A gentle breeze brought the tidings of spring, as if telling the world—
We have finally found one another. All living things shall be renewed, and the wind will forever caress this land.
The next second.
The entire parliament hall witnessed a barrier woven of flowing air envelop the seating galleries.
It was merely a Tier 7 wind spell of purple rarity: Wind of Holy Protection.
Yet the soul-striking radiance shimmering across the barrier's surface embodied the primeval power that had shaped all creation; upon it played the glorious sheen of a divine Original Slate!
At that moment, the stagnant clouds hovering above the Parliament Building began to drift. Shifting with the wind, they reshaped the heavens. Piercing through the overcast was the distinct aura of the wind as it gently swept across heaven and earth, dispersing the haze!
Along Herrom's skyline, brilliant sunlight finally broke through the clouds and mist, bathing the top floor of the Parliament Building in dazzling light.
Inside the hall, faces flushed with disbelief and soaring excitement. Nobles turned to one another, eyes darting in search of the figure who had cast the spell.
Though no one could pinpoint where the caster concealed himself among the seats, hiding his identity after a heroic deed, everyone knew there was only one person alive capable of casting such magic—
The Church of the Goddess of Fate's High Priest, Loren Crantel!
"High Priest Loren, thank you!!"
As if pouring out every emotion bottled inside their chests, the imperial dignitaries across the galleries let out triumphant roars!
"..."
Morotian's spell abruptly ground to a halt. His lips trembled, and his smug smile vanished in an instant, replaced by deathly pallor. The raw panic in his constricted pupils flared like a dark lance, sheer terror battering his mind.
He could not fathom why High Priest Loren was here, let alone how the man had slipped into the Parliament Building at the very pinnacle of the Protos Empire, deceiving every single person present!!
Nor was the shock confined to the top floor.
Across the imperial capital of Herrom, the hearts of every citizen had been tethered to the deadly crisis in the parliament hall.
Giant screens mounted between towering buildings broadcast the scene live.
The moment High Priest Loren's magic manifested on screen, the entire city seemed to catch fire.
Jaws dropped, and boundless excitement swept through the crowds. Roars of cheer and wild shouts erupted through the streets, hailing Loren's name in overwhelming gratitude for his timely intervention.
"Loren—!"
In that single breath, all of Herrom erupted!
Loren's name echoed in every corner of the capital, elevating him to the supreme savior—most benevolent, most righteous, highest, and mightiest!
Across the sea, far away in the Kingdom of Asethelan.
Inside the temple of the Church of the Goddess of Fate in the royal capital of Gedaria, the Ice Snow Witch stared at the screen, mouth agape, her throat trembling so violently that she could not speak for a long while.
"Holy fucking shit!"
She could not hold back the scream.
Inside Franklin Hall of the Protos Empire's parliament, where the eyes of the entire Northern Continent were fixed.
Loren's sudden intervention at this critical juncture had undoubtedly reignited a surging blaze of hope within everyone present!
His message was unmistakable.
The Church of the Goddess of Fate was intervening. Great Sage Isis and Bishop of Domination Sigrid needed only to focus their full might on dealing with Duke Morotian!
In Lanqi's shadow, Boss Cat was practically in tears.
It felt terribly guilty toward High Priest Loren.
Yet to save the Protos Empire, it had no choice but to help Lanqi impersonate Loren once again to cast wind magic!
At the most terrible yet brilliant moment—
On a morning of which Loren himself remained blissfully unaware, he would become the one who set the story in motion on the Northern Continent!
On the other side, the composure and haughtiness that had previously graced Morotian's face were now utterly eclipsed by panic. His deep, sea-like eyes churned with turmoil; his calm, near-omnipotent aura had crumbled the very second Loren intervened.
High Priest Loren was the last person who could—or should—ever have been here.
And for that exact reason, he was the deadliest of all!
Who could have foreseen such a joke played by the Goddess of Fate?!
Remaining here would lead to only one outcome: capture.
Making the optimal decision in a heartbeat, Morotian burst through the floor-to-ceiling windows at breakneck speed, rocketing toward the distant horizon from the summit of the Parliament Building into Herrom's sky.
What terrified him was not merely Loren's combat prowess, but the sheer logic behind Loren's presence here!
Even if he died on the run, he could not allow himself to be pinned down by the combined might of Isis, Sigrid, and Loren!
In a flash, Sigrid and Isis shot through the top floor of the Parliament Building, pursuing Duke Morotian across the heights of Herrom's airspace.
In the center of Franklin Hall, having received Lanqi's confirming glance, Pranay and Sinora joined the pursuit as well.
They would consider resorting to their innate magic if necessary; even if Isis saw through their true identities, Duke Morotian could not be allowed to escape today.
Future threats had to be eliminated at all costs!
Today, there was no chance Duke Morotian would leave alive.
"A hit-and-run? Completely unjustified."
Lanqi remained leaning comfortably in his seat, watching the brilliant flashes of light and violent shockwaves erupting across the distant sky.
Within the parliament hall, now safe in an instant, everyone finally let out the breath they had been holding.
Cries of victory, survival, and rekindled hope rang out.
A crisis that had seemed beyond resolution was quelled at last, and hearts swelled with unbridled joy.
The imperial military immediately began conducting an orderly evacuation of the dignitaries.
Today's bishop election no longer required further proceedings to reach a conclusion.
With one candidate dropping out after another, only the Bishop of Domination remained.
Even if the other two returned, everyone knew the outcome would still be a decisive victory for the Bishop of Domination.
Her stance—standing united with Great Sage Isis to protect the Protos Empire—had already earned the imperial populace's approval.
It heralded the dawn of a new era for the empire.
Under the orderly evacuation, all the dignitaries were safely ushered out within minutes.
Inside the now-empty parliament hall, the dimming twilight of a concluding tale settled in.
Lanqi let the others leave ahead of him and lingered until the end, with only Antanas remaining by his side.
"Ah, journeys are always full of surprises."
As the last person to depart Franklin Hall, Lanqi glanced back unhurriedly at the landmark that had never been part of his initial academic itinerary.
Every glance might very well be his last.
Yet it had been enough.
With a faint, relaxed smile, he slipped his hands into his coat pockets and walked away.
The long-absent spring sunlight streamed through the high windows of the parliament hall, bathing the grand space in golden light and lending the moment a touch of the solemnity and sanctity of the wartime century past.
Here, the future of the Protos Empire felt as though it had been rewritten anew, brimming with boundless hope and infinite possibility.
Chapter 482