As the party that had initiated the war and committed grave atrocities afterward, the orcish pantheon now found itself unable to secure any meaningful support — not even from the elven or halfling divine assemblies.
On the contrary, the prevailing opinion held that the orcs were far too savage and that their ambitions had to be curbed. This had placed the entire orcish pantheon in an unprecedented diplomatic predicament.
If they remained locked in this state of isolation and blockade, the orcish gods would likely have no choice but to seek allies in the Abyss and the Nine Hells.
It was precisely because of this that the orcish deities had been sparing no effort in wooing other powers. Their primary targets were the Black Blood Beastkin tribe entrenched in the Dark Forest, and behind them —
After all, the distinction between Beastkin and orcs was not all that great. The two peoples bore considerable resemblance to one another.
Moreover, Malar's true form was nothing more than a colossal ape-like monster — making it entirely plausible for him to join the ranks of the orcish pantheon.
Under the current diplomatic crisis of unprecedented severity, the orcish gods had invested considerable effort in cultivating this particular opening.
Given this high-level strategic thinking, it was entirely natural for the orcish empire to adopt a conciliatory posture toward the Black Blood tribe. After all, the tribe only caused trouble within the Dark Forest, and given the current territorial extent of the orcish empire, ceding that entire stretch of forest to them was hardly something to lose sleep over.
—True, the orcish population was vast, but the number of humans remaining in the North was equally staggering. In terms of reproductive capacity, only humanity could rival the orcs, and the effects of centuries of coexistence were not so easily erased.
In truth, even now that the orcish empire had been established in the North, vast tracts of territory remained beyond their effective control. There were even several bands of human insurgents hiding in the far-flung corners of the northern frontier, giving Saladin no end of headaches.
In a North where racial tensions had reached an all-time high, these rebel forces had managed to secure support from numerous sympathetic parties — both open and covert. They had won several battles and even liberated a number of cities, at one point keeping the orcish armies running in circles.
"The current situation in the North is that while human uprisings occur from time to time, they all take the form of guerrilla warfare, lacking both a banner figure and a nominal leader… That's why
Now Lin Lei finally understood why the Church of the God of Justice had launched its restoration plan at this particular juncture.
In earlier times, the orcish empire's strength had been concentrated in a single mass, making it utterly impossible to oppose. But now things were different — because there was a vast difference between conquering a territory and truly holding it.
The once-terrifying orcish horde, once spread across the enormous expanse of the North, had seen its manpower drop to a pitiful level!
No wonder even ragtag guerrilla bands could manage a handful of victories.
And if another decade or even several decades were allowed to pass, the common folk of the North would likely have completely submitted to orcish rule, forgetting all about Elminster. The adaptability of humanity was, after all, truly terrifying.
"Tsk, tsk… Even having seized a favorable opportunity, achieving a full restoration is still going to be enormously difficult…"
Having seen the situation clearly, Lin Lei could not help but shake his head.
According to his estimates, this time Elminster would be able to establish a few footholds. Forming a standoff with the Orcish Empire would already be a tremendous achievement.
"The Church of the God of Justice recruiting legendary-level powerhouses — I'm afraid that's not just for dealing with Saladin and the others. They probably also have plans regarding the incarnations of the orcish gods…"
A sharp gleam flickered in Lin Lei's eyes as he rapidly weighed the pros and cons of everything.
"The information I've gathered so far is far too sparse. I'm afraid I'll need to meet Lafinia and the other legendary powerhouses first before I can consider whether to cooperate with them…"
Rubbing his temples, Lin Lei thought through his next moves in private before finally stepping out of the study.
"Master…"
On either side of the door, two long-waiting, delicate-looking maids dropped directly to their knees.
From them, Lin Lei detected the distinctive scent of purebred succubi — yet their gazes as they looked at him were filled with adoration and reverence.
After all, Lin Lei's soul essence had by now become essentially that of half an archdevil.
And the devils who sensed his profound dark power naturally latched onto him with abandon — no matter the era, this behavior was practically a devil's instinct, etched deep into their very genetic sequence.
"Not bad, hmm?"
Lin Lei had no intention of playing the saint. He swept the pair of stunning female devils — who looked like sisters — into his arms and carried them into the bedroom…
The next day, having shed his disguise and resumed his original mage's attire, Lin Lei arrived directly outside the Temple of the God of Justice in the city of York County.
"I've come to see Lafinia. This is the token she gave me!"
Lin Lei handed over a golden badge. Upon its shield-shaped base was the totem of a Cross Sword entwined with a rose.
"One moment — I will report your arrival immediately!"
The guard stationed at the temple gates' pupils contracted. The aura emanating from Lin Lei made him feel as though he were looking at some great figure on the level of a king, and the fact that the man was wearing mage's robes only amplified the fear that his power inspired. The guard conducted himself with utmost respect.
The guard who had gone inside returned quickly, but this time he bowed so deeply that his nose nearly touched the ground: "Welcome, Honored Mage Lin Lei! Paladin Lafinia is currently out, but we have notified her immediately. I believe she will arrive very shortly… We are truly sorry for the inconvenience — please, rest inside the temple for the time being…"
Deep down, the guard was still trembling. This was a legend! The absolute pinnacle of power on the continent!!! And not just any legend — an Archmage!
As the youngest legendary figure and a mage — the most difficult class to advance in — Lin Lei's name had long since spread across the entire continent, yet those who had actually laid eyes on him in person were vanishingly few.
"Mm! Lead the way!"
Lin Lei followed the guard directly inside. As soon as they entered the temple gates, several people hurried over, seemingly there to welcome him.
"Oh! Lin Lei! My friend! We meet again at last…"
Standing beside a bishop of the God of Justice clad in white robes, Lin Lei spotted another noble. His remarkable memory allowed only a moment's pause before he broke into a smile and went forward to greet them.
"Count Lancelot! It's been too long…"
The noble who came with the bishop to welcome Lin Lei was, in fact, the de facto ruler of the York Duchy—the marquis who had overseen the division of assets from those unfortunate northern nobles: Lancelot.
"I knew something wonderful would happen the moment I heard the lark's melodious song this morning. I never imagined it would be your arrival…"
A smile of utmost sincerity adorned Lancelot's face. In truth, he remembered this individual, who had chanced upon a viscountcy during the northern spoils division, all too clearly. The 'Tifa' organization the other had established also appeared to be making some peculiar moves recently, but none of that mattered now.
After all, Lin Lei was now a [Legend]! Maintaining good relations could never be wrong. In fact, Count Lancelot was already regretting not having allocated a bit more to Lin Lei back then.
"Alas… who could have predicted, back then, that he would become a [Legend] in just a few short years?"
Looking at Lin Lei's youthful face, Lancelot painstakingly scraped away the deepest trace of envy in his heart, and a sunny smile bloomed on his own.
"And… this is Bishop Bender of the God of Justice—a scholar, and also my friend…"
"I extend my sincere gratitude for Your Excellency's willingness to sacrifice for the cause of justice this time… The refugees still suffering in the north will surely not forget your contribution…"
Bender's voice was gentle yet resolute, holding a light in his eyes unique to a martyr.
Lin Lei harbored no doubt that if told his death could free all the common folk of the north, the man would take his own life without hesitation.
Unfortunately, such a devout believer was also the greatest trouble…
"I came here solely in accordance with my prior agreement with Lafinia. Whether I ultimately take action, and when I choose to do so, remains my own decision…"
Lin Lei had no intention of being made a fool. He pushed back directly, causing the atmosphere to freeze for an instant.
"Uh… haha… in any case, Your Excellency Lin Lei's arrival is more than enough! You have journeyed far and must be weary. Please, rest for now. This evening, you can meet with the other colleagues…"
It was Lancelot, ever quick-witted, who immediately broke the awkward tension in the room.
"Even the youngest legendary mage has been corrupted by fame and power?"
After Lin Lei departed, Bendt's eyes blazed with intense indignation. In his view, those legendary mages on the continent were all pretty much the same — they only sought power and enjoyment, with absolutely no awareness of their duty to give back.
Legendary mages willing to sacrifice themselves for the cause of justice were exceedingly rare, and now even the youngest newly-promoted one was no different.
"Of course — after all the effort it took to advance to [Legendary], reaching the pinnacle of the continent with endless pleasures to enjoy, why on earth should he die for your sake?"
Lancelot secretly grumbled to himself, but kept a smile on his face: "Lord Lin Lei simply hasn't thought it through yet. Given some time, he'll surely change his views..."
"Sigh... I hope so! The refugees in the Northern Lands can't wait any longer..."
Archbishop Bendt sighed, and that compassionate, merciful gleam surfaced once more in his eyes...
"The holy warriors and priests of the God of Justice are all lunatics..."
Despite having braced himself beforehand, Lin Lei was still shaken by their naivety — if even the archbishop was like this, he could only imagine what the other clergy were like. It was definitely not the kind of crowd Lin Lei cared for.
"Still, a church drenched in this sort of fanatical martyrdom atmosphere is probably what ultimately draws Raphinia in..."