201 Church and the Throne Room (1)

“Are you… crazy?”

This seemed to be the second time Ward had blurted out this sentence today.

However, before he could finish speaking, two sharp whooshing sounds brushed past his ears.

Remides’s movements were so fast that Ward couldn’t catch up to her with his naked eye. By the time he came back to his senses, two arrows were missing from the quiver hanging at her waist.

As for the Phoenix Guard nailed to the wall, he had already stopped breathing.

“Even if you agree with my suggestion, aren’t you being a little too decisive?” Ward asked carefully.

Without a word, she shot the praetorian who had served her for decades without any emotion on her face. Ward gained a deeper understanding of how much humanity this Shadow Queen had lost.

“It has nothing to do with your suggestion. They’re being controlled,” Remides replied simply.

As she spoke, she waved her hand and the three transparent arrows nailed to the Phoenix Guard disappeared as if they had fused into the air. Then, they returned to her quiver the next moment.

She removed one of the arrows and gently brushed it. Countless tiny red magic patterns spread out from the transparent arrow.

“Controlled?” Ward asked curiously.

“Who can control the minds of the Phoenix Guards?”

As he spoke, he looked at the golden-armored guard who slowly slid to the ground and left a gorgeous bloodstain on the wall.

The other party’s golden armor was covered in blood vessels like vines, and his widened eyes were irrationally blood-red.

“How can that be…”

It had to be known that these were the praetorians who were directly assigned to the highest ruler of Ava State. They had the last name of the Phoenix Guard and were born to be protectors. Their wills were as firm as steel. Under the protection of the Holy Fire and the mist, even the Void Sovereigns couldn’t shake their loyalty—not to mention controlling their minds and making them attack their ward.

The frequent seizure of power by the human guards was unimaginable to elven society.

Perhaps guessing what Ward was thinking, Remide reminded him, “In history, the Phoenix Guards famously abandoned the darkness and joined the light. Back then, they also turned their swords and aimed them at the person they were supposed to protect.”

With that said, Remides smiled stiffly again.

“The rebellion that toppled the last King of Mist…” Ward muttered to himself and suddenly looked at the door.

A series of messy footsteps echoed outside the door, and one could vaguely hear the clang of metal colliding.

“According to historical documents, the person who persuaded the Phoenix Guards to switch sides was the private consultant who was banished by the last King of Mist. From the looks of it…”

As Remides spoke, the arrow in her hand nocked Glazed Moon and reflected a rich sanguine light.

“There will always be some differences between the actual situation and historical records, but it won’t affect the outcome.”

A hoarse voice that sounded like ancient parchment being torn apart sounded from outside the door as an elder in a linen robe walked in.

Behind him, the Bloodblade and Phoenix Guards’ elite guards filed in and fanned out, surrounding Remides and Ward.

Ward widened his eyes and looked at the old man standing in the middle. Although he didn’t recognize the person’s face, he could tell from the other party’s iconic clothes and the austenite pendant on his chest that the other party’s identity was…

“Tacma Church?!”

He felt a little confused.

“But… why?”

Weren’t they permanently neutral?

Even if they didn’t maintain neutrality, they should be on Ava State’s side.

“Lady Moonshadow, please forgive our transgression…”

He bent down and bowed, but before he could say anything else, an arrow glowing with blood-red magic power shot out from the Glazed Moon in Remides’s hand.

This blood-red arrow that looked like blood would drip at any moment was faster than the buzzing sound of the bowstring rebounding. It almost instantly turned into an afterimage as it went straight for the other party’s throat.

However, the arrow suddenly stopped when it was two meters away from the other party. It stopped in midair, looking like a flying insect sealed in amber.

“We’ve studied five cycles of winter and summer and formulated almost all countermeasures against your abilities. Please do away with the unnecessary,” the Tacma Church member said sincerely as he brushed away the arrow in front of him like a butterfly.

Remides nocked her bow again. This time, a golden luster flickered on her all-attribute arrow. Before the arrow turned into pure light, she stopped and lowered her bow.

The light on the arrow slowly faded.

Glancing at the surrounding guards who had drawn their weapons and were on guard against her and looking at the blood-red patterns clinging to their bodies and the redness in their eyes that seemed to have lost their rationality, Remides asked, “What’s wrong with these people?”

“It’s very troublesome to explain. You can simply think that they’re being controlled by an illusion,” the person replied.

Remides frowned.