The only question was how many tangible benefits he could secure for himself and the Monte Territory within the framework of this "agreement," and how much autonomy he could retain for the future.

Archbishop John didn’t look surprised. In fact, his expression suggested this was exactly what he had expected.

He knew full well that a Lord like Murphy, who held real power and possessed formidable strength of his own, would not offer unconditional loyalty so easily.

Of course, he couldn’t simply use the Church Court’s authority to force the issue.

That would be neither wise nor in keeping with his personal principles.

Coercion might not tarnish the Church Court’s prestige, but for him personally, it was a different matter entirely. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The Church Court was an eternal, giant tree, while an Archbishop was merely one of its branches.

If his heavy-handed tactics planted a seed of resentment in the Northern Governor’s heart, or even provoked a future backlash, the first to suffer the consequences wouldn’t be the Church Court’s central authority, far away in the Holy City.

It would be him, the Archbishop of the Crescent District who had handled the matter directly.

At that point, the ecclesiastical reports wouldn’t mention his hardline stance today. They would only record the resulting instability of faith in the Northern Territory, the reduction in tithes, and even the shortfall of power when combating Heresy—all caused by a soured relationship.

All of these would become black marks on his internal evaluations within the Church Court.

The Church Court was the Church Court, and he was he.

Archbishop John understood the distinction and the personal stakes involved all too well.

Therefore, securing a promise of cooperation based on mutual interests and principles was, at this stage, a satisfactory outcome.

The Archbishop gave a slight nod. "A wise choice, Governor. The light of Oriane will surely shine all the brighter upon this land because of your decision. Your foresight will also bring long-lasting prosperity to your territory."

Murphy naturally steered the conversation toward the most practical benefits. "As for the Starlight Healing you mentioned... if it can truly help one break through the limits of the mundane, as you claim, then the Monte Territory is of course deeply interested. I wonder, when might this potion be..."

Archbishop John settled back into his chair, his posture relaxing slightly. "The creation and bestowal of Starlight Healing must follow a strict protocol. Gathering the materials and their initial processing takes time. The brewing process itself must be overseen by a senior Potion Master within the Holy Hall Pharmacy on a specific holy day, allowing for no margin of error."

"However, since you have stated your position on jointly maintaining order, Governor, I will begin the necessary arrangements as soon as I return to the Crescent District. I will list it as a priority. If all goes well, the first finished batch might be delivered to Monte Castle by a trusted courier before the beginning of summer."

This wasn’t a short timeline, but considering the rarity of the potion and the Church Court’s bureaucracy, it was a reasonable deadline that demonstrated sincerity.

"Furthermore," Archbishop John added, a profound look flashing in his gray eyes, "when the potion is delivered, it may be accompanied by some more specific and timely intelligence regarding the current situation—especially concerning the Eastern Territory and Castile. I believe this will help the Monte Territory to better assess the circumstances and formulate a more appropriate response."

Murphy gave a slight bow. "Thank you for taking the trouble to arrange this, Your Excellency. The Monte Territory will wait patiently. In the meantime, we will continue to fulfill our duty of protecting our lands and maintaining stability in the Northern Territory. We will also give the impending visit from the Peric Clan’s envoy the attention it deserves."

"Excellent." Archbishop John finally broke into a more noticeable, satisfied smile and stood up as well. "May our cooperation bring lasting peace and prosperity to this land. And may Oriane bless you and your family, Governor."

He paused, adding with a touch of regret, "I have an important ecclesiastical meeting to preside over in the district before noon today. Time is short, so I cannot stay and chat longer. Forgive my discourtesy."

"Your Excellency is a busy man. It is an honor for the Monte Territory that you could make the time to visit at all. May Divine Grace be with you, and have a safe journey."

Murphy’s expression remained neutral as he performed a standard Church Court farewell gesture, his tone respectful and impeccable.

The heavy oak door of the reception hall opened without a sound and closed just as softly, shutting out the sound of Archbishop John’s footsteps.

Murphy stood alone by the hearth.

The sunlight outside had chased away the last traces of morning mist, shining brightly into the room.

He then slowly paced to the window, hands clasped behind his back. His gaze passed through the clean glass, settling on the castle’s front courtyard.

The white carriage, adorned with the Holy Emblem, had already turned around. Flanked by four Defender Knights, it proceeded at a steady pace down the gravel road, pulling away from Monte Castle before finally disappearing at the far end of the tree-lined avenue that led to the South.

Murphy’s gaze, however, did not linger on the departing carriage.

His gaze seemed to pierce the castle walls, cross the rolling hills and dense forests of the Monte Territory, and land on the far-distant East.

The envoy from the Peric Clan should be arriving soon as well.