After confirming the details from Mystogan's message, Marco shook his head.
The situation was not as favorable as they had hoped.
The range of "Anima" was highly likely to envelop the royal city.
Though it couldn't be guaranteed with absolute certainty, the probability was not small.
"This..."
Seeing Marco shake his head and the expression on his face, King Toma and Hisui exchanged a glance, both sensing the worry in each other's eyes.
This did not seem like good news.
"You can start the evacuation now."
Sure enough, as soon as Marco spoke, the hearts of King Toma and Hisui sank.
The situation had indeed reached this point.
"No problem, I'll start making arrangements immediately. We'll definitely complete the evacuation as quickly as possible!"
King Toma composed himself and gave his assurance.
Given the gravity of the matter, he couldn't afford to be stubborn.
He only hoped the situation wouldn't worsen and that they could preserve the capital, Crocus.
However, when it came to magical matters, he could offer little help.
All he could do was handle his responsibilities properly, avoid being a hindrance, and allow Marco and the others to act freely.
"Good. We should still have a few days, but the sooner, the better. Evacuate everyone in the royal city and the surrounding areas." Marco nodded.
Mystogan was not omnipotent—he couldn't pinpoint the exact time and location, only provide a rough estimate.
This was why he always had to rush around.
Of course, the earlier he arrived, the better.
"I understand."
King Toma nodded in response and immediately called for the guards.
He needed to immediately summon his key ministers—this was no time for sleep.
The evacuation had to be arranged right away; every minute and second saved might rescue another life.
"Master, what can I do?" Hisui asked anxiously.
She wanted to contribute rather than just stand by and watch.
"Calm the people and prevent chaos," Marco replied.
This was indeed suitable work for Hisui.
The melody of the Lyra constellation had a strong influence on emotions.
Hisui could play her zither for the evacuating citizens, soothing their panicked feelings.
It was also a good opportunity for her to build her public image—at least letting the people of the royal capital Crocus remember her.
"I understand!" Hisui's eyes lit up.
While she couldn't help with crisis management, playing music to comfort people and ease their minds during evacuation was within her comfort zone, and she was happy to do it.
"That's settled then. Focus on this task first."
After giving instructions, Marco didn't mention the "Western Continent immigrants" again.
Compared to that, dealing with the immediate crisis was more important.
Most crucially, the Saint System had just triggered a mission related to this incident.
Before this, Marco hadn't been particularly worried mainly because the system hadn't issued any mission—which in a way suggested this event might not be too serious.
Based on Marco's experience, the absence of a system mission didn't necessarily mean something minor, but major events were unlikely.
However, once a mission was triggered, it was definitely not trivial and required serious attention.
"Marco-kun, will you be resting at the Palace today? I'll have someone prepare a room for you." King Toma was quite perceptive, proactively asking if Marco needed accommodation.
He didn't mind Marco staying at the Palace—in fact, he rather hoped he would.
With Marco here, at least the palace would be safe.
Marco hadn't explained Anima in detail, only mentioning that a powerful, destructive magic might fall upon the royal capital Crocus.
Therefore, King Toma naturally hoped Marco would stay—if danger truly arose, they'd have someone to rely on.
"No, I'm going to find Mystogan. You handle your affairs and don't mind me." Marco waved his hand and stood up to leave.
"Then we'll rely on you and Mystogan. We'll cooperate fully."
Since Marco had made his position clear, King Toma couldn't insist on him staying.
He could only solemnly entrust the protection of the royal capital to Marco and Mystogan.
The royal capital was his family's legacy, so King Toma cared about it most.
He knew these helpers were acting out of pure righteousness, and he didn't take their assistance for granted.
Thus, he maintained the right attitude—whether it was cooperation or rewards, he'd provide whatever was needed.
Marco said nothing more, waving as he departed on his crow.
He was satisfied with King Toma's handling and attitude toward major events.
This was why he considered King Toma far from a foolish ruler—the king's clarity in important matters alone proved he wasn't incompetent.
.....
Marco left the Mercurius and flew straight out of Crocus to where Mystogan was located.
"Why didn't you enter the city?"
In a relatively remote post station on the outskirts of the royal capital, Marco found Mystogan.
The guy looked travel-worn and had actually just arrived not long ago.
He had been wandering around the vicinity of Crocus recently, trying to determine the final landing point of the "Anima."
"I want to try once more to pinpoint the exact location." Mystogan spoke with a weary expression.
The two were in a room, and Mystogan had removed his disguise, revealing his true appearance.
"..."
Marco fell silent for a moment, then checked the contents of the system task.
[Task Name: "Crisis of the Royal Capital"]
Task Content: Magic from another world is about to descend upon the "City of Flowers," Crocus. If left unchecked, the prosperous royal capital will be destroyed, and everyone will become fuel for magic. For the sake of justice and peace, the people of Edolas must not be allowed to succeed!
Task Progress:
Save the capital, the "City of Flowers," Crocus. (Incomplete)
Task Rewards:
[Complete Salvation: Randomly obtain one of the Five Bronze Saints' Cloth or skill.]
According to Marco's understanding, this "Anima" was bound to land within the capital Crocus.
Otherwise, if it landed elsewhere, wouldn't the reward be practically handed out for free?
"Regardless, protecting the royal capital comes first. If you need to set up formations or make any preparations, do it in the royal capital first. The residents inside and around the royal capital will all be evacuated together, so what we need to do now is protect this city." Marco spoke up.
He had already handled what Mystogan couldn't accomplish, and now it was up to Mystogan to play his part.
For this task, he naturally wanted to achieve "Complete Salvation."
The goal was easy to understand: prevent the "Anima" from having any effect at all, which meant the royal capital had to be protected.
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