Chapter 372: The Witch’s Response |
“It seems… the moon of the Kasla plane must be a fragment of the 【Realm of Frozen Silence】 that broke off.”
Looking at the “Realm of Frozen Silence” in her hand, which had grown a bit larger, Aivrel murmured to herself.
She had long suspected that the seal of the Ice Ruins was somehow connected to the Realm of Frozen Silence, but she had not expected it to actually involve a fragment of the Realm of Frozen Silence.
“The Kasla plane has eight kingdoms with extremely long histories, and the names of those kingdoms are clearly related to the Eight Divine Thrones of Elements.”
“The Kingdom of Ice, Aisenia, is a variation of the name of the Ice Spirit King, Aiserinnos.”
“The Kingdom of Wind, Zephyrenia, is a variation of the name of the Wind Spirit King, Zephyra.”
“The Kingdom of Water, Liania, is from Livienne…”
“The other kingdoms are probably also variations of the names of the various Spirit Kings.”
“And in the Ice Ruins, there are also a total of eight ancient altars leading down to the lower seal…”
“Perhaps… the seal of the Kasla plane was left behind by the Eight Divine Thrones of Elements of that era.”
“The sun of Kasla should have been left behind by the Light Spirit King.”
“The moon… very likely was left behind by the Ice Spirit King.”
“I wonder what the other Spirit Kings left behind?”
“Would it be, like the Kasla Silver Moon, some kind of plane fragment capable of housing a Holy Spirit?”
“A thousand years ago, the northern province of the Astral Empire was destroyed by a demon calamity. All along, I had believed that it was caused by the Shadow Demon King, who had been sealed in another plane world, breaking through its seal.”
“But thinking about it now, the power of the Shadow Demon King was actually only about the same as a Holy Spirit.”
“The Astral Empire had many Holy Spirits. How could it have failed to stop the descent of a single Demon King? How could it even have led to the fall of Holy Spirits?”
“Or… was there another reason behind the destruction of the northern province back then? For example… the Ice Ruins?”
“If that is the case, then it makes sense. A thousand years ago, the seal of the Ice Ruins very likely also experienced a large-scale loosening, which led to the outbreak of the mana tide.”
“The Kasla Silver Moon is currently in a shattered state. Perhaps the loosening of the seal is related to the shattering of the silver moon.”
“If the 【Salvation Goddess】 truly is the Goddess of the Frozen Abyss, Clodia, then perhaps it was She who stabilized the seal a thousand years ago. HER fall may also be related to this.”
“The Law of 【Ice】 is the most adept at sealing, while the Law of 【Water】 is the most adept at mending.”
“The summons Navia felt from the Kasla Silver Moon should be the power She left behind. SHE did not hide Her Law of 【Water】 in the Kasla plane, but used it to repair the seal enveloping the Kasla plane!”
“In other words, Navia’s guess was correct. The authority over water belonging to the Goddess of the Frozen Abyss that I need is also hidden within that silver moon!”
“So now, why do the Magic Tower and the Temple want to open the seal again? Even if it is to obtain the Kasla plane, or plane fragments like the Kasla Silver Moon?”
“Are they… not worried about the Demon God beneath the seal?”
“The Temple and the Magic Tower are in a state of hostility, yet regarding matters of the Ice Ruins, they clearly fight without breaking, and there is even implicit cooperation…”
“I am afraid that behind this, there is a plan regarded as consensus by the Saints and Holy Spirits.”
“Back then, when Zephyra was besieged, many Holy Spirits, though furious, ultimately did not intervene. Perhaps that, too, was related to this plan.”
Thinking of this, Aivrel shook her head:
“Unfortunately, the Astral Sage Merlin is ultimately not a true Saint. Although the Saint-level existences value Merlin, they merely appeased him by letting him ‘watch over’ the Ice Ruins.”
“All these years, no one has ever come to discuss anything with me.”
“I am afraid… only by truly displaying power at the level of a Holy Spirit will it be possible to learn these secrets.”
Thinking of this, light flickered in Aivrel’s hand, and she summoned a pair of magical communication stones.
They were precisely the communication stones of the 【Abyssal Order】 and the 【Church of Abundance】.
Just a day ago, these two magical communication stones had shone simultaneously and transmitted the same message: the two orders wished to visit the great figure behind the Avensdale family.
Moreover, their tone was extremely respectful.
Clearly, the mana of the 【Silver-Haired Angel】 Ale had likely made them notice something, confirming that there was a major figure behind this.
Aivrel had previously hesitated whether to respond in Merlin’s identity. But now, after learning so much information about the Kasla plane, she had a new idea.
“It seems… it is time to let the identity of Merlin exit the stage in a reasonable manner.”
Aivrel said to herself.
Thinking of this, she shifted her consciousness and casually sent the two magical communication stones through the consciousness passage to her avatar in the 【Frozen Abyss Divine Realm】.
Then, she mobilized the authority of the entire divine realm, controlling the ice authority of the Goddess of the Frozen Abyss, and replied in a majestic, grand voice that was exactly the same as Merlin’s:
“Granted.”
……
The Astral Empire, Southern Desert, Twin Springs City.
Within the Twin Temples.
The Grand Priestess of the Abyssal Order, the 【Ocean Singer】, Sirena, and the Grand Patriarch of the Church of Abundance, the 【Shepherd of the Green Fields】, Arcadius, were seated in the temple’s council hall, their expressions solemn as they discussed something.
On the meeting table in the hall lay a massive map, depicting mountains, rivers, endless glaciers, and intricate ruins.
It was actually a map of the northern part of the continent, encompassing the entire Ice Ruins!
“Lady Sirena, have you received a reply from the north?”
Withdrawing his gaze from the map, 【Shepherd of the Green Fields】 Arcadius asked in a deep voice.
【Ocean Singer】 Sirena shook her head and sighed softly:
“Not yet. Two days have already passed, and there has still been no response.”
After speaking, she asked in return:
“Have you not received one either?”
Arcadius nodded:
“Indeed. I had thought that with our hints being so obvious, we would have quickly received a response from that great one.”
Sirena frowned slightly:
“Could it be… that He has no interest in the Ice Ruins at all? HE is a newly ascended Saint!”
“Strictly speaking, not yet. HE has merely gained the qualification.”
Arcadius said.
Then, he looked at the map again:
“Now, the various powers have all sent exploration teams to the Ice Ruins. Though no one knows how many will ultimately succeed, the struggle… has probably already begun.”
“Time is already very pressing. With each passing day, the situation may change anew. If we do not act soon, I am afraid… we will have no choice but to follow the Temple’s lead like the other churches.”
Sirena was silent for a moment, then sighed:
“Indeed. Three days ago, a Cardinal from the Temple’s southern diocese even sent someone to urge us, but the two Eminences have not issued a divine oracle…”
Then, she looked at the Grand Patriarch opposite her with confusion:
“Lord Arcadius, with so many Holy Spirit churches in the Empire, why does the Temple insist on targeting us?”
Arcadius was silent for a moment, then sighed:
“Sirena, you have only recently taken charge of the Abyssal Order, and the previous Grand Priestess fell unexpectedly. It is likely that she did not have time to tell you the true secrets of that year.”
“Do not think that the Magic Tower and the Temple hold vast power in the Prime Material Plane. In the world beneath the Ice Ruins, they may not necessarily be the forces with the deepest foundations.”
“Legend has it that the seal of the Ice Ruins was constructed by the Eight Supreme Divine Thrones under the leadership of the Ice Sovereign, and that the disaster of that year was also resolved by Her Eminence Clodia…”
“In other words, the influence of 【Ice】 is far stronger in that world than in the Prime Material Plane.”
Hearing Arcadius’s words, Sirena’s heart stirred:
“So… the Temple is targeting us? Because of the friendship between the two Eminences and Her Eminence Clodia? Because our two churches once sheltered the Abyssal Order and the Coldra family?”
Arcadius withdrew his gaze from the map and said meaningfully:
“More precisely… it should be those 【Sacred Relics】 left behind by Her Eminence Clodia…”
“【Sacred Relics】, is it…”
Sirena’s gaze was complicated as she sighed softly:
“The Abyssal Order has already disbanded, and only a branch with diluted bloodline remains of Coldra. If that great one in the north has no intention of cooperating, then what use are the 【Sacred Relics】 preserved by the order?”
“That depends on the intentions of the Eminences. They still hope to explore the Ice Ruins in a relatively independent manner. After all… the Temple of today is no longer the same as it was back then.”
Arcadius shook his head.
Sirena was about to say something else when her heart stirred, and she looked toward her waist.
At the same time, Arcadius was likewise startled for a moment, then took out a magical communication stone from his chest.
It was precisely the magical communication stone they used to communicate with the Avensdale family.
And at this very moment, the communication stones on both of them shone simultaneously with brilliant light.