Immortal Kingdoms

Valdmor is a very, very ancient town.

It wouldn't be too much of a surprise that there exist many old courtyards.

Inconspicuous and dilapidated even. Although they've survived the test of time until today, their walls would seem as though they were on the verge of collapse due to a lack of maintenance and renovations.

These were buildings without any commercial or monetary value, personal properties established and forgotten by the masses, left behind for the homeless and the wicked without a shelter to call home.

In one of these dark corners in Valdmor, in a crowded space of huddled beggars and rotten corpses, a conspicuous man dressed in white and golden priest robes was reviewing a handwritten report brought back by one of these scums of society.

The trash that no one would bother to look at while crossing the busy streets makes for the best agents if you pay them enough.

A piece of bread and a cloth to ward off the cold in exchange for the largest underground intelligence network, how convenient is that?

This priest smiled amiably before tossing out clusters of soft bread as though he was feeding a flock of birds at a crossroads. Then, those beggars who looked no different from skeletons with skin scrambled about, not even bothering to pick up the bread off the floor out of fear someone may snatch it away.

They directly picked it up by their lips and teeth.

As this priest watched these people bask in the blessings of his benevolence, he felt satisfied with himself. As his eyes swept the crowd, he noticed the figure of a not so bad looking girl who was too weak to scramble for the food with these older men and women. With a twisted smile, he beckoned for her to follow him into another room in the back.

…

At the same time, the priest received his reports, a coded message was delivered to Juvia who was currently in the main building of Tesla's, as refreshed as she was with that euphoric post-apocalyptic state of mind.

After translating the codes into the common divine tongue, she sent the report to Ingrid's agents and Jeffery's attendant. Then, this report made its way to many other factions.

…

House Sylvia; Imperial Palace.

Queen Adeline was in the middle of having her daily bath, a female attendant currently massaging her fair shoulders while orally relegating the report directly from the communication bracelet.

Queen Adeline groaned lightly in exasperation, yet there was a sense of twisted mirth displayed by the beautiful arc by the corner of her rosy lips.

"Good plan, foolish execution. Sigh, faith is usually a very bright thing, though I don't know why too much faith converts into a darkness that clouds the eyes of the believers…. Are their Gods lying to them or are they lying to themselves in the name of Gods?"

It was unknown what Queen Adeline meant by her words. However, the attendant maid knew that this wasn't a conversation she could partake in.

…

Great Grace Republic; Grace Blood Parliament.

Knock! Knock!

Misaka was browning through the daily reports concerning the direction in which the common lives of the Great Grace Republic when a knock sounded at the door.

"Lady Misaka, Secretary Azalea is here with another reporter concerning His Grace…" A respectful voice brimming with power echoed from behind the thick maple wood door.

"Let her in," Misaka sighed, a hint of longing in her eyes as the door opened, allowing a black-haired beauty with a pair of beautiful heterochromia eyes to walk in, closing the door behind her.

Then, she rushed to the desk and placed the report in her hands on the stacks of documents, her cheeks flushed with worry and excitement.

Misaka gave the report a look before letting out a sigh. "Truly foolish, they never learn. Ravine of Demise, Crouching Dragon Province, the War of Independence… Do they have too many lives to throw away?"

She could already see the outcome of such a foolish endeavor, but she also understood why. Hence, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"There's no need to report the outcome of this preordained massacre, let us celebrate ahead of time…"

Azalea blushed at these words, but she didn't move from her spot.

Misaka reached out to grab at the soft collar of Azalea's shirt, pulling the woman across the vast desk before locking lips and intertwining tongues. Just like that, she erected a sound barrier in the office and began to celebrate with her partner, hoping to mend the wounds of their unrequited love.

…

House Exodia; Imperial Palace.

King Ivar sat on his high chair in the throne room, King Austin seated to his right side.

They were both listening to the report that mysteriously made its way to their hands. At the bottom of the report was a very simple message.

Actually, it was less of a message and more of a threat.

"Every debt has a collector, you don't want a certain someone to come to collect it personally."

The message obviously spoke of the time when Queen Adeline represented their Human Domain, asking Leonardo to act— more like the unfathomable senior behind him.

Queen Adeline paid her debt with the foundation of the Great Grace Republic, while Leonardo had finally decided to cash in this debt with the Exodian Crown and Venus Crown by demanding their 12% of the shares.

Only with this report in hand did King Ivar realize House Erudite's scheme in the shadows, finally grasping the true backbone behind this mysterious feudal lord.

However, so what?

Knowing now makes no difference.

Sigh…

"What should we do now?" King Austin asked, his voice low.

"What else can we do? Doesn't matter who wins between Leonardo and House Erudite, the three ruling powers don't have enough foundation to contend with Tesla's or House Erudite in the Forbidden Domain, we can only wait."

….

From the dilapidated building walked out a priest, though his complex was ruddy, eyes glazed, clothes ruffled, and a silly smile on his face while fixing the collars with golden rims of his robes.

"Nothing beats a fresh and ripe fruit, however lacking in nutrients, it was delicious nonetheless…"

The priest was unaware that a pair of golden-slitted pupils watched him from the shadows of a tilted wall.

Zofia blinked her big and round eyes, curiosity glittering within as she eyed this priest's crotch before looking back toward the courtyard. However, regardless of how curious she was, orders take priority.

Thus, as the priest was starting to button up his robes from top to bottom, he suddenly felt the floor zooming in, confusing him.

He wanted to put his hands up reflexively, only to realize he couldn't feel his body, let alone his arms.

Then, everything went dark.

In that bleak alleyway, a human blood fountain that glowed with the radiance of faith erupted beautifully.

"Nya~ I'll just ask the boss about this thing about eating fresh fruits!"

Only this whisper drowned out the sound of gushing blood, albeit momentarily.

…

This wasn't the only assassination incident that took place in Valdmor at this hour. However, all of them happened in fairly desolate, unpopulated locations, away from the eyes and ears of the public.

Ironically, judgment day descended upon the faithful, and the punishment is far from over.

The only priests to make it out alive were perhaps those who had muddled their way into the army advancing in Leonardo's direction, their eyes sparkling with zeal and a radiance of faith— or perhaps was it greed?

They marched toward a promise of independence, a promise of prosperity— unbeknownst to them, a promise of death and despair.

…

While Leonardo made his way underground to search for a spot deep enough to directly absorb the energy from the veins, he wasn't particularly concerned with how many people House Erudite's influence could muster.

As for Wendy above, she stood in place, eyes closed, reliving her moments of slaughter behind the Sky Mountains, her temperament growing colder and colder by the passing seconds. Then, dust and debris kicked up into a raging torrent of clouds in the distance, so much so the earth beneath her feet began to tremble…