A complex expression appeared on her face. "However, an event of this magnitude—multiple Official Wizards working together to precisely locate and invade the heart of the Holy City, falling into a Half-Plane at the same time as the Church Court’s highest echelons—is nearly impossible to completely cover up, especially with the Continent’s situation being so delicate. All sorts of rumors are already spreading like wildfire. What’s noteworthy is that the news about multiple Official Wizards being involved has spread with unusual speed and detail. This doesn’t feel like a simple intelligence leak, but more like... a deliberate declaration. It’s meant to announce the existence and audacity of a certain power to the entire Continent’s hidden world, thoroughly shaking the Church Court’s inviolable image."

Annabelle paused, her gaze meeting Murphy’s calm eyes for an instant. Her voice grew softer as she spoke cautiously, "My lord... based on the timing, and... the vague hints the Lord Duke left before her departure. I... I have a bold guess. Could the Lord Duke’s journey... also be related to this Half-Plane incident? Could she even... be one of the intruders?"

The guess seemed to freeze the very air in the room for an instant.

Murphy’s gaze remained calm, revealing not the slightest ripple of emotion.

He neither confirmed nor denied it. He simply looked at Annabelle with those deep, dark eyes of his and said coolly, "Just focus on your duties."

A chill ran through Annabelle, and she immediately lowered her gaze.

"Yes, my lord. I overstepped." She quickly reined in all unnecessary emotion, resuming the demeanor of a capable, loyal Lady Chief focused solely on executing orders. In a respectful tone, she said, "I will focus on gathering intelligence and making the follow-up arrangements."

Murphy gave a slight nod and said no more on the matter.

Annabelle then presented a letter with both hands. "This is the original document from the Ashen Words channel, along with my preliminary translations and notes. The rest of the intelligence has been compiled into a report."

Murphy took the letter and scanned it quickly.

The description within the coded message was even more shocking: "Multiple High-tier Energy signatures," "coordinated spatial disturbances," "a violent clash between Holy Light and Exotic Energy at the Half-Plane’s entrance," "the entrance collapsed rapidly after both sides entered, highly unstable..."

A moment later, he set the letter down, his gaze returning to the window. His eyes were as deep as an abyss.

’The Holy City, multiple Official Wizards, a Half-Plane, the Church Court’s top forces in full pursuit, Margaret’s possible involvement... The picture these pieces formed was no longer just an earthquake, but the core of a long-premeditated storm intended to shake the very foundations of the world.’

"Use every channel at our disposal, spare no expense." Murphy’s voice was steady, yet it carried the weight of a mountain. "I want to know any speculation about the nature of that Half-Plane, any clue to the intruders’ identities, and the latest on the current state of the Church Court’s forces. Raise the defenses of Taymer Palace to the highest level. Add more people around Eleanor—they must be absolutely trustworthy. Notify all our secret contacts in the Holy City and the Northern Territory to be on high alert and watch for any unusual activity, especially anything related to ’Wizards,’ ’Half-Planes,’ or ’the incident in the Holy City.’"

"Yes, my lord! I will see to it at once!" Annabelle replied solemnly. ’The real storm,’ she knew, ’was probably just beginning.’

Murphy gave a slight nod. Annabelle bowed, then quickly turned and departed, her steps more hurried than when she had arrived.

The small hall fell silent once more, but the air felt several times heavier than before.

Murphy stood alone before the window, the morning light spilling onto his chiseled profile, illuminating his silent contemplation.

The Dark Gold Flying Sword silently materialized by his side, hovering quietly. A faint light flowed across its blade as it emitted a very low hum, as if it could sense the surging thoughts in its master’s mind.

The storm clouds were gathering.

And the curtain on this storm sweeping the heart of the Continent had perhaps been quietly raised as far back as the declaration at the Iron Ridge Mountain Range, or possibly even earlier.

...

「Several days later, on a rugged ridgeline in a spur of the Twilight Mountain Range, at the border of the Northern and Southern Territories.」

There was no carriage, no guards—only a figure in deep blue, moving with a speed and stability that defied common sense, traversing silently and swiftly over steep mountain crags and through dense forest gaps.

Murphy held Eleanor securely in his arms, wrapping her snugly in his wide cloak so that only her small face was visible.

The wind howled in Eleanor’s ears as the surrounding scenery rushed past in a blur. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

At first, she nervously clutched the fabric on her father’s chest, but soon a novel sense of excitement, mixed with a hint of a thrill, replaced her unease.

Her father’s arms were so steady and strong, his embrace so warm and safe. Even where the mountain wind was fiercest and the terrain most treacherous, she felt not the slightest jolt or danger. It was as if her father wasn’t treading a rugged mountain path, but a smooth, wide road.

"Father! Look over there!" Eleanor suddenly reached out a small hand, pointing down and to the side at a sea of flowers bathed in sunlight.

It was a large patch of pale purple wildflowers growing naturally on an alpine meadow, exceptionally eye-catching against the backdrop of gray-green rock.

Hearing her, Murphy didn’t slow down but simply adjusted his direction slightly, sweeping past the edge of the sea of flowers with Eleanor.

The wind from their passage brushed past the flowers, stirring up fragrant pollen and creating a swaying wave of blossoms.

"It smells so good!" Eleanor said happily, twitching her little nose.

After traveling a while longer, they startled a flock of blue-feathered mountain tits that were pecking at berries in the crevices between rocks.

The birds fluttered into the air, circled them while chirping a few times, then beat their wings and vanished into the distant forest.