NOVPUBTime and air almost froze in Franklin Hall as nobles clutched their armrests, many of their knuckles turned white due to tension. Fear controlled their facial expressions.
The light reflecting on the distant floor-to-ceiling windows gradually dimmed, isolating everything in this place from the outside world.
The timid high-ranking officials kept their heads down, trying to avoid direct eye contact with Morotian, fearing to be the first one noticed by Morotian.
As members of imperial nobility, they were well aware that Morotian, on a spiritual level, was now terrifyingly strong, rivalling the gods, and markedly different from them.
"I didn’t think it would come to this today."
Morotian smiled as usual, but his aura had completely changed.
This sacred and supreme place of the Protoss Empire, with its ancient immortal crystal beams, spacious hexagonal interior and gorgeous mosaic floor, had been cast into oblivion by Duke Morotian, as if it fell into another space.
The stench of corpses permeated the air, as though space could at any moment connect to the abyss of hell, swallowing everything around, like a black hole from which even the light couldn’t escape.
For those under the Seventh order, if they were swallowed, the next second all that would be left is bare bone.
In this oppressive and murky boundary, corrosive sounds erupted from time to time. Everyone could feel the primal breath of Morotian’s dark magic, a power completely irresistible.
Duke Morotian Berenhaldhardt, as compared to the Cardinal Bishops of the Rebirth Church, may have been a little weaker before.
But now, in such a short time, his actual strength inexplicably soared, which can even corrode the barrier of the Great Sage Isis!
"Bishop Amiles, are you going to interfere on behalf of the Rebirth Church or the Mourning Branch?"
Morotian glanced at the Mourning Bishop Amiles and asked.
"The Rebirth Church will not interfere in your empire’s internal affairs. Sigrid represents herself, while I represent the Pope."
Amiles shook her head and replied coldly.
She believed she had made herself clear. The Empire could see that, no matter how things ended today, the Rebirth Church would bear no responsibility.
The current mess in the Protoss Empire held no advantages for her, regardless of whether she intervened and whom she assisted.
If Duke Morotian won, there would be nothing beneficial left between the Rebirth Church and this country, and she wasn’t a madman like Asksan who liked to bargain with tigers for their skin.
If Duke Morotian lost, the victor of today’s Archbishop’s election would be Sigrid. There was no reason for her to risk helping Sigrid, an Archbishop who clearly already had rebellious thoughts against the Pope.
"Very well."
Morotian nodded, indicating that he would not interfere with the Mourning Bishop.
The Mourning Bishop remained silent, her body turning into a flowing water-like substance, and disappeared in Franklin’s Congressional Building.
After a long while, all the powerful beings stared at Duke Morotian, now more certain than before that the unpredictable Mourning Bishop had retreated.
Sigrid’s knuckles turned white on her clenched fist, her jaw clenched tight, but she was still unable to make a move.
And the Great Sage Isis, still on guard, continued to reinforce the barrier solemnly to protect all the imperial people present.
Guarding was always harder than attacking, especially when there were so many people to protect.
Now, the only ones who had the room to fight Morotian were Sigrid and her three demon summons.
But the problem was, once the battle began, even if Isis tried her utmost, the barrier probably wouldn’t withstand the onslaught.
Only one of the three demon summons was good at defense, and it would be completely unable to resist Duke Morotian’s momentum.
If a battle occurred, even if Sigrid and the other two summons could defeat Duke Morotian together, not only the Congressional Building but also the entire city of Herram would suffer countless casualties!
At this moment, all the elites and nearby residents of Herram, the imperial capital, had become hostages of Morotian! 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝘣.𝘤𝘰𝑚
"Isis, swear to me on your elf contract that you will let me leave today and stop anyone who tries to hinder me. Also, you must swear that as long as I spare these people in the Congressional Building today, you will never attack me in the future."
Morotian stared at Isis with a cruel smile.
"..."
Isis’s face was calm, but the wavering fluctuations of magic power around her clearly conveyed her anger.
Morotian’s conditions were obviously unfair.
Especially the second one, this meant that if she crossed swords with Morotian again in the future, she could only be slaughtered by him.
But if she didn’t agree, Morotian would kill all the people here today!
And she, Isis, would also be breaking her agreement with Emperor Franklin, unable to protect the descendants of the Terran Empire on this land.
"Don’t agree to his terms, Miss Isis!"
A blood-soaked noble of the Empire cried out.
In terms of the bigger picture, they could not afford to agree to Duke Morotian’s conditions.
The next second, his throat was gripped from a distance by Morotian, as if he could break it at any time.
"Miss Isis, I didn’t want to resort to this, but my patience has its limits. I give you ten seconds to consider."
Morotian was looking at Isis.
He knew exactly what the character of Isis, the Guardian of the Protoss Empire, was like.
Though the elf seemed cold and heartless.
In reality, she cared more about the fleeting lives of humans than anyone else, and was an old stick in the mud who valued promises more than her own life.
He believed that Isis would agree to his terms.
At the bottom of the Congressional Building, the sudden changes about to occur on the top floor, covered in deep purple, caused the surrounding officers to urgently evacuate the residents and reporters.
"Nine——"
"Don’t be foolish, Grand Sage!"
"Morotian, you scum of Protoss!"
"Is there anyone who can come to save us..."
Meanwhile, beneath every interspersed giant screen, apart from the chaos of the crowd, there were still people calling anxiously, shouting loudly, and even earnestly praying with clenched fists.
If only at this moment.
There was another Archbishop-level powerhouse present.
The balance would be instantly shattered, curbing Duke Morotian’s scheming and momentum!
But they couldn’t think of anyone who would come to their aid.
At the top of the Congressional Building, a few seconds had already passed in an blink.
"Three——"
Morotian lowered his voice and, standing in the center of the hall, appeared as a black monarch dominating the realm enveloped by fear.
His countdown echoed like a death knell, its heavy toll echoing in everyone’s heart.
Every person present was his captive, unable to escape, only able to feel the impending omen of death deep within their hearts.
"Two——"
Morotian’s countdown finally made Isis, who was struggling and almost clenching her palm with her fingertips, look up.
Her gaze was filled with helpless regret.
However, it was not directed at the group of Empire hostages, but at Sigrid. Her eyes conveyed - I’m sorry, I can’t fight Duke Morotian with you today.
Though Sigrid’s heart almost pounded out of her chest with fury, she could only respond with respect to Isis’s choice, respecting the Grand Sage’s decision at the sight of the sad gentleness in her eyes.
At this moment of crisis, confidence filled Duke Morotian’s eyes. Every step he took was thoroughly calculated, shimmering with a perfect plan. By dint of his identity, status, and power, he had laid the groundwork for everything.
Meanwhile, others in Franklin Hall were increasingly replacing their horror with anger.
They were outraged at Duke Morotian’s crimes, but powerless in the face of his formidable power. Their remorse and guilt sprouted from the burden they’d placed on the Grand Sage.
Today, they could only watch helplessly as he prepared to escape. They were unable to stop him.
"I..."
Just as the Grand Sage was about to speak through gritted teeth, Morotian finally smiled.
For some reason, a gentle breeze began to blow in the enclosed Congressional Building.
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One more chapter to go, almost finished typing it up, will be done by 9:30.
