"Have you heard the news?"

"It is broadcast worldwide—do you think we could not hear it?"

"We received the news from our Transmission Talismans too. Unless you live under the rock, you will know about it."

"So, what do you think about it?"

The conversation ceased the moment the question was uttered. Everyone turned their eyes to the person who said the question and hummed to themselves.

Sylvia, the one who asked the question, looked at her party silently. She and her party didn't know Basil closely: but no matter how they thought about it, the news about him was hard to swallow.

As ambitious as he was, they were sure Basil wasn't the type of person who cared much about authority. Even after becoming the Kingdom's Golden Apple, he didn't do many things with the amount of authority he held.

Although they couldn't say they were his close friends, they still kept close contact with him. They knew him better than they did two years ago and, because of it, they couldn't help doubting the authenticity of the news.

"I hate to say this, but we don't know Basil personally. We know about his feud with the Church, but we can't really tell how he thinks," Thompson said; a bitter smile decorated his face.

"Being able to figure out how people think requires a lot of time. If trust is based on that, we will die before we can make any friends," Sylvia rebutted. "Likewise, I don't know how he thinks, but my trust in him remains strong."

"I know you will say that," Effie smiled. "He is your crush after all."

"Shut up, Effie! I know you have a crush on him too."

"That is nonsense," Effie denied calmly.

"Oh, yeah? What about the sweet memories of the three days and two nights journey with him?"

"S-Shut it, Sylvia!"

Looking at the burning face of the Half-Elf, the males in the room could only shake their heads in amusement. They had had a hunch that it was the case, but it was still surprising to hear the truth because of how good Effie had hidden it.

When they exhaled collectively, the room turned silent again. They originally gathered in the room because they wanted to discuss their next Expedition, but now they had to discuss where they should stand.

The atmosphere in the Manor owned by the Hauler Party turned solemn; after two years, they were met with two difficult choices. They couldn't help smiling wryly since whenever an event like this happened, it was always pertaining to Basil.

"You know my answer," Sylvia stated.

"Elves know whom to trust since they can tell when someone is being sincere. He has a good relationship with Lady Tinuviel and, while I can't say he sees us as friends, I can assure you he never has any intention to mean us harm," Effie said.

"What you are saying is..?" Norman quirked his eyebrow.

"Well, Normie, isn't it clear?" Steven smirked. "Our Elf-in-love will side with her prince!"

"That is not the case!" Effie rebuked.

Scratching his head with a wry smile, Thompson said, "I guess the answer is clear, huh? Well, since we have nothing better to do, why don't we save our slandered friend?"

"Oh, let's go! He has done a lot for us. This Mansion, too, can be ours because Basil helped us financially," Jake exclaimed in his heavy voice.

Everyone in the party had stated their stand, except for Norman. He was the only person who still had a frown on his face.

The people turned their heads toward him and looked at him silently. Without him saying anything, they knew what he was going to say.

"This matter is not a small matter," Norman began. "Our opponent is not only the Braxtein Kingdom but also the Empire and the Church. I hate to break it to you, but Basil is already a lost cause."

None of them interrupted him, so he continued, "I would gladly sacrifice my life for you guys or die together with you guys if it was two years ago. I am sorry, but everything has changed now; I already have someone whom I don't want to see cry."

Norman bowed his head deeply in sorry. He loved his friends, but he loved his wife more. He married the lucky girl a year ago and she had been pregnant for seven months by this point. Thinking that his wife would give birth to their child without him pained him.

"We understand." Thompson walked toward Norman and helped Norman straighten himself up. Patting Norman's shoulder, he said, "Choosing your happiness over someone else is not something wrong, no matter how selfish it looks."

"Thompson.. I am really sorry," Norman said apologetically as his eyes welled up, surprising his party mates.

"It is fine we have made our choice and you have made yours." Thompson smiled. "Be happy, mate. Also, wish us luck!"

Norman bowed deeply to everyone before exiting the room. No more words were said, but they somehow knew that today would be the last day the Manor had people in it.

Whoosh!

When Norman was already quite away from the Manor, seven figures, entirely dressed in black, revealed themselves as if shadows gaining their physical forms.

The appearance of the figures surprised the Knights, but none of them felt alarmed. They couldn't feel any bad intentions from the figures.

One of the figures stepped forward and bowed politely at Thompson. "We are very grateful for your wise choice, Mr Thompson. Thank you for siding with our Master."

Widening his eyes in surprise, Thompson asked, "Are you one of Basil's.." he stopped his question the moment he earned a nod. "Has he.. Has he anticipated this to happen?"

"Our Master is very careful. He is ready in any given circumstance, but he is also taken aback by the development," the black figure's representative explained. "He can't believe how stupid his enemy is and they will pay the price for it."

"His enemy.. who is his enemy?"

"About that, please follow us to where our Master is. Only after we can be certain that you stand on our sides will we explain everything."

Thompson gulped as he sweated coldly. He could tell how severe the situation would get in the future; he could tell the choice he made today would change not only his but also everyone's future.

Faced with such a situation, he, of course, didn't hesitate to side with the winning side. "Bring us to where he is."

Just like that, Basil acquired 3 Blue Core Knights, 1 Green Core Knight and 1 Yellow Core Knight on his side. Insignificant they might seem, however, all of them were competent.

..

While the world was in an uproar, Blake and Chester drank their tea calmly in the backyard of the Manor Basil and Iliana owned. They had initially planned to go back to Woster the day after so they could meet Basil after his trip to Padeitophys, but the plan had turned to dust.

"Ha-ah.. that lad, indeed, never ceases to amaze me, both in terms of talent and the magnitude of problem he gets himself into," Blake stated.

"Ha-Ha-Ha. I can't blame him, Master Blake; the world envies the Genius after all," Chester replied light-heartedly.

"And, sadly, no Genius has ever won against the world." Blake shook his head bitterly.

Putting his teacup down, Chester looked at Blake with a light smile. "That is because they are trying too hard fighting by themselves while pushing everyone away, Master Blake. Basil is not like that—we are here to support him."

Sighing lightly with a wry smile, Blake remarked, "Indeed. That lad alone is different. He doesn't turn the world against him but turns the world that is against him into his. A very bloody path he paves it is indeed, but I know he will succeed."

Smiling at each other, the two stood up at the same time and turned to the east. "It is time to show yourselves," Blake exclaimed.

In less than a second, seven shadows slithered toward them. When the shadows were a metre away from them, the shadows gained physical forms; seven figures, entirely dressed in black, appeared before the two people.

"The war has started. The Church has tainted our Master's name because they don't want the truth to be unveiled," one of the black figures said.

"As one of the closest people of our Masters, you are targeted by every Assassin in the world. Our job is to take you safely to where our Master is," another one explained.

Chester scoffed, "As expected of those people. They do like to involve people that have nothing to do with the problem."

"Take us to where Basil is," Blake said.

The black figures nodded their heads and immediately took the lead. At that moment, another piece of news was broadcast and it was about the utter distraction of Rancuser Dukedom that was caused by Basil.

In addition to that, the footage of Basil killing thousands of civilians was also broadcast. Blake and Chester knew that they happened for a reason, but they still couldn't help getting a bitter taste in their mouth.

"Our Master only destroyed half of the Dukedom. Anything more than that is not our Master's doing," one of the black figures stated.

"Great to hear that," Blake responded.

Mana Pressure that came from a hundred different people overwhelmed the Manor as they moved. None of them stopped in their tracks, because they were confident that they would still be able to run away.

It was still unsavoury; but the moment they stood on a different side, they had prepared themselves to even cut their colleagues.

..

In the throne room, slouched on his throne, Anthony thought to himself, 'The choices have been presented before me and now I have to choose whether to fight for my dream or my future.'

Beside him, standing silently, was the Royal Counsellor, Eldridge Wein. The elderly man stared at his King bitterly; it was his first time seeing the King that frustrated.

"Are you disappointed, lad?" He called Anthony the way he used to do.

"Very.. in my son, that is," Anthony intoned.

"So, you have seen it coming.. your dethronement."

"I didn't know it would come like this. That lad was right—jealousy is a powerful enemy."historical

Standing up from his throne, Anthony approached Eldridge. He patted the counsellor's shoulders twice and then walked away.

"That is the choice you have made, huh?"

"I will rather die chasing my dream than live as I watch it wither away." Anthony waved his hand nonchalantly. "Goodbye, old man."

"Take care of your wives," Eldridge said, voice trembling as his eyes welled up. "Those two are your true loves."

Anthony got out of the room without saying anything, but Eldridge knew Anthony would do what he asked. As he watched the door closed by itself, he wished Anthony would be able to achieve his dream: creating a world where peace lasted forever.