CHAPTER 416: CHAPTER 191: THE SCAPEGOAT

Although Fiona’s disappearance is distressing, some things aren’t helped by urgency.

Family Guardians set out immediately with a Ninth Rank to search for her, while Duke Carrot conspicuously revealed his own whereabouts aboveboard to paralyze any other potential enemies within the Gloria Empire.

This ’enemy’ refers not to the mastermind who took Fiona away, but those Empire high-ranking officials who are seizing the opportunity to find Fiona in advance and study her body.

The reason for Fiona’s disappearance, the Ninth Ranks unanimously believe, is most likely due to an enemy attack.

And the prime suspect at the moment is still "The Gate Within the Pupil".

Although the previous raid by the True Knowledge Society had left them nearly crippled, a centipede dies but never falls down; as a force possessing multiple Ninth Ranks, even though severely weakened, they are still not to be underestimated.

Therefore, for their own safety, the two Ninth Ranks who went to find her carried several Ninth Rank Peak Magic Artifacts and a Beyond-Limit Level Spell scroll.

After teleporting to the potential endpoint of spatial ripples, the two Ninth Ranks appeared in a valley within the Nisi Kingdom.

The teleportation could only be accurate to this range, so using this as the center point, the two Ninth Ranks immediately began an extensive search.

Half a day later, no clues related to Fiona’s whereabouts were found, but unexpectedly, they discovered a secret base of "The Gate Within the Pupil".

Already in a state of annoyance, the two took immediate action, flipping the base upside down and capturing all the people inside to directly search their memories.

What was originally just a casual act unexpectedly revealed some information.

According to the memories of the highest-ranking member of "The Gate Within the Pupil" inside the base, he wasn’t originally in charge of this base but was a high-level researcher from another, more highly-ranked secret base.

Most importantly, Fiona’s figure appeared in his memory!

A figure in a black robe with her, walking through the base’s corridors shrouded in a faint grey mist, entering its depths, passing by this researcher.

Upon witnessing this scene, the two Ninth Ranks were beyond furious.

Knowing the information beforehand was one thing, seeing the actual scene was another.

If it wasn’t for Fiona and Anvis’ Life Crystal Balls in the family all showing normal status, they would have almost lost control and tormented these people to death.

However, through his memory, they also understood. That base had been destroyed by an attack from the Resistance Organization "Truth Circle", and the controller of the base was missing.

And according to the timing, it should have been what happened after ’Fiona’ was first taken away.

But what can be done once can certainly happen a second time.

This time, maybe after ’Fiona’ was taken away last time, they discovered some anomalies, realized that they didn’t capture their real target, and thus caused the current situation!

Thinking of this, the two Ninth Ranks made up their minds. After sending back the detected information, they continued searching for Fiona and at the same time, began looking for other bases of "The Gate Within the Pupil".

Of course, this was no easy task. The previous operation by the True Knowledge Society had already dismantled most of their facilities, and the remaining ones were the most hidden.

At this moment, the leader of "The Gate Within the Pupil" was also very annoyed.

’Fiona’ was supposed to have been annihilated by that strike from the Truth Circle, so why do you people continue to cling on to this like mad dogs?

However, based on the relentless attitude of the Empire, the leader gradually came to understand that Fiona probably hadn’t died, but was swapped out and taken away by the other side before that strike.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to explain how the Grey Mist witnessed her body being obliterated at that time.

As for whether the Grey Mist deliberately said so, while secretly stashing Fiona away, the leader had also considered this.

But this possibility is very slim, because the Grey Mist has sworn by the Net of Destiny, proving that Fiona is not in his hands.

Also, ’Star’ had also witnessed that scene then.

In other words, the people from the Truth Circle took Fiona away, but they left the blame on them to bear.

Thinking of this, the Leader felt utterly disgusted, wishing he could tear the other party to pieces and let their souls roast in the Death Spirit Flames forever.

However, despite his fury, he could only spread the news about the Truth Circle taking Fiona away, while instructing the organization members to hide as much as possible, prioritizing their own safety.

But the Empire’s side didn’t buy into this information, instead suspecting that the Eye Gate had intentionally deflected the trouble.

Due to the noise Anvis made on the night of his departure, many people were aware that the Truth Circle had attacked the Eye Gate’s base.

Therefore, instead of calming down, the actions against the Eye Gate intensified, infuriating the Leader to no end.

At the same time, due to several Councilmen being assassinated, the upper echelons of the Federation Council started to operate, beginning to investigate the identities of these ’assassins’.

There are only so many Ninth Rank in the Continent, and the Council quickly ascertained their true identities, questioning whether the Gloria Empire intended a full-scale war, and demanding severe punishment for the perpetrators.

At this moment, a representative from the True Knowledge Society stepped forward, claiming that this matter was a private feud between two civilian organizations, the True Knowledge Society and the Eye Gate, and all actions were aimed only at the members of the Eye Gate.

They also presented evidence of the Eye Gate’s clandestine attacks on the Empire, as well as the evidence that those council members were involved with the Eye Gate.

In response, some were half-convinced, while others were not buying any of it.

Some members of the Eye Gate are Federation Councilmen, but don’t you, the True Knowledge Society, also have quite a few Empire Nobles among you?

But the crux of the issue is that the majority of Councilmen do not wish to go to full-scale war with the Empire over this issue.

In the end, both parties reached an agreement—the True Knowledge Society’s attacks on the Federation must cease immediately. If there were any further attacks against Federation Councilmen, it would be deemed as the Empire formally declaring war on the Federation.

While the Federation was in chaos, Duke Carrot also temporarily settled the matters on the Empire’s side. After comforting his wife, he prepared to travel to the Federation, intending to search for his child personally.

But before the Duke could set off, there was a slight incident—a letter was sent to Anvis.

If it was from an ordinary person, Duke Carrot could disregard it.

But the author of this letter was one of the three Councilmen of the Continent Magic Council, Veronica of the Space-Time Ring.

The other party hoped that Anvis could undo a follower’s Contract on one of her students.

Although Duke Carrot was mentally prepared due to the information left by Anvis, he still took a deep breath when receiving the letter, feeling somewhat envious.

Is Prophecy Magic really that useful?

Why don’t I have the Talent of a Prophet?

After checking the items Anvis left behind, according to Anvis’s instructions, Duke Carrot opened a Space-Time Constant Box, sent back the letter inside, and crushed the Crystal Stone placed beside the letter.

As a result, inside Silver Moon City, a crystal pendant hanging from Anvis’s chest suddenly shattered.

"Hmm? Vio teacher, what’s wrong? Oops! Cough, cough—"

Leia, who was dealing with a Dragon Breath Grass under Anvis’s guidance, panicked at this sudden scene, her spiritual power movements became chaotic.

As a result, a burst of flame with thick smoke suddenly erupted from her dark red herb, blackening the girl’s entire face and causing her to cough incessantly.

"In the process of Alchemy, remember not to be distracted, focus on the task at hand."

After tapping the girl’s head lightly, Anvis glanced at the shattered pendant and made a gesture.

A Contract then appeared out of thin air and burned to ashes amidst black flames.