Lord: I can see loyalty.

After Heinrich and his party were settled into the tower rooms in the side wing of the Count's Castle, a simple yet solemn welcome banquet was held that evening.

There was none of the extravagance and lengthy speeches of a royal banquet; instead, the long table was laden with Southern specialties: roasted lamb, rye bread, stewed root vegetables, and locally brewed wine.

Vio raised his glass to express his gratitude to the four people who had come from afar, saying simply and practically: "Thank you all for coming to help. I wish our cooperation a smooth success."

During the banquet, the conversation quickly turned to the purification that took place during the day. Heinrich and Pastor Aria shared their experiences, noting that the golden patterns were closely related to the "Antigon" demon race mentioned in historical records.

Of course, Vio already knew this through the panel.

The Antigods are skilled in necromancy and are one of the smaller races among the demons.

The following morning, Vio sent a messenger to the village of Broadbridge.

The letter was delivered to the old mage Valentine. Vio didn't beat around the bush and directly told him everything about the Eclipse God and the Antigol Clan, as well as his plan to set off to deal with the Eclipse God.

What was written last was Vio's true purpose:

"...The Southern Territory needs more strength and more means to deal with unforeseen circumstances. Luca and Winnie are promising candidates. I implore you to come and guide them so that they too can contribute to this cause."

Half a day later, the old monk arrived as scheduled.

He didn't exchange many pleasantries. After seeing Karl, who had regained his senses but was still weak and frightened in the dungeon, and after hearing Heinrich recount the purification process, he remained silent, deep in thought.

"The Antigods..." he muttered, then turned to Vio, "Where are the two little ones? Lead the way."

The instruction began at a training ground outside the Earl's Castle.

Valentine's teaching methods were haphazard; sometimes he would use metaphors to describe the flow of magic, sometimes he would let them directly sense the faint magic in the air, and sometimes he would scold them: "Don't get distracted when I'm teaching."

Vio and Gina also participated in the magic lesson, but for Vio, who was the only one present without any magical talent, the lesson was almost irrelevant to him.

Gina, on the other hand, sat quietly in the corner, seemingly having had an epiphany.

Over the course of a few days, Luca and Winnie made remarkable progress. In addition to the few basic minor spells they already knew, they also learned many spells that Valentine was good at.

Vio had accepted his lack of talent in magic and instead focused his energy on preparing for the four distinguished guests from the capital.

Heinrich and Arya began systematically using holy light to inspect important personnel and water sources within the city of Bordeaux, while the magician and knight, along with Vio, were making plans for the impending battle.

The calm preparations lasted for several days.

Bordeaux operated normally under rare vigilance, and no second Karl emerged.

The time Vio and the four agreed upon to defeat the God of Eclipse was fast approaching.

Until the night before the operation, inside the Earl's Castle.

A panting vanguard rushed into the fortress as if his life depended on it, clutching an envelope tightly in his hand.

"My lord!"

"Calm down." Vio stepped forward and helped the other person who almost lost their balance.

Vanguard took a few deep breaths before speaking, "It's a letter from Duke!"

Upon hearing this, Vio's eyes widened as he took the letter and opened it.

The letter paper was rough, and the handwriting was distorted and jagged from haste.

"My Lord:"

"The seal on Stonehenge began to show abnormalities three days ago. The patterns on the stone pillars are decaying every day, at a rate far exceeding the sum of the previous decades."

"The giant scorpion deep within the desert is also becoming restless; a sandstorm has begun to gather. Just last night, the crystal containing the Devouring God's true form shattered slightly!"

Duke Aston Monroe.

The letter fluttered from Vio's hand. He looked up and gazed into the depths of the desert.

It seems that the Eclipse God has no intention of giving them a chance to rest tonight.

Vio immediately rang the emergency summons bell. Heinrich was the first to arrive, clad in armor, followed by Priestess Arya with her staff, and then the magician and the knight.

Jimmy, Ansque, and the others on patrol also rushed to the main hall.

"The situation has changed," Vio's voice echoed in the large main hall as he pushed Duke's letter onto the round table. "The seal on the Eclipse God is rapidly loosening. We can't wait until tomorrow; we must set off now."

The crowd's expressions were somber, and no one spoke.

Until Heinrich grasped the holy emblem on his chest and said in a deep voice, "May the Holy Light protect this journey."

Vio's gaze swept over every face, finally landing on Gina's face, who was looking back at him with no fear in her eyes, only unwavering determination.

"Then, prepare yourselves. Our destination is the depths of the desert," Vio said decisively. "This time, we have no other choice."

As night fell, the city of Bordeaux instantly entered its final pre-battle operation, with blacksmiths' furnaces burning all night and stables bustling with activity and neighing.

At the highest point of the Earl's Castle, Vio and Gina stood side by side, gazing into the distance.

As dawn approached, a strong wind carrying sand and gravel blew in from the depths of the desert, a prelude to the sandstorm.