"Third update delivered. Many thanks to our patron 'Reading Without Writing' for another grand gift, making them the book's top overall patron."...
Nicholas and Walter were both devout ascetics by origin, who had joined the Night Watch for other reasons. Currently, one served as captain of the Fifth Night Watch squad of the Holme diocesan Tribunal, and the other was a member of the Holy City of Lance's Tribunal's "Mage's Goose" Night Watch squad. Both were fifth-rank bishops whose faith burned with exceptional fervor and resolve, leaving a deep impression on Valentine, the ascetic leader—which was why they had been selected for this near-suicidal mission.
"Lord Valentine, I am prepared at all times to offer myself to the Lord. Death is not the end; beyond the gates of Heavenly Mountain lies an eternal paradise." Nicholas dropped to one knee and traced a cross over his chest.
He was a hard-bitten, stern-faced middle-aged man dressed in a simple white robe. He had no wife, no children, no property, no indulgences—everything he possessed had been given over to the God of Truth.
Walter, the young-looking man with brown hair and a pair of blue eyes steeped in the weariness of the world, spoke: "Lord Valentine, death itself is not terrible. What is terrible is losing one's wholehearted devotion to the Lord, for that condemns one to an inescapable hell for eternity. The Lord is omniscient and omnipotent; the Lord created all things. Death is merely a return to His embrace!"
"Very good. Your devotion to the Lord is your noblest quality. I can feel the Lord's joy, and the gates of Heavenly Mountain will stand open to you forever.
If you return from this mission, I will personally escort you to the Holy City of Lance to receive the Pope's blessing, elevating you to the high ranks and appointing you as cardinals presiding over minor dioceses."
Valentine, moved by the two Night Watch members' unwavering faith, did not stint on his praise. "Your target is the ninety-first on the Purification Sequence—the Blasphemer Felipe Carneiro. Additionally, you have a secondary target: Lucian Evans. However, his importance cannot be compared to the former. If there is no opportunity, do not compromise the mission to purge the Blasphemer on his account. Even if an avenue of escape presents itself, do not abandon the mission for his sake."
In other words, in a setting surrounded by Grand Mages and high-rank mages, the probability of assassinating Lucian was virtually zero.
"The Blasphemer must be purged!" Nicholas and Walter declared in unison.
Beside them, Bahaula solemnly produced a long silver-gray sword. At first glance it appeared ordinary, but upon closer inspection one would notice that it seemed to absorb all light, as though it could cleave through anything. "This is a replica condensed from the power separated out of the Holme diocese's divine artifact, the 'Sword of Truth.' It can sever all bonds and connections below the Legendary rank. Felipe is a necromancer—he may possess phylacteries, soul artifacts, and the like. Only an item of this nature can fully purge him."
The bloodline of the Hoffenberg household had been named after the "Sword of Truth" precisely because their abilities mirrored those of this divine artifact. However, such a Legendary-grade item obviously could not be entrusted to two Night Watch members to carry—it would be unclear whether they were setting out to assassinate Felipe or to deliver a Legendary treasure. Accordingly, the Church's three Saint-level (Legendary) Cardinals had spent several days combining their own power, Divine Arts formations, and high-grade materials with the separated force of the "Sword of Truth" to forge this replica, usable only once.
Watching Nicholas accept the replica of the "Sword of Truth," Valentine spoke: "The old mage Fuerne will arrange for you to enter the Saliva Estate as attendants. Be patient—do not be hasty. You must eliminate Felipe."
The old mage Fuerne was a fourth-rank Archanist and a fifth-circle mage who had once produced a number of Arcane research findings with considerable impact. In his youth, his combat prowess had been remarkable, and he had slain quite a few Night Watch members. But as he aged and his strength growth slowed and eventually stalled, he had begun to lose his way in Arcane research.
Questions such as "Where does life originate?" "What is the source of magical power?" and "How did the first soul come into being?" tormented him deeply, yet he could find no answers within existing Arcane scholarship. Gradually, he came to believe in the existence of God, holding that God was the origin, the one, the many, the sovereign—and his faith became extraordinarily fervent.
Because of this, only he had agreed to the plan of sending operatives directly into an estate where high-rank mages congregated, to assassinate the Arcane Council's most valued prodigy. Those informants who had cooperated with the Church for money, materials, or women would absolutely not go along with such a scheme. Pressed too hard, they might instead confess to the "Disciplinary Department" under the "Affairs Committee"—after all, accepting the corresponding punishment would be preferable to losing their lives.
Nicholas and Walter rose to their feet, tracing crosses over their chests as they proclaimed: "Truth alone endures!"
"Truth alone endures!" Valentine and Bahaula watched them depart.
Then Bahaula sighed: "Are we really sacrificing two Night Watch members of such extraordinary devotion? And an Archanist-mage like old Fuerne is not easy to cultivate. After this affair, our losses will be severe. It's truly a pity."
"But everything is worth it. This cannot be described as sacrifice—it is an offering, the finest expression of their devotion." The ascetic leader Valentine closed his eyes, his expression resolute.
"Good afternoon, Lord Felipe."
"Lord Felipe..."
Outside the Saliva Estate, one necromancy-specialist mid-rank Archanist after another, upon seeing Felipe walking toward them with both hands thrust into the pockets of his black overcoat and an air of aloof pride, instinctively nodded in greeting—there seemed to be a genuine reverence behind it.
Aside from Grand Arcanists and Legendary mages, Felipe was the only living person who, after winning the Immortal Throne Award, stood a realistic chance of winning again—and might even take the Holme Crown Award in the same sweep. Moreover, while his research on cellular memory had opened a brand-new chapter in necromancy's application to healing injuries, benefiting countless mages, this was merely a supplementary, breakthrough-level Arcane achievement—far from the seismic impact of overturning the Theory of Human Life Force, one of the foundational pillars of necromantic magic.