After Minos and Gloria's refusal, weeks passed, and soon the more powerful factions of the Church learned about their rejection.
That was not definitive about the positioning of the Black Plain and Gloria's group. But it was something that showed the powers of the Church that Minos and his wife would not simply bow down to the factions coming from the Evergreen Empire just because of their magnificent positions and wealth.
It wasn't enough that their group had Demigods, while the Black Plain group had only Spiritual Saints. It wasn't enough that their side offered opportunities for Minos and Gloria's freedom. They had to do something more if they wanted to have the loyalty of those two.
On the other hand, as promising as he was, one of the most talented princes with the potential to become a Spiritual Demigod under a thousand years old, something impressive, Calvert might not be enough for Minos and Gloria.
Perhaps they had not only refused that man because of their ambition to grow more without limitations. Perhaps one of the reasons for the refusal was that the leader of this faction was still a Spiritual Sage!
Because of this, the other factions competing for the position of Supreme Pontiff of the Church judged that Calvert being rejected did not mean that they would be.
Besides Calvert's faction, three other groups were competing for the position that, in a few years, one of the three strongest on the continent would leave. Of these groups, all had candidates for the position of Supreme Pontiff, people who had already passed level 90.
The strongest of these contenders was currently at level 92 and was the disciple of the current leader of the Spiritual Church.
With conditions different from Calvert's, these groups were already sending their representatives to press an agreement with Minos and Gloria, the leaders of that faction!
...
While Spiritual Sages were traveling to the Black Plain, Calvert was in the capital of the Evergreen Empire, dealing with the news regarding Minos and Gloria.
"So the damned Vincent went to the Black Plain on his own?" He asked one of his servants about the chosen one of the faction Gloria's father was part of.
Vincent was two levels stronger than Calvert, currently at level 90 with his 2,000 years of cultivation.
He was by no means more talented or promising than Calvert. Still, in the fight for leadership, there was no guarantee that the winner would be the one who at the beginning of the disputes was the most talented, the favorite.
Only the final result mattered, so even people of lesser talent could vie with those favored by heaven, so Calvert did not underestimate any of his opponents.
The servant replied. "Yes, Vincent Harding went to Black Plain two weeks after the Stuart family rejected Your Highness.
But he was also rejected, which seems to have canceled the Cardinal Quinn faction favorite's trip to the northern region."
"What about Forrest?" The Third Prince asked.
"The Supreme Pontiff's chosen will not subject himself to Minos and Gloria going to that region to invite them. He recognizes the difference in status between the parties and will only send one of his envoys to Dry City."
'Hmm, as expected. The Supreme Pontiff would not educate his disciple for him to make such shameful decisions as Vincent's.' Calvert pondered the situation, remembering his initial defeat in getting Minos and Gloria to join him.
But he hadn't given up, and more, he was working to bring those two to his side in the future.
He intended to make them bleed a little, as there were no eternal grudges in the Spiritual World, only changing interests.
They were not in sync right now, but that could change quickly!
Prince Calvert then said. "Continue with my plans for the Black Plain. Minos won't accept any of these propositions, so we don't need to change our strategy for now.
Anyway, keep an eye on Cardinal Ray's territory. The family seer says that the unstable pocket of space of the former Dragon Spatial Kingdom will open up in this man's domain.
We are unsure when this will happen, but it should not be long. That vision supposedly happened in the last few weeks." He said, changing the subject to something that might help him prepare for the competition a few decades away.
"I will do that, Your Highness!"
...
On the other hand, in the imperial throne hall of the Evergreen family...
The emperor of this great state descended from the main lineage within the Spiritual Church, was at this instant standing next to his subordinate in charge of the Blood Triangle Pirates group.
The emperor of this state, level 98, looked at the level 90 man in front of him and said. "Put more pressure on that Minos Stuart. He is too bold to refuse offers, even from my third son... It's time he learned the difference between our forces!"
"How far can your subordinate go, Your Majesty?" That man asked while having his head lowered, looking at the ground.
"You don't need to destroy his state nor kill him. He will still serve my family through Calvert." That high-level expert in the Spiritual World said. "I don't want our top experts wasting time on this junior either.
The ancient Dragon Spatial Kingdom should open one of its doors on our continent any moment now. But, on the other hand, the Continental Tournament will start in 50 years.
So press him a little against the ground to show him how he should behave.
If he agrees to help us find the map of the Seraphim Ancient Sarcophagus and join my third son's faction, we will forgive him for his daring."
"I will do that as soon as the previous agreement deadline expires." That low-level Spiritual Demigod talked about something his leader was fully aware of.
High-level experts followed promises and deadlines to the letter, especially when that came from agreements with low-level people.
So even the emperor would not rush his man, especially considering that only three years were left before Minos' time was up.
He would give this young man the needed time and then crush him, no longer leaving room for him to dare refuse to join groups like Calvert's.
With that said, the emperor agreed with his man, letting this fellow deal with this arrogant young man named Minos Stuart.
Meanwhile, after this person left, he received his second son, whom he intended to send to the Continental Tournament to represent his state.
Upon receiving the Second Prince, he smiled and asked. "How is your training? Rumors are circulating in the Divine Continent that a Divine medicine will be used as a prize for the winning bettor of the competition."
"Divine Medicine?" That man asked strangely, finding it very difficult to happen. "How is that possible?"
"It seems that one of the seer elves will present the winner with a prophetic dream concerning something of great value...
What is there of more value than a Divine medicine?"
