CHAPTER 1458: NEXT STEP STRATEGY

When they finally returned, both Lory and Lucas looked utterly drained. Lucas could barely keep his steps steady; his complexion was pale, and the sharp light in his eyes had dulled. Fredhardt, who had been waiting for them, saw Lucas’ condition, and immediately stepped in to support him.

Then With a firm hand on Lucas’s arm, he exchanged few words to Zhao Li Xin to asked about lory and after that he guided Lucas down the corridor and escorted him all the way to his chamber. Lucas didn’t protest; he simply waved his hand at Zhao Li Xin, while murmuring a faint thanks before he was taken away by Fredhardt.

Lory, on the other hand, had long since abandoned any effort to walk with her own legs. From the beginnin,g Lory already draped herself over Zhao Li Xin’s back, making him carry her the rest of the way. She was already half asleep with her cheek pressed lazily against his shoulder as she muttered, "Don’t let anyone bother my sleep..."

Zhao Li Xin smiled faintly. His pace was steady, his arm hooked firmly beneath her knees, his expression calm though his eyes softened each time he glanced back at her. At their chambers, he set her down gently, pulled the covers over her, and watched as she drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The following morning, after getting enough sleep, both Lory and Lucas were finally refreshed and restored to their usual sharpness, though still carrying a trace of weariness. In the Royal Study Room, they gathered once again around the round wooden table for breakfast.

Sunlight poured through tall windows, painting the polished surface of the table with gold. Platters of fruit, warm bread, and freshly brewed coffee lined the spread.

Lucas immediately reached for his cup, savoring the bitter taste as though anchoring himself. Lory, half distracted, picked up a sandwich, eating with one hand while propping her chin with the other.

"Thankfully, we were gone only three days," Lory remarked casually between bites of her sandwich. "And with an extra day of rest, that makes four. Still enough time to do follow-up."

Zhao Li Xin sat beside her, calm as ever. He lifted his wine jade cup with a faint smile, ignoring the breakfast spread entirely. As a high-level cultivator his body didn’t need as much nutrition as normal human, therefore he preferred the sharp bite of liquor to morning meals.

Across the table, Lucas set down his coffee after another slow sip. His voice was steady but edged with curiosity. "How is the situation?"

Fargo, who had been waiting for that exact question, from across the table he politely handed Lucas a sleek tablet while saying. "It went well," he reported. "Though... I believe my people may have been too enthusiastic in carrying out their work."

After seeing the reports for himself—the scale of the damage, the sheer number of explosives used, he was almost certain his subordinates had allowed their long-held hostility toward S.A.I.N.T. to bleed into the mission. Their "enthusiasm" was less strategy, more catharsis.

Lucas arched a brow and began scrolling. His expression hardened as headline after headline filled the screen with sensational reports of brazen daylight assaults on the Saintess and Alexander Behrenn. Each article carried the same tone: a clear challenge to S.A.I.N.T.’s authority, and an open questioning of the organization’s ability to protect itself. There is also a lot of speculation about who is behind this incident and why.

Lory leaned closer, peering over his shoulder. "Wow...it gets bigger than I thought," she commented lightly. Her tone was casual, but her eyes betrayed neither surprise nor concern.

Lory pulled out her phone and quickly brought up the same news links, tilting the screen toward Zhao Li Xin beside her. He spared the headlines a single glance, silent as he sipped his wine, his eyes flicking across the words before drifting away as though they meant nothing.

To anyone else, he might have seemed indifferent—but Lory knew better. That brief look was enough for him to grasp the entire situation. Satisfied, she set the phone on the table and turned back to her discussion with Lucas and the others.

"They dare to question the organization’s capability," Lory mused aloud, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. "Some even dare criticize their stubborn insistence on pressing ahead with the Herriond exhibition in the midst of all this? no wonder they called them reckless..."

Lory lifted her sandwich and took another measured bite, her demeanor calm, almost amused, as though the chaos in the headlines was little more than breakfast entertainment.

Lucas leaned back in his chair, his voice measured and analytical as he broke the silence. "You can’t blame them, Lory. With this news spreading like wildfire, if the organization were to cancel their appearance at Herriond, the public would see it as an admission of fear. Their reputation as the so-called chosen of the gods would crumble overnight. They have no choice but to attend—and when they do, it will be under the heaviest protection they can muster."

A faint smile curved his lips as he turned toward Fredhardt. "Nicely done, Fred and Fargy."

Fargy gave a casual nod with a smile, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Just doing my job," Fredhardt didn’t bother with words. He merely raised his coffee cup in acknowledgment, offering only the slightest nod in response.

"Jay already sent a report about the lack of security in escorting the new batch of healers to Zalchana," Fargo began.

But then his expression grew heavy. "The only thing outside of our predictions is that they’ve accelerated the schedule. Preparations will begin in the next two days."

Lory frowned. "Why so soon?"

"It’s earlier than expected," Fargo admitted, his face shadowed with suspicion, then he explained. "Lydia said they’ll undergo preparations for two days, ceremonies, rituals, that sort of thing—before being sent to receive the ’blessing.’" He lifted his hands and made quotation marks with his fingers, his tone laced with disdain.

"But it seems all of them will first be gathered in one place before being moved to a secret location. Only the highest-ranking Paladins know the time and place."

Lory’s expression tightened, anxiety creeping into her features. "We can’t afford to lose them. We need to give Lydia a tracker, or something to confirm her location."

"Don’t worry about that," Fargo said firmly. "Hadius has been working on it." He met her gaze with a reassuring look.

"Why are they suddenly ahead of schedule? Does Lydia know anything?" Lucas asked, brows furrowed.

"Nope. She’s just as thrown off as we are. This has never happened before, she also feels everything feel rushed," Fargo sipped his coffe and sigh.

"Maybe... It’s got something to do with everything that’s been happening lately. Something might’ve happened to Zalchana," Lucas said, his voice trailing with uncertainty.

"Tsk, I don’t like this." Lory clicked her tongue, crossing her arms over her chest. "I think I should go there."

Zhao Li Xin’s eyes flicked to her. "If you go, I cannot follow. I must attend the exhibition." His tone betrayed his frustration; he didn’t want Lory walking into danger without him... not again.

"It’ll be fine, honey. It’s not like we’re going to face Zalchana head-on. Our goal is only to confirm the location and save the healers, not fight." Lory tried to reassure him, though Zhao Li Xin clearly wasn’t convinced.

"Perhaps I’ll just have to come, then?" Fargo suddenly chimed in.

"No," Fredhardt cut him off immediately. "People will question why I’m the only one attending such an important event." You’re the Great General of Harland. What would they say if you missed an event this important?"

Fargo’s shoulders slumped dejectedly.

"I’m still worried," Lory admitted in a low voice, turning toward Lucas. "Do you think... after we disrupted the blessing of the healers, the enemy might grow cautious and relocate Zalchana?"

"Perhaps," Lucas answered calmly. "But we already know the location, so we can keep them under surveillance. That way, we’ll gather more information about Zalchana. Because after what she managed in the past, I worry her power might have grown... just like Nazareth’s."

He finished his coffee, setting the cup down with deliberate care. His tone grew calculating. "We can’t afford to strike without enough information. If possible, I want to avoid unnecessary casualties in this battle."

"Besides, don’t forget—the people attending the exhibition aren’t just the Saintess and Alexander Behrenn, but also Salvo de Rova, and maybe even some of the Constellation members," Fredhardt reminded Lory.

Fargo nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we basically invited a bunch of dangerous beasts into our front yard. That alone makes our position more risky than Lydia’s and Maddeline’s."

Lory let out a long sigh. "Right... I forgot about that."

"I know you’re worried about Lydia and Maddeline," Fargo said, his tone softening, "but we’ve got Jay, the Noxcra agent, and don’t forget Garrof, Lloyd, Owen, and Daniel—they’ll all be there to make sure the girls are safe."

Finally, realization dawned on Lory. As much as Lydia and Maddeline were her friends, she also bore the responsibility of protecting her kingdom and her people. With the enemy at their doorstep, she had to remain behind to ensure everyone’s safety.

"I guess I have to stay then..." Lory said, her voice tinged with resignation, yet steady with resolve.

On the other hand, Zhao Li Xin’s smile deepened, relief settling over him. The fact that Lory didn’t have to go personally lifted a weight from his heart, and because of that, his regard for Lucas and the others rose to a whole new level.