Inside Franklin Hall, the imperial nobles and ministers kept silent, focusing their attention on the area in the center of the hall belonging to the three factions of the Resurrection Church.
Although the final presentations at this moment might influence the personal opinions of the voters to some extent, many nobles and ministers had no intention of casting their ballots based on their own judgment.
The nobles of the northern Snowfield Province all understood: once the voting began shortly, Mr. Luoqi McCarthy would take out his pocket square, fold it, and return it to his breast pocket. Whichever direction the Protos Royal Magic Academy crest on his pocket square pointed would indicate who he was voting for, and they would follow suit, voting for the very same bishop.
Down, up, and right represented south, north, and east, respectively—corresponding to the regions overseen over the past few months by the Bishop of Domination, the Bishop of Extinction, and the Bishop of Mourning.
Beside the hall's monarch seat, as Isis sat back down, the atmosphere settled into the hushed quiet of anticipation.
Sigrid, the Bishop of Domination, stood at her bishop's station with a resolute gaze.
Her direct retainer, Gloria, stepped onto the dais with firm strides, dressed in formal attire, ready to begin her presentation.
Direct retainers also counted as high clerics, merely holding a rank above the ordinary ones.
Gloria's gaze swept over the gathered assembly, preparing to share the changes the Domination branch had accomplished in the south of the Protos Empire over the past several months.
"Miss Gloria, please wait a moment."
A high cleric seated behind Askesan called a halt to the proceedings.
No one knew what the Extinction Branch was up to.
Just as Gloria was about to speak, an unexpected turn of events unfolded at this critical juncture. Sigrid also frowned slightly, turning her gaze toward the seating area of the Extinction Branch on the right side of the hall's center.
High Cleric Sander, seated behind the Bishop of Extinction, suddenly rose, his movements swift and decisive.
Sigrid remembered this high cleric.
Earlier, after she and the Holy Son had reported High Cleric Caius of the Knights of Extinction stationed in the imperial capital Herrom and demolished his stronghold, it was this northern special envoy and direct retainer named Sander who had taken over logistics in Herrom, processing the passes for the two of them to enter the northern blockade zone.
With Askesan's high clerics having been virtually wiped out, his direct retainers could be said to be his last remaining confidants.
"Lady Isis, on behalf of the Extinction Branch, I have an important matter to report."
Sander's voice cut through the presentation that was about to proceed normally. He looked toward Isis on the monarch's side of the hall, an urgent, resolute expression on his face.
"..."
Every eye in the hall snapped to Sander, and Gloria's expression darkened with anger.
She knew that Sigrid, the Bishop of Domination, was currently facing charges from the imperial military, and the officers tasked with arresting her were waiting right outside Franklin Hall. If she won today's bishop election, she might still have room to maneuver; but if Sigrid lost, she would inevitably be arrested by the Protos Empire. The winning bishop not only wouldn't help her, but would likely kick her while she was down, seizing the opportunity to crush the Bishop of Domination once and for all.
The Bishop of Extinction and the Bishop of Domination had always been mortal enemies. The Extinction Branch would never let such a golden opportunity slip by; given their unscrupulous, bottomless style, there was no underhanded trick they wouldn't pull today.
The nobles, parliamentarians, and other imperial dignitaries present began to whisper among themselves, sensing the mounting tension in the air.
While such conduct from an Extinction Branch high cleric could be considered quite rude, everyone present understood that one's own presentation might not hold that much sway, whereas exposing and dealing a blow to another branch could drastically alter the voting inclinations of the nobles and ministers shortly.
Isis lifted her head slightly, her gaze calm yet unfathomable, as if seeing straight into the heart of every person present.
She gave a slight nod, granting Sander tacit permission to speak.
This simple gesture immediately silenced the entire hall. The attention of the imperial elite converged on Sander, the direct retainer of the Extinction Branch, awaiting his announcement of this supposed "important matter."
"Lady Sigrid... you surely don't harbor the delusion that you can win today's vote, use your power to cover up your crimes, and walk away scot-free, do you?"
Sander took a deep breath, staring at Sigrid, the Bishop of Domination, on the left side of the hall's center.
"I am far more open and upright than you lot."
Sigrid stood motionless with her arms crossed, speaking coldly.
Even speaking with someone from the Extinction Branch sickened her.
"Heh, after slaughtering so many residents in the north, you still have the nerve to keep up your persona?"
Confronted by Sigrid's terse reply, Sander pointed at her, sharply demanding an answer without yielding an inch.
Now, not just the Domination branch, but the entire hall was engulfed in the sudden smell of gunpowder.
Sigrid raised her eyes, casting a sidelong glance at Sander, direct retainer to Askesan, the Bishop of Extinction.
Though Askesan merely wore a faint smile, maintaining an air of detached indifference, he was clearly delighted to watch his subordinate berate Sigrid.
Sigrid, however, refused to take the bait, refusing to lower herself to argue with a direct retainer over such matters.
She maintained an icy posture, her gaze making it clear to the Extinction Branch that she couldn't be bothered to reason with them—they weren't worthy of hearing it.
"..."
Great Sage Isis quietly rested her chin in her hand.
She had stated earlier that the three bishops could deliver their presentations in any form they pleased; this sort of argument naturally counted as one.
At the moment, things appeared to be at an impasse.
Sigrid had chosen to give the cold shoulder to the damaging topic Sander raised.
If nothing unexpected occurred, after this brief interlude, the proceedings would return to the Domination branch's normal presentation.
Yet direct retainer Sander retained a look of composure on his face.
It was as if the scandal he had just brought up was merely an opening courtesy, and the true secret Sigrid harbored was yet to come.
Sander bowed once more to Imperial Great Sage Isis, then turned his gaze toward Sigrid:
"Lady Sigrid, to our knowledge, you have suffered irreversible, grievous injuries, and your cultivation realm has permanently dropped from Tier 8. Yet throughout the past month while fleeing your crimes and lying low in the Protos Empire, you have consistently concealed your true condition! Such conduct is an outright deception of the Protos Empire! You have no right to continue standing here, for you have long since lost the qualification to be a formidable ally to the Protos Empire!"
The moment High Cleric Sander's accusation landed, the air in the parliamentary hall froze.
The entire hall fell into a momentary hush, followed by a rapid surge of clamor.
If the Extinction Branch's intelligence was true, and the Bishop of Domination had lost the supreme power she took pride in, then she fundamentally ceased to be the ally required by the Protos Empire's current situation!
Chapter 468