Industrial Cthulhu, starting from the island lord

Chapter 545 Are you going to betray Castel?

"what!"

"How is this possible?!?!"

Hunter and Grisha exclaimed in surprise.

The Silent Sanctuary, the de facto ruler of the White Raven Duchy, established this theocratic state north of the Canary Mountains.

Every Northerner, from birth to death, is inseparable from the Silent Sanctuary.

After the White Catastrophe, the Silent Sanctuary tried its best to rescue its people from the White Raven Duchy. It confronted the lord of the North for a period of time, but in the end, it abandoned all its people and went to the Empire.

This is also the fundamental reason for Nora's break with the Silent Sanctuary.

"How is that possible? Didn't they go to the Empire? Didn't they abandon us? Why would they come back?"

Grisha shouted, his tone filled with anger, confusion, and a hint of grievance.

The Holy Church has always been the support of the White Raven people, and they have never abandoned their believers. In the past, when facing the Queen's army, the Holy Church priests who charged forward always protected their believers behind them, and with their own flesh and blood, they forced the Royal Army back to the negotiating table.

But in the end, they abandoned their followers.

Nora stared intently at the figures in the distance, unable to articulate the emotions surging within her. These people had once been her companions, her mentors, and her support, but in the end, she was left all alone to fight back.

"No, something's not right!" Nora suddenly exclaimed. "Those are the marks of the Burial Ones! Velen, Ivan, Zoya, Gleb—they're all superhumans! Nearly a hundred superhumans!?"

The extraordinary are the Church's most valuable asset. Isaac judged that the Candlelight Church valued the North highly because they had sent a total of thirty extraordinary individuals.

This represents almost the vast majority of the extraordinary individuals that the Candlelight Church can mobilize.

The entire Candlelight Church, including all the extraordinary individuals, numbered no more than a hundred, making it the most prosperous and powerful church.

During the conflict between the Silent Sanctuary and the Empire, forty Burialers were organized to charge into the enemy lines, shattering the Royal Army's lines and resulting in a crushing defeat. This was the largest superhuman operation in history.

And nearly a hundred extraordinary individuals.
“We’re facing the entire Silent Sanctuary?!” Hunter exclaimed, his voice trembling.

"About right, the Silent Sanctuary has mobilized its entire force of superhumans to reach this number." Nora's usually composed voice even wavered slightly.

The Silent Sanctuary, which had poured out its entire force, at this time, so close to the expeditionary army...
"Nora, I... I don't know much about the combat capabilities of superhumans. If there are hundreds of superhumans, could they take down the expeditionary force's fortress?"

Nora didn't speak. She silently looked at her former comrades, anger gradually rising in her eyes.

It didn't take long for the group to arrive in front of Hunter and the others. At this moment, even Grisha could see the Burialer's insignia on their bodies.

There were dozens of people, all of whom were extraordinary individuals; there wasn't a single ordinary person among them.

"You should be..." The man in the lead stepped forward, but his eyes suddenly narrowed as he spoke. "Nora!?"

The burial men behind him, upon hearing this, also pulled their horses back and looked at Nora, who was now just a head.

Nora didn't speak; her gaze swept over everyone like a knife, finally settling on the carriages behind them.

"You've even brought heavy armor from the ice fields; you're definitely preparing for war."

The Icefield Heavy Armor is so thick that it has only one purpose: charging into battle.

Even the priests of the Silent Sanctuary rarely wear such heavy armor. Wearing this armor makes it difficult to even turn one's head. It is only used in the most difficult battles, when facing the most powerful enemies.

The Burial Warriors, mobilized in droves, and truckloads of heavy armor from the ice plains—the answer seemed self-evident. The man silently met Nora's gaze. These Burial Warriors were always too taciturn, as if becoming superhuman had buried themselves halfway into the earth.

In the end, he simply shook his head, offering no explanation, and said:
"Please take us to the expeditionary force's camp."

Why should I help you?

The man stared at Nora, then slowly reached behind his back. A clanging sound of metal striking metal rang out, and he found himself holding a flail.

"What, what are you going to do?!" Hunter raised his musket, trembling slightly, and pointed it at the man.

The man remained motionless, merely glancing at Hunter, who felt as if he were frozen in place, as if he were staring at a cold stone that had endured countless years.

“Ignatius, if you still have any honor as a patriarch, do not make things difficult for them. They are not members of the expeditionary force,” Nora said loudly.

Ignati did not answer. He suddenly swung his flail, and a cloud of smoke mixed with the scent of northern frost and snow drifted over.

Hunter was startled and instinctively tried to run away, but the smoke drifted too fast and arrived in front of him in an instant.

Nora jerked her head, broke free from Hunter's backpack, and leaped straight into the smoke.

She traced an arc in the air, but suddenly stopped the moment she touched the smoke.

No, to be precise, it wasn't a standstill, but rather a very slow descent. A moment later, the smoke that had enveloped her suddenly dissipated, and Nora gave Ignati a deep look before jumping back into Hunter's backpack.

"Lady Nora!?"

"Nora, are you alright!?"

Nora shook her head slightly and said in a low voice, "Take them to the resistance camp."

“Huh?” Hunter was stunned. After a while, he scratched his head and said, “Although I may not be in a position to say this, I don’t think betraying Castells is a good option.”

After he finished speaking, he raised his head, but Ignati looked over again, which startled him so much that he immediately stopped talking.

Grisha, standing to the side, replied without hesitation, "Yes, Lady Nora."

He immediately turned his horse around and galloped off to the side.

Ignati's gaze fell on his steel prosthetic leg, and his eyes flickered.

Hunter also followed Grisha somewhat reluctantly.

The people of the Silent Sanctuary followed at a distance. Hunter glanced behind them and whispered to Grisha, "Hey, you're just going to take them away like that?"

"That was Lady Nora's request."

"Is Lady Nora's request correct?"

“Lady Nora’s demands may not be right.” Grisha’s voice was devoid of emotion.

"But Lady Nora is more capable and knows more than I do. She may make mistakes, but her judgment is more trustworthy than mine. I will carry out all her orders."

Even if it would harm Castell?

“I believe in Lady Nora.” Hunter looked at Grisha and saw only his clear eyes.

(End of this chapter)