Linde sat behind his obsidian desk, his fingertips tapping lightly on the smooth surface, producing a rhythmic sound.
The study was brightly lit, illuminating his expressionless face, with only a trace of cold data occasionally flickering in his deep purple eyes.
Nix, like an elegant black shadow, lay silently curled up in a corner of the desk, almost blending into Lind's dark lord's robes.
She licked her paws and reported in a voice with a unique intonation and a slight upward inflection at the end:
"Master, there are more 'little mice' in the territory lately."
She lazily flicked the tip of her tail. "A few homeless guys from the south thought they could cheat their way out of the tavern by learning some fire-controlling tricks, and they almost burned Old Buck's beard. They've already been thrown into the mines by the security team to reflect on their actions, meow. There are also two local lads who just awakened some brute strength. They tried to 'visit' the newly opened alchemy workshop in the middle of the night, but they triggered a trap set by Lord Aster, and they're still lying in the infirmary, meow."
She paused, then pricked up one ear, as if listening for an echo in the shadows:
"They're all a bunch of idiots who can't stand up to scrutiny. They've gotten so arrogant because of the little bit of power they suddenly gained, thinking that the rules don't exist anymore, meow. They're easy to deal with, but... they're a bit annoying."
Linde nodded slightly.
These situations were within his expectations.
Such is the underlying nature of human civilization on the continent of Tiel: ignorance, shortsightedness, and susceptibility to being seduced by power.
Over the years, he used the Holy Spirit Church as a front and his iron-fisted methods to finally establish a relatively orderly environment in Blackrock Territory, allowing its inhabitants to accept new things more quickly and abide by basic rules.
But this fragile shell of civilization appears so thin in the face of the expansion of individual power brought about by the liberation of magic.
“Ideological transformation is not something that can be accomplished overnight.”
Linde spoke calmly, his voice like the clinking of cold crystals, "The fact that they can adapt to light vein energy and new production methods faster than people in other places is the result of our years of hard work. Now that the power is being applied directly to individuals, the greed and violence deep within their hearts are being triggered, and chaos is inevitable."
He raised his eyes and looked at the shadows in the corner of the study: "Narosh, how is the situation in the other areas?"
The old Shadowbinder leader seemed to materialize from the darkness, his hoarse voice carrying a hint of solemnity:
"Your Excellency, the situation is far from optimistic. Within the Kree Empire, at least three powerful counts have seen large-scale serf and freeman uprisings. Several leaders calling themselves 'Chosen Ones' have emerged, and their magical power is estimated to be close to or even at the level of high-ranking mages. They are attacking noble manors and burning tax books. The Imperial Legion is finding it quite difficult to suppress them and has suffered considerable losses."
“The Sass Empire is in even worse shape,” Narosh continued. “The ‘Red Earth County’ near the border is almost entirely ravaged. A former miner’s leader led a mob to seize the county seat, declared the establishment of some ‘Free People’s Council,’ and executed all officials and nobles who refused to surrender. The empire’s pacification forces have encountered strange magical traps and berserk monsters in the wild, and their progress is slow.”
A glint of shrewdness flashed in his deep-set eyes:
"According to intelligence, it seems that there are some... hidden forces within both empires pushing things behind the scenes, profiting from this chaos, or testing the empires' bottom line. Among the few 'fools' we captured from other places, a very small number of them also carry traces of power that do not belong to them, as if they have been briefly 'catalyzed'."
Linde showed no surprise upon hearing this.
He is still nominally the Grand Duke of the Kree Empire, but ever since news of his expulsion of the Fusion God and his direct confrontation with Teolantis spread, both the Kree royal family and other human kingdoms have tacitly regarded him as an unshakeable and powerful entity independent of the imperial system.
Their interactions were more of an equal and mutually beneficial exchange than a superior-subordinate relationship.
The stability and strength of Blackrock Territory made it a conspicuous anomaly in this chaotic continent.
"It seems that the collapse of order is happening faster than expected."
Linde stood up and walked to the huge stained-glass window, looking down at the brightly lit and orderly Blackrock City below. The peace here was built on absolute power and efficient control.
"Nix."
"Meow~" The black-haired cat girl immediately perked up her ears and leaned forward slightly.
"Increase the density of shadow patrols in the territory, especially in areas with newly arrived populations and workshops. If anyone is found attempting to use magic to cause trouble, whether local or from out of town, first-time offenders will be dealt with according to the territory's laws, while repeat offenders or those with serious offenses... you know what to do."
"Understood, meow! I guarantee those blind little mice will have nowhere to hide!" A dangerous yet excited glint flashed in Nix's eyes. With a flicker, she disappeared into the shadows under the desk.
"Nerosh."
"Please give your orders, Your Excellency."
"Use 'hidden agents' to focus on the development of uprisings within the Kree and Sass Empires, especially those 'Chosen Ones' and suspected masterminds. I need to know their sources of power, organizational structure, and true intentions. If necessary... limited 'clean-up' can be carried out to ensure that the chaos does not spread to our borders too quickly."
"As you wish." Naraku bowed and accepted the order, his figure disappearing into the shadows as if blending into ink.
Silence returned to the study. Linde stood alone by the window, his gaze deep and unfathomable.
The unleashing of magic brought not only chaos, but also a global reshuffling.
The old ruling order is collapsing, and a new power class is forming.
Black Rock Territory has temporarily taken the lead thanks to its solid foundation and advanced technology, but this does not mean it can rest easy.
The "chosen ones" who rose to power during the riots, the possible masterminds behind them, and the movements of other races and forces... are all fraught with uncertainty.
His previous focus on family and consolidating his own strengths was a necessary period of rest and reflection.
But now, the external storms can no longer be ignored. It's time to intervene more proactively, to guide and even control this transformation sweeping the continent.
"The unrest of the ignorant masses is nothing to fear, but if it is exploited by those with ulterior motives and becomes a major trend, it will also bring trouble."
Linde muttered to himself, "It seems that defense and internal stability alone are not enough."
His fingertip lightly touched the glass window, and an invisible ripple spread out.
"It's time for the outside world to have a clearer understanding of what kind of 'order' is the true rule that this wild new era needs to follow."
"And Blackrock Territory will define this law."
His figure slowly faded from the study, leaving only a cold echo in the air.
A new plan has already begun in his mind. This time, the target is no longer a single god, but the future landscape of the entire continent of Tiel.
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