NOVPUBHe had become a regular at the judgment seat, his weary, weathered face now marked with the unusual roughness of stubble, which added a touch of worldly hardship to his normally gentle and handsome features.
As an eighth-order Great Priest, he was like walking on thin ice.
"This seventh-order Shadow World is basically hopeless, not to mention one percent, even point one percent is out of reach."
"Judging from the live images opened by Loren’s student last time, it was a complete farce."
Almost no natural light entered through the courtroom windows, and the murmuring voices from the jury seats echoed around as if whispers of ghosts lingered by your ear.
"Today might be the last hearing, Loren, are you prepared?"
The Judgment Chief’s gavel struck, and the probing voices came to an abrupt halt, enveloping every corner in deathly silence.
Duke Agares, the Judgment Chief, gave a slight wave of his hand, signaling for the spherical magic equipment on the side of the courtroom to light up simultaneously, projecting the final scenes of the Shadow World.
In the thick fog, the silhouette of Helsaraym, the capital of the Palante Empire, appeared faintly discernible.
The tolling of the Hel Bell Tower’s bell resounded through the calm yet tense air, reminding the Pranter that the darkest hour had arrived.
The scene then shifted to the Palante Congressional Building, where one could almost touch the tense atmosphere.
The politicians no longer argued intensely. Their faces looked particularly grave under the dim light.
Dark clouds filled the sky, where occasionally the flying dragon cavalry of the Honing Empire could be seen sweeping across, while the streets below were piled with trenches.
This was the last live message left by Loren’s student when he accessed the Shadow World—
[Task Objective 1: Find the key to defeating the Blood Clan, completed.]
[Task Objective 2: At the end of the Shadow World, increase the human side’s chance of victory over the Blood Clan to above 1%, current win rate 0.0007%.]
[Task Objective 3: All Challengers survive until the 45-day limit, current survival 3/3.]
Task Objective 1 had already been completed.
But the core Task Objective 2, not only was there no progress, but it had also regressed.
[Current State of the Palante Empire:]
[Public Opinion: 586→705/1000 (The support rate and cohesion of the public)]
[Parliament: 175→32/1000 (The support rate of the high echelon within the Palante Empire)]
[Military strength: 199/1000 (Referenced against the Honing Empire)]
[Financial condition: 325→337/1000 (Current productivity status of the Palante Empire)]
[Diplomacy: 232/1000 (Diplomatic relations with the Demon World and the surrounding nations that haven’t yet surrendered)]
[Overall chances of victory: 0.0007%]
After Lanci returned to the Palante Empire, [Public Opinion] continued to grow, but it was futile. 𝘯𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝘣.𝑐𝑜𝑚
[Military strength], [Financial condition], [Diplomacy] were basically at a standstill.
The most fatal was that [Parliament] plummeted past the warning line of one hundred, indicating that the Shadow World had entered an uncontrollable berserk mode.
The chances of victory fell from 0.0074% back to 0.0007%.
Without any surprises, Loren’s student, isolated and without aid, would soon be impeached, and at that time, this seventh-order Shadow World would come to an end!
And someplace in the real world, a terrifying natural disaster is about to ensue.
"I... am aware of the situation."
Loren looked at the cold projections, took a deep breath, and tried to calm the turmoil in his heart.
"Loren, your student has now caused this Shadow World to collapse completely. Do you admit that he was taught by you, and that the premature entry into this Shadow World and his failure are your undeniable responsibilities?"
The Minister of Justice of the Hutton Kingdom, Duke Agares, said with a stern expression.
"... Yes."
Loren’s voice was choked up.
Indeed, Lanci wasn’t actually trained by him, but at this point, he couldn’t possibly shift the responsibility onto his student, because Lanci couldn’t bear such responsibility. He didn’t want to ruin Lanci’s future.
"It was all my doing,"
Loren said, bowing his head.
His words seemed to contend with reality, each one heavy as a thousandweights.
"Very well, Loren, since you put it that way, I will not inquire any further, nor will I elaborate on the causes, processes, and outcomes. The joint investigation team composed of the South Continental Kingdom Union Council, the Shadow World Management Association, the South Continent Disaster Prevention Bureau, the Hutton Kingdom Security Bureau, and other departments already has a very detailed investigative report,"
continued the Judgment Chief, Duke Agares.
The conclusion fell like a hammer, striking the hearts of everyone in the courtroom time and again.
The bells of Old Buri Court tolled for judgment, the sparse light intertwining with the heavy air.
All eyes focused on Loren, as if the weight of the entire hearing bore down on him alone.
The whole Hutton Kingdom held its breath at this moment, even though it was early morning, as the crucial hearing began to be broadcasted.
Even among the judges and the audience, there were a few looks of concern directed at him, but these were but a drop in the ocean, unable to reverse the tide of public opinion.
On the bench, the Paladin from the Camberra Kingdom who had traveled a long way, clutched her hands tightly.
At this moment, she wasn’t wearing her usual heavy armor, but a light dress; Loren hadn’t recognized her at all.
"Dear friend..."
The Paladin still believed at this moment that her dear friend was a mature and steady person who wouldn’t make such a mistake. Although she wanted to stand up and speak for Loren, she had come to the Hutton Kingdom on a mission for the Kingdom Joint Council to investigate the mysterious Cardinal Bishops and couldn’t afford to show favoritism publicly at this moment, dragging the entire Church of the Goddess of Destiny down with her.
She turned her head away with great inner struggle, ceasing to watch Loren.
She felt as if all was lost, sitting on pins and needles.
The hearing approached its end before the first light of dawn could arrive, and everything returned to silence.
Just when people thought that a great and honorable Great Priest was about to fall from grace,
The open-air giant screen in the Hutton Kingdom that had been showing the morning news turned pitch black, and then began to broadcast an emergency scene from the Shadow World.
This immediately drew a few gazes.
An interruption from the Shadow World at this time was certainly no small matter.
As the sound came through, more and more people in the courtroom looked to the projected image.
And indeed, it was Lanci who had opened the live broadcast from the Shadow World once again!
"This should be the last live broadcast from the Shadow World,"
"I think that’s what Loren’s student is implying."
"What’s the point in struggling with a 0.0007% chance of winning?"
The hearing was temporarily suspended, as whispers of conversation began to spread among the judges and the audience.
In the frame, the setting sun gradually sank, its afterglow spilled over the Shalem River, the golden light shimmering on the surface of the water, and next to it, the Congressional Building, with its spire still enveloped in an uneasy shadow against the sunset sky.
The sound of air raid sirens came from time to time, bringing a touch of thrill and uncertainty to this peaceful evening.
Around the Congressional Building, the usually bustling scene was no more, replaced by tight security and the sparse figures of reporters.
Some stopped in their tracks, gazing at the afterglow over the Shalem River; others silently looked up at the Congressional Building, praying for the empire in their hearts.
This afternoon, in the lower house of Helsaraym, there will be a speech delivered by Prime Minister Wilford, to be broadcasted nationwide.
Three days before the address, the media had begun to report fervently, and people from all walks of life were eagerly anticipating its arrival.
The situation of the Prime Minister in the wartime cabinet was well known to all in the Pranter Empire.
This speech.
Was also dubbed by the media as perhaps the Prime Minister’s—
Last speech.
