What to do?

Laine felt sweat soaking through his clothes and forehead. At such a critical time, encountering something like this?!

He's not some Death God elementary school kid with a butterfly voice changer. Besides, Archbishop Vicma's voice is always very distinctive, and a Cardinal, who ranks just below the Archbishop as a regional bishop, how could he not recognize whose voice this is?!

Tygris was already preparing the Great Curse Technique, the Supreme Grandmaster was ready for battle.

At the crucial moment, just as the Cardinal was about to place his hand on the carriage door handle, Archbishop Vicma suddenly snored. The snore was low and muffled, sounding like a dissatisfied grunt.

This sound stopped the Cardinal, who had been about to reach for the door, dead in his tracks. It was indeed the voice of the Archbishop, and the Cardinal's expression changed back and forth before he quickly retreated: "I'm sorry, that was presumptuous of me."

The situation was temporarily stabilized, and Laine let out a sigh of relief, quickly wiping his forehead. His sleeves were drenched in sweat.

However, the crisis was not over yet.

"Your Grace Archbishop? If there's nothing else, please issue your decree. We can't delay this matter any longer." The Cardinal, leading his subordinates, once again pleaded with Vicma: "I know you have important matters to attend to, but what could be more important than eradicating the Chaos Cult, bringing light and faith to humanity?"

The interior of the carriage fell silent again, but the Cardinal remained steadfast in front of the carriage.

Inside the carriage, Laine had completely calmed down. Within his bloodline, another power began to take effect. In the sea of consciousness, an apparition of an emaciated old man in a black robe gave him a kindly smile: "Don't rush, my child. Calm down and think."

"Think." Laine completely calmed down, shifting his gaze to the Archbishop: "Then resolve."

About five seconds later.

The curtain of the carriage was pulled open, and Archbishop Vicma's right hand extended from inside the window.

The Archbishop's right index finger and thumb formed a circle, while the middle, ring, and little fingers were raised high, with his ring bearing the Archbishop's ring.

This signified agreement.

"Yes! Understood!" The Cardinal felt a weight lift off his shoulders: "I will dutifully follow the Archbishop's decree! We will immediately send people to assist His Majesty the Emperor, everyone clear the way!"

Everyone blocking the carriage stepped aside, allowing it to pass through.

The black carriage, carrying secrets and mission, departed from the Justice Church Cathedral.

Thirty minutes later, at the Imperial Royal Hotel.

The floor was luxuriously decorated, with animal skin carpets laid out and impeccably clean. The exquisite oak furniture was cleverly arranged in the hall, and the flames in the fireplace crackled with half-dry firewood burning within.

Knight Surya was dressed to impress, wearing a delightful reindeer burgundy pencil skirt, smiling warmly as she hosted Tygris, serving him the famed Tyriel cat poop coffee.

Laine, feeling as if he'd just come out of a sauna, slumped on his living room sofa, saying to Tygris: "Thrilling, thrilling."

The Supreme Grandmaster's face looked particularly grim. Holding the first shard of the Crown of Lilith, he sighed softly: "It's always like this... No matter how you see it, the affair of the Old World has reached a somewhat less-than-perfect conclusion."

"You're going back?" Laine heard the implied meaning in Tygris's words.

"Things have concluded, it's time for me to leave." Tygris nodded: "There are still many matters waiting for me in Ossuan. I shouldn't have come in the first place; at most, it should have been Belannar coming once. But since Lilith insisted, I came this time. Now that things are finished, I should return."

"Can't you stay for the Winter Festival before leaving? It's just over a week away." Laine was somewhat reluctant. Tygris's arrival in the Old World had provided him with considerable assistance. His presence offered Laine strong backing, and his guidance to the two witches had led Veronica and Teresa to improve rapidly.

With Tygris's presence, many of Laine's affairs, including the signing of alliances with Emperor Carl Franz and trade agreements, were negotiated with ease. He contemplated whether he could leverage Tygris's enormous prestige in the Old World to achieve more.

"Human festivals aren't elven festivals." Tygris stood up, shaking his head: "In three days, I will set out, returning to Ossuan. Miss Trovik and Lady Bernadotte, if there are any questions, please make haste to ask me."

"Alright." Laine could only grudgingly nod in agreement. Tygris's rank and position dictated that he couldn't remain in the Empire long-term just to endorse Laine and instruct the two witches. This High Elf Archmage was embroiled in numerous affairs, and coming to the Old World was a decision made only under the insistence of the Lake Fairy.

Three days later, Tygris led the High Elf Army along the Rick River return journey. They intended to reach Marinburg and then board an oceangoing vessel back to Ossuan.

Laine and his companions remained behind, planning to celebrate the Winter Festival in Brunswick before returning to their lands.

On the first day of the Winter Festival, Laine awoke from his slumber.

Outside, the snowfall began again, with fluffy snowflakes covering the Imperial Capital entirely, turning the heart of the Empire into a vast white landscape.

The Winter Festival was about to arrive, marking Laine's twenty-seventh Winter Festival in this world. Unknowingly, he had found a home, obtained his own territory, and achieved an exalted status.