My dear witch, please turn evil according to the script!

Chapter 413 Landmines Under the Bed
Roland had no idea what Danso was thinking at that moment.

He just felt that the way this guy was smiling while holding the teacup was a bit pretentious and made him feel a little annoyed.

If it weren't for the fact that I really had something important to discuss with him alone, I would have liked to leave with the princess.

At that moment, Iluvia said to him, "I'll try to think of a way to talk to Father."

"If it's just a legion, the Empire should still be able to spare some troops."

Roland shook his head: "I was just going along with her words. If it's just to maintain order, there's no need for the Imperial Army to be mobilized."

"...The world is about to change, and the actions of the evil god and his mad followers will begin to become more intense."

"Although it was just an intuition, I could definitely feel a sense of tension in the dark."

"At this time, I can feel more at ease with an extra legion of troops within the empire."

"Now that I have received the title, I must be responsible for the responsibilities that come with it, not to mention that this is still within my power."

"Moreover, maintaining an elite legion equipped with a large number of magical equipment, large vehicles, cannons and various other equipment is not cheap."

“Platysia is not like the Empire. Even if they can afford to pay, where will the money come from?”

As Roland spoke, he looked at Danso, who was also smiling at him.

"Compared to the sudden increase in exorbitant taxes and levies, I think donating blood is more appropriate."

"Don't forget, all she wants is a force that can guarantee the safety of the Kingdom of Platia."

"It didn't say it had to be human power."

Iluvia: “…”

Iluvia's gaze towards Roland became complicated. After a long while, she slowly said, "You've been corrupted, Roland."

“I learned it from you.” Roland turned his head and glanced at Iluvia, chuckling softly.

"I never taught you any of this! It's obvious the Demon King corrupted you!" Iluvia pouted.

Despite her complaints, she was also a little unaccustomed to the sudden absence of a familiar source of noise.

Didn't she come back with you?

Roland laughed: "She needs to stay in Enva, after all, she has returned to being the Demon Queen, instead of just a title."

"After I finish some things here, I need to go back to Enwa."

"Before the Vatican gets in my way."

Iluvia glanced at Roland and then at Danso, then sighed, "Alright, I'll go and report your thoughts and the news of the Underworld's closure to Father."

"As for news from the Vatican, I will have Mr. Cafas and the Hatters keep a close eye on it, or you can ask the person in question directly."

As she spoke, Iluvia glanced in the direction of the Emotional Master Suren.

Although she played a crucial role in advancing the relationship between Iluvia and Roland.

But one thing at a time, and you can't side with someone else.

The other person's expression, in particular, seemed to be waiting for Roland to come over and ask.

After saying that, Iluvia pushed open the door and left, telling Yoroan to return to the First Legion's camp early that night.

She arranged a large room for Roland in a luxury hotel next to the camp.

That was where the garrison officers lived.

The entire hotel was bought by the military's financial power. Of course, this was also due to the chaotic situation. The original owner essentially sold it off for free, partly as a favor.

Because after selling the inn, he left Heria with Elson's help and went to the Empire.

It is said that this boss, who has lived in the North for most of his life, plans to go south to see the sea and experience the rare warmth.

All Roland could do was wish him well.

Summers in the southern part of the empire are exceptionally hot.

And since no furniture similar to air conditioning has been invented yet, he's in for a tough time.

After Iluvia left, only the three parties remained at the scene.

Roland, along with Cellina and Polycia, who were still standing behind him, armed and acting as his guards on either side.

Suren stood leaning against the windowsill, while the three great demons drank tea.

They seem to really enjoy drinking tea.

From the start of the talks until now, he has never put down his teacup, and he keeps picking up the teapot to refill the cup.

The two Blood Demons were alright, they just drank tea.

The young lich, on the other hand, sipped tea and ate snacks as if he were having a proper meal.

Roland sighed softly.

Did spending too much time with those two respectable people from the Gargoyle King's Court lead to unnecessary and erroneous perceptions of the demon race?
I always felt that the demon race secretly possessed some comedic talent.

Is it because the living environment is harsh that we need to be more optimistic?
Otherwise, there's no way to explain the...amusing quality these guys occasionally display.

Or is it because blood demons and liches look more like humans that they have been influenced by some abstract human elements?

Gargoyles are more serious because they only have humanoid shapes and don't look like humans at all.
That seemed to make some sense… and the patriarch of the carrion-eaters didn’t look human at all. Before his strange speculations could run too far, Roland stopped his daydreaming and turned to Suren, asking, “So, Miss Suren, could you tell me what exactly happened in the Papal City?”

"As Cardinal Clark's student, even if you don't know the whole story, shouldn't you have some guesses?"

“No problem.” Suren nodded, but her expression was somewhat unhappy: “But Roland, we should be friends, right? There’s no need to use titles like ‘Miss,’ ‘Madam,’ or ‘Your Excellency’ when you address me.”

After carefully correcting Roland's mistake in addressing him, Suren coughed lightly and then began to explain.

"Actually, I don't know much."

"Although the Vatican has been withdrawing regional archbishops and cardinals from various places for more than half a year, and even recalling several saints who were traveling abroad."

"However, the Papal City was completely sealed off at the end of December 1029."

"That's right, it was around the time the Empire notified the Holy See about the Iris."

"I left the Papal City before it was completely sealed off, taking a team of Grand Inquisitors to Riskan."

"Although the atmosphere in the Papacy City was already very tense before I left, the daily life order was not affected much."

"Then I returned to the Papal City after returning from the sea."

"If you calculate the time, Roland, you should have been dealing with the cataclysm in Isfar at that time."

"After all, we weren't even allowed to enter the Papal City back then."

"If it weren't for the teacher's help, I wouldn't even have been able to put away my grandfather's belongings."

"And then strange things started to happen."

Suren began to recall, then his expression turned serious: "I can't explain exactly what happened... but everyone in the city had a somewhat... subtle happiness on their face."

"It's not that people can't be happy, but that kind of smile seems a bit creepy to me."

"With the teacher's help, I left after placing the sword left by my grandfather in the sanctuary."

"Then the teacher was summoned by His Holiness the Pope, and the meeting lasted for ten minutes. During this time, I saw Saint George also enter the papal chamber and did not come out until the teacher came out."

"After that, it's the timeline of my teacher and I coming to Isfar together. I don't need to explain what happens after that, right?"

The lich Ross, who was also listening to Suren's account, analyzed afterward: "Clearly, when you left, the situation in the Papal City was still largely under control."

"If I remember correctly, the Papacy's reinforcements arrived after receiving a message from Lord Roland, right?"

"In other words, the Papal City still has the conditions for external communication."

Roland asked, puzzled, "Isn't communication always possible?"

“No, Lord Roland. Yesterday, the city of the Holy See suddenly fell silent, and even Cardinal Clark was unable to contact anyone within the city using communication magic,” Ross explained.

Suren nodded in agreement: "That's right. The Papal City, which had no problems with external communications before, completely lost all means of communication last night."

"Without any warning or any unexpected event."

"Even the towns surrounding the Papacy City did not notice anything unusual. Communication was smooth, and the holy light emanating from the Papacy's Sky Temple could still be seen."

"But we just can't get in touch with them."

"Neither communication magic nor the communication devices distributed by the clergy of the Holy See can be used to contact anyone in the Holy See City."

“This sounds familiar,” Roland murmured. “These symptoms are so similar to Enva’s.”

Danso nodded: "It does sound very similar to Enva's situation, but at least within Enva's territory, messages can still be transmitted via communicator."

"It hasn't deteriorated to that point yet."

"Enva's condition is due to the disruption of the magical environment caused by the invasion of the power of an extraterrestrial enemy."

"The only thing that can produce the same effect and keep the Vatican busy is something of the same level."

"Moreover... this situation reminds me of something that happened hundreds of years ago."

When Danso spoke, all eyes turned to him.

Although among all the kings of the royal court, he was only stronger than the Flame Demon King Surt, a young man.

But this is relative.

"The Thousand-Year War, which is what you humans call the Demon King War."

"At that time, the human and demon races launched many attacks against the Amnesty Council."

"But the Amnesty Society wasn't the only cultist or madman targeted at the time."

"The other three forces don't need to be wiped out by both sides."

"Among them is the Ash Cult, which worships the Lord of Ash."

"It was wiped out by four saints and countless Papal troops dispatched by the Vatican."

"Although a few people still occasionally pop up claiming to be from the Ash Order, the Royal Court Army captured a few when they entered the Federation of Nations."

"But what I want to talk about is not the current state of the Ash Order."

"Instead, after the Holy See wiped out the main force of the Ash Cult, the Holy See moved the location of the Holy See City to the original stronghold of the Ash Cult."

(End of this chapter)