Does the mechanical girl dream of the Messiah?

"No matter what you want to say, these two are trustworthy." Galezo shook his head at Ella, seemingly unwilling to say more on the matter. "So, what kind of secret is it that requires avoiding others and choosing a place where it cannot be eavesdropped on to discuss it in this way? Moreover, you all seem to have determined that this secret is related to me. This is not something that a tourist would do. Conditions like these make me curious about what kind of bargaining chips I will be persuaded by."

Lunisia took the initiative to take over the topic: "I can't say it has anything to do with you."

Ella and Ashethelin tacitly stepped aside and continued to protect Lunicia.

"Oh? How is that?"

"It should be said that this matter is closely related to every Mulande person."

"That sounds very interesting," Leopold interjected, "but you don't seem to be from Murand, young lady."

According to Muirand's standards, Lunicia is just an adult now, so Leopold naturally treats Lunicia as a younger generation.

"Then please allow me to introduce myself first - I am Lunicia Agris, a paladin of Zelhar. My every move is witnessed by the Lord of Light and Thunder, the Lord of Wrath, the King of the Heavenly Palace, the Witness of Arbitration, and the Ever-Glory Zelti. My every word and deed is guaranteed by the gods. If I break my oath and violate the creed of honesty, I will lose everything as the price of betraying the expectations of the gods."

She displayed her holy emblem. In order to prevent possible accidents, Lunicia did not use a more obvious feature such as a holy weapon to identify herself. She only displayed the surging blessing for holy healing.

Paladins who live by dedication cannot go against their oaths, and no matter what oaths they have made, honesty is included. Lying is equivalent to breaking an oath, which is equivalent to betraying the gods. If such a mistake is made, the paladin will face only two outcomes. Either lose all power and atone for his sins as a mortal again until he gains the forgiveness of the gods, or he will fall on the spot and become an oath breaker who associates with the dead and bones and is the enemy of all living people.

Because of this, the words of the White Knights will always be trusted by the world.

"I, Galeazzo de Barbacro - Shahar - as the commander of the Murand City Guard, cannot guarantee you any promises or definite answers."

"Are you willing to listen?"

"Leopold."

Galeazzo did not answer immediately, but looked at Leopold first.

"Sigh... How many times do I have to tell you that I am a trainee prosecutor, but I am not on the same side as the church. Okay, to answer your question, she is definitely a paladin. Or can't you tell for yourself whether she is a paladin or not?"

"I've never seen a paladin before."

"You have lived in this religious country for twenty years and now you say you have never seen a paladin!"

Galeazzo decisively ignored Leopold's question and looked back at Lunicia.

"Well, of course, at least I can guarantee this. I will listen carefully to what you say next. What I can't guarantee is what judgment I will make and what actions I will take based on those judgments."

"That's no problem."

"then?"

"Miuland is in great trouble."

"If you were not a holy warrior, I would have driven you out as a charlatan." Galezo said without changing his expression, "There is no great temple of Shahar in Muirand, but there is no shortage of Shahar's followers here. The prophecy in this city does not say that 'we will be finished tomorrow'."

"I believe in twelve gods at the same time, and Zelti is the most respected among them. Therefore, I dare not say that I am particularly favored by Shahar. At the same time, I am not a prophet who is good at predicting fate. I admire their profound knowledge, and I think I will never be able to step into the same field as them." Lunixia said, "So, what I want to say is not a prophecy, a harbinger and a revelation of the future. What I want to say is what I know and what I have experienced personally. I can't lie, and I don't have the ability to lie. You can think that what I said is crazy nonsense, or you can think that I am a hallucination who has never been to Myland and knows almost nothing about Myland. I can't decide these."

"I can't decide on these either. I have to admit that your words do arouse some interest in me. Mylande is the miracle of Mu Continent, a fortress on the top of a mountain that has never fallen in the past and will never lose its luster in the future. I am looking forward to what you will say to shake my cognition and change the impression of this city in my mind."

"The solidity you mentioned only refers to the ability to resist external enemies, but it cannot prevent internal collapse."

Leopold interjected, "Be careful what you say, Miss Paladin. If you were not a paladin, you would have been arrested for defaming Parliament, but even if you were a paladin, you could not completely eliminate the risk."

"Then you will definitely be arrested before her, Captain." Galezo returned his gaze to Lunicia's face. "You mean, there are some possibilities in the parliament that may endanger Myuland's safety?"

Lunisia answered truthfully: "I can't judge this question. I am from Zerhal, not Myuland. I know nothing about Myuland's politics. I only know common sense that children can easily come up with. Can you answer me a question? In your impression, in the intelligence you have learned, in the information you know, are there any unusual changes that indicate that Myuland will have changes?"

"Before answering this question, I must ask you to tell me based on your integrity as a paladin, whether you are asking this question out of the need to pry into the secrets of Muirand, and whether you are engaged in espionage activities in Muirand, and therefore want to get some information from me that is not normally available?"

Leopold spoke up again: "Who would let a paladin be a spy?"

Regia continued, "Theoretically, no. Unless his thinking pattern is the same as Mr. Galeazzo's, but the possibility of this is really low."

Galeazzo decisively ignored their exchange.

"If that's all you're asking, then I can assure you that, yes, I already have the answer in my mind. All I need is your affirmation of the question."

"You are right, Miss Lunitia."

As if he had expected this answer—it was impossible that he hadn't expected it—Galazzo nodded and said, "I do have some news. Not long ago, the unusual movements reported in the North were no secret to us veterans. And recently, or to be more precise, today, the Julio Report has described the unusual movements accurately enough. I can't explain the details, but what you said did make me think of this matter."

This caused Lunicia to exchange glances with her fellow travelers - they had no idea such a thing existed before.

Chapter 56 Day 1: Club Fanatic

"Ah, this is indeed something we don't know..."

"It seems I let something slip." Galezo thought about it and felt that it was not a very important matter. After all, it sounded like he had said nothing. So he continued, "Since you are not talking about this matter, then do you have any other news that I don't know? This sounds incredible. It is already the most confidential thing I can think of."

Lunicia said, "Perhaps not. Some things are confidential to me. Just like, if you ask me about some things in Zerhal, I can answer you fluently. These things may be unknown secrets to you, but to me, they may just be trivial things that I come into contact with every day. These trivial things may also indicate some greater secrets, which I cannot know myself. Just like what I am about to say, it is a kind of confidential to me, but it may be different for you and your officer friends."

“It’s an interesting theory.”

"Do you know much about the four major families?"

Galezo looked at Leopold and Regia in surprise. They could see the surprise in each other's eyes. None of the three of them had expected that the topic would be related to the four major families. Almost without hesitation, Galezo answered, "Your question is superfluous, Miss Paladin. Who living in Muirand doesn't know the reputation of the Stuart, Stoke, Howard, and Byron families? Even if they show concessions to power, no one will trust them so quickly." Galezo chuckled, "What happens in the city is often regarded as a sign of what they are going to do, and the topics of the Grand Council are often questioned as the product of their instructions. They are like the shadow emperor of Muirand - oh, yes, an emperor in a republic, but this emperor suffers from schizophrenia."

"Well, now you should not only worry about being arrested by the authorities, but also be careful about being assassinated by assassins when you sleep at night."

Galeazzo shrugged it off: "You've said nearly five times as many weird things as I have, and you've had five times as many assassins knock on your bedroom door as I have."

"You are slandering me, Lord Galeazzo." Regia couldn't help laughing. "Leopold has never said anything like 'the four major families are like this and that'. He usually says 'these people you all know are like this and that', so he won't be found by assassins, but you may be."

Galeazzo was speechless.

"Well, anyway... the four major families might have been doing something recently. Even if we three travelers don't need to tell you about this, you, as a local of Muirand, and the other two, probably have heard about it."

Galeazzo, Regia, and Leopold remained silent on this, so Lunicia continued, "A grand celebration will be held at Ipatto Civic Square on the fourth day. This celebration is not only funded by the four major families, but is actually a decision made by the entire Muirand government. This is not important. Have you heard of the rumors about possible accidents at the celebration? Have you ever thought about the origins of those rumors and their purpose?"

As she spoke, Lunicia was sorting out what had happened during this period in her mind. The clues were connected and pieced together, like a puzzle that was constantly being put together.

Galeazzo was thinking and did not answer immediately. Regia took over the topic and said, "I have roughly investigated this matter, but I have not found a credible source. The four major families have many enemies, but if we want to target them in this matter, it is better to start directly from the budget, lack of preparation and security levels instead of nonsense like 'accidents may happen'. What do you think, Leopold?"

Leopold replied, "It was done by the four great families."

His straightforward and decisive answer, with almost no hesitation, not only surprised Lunicia and her group, but also shocked Galeazzo and Regia. They all turned their heads to look at Leopold, waiting for him to continue.

"I can't say more about where the information came from - at least for now, I can't say more - the information I have been able to obtain and I will be honest with you is this: the rumor that 'an accident will occur during the celebration' was spread by the four major families through the Merchants Guild, and it was also them who guided the citizens to stockpile supplies."

Lunicia muttered quietly: "I see... As expected..."

So that's it, Lunicia thought. As the hosts of the ceremony, the four major families also knew that there might be some problems with the ceremony, but they underestimated the severity of the problem, so they spread rumors and let the citizens prepare in advance to deal with the unrest after the ceremony. This speculation already existed, and Leopold's words turned it into a reality that could be confirmed.

"what?"

"No, nothing." Lunicia continued, "I just figured out some things. As I told you before, what I'm describing here is not a prophecy or a sign, but something I've personally experienced. So I can tell you the general development of the whole thing, but I'm confused about some of the details." Lunicia paused for a moment, "This news came from the four major families. Whether it's the grand celebration with strange timing, or the rumors that distract from the view, their real purpose is to cover up what will happen on the third night."

What would happen on the third night - such precise words made Leopold and Galeazzo concentrate their attention, and even Regia sat up straight, waiting for Lunicia's next words.

"On the third night, the four major families will hold a ceremony at the altar under the Alexandria Cathedral."

"……that's all?"

Hearing this answer, all three of them couldn't help but look puzzled, even disappointed. In their ears, this really didn't sound like something worth mentioning, some kind of secret ritual, perhaps used to strengthen their own power, get some unknown cards, and enhance cooperation with the church - these possibilities are not impossible, and no matter which one is thrown to the Grand Council, it will cause an uproar, but that's all.

This reaction was not beyond Lunisia's expectations, but such a vague and brief explanation made it difficult for people to make any other associations. Only those who knew what would happen, Lunisia, Ella, and Ashlee, became more serious after saying this result.

"Wait, that's not right. What did you just say? Miss Lunicia, ceremony?"

As if he suddenly thought of something, Galezo tensed up and repeated the question in a slightly impatient tone.

"ceremony."

"At this time? In the Cathedral of Alexandria? To hold a ceremony with so many troops?" The more he asked, the more rapid Galeazzo de Barbacro's breathing became. "No, no, wait, what's the price? What is the effect of the ceremony, and what is the price?"

After a moment of silence, Lunicia replied: "The effect is... maybe it summons the incarnation of the righteous gods to come, or maybe it calls on the dark kings. I don't understand it myself, so I can't give an accurate answer. But the price is very clear."

She looked into Galeazzo's eyes, her face serious.

“…Hey, no way…”

"The price is the destruction of Myland."

"They really dare to use that?!"

Gallezio roared and slammed the table, almost losing the strength in his hands, smashing the solid desk into pieces. He seemed to have figured something out, ignoring the surprised looks of Leopold and Regia. After suddenly venting his anger, he sat down on the office chair with a sullen look on his face, as if he had been seriously offended. It was the first time for both Regia and Leopold to see him show such an expression, not only now, but the anger and anxiety that he had never had in Hill 301 seemed to appear more and more frequently recently.

Unable to get answers from Galezo, the two could only turn their inquiring eyes to Lunicia, waiting for her to answer their doubts.

"The effects and results of the ritual are unclear, but three things are known. The first is the price. The destruction of Myuland... or even a greater price."

"That sounds a bit like bluffing." Leopold was a little uneasy about Galezo's change, but he still tried to calmly analyze Lunicia's words. "The destruction of Myuland seems like nonsense to us Myuland people. We also know that a crisis is approaching Myuland, but even so, we have never imagined what the destruction of this city would look like. Can you imagine what the destruction of Zelhar would look like? The reasoning is the same. If you just use this kind of rhetoric, you may be able to convince Lieutenant Galezo, but you can't convince me and Regia."

"I know." Lunicia nodded. "I understand. The second is the participants of the ceremony. You should be more familiar with them than I and my companions. They are Pietro Stuart, Dominic de Howard, Ludovit Byron, Lineiro de Stoke... and Sandria Dorenzo Priode."

As each of the five names was announced, Leopold's face became uglier, until the name "Sandria Dorenzo Priod" appeared, his face had almost turned pale from normal, so that he could only mutter in a voice that no one could hear: "Garrison Marshal? Why..."

No one questioned Lunicia's list, not only because of Lunicia's identity as a holy knight, but also because of the connection between these names: for someone who really didn't know much about Muirand, let alone Muirand's political circles, if he wanted to compile a list, he would be more inclined to list the heads of the four major families on it. Therefore, it would not be Pietro Stuart but Vitaly Stuart. How could an outsider be so keenly aware of those tiny details in the Stuart family's style of doing things?

"The third thing is the offerings for the ceremony."

This did not surprise the three of them too much. The ceremony was often accompanied by the process of offering sacrifices in exchange for what the ceremony host needed. However, they had no time to ask or explore what the sacrifice was. They could only wait for Lunicia to announce it herself.

"…The sacrifice is the life of Colette Xi Caroline."

"Bastard thing!"

"Miss Colette?!"

To Lunicia's surprise, both Leopold and Regia showed a violent reaction far beyond her expectation: the pressure of being powerful professionals was released directly from Leopold and Regia, making the equipment in the whole room creak and the walls seem to shake. Leopold tensed his body and Regia even jumped up from the sofa. One had a gloomy face as if black water was about to flow out, and the other gritted her teeth, looking as if she could not help but rush out to settle accounts with the four major families.

This was only natural. Even Ashlee and Ella, who had collected a lot of intelligence, probably didn't expect Leopold to be a die-hard fan who would sneak out of the barracks to attend Colette's performances, and they didn't expect Regia's enthusiasm to be no less than Leopold's. She even threw a bouquet of diamonds onto the stage where Colette stood. Now that Leopold and Regia's anger had been aroused, Galeazzo, who had just vented his anger once, seemed the calmest. However, his trembling hands betrayed his true thoughts.

Obviously, they had figured out some things with Lunicia's words. Their judgments were not so much based on Lunicia's answers as on the clues they used to piece together the information puzzles that already existed in their minds. For example, Galeazzo figured out what kind of ceremony the four major families were going to hold and what they were going to do with the ceremony. For example, Regia and Leopold figured out why the Muirand Theater made such an abnormal performance arrangement and why Colette occasionally showed a puzzling expression when she appeared.

Silence enveloped the entire office. Compared to before, whether it was Galezo, Leopold or Regia, they all restrained their emotions again. They did not question the source of Lunixia's news, simply because they also knew that it was meaningless. It didn't matter where the news came from, only the content of the news was important. They were thinking, and as their thinking progressed, they chose to trust Lunixia's words.

At least there is a certain degree of trust. Even if they are not sure about the part, they have their own ways to verify it.

"The ceremony...is held on the third day, right?"

Galezo's tone and wording changed involuntarily, and the joints on his hands turned white and made strange noises from being pinched by himself.

"Yes, that's right." Ella handed the kettle to Lunicia and took over the topic. "It seems that you already know the details of the ceremony? Then can you..."

"You guys want to get involved?"

Before Ella could come up with her idea, Galezo interrupted her. He knew what the three people in front of him were concerned about and what they wanted to know. It was nothing more than the specific information about the ritual he had, its effects, its consequences, and what the four major families could do with it. That was why he would not give an answer easily.

He needed a little time to confirm what Lunicia said, even though he was basically convinced that what she said was true.

His question bypassed Ashtherin and Ella and went straight to Lunicia who was drinking water to moisten her throat, causing her to put down the kettle in her hand.

"Yes, we can't just watch and do nothing."

Lunicia's answer was equally simple and straightforward.

Galezo, Leopold and Regia were all strong, and the Young Officers Club definitely had more than just the three of them. Plus, Galezo could mobilize the city guards, whose combat effectiveness was higher than that of Lunisia and her group. If they were responsible for the main attack, it would be easier than Lunisia and her group "last time." But this was not a reason for Lunisia to sit back and watch. In Twick City, under the Wall of Erumu, she could also choose to wait for the half-destroyed Archlich and the Principality of Mariai to lose both, and then she could easily deal with them, but she finally chose to raise the greatsword in her hand.

Neither Galeazzo nor his colleagues gave a direct comment or answer to her choice. They just looked at each other, Leopold nodded, Regia confirmed, and finally Galeazzo said: "Come to the training ground."

This time it was Lunicia's turn to be confused: "Training ground?"

"The reason is simple." Galezo stood up from his chair, walked around the desk, walked around Lunicia, and walked to the door of the office. "I believe everything you said. No matter what the reason is, the result is like this. This does not mean that I can also believe that you have the ability... and reason to intervene in this matter."

“…What should I do?”

Lunicia seemed to have vaguely understood.

"Convince me with your sword."

Galeazzo has regained his composure.

"Beat me, and then you can do whatever you want."

Chapter 57 Day 1: Duel

The arena, the arena, or the training ground, this open space near the city guard office building has many names. Galezo is used to calling it the training ground, because he often trains his soldiers here. There is a plastic track, a grass field, a shooting training ground, a physical training ground, and a training equipment warehouse. The area here is not large, but the equipment is complete. The equipment also makes Lunicia full of nostalgia.

Leopold and Regia did not follow Galezo. They returned to the front line and continued to set up the defense. They just agreed to meet them after the matter was over. On Lunicia's side, Ella still stayed with her. She said that she wanted to keep an eye on Lunicia at all times in case anything unexpected happened. As for Asheselyn, she had no interest in the private fight between Lunicia and Galezo, and continued to go back to the Stone Cellar Library to look for information.

The north wind still showed no sign of stopping. The winter wind blowing from the end of the north was cold and biting. Every time winter came, no one knew how many people would die from the wind, snow and cold. Even in the countries behind the defense line, in Muland surrounded by the barrier, the cold wind still made people's faces sting and they couldn't stop frowning.

Lunicia, Ella, or Galezo, as well as other professionals who graduated from the adventurer course, are the exceptions who stand firm in this cold wind. This level of wind is not much different from the warm spring breeze to them. The wind is just wind.

I don't know when it started snowing.

Everything that fell from the thick, lingering gray clouds, whether rain or snow, was dirty and poisonous, but the rain looked extremely turbid, while the snow still retained its original color - or perhaps it should not be called a color, it was just empty white, making it difficult to tell whether it was snowflakes, or the ashes left behind by something that was burned.

This training ground, which can accommodate a thousand people, is now empty. There are only three people who look so lonely in the center of the grassland.

"Do you want me to change to a more common weapon?"