Shadow of the Evil God

It's making a fool of him.

The corpse's shattered chest, with the secret stone embedded in it, smashed down on him, shattering the protective spells he had prepared for himself like a series of soap bubbles. He desperately tried to chant faster, but the spells in the third vision could not be chanted as quickly as spoken or silent. He tried his best to

Even with all his might, he couldn't complete it quickly. He had found the teleport location, but it was too late—the corpse embedded with the secret stone fell on him regardless of any spells.

He completed the spell regardless of the consequences.

It vanished, but only a small part of it, leaving behind a mutilated, faceless corpse entangled with the commander's headless body, its dark skull empty. This eerie scene might be deeply seared into his memory, accompanying him for the rest of his life, constantly waking him in nightmares.

Then came intense pain, followed by a hushed silence. In this eerie stillness, he found himself sprawled on a fine carpet. He knew he had escaped, but no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't get up. He wasn't used to his new body, just as he'd never been used to being human. But how could that be? He had always been human.

He couldn't move, couldn't even turn his neck, until a mirror was handed to him, reflecting a bloody human face embedded in a dog's head.

......

Cesar knew that the unidentified wizard had escaped using a teleportation spell, but he had only transported a face. Whether that face could survive depended on the wizard's own methods. He reached the highest point of the enemy command post, pierced the two entangled corpses with his longsword, and raised it high with the commander's head embedded in the tip of the blade. He let out a symbolic roar that echoed all around.

Then, in front of everyone, he threw the corpse with force all the way to the marching road at the bottom of the hillside, and then retreated.

The soldiers near the enemy command post were stunned by the sudden explosion of flames, followed by the mutilated bodies of the wizard and commander. Panic spread to the front lines, causing chaos. Many officers shouted at the soldiers to strengthen their resolve and avenge their superiors. However, taking advantage of the temporary confusion and the earlier trumpet call, the knights and minor nobles sent by Urbino once again rallied their forces and filled the gap in the line.

By the time the heavy cavalry, now without their commander, launched another charge, Cesar had already returned to his command post. The artillery positions continued their bombardment, and the pass in front of them remained secure. The heavy cavalry, charging into the battlefield from further behind, launched multiple charges, but he blocked them at the pass.

Nevertheless, the enemy cavalry continued to fight, bypassing the pass he was guarding and trying to split into several sharp groups to cut their line.

Given the enemy's resolve and determination, Cesar felt that he was leading a group of rebels and bandits, a truly incredible feat. Thanks to their incredible willpower and morale, and their superior numbers and equipment, victory shifted once again. However, Cesar didn't expect victory to come easily; he simply needed to hold out until the right moment arrived.

As the line thinned, a large force of reinforcements finally emerged from the hillside, charging down into the morning light. This charge completely routed the cavalry on the command post's left flank, sending large sections of the enemy into a rout. Soon, the enemy officers on the right, sensing the situation was unfavorable, began to order a retreat. The pikemen switched to muskets, and the light cavalry launched a fierce attack. The Gonzales militia, already on the verge of collapse, turned back and began panting through the woods, chasing fallen fugitives and scrambling for spoils.

The reinforcements arrived just in time, completely routing the cavalry, which had abandoned its artillery in favor of the advance. The cavalry on the right flank, using the cover as cover, fled without a trace, while the cavalry on the left, used as cover, were left in a desperate, desperate flight. They attempted to escape through the hills, but the reinforcements charged into the fleeing masses, completely disintegrating them. They captured and held captive a large number of officers, previously unattainable.

At this point, the encounter was over, but Cesare knew that even bigger problems were still waiting for him. Thinking of the military quality displayed by this cavalry unit and the possible forces behind them, he felt that he had taken on a big problem, much more exaggerated than Urbino had described at the time.

And maybe it's even bigger trouble than Noien's.

However, it's not impossible to seize greater power. Some things are easier to do when the situation is chaotic, like leading a team to storm Gonzales's governor's palace and send him directly to prison...

But is it still too late? Cesar personally doubts it.

......

Cesar stood on a rock, watching rows of exhausted soldiers set up camp in the moonlit valley. To expedite their march, his troops had no baggage, no civilians, and no doctors or servants. However, a strangely friendly Dominican officer offered to assist them. By the time they found their camp, she had summoned a university-trained physician from Dominican's camp.

He still remembered Seshia complaining that the nobles had snatched away all the physicians, forcing Black Sword to seek out contracts with the priests of a small local temple. In this world, the temple priests were the first to master and develop medical skills. Only in the past hundred years or so have professional doctors graduated from university. Beyond that, the only ones left were anatomists, who were more skilled at dissecting corpses than at medical skills. Yet, given the choice, no one wanted to be put in the hands of an anatomist.

Apart from the young officer, everyone else looked unnatural when they saw him, and Cesar certainly knew the reason. Although he was now somewhat normal, at least not a three-meter-tall armored beastman, his armor was still charred and covered in dark bloodstains, and every gap in the armor was stained with blood.

It was completely covered in dust, emitting a pungent smell. If you stood farther away, you could only see its outline, and perhaps someone would express admiration. But when you stood closer, all you could see was fear.

But the officer was still in high spirits.

"You mean, Anne left after hearing just one name?" asked Altinya.

Yes, because the situation wasn't right, Cesar mentioned he needed to go to Gonzales's fortress to find Firth before making any plans. But Diana, upon hearing the name, briefly checked and said she could leave it to her. Was there a special bond between the young mages? He couldn't explain it, but she knew the teleportation spell, so it would definitely be faster than him traveling all the way there to find her.

Chapter 131 I'm Just an Envoy

"The name Fils is indeed very noteworthy," Altinia said after hearing Cesar's explanation. "When I was young, I met someone who could check and balance the power of the empire. Later I learned that person also used the name Fils a long time ago."

"The upper echelons of the Casal Empire? The part bordering the Domini Kingdom?" Cesar pressed. He felt anyone related to Phils was worth asking more questions about.

"No, it's the northern part of the empire," she said. "Centuries ago, we signed a pact with the Orvera School. At the time, people discussed who the court mages should be loyal to if a succession dispute arose. The emperor of that generation was quite interesting, and the terms he ultimately signed are also worth pondering—in the pact, he required the mages to assist the strongest in ruling the empire."

Cesar almost suspected he had misheard, but he held it in. "Is this the reason why the court mage assists the northern part of the empire?"

"That's absolutely true," said Altinya. "Compared to the northern successors, most of the other successors were mere puppets in the hands of their generals, including my father. If he had any merit, it was that he lived a comfortable life, leaving all the responsibility for vying for power on his children. Regardless, with this contract in place, each successor would always bring their children to the Grand Master to see if that enigmatic being could discern any unusual signs."

Hearing this, Cesar suddenly realized who she was. Her words were truly brilliant, subtly revealing her true identity. In other words, her words were perfectly crafted to create a favorable impression. He had now met two princesses. The first one felt like a princess unbecoming, while the second was a perfect match.

This Artinya was dressed in black, a slim-fitting military uniform embroidered with gold thread, with long, pointed emblems etched on the shoulders. She wore narrow trousers and high boots adorned with feathers, a symbol of status. A crimson silk cape also highlighted her status as a noble officer. She had a perfect oval face with soft contours, a straight and beautiful appearance, and an air of elegance and grace. However, her gaze was so piercing that her speech was almost intimidating, as if to overwhelm anyone and force them to kneel before her.

Neither the gentle tone nor the polished smile could conceal her feelings well.

When meeting her gaze, people are easily forced to lower their heads, and they may even feel ashamed that they cannot look into the eyes of such a noble person. Cesar likes to observe other people's eyes, so he is more likely to notice some unique details.

"So what does it mean to appear as an envoy in the southern countries?" he asked beside him.

"They always have to throw someone out as an envoy and a symbol of friendship," Altinya said jokingly. "If there's any sign, it's definitely about which child is the least important."

"It doesn't sound like any one child is more important," Cesar shrugged. "The Grand Master examined all the successors. Did she say she saw anything?"

Altinya looked at him. "Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say nothing at all. Few dare claim to understand her. Our so-called audiences are merely observations from behind a curtain. In recent years, we've rarely heard of anyone speaking with her face to face, with the exception of the Sasule chieftain. I hear you and Musali are close friends, having met on the battlefield. It would be more appropriate for you to ask him about the Grand Master than to ask me."

This rumor is getting more and more outrageous.

"However," she added, "if you want to meet the Grand Master, it's not impossible. The Orvera School's attitude is ambiguous. As long as a person is famous enough and has someone of high status to introduce them, they can go and meet him."

For some reason, Cesar had a premonition of extreme danger. He had already seen a mage who devoured people's memories and personalities like books, and that was just a middle-aged school mage. Using this person as an example, what would happen to a mage who had lived for centuries?

Regardless, she was no longer human, and meeting that being was no different from meeting the true form of a god. To him, both were far too distant.

Seeing the princess of the Casal Empire move to instruct the Dominican soldiers accompanying the doctor, Cesar walked down the ravine, removed his helmet, and planned to use the stream water to clean his hair, which was stuck with blood, and wash off the filth stuck on his face. If Gouzi wasn't impersonating Merici, he would have wanted to ask her to come over and help.

He just scooped some water from his helmet and poured it over his head when someone

She came closer, bent down, and looked at him with her light purple eyes. "Has anyone ever said that your features are more like those of a Sassulai?" Altiniya asked. "I don't mean to delve into your bloodline, but this face

It’s really interesting.”

To be honest, no one had ever judged his appearance since he woke up at the altar. This was a first. "I hope I didn't scare you. If I did, I apologize," she continued. "There's something I need to discuss with you privately. I originally wanted to do it in Diana's presence, but unfortunately, she left first."

"What about Gonzalez?" Cesar remembered that they were on a battlefield.

"Yes, Gonzales," she said.

"Is it military secrets that you want to talk to me about? I thought you would talk to Officer Domini, whom you know." Cesar hinted.

"Do you consider yourself an officer of Ollandan?" she asked him casually, with a hint of meaning.

"If you consider yourself an officer of Dominy, then I can be an officer of Olidan," he responded.

"I'm just an envoy," said Altinya.

Cesar's mind shifted, "I'm just an envoy."

She nodded slightly. "Well, Mr. Cesar, if you agree to this conversation, let's put aside the conflicting neighbors of Olidan and Dominion and just talk as two separate people."

"This is much easier said than done."

"I don't think it's difficult," Artinya denied. "I've always wanted to see a real battlefield, but my father never allowed it. What I just saw was a first since they threw me into the military academy, where I was subjected to daily studies and drills. Now I think the battlefield experience I've witnessed this time is worth all the years of study I've gone through. Compared to those veteran generals, it's not a gap in experience, as our ages are not that different—I think this touches upon fundamental differences in concepts and a new tactical approach."

Her smile was so graceful and charming, and her words were so sincere that it reminded Cesar of that old bastard Urbino's trick of befriending him before setting him up. Putting aside her military command abilities, she must have been a true statesman.

Of course, Urbino had forced him into this trap primarily because he needed help from him in Noien. Compared to Urbino's previous conversation, at least their status was equal.

At the very least, Altinya wanted to convey that they were equals, which made the implications of this quite worthy of further investigation. He couldn't possibly be asked to get involved in the succession war of the Kasar Empire, not even under the name of Olidan? Wasn't that a bit too much?

Chapter 132 I was amused by you

"I came here," Cesar said politely, "because Grand Duke Urbino asked me to contribute my sword. But I should have been in the royal capital of Olidan, among the scholars and poets."

"Sounds like mercenaries," Altinia commented.

"There's nothing wrong with being a mercenary."

"I don't think so." Before he could react, Altinia retracted her words. "Mercenaries have their own armies, but you can't guarantee the loyalty of the troops under a banner. A brick that is moved around will eventually be buried in the ground."

Cesar wanted to meet her gaze, but she almost forced him to retreat. Not only because of her sharp gaze, but also because of the undeniable truth of her words.

Yes, being exposed didn't feel good. No matter how he won on the battlefield, this sizable army had nothing to do with him. He possessed this fictitious noble status, but the theoretical backing for this status was either in Noyen, accompanying bloody priests and not taking him seriously, or in Dominy, flirting with the royal family and plotting how to kill him.

Leaving aside Urbino, the old scoundrel who exploited his prey, Cesar was completely isolated in the Kingdom of Olidan. With no family support or alliances to lean on, he could only try to gain a foothold by assuming noble status. Currently, his closest avenue was to win a reward from the king through military exploits, thereby acquiring the land and property that had formed his foundation. However, in Gonzales, he had already heard of Evered IV's reputation.

It would be better to hope to marry a rich widow, wait for her to die, and inherit her land and property than to expect fair treatment from Evered IV.

As for the Duke of Urbino, he himself gave up the military power in the north to help his good brother Evered IV wholeheartedly. How can we expect him not to be generous to others?

If the war truly ended, and he could snatch a few scraps of unwanted land from Evered IV, allowing him to live out his days as a minor lord, that would be considered a good thing. Worse still, he'd have to pony up his entire fortune to keep his domain running. While he was paying for those scraps of land, he'd also have to be wary of potential troublemakers from those he'd made enemies with during the war. By then, even if he himself survived, the land he'd acquired through rewards would be transformed into a wasteland and a dead zone more efficiently than war itself.

That's a school mage.

What would he call himself then? King of the Hill if he sealed off a rotten ravine with no roads? Lord of the Wasteland if everyone died?

its

It sounds pretty good actually.

Cesar put away his rambling thoughts. "So what?" He didn't intend to speak directly about the twists and turns in his mind. "These knights and minor nobles each have their own family ties and alliances. Can I still count on them as my backers?"

"

"That's not surprising," Altinya said. "In fact, the place where I was born also rejected me. They deprived me of the right to grow up in my own country, and at the same time, the other country would not accept me. When flags change, there are always people who are thrown out, used as bargaining chips, and neither side is suitable." She looked at the camp for a moment, then met his eyes again. "These doctors and soldiers seem to follow my command, but they don't belong to me either. Do you understand?"

She was becoming increasingly adept at expressing her sincerity, but the way she looked at him was still unsettling, as if she were an all-knowing judge, able to judge the worth and worth of others at any moment. Otherwise, Cesar might have thought she genuinely wanted to establish a friendship with him. However, whatever doubts he had, he kept them to himself.

After all, he himself is not much better.

Altinya pondered for a long time, watching him wash his hair. Then she carefully considered her tone and spoke, as if she had made an important decision. "Could you please tell me, Mr. Cesar, how much do you know about Gonzales' rebellion?"

"It's not too much," Cesar said, "it's not too little."

"Then let me be more specific," said Artinya, well-mannered and not offended by his inconsistent words. "How much do you know about the opposition created by Evered IV?"

"It's not just Gonzales."

"How do you know that?"

"The commander at the time, Meric, was a royalist. He encountered the envoys sent by Governor Vermeer while on patrol and pretended to accept them, then killed them by surprise." Cesar recounted the story he and Gouzi had just made up. "While he was playing along, he had already roughly understood Governor Vermeer's plan. As you said, if I went with the royal faction, I was afraid that Evered IV would value his own relatives more than military achievements. If I went with the aristocratic faction, I was afraid that they would not treat an envoy like me as one of their own."

This was a very realistic reason. Even if he thought this guy was difficult to deal with, he wouldn't refuse to conspire with her. In most cases, people choose to cooperate not because they really trust each other or can entrust their lives to each other, but because it is the most realistic way.

"It seems that you are well aware that joining either side is not reliable." said Altinya.

"I know it well," said Cesar, "but I can't conjure up an army loyal to me."

Hearing him say this, Her Royal Highness smiled faintly. "For a commander who can lead a victory like this, it's not difficult to create an army loyal to him."

"You talk like you could make it happen."

"I can't conjure it up, but I know how to operate each link. In fact, in a position like yours and mine, the most difficult thing is not to create an army that follows you, but to keep them under your flag year-round and make them always willing to follow this flag."

"this......"

"I'm glad you're so candid, Master Cesar. Since you're willing to share secrets, allowing me to further understand the chaos at Olidan, I should give you something in return and tell you how to use it."

Cesar tutted, as she had practically been leading the conversation. "So what did you confirm?" he demanded.

"Let's start with the two factions in Olidan. You know, needless to say, that regardless of whether a noble is royalist or reformist, they will remain wary of outsiders. But precisely because of this, at this critical moment, Grand Duke Urbino will trust you even more because of your abilities and background, and will entrust you with a larger army."

Cesar snorted. "If I betray you, these people Urbino sent here will be the first to kill me. What can he not give me?"

"What about betrayal? You don't have to fight wholeheartedly for the royal family of Olidan, and fame and reputation aren't the only real gains. Have you ever noticed that if Governor Vermir hadn't betrayed the royal family, his wealth accumulation over the years would actually be insignificant, and no one would care?"

Cesar was silent for a moment, "You mean by forced conscription..."

"Look," His Highness's tone was endearingly playful, yet the subject of their conversation was anything but playful. "The war in the north isn't over, but it's at least eased. With the easing of hostilities, everyone can breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate the arrival of peace—except the mercenaries. Not only can they not breathe a sigh of relief, but they also have to demand payment for wages owed to them by the financial difficulties of other nations, all while worrying about where to fight the next battle."

Cesar thought, "Cesia has proven this to him." "The honor and loyalty of the noble officers and knights are to their families and the royal family, not to foreign envoys. However, the mercenary army..."

"Yes." She agreed. "The hope of a mercenary army is simple. Two things: a stable source of money and excellent command ability. As long as these two points are met, you don't even need the Black Sword as a middleman. People will naturally come to you. To help the royal family resist the revolution,

It wouldn't be difficult for a new breed of nobles to recruit more soldiers, right?"

"If the royal family refuses to pay..."

"Then ask Evered IV for the right to collect money on his own. What do you think?"

His tone grew more playful. "If they think you can't cause much trouble, then they'd be even happier if you risked angering the other nobles by conquering a few of the reformists' territories and collecting their money to fund military expansion. Who knows, you might even make them laugh when you mention it. You already have no allies, so it's even more unlikely that anyone would be willing to marry you or collaborate with you."

"I trust you meant no offense to yourself when you said that, Princess."

Chapter 133 I Don't Need Reason or Evidence

Altinya paused when she heard this, and seemed to make some effort not to lose her composure on the spot.

"Perhaps, I should ask you to forgive my offense." Cesar said at the right time.

She studied his expression. "You should ask forgiveness for what you said, Cesar," she said, "but I think you should ask forgiveness from many people for your many past offenses."

"To be honest, one of the main reasons I want to gain status is that I want to comment on everything and everyone without being convicted and executed. Do you think there are always some things that are sacred and cannot be judged, Your Highness?"

"Your intentions are good, but I won't forgive you," Altinia said. "Since you have an idea, we can discuss more details. Some things may have to wait until Annie returns, but for others, the two of us are enough."

She didn't deny it, Cesar thought, she simply changed the subject nonchalantly. Her Highness seemed to have some unconventional thoughts in mind. If she truly believed that something sacred and unjudgable could be judged, this partnership would be a bit more interesting.

As someone with the right to participate in the War of Succession, the best way to test how far she has stepped beyond the rules is naturally to make her own choice in the dispute over the throne of Olidan.

Cesar told Artinia the news Gouzi had gathered, but he didn't address the core of the matter—it wasn't the dispute over the throne between Evered IV and his queen. In other words, what Olidan had to decide wasn't who would be king or queen, but whether royal power would be constrained by the nobility, parliament, and the law, and whether the king would be prohibited from making any decisions that exceeded his authority.