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Jardin spread his hands, his tone carrying a touch of helplessness. "Both are possible, Lord Bishop. Whether the Hero truly turned Yeli and subdued the Demon King's wife, causing his strength to explode, or the Hero has already been infiltrated by the Demon King and become his puppet—either way, it is not good news for your Holy Light Church." He paused, his gaze piercing the Bishop. "The truth of the Divinity System was your original goal: to use the Hero's death to collect the Hero's power and awaken the Ancient God to fight the Demon King. But now, the Hero has not only survived but is flaunting the Demon King's wife, even promoting to the Sixth Rank, with strength sufficient to threaten even you, a Bishop. Tell me, is such a Hero still the Church's 'tool'?"
The Bishop's expression finally changed, the golden cross on his robe trembling slightly in the firelight. He whispered, "The Hero indeed... exceeded expectations. The energy collection for the Divinity System has stalled. His strength is growing too fast, even..." He paused, seemingly unwilling to admit it. "Even I might not necessarily win against him."
A flash of triumph appeared in the Minister's eyes as he struck while the iron was hot. "Therefore, Lord Bishop, our goals are aligned. The Holy Light Church needs a controllable Hero, and I need a stable Kingdom. If we cooperate to suppress the Hero and clear out the Consort's influence, your Divinity plan can continue, and my Kingdom can avoid internal strife." He stood up, walked to the Bishop's side, and whispered, "Furthermore, the threat of the Demon King's army at the frontier requires our joint response. The 'Blood' and 'Phantom' armies are not something that can be stopped simply by so-called 'unity.'"
Hearing this, General Ryan chimed in, "That's true. While the defensive line at the frontier is stable for now, those two cadres of the Demon King's army are indeed troublesome. Moreover, because we are highly dependent on logistics, if the Kingdom's interior falls into chaos, I'm afraid our defensive line won't last long." His voice carried a bit of anxiety, clearly feeling the pressure from the Demon King's army.
The Bishop gave a cold snort, his gaze sweeping over Ryan. "General Ryan, are you suggesting the Holy Light Church must get involved in this internal strife?" His tone remained stubborn, perhaps as a test. "I have emphasized many times that the Holy Light Church's target is the Demon King, not your struggle for the throne."
The Minister was unhurried, explaining softly, "Lord Bishop, you misunderstand. Our cooperation is not about having the Holy Light Church meddle in internal politics, but about uniting our forces. The Holy Light Church's stance is extremely important to us, and as I have said many times, a situation where the Hero stands alone and supreme is not something you wish to see, is it?"
The Bishop fell silent for a moment, forced to reconsider this topic that had been repeated so many times. He knew there was great truth in the Minister's words. The Hero's strength growth was beyond expectations, Yeli's defection was indeed suspicious, and Mengli's rapid rise was even more bizarre. More importantly, with the threat of the Demon King's army imminent, if the Kingdom fell into internal strife, the Holy Light Church's Divinity plan would be heavily damaged, if not destroyed. He whispered, "Then let's be specific. What do we need to do? The resources of the Holy Light Church aren't to be moved lightly."
The Minister waved off this concern and spoke slowly, "It's simple. Public opinion. I believe you know the importance of this better than we do. The impact of the incident where the Priest hypnotized and violated the Saintess doesn't need to be elaborated on, does it?" He paused, his tone suddenly turning chillingly cold. "To summarize in one sentence: you control public opinion and assist our actions when necessary. As for the rest, we will handle it all."
The Bishop narrowed his eyes, thinking as he spoke, "It sounds like a very favorable deal. We only control public opinion, and the rest is left to you. But why should I believe you have the capability to achieve this?" His tone carried a hint of doubt. "You are but a Minister of Military Affairs. You hold military power but have no royal blood. The hearts of the people, the Mage Corps, the Palace Guard... how do you plan to deal with these necessary enemies?"
Hearing this, a meaningful smile curled the Minister's lips, and his gaze shifted toward the iron door of the meeting room. "Lord Bishop, you ask a very good question. However, some answers do not require me to give them personally." Just as his voice fell, the iron door slowly opened, and the sound of heavy footsteps approached. A young figure entered, wearing a black robe with gold trim and carrying a sword inlaid with a red ruby at his waist. His stride was upright; judging by his posture and movements, he was clearly a member of the royalty trained in noble etiquette.
Seeing the newcomer, the Bishop stood up abruptly, shock flashing in his eyes. "The First Prince?! You... aren't you on the Western Front? How could you be here?!" His voice trembled slightly, clearly not expecting this Prince, who had been campaigning at the frontier for years, to suddenly appear.
The First Prince waved his hand, signaling the Bishop to sit, his tone calm but carrying an unquestionable authority. "Lord Bishop, sit and let's talk." He walked to the long table, and the Minister immediately stood to give him his seat. After the First Prince sat down, his gaze swept over the scene. "Everything Jardin said just now was under my instruction. He acted on my behalf simply to hide my identity. Now, the time has come, and there is no need for me to remain hidden."
Handing his sword to a guard, the First Prince faced the Bishop directly in a defenseless posture. "Lord Bishop, Jardin has already explained the situation clearly. The crisis in the capital is far beyond your imagination. The Consort's power, the Hero's loss of control, the threat of the Demon King's army... all of this requires us to join forces. His Majesty the King is becoming increasingly fatuous; if this continues, the collapse of the Crystal Kingdom is only a matter of time. I want to save my Kingdom. In my name as Prince, as the heir to the throne, and as the future King, I promise you: if the Holy Light Church helps me reclaim royal power, after I ascend in the future, I will fully support the Church's Divinity collection plan and fully cooperate in the subjugation of the Demon King!"
Hearing this, a complex light flashed in the Bishop's eyes. With the First Prince, the future heir to the throne, the issue of public sentiment was indeed resolved. He remained silent for a moment and finally nodded. "Fine, Your Highness. Your appearance has indeed convinced me." He paused, his gaze sweeping between the Minister and the Prince. "But we have conditions. The collection of Divinity must continue uninterrupted; no matter what, the Kingdom must not obstruct it."
The First Prince gave a cold laugh. "There is no need to keep emphasizing it. Since it was my father who agreed to your plan, I will naturally allow you to continue it exactly as it is."
Having received the First Prince's absolute commitment, the Bishop nodded and spoke slowly, "I will report and discuss this with the Archbishop. Please rest assured, we will fully cooperate with your actions."
The First Prince nodded, his tone showing a slight satisfaction as he stated, "Deal." He turned to look at the map, his slender finger pointing at the capital. "The Kingdom is the Kingdom of humanity, not some toy for the Demon race to meddle with!"