"Then there are the others—younger radicals, perhaps, or factions with deeper grudges or differing ideologies from the Wizard Organization. Or they could simply be ambitious individuals hoping to use this chance to purge their rivals and reshape the power structure."

"Their goal, perhaps, is the exact opposite."

He sneered, as if critiquing a brilliant yet sordid play. "The Holy City is attacked, the entrance to the Half-Plane is opened, and the Pope and several Cardinals are dragged inside... Isn’t this the perfect opportunity to temporarily remove the old guard and their most loyal forces from center stage?"

"In the chaos, who stands to gain the most? Who can use this chance to push their own agenda, install their own people, and even... attempt to access secrets they were previously forbidden from touching?"

"As for why we don’t publicize this?" The Wizard’s voice was laced with sarcasm. "It’s a tacit understanding, Governor of Melfield. If we were to broadcast all this, do you think the upheaval in the Holy City would have even happened? The old guard would immediately consolidate their forces, purge their own ranks, and exert external pressure. Everything would be covered up or distorted."

"The passage never would have opened at this time. The ’key’ here would have been sealed away far more securely, and all of us—from the powers that attacked the Holy City to us, seeking our own chance here—would lose this fleeting window of opportunity."

"Breaking this tacit understanding benefits no one. Sometimes, maintaining a suitable level of chaos is the only state in which multiple parties can profit."

He summarized, "The ’cleanup mission’ on this side of the passage requires pawns like you to be risked, while the high-stakes game among the upper echelons in the Holy City is just as rife with treacherous undercurrents. This was never a simple war of ’resisting an external enemy’."

The Wizard’s voice returned to its initial calm, yet it seemed even colder. "This is a grand chess game with multiple players, each harboring their own ulterior motives. And all of you—myself included—are merely pieces on the board, some more powerful than others."

"The difference is that some know they are being manipulated but are powerless to resist, while others... try to move a few steps for themselves outside the player’s line of sight, or even steal one or two more valuable pieces."

When the Wizard finished speaking, he stood there quietly, waiting for Murphy’s response.

The dry wind stirred up fine dust that drifted slowly between the two, accentuating the dead silence of the depression.

"Your faction of Wizards," Murphy finally spoke, "is different from the ones in the Holy City... You’re pursuing this secret too, aren’t you? After all, not every Wizard can have a lifespan as long as the Enchanting Witch’s."

The Wizard let out a short, low laugh, one that held little joy and sounded more like self-deprecation.

"That’s right. We’re not the great Enchanting Witch. For us, lifespan is also a precious and finite resource. It’s one of the most fundamental forces driving us to seek out all hidden knowledge."

He tilted his head slightly, the shadow of his hood shifting as if he were re-evaluating Murphy. "So, what will you do now? Now that you’ve heard the secret, you still have to carry out the mission, don’t you?"

Murphy’s dark eyes were bottomless. "Why does it have to be me who retrieves the Erosion Core? Why don’t you do it yourself, or find someone else?"

The Wizard seemed to have anticipated the question and answered without hesitation. "Because compared to the other Great Knights thrown in here, you’re stronger, you have more tricks up your sleeve, and you have the highest chance of both surviving and accomplishing the objective." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Murphy looked at him and slowly shook his head. The movement was slight, but carried an undeniable weight.

"Not good enough. This is far from enough."