don''t we exchange something to mark the day?"


    "Hmm…I don''t have any valuable things with me."


    "I like the jewel on your pendant. How about exchanging it with this Runestone that will protect you from danger?"


    Still, Basil needed to do what he must do.