Chapter 426: The Devil always Deceives the Saint

…Was she such a small person?

Saleino’s servant Bernard had those thoughts immediately after seeing Largud Ann. Without realizing it, his lips became visibly distorted.

Despite her fame and influence, Largud Ann was quite petite. At first glance, she didn’t seem like the kind of person who would be in charge of governing a city. You could almost call her a little girl.

Bernard had probably seen Ann once or twice before. But the rumors he heard from a far created a bigger figure in his imagination.

Especially now that she was with the tall fighter Telsarat Rwana. Ann looked even smaller than her real petite physique.

Apart from Telsarat, Ann only had a few civil servants with her. She didn’t bring her guards inside the tent. However, this place was a hostile territory. Bernand thought it wouldn’t be that useful even if she had an escort.

Nonetheless, Bernard thought that this place was strangely unsettling. The soldiers protecting Saleino, just like the other Elders inside the tent, showed a large wariness towards Ann.

Bernard’s large, innocent eyes became rounder, and their color faded. The sense of discomfort left a stain on his heart.

Bernard couldn’t believe that this woman, who looked like a little girl, had big malicious intentions that even made the people around her press their lips.

He even wondered if there was something wrong, or perhaps there was someone greater behind Ann who pulled the reins. If such a being existed, it would probably be either the Saint or the Great Evil.

However, Bernard forgot one thing.

The devil always disguised itself as a saint to deceive the people.

「Let’s talk about what happened in the aftermath of the war, Lord Saleino…We have received news that Saint Matia and the fellow Heroes reconquered the royal capital Arche. With this, the southeastern part of the Gharast Kingdom will be established in the sphere of influence of the Heraldic Order. 」

Hearing those words, the wrinkles between Saleino’s eyebrows deepened, and the Elders became agitated for a moment. The truth or falsity of those words was unknown. There were no reports from there at all. However, those words could not be completely ignored.

If they were true, then they had to recapture the city of Philos as soon as possible.

However, Ann did not mention the royal capital any further and closed her lips. With that, she rested her elbow on the round table set up inside the large tent and lightly tapped the surface with her fingers. Then, Ann’s civil servant spread out the map written on a parchment and marked it clearly.

The walled city of Garoua Maria, the mercenary city of Belfein, and the puppet city of Philos.

These were the cities in which the Heraldic Order had territorial rights and influence. However, it did not mean that the Heraldic Order was able to exert influence in the surrounding areas.

After all, the Heraldic Order didn’t have the historical position or military strength to accomplish that feat. If the Gharast Kingdom instinctively opened its jaws, there would be no city or village that would want to entrust their lives to an entity that would be crushed to bits.

Therefore, the Heraldic Order was only able to exert its influence in the cities it ruled directly and in a very small number of villages. In fact, they were nothing more than a connection between the dots. Unlike other realms, the Heraldic Order didn’t have territory backed by absolute military power.

…However, it would be a different story if the Heraldic Order took over the royal capital of the Gharast Kingdom.

The Gharast Kingdom would completely lose its influence in the south, thus becoming a power just in the north. The areas east of the Augus River and the southeastern part of the Gharast Kingdom would fall under the influence of the Heraldic Order.

Once that happened, for the first time since the collapse of the Altia Unified Empire, the Heraldic Order would have its own territory. The current map would’ve fallen apart, and mapmakers would have to reconsider the surrounding geography once again. The Heraldic Order would no longer be an entity that just occupied single cities.

After saying that substantial information with her tongue, Ann relaxed her cheeks and moved her lips smoothly. Her petite physique was currently attracting more attention than anything else in the large tent.

This was partly because everyone had doubts about the veracity of her words, but more than that, it also showed that she had the eloquence to make her listeners hear what she had to say.

Elder Saleino pulled his chin while tightening his wrinkled eyes.

「So, what? You didn’t come here to tell me about that big dream, did you? 」

Ann responded to Saleino’s words with an attitude that hinted at something hidden. There was something irreverent deep inside her eyes. Her slender fingers ran over the map.

「What I brought is nothing more than a proposal. As the organization continues to expand, you know that eventually one head won’t be enough, Lord Saleino. God is the only one who can see, hear, and control everything. But we have to do our part, don’t you agree? 」

Ann’s fingers waved as they traced the Great River of Augus on the map. To the west of that border line was the city of Philos, and to the east were the cities of Garoua Maria and Belfein.

「If that’s the case, Saint Matia and Lord Hero should go west of the Augus River. Then, Lord Saleino should rule the area east of the Augus River.」

Ann’s little lips bounced casually. For a moment Bernard couldn’t understand what she meant.

It was around the time Saleino let out a hoarse sound that he finally understood something.

「Summing up…You’re telling me to quietly retreat to the east side. Is that what you’re saying, Ann?」

Ann let out a tumble of laughter and shrugged her shoulders.

Saleino didn’t show much of a reaction, but the Elders around him, as well as Bernard, showed stiff faces.

The muscles in Bernard’s cheeks twitched, and he felt so frightened that he almost forgot how to make a normal facial expression.

Bernard thought that maybe he didn’t understand what this woman was saying at all.

But if she was to be taken seriously, then she was selling the area east of the Augus River to the faction of the Heraldic Order led by Saleino.

Of course, no evidence had yet been shown to support this, and it felt like just a talk. In fact, the latter had a larger probability.

Still, it was quite surprising that Ann said such treachery words against the Heraldic Order and Saint Matia.

She was said to be the Saint’s right-hand person. Ann had that much ability and trust. She even seemed to have stronger faith in her Saint than in the Heraldic Order.

The fact that she showed even a fragment of betrayal raised a certain kind of suspicion in people’s hearts. However, that kind of suspicion showed that perhaps she was telling the truth.

Actually, the truth that showed that Ann had no other options available to her.

Most of the supplies and food of the city of Philos were brought to the front lines. So there was no way that they’d have the strength to stand up against Saleino’s army. In such a state, the morale of her soldiers would not be maintained for a long period of time. She wouldn’t be able to govern properly.

Now, it was as if rusty chains were gathering around Ann’s limbs. Everything around her clung to her skin, trying to keep her from moving forward.

In that case, Bernard thought that her approach was a way of surrendering.

On top of that, Ann was here now with her last bit of pride. She would do whatever it took to maintain the Heraldic Order as a force without doing anything that would divide it. She was handing over its potential to Saleino, who originally aimed his spear at the Saint.

Bernard noticed that his palms were sweating, and he squeezed his fingers tightly.

「Largud Ann. So is that what you’re going to offer me? What are you going to do to make those words come true?」

Saleino’s eyes, which showed the passage of years, intensified their color, and stared fixedly at Ann. Every word he spoke seemed to drive Ann into a corner. Despite seeking words, Saleino’s tone made one feel the pressure that pushed a person to silence.

But Ann nodded as if she were immune to his tone.

「…It will be enjoyable if you can enter the city of Philos. We shall welcome you, as long as you lower your spear.」

Saleino’s dead tree-like hands intertwined with each other, leaning slightly in thought. Ann kept smiling at him. It was impossible to tell from the outside whether she had some leeway or whether she was acting with an ulterior motive. She had always been that kind of person.

Saleino closed his lips as well as his heavy eyelids. Bernard couldn’t fathom what he was worrying about, too. But he was sure that Saleino had some plans going around in his head.

Was Ann really a traitor who had abandoned her doctrine? Or was it just a show? Even so, Ann went too far with that scheming.

The thoughts of the people present in the large tent stopped for a moment. Then, Saleino asked.

「You…Do you think this act of yours is justice? 」

Bernard thought that Ann hadn’t expected that question. Ann stared at Saleino with blank eyes. No, or were those eyes part of her scheme as well?

But Ann quickly corrected her expression and answered.

「Lord Saleino. What this world has is not justice or evil, but only truth and nothing else. 」

Saleino heard this and twitched his hand.

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Ann continues to gamble with her life…But she is quite bold, which I like it.

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