Above Pearl Lake, thick smoke filled the sky and blocked the sun, like ink dropping into a pond and dying everything pitch black.
Grant and a few other people flew above the thick smoke, enveloped in Holy Light. There was arrogant indifference on their faces, as they lowered their gaze to look at the disfigured Pearl Lake.
At the moment, the entire lake had disappeared. It was as though some frightening creature had landed here and clawed out a huge pit in the ground. From there, there was a collapse of the ground spreading out, stretching towards the east and forming a winding and complicated deep valley.
The thick smoke rose up from the collapsed ground, carrying with it a heavy smell of gunpowder, and perhaps… even the stench of blood.
"This is the result of going against God's will."
The bishop was hovering behind Grant. At first, he looked at the ruins below him in satisfaction, before observing Grant from the corner of his eyes a few times, speaking with the intention to please him.
Grant, however, did not seem especially satisfied. After being quiet for a while, he suddenly asked, "Was that man in this tunnel as well, during the explosion?"
The bishop was stunned for a while, and immediately answered, "He shouldn't be. That devil was there when the Black Nightmare Army attacked Worchester, he should still be over at Worchester now."
"How about Her Highness the Princess?"
"We only set off the dynamite after she had left the tunnel," the bishop hurriedly added, "we've carved an imprint into her consciousness and can sense her exact location at any time, there's definitely no mistake. Don't worry, since she's already the new Queen, how could we cause her to die so tragically?"
Grant nodded as well, and said, "She is still of use and valuable. Quickly bring her back."
"With the imprint, you don't have to worry about this."
Grant scoffed coldly, and said nothing. He looked down once more. The wounded earth was reflected in his eyes, and seemed exceptionally hollow. From the start until the end, his expression had been like a pool of stagnant water. There had been no change, no matter how many enemies had been buried in the tunnel below him.
After watching for a while, he seemed to be struck by a sudden impatience, and turned around, waving his hand.
"Let's go, there's nothing to see here."
The bishop nodded.
He was somewhat reluctant and wished to admire their handiwork for a while more. They had finally gotten the opportunity to destroy, in a single swoop and without firing a single shot, the Black Nightmare Army, which had been domineering all over the Kingdom of Helius for so long The effort they had put into this was downright difficult to describe. However… sinners were still sinners. They had merely meted the appropriate punishment as God's substitutes.
As for the cleanup work after the tunnel had been blown up, they could slowly handle that later.
However, just as they were about to leave Pearl Lake, the bishop suddenly took out a cross and held it in his hand. He sensed it for a moment, and an uncertain expression quickly crept over his face.
Grant and the other priests stopped in midflight.
"What is it?"
The bishop put the cross down and looked at Grant, answered hesitantly, "According to the sensing… The the Queen seems to be coming towards us at high speed now."
Hearing that, an emotion that had never been seen before, flashed through Grant's eyes.
"How fast is it?"
"In the entire world… only the devil could go at a speed like that."
Grant nodded. "It seems, he has discovered it."
"It's impossible, no one can discover the imprint we've left there, it's impossible even for him," the bishop had a strange expression on his face, "Unless… Unless the imprint has become unstable and revealed itself, but such a situation would only occur when Her Majesty the Queen is in extreme agitation."
He suddenly felt a bout of uneasiness. That devil was flying over with the Queen now. This was not part of their plan. As for the matter of them messing up the Queen, it was supposed to have been concealed, still.
If the other party had already noticed the existence of the imprint, things would begin to get troublesome.
"Is this important? Grant, however, did not seem to care. He suddenly lifted his head and looked into the sky, in a certain direction, "The important thing is that we're about to meet."
"Meet…"
The bishop felt even more uneasy.
It was very difficult for him to imagine what kind of shocking things that devil would do in his fury, after seeing the collapse of the tunnel. Because of that, even though he was right by Grant's side, he still did not feel really safe.
"Your Highness the Pope, we should leave this place first. Under the circumstances, it's not good to directly clash with him now," he blurted.
"I don't think so." Nevertheless, Grant seemed to have become slightly excited. "Why should we hide from him? Since he is bringing Her Majesty the Queen with him now and falling into the trap himself, then let's get her back now."
Hearing that, the bishop gulped and said nothing more. He turned his head and looked at the same direction in the sky as Grant.
After approximately five minutes.
An ice ship burst through the thick smoke in the sky, like a cannonball rushing out from the clouds, heading straight towards Grant and the others! On the top deck of the ice ship stood Benjamin, like a mast, his stare piercing through the Holy Light that surrounded the members of the Church, falling upon every person.
With the exception of Grant, the rest could not help but feel an involuntary chill run down their spines.
Along with a surge of Holy Light, Grant suddenly stretched his hand out and pointed in the direction of the ice ship lightly. Subsequently, the Holy Light turned into a half-transparent wall, blocking them from the front.
The ship, which had been rushing on at full speed, immediately halted. It stopped nearby them, and did not crash into them.
"You…"
The bishop opened his mouth, wishing to yell out something, but was interrupted by Benjamin's next move.
"What have you done to her?"
Benjamin raised his hand, lifting the Princess up directly, into their field of vision. The Princess was being lifted by her foot, swaying helplessly while crying with all of her mind, but there was not the least bit of pity for her from Benjamin.
The Church members, seeing the Princess, exchanged looks with one another, and could not help but look troubled.
"You have the nerve! Do you know who you're holding on to now? Her Majesty the Queen of today! You running dog of the devil, let Her Majesty the Queen go quickly!" the bishop took a deep breath and gathered his courage, before snapping in a loud voice.
"Hmph… Her Majesty the Queen? She's only another puppet, when have you ever truly regarded her as the Queen?" Benjamin's face was as cold as an ice mountain, and he spoke in a frigid tone.
Grant, however, narrowed his eyes.
"Return Her Majesty to us, and you might just leave this place with your lives," he slowly said, "otherwise, you may go down and be buried with your army."
Hearing that, Benjamin clenched his fists. He glanced down at the ruins beneath them once, with a complicated look on his face. However, very quickly, he set his sights back on the few Church members, as though he wanted to swallow them alive.
He shook the crying Princess once more.
"You want her alive, don't you?" He seemed to be suppressing some sort of emotion in his voice, "Do you really think I would hand her to you? Do you dare strike? If she dies, I think you… would not be able to find a better puppet, would you?"