"In fact, there are several key points in his battles that are very intriguing—" Raphael pointed in the air. "In the Sharptooth Forest, how did Emiya and the others defeat Korhal, who should have been the Archdruid? How did he destroy the Silver Shield Family and capture Zariel alive? Everyone, in these key battles, Emiya's most skilled creation ability was useless. And his regular teammates were actually of similar strength, and no one could help him reverse the gap in strength.

"Emiya isn't one to talk freely in front of others; he's even noticeably aloof. Yet, someone with this personality keeps appearing in public—everyone, he's not alone; he carries a special mission.

"He's a decoy. His purpose is to draw all the enemy's attention to himself. He will only be a powerful force in the mortal world. He is not the one who will truly decide the outcome of this war."

Only then did Mephistopheles say, "You mean to say that he is a puppet pushed to the stage by the goddess of magic, Mystrel?"

"Or rather, a shadow," Raphael said. "I think we should abandon our pursuit of Emilia and instead attempt to assassinate the real target, who seeks to ascend to godhood in the name of Mystril."

"I suppose you have a candidate?" said Mephistopheles.

"It's actually very simple." Raphael said simply, "Two members of Team Emia are highly suspicious."

Silver, and Metatron.

"And I think, considering all aspects, she's the most likely suspect." Raphael pointed at Metatron without hesitation. "Everyone, please think about this—on the surface, she's Emya's teacher, she's Mystril's attendant, she's the host of the Silver Flame, she's a powerful Servant of the Seraph... But there's something even more crucial about her."

“It is very likely that this so-called Metatron was present on the day Mystrel fell.

"If the Second Goddess of Magic could ascend to godhood simply by accepting a portion of Mystril's fragments, then shouldn't Metatron, Mystril's attendant, be carrying even more fragments? In this world, there shouldn't be a life closer to Mystril than Metatron!"

The demons fell into deep thought.

In fact, not all the demons present completely agreed with Raphael's opinion, but they would not speak out in opposition.

Because, the being that carries the fragments of the former gods and thus inherits the name of the old gods is the omniscient and unique being they support.

Raphael continued to ramble on, "That woman named Yin is certainly suspicious, but she showed up too late, and the timing was incredibly strange. If she were Mystril, there's no reason for her to join the team at this point. She should have either been by Emiya's side from the start, disguised as an ordinary teammate, or she shouldn't have shown up at all. Metatron, on the other hand, chose his student from the start, set him an incredibly bizarre principle for entering the world, and gradually pushed him to the forefront. If you ask me, the suspicion surrounding Metatron is so strong it's almost exploding."

However, he was greeted only by silence.

Raphael suggested a possibility, but lacked conclusive evidence.

At this moment, a Pit Fiend suddenly spoke up and asked, "Has anyone seen the former incarnation of Mystril?"

There was a brief silence, and then all the demons present looked at Mephistopheles at the same time.

Although the appearance of the incarnation of a god is not fixed, there are more or less some common features among the incarnations of the same god, reflecting certain characteristics of this god.

Faced with this question, Mephistopheles finally took the initiative and said, "Now, our deductions actually have two directions: First, we believe that the resurrection of Mystrel is a strict and airtight plan. It is progressing steadily and without any flaws. Everything is as planned. Then, the real Mystrel is Metatron."

"Second, we believe that Mystril's resurrection was a series of coincidences, that a series of young people, led by Emiya, relied on their own talent and recklessness to stumble to this day, slapping us in the face again and again. In this case, the real Mystril is likely to be Yin."

Mephistopheles did not give an answer, but said: "I cannot judge based on appearance. Unfortunately, I did have the honor of seeing Mystril incarnate. At that time, she was just a crystal formed by silver fire, with no human form at all. It is not enough to be reliable. We need to think carefully about who Mystril is."

At this point, Mephistopheles paused, then suddenly turned to a demon and said, "Platius, have you ever run a school? Do you have the confidence to be a good teacher? Do you have the confidence to make your school outperform ordinary schools in a fair competition?"

The Hell Demon who was named looked puzzled. He was about to express his loyalty when his eyes suddenly turned.

They might be clever, but the devil's system never emphasizes efficiency. A quiet environment suitable for research has nothing to do with the Nine Hells.

——To put it more bluntly, it is difficult for demons to conduct research like ordinary mages.

Platius immediately stood up and said, "My Lord, I believe that the true Mystrel is Metatron!"

What omniscience, what incarnation of the magic network - even if she really ascends to godhood, the Baatezu devil will not be able to benefit from it!

The Demonic Weave has never restricted demons from learning arcane arts, but the demonic environment makes it difficult for mages to appear in large numbers among them.

Even if she ascended to godhood, would the devil's environment change? Impossible. This was part of the Nine Hells. A group of creatures born from the Nine Hells were destined to live this life.

Therefore, any rewards they could get were essentially just military merits.

Unfortunately, in the current war, they haven't gained many souls, but the number of mortal allies around them is increasing - what's worse, among this group of people there are a large number of necromancers and the evil god church, which is originally a bad guy.

To ordinary devils, they are just a group of parasites that only take in and never give out. Apart from seizing resources, they cannot bring any benefits at all.

And next, they may have to grab the master's attention.

There is an even more crucial issue - Mephistopheles is already the highest position under the devil. However, there is still an insurmountable gap between Mephistopheles and the devil king.

Can't go up, can't come down.

In this situation, the best option for Mephistopheles is always...

The remaining devils were still seriously pondering the answer to this question, but the devils present were all outstanding among the devils. They quickly realized the true intention behind the question and stood up one after another, saying in unison: "We believe that the real Mystrel is Metatron!"

The most beneficial option is to maintain the status quo.

At the same time, pass the pot.

-----------------

"I believe the real Mystril is Silver," Mephistopheles said seriously, facing the back of the All-Knowing One. "Mystril was never known for her meticulousness, and it's hard to imagine such a change in her personality after her death. However, in my opinion, if Silver is Mystril, then the situation is much more serious."

"Oh?"

Mephistopheles said, "It's simple—if Silver is Mystril, then everything has only just begun since the Sharptooth Forest. It's only been a few months since she awakened, and she's already recovered enough to control the magic web across half the continent... The power of the First Goddess of Magic has exceeded my expectations."

"If it's Metatron, what are you going to do? If it's Silver, what are you going to do?"

"If it's the former, then it means she's been planning for thousands of years, but can only barely keep up with us. We still have a fighting chance," Mephistopheles said. "If it's the latter... my advice is to try to find a respectable way out and return to the Nine Hells. We have endless time and countless opportunities, and now, the position of the Goddess of Magic is not as within reach as it seems. If we want to kill her, it will inevitably cause chaos. Even if we do kill Mystril, we will have to drag the Nine Hells into a ruined state and spend an inestimable amount of time rebuilding Toril. Perhaps the gains will not outweigh the losses."

To put it more bluntly - Mephistopheles suggested that while the two sides are still in confrontation, they should give each other a decent ending.

The all-knowing and unique figure finally trembled.

He slowly turned around and said, "The Demonic Weave is one of the greatest forces in the multiverse. Its most valuable attribute is its true neutrality, taking no sides in any conflict. Because of this, it is pervasive and the perfect vehicle for the divine bodies. Countless gods covet the power of the Demonic Weave."

"As long as the Goddess of Magic is willing, even if she single-handedly establishes a completely new pantheon, her power and position will remain unshaken. This rich foundation is beyond the reach of so-called pantheon masters like Talos and Oghma. However, as long as she has not yet attained deity, even if she were the Weave itself, she would be unable to utilize the immense advantages it brings."

"I do not understand, Mephistopheles, why even you are so afraid, as if Toril, burned to a crisp by the Arcane Bane, is doomed to disaster for us." The All-Knowing One easily saw through Mephistopheles' true intentions. "Only a few days ago, we set foot on Cyre, and even the most notorious villains on this planet surrendered before us. It was truly a perfect timing. I can still remember that scene of vitality, of everything under control. In just a few days, Toril has changed so much and become our burial place!

"No matter what, Emya's flank consists of only a few states with a combined population of less than five million! Meanwhile, we've already conquered most of Faerun and have the Nine Hells at our backs. The difference in power between the two sides is more than a hundredfold!

"As long as I successfully complete the ascension to godhood, the advantage will be mine!"

The All-Knowing One gave Mephistopheles a cold look and said, "The foundation of war is confidence. If you lack confidence, then, Mephistopheles, you will go to Avernus to take over. Your legion will take charge of Avernus next."

“Tell Zariel and Bile that the Prime Material Plane will be their newest battlefield.

"Your will." Mephistopheles stood up decisively without any reluctance.

Therefore, they will choose a more fair way to win in order to gain the greatest benefits.

In other words, they will have to compete with Lunia's Emia in terms of financial and material resources.

Competing financially and materially with Emiya, who was literally printing money out of thin air!

Whoever wants to take over this mess can do so. Anyway, he will not fight a war that is bound to fail!

Seventieth Reunion

Emiya's group was not the first airship to arrive at Baldur's Gate.

Even so, when Halruaa's type of airship streaked across the sky like a meteor, drawing an arc in the blue sky, and finally stopped at the harbor of Baldur's Gate, the Baldurs who came to greet them still easily filled the entire port area.

The Flaming Fists struggled to maintain order and clear a path for the guests from Halrua—Emmia and her group would go directly to the former Silver Shield Mansion, now the Grand Duke's Residence in Apodel.

Of course, for reasons unknown to outsiders but well known to Emilia and the others, Apodale actually lived in the Grand Duke's residence in Violet. His ostensible Grand Duke's residence had in reality become his place of reception and office.

Emiya and the others got off the ship, and the passengers of more than ten airships once again caused the people of Bod to exclaim - although the paladins who came down from the ships in a line had slight differences in height, weight and size, their uniform crystal armor and the two-handed giant swords shining with dazzling brilliance were really eye-catching.

——A considerable number of Baldor people have noticed that these young paladins are using the same weapons as their Grand Duke.

Walking side by side with the paladins was another group of young men—they wore loose silver-blue robes, with faint traces of armor visible through the gaps in their robes. However, instead of carrying greatswords, they carried shields on their backs and maces at their waists.

They had one thing in common with the paladins: the silver star holy emblem on their chests was shaking slightly.

The last to disembark were mages and a group of dwarves. The mages also wore holy symbols that were somewhat unfamiliar to the Baldur people. But the dwarves were different—even if the Baldur people were turned to ash, they would recognize the Gond people's tool sets, which were quite arrogant among the priests and clanked as they walked.

"...There aren't any ambushes around here." Yin had just fully recovered and immediately returned to his original state of anxiety. "I was hoping to fight another round here."

Elastrid nodded in agreement.

"Please spare me." Leading the way was Grand Duke Violet herself. Her eyebrows twitched upon hearing these words. "If something goes wrong again in this situation, Karkoros will definitely be clamoring for more defenses every day—damn it, every time he comes to the Council of Four, he brings up the same topic. Don't give him any more arguments."

Then, after a moment of silence, she turned and said, “You’ve already done the most dangerous and difficult part—I’m not so incompetent that I can’t even let you celebrate safely.

At this point, she almost laughed out loud. "In order to ensure the safe arrival of Faerûn's heroes at Baldur's Gate, our Stone Lord Minsk has been practically turning Baldur's Gate upside down these days! Rest assured—until you meet the remaining two Grand Dukes, no one with ill intentions will be able to approach you."

Grand Duke Violet had the confidence to make such a public promise. Aside from the many screams and flowers that greeted the paladins, the journey from the port to the upper city was uneventful.

Halrua's envoys arrived safely at the Grand Duke's Palace in Apodel, and then the gate of the Grand Duke's Palace was officially closed to the public.

As the last ray of light was blocked outside by the gate, the atmosphere in the Grand Duke's residence suddenly became more lively.

The former Silver Shield Mansion had a strong atmosphere of the Gond people. After Apodel moved in, he not only did not make major repairs, but accepted all of it and even invited the Gond people to further decorate it to show his close connection with the Gond people.

But in fact, both sides knew very well that the people of Gond and Apodel did not actually have a very deep friendship. The real bond between the two sides was precisely the envoy who had just stepped into the Grand Duke's residence.

Emia of Lunya.

The Grand Duke's residence didn't have many servants, and today, they were all shapeshifters. This extremely luxurious team of servants led the guests to the banquet hall.

The banquet hall had already been decorated in a magnificent manner. The long banquet table was covered with a crimson velvet tablecloth embroidered with gold patterns, giving it a particularly solemn look. The tabletop was laden with exquisite silverware, each piece polished to a high shine, reflecting the light of the crystal chandelier. The chandelier hung from the high ceiling, its countless crystal prisms gleaming brilliantly in the light, like stars falling upon the earth.

At the center of the table stood rows of silver candlesticks, their candles already lit, their flames flickering gently, emitting a delicate fragrance. Fresh floral arrangements interspersed between the candlesticks: roses, lilies, irises, and other precious flowers interwoven into a vibrant display of color and fragrance. Each flower had been meticulously selected, a silent testament to the owner's taste and status.

What surprises most visitors the most is that the meals prepared here are generally in traditional Halua and Lantan styles, making them feel truly at home.

The moment Emilia and his party entered the banquet hall, they saw Gutenberg, the Grand Master of Gund and one of the current Grand Dukes, who greeted them with a humble attitude.

And Apodel Adrian was beside Gutenberg.

The moment he actually saw Emiya bringing Lantan and the Halua people here, Gutenberg couldn't help but turn his eyes away, unable to accept the reality: "God, it's only been a month...!"

And Apodale was relieved and murmured, "Our hero is back."

"Three Grand Dukes, we've been apart for over a month, and now we're reunited. I can proudly say this journey has been incredibly successful." Looking at her close friends, regardless of age, Emiya said earnestly, "Your Excellency Apodel, dozens of your former friends from Halruaa are still in good spirits, but they're all in high positions and powerful, so we can't leave them for now. However, the Church of Magic couldn't survive the catastrophe like the mages did during the eighty years. Now that the Church of Magic has been almost completely rebuilt, I can only bring along Halruaa's newest and most outstanding young people to visit them."

The relationship between Baldur's Gate and Halruaa was quite delicate at the moment—historically, the two realms had no connection other than trade. However, Apodel's special status within the Church of Magic completely made up for this.

Apodel Adrian can be said to be the last glory and jewel of the Magic Church of the previous generation. He visited Halrua several times during its heyday, and after becoming famous, he has always been the most powerful holy warrior in the Magic Church.

Now, this legendary paladin not only survived successfully, but also became the Grand Duke of Baldur's Gate, and the relationship between the two kingdoms suddenly deepened.

The relationship between the Gond Church and Halrua could even be said to be very bad.

Now, this situation has completely reversed.

Today, Emiya rarely wore the adamantine tools that represented the master craftsman - now, the adamantine tools were embedded in the shawl of the Halrua Mage King, even looking a little funny.

Naturally, Tita Kuipal, the Gundsmith of Lantan, was also one of the envoys.

She had been quite excited since entering Baldur's Gate, and this emotion reached its peak when she met Gutenberg.

She took a deep breath, carefully wiped her eyes, then bowed forward and said, "...Eighty years have passed, and we have finally met fellow comrades besides the Emia Master. I thank you, my Bode colleagues, for your sincere kindness. Without your requests, how could we have received the guidance of the Emia Master, and how could we have waited for the day when we could return home? We will always remember the enthusiasm of our Bode colleagues!"

"This is all due to the mercy of our Lord and the assistance of the Master Craftsman of Emia. I cannot take credit for it." Gutenberg reverently performed the rituals of the Gond religion before asking, "May I ask how Lantan is doing now?"

"...It's a pity." Only when talking about this topic, Tita's face was full of bitterness: "...The area of ​​the Lantan Islands was lost by one-third in the Arcane Disaster. Countless facilities and ruins have long been sunk in the ocean of Abel. After eighty years, they have drifted to various corners of another world.

"The former Gond Church... has become extremely dilapidated. I, a worthless priest, have become the highest-ranking priest.

"So, we have made a decision: we will continue the friendship we formed during the Battle of Abel, relocate to the vicinity of Halegaard, rebuild a new city in South Halrua, and join the people of Halrua in obeying the Master Craftsman's command."

"...and Halua's... friendship?" Gutenberg couldn't believe his ears. Lantan and Halua had once been practically incompatible. What had happened in between to allow the two families to not only reconcile, but become as close as family?

Even as the people of Gond were whispering, Apodel was basking in the adoring gazes of the new members of the Church of Mystrel.

——And Emiya herself received the same treatment.

If there is any difference, it is that they regard Apodel as a legendary great man, while Emilia is a living hero.

"Your Majesty, Emiya. Today alone, I have seen more Holy Avengers than I have in the entirety of my entire life."

Apodel's half-joking words made Emilia feel slightly uneasy. Giving the Holy Avenger as a gift at Candlekeep was probably a huge favor. But Emilia then used the Holy Avenger as an initiation gift and gave it to new paladins in large quantities...

The old paladin certainly wouldn't be angry, but the previous gift had somewhat changed its meaning.

But of course Apodel didn't mean that. He coughed, made a gesture, and pulled Emilia and Mars to the side.

Emiya understood and activated the mind connection.

[Emya, Mars, there is something very important that I must tell you both in person.]

【Speaking.】

Apodel was a seasoned paladin. Even though Emilia had experienced a tumultuous year, it was far from being a more bloody experience than Apodel.

Even the paladin had a complex expression at this moment, his mood visibly downcast: [First, Lord Kelemvor is no longer the god of death. He has been stripped of his position as a god of death, and now acts as a mortal in the mortal world.]

Emiya took a deep breath.

Who was that strange old man who came looking for Emilia? Emilia and her group already had some guesses.

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