Chapter 148: Steady Development

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Late at night, inside a luxurious mansion in Digo, an elderly man with hair and beard as white as snow sat by the fireplace, draped in a fox fur coat. His servant was pouring him tea, while across from him stood a tall, slender man.

“Many at the First Hospital, including Miss Louise, have experienced significant physical and mental recovery. Most of them did so without even relying on alchemical potions,” the elder said.

He took the teacup from the servant, gently blew on the steam, and sipped.

“But you previously said Louise was practically ruined. Even if we prepared the perfect materials and asked an alchemist to brew the finest potion, a full recovery would be impossible,” the slender man replied, a hint of embarrassment crossing his face.

“Yes, I personally inspected Louise’s condition before, as well as that of other students. They all harbored entangled dark forces within. Except for a few, their mental resistance was severely diminished, clearly eroded on a willpower level, with some even at risk of mutation in extreme cases.”

“Then why is the current situation different? If I recall correctly, Mulan Jonster is a Radiant Knight, not some arcane practitioner or extraordinary being with unknown origins,” the slender man said, having mulled over this question countless times before, answering promptly now.

“Indeed, Mulan Jonster is a Radiant Knight. Since the inception of the Radiant Knight path, he has been the most exceptional prodigy. Even before arriving at the imperial capital, he had shown remarkable talent and was highly regarded by the Holy Order. If not for the Jonster family’s long-standing tradition of unwavering loyalty to the Digo royal house, he might have chosen the Sacred Mountain instead.”

“Judging by his various displays, it’s possible Mulan Jonster is a natural awakener. The Arcane Tome serves more as guidance for him, so his power isn’t strictly confined to the stages outlined in the Tome. For example, during his investiture as the Queen’s Guardian Knight at the Great Cathedral of Digo, he manifested a totem.”

The elder savored his tea, then looked up at the slender man—a mere mortal yet exuding an oppressive aura that rivaled that of the mystics.

“State your conclusion.”

The man nodded slightly and gave a concise explanation.

“There are two possibilities. First, the Queen holds Mulan Jonster in such high regard that she may have bestowed upon him very precious artifacts, perhaps even granting him authority over relics. Such a special blessing could explain anything.”

“Second, Mulan Jonster’s own power surpasses normal limits. During the initial exams, he suppressed the dark forces; later, at the hospital, he used his magic to cast the Radiant Encouragement, helping the students overcome their plight. He must have conducted precise variable calculations throughout.”

“Actually, the first possibility is more likely, while the second requires exaggerated magical control and absolute confidence, which is somewhat beyond Mulan Jonster’s current capabilities.”

The elder nodded, setting down his teacup.

“There is a third possibility: this entire matter was orchestrated by the young Queen herself, with Mulan Jonster merely cooperating in the Queen’s exercise. As the Queen’s sword, the Jonster family would follow any order, no matter how absurd it may seem.”

He sighed softly.

“Our Queen is very shrewd. The Black Castle is one of the Empire’s future foundations. A slight ‘accident’ revealed exactly how many outstanding students have already formed connections with various factions.”

“Is the Queen planning to strike because of this?”

The elder shook his head.

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“No, the Queen will act as if nothing happened.”

...

In the Digo Royal Palace, inside the Queen’s office, Monger and Grando were assisting the Queen with state affairs. After working for most of the day, Nisehlil began drafting a punishment order targeting Mulan.

“Your Majesty, Jonster’s actions were still within a controllable range. Won’t this punish him too harshly?” Grando asked, unable to resist.

Monger glanced over the punishment order and shook his head.

“Jonster overstepped his authority this time. With so many nobles displeased with him, an appropriate punishment is necessary; otherwise, it would seem the Empire is too lenient.”

It was rare for the Queen to personally draft an entire document, but Nisehlil worked calmly as she spoke.

“Jonster’s conduct has indeed caused negative repercussions. I cannot set a precedent, but I will explain this to him beforehand and arrange some private compensation.”

Monger looked at the document on the table.

“Jonster may be reckless in his methods, but he is ultimately a loyal servant of the Empire. The outcome is positive. Perhaps Your Majesty is more concerned about other issues revealed during this incident—things Jonster might have wanted to bring to your attention.”

Grando squinted.

“Indeed, some people’s influence extends too far, as always.”

After finishing the document and signing it, Nisehlil rubbed her temples wearily while Grando helped seal it.

“The Empire is a whole; some matters are unavoidable. I cannot let the great nobles overstep, but I also cannot allow them to fear the royal family too much. To control this country requires a delicate balance. Let’s handle this matter quietly.”

To discern who wavers in loyalty, who is suitable for heavy responsibility, and who should undertake which tasks—that is the true art of power for those in high positions.

Having signed the order holding Mulan accountable, Nisehlil stood and stretched, gazing out into the night.

“The Black Castle’s extraordinary developments have already sparked panic among many. We must give them a point of focus. According to the theory of the extraordinary system, when faced with unknown fiends, excessive fear can cause a person to mutate.”

“Your Majesty is wise!” Monger and Grando sincerely praised in unison.

...

The day before the exam summary, regardless of the extent of physical and mental recovery, as long as the students were not barely alive and immobile, nearly all had returned to the Black Castle.

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That brutal exam had been a nightmare; no one wanted to miss their results. More importantly, everyone knew this summary would determine their future paths.

Many students gathered outside the castle’s main hall to check the announcement board repeatedly, confirming that Professor Jonster’s exam summary class would indeed take place tomorrow.

Hendell and his friends were among them. Like the others, this was their first time seeing the Gothic castle since waking. During that nightmare exam, the castle had been in ruins, but now it looked just as it had before.

“It’s the recurring scene that haunted my nightmares for over ten days.”

“Is that so? I hope the nightmare hasn’t affected your resolve.”

Hendell smiled and glanced toward the faculty offices, wondering if Professor Jonster was there.

However, Mulan was not at the Black Castle; he had been summoned to the palace.

Coincidentally, it was the monthly day for government officials to report at the Dierga Palace. After handling most matters, Mulan was called into the council chamber, already aware roughly why.

At that moment, Mulan was leaving the palace on foot, choosing not to take a carriage.

Present were some ministers and officials, and perhaps a few other nobles, though Mulan knew few of them.

Before everyone, the Queen issued the punishment: Mulan’s salary would be cut in half for six months, he would be demoted from first-rank baron to third-rank baron, and relieved of his senior inspector duties in the Imperial Police Department.

Even his noble title was stripped—this punishment was severe in the eyes of many nobles, some even thinking it excessive, as the final outcome was not as dire as initially feared, perhaps even favorable.

Some nobles sympathized with Mulan, acknowledging that he got things done, though they were also glad to see justice done.

For Mulan, however, these punishments had little impact. The salary cut was more significant since he needed to support families of many veteran soldiers.

His steps were light and unhurried yet he easily outpaced others, soon arriving at the Great Cathedral of Digo.

He secretly napped during prayer. When he awoke and looked at the young cleric beneath the statue of the Holy Light, noticing the cleric’s slightly pale complexion, Mulan’s lips curled into a faint smile.

Sure enough, a kind and principled cleric would care deeply about “that believer.” The more so, the greater the impact. With the mind’s own imagination, the interfering force was already effective. The cleric must have started having nightmares by now.