LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 417: The Church Of False Hope
The academy was not only his primary residence, but Amos had also purchased a luxurious mansion near the fortified walls of the grand royal capital, situated in the most influential noble districts amidst the wealthiest aristocrats.
He had initially bought the magnificent mansion on the very first day he arrived in the grand Vermilion Kingdom. Originally, it was intended to serve merely as his temporary home before he formally applied to become an esteemed instructor at the prestigious academy.
Most individuals might have believed that this was a reckless financial mistake on his part. However, Amos thought otherwise. He was an exceedingly wealthy individual, and, after all, a few thousand gold coins wouldn't possibly make him go entirely bankrupt.
Besides...
It seems my supreme liege wishes to remain in this remarkable kingdom for an extended period. This place will be significantly useful for a while then, Amos thought while he calmly strolled through the well-maintained courtyard, where an intricately designed fountain was prominently built at the grand front.
As soon as he arrived at the enormous, luxurious entrance adorned with ornate carvings, a sharply dressed man, resembling an elite butler, gracefully stepped outside. Though he physically appeared much like any ordinary human, there was something unnervingly striking about him.
The two protruding bumps on his peculiar head.
Yes, this person was indeed a demon, just like Amos.
However, he was no high-ranking noble—hence, the clearly visible demonic characteristics.
Apart from that, he was also a formidable level-60 Chaos-Class high-tier demon.
If the foolish humans knew that dozens of demons were freely roaming their very streets, I genuinely wonder how they would react to such knowledge.
"Welcome, Master." The demonic butler respectfully bowed his head deeply, his dark eyes gleaming with an eerie reverence.
"Raise your head, Dominic," Amos ordered, striding through the grand doors and emerging into a red-carpeted hallway, where golden rays of light streamed through the enormous arched windows.
Step! Step!
"I will be residing here for some time," he stated, pausing right in front of an elegant door. His fingers hovered briefly over the polished handle before he turned around and spoke in a firm, commanding voice. "I require absolutely no disturbance whatsoever."
"Yes, milord."
"Good."
Twisting the heavy doorknobs, Amos stepped into a lavishly furnished chamber. Without hesitation, he swiftly retrieved his glowing communication crystal and proceeded to contact someone.
"Hey, any leads regarding his whereabouts?" A powerful, deep voice rumbled ominously from the other end.
"Yes!" Amos exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement. "I have finally uncovered the precise whereabouts of the legendary Hound! In fact, I have even met up with him in person!"
"Excellent!" The individual on the other end roared excitedly. Their thunderous voice resonated so powerfully that cracks rapidly formed upon the windows of the room, causing Amos's arm to tremble involuntarily.
But the demon truly couldn't blame that particular person. They had been desperately searching for the legendary Hound as well. Some even presumed he had perished long ago, but the majority firmly believed that he was still alive somewhere.
After all, in their eyes, he was an invincible entity—someone who stood on par with the most powerful monarch in Eos, the terrifying Demon Emperor himself.
"Where exactly are you?" The voice, which unmistakably belonged to a top-ranking member of the notorious Church of False Hope, asked in an impatient tone. "Send me the exact coordinates of your current location. We are coming immediately."
Unaware that immensely powerful demonic entities were actively pursuing him, Nox—who had now taken off his mask—was currently seated comfortably inside an elegant carriage. The luxurious vehicle was steadily heading toward the prestigious Royal Island, where both the highly esteemed academy and the grand royal castle were located.
Several other carriages moved in perfect synchronization as the experienced coachmen skillfully maneuvered their respective horses with masterful precision. Nox, seated in deep contemplation, absentmindedly stared at the passing carriages when suddenly his sharp eyes gleamed with a strange realization.
"The statue... how in the world did it get here?" he mumbled to himself when he instantly recognized the towering Volgrath statue—the same eerie statue he had previously seen within that mysterious chamber just a few days ago.
The ominous statue had undoubtedly left quite an unforgettable impression on Nox, primarily because of its unsettling and terrifying appearance.
"I know for certain that the king isn't particularly intelligent, but why exactly would he plant something as horrifying as this in broad daylight? What exactly is his ultimate goal in doing this?"
Crisis. Nox suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of crisis flood his mind as he desperately tried to comprehend the true reason behind the king's actions. What exactly was his hidden motive?
Just moments later, Nox's eyes widened significantly when he caught sight of one of the citizens reluctantly worshipping the ominous statue.
Yes, their subtle body movements were filled with evident hesitation, as if they were being forcibly compelled against their will.
Suddenly, everything began clicking into place within Nox's mind.
"He's forcibly making them serve this terrifying god."
This was the only conclusion that he could arrive at. Nox had numerous additional questions swirling in his thoughts—pressing questions he deeply wanted to ask—but after some brief contemplation, he ultimately decided to let the matter go, at least for now.
A while later, he eventually arrived at the grand Royal Island.
The very first person his keen eyes landed on was… his grandpa!
"Old man!" Nox suddenly exclaimed, his loud voice drawing the immediate attention and curious gazes of everyone around him!
"Hehehe, you little brat!" Nathan's deep voice boomed across the open space as well.
The lively grandson and spirited grandpa duo wasted no time before embracing each other in a strong, affectionate hug.
"How is everyone back at home?" Nox eagerly inquired. However, before his grandfather could even begin to answer, he quickly shot out yet another storm of rapid-fire questions.
"How is Mom? What about Aunt Camilla, Aunt Celine, Rab, Uncle Han, Uncle Gordon, and that grumpy old man Elvin? And most importantly—how is Master Eve?"
Nathan's expression softened for a brief moment before suddenly darkening. He leaned in slightly and whispered in a grave, solemn tone.
"Everyone is fine…" He paused briefly before continuing in a more serious manner. "But something has happened to your Master Eve."