Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Hill had a feeling that Olypher knew where the Ring of Winter she had made was located, but she simply didn't want to look for it.

Once found, with her divinity largely eroded away and struggling to maintain even a faint trace of Divine Power, she couldn't keep it safe, and it would be tantamount to gifting it to Talos, so it was better to hold onto it and wait for an opportunity.

That's how miserable it is to follow the wrong leader, but in the Evil Faction, unless you have the strength yourself, being oppressed is quite common.

She also followed Talos because without him, her situation would be even worse!

What irritated Olypher the most was that, despite her special relationship with Talos, he never ceased his efforts to harm her.

Compared to Ambori and that indistinguishable-from-a-beast Marla, the only slight advantage Olypher had was at least she wouldn't be killed by her own Main God.

Hill touched her Ring of Winter again, "We can start a post office now, and there's no need to exclude the Priestesses of the Frost Maiden when sending letters."

"Should I tell Marsha to inform the Harpist's people?" List pondered Hill's words and immediately understood why she had been so readily agreeable to the arrival of this organization.

Minor affairs like the post office could be entrusted to this organization; they were accustomed to taking up tasks for lords anyway.

"The grocery store, farm produce shop, and bakery have all started doing business." List looked down at his ledger, "I plan to open a specialized furniture store next. The ones in the grocery store are selling fast.

These Knight Corps members don't lack money. I miscalculated slightly. The knights from Teraxil are quite different from those here."

Hill nodded, "You handle these matters."

"There's a large open space between the residential area and the Forest Array. Some people approached the management office to ask if they could develop it into farmland for rent come spring. What should we do?" List continued, "I think they are worried that once Melikai's Priests arrive, they won't be allowed to gather berries and herbs in the forest.

Plus, although the staple foods we sell aren't expensive, there are always people looking to save a bit."

"We don't need to bother with it, I'll plant pastures and some annual berry shrubs there before it's developed," Hill felt that these followers of Tyr were more concerned about whether she, a Half-Elf, would favor Melikai.

But she would definitely not entertain such probes.

The Holy Knights appeared very modest, but their families and long-time followers were quite different.

Trying to stand on top of the local lord's head with the backing of Tyr's influence was something they weren't new to, which was evident from how decisively Thorne moved from Neverwinter.

Those people in Neverwinter certainly didn't have any good neighbors or friends, or else they wouldn't have moved so swiftly and without any signs of reluctance.

It was normal for such individuals to stretch out their claws and probe, after all, possessing power does not imply that the Kind Alignment wouldn't desire it.

Hill trusted Tyr, not these followers.

List asked seriously, "Are all matters to be addressed solely based on official duties, with no exceptions or explanations needed?"

"Of course not," Hill replied coldly, "unless Tyr himself comes to talk to me.

List, my power is now not something that can be dealt with by just any Demigod or chosen one.

There's no need to compromise on these trivial issues anymore."

List nodded, "Then I'll just inform Marsha, and there's no need to stick around in that management center. If there are any issues, let them go to their Holy Knights for resolution, we only handle matters related to housing.

But we still need at least one maintenance Golem."

"Make sure they pay the maintenance fee," Hill said succinctly. He was quite confident in his building capabilities; if there were any problems, it would only be due to those people causing issues themselves.

List finally settled on how to treat these new residents, no wonder Hill only rented houses to them. As long as Hill doesn't regard them as his subjects, they have no right to have a say in this territory.

Before he communicated with Marsha, he couldn't help but recall the once cautious Hill, and a soft smile appeared on his face.

Whether it was the people in the inn or Tyr's followers, they all settled down eventually.

Especially during the Dead of Winter when the clear temperature difference inside and outside the Mist Zone served as a warning to everyone; even Legendary Mages may not be able to alter the weather in such a large territory, keep in mind, and this was not completely isolated from the world.

This is a force to be reckoned with on par with the Supreme Lady Elaströ, and although he belongs to the Kind Alignment and has a gentler attitude, it does not imply anyone can be offended.

Of course, there are still some who fail to grasp the situation, and here I refer specifically to Tyr's followers.

Some seem to think that if Tyr isn't afraid of Hill, it means they shouldn't be either. They often gather to speak ill of Hill and fantasize about how wonderful the future would be if they were in charge of the town.

After some consideration, List showed their recorded conversations to the Silver Shield Knights.

After all, the Paladins had been behaving very well during this period, practicing every day on the exercise grounds of the temple they toiled to build, and the reserve Holy Knights carrying the white-hot Warhammers began patrolling the town daily.

There really was no need to let some fools cause any trouble.

When Captain Thorne came to apologize, Hill didn't say much, only reminding him to consider whether these people behaved the same way back in Neverwinter.

Recently, Hill had pieced together some truth from conversations between the knights and their families.

Indeed, it was normal for paladins to chat outside, and when it came to the affairs of Felunryel, Hill understood them better than they themselves did. However, Hill was puzzled that those who plotted in secrecy chose a so-called open space to discuss their schemes.

The only possibility was that they feared the evil lord they sought to overthrow—Hill—might eavesdrop and surveil them within the confines of a room, while an open area seemed safe to them.

Clearly, they didn't even realize they were inside a Puzzle Lock.

Just as Elaströ controlled Silvermoon City, in this town, Hill's eyes could see anywhere.

On the contrary, indoors, with Hill's character, he would not stoop to such despicable acts.

This incident, when it comes down to it, was nothing more than human fickleness and greed causing trouble.

The Silver Shield Knights were not a corps affiliated with the Tyr Temple in Neverwinter; they were a subordinate corps that came from the sacred land of Sethesk, belonging to the Righteous Knights.

They had moved here specifically for a mission to Felunryel, because reaching the Star Gate required boarding a magic ship at Deepwater City.

The nearest Tyr Temple to Deepwater City was in Neverwinter, where they could ensure their families were well taken care of.

Though Thorne was the Avatar Incarnation of Tyr, only a few high-ranking officials in the Church were privy to this; their official reason for coming out was to promote justice in The North, a significant task assigned to the entire Silver Shield Knights.

These holy knights risked never returning from Felunryel, so Tyr paid great attention to their families. Naturally, the temple in Neverwinter treated these people with great honor.

Regrettably, excessive honors made these people arrogant. They came to believe that their family members' status in the Tyr Temple even surpassed that of the Archbishop in Neverwinter.

Seeing their colleagues who had nearly lost their lives, the priests and paladins in the Neverwinter temple likely swallowed their pride. And so, Thorne and his fellows probably only knew they did not get along with those around them, but did not understand why or for what reasons.

Thorne glanced at Hill, grasped the implications of his words, and realized that the mage wouldn't have said such things lightly. He had no choice but to leave with an ashen face.

Agleya, who had been listening in, couldn't help but ask Hill, "Aren't those people also followers of Tyr? Do they really not know that by doing this they are actually violating the teachings of the Main God?"

"Think of the God of Nobility, Agleya," Hill said, reclining on the sofa nonchalantly, "The cardinals are very loyal to him, but aren't those messes created by them as well? In the end, it's the God of Nobility himself who has to clean up the mess!

Selfish thoughts will always exist, and very few people can put their faith in God before their own selfish desires. It's just that they will beautify these selfish desires as respect for the Main God.

Like these fellows, when discussing taking power from me, they too will say that such a place should rightfully belong to Tyr.

Tyr certainly does not need such representatives."

Agleya nodded gravely, understanding that she needed to notify her divine self in the Divine Kingdom to inspect more frequently the grand temples and the whereabouts of her followers. The Silvermoon Dragon Queen's method was cumbersome, but effective.

She definitely did not want to find herself scolded one day without understanding why.

Hill watched from a distance as the paladins led everyone silently to the Temple. It seemed they were preparing for a trial.

This was the aspect of Tyr's true paladins that Hill admired: they might overlook that their own family members could make mistakes, even commit crimes, but once discovered, they would never let go because of sentiments.

Fairness without favor, and no nepotism—easy to say, but Hill felt he might not be able to do the same.

He might not join in wrongdoings or illegal acts, but neither would he personally take action to lift the veil of shame.

In the winter of year 73, after this incident, no more troubles arose, and Hill did not inquire how it was handled, but indeed, there were fewer people in the residential district.

Seizing the opportunity, Hill crafted two large iron golems, into one of which he couldn't help mixing a bit of Mithril Powder.

But it seemed he still used too much.

Hill coated the iron golem with a waterproof layer and sent it to Agleya's temple. Compared to a puppet, a golem was more effective in suppressing some restless passengers.

The Undead Swamp, now frozen into ice, was beginning to show signs of stirring beneath the ice layer. Everyone knew the footsteps of war were approaching.

With the first thunderbolt of early spring striking the Sword Mountain Range, the endless waves rose high, surging directly toward Agleya's temple.

Ambori had arrived.