Chapter 582: Volume 15: Thunder Overturning the Earth - 1: Prelude to the Storm
Philip and Zellin stepped into their private reception room. This was the most intimate space within Duke Philip’s mansion, where the heirs of the Philip family over generations had left their portraits and descriptions of their deeds. It could be said to be the most stringently guarded place in the entire Homer region.
The room, though large, felt somewhat gloomy. The two men slowly strolled in from the corridor, unaccompanied by anyone else.
"Rohl, have you really decided?" Zellin, with a gaunt face, gazed with a piercing intensity, "Once we take this step, there’s no turning back."
"Heh, Gofi, if we don’t take this step, we will have no way out at all. Look at the Romanov family’s performance, hehe, just like that they took control of Leon, and even though nominally they let that kid Komer manage it, I am sure that if I keep enduring, Leon will soon have a ’loyal dog’ of His Majesty the King as Lord, and that fool Komer is just being used as a pawn by others. The Romanov family’s actions indicate they’ll deal with us harshly. Haven’t you seen their Blue Dove Corps already lurking around? The moment I show any disloyalty, the kingdom will announce the stripping of my title, declare me a rebel, and then the Blue Dove Corps will march into my territory. With the situation as it is now, what do you think we can do?"
Seeing his closest ally not responding, Philip was unperturbed. At this moment, the two men were tied together in their fate, if one perished, so would Galle, left with no choice but to submit obediently. To maintain the glory of bygone days was utterly impossible; even if you showed submission now, it wouldn’t be possible.
"Gofi, we have no choice. The two fools in the north were so frightened by the beastmen that they’ve been unwilling to come into open conflict with the kingdom, thus they could only endure silently. But they too understand what this beginning signifies. If we don’t make a stand, I tell you, the next step will see those minor lords breaking away and doing as they please. By then, we will be left with nothing, and the Kingdom Star Chamber Court can strip away everything our ancestors left us with a single ruling. Now we have this opportunity, how could they refuse to cooperate?"
"Rohl, it’s easy to invite the gods, but difficult to send them away. You must understand this principle, right? Once the beastmen enter, who can control them? The entire Northern Region will turn into a wasteland without the fortress and castle defense line. No one in the north will dare to stay there. How will we deal with the refugee problem?" Zellin clearly understood his friend’s intentions—they had no other choice. But he hoped to consider things more thoroughly.
"Gofi, I’m well aware of that, which is why I chose to collaborate with the Church of Light. I’d rather bow to the Church of Light than yield to the kingdom. Bowing to the Church of Light means losing some face and authority over religious affairs, but yielding to the kingdom? Then I’ll quickly become another Boninski, with just one decree from the Star Chamber Court, I could be turned into a penniless vagrant on the streets!" A shadow crossed the usually ruddy-faced Philip’s expression, showing that cooperating with his old enemy, the Church of Light, was against his wishes and only a result of being pushed by circumstances.