A flash of white light appeared in the square of Dawn City, and Luca’s figure materialized.
Susie’s family had already finished moving and had settled into their new villa.
For the time being, there shouldn’t be any more problems.
Next, Luca’s focus was on handling matters in Dawn City and clearing the obstacles for Fratis.
Once Fratis ascended to the throne, Luca wouldn’t remain in Dawn City. Instead, he planned to head to Haillan County in the Western Territory. His goal was to build a new force before the game’s arrival, and to elevate his own power to an even higher level.
Therefore, Luca needed to make preparations for the future, to avoid any potential concerns once he moved on.
He didn’t stay long and headed straight for the floating island where Tia and the others were.
On his way, Luca noticed that in just a single day, the city had already made considerable progress in its recovery.
The streets, once riddled with craters, were now cleaned up. The common folk and the authorities were busy rebuilding their homes. Dawn City had risen again, as had the floating island.
As the capital of the Clinton Empire, Dawn City was deeply rooted in history, and even after such a great calamity, it quickly revived with a renewed vigor.
In addition, Luca saw some individuals wearing golden armbands. These people stood out among the weary commoners, looking tired and gaunt.
Compared to the others’ sorrow, their eyes were filled with determination. Deep within their gazes still lingered a yearning for a better life.
They were the first followers of the The Hope God Sect. Though few in number, they represented the vital spark for the early development of the sect. Find exclusive stories on freewebnovel
Upon spotting Luca, these followers were visibly moved.
They wanted to approach him to express their gratitude but were hesitant, afraid of offending someone they regarded almost as a deity.
Instead, they simply gazed at his retreating back, their eyes filled with gratitude from afar.
A young child, no more than seven or eight, turned to the elderly man beside him and asked, “Grandpa, who is that person?”
“That’s the one who’s shown us a new way forward,” the old man, his hair graying, smiled as he answered.
“Is he stronger than you, Grandpa?” The child’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
In the child’s eyes, the old man was an all-powerful figure. So, how much more powerful could this man be?
“It’s not a matter of strength…” The old man raised a hand, covered in wrinkles, and gently ruffled the child’s hair. “It’s that he gave us new life.”
This scene would have seemed quite strange to any outsiders.
To them, the old man was speaking to empty air—there was no one standing before him.
Luca walked through the streets and, after a short while, arrived at the floating island.
This island, once controlled by the Phillips family, was now entirely under the control of The Hope God Sect.
The original Phillips estate had been torn down, and the followers of the Hope God Sect, their arms adorned with golden cloth armbands, were busily working on the floating island, personally constructing their church.
Among them were the TiaMira sisters and followers of The Nightmare Cult, who also wore the same golden armbands.
“Just buy these things, and remember, do it through proper channels,” Tia instructed as she rubbed her forehead, her face showing a clear sign of exhaustion. Compared to the infamous cults, establishing an orthodox church was far more challenging than she had anticipated.
“Sister, the Lord has returned,” Mira said, tugging at her sleeve and nodding towards the direction where Luca was coming from.
Upon hearing this, Tia turned around and immediately spotted Luca walking towards them. Her face lit up with surprise, and she quickly motioned for the group of followers to respectfully approach him, saying, “Lord.”
Luca gave a slight nod and asked, “Have there been any problems with the construction of the church? If the funds are insufficient, I can help arrange something.”
After looting the Phillips family, Luca had gained quite a bit of gold and was speaking with confidence.
Tia shook her head. “Funds aren’t an issue. We’ve already taken over the Phillips family’s assets, which should be enough to support The Hope God Sect for now.”
She paused for a moment before continuing, “However, the nobility is not pleased with the rise of a faction they cannot control. They’ve been spreading rumors that we are a cult, and many merchants in Dawn City are refusing to continue their previous partnerships with us.”
“Nobles? Just a bunch of parasites,” Luca’s eyes flashed with cold light. After thinking for a moment, he added, “Leave this matter to me. You don’t need to worry about it. What’s the current situation in Dawn City?”
Tia answered honestly, “The royal family is already preparing for Fratis’s coronation, but the nobles are very dissatisfied with Emperor Alfred’s choice.”
“There are people secretly inciting the masses, gathering strength to usurp the throne. Others are scheming to make Princess Fratis a puppet ruler, creating even more chaos than before.”
Luca wasn’t surprised by this at all. It would be odd if these power players weren’t making moves during such turbulent times.
He asked, “Who exactly are the key players?”
Tia respectfully responded, “There are about five factions. The first is the united noble faction, followed by the eldest prince Leonie, the second prince Runne, and the fourth prince Isaacs. Then there are those who support Fratis’s ascension, including Princess Raphael, President Augustine, General Winston, and Duke Evelyn, among others.”
“Fourth prince Isaacs?” Luca furrowed his brow, thinking for a moment. He didn’t have much of an impression of this prince.
Tia reminded him, “The fourth prince had no significant reputation under the suppression of the first and second princes, and he didn’t have any grand ambitions of his own. His sudden involvement in the competition for the throne is believed to be due to support from the Via Empire behind him.”
“The All-Beings Empire hasn’t shown any movement, and they are likely planning to remain neutral.”
“Via Empire…” Luca’s eyes flickered slightly.
In his past life, Luca had been born in the Via Empire, so he was extremely familiar with the situation there. To put it simply, it was a technological empire dominated by capitalists.
Wherever there was money, there were their shadows.
Now that they had suddenly made a move, it was likely because they wanted to take advantage of the chaos and seize a profit from the Clinton Empire.
“By the way…” Tia suddenly remembered something. She took a delicate, golden invitation from her Storage Ring and handed it to Luca. “Prince Ziegfried, the fifth prince, has returned from the military. Earlier, Butler Lawson came to personally deliver this invitation, asking the Lord to attend a banquet. Here’s the invitation.”
Luca took the invitation but didn’t open it. The contents of such invitations were hardly worth reading. He muttered to himself, “Prince Ziegfried, huh…”
He was somewhat familiar with this person. Like Winston, Ziegfried was one of the three war gods of the Clinton Empire.
In the future, the Clinton Empire, facing both internal and external turmoil, was overthrown. Ziegfried led the last remaining imperial army and fought fiercely on the extraterritorial battlefield, shedding rivers of blood. He even pressured the Abyssal Demon Realm’s demon king into submission.
Unfortunately, in the end, he died in battle, his body lost to the sands of time. He hadn’t expected to encounter him here.
Tia, thinking Luca didn’t know Ziegfried, explained, “The fifth prince, Ziegfried, advocates for martial strength and has never shown much interest in the throne. However, his reputation in the military is immense.
“If Princess Fratis can win his support, she’ll have control over more than half of the empire’s military forces. But right now, it’s unclear who Ziegfried will back. This banquet will likely be the occasion where he makes his decision.”
Luca pondered for a moment before replying to Tia, “Prepare everything for me. I’ll go and assess the situation over there.”
If Fratis couldn’t secure the throne, Luca couldn’t leave in peace.
He would find a way to help Fratis win over this fifth prince.
Coincidentally, he knew something quite important to Ziegfried that he could use as leverage. That, along with the chance to deal with the merchant issue, should be enough to help.
“I’ll go right away.” Tia acknowledged the order and left.
Not long after, a blood-red steed, its body engulfed in flames, pulled a luxurious carriage as it galloped towards Luca.
This was likely a carriage previously owned by the Phillips family, and it was a mode of transport that ordinary people wouldn’t dare to use.
Luca had no such concerns, and he climbed into the carriage without hesitation.
“Roar!” The blood-red steed let out a powerful roar, and as it galloped down the road, its fiery mane swirling in the air, the carriage lifted off the ground. It soared through the sky towards the royal palace in the heart of Dawn City.
On the streets below, a few figures lurking in the shadows quietly slipped away to report to their masters.
The fiery steed streaked across the sky like a shooting star.
Soon, it arrived at the gates of the royal palace.
Some of the guards, seeing the majestic carriage, hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to stop it or not.
The carriage slowly came to a halt.
A young man in a white robe with a headscarf descended from the carriage.
The moment they saw Luca, several of the palace guards were taken aback.
The head guard, an elderly man, quickly stepped forward, his voice trembling with excitement. “Count Luca, do you require me to guide you?”
His voice wavered slightly from his excitement.
The other guards looked at each other, their faces full of regret. They cursed themselves for not reacting faster. Luca’s image, seen flying above Dawn City not long ago, had been etched into the minds of countless people. If it weren’t for him, Dawn City might have ceased to exist by now.
To have such a person in front of them, even without receiving any direct benefit, simply exchanging a few words would be enough for them to boast about for a long time.
“No need. I can go by myself.” Luca was not surprised by their change in attitude. After all, this world spoke the language of power. If he were just an ordinary person, he would have been chased away on the spot, receiving none of this respect.
After entering the palace, Luca made his way directly to the grand hall.
From a distance, he could already see the brightly lit hall, crowded with high-society figures.
Noblemen, officials, and socialites, all dressed in fine clothes, chatted and laughed, moving about in groups. Only those of notable status were present.
“Why is he here?” Many officials and nobles were shocked and fearful upon seeing Luca.
The news of Luca seizing the Phillips family’s estate had already spread among the nobles. The fates of Finn and Lyon, the father and son, were still fresh in everyone’s minds. Now, seeing Luca, many felt their scalp tingle with dread.
This was a ruthless, unparalleled figure!