Chapter 571
The Sacred Pact Signed Under the Demon King's Powerful Hand
Chapter 571 The Sacred Pact Signed Under the Demon King's Powerful Hand
The afterglow of dusk and the cheers of victory were blocked by the thick layers of rock, unable to penetrate the darkness deep underground.
This is the core area of the "Flesh and Blood Royal Court".
It is also the heart of the Carrion Clan.
Although the entire royal court had been completely destroyed by that mad rat, many things that could not be demolished or destroyed remained beneath the majestic mountain.
Filled with the joy of victory, the crowd stepped into the decaying royal court.
However, before long, the joy that lingered in his heart was overshadowed by the ensuing heaviness.
Corpses, corpses...and more corpses.
A nauseating mixture of smells filled the air—the sour odor of rotting flesh mixed with alchemical potions.
Sir Dick Binnen led the procession.
This once impeccably dressed envoy, whose hair was always meticulously combed, has now been transformed by the ravages of war into a different kind of tough guy.
Not only that, his rank also changed from second lieutenant in Ryan Battalion to captain, and his position rose from squad leader to company commander.
His boots smacked against the sticky ground, and he glanced around warily before giving a low, stern rebuke.
"Raise the torch higher, and watch out for the corners."
Several young soldiers followed behind as if facing a formidable enemy, their bayonets-slung across the muzzles of their guns, carefully searching every opening in the cave, wary of the ratmen that might dart out.
Although the Carrion Clan has been completely defeated, it will likely take a long time to wipe out every single ratman in this mountainous region.
The group continued forward and arrived at a man-made, empty chamber. When the torchlight fully illuminated the entire spherical space, everyone held their breath.
Before them sat a huge millstone, and the gears connected to the top of the millstone were slowly rotating due to inertia, making a teeth-grinding creaking sound.
Below the millstone is a funnel.
Further below the funnel was an underground river connecting to the earth's core, and a huge reservoir filled with a viscous, dark red slurry.
Bubbles kept rising from the bottom of the liquid, just like the unfiltered pulp and grape seeds in a wine barrel.
"vomit--!"
Seeing the dried meat hanging nearby, one of the recruits finally couldn't take it anymore and leaned against the wall, vomiting violently.
Immediately afterwards, this physiological reaction seemed to be contagious, and two more soldiers bent over.
Even Dickbin, who was used to seeing battlefields, felt his stomach churning and wished he could bring a bomb from outside and blow up the entire cave.
He forced himself to stay awake and walked to the huge "millstone," where he quickly found some remaining fibers.
That was clearly not the remains of clothing.
It's the hair.
Dickbin's hand trembled, and he took two steps back, not daring to look at the entrance to hell any longer, and instead walked into the room next door.
It looked like a laboratory, with magic crystal lamps still hanging on the walls, and traces of many people's lives visible on the messy lab tables.
Although no one here has gone anywhere, there are still a lot of boxes of supplies that were not taken away in time, as well as something that looks like an account book piled up in the corner.
Sir Dickbin stepped forward, removed the bayonet from his rifle, and used it as a crowbar to pry open one of the sealed wooden crates.
The wooden box was opened, revealing not the ratmen's treasure, but neatly stacked bottles of alchemical reagents and some special shackles used to restrain living beings.
Although these shackles do not bear the crests of any particular family, it is clear that they were not made using the craftsmanship of the ratmen, nor the dwarves.
They are made to fit people of different sizes.
"This is impossible..."
Dickbin muttered to himself, then searched around for a while before finally finding what appeared to be an experimental logbook on the lab table.
When he opened the booklet, he found that it did not contain experimental data, but was more like a "delivery order".
[…342nd extraction. Raw materials: Roland City slums, ages 3-6, quantity 50. Soul purity: Inferior. Output: One bottle of Holy Water Essence. Note: A special expedited order from Lord Marius, for tribute to the Royal Palace…]
Even though he had seen too many scenes of hell, Sir Dickby was still shocked by the words that came into view.
His index finger trembled as he flipped through the entire booklet to the last page, as if trying to etch every word he saw into his mind, never to forget this unforgettable blood feud.
If he had previously harbored a sliver of unrealistic illusions about honor and loyalty, at this moment he only wanted to lead his brothers into the palace and send that man-eating demon to the guillotine.
A soldier walked up to him and said in a strained voice.
"Sir... what should we do?"
He actually preferred to burn these shameful things.
Dickbin closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then closed the "experiment log" in his hand and put it back on the dirty lab table.
He opened his eyes and gave the order.
"Have the brothers protect the scene and seal everything up until the Royal Intelligence Service arrives and hand it over to them."
Seeing the serious expression on his superior's face, the soldier's Adam's apple bobbed, but he ultimately swallowed his words and raised his hand in a military salute.
"Yes."
This is the only thing they, as mortals, can do right now.
……
late at night.
Dickbin walked out of the hellish cave and returned to his tent at Lane Camp.
A victory celebration was being held at the camp, but he had little interest in participating. He returned to his tent alone and lit candles.
The weather is getting colder and colder; winter is just around the corner.
He picked up a stool, sat down, and by the flickering light of the candlestick, opened the diary he always carried with him.
After much deliberation, Sir Dickby began to write.
The quill pen nib scratched across the dry paper, marking the end of a battle that had lasted for more than three months.
After witnessing the hell within the Flesh and Blood Court, I finally understood that the suffering of the Rhine people was not due to divine punishment, but precisely because they placed all their hopes in something external.
It's not just that there's no savior.
If people continue to fantasize about a non-existent salvation and forget their dignity and pride as human beings, then they must endure the suffering of animals.
……
The night was deep, and the cold autumn wind carried away the smell of blood from the valley, while the roaring bonfire dispelled the chill of the night.
"Let's toast to victory!"
Cheers! Hahaha!
The sounds of clinking glasses and toasts continued throughout the camp, the air filled with the aroma of roasted meat, and the mutton hanging on the charcoal fire sizzled with oil.
The dwarves pounded empty barrels as war drums, the lizardmen danced bizarre yet powerful sacrificial dances, and the human soldiers, in groups of three or five, raised their goblets and boasted loudly about their bravery on the battlefield and how they had escaped death from the feet of that mythical monster.
The three races, with their vastly different cultures and customs, have never been more harmonious than they are today; everything seems to have returned to the ancient First Age.
Edward brought out his prized possession: wine from the Thundershire Winery. Ironbeard Justa, equally generous, shared his treasured "Fountain of Fire" with the human officers.
At first, Edward was curious about what the dwarf's wine tasted like, but he regretted it after taking a sip. The place where the wine rolled felt like it was on fire.
Sak Gale didn't really have anything worthwhile to offer, so at the Demon King's suggestion, he had the Wind Lizard transport several truckloads of corn over.
The roasted corn, golden brown and crispy, added a unique fragrance to the camp, and the dwarf lords were all amazed by its taste.
It wasn't because of its rich and delicious taste, but because they saw the potential to turn it into alcohol. They all looked at Sack with longing eyes and asked about the price and whether it would be convenient to sell some to them.
Sak hadn't expected these dwarves to be interested in the lizardmen's staple food, and immediately offered to organize a caravan to transport the specialties of the Kingdom of Gutaf to the Kingdom of the High Mountains.
In fact, this caravan only needs to be assembled in Thunder City. The Kingdom of Gutaf and the Duchy of Campbell signed a trade agreement long ago and have been trading through the Port of Deadwood in the Duchy of Colin ever since.
The land of Gana is rich in resources and has many good things, far beyond just corn. There is also sugarcane, coffee, cocoa, and the black tea that Campbell people love most.
The dwarf brothers will surely find something of interest among them and exchange it for something of interest to the dragon god's people.
On a relatively quiet hillside at the edge of the camp, Luo Yan sat alone in a folding chair covered with a cashmere blanket, swirling a glass of fragrant wine in his hand.
With a relaxed expression, he seemed to be admiring the night view, but in reality, his gaze was focused on the attribute panel that only he could see.
【
ID: Luo Yan
Race: human
Soul Level: Grandmaster
Level: LV.159 (+8)
Constitution: 304 (+13)
Strength: 252 (+13)
Agility: 260 (+14)
Intelligence: 2129 (+160)
Spirit: 2349 (+200)
】
The rewards for killing "Soul Shatterer" Moke are being calculated. It wasn't just Eileen, who delivered the final blow, who received "experience points." Luo Yan, as the main damage dealer, also received a significant amount.
After all, it was a false god formed by the sacrifice of thousands of ratmen, and the breadth of its soul could not be measured by the standards of ordinary extraordinary beings.
As the colossus collapsed, a massive amount of pure "spiritual essence" surged in like a flood bursting its banks, merging with his soul essence.
During this process, Luo Yan's level jumped from LV151 to LV159 in one go, a total of 8 levels!
Although he is still some distance from the bottleneck of demigod level, the resulting increase in attribute points has already caused his spirit and intelligence values to skyrocket.
Moreover, his black flames have become more solid than before, easily transforming into swords or daggers in his hands.
Sarah stood quietly behind the Demon King, a gentle expression on her face, watching him play with the black flames.
She was like a loyal shadow, always watching out for her master's surroundings without ever interfering with his thoughts.
"Sarah, aren't you going to enjoy the party? I can stay here by myself."
“No need, Lord Demon King,” Sarah nodded slightly and said softly, “For me, the tranquility at this moment is the greatest enjoyment.”
Just then, footsteps could be heard in the distance.
Sarah coughed softly, and Luo Yan, who had already noticed the footsteps, dispersed the black flames that had gathered in his palm at the same time.
"For victory, Your Highness! I hope I haven't disturbed your rest, but I would like to offer you a toast nonetheless!"
Sir Wesley, dressed in military uniform, walked over with a wine glass in his hand.
As the marshal of the Duchy of Campbell, this usually serious and rigid soldier had a rare blush on his face at this moment.
It was clear that he hadn't drunk this much in a while.
Luo Yan smiled, stood up, and elegantly raised his glass in response.
"You're too kind, Marshal."
"You are too modest!" Sir Wesley looked at him with bright eyes, his voice full of gratitude. "Without your strategic planning and dedicated help, we would probably still be stuck on Burial Peak with the ratmen."
Whether it was the dragonborn from the Kingdom of Gutaf, the weapons of war that opened his eyes, or His Highness's magic itself... all of these played a crucial role in this war.
"You flatter me. The real hero is in the center of the crowd." Luo Yan smiled modestly, his gaze fixed on the busiest part of the camp.
There, bonfires blazed high.
Eileen was surrounded by a large group of excited soldiers.
"Long live Erin Campbell!"
"Your Highness, you are Campbell's sharpest sword! Please allow me to salute you!"
"May Saint Sith bless you and your brother! And your Prince Colin!"
The soldiers chanted her name, regarding her as the greatest contributor to slaying the monster, and this joyous scene was exactly what Edward was happy to see.
People living in darkness need a hero more than ever. And compared to the mysterious "Flame King," his sister is clearly a more suitable candidate.
Whether it's temperament or bravery.
Of course, the cheers surrounding Eileen were not the only voices heard.
Beyond the boisterous cheers, several drunken veterans sat around the fire, gesturing excitedly.
"Did you see that? That giant, burning black hand!"
"Nonsense! Who wouldn't see such a commotion? The whole sky turned black! And that ball of fire burning in the clouds... it was like the sun had fallen down!"
"He said his name is 'Flame King'! I heard from the bard in our camp that it means 'representative of the gods'!"
"By Saint Sith!"
"No wonder... that monster's regenerative ability was so terrifying, it was crushed into dust with just one hand!"
These whispers drifted through the camp on the wind, deeply imprinting the name "Flame King" in everyone's hearts.
Seeing all this through the tentacles of his mental energy, Luo Yan's lips curled into a smile.
He didn't even need to look at people's reactions; he knew he had put on a very successful act during the day.
The fall of "Soul Shatterer" Moke brought him far more than just an increase in experience points; it also increased his share of faith power by a full percentage point.
Don't underestimate this one percent; it represents the entire world's share of faith, equivalent to a grandmaster-level expert!
Field Marshal Wesley then pulled Colin aside for a few more words, his conversation subtly trying to draw him into the banquet.
Or to be more precise—he was trying to pull him to someone's side.
Luo Yan could tell what he was thinking. He figured Edward had sent this guy again, but right now he didn't want to steal Eileen's thunder.
"My Lord Wesley, I appreciate your kindness, and I will visit Eileen and His Highness Edward later. For now, let us focus on enjoying this hard-won victory."
Sarah walked to Luo Yan's side and nodded slightly to Wesley.
"Your Highness, His Highness needs to rest. Please return."
Seeing that His Highness Colin had no intention of returning to the center of the banquet, the Marshal could only offer a regretful expression.
"Okay, I was just suggesting... I'm sorry if it caused you any trouble."
"How could that be?" Luo Yan smiled slightly, raised his glass and clinked it with his again, "Let's drink to our duchy."
Whispers from afar swept through the crowd like the wind, and the titles "Flame King" and "Divine Child" once again reached Eileen's ears.
Standing in the crowd, she wore an impeccable smile and frequently nodded to the cheering soldiers around her.
However, deep within those eyes, as clear as lake water, lay a trace of barely perceptible worry.
She didn't care whose credit it was for the daytime victory, nor did she care who stole the limelight. What she really wanted to know was the black sun that devoured all light, and the identity behind the "Flame King" mask.
And, is there any connection between it and "Luo Yan"?
A strong sense of déjà vu lingered in her mind.
Although reason told her that her beloved Prince Colin was a gentle and refined scholar and a loving brother to his sister, and could never be the terrifying demon he was, she couldn't help but unconsciously overlap the images of the three of them.
"Your Highness?"
A concerned voice interrupted Eileen's thoughts. Theresa had appeared beside her at some point, looking at her with concern.
"You don't look well, was it from the previous battle...?"
Noticing Theresa's expression, Eileen paused for a moment, then coughed lightly and her bright smile returned.
"I'm fine, Theresa, please don't worry about me."
She didn't want the people around her to worry about her, and she didn't want to spoil everyone's fun at such a celebration banquet.
"But……"
Theresa hesitated, unable to hide the worry in her expression. As Eileen's personal bodyguard, she immediately saw the forced smile behind it.
"I'm just... a little tired."
Eileen shook her head slightly, took a glass of wine from the waiter beside her and drank it in one gulp, then looked at Theresa and smiled.
"Maybe after a good night's sleep, everything will be alright."
……
Nothing happened that night, and nothing embarrassing or exciting occurred.
Eileen spent a restless night alone, while the brave little vampire never got to taste the Demon King's flavor.
She never expected that the Demon King wasn't drunk. Faced with the punishment from the "mastermind," this ill-prepared night raid ended in complete failure.
However, it was not a complete failure.
The next day.
The first rays of sunlight pierced through the thick clouds and shone on the snow-covered, towering mountains.
Last night, around midnight, it suddenly started snowing.
That was the first snowfall of 1054 in the Os calendar, and perhaps soon the entire mountainous region would be covered in a blanket of white snow.
It's time to return in triumph!
The Duchy of Campbell, which saved tens of thousands of citizens of the Holy Light from the clutches of the Skaven, will reach unprecedented heights of prestige on the northeastern shore of the Whirlpool Sea.
However, there are still many important decisions to be made before that.
Inside the large tent in the center of the camp, a meeting that would determine the future of the entire eastern continent of Oss finally began with the arrival of Prince Colin.
In the center of the tent, a huge map replaced the sand table and was spread out on the command table.
A red line winding along the mountain peaks cuts the entire mountain area in two, one half belonging to the High Mountain Kingdom and the other half to Campbell.
In recognition of the valiant deeds of their human brothers in this war, the dwarves decided to make a decision that went against their ancestors' wishes—to give them some of the peaks of the Ten Thousand Mountains.
To prevent the ratmen from returning and killing us after these humans leave.
Although the High Mountain Kingdom is not weak, its population has always been a major weakness. While they are not as delicate as elves, they still cannot compare to the Holy Light's people, who can easily have five or six children at a time.
The land they were going to traverse was already the limit of what they could handle.
"Then it's settled."
King Tesh Justa of the High Mountain Kingdom slapped his hand on the map, his short, stubby index finger pointing to the red line on the map, his tone pragmatic and straightforward.
"We dwarves have no interest in those lush green mountains to the south. At most, we could graze goats there; it's better to leave it to you to manage. All we want is to reclaim our ancestors' 'Ancient Mines' and the entrance to the Underworld—that's the glory of the Justa family, and the glory of all dwarves… and the capital of the Carrion Clan, once our royal court. Those damned beasts carved our progenitor statues into rats!"
Seeing Lord Tiexu's anger, Luo Yan couldn't help but chuckle.
It wasn't because of the statue of Gellow that the allied forces discovered deep within the Flesh and Blood Royal Court, but rather because he thought of the amethyst dome in Shanghai.
That belongs to the dwarves.
It can only be said that dwarves have indeed contributed too much to this world, while humans and demons have forgotten these adorable little old men for far too long.
The stubby finger moved south and stopped at the location of Hot Spring Peak on the map, Ironbeard Justa continued.
"Since His Highness Colin likes the hot springs here, let's use this hot spring peak as the boundary. The area below and south of the peak belongs to your Campbell, and the deep underground mineral veins belong to the High Mountain Kingdom. As for the surface trade rights, we'll handle it according to the old rules."
Archduke Edward looked at the map, his delight barely concealed.
Although the dwarves took the deep mineral veins of the Ten Thousand Mountains, it doesn't mean the Principality of Campbell suffered a loss, since humans couldn't have developed those areas anyway.
In contrast, the vast mountainous region south of Hot Springs has been paved with railways and connected to the railway lines of the Earl of Spinol.
The area also boasts abundant mineral resources, especially coal and iron ore. This land, spanning 150,000 square kilometers, will further fuel the industrial machinery of the Principality of Campbell!
Thus, the territory of the Principality of Campbell expanded from 380,000 square kilometers to 530,000 square kilometers!
"I admire His Majesty Justa's generosity and justice. The Campbells will remember the dwarves' friendship!"
Edward gave Ironbeard a slight nod, then turned to the scribe beside him and spoke.
“Write this down. From this day forward, the Duchy of Campbell will establish the ‘Distant Mountain Province’ here, with its capital located at the fortress at the foot of Hot Springs Peak, named ‘Thermopylae Pass’.”
This will be the first directly administered province in the history of the Duchy of Campbell, rather than a fiefdom of earls.
Edward intends to use this place as a pilot project.
If Campbell's administrative system is mature enough to afford the costs of a provincial system, then the South Valley and North Valley Earldoms should be further merged into Valley Province to further consolidate the victory of the Winter Coup of 1053.
At this point, Edward glanced at Prince Colin, who was standing on the other side of the command table.
Thinking about their previous conversation, he figured now was the perfect time to announce it, so he added another sentence in front of King Ironbeard and Sak the Windbringer.
"The future Thermopylae will be an open and inclusive city. Humans, dwarves, and dragonborn friends from the Kingdom of Gutaf can all engage in trade, production, and other activities here, or even settle down here."
"We plan to develop Thermopylae into a hub connecting the above-ground and underground worlds; this is a shared idea between Prince Colin and me!"
Upon hearing that this was Prince Colin's idea, the previously silent Sack Gale immediately bowed with his hand on his chest.
"The Kingdom of Gutaf thanks the Grand Duke for his kindness and wisdom. Our caravans and artisans have long yearned for communication with the human world."
Ironbeard also wore a bright smile.
Since the Dusk Province fell to the Green Forest Army's internal strife, the dwarves have lost their ports of trade with the human world and can only engage in small-scale barter trade with the Imperial reinforcements stationed at Brass Pass.
If the Grand Duke of Campbell were willing to build a human city in the Ten Thousand Ren Mountains, he would certainly welcome it with open arms.
Although the wines from Thundershire couldn't compare to the treasures he kept in his cellar, they still had a unique sweet and sour flavor.
With the spoils of territory and trade divided, the atmosphere in the camp became much more relaxed.
However, Luo Yan did not allow this relaxed state to last long, because he had not yet begun to discuss what he was truly interested in.
He gave Sack a subtle look.
Sack immediately understood, took out a stack of blood-stained documents and a few pieces of residue that exuded an ominous aura from his leather bag, and solemnly placed them in the center of the long table.
“Your Majesties, while celebrating our victory, I think… we cannot ignore the evil discovered deep within that flesh-and-blood royal court.”
This evidence did not all come from last night's search.
The most crucial experimental logs and drawings related to the "holy water" research were actually extracted by Luo Yan from Marius's spatial ring.
During the battle on the nameless mountain, he recovered Marius's personal belongings, which contained many interesting items, but he didn't throw them all away.
Now, it's time to release some of it.
The people standing in front of the command table exchanged glances, while Edward picked up a blueprint with an uncertain expression.
Upon seeing the blasphemous annotations on the blueprints, his face turned ashen at a visible speed, and his fists clenched tighter and tighter.
He didn't want to repeat the details of the annotations. He was only shocked by how shameless these guys were, treating people like sugarcane, completely draining their flesh and blood, just to extract the essence of their souls.
Suppressing his barely contained rage, Edward took a deep breath, slammed the blueprints on the table, and said in a hoarse voice.
"The Campbell family has been fighting against the demons of hell for generations... but we never imagined that one day, the king behind us would become a demon."
"The Devalo family has indeed fallen into depravity, and the Justa family despises them!"
Ironbeard Justa glanced at the documents on the table; he knew what was written on them without even looking closely.
After all, long before the war began, they had already discovered a large number of imprisoned Ryan people in the rat's burrow.
The Carrion Clan even moved their laboratories and farms to the south to reduce their own troubles, which directly led to the Duchy of Campbell's involvement in the war... This is how it is from the dwarves' perspective.
"Sak Gale said in a low voice."
"The Kingdom of Gutaf also despises these blasphemous creatures. They are unworthy to call themselves children of the Holy Light, and the Dragon God will never accept having associated with such disgraceful beings."
"Fortunately, the souls of us dwarves are both foul and hard, like stones, which those pampered human kings probably wouldn't even look at."
Looking at the lizardman who sympathized with humanity, Ironbeard stroked his braided beard and made a joke that wasn't really a joke.
However, he quickly changed the subject.
"...But I must admit that if this technology is perfected by those unscrupulous evil mages, one day we will also have to move into their farms."
Ironbeak didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present understood what he meant.
If souls can be mass-produced as resources, then no one is safe.
For example, humans cannot directly absorb the souls of the rat people, but they can raise Gu in the Wanren Mountains to artificially create the Rat People Gods.
He had no doubt that those unscrupulous and unrespecting magicians would do such a thing, or even that they had already done it.
"Therefore, the war is not over."
Luo Yan, who had been listening quietly, spoke at the opportune moment. At the same time, everyone in the tent looked at this imperial prince, the master of the Duchy of Colin.
“Ancient covenants always arrive late and are no longer applicable to our world today. For example, now, victory has arrived as promised, but the magicians hidden behind the scenes, and the mad king who is devouring his own people in Roland City... they are still watching us from the shadows.”
“If we stand idly by and do nothing about the blasphemy before us, their karma will devour us who are trying to blind us.”
Colin stood up and glanced at each of the leaders present.
"Therefore, I propose that we establish a closer and more specific covenant to define the duties and powers of each of us, to identify our enemies, to draw a line between ourselves and evil, and to remain perpetually vigilant against the threats lurking in the shadows."
This proposal precisely hit everyone's sore spot.
Edward needs strong allies to deal with the crumbling Lane royal family and the feudal enemies that will follow in the future.
The dwarves are realizing that the Academy is the root of chaos in the Ten Thousand Mountains, and they need new allies to balance the old relationships.
This is not just for economic benefits, but more for the continuation of the community.
The Kingdom of Gutaf—or rather, the players behind Luo Yan—needs a legitimate identity to openly and legitimately step onto the stage of the continent of Os.
"I agree."
Edward was the first to extend his hand, palm down.
"For our people."
Count me in.
Ironbeard Justa laughed heartily, and his large, calloused, and scarred hand pressed down on the back of Edward's hand.
"For the common prosperity of both the underground and the above-ground worlds, for an endless supply of ale!"
Sack Gale glanced at Colin, and after receiving the latter's approval, he placed his claw, covered in dark green scales, over it.
"For the sake of world balance, and to prevent the old world from falling into the hands of chaos!"
Finally, attached to those dark green scales was the Demon King's hand.
Four strong hands were placed together.
At the summit of these towering mountains, the nascent form of a "sacred covenant" against evil sorcerers and corrupt monarchies begins to emerge.
The three emperors and the envoy from the Kingdom of Gutaf did not write in the agreement that they would be enemies of the Academy or any particular kingdom.
Instead, they made a more solemn promise—
When the world is about to fall into the corruption of chaos, the sacred covenant will be automatically fulfilled, and we will strike without reservation against our common enemy!
Once someone is identified as "chaos," they will spare no effort to eradicate them, regardless of whether they are a high-ranking sage or a king with legitimate authority.
Instead of waiting for the already incapacitated Saint Sith and the Emperor to take action.
(End of this chapter)