When A Mage Revolts

In reality, Benjamin had already made a decision to leave after noticing that the Walter Family was still well. The fact that Elizabeth’s parents could "attend to her grave" meant that they were fine enough, there shouldn’t be any problems whatsoever.

However... since the churches were packed with people, he couldn’t cause any more troubles. He also didn’t have anything better to do. Hence, he decided to go take a look, just so he could fulfill this request earnestly.

The cemetery at the Holy Kingdom was established by the head church, royal families and a few influential people were buried here. Benjamin left the village, flew north for a good ten minutes before arriving at the nearest cemetery. According to the guardsman, the Walter Family possibly came here to "attend to Elizabeth’s grave".

Landing at the cemetery entrance, Benjamin was about to sense the inner surroundings. When suddenly, a familiar voice came from within.

"...Count Walter, mistress, whatever the circumstances, it is most delightful to be seeing you today, please be careful as you make your way around."

Benjamin’s eyebrows tightened.

This voice...

Upon feeling his suspicion, with its precise calculations and analysis, System responded to Benjamin thoughts, "It’s definitely Miles."

...What’s the situation here?

Benjamin felt muddled.

He only came here to help Elizabeth check on her parents. How did he end up bumping into Miles, in a cemetery of all places? Wasn’t Miles previously wanted by the church? Why would he still be in the Holy Kingdom, greeting the Walter Family in the cemetery no less?

Did they... know each other beforehand?

He began to feel a sense of disbelief.

While Benjamin was speculating, the Walter Family had exited through the cemetery’s main gates. Shades of color could still be found in their faces, they didn’t seem to have any grief over the loss of their daughter.

Upon exiting, they briefly glanced at Benjamin. Under the escort of a few people, they gradually left the cemetery.

Benjamin’s eyes no longer followed them.

"...Miles."

He entered the cemetery. It was eerily serene, among the slabs of gravestones stood Myer’s lone figure. As such, Benjamin wasn’t concerned about being exposed.

He only wanted to know what exactly was going on.

"You’re... Benjamin?"

Miles turned, blinked his eyes a few times as if to observe. His expressions shifted one after another, before finally, recognizing Benjamin through the disguise.

Benjamin nodded, and immediately asked, "What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you have left the Holy Kingdom a long time ago? And... how did you get acquainted with the Walter Family?"

Miles, who was briefly fazed, snapped out of it and replied, "You ask too many questions."

"...It’s just your actions seemed a bit too odd."

Miles couldn’t help but shake his head. He suddenly turned and pointed towards the gravestone next to him. He shrugged and said, "What else can one do in a cemetery? To visit the dead of course."

Benjamin looked toward the gravestone.

Here lies Miles, Gale.

"..."

Suddenly in a loss for words, Benjamin took a brief moment to recover. Then, he blankly asked, "Aren’t you alive and well? Why would you have a gravestone made for yourself?"

"Hmph, it wasn’t me who asked for this to be made," Miles replied. "My father had this made."

Benjamin was stunned.

He then realized, that there was something different about the Miles’s state compared to before.

"Moreover, as to why I’m acquainted with the Walter Family... I was originally born in the Holy Kingdom." His head lowered, leaving Benjamin surprised and continued, "My father once served the Walter Family as a Knight. So when I was young, I came to know the master and mistress of the Walter Family."

Benjamin’s expressions grew even more surprised.

He would never have imagined, that this legendary soldier was a citizen of the Holy Kingdom. Even more so, that the always secretive Miles would become open to chatter in the middle of this unknown cemetery.

This bastard...

However, once that was said, Miles returned to gazing at his gravestone, suddenly quiet.

"Then... how did you end up as you are now?" The air became gloomier by the second, leaving Benjamin to initiate chatter, in hopes to dispel of the awkwardness surrounding them.

As Miles listened, his eyebrows tightened. He gave some thought and replied, "I guess... it’s because others hoped that I become so."

"..."

With words now in a short supply, Benjamin had no idea how to further continue their conversation.

It was as if he had intercepted an odd mission involving bridging connections, and already encountered an obstacle after taking a few steps. He had no idea how to proceed.

Fortunately, Miles seemed to have noticed the situation at hand.

"Forget it... Why am I even telling you all this?" He shook his head, revealing a distant expression once more and changed the topic, "For the past few days, those churches lost a good number of pastors. This is your doing, isn’t it? You intentionally came all this way just for this?"

Benjamin sighed heavily and proceeded to explain to Miles his agreement with the Frey Family. Upon hearing "getting the churches’ attention", it immediately piqued Miles’s interest.

"Intriguing... " He held his chin and said, "I have a suggestion, would you be interested in hearing it?"

"What is it?"

"Head to Heaven’s Light, you’ll utterly attract the churches’ attention."

Benjamin listened, shook his head vigorously and said, "Isn’t that a tad too extreme? I’m not like you, I don’t have negation to all magical attacks. The Royal City is the church’s main stronghold. If I were to make my move there, escaping out of there would be out of the question."

Even though ten minutes of "Descending Downpour" was formidable, it was not utterly insurmountable. Besides, with only ten minutes, thousands of pastors could be sent from the church to withstand it. What would he do then?

There was no way he could carry out such a reckless plan.

Miles then replied, "No... I’m not suggesting you to directly attack the grand Saint Peter church. You’re from Heaven’s Light, too. You do realize that city holds many secrets, right?"

"What’s your point?"

"The secret of the Abandoned Valley of Gods."

Benjamin listened, and couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows.

Miles continued, "With my recent infiltration into Saint Peter’s grand church, I uncovered some interesting things. According to the texts of the hidden ancient scriptures, plus... from what I have heard before, the Abandoned Valley of Gods could possibly lie within Heaven’s Light."

"..."

Benjamin no longer knew what to respond.

Yes, he still wore that "silver key" around as his bracelet, and yes, there still existed thousands of rumors regarding the Abandoned Valley of Gods. However, for it to be in Heaven’s Light? Wasn’t this a bit too preposterous to take in?

The Heaven’s Light was geographically located on an uneven surface of the land. Wouldn’t billions of years of shifts in the Earth’s crust have morphed the valley into a flat surface? Moreover, Heaven’s Light could be considered as the central government of the Holy Kingdom. Why would the capital be established in such an unholy place many royal generations ago?

With that, Benjamin shook his head.