10. The Holy Light teaches us to be honest, but I never told a lie.

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Oronar City, the capital of the Eredar and the largest, most prosperous city in the Makare region, is also the oldest surviving city of their entire civilization. Although the Eredar originated in the petrified forest of Krokuun, it was here tens of thousands of years ago that the ancestral sorcerer, Augur, discovered the sacred Atama Crystal. The first settlers, emerging from the forest, established the initial settlement here and gradually expanded outward.

The legendary ancestral sorcerer used the power of the Atama Crystal to found the first Eredar nation in recorded history, officially inaugurating Eredar civilization. They discovered the fertile Antoran plains and, over nearly ten millennia, developed advanced seafaring techniques, assembling fleets to explore the world. The Eredar spread their influence across multiple continents. However, with the mysterious disappearance of Augur, the civilization soon fractured, leading to wars among various Eredar states.

This was a war that engulfed all of Argus, resulting in the collapse of the "Age of Kings." After the war, the people reunited, rising from the ruins of division to restore unity and learn painful lessons. They abandoned absolute monarchy, establishing a novel "Diarchy" system to guide their people through the coexistence of wisdom and strength. This ushered in the present "Second Co-Governance" era.

In this sense, the Eredar are a people rich in exploratory spirit and martial virtue. Sadly, their immortality, while an advantage, is also a curse. Being ageless, marriage and family became optional rather than essential, and their difficult reproduction cast a shadow over their race. From the mythic age of the ancestral sorcerer through the Age of Kings and now into this civilization’s peak Second Co-Governance era, their population has never seen significant growth.

According to Dick’s recent conversations with the Makare garrison commander, the Eredar population has long hovered in the tens of millions. For a race that has explored and ruled much of the world, this number is pitifully small. It is said that Velen, one of the High Overseers, leads by example with a complete family and one child to encourage reproduction. In contrast, Kil'jaeden, the other High Overseer and commander, is an unrepentant bachelor.

Throughout his life, Kil'jaeden has never been linked to any woman, despite always having highly capable and beautiful ladies around him. Rumors wax poetic about a deep camaraderie—or even a spiritual love—between Kil'jaeden and Velen, but even in today’s enlightened Eredar society, spreading such gossip about leaders invites the Harvester’s Court to swiftly silence and interrogate the offender.

Yet, without evidence, no one can make baseless slander. Besides, spiritual attachments and affections are hard to prove anyway.

“Dick? Are you even listening to the plan? Ever since we entered the city, you’ve seemed miles away. For someone about to embark on a ‘suicide’ mission, your mental state is terrible!” The sharp voice of High Ranger Neri snapped Dick back from his reverie. They were currently hiding in a secret tower in Oronar City.

Dick turned apologetically. “I haven’t left the Arcane Academy for a long time. Before, I only sneaked out at night to attend cult meetings. I rarely get to see our bustling city in sunlight. Sorry, I zoned out.”

“Maybe the pressure’s just too much,” said an Eredar soldier dressed as an assassin behind them, shaking his head. “He’s about to send himself to die in a few days. I’d be stressed too.”

“Indeed,” added a female hunter assassin with ruby goggles, eyeing Dick suspiciously. “Going solo into the Awakener cult’s gathering, trying to sow discord between the Enlightened and your most trusted disciple—that’s a tough job.”

“If this were a smooth-talking arcane mage, maybe there’d be some hope. But a blunt, honest garrison officer as a diplomat? That’s ridiculous. Hey Dick, did you piss off Commander Targath? Otherwise, why would he force you to do this deadly mission?”

“Enough!” Neri, their captain, scolded her squad and said to Dick, “Ignore them. The Harvester’s Court are just a bunch of oddballs who don’t know normal social interaction. You don’t have to listen to the plan if you don’t want; just focus on your task. But Commander Targath ordered us to follow your lead, so give us a mission priority!”

The fierce female hunter crossed her arms and asked, “Do you want us to protect you along the way and rescue you in the end, or...?”

“No, you don’t need to worry about me. Your sole objective is to ensure Archimonde dies in the chaos when the two factions clash and to seize his soulstone to prevent his resurrection.”

Dick said seriously to Neri, “My life is mine to guard, but Archimonde must die!”

“Got it. Archimonde must have really pissed you off,” the female assassin quipped.

“You sound like a vengeful hero willing to risk everything to kill your nemesis,” she added.

“Isn’t that obvious?” another assassin chimed in. “We’ve read the files, Mr. Dick served Archimonde loyally, and that hypocrite tried to kill him to silence him. Could anyone stand for that? Not me! If it were me, I’d poison that bastard’s tea.”

“Your subordinates are something else...” Dick looked at the two jabbering assassins like they were performing a vaudeville act, then glanced at Neri, whose expression was as calm as if her nerves had died.

“I feel for you,” he said sympathetically.

“Yeah, tell me about it. Commander Targath keeps recruiting these weirdos, but their assassination skills are as good as their mouths, so no worries about the mission.”

Neri flicked her well-maintained tail and pointed to a weapons crate behind her. “Here are the arms we brought. You can pick a few to arm yourself, plus some Akenite crystal shields and phantasm generators made by our chief technicians. They won’t be of much use, but at least they can draw some fire in the worst case.”

“Unfortunately, the Garrison Code forbids using poison or cursed weapons. Otherwise... Hey! What are you doing with that?”

“Put it down! That’s a cursed blade; holding it will burn you with holy light.”

“But my holy light oath is broken, Lady Neri. Until I find my vow again, the holy light won’t reach me.”

Dick pulled out a single-handed sword inset with a dark gemstone and a half-shield embedded with Akenite crystal arrays from the crate. He swung them twice in satisfaction, then set them aside. To the astonishment of the three high-level assassins, he took several bottles of various poisons from the crate and stuffed them into his pockets.

Finally, he grabbed a few gem throwing knives favored by Eredar assassins—sharp but fragile weapons that shatter upon penetrating flesh, releasing their cursed power. Such weapons are venomous tools of assassination. For a righteous garrison officer to wield these was utterly scandalous in any normal Eredar’s eyes.

“Hey! You’re not playing by the rules!” the jabbering female assassin exclaimed.

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“And that line about ‘the holy light won’t reach you’—other garrison officers would call that blasphemy,” the male assassin added.

“Have you given up just because the holy light abandoned you? Come on, it’s not that bad. We’ve seen broken garrison officers before, and most regain the holy light’s blessing after some time. Don’t give up on healing!”

“You all misunderstand the holy light,” Dick said casually, rearming himself. “Maybe because of my unique experiences, I see the holy light not as a doctrine or a restraint but as a power and a tool, like the magic in an arcane mage’s hand or the blade in an assassin’s. A good person uses the holy light to help others—not because the light commands it, but because they choose to.”

“Similarly, a righteous officer can become the most terrifying madman after a bad day. Good and evil reside only in the heart. Don’t blame the holy light for your mistakes or victories. If I can only be good while wielding the holy light, maybe I never should have had it.”

“Oh man, be glad you’re dealing with a bunch of weirdos from the Harvester’s Court,” Neri quipped. “If these were priests from the Naaru Shrine, you’d be tied to the stake this afternoon. We’d witness the first heretic burned alive by fanatics since High Overseer Velen abolished cruel religious punishments thousands of years ago.”

“Dick, don’t say these things out loud... Even Velen wouldn’t agree with your words. For the Eredar, the holy light, arcane magic, and even the ancient elemental theories are faith—the foundation of life and world order. Even the most extreme arcane mages dare not speak of the holy light and humanity as you do. How can a former garrison officer say this?”

“But am I wrong? Blindly following the light makes us lose reason and fall into a pit swallowed by shadows. Light and shadow coexist; the brighter the light, the longer the shadow. The closer you get to the holy light, the more you must watch the darkness within.”

Dick snorted and activated the Akenite crystal array on his shield. Blue sparks danced as an energy shield radiated outward, blocking the front before he deactivated it.

Not wanting to argue theology with three assassins, he ended the topic. “When do we move?”

“That’s pending,” Neri said. She didn’t want to dwell on doctrine either. As a ranger in the Harvester’s Court, she didn’t follow the holy light’s teachings, but Dick’s words unsettled her.

She smoothly changed the subject in a professional tone. “Commander Targath has sent scouts to closely monitor Archimonde. Once he prepares to act, we will too. As you said, the best outcome is both Sachil and Archimonde perishing together, solving two problems at once. But you are our priority, so use the next few days to rest and prepare.”

“Better write a will,” the female assassin added. “If you die, we’ll deliver your letter. Do you have family?”

Dick shook his head. “I’m an orphan from Krokuun. My parents were shepherds who died from an attack by shadow panthers in the petrified forest. I grew up in the Kroku orphanage established by Governor Hatton. If I have family, it’s probably the governor himself. He always found time amidst his duties to tell us stories and lessons.”

“But he’s not one who follows the holy light—he’s an elemental shaman, part of the oldest spellcasting tradition among the Eredar. In our rough frontier lands, shamans, arcane mages, garrison officers, and priests are all respected alike.”

“True. Makare is too urbanized, restless, and no one here pursues the ancient shamanic ways,” Neri nodded. “In my hundred-plus years here, I’ve rarely met a true shaman, but the Harvester’s Court does have a few.”

“You’re barely over a hundred years old?” Dick was surprised. “You seem so experienced; I thought you were a veteran.”

“Watch your mouth! I mean your vision is narrow! Neri is the most talented elite ranger in the Harvester’s Court!” the jabbering female assassin proudly corrected. “She passed Commander Targath’s personal ranger trial in just three months and is the new legend here, second only to that dark assassin Akali.”

“But that one’s crazy!” the male assassin chimed in. “I heard Akali killed her parents as a child. That little madwoman’s brain isn’t right. Commander Targath doesn’t dare let her out casually. If not for Kil’jaeden valuing her shadow talents, the priests would have burned her long ago!”

“Enough, you two! Akali’s story is Harvester’s Court top secret. Keep your tongues in check!” Neri finally lost patience and drove them out. As she left, she told Dick, “Stay here the next few days; we’ll notify you of any news. Don’t mind my subordinates’ boasting—I’m just a regular hunter’s kid.”

“More unfortunate than you—I’ve never even seen my parents.”

“But that’s why I can’t let others lose theirs. Dick, what we’re doing is for the good of our people. Whether you live or die, I’ll consider you my comrade.”

“Of course. I trust your protective heart, High Ranger Neri.”

Without looking back, Dick said, “You’ll be a great figure someday. Trust me, you will take on heavy responsibilities and become the vigilant arrow guarding the people.”

“‘High Ranger’?” Neri was surprised. “There’s only ‘Ranger’ in all Argus; above that are ‘Overseers.’ Are you losing your mind?”

“Maybe someday there will be. And you might set many records—I think you have that talent. But now, I need rest. Could you close the door behind you?”

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——————

Days later, as Dick gradually adapted to Oronar City’s “gilded and gem-adorned” temple architecture, so similar to the Arcane Academy, Captain Neri arrived quietly one evening. Riding a flying ray, she brought the crucial news Dick had been waiting for.

“That hypocrite Archimonde just publicly accused his mentor at the Overseer’s seat. He shamelessly claimed the information you risked your life to gather was actually his own intelligence from infiltrating the Awakener cult. He even proposed to the High Overseers to personally give his mentor a ‘final dignity.’ Kil’jaeden agreed, but that loathsome hypocrite will never know tonight’s ‘perfect performance’ is just a clownish finale before the curtain falls.”

“Commander Targath orders us to move! Archimonde’s followers are gathering at the Arcane Academy. They will depart tonight, leaving you less than four hours to persuade Sachil.”

“That’s enough.” Dick stood, packed his warhammer, sword, shield, and “righteous poisoned throwing knives,” then glanced at the bustling Oronar market at dusk.

Turning toward the tower stairs, he asked Neri, “The city’s people... won’t evacuate?”

“That would alert the enemy. General Elodus, in charge of the suppression, wants a quick, clean annihilation.”

Neri loaded bullets into her sapphire rifle. “Don’t worry. The capital’s garrison is prepared. When battle breaks out, the old city will be immediately sealed off. No dangerous entities will escape. Priests from the Naaru Shrine are deployed, and with your suggestion, barriers are set to prevent demons from harming innocents. But that also means you’ll be trapped in the ‘beast cage.’”

“Last chance. Are you sure you don’t want us to protect you?”

“No need. This is Diakum’s farewell and ‘Dick’s’ rebirth!” Dick’s voice was resolute. “I’ll reclaim my life myself. Besides, if I don’t survive tonight, all my grand plans will be but illusions. Lady Neri, I don’t even dare tell you my wishes—they might frighten you. But the truth is, in that plan, mere Archimonde is just the first challenge of the initial level.”

“Don’t understand—maybe that’s Krokuun border slang?” Neri flicked her tail and handed Dick a bundle of special Akenite crystal bombs from her slender waist. “If you need to break out, throw these, but be careful—they’re powerful. One can destroy an arcane sentinel. Without holy light protection, if you get hit, all I can do is attend your funeral with sorrow, senior.”

“Nonsense.” Dick stowed the bombs and touched his stylish horns, joking, “My ‘funeral’ was already held in the Arcane Academy cemetery. Many students attended. I heard it was quite a scene. Ha, we’ll meet again after victory, little Neri. Good luck to you.”

“Good luck, Mr. Dick.” Neri melted into the shadows, watching Dick leave the tower. Riding a Tabu ram, he crossed Oronar’s bustling streets toward the old city—the Awakener cult’s stronghold in Makare and the frequent lecture site of the Enlightened Sachil over many years.

Even now, Neri cannot imagine the arcane master she once revered falling into madness and cultism within decades. It is said the demons’ seduction was to blame...

“Sigh, could it be as Dick said in his advice to Kil’jaeden—that the demon legions from the star sea and their vile masters have set their sights on Argus?”

Neri sighed. “No more peaceful days, it seems. No turning back now.”

Minutes later, at the old city’s great lecture hall entrance, Dick strode up but was stopped by several grim guards.

“Private property. No trespassing, sir,” they barked, brandishing blades. “Irrelevant parties, move along.”

“Really? I don’t think I’m irrelevant.” Dick pulled down his hood, meeting the guards’ shocked stares. His gaze subtly shifted to the guards who smelled of fel sulfur. Pointing at one, he said, “I remember you—you cut my throat. Your technique was amateurish, so I survived. But that’s no matter. Stand aside! I want to see the Enlightened.”

“I bring critical news about the Awakener cult’s fate. I know you plan a coup at dawn, but forgive me—before great deeds, you must purge the internal vermin. How can you succeed with vermin like Archimonde among you?”

“You...” one guard sputtered.

“What? Hurry and report! A dead man’s warning—if the Enlightened won’t see me, expect to die by your closest’s blade.” Dick was brazen and candid. The guards hesitated, so the one who slit Dick’s throat went to report.

Minutes later, a gloomy sorcerer in caster’s robes emerged, still smelling of blood. He sized up Dick.

“Follow me. The Enlightened wants to see you. But be warned: whatever news you bring, you won’t leave alive tonight. The sacrificial rite has begun. The blood of a high-ranking garrison officer is perfect to lure those ravenous beasts.”

“Diakum, you were once one of us. Now it’s your turn to fulfill your duty.”

“Of course.” Dick strode into the lecture hall. “I come for that very reason. The holy light teaches me not to deceive the world with lies. Therefore, I bring both truth and justice.”

Ps: Thanks to brother “Sakurababy” for the guild leader’s reward. This extra chapter counts as part of the release... I... you... sigh... the brothers’ kindness feels overwhelming; I can only repay with my best effort.