Chapter 658 : The Sanctum’s Conspiracy

“Isaac ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍was originally an 【Investigator】. After that anomaly, he joined the Moths Chasing Fire. As for Euler, he had originally been a Mechanical Priest of the Mechanical Sanctum, but after that anomaly, he joined the Church of Candlelight.”

“By ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the way, both of them are of Dual Transcendence Paths. They are also the only two Dual Transcendents in this world.”

“But ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that was all a long time ago and has nothing to do with the present. However, these past few days just happen to be when the Church of Candlelight’s 【Investigators】 are rotating their garrison at the City of Dreams.”

“Rotation? ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Oh, I’ve heard there are many Transcendents stationed there. This time it’s—”

“Every ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍three years, a new batch of 【Investigators】 is sent to garrison it. Once they arrive, the previous batch returns. If you count the timing, this batch should be departing soon.”

“You ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍mean Isaac might have gone to investigate the City of Dreams? Blending into the 【Investigators】 going for the rotation?”

“With Mr. Isaac’s caution, only something like this would make him risk himself. Unfortunately, I haven’t obtained any trace of him.”

Erwin shrugged.

“Ah!” Gaia suddenly cried out, startling the other two.

“What’s wrong, Gaia?”

Zoe and Erwin looked at her with concern, but Gaia did not respond. She simply stood frozen in place.

After a while, she stiffly turned her head.

“You just said the 【Investigators】 have already departed?”

“Yes.”

“They left today. By tomorrow, they should already be far from Rhine. And the ones being replaced won’t depart until the new batch reaches the City of Dreams… which means that right now, there aren’t many 【Investigators】 in Rhine?”

“And tomorrow…”

“…is the banquet of the Mechanical Sanctum and His Holiness the Pope (Female).”

All the anomalies suddenly seemed to have an explanation.

The Mechanical Sanctum’s endless wrangling had been to delay time, forcing them to attend tomorrow’s banquet.

The banquet was set for tomorrow because tomorrow the Church of Candlelight’s defenses would be at their weakest. Yet the Pope, due to her prior agreement with the Castel Delegation, had to attend.

And if the Pope attended, other high-ranking members of the Church would likely appear as well. One could say that more than half of the Church of Candlelight’s upper echelon would be gathered in the banquet hall tomorrow.

Cold sweat broke out on all three of them.

They had originally thought this was merely infighting between Churches.

But now… could it be an armed seizure of power?

It was true that the Mechanical Sanctum was far weaker than the Church of Candlelight in overall strength. But if it was merely a decapitation strike, they would have enough people.

And if the upper ranks of the Church of Candlelight were wiped out in one stroke, while the 【Investigators】—its backbone—were absent, then as long as the Mechanical Sanctum moved quickly enough, they truly could seize control of Rhine amid the chaos.

If they controlled Rhine—the heart of the Empire—then the Mechanical Sanctum would truly be able to stand on equal footing with the Church of Candlelight.

Even if the 【Investigators】 abandoned the City of Dreams and rushed back, Transcendents alone could not easily storm a city. While the Church of Candlelight mobilized military forces from other regions, the Mechanical Sanctum could use the time to digest all of Rhine, restarting factories and production lines.

And with this towering and fortified “City of Miracles,” it might well be defensible.

No one in the room spoke, yet the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy.

“Mr. Erwin, this information…”

“It came from the Ashes’ Alliance. They have undercover agents within the Church of Candlelight. The rotation of the 【Investigators】 is classified at the highest secrecy level. In theory, the Mechanical Sanctum shouldn’t know.”

“And yet the Ashes’ Alliance could obtain it?” Zoe asked in confusion.

“Have you forgotten where the members of the Ashes’ Alliance came from?” Erwin gave a bitter smile. “The Moths Chasing Fire excel at infiltration and concealment. And among those targets, they’re best at infiltrating the Church of Candlelight. It’s their old rival. Obtaining such information isn’t strange.”

“…Then what should we do? Gaia, if you were the Mechanical Sanctum, how would you execute a decapitation plan?”

“Plant dozens of tons of explosives in the banquet hall and send the Pope, her guards, and the entire cathedral into the sky,” Gaia replied without hesitation.

Zoe’s eye twitched.

“However, if the Mechanical Sanctum truly holds absolute superiority, they might control the intensity of the conflict. A single volley could solve the problem. We tested it in Castel—【Investigators】 can’t block the Dragon’s Breath Cannon. They also can’t withstand a volley from large-caliber firearms.”

“So… do we expose this?”

Seeing the Church of Candlelight blown sky-high would be good news, but they certainly did not wish to be blown up alongside it.

“No. This is an opportunity.” Erwin suddenly interjected. “If the Mechanical Sanctum truly takes control of Rhine, then the Empire will effectively split once more.”

Indeed, the Empire currently centered on the Church of Candlelight. If the Mechanical Sanctum succeeded in a decapitation strike and seized Rhine, then regardless of whether the Church of Candlelight could later reclaim it, the entire Empire would descend into turmoil and be too busy with its own chaos.

For Castel, conquering the Empire would be no harder than conquering the Northlands.

Gaia and Zoe both felt tempted.

After all, what they needed was the Mechanical Sanctum’s technology. Whether they traded Steam Rifles for it or had the Expeditionary Army come to seize it, the result would be the same.

“So our best course of action is to pretend we know nothing and wait to see what happens. But there’s a problem.”

The three exchanged glances.

“We’ll be in danger.”

“No. Zoe and I are Transcendents. Even if there’s an explosion, as long as we prepare in advance, we can escape. But you’re a Mortal. If fighting truly breaks out, you probably won’t survive.” Gaia looked at Erwin.

Erwin, however, smiled faintly. “That may not necessarily be the case…”

The Castel Delegation gladly accepted the Mechanical Sanctum’s banquet invitation.

Regarding the personal reception by Pope Beatrice Joanne, the Castel representatives expressed themselves to be deeply honored and decided to present gifts as a token of goodwill.

This batch of gifts was remarkably lavish. The inventory list alone spanned several pages. Erwin personally directed the Holy Guard in unloading cargo from the Airship, working the entire day. Even by the time the banquet began, they had not finished.

Fortunately, he was a military officer. His absence from the banquet would not be considered discourteous. Zoe and Gaia, meanwhile, attended in formal attire.

Watching the distant lights flicker on one by one, Erwin narrowed his eyes.

“Keep the Airship grounded. Don’t extinguish the Steam Engine furnace. Fill the fuel to capacity. Calm the Machine Soul in advance. If the situation turns urgent, the Airship must be able to lift off immediately.”

Erwin gave quiet instructions to the Stoker.

“What about these gifts?” a member of the Holy Guard asked.

Erwin had listed nearly all the goods they brought on the Airship as gifts. Strictly speaking, they were not unloading slowly—there was simply too much cargo.

“Unload everything. If the Mechanical Sanctum comes to inspect and accept them, let them take it. It’ll lighten the Airship’s load. Prepare more sandbags for temporary ballast. If something happens, jettison them immediately and ascend quickly.”

“Will something happen, Captain Erwin?”

Erwin narrowed his eyes and looked toward the brightly illuminated plaza in the distance, but did not answer.

Faintly, the singing of Hymn Singers drifted through the air.

The banquet had begun.