Chapter 555 — The Tangled Skein
Blade of Dawn · Page 1 of 4
Listening to the tidings brought by the elven messenger named Soyu Frostleaf, Duchess Victoria's face only grew darker and darker.
None of it was good news, of course.
Especially not at this particular juncture.
"We know Ansul is caught in a... turmoil, and that you have many pressing problems to resolve," the messenger named Soyu said bluntly. This short-haired elf looked young and delicate, yet she was very likely an "elder" who had witnessed the rise and fall of the human kingdoms over several centuries. She assessed Ansul's civil war with perfect composure, and no one present could refute her. "The Silver Empire has no right to interfere in any internal affairs of the human kingdoms, but what we now face is a crisis that has already outgrown the concept of nations—before such a crisis, the survival of civilization as a whole must come first."
"We certainly understand that," Duke Boyu nodded from the side. "The Great Wall is right there, and every one of us can see that its condition is abnormal—but this civil war is not something our side alone can decide."
"That is a problem you must find a way to solve yourselves," Soyu Frostleaf said with a helpless air. "On matters beyond your internal affairs, the Silver Empire will do everything in its power to support its friends—technical documents, technical personnel, we will send them all. But Ansul's internal problems... can only be settled by the people of Ansul themselves."
Boyu Franklin and Victoria Wendell looked deeply into each other's eyes.
In each other's gaze, they both saw the same profound helplessness and exhaustion.
Did they not know of this crisis? Did the nobles of Ansul not know of it? Of course they knew—and they had known for a long time, perhaps even earlier than the elves.
How many times had Duke Gaoyang Cecil issued his warnings? Every noble who passed his days in and out of Silver Keep knew the answer full well. From the very day he rose from his coffin, that founding hero returned from the dead had been warning people to face the threat of the Gondor Wasteland—but every one of his warnings had been ignored, twisted, even resisted and slandered with the lens of conspiracy theory. The nobles of the royal capital called it "uncontrolled anxiety," an "excuse for militarism," and even claimed that the ancient hero was mired in the battlefields of seven hundred years ago, driven to hallucinations by the monsters of the Dark Mountains—yet even so, as late as last month, Duke Gaoyang Cecil's warning had still been delivered to Silver Keep.
The nobles of the royal capital made a great show of discussing that warning letter. They had discussed it for a full half month, and to this day they had still not finished discussing it.
The Northern Duchess could not help glancing at the Prince of Wales seated in the place of honor. The crown prince sat there expressionless, yet deep within his calm, water-like gaze lurked a faint, barely perceptible trace of mockery.
"We will do everything in our power to communicate with the Eastern Region—for Ansul's sake... for humanity's sake, the royal house will make the greatest effort," Victoria said. "But this matter is very complicated... we need a little time."
"Then make it as quick as you can, Duchess Wendell," Soyu Frostleaf nodded slightly. "We too will give our utmost assistance—if necessary, we can make contact with the Eastern Region on your behalf. In this turmoil of Ansul, at least the elves' position is neutral."
...
Xuan Yao City, within the Lord's Manor.
Before Gaoyang could continue investigating the hidden connection between the giant dragons and the Mithril Vault, Amber brought him another piece of intriguing intelligence.
"According to the report from the agents dispatched to the Holy Spirit Plain, a giant eagle of the elven race has been sighted in the northern region—heading toward Sacred Frost Roost."