"Is that so?" Harold sighed. "It's a shame I didn't get the chance to kill the traitor... Did you guys know I was only forcibly taken to the Flowers Kingdom because of the worm?"
"Is that true?" Oswald frowned, not expecting that Mortimer had been responsible for all that.
All this time, he had imagined that Harold's situation had just been this man's mistake in acting in the Black Plain without being careful. But in finding out about Mortimer's involvement, this man saw the reason for all their problems in recent years.
Minos was not surprised, considering that Mortimer's goal of dominating the Flaming Empire was clear, and he would not have failed to try to remove Harold from his position somehow.
If the imperial family had their leader, then Mortimer would never have been able to advance to the 9th stage, as Harold would likely hunt him down and find him. In that situation, Mortimer would have died at the hands of Emperor Edwardstone!
"Damn you, Mortimer Burgess!" Isabella clenched her fists, but she was happy as her man had been the one to end the bastard's life.
"Anyway, there is nothing more for you to worry about regarding Mortimer," Minos said. "Regardless of what else he may have done, he is dead, and the Saints Killing Sect practically no longer exists."
"Yes, we should move on," Oswald said, looking at Harold. "Your Majesty only has to worry about searching for and pursuing members of that sect who have escaped or survived. But even if they exist, there must be few, and they are certainly weak."
Harold said to Minos. "Yes, I will do that. In any case, thank you for your actions. You have solved yet another problem of my state."
"That's nothing. I wanted to destroy that person and his sect." Minos replied. "Anyway, I've been away from my state for a while now, so I'll spend the night here, and early tomorrow morning, I intend to return to Dry City."
"But already?" Isabella took one of Minos' arms, unhappy about it.
Harold understood Minos and smiled at his daughter. "Bella, give Minos a break. He needs to work and settle his affairs on the Black Plain."
"But..."
"I'll talk some things over with you and let you spend some time on the Black Plain after a few days. How about that?" That red-haired man asked, not objecting to the relationship between his daughter and Minos.
"Okay then!" She was happy.
Harold then said to Minos. "Then let's party for tonight. I don't want to get in your way, but I have to at least do this to thank you for what you have done for me."
"Yes, you have done a lot for our family, Minos," Madeline said, smiling at him.
Minos and Oswald had already agreed to this, so they stuck around to participate in these celebrations that would take place in the evening.
There was already something scheduled to happen that night, so there would be no problem preventing this from happening because these two arrived at such short notice.
With that, while Oswald went to talk to his old acquaintances, Minos spent some time next to Isabella, having fun with her.
...
At dusk, the imperial palace was packed with people, patriarchs, sect masters, supreme elders, and all the cream of the Flaming Empire. Even the leaders of the Spiritual Church in this state were there to celebrate alongside Harold and Minos.
Most had come to this place on Harold's account, but upon finding out that Minos had returned from the Flowers Kingdom with Oswald, the interest of many of them had changed.
They were glad that Emperor Edwardstone had returned, to know he hadn't lost his precious balls and become a eunuch. But Minos, at level 74, was the center of attention, and everyone wanted a chance to talk to him.
Some there had been punished by Minos years ago, but seeing him improve so quickly, these people had forgotten their grudges and were only thinking of using the opportunity to lessen his negative feelings towards them.
Emperor Stuart spent a few hours talking with those people, reviewing Gloria's relatives, and even hearing some relevant news.
But there wasn't much he could do for the moment, so he didn't stress too much as he listened to his father-in-law's warnings, trying to celebrate with the rest of the people there.
Obviously, the end of the Saints Killing Sect and the death of Mortimer were the topics of conversation at this event, with even toasts being made to celebrate that man's death.
With the news brought by Minos, the most pressing fears of many there were resolved, marking the beginning of a new era for these people and organizations.
With the end of the internal problems in the empire, these people could finally live in peace!
...
"Minos, thank you. If one day you need anything from my empire, just ask." Harold said to Minos, looking at this fellow standing beside Oswald in a local teleportation port.
"Hmm, I appreciate that." Minos smiled.
"Oswald, good luck on your journey from now on. I hope you can find what it takes to become a Spiritual Sage." Harold judged that man still had plans to continue traveling through the Spiritual World in search of his advancement.
That white-haired fellow would not say anything to that red-haired man about his changes of plans and would just thank Harold for his words. "Yes, I hope so too."
With those words, the two bid farewell to the members of the local imperial family, heading toward the interior of the teleportation array area.
Then, the surroundings of that array glowed brightly. After a few seconds, the two were teleported away from there to another teleportation port within the Flaming Empire.
From that place, they would continue jumping positions between cities with ports with teleportation arrays until they reached the Black Plain two days later.
...
Meanwhile, in the Evergreen Empire...
In the capital of the empire, in the imperial palace, a blond man was sitting in front of a statue in the imperial palace while a red-haired, tan-skinned woman was beside him.
She stood behind him respectfully, passing on some information to her leader.
That man, level 88, continued watching the statue of the individual with six wings on his back, listening to that woman.
"Your Highness, Gloria Frost's greatest supporter has just escaped the Flowers Kingdom. He is returning to the Black Plain and should be the biggest hindrance to Your Highness' actions to bring Matriarch Frost into your faction." She told him, failing to get him to express any positive or negative reaction.
"Minos Stuart, uh? I've heard he's also making things more difficult for your group... Is that true? Does he have goals of antagonizing the Church?" He asked that woman dressed in sailor's clothes.
"That is a possibility."
