When Emerson and Cumberland pushed open the door to the King's audience chamber, they noticed an unprecedented heaviness in Todd's expression.

Cumberland paused for a moment, then asked, "Your Majesty, you...?"

Emerson nudged Cumberland's shin with his toe, signaling him to shut up.

Emerson walked to the front of the desk and cleared his throat: "Your Majesty, as per your decree, we have made preparations for the eastern expedition."

Todd nodded, opened his mouth to speak, but his voice was unexpectedly dry and hoarse.

"How is the Protestant refugee mission going?"

Emerson replied, "We have already dispatched a Protestant mission, which will be responsible for contacting and evacuating the people of the major Protestant kingdoms as soon as the war begins."

What about logistics and supplies?

"With Holy Guard City as the assembly point, all the food and equipment have been stored and sealed."

What about domestic public opinion?

"In accordance with your plan, a series of criticism campaigns against the church have been carried out continuously for several months in numerous public places, including churches, universities, theaters, and city halls. Through methods such as witnessing the victims' testimonies, staging plays, and displaying personal belongings, a wave of condemnation against the Heavenly Father Church has now been launched in the country."

Todd turned his gaze to Cumberland: "How's the army?"

"The Knights of Twilight have mobilized 12,000 men, including 230 lance regiments, 2,200 mutant soldiers, and 12 regiments of combat troops," Cumberland said slowly, stroking his chin. "The navy has deployed a total of 46 warships, including five armed gunboats and 11 ballista ships... Oh, right, the mutant warship Wayne is building will also participate in the battle, but it seems it's not finished yet..."

As Todd took a roster out of his desk drawer, he said, "I plan to include the Holy Army in this campaign against the Papal States, with a total force of three thousand. Here is an introduction to the species and abilities of the soldiers."

Cumberland frowned: "Your Majesty, if I may be so bold, the Knights of Twilight are fully capable of handling any situation in this battle and do not need the support of the Crusaders."

Todd placed the roster on the table and slowly pushed it forward: "Victory is only one of the purposes of war; politics is the ultimate goal."

Seeing the astonishment on Cumberland's face, Todd smiled and said, "You taught me that line."

Emerson whispered to Cumberland, "His Majesty intends to use this war to reconcile the relationships between the kingdom's races."

Cumberland pondered for a moment before asking, "Your Majesty, who is the commander of the Holy Army for this campaign? Who has the final say in military decisions?"

Understanding the old knight's concerns, Todd replied, "The commander of the Crusaders is Ackerman, but the overall commander of the operation is you."

Cumberland shook his head: "That's not appropriate."

“Your Majesty, the Holy Army is, in a sense, your private army. I have neither the right nor the ability to command this army. Forcing it will only increase internal conflicts and may even cause discord between the warbands.”

Cumberland pondered for a moment, then suggested, "I propose that the Knights and the Crusaders be divided into two groups, each with a different objective. This would minimize the risk..."

“Doing that would go against my original intention.” Todd patted the roster with his hand: “There has never been such a thing as a private army. The Crusades belong to the kingdom. They serve this country and their faith.”

Todd looked at Cumberland and comforted him, saying, "Before the Crusaders set out, I will inform them who will be the chief commander in this war. Also, I will have the shaman leader, Ms. Minnie, accompany the army. If you are still worried, you can call upon me in heaven at any time if there are any disputes over command, and I will take charge for you."

Cumberland was taken aback: "Your Majesty, you don't intend to go on the expedition?"

"I have more important things to do."

Cumberland hurriedly said, “Your Majesty, you may not understand the significance of this war. If we capture the capital of the Papal States, Tyro, in one fell swoop according to the pre-determined strategic objectives, then the thousand-year-long religious conflict will come to a complete end. From then on, there will be no more Church of the Father and Church of the Orthodox, and the people who believe in God will all be converted to one denomination. And you, as the highest spiritual leader of the Unification Church, will rule over hundreds of countries in the entire Northern Continent invisibly.”

Cumberland looked at Todd and emphasized, "Your Majesty, let me put it more bluntly. When this war ends, as long as you are the first to enter Tyro, you will create a history that will last forever and become the first person to unify religions."

“Cumberland, you don’t understand.” Todd slowly shook his head and said, “Unifying religions, creating history, becoming a spiritual leader—these are all trivial matters to me, not my goals at all. For me, the only thing I want to protect is this land beneath my feet and the people who believe in me and are willing to entrust everything to me.”

“In the far south, a catastrophe unlike any we have ever seen is unfolding. Although these signs may seem far from the kingdom at present, their consequences could completely overturn all the progress we have made so far.”

Cumberland asked doubtfully, "Cataclysm? What do you mean, Your Majesty?"

Emerson winked at Cumberland, gesturing for him to look out the window towards the sea, and said softly, "Look over there, look at those strange-looking mermaids and sharks. There must be a reason why those sea creatures abandoned their homes and came to seek the protection of the Dragon Kingdom, right?"

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