Infinite Adaptation: Starting As A Level 1 Slime-Chapter 58: New Threat [PART 2]

Varen’s eyes blazed.

"You still say this? Even after they attacked the King in his royal palace?"

He gestured sharply toward the King.

"Does Lady Serina not put the King in her eyes?"

The Advisor raised a hand.

"Spying, Lord Varen. Not attacking. There is a distinction."

Varen whirled on him.

"Do not argue semantics with me!"

He turned back to the table, his voice rising.

"How are we supposed to explain this to the people? That a spy waltzed into the palace, listened to the King’s council, and escaped without consequence?"

The King’s brow furrowed slightly.

He seemed to be considering the point.

Varen noticed the shift. He pressed his advantage, turning to the large man seated across from him.

"Grand Marshal. Surely you agree. The military cannot stand idle while our enemies grow bold."

The Grand Marshal was silent for a moment.

Then he spoke.

"What if it wasn’t just the threat of the cult and the Demon King?"

The room stilled.

Lady Serina’s composure cracked slightly. The Advisor leaned forward. Even Lord Varen’s anger gave way to confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

The Grand Marshal folded his arms.

"When the spy was escaping, someone came to rescue her."

His voice was grave.

"This person... cut through space itself."

The others swallowed nervously.

"I did not think the Abyss Cult possessed such power."

The Advisor nodded slowly, his face pale.

"That’s right. They’re just a bunch of rogues operating from the shadows. If they had power like that... could this kingdom even exist?"

The Grand Marshal shook his head.

"My senses are quite good. I can confirm that person did not have the aura of the Abyss on him."

He looked around the table.

"Both the cultists and the Demon King carry that taint. I could sense neither on this individual. Which means I can rule out them being either."

Shock rippled through the room.

Lady Serina’s voice was quiet.

"Then... this means..."

The Grand Marshal nodded grimly.

"There may be a third unknown enemy."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.

"And this one - whom we know nothing about - might turn out to be the most dangerous of all."

Silence descended upon the chamber.

No one spoke. No one moved.

Princess Elara cracked her knuckles.

"So what?"

All eyes turned to her.

She shrugged, a confident smirk on her face.

"We just have to capture him and beat the shit out of him. Problem solved."

The council members stared at her.

Their expressions were unreadable. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Elara blinked.

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

They collectively sighed.

No one answered.

The silence stretched on.

...

The grand hall of the Holy Church.

At the center of the hall stood a long marble table.

At one end sat the Cardinal - an elderly man draped in white and gold vestments, his eyes half-lidded as if in perpetual contemplation. At the opposite end sat Saintess Seria, her hands folded neatly in her lap, her expression serene and unreadable.

Between them, six figures sat on each side.

All twelve wore gleaming golden armor emblazoned with the crest of a dragon coiled around a holy symbol. They were Paladins. The elite warriors of the Church.

One of them spoke first, his voice echoing through the hall.

"This incident is a disgrace to the Church!"

He struck the table with his gauntleted fist.

"Cultists infiltrated the kingdom and killed people just a week ago, and now, a spy infiltrated the royal palace. Cultists grow bolder by the day. And where is the Church during all this?"

Another paladin nodded firmly.

"The people look to us for guidance and protection. If we do nothing while the kingdom is under threat, they will lose faith."

A third leaned forward.

"We must act for justice. The royal family cannot be allowed to handle this alone. If they take all the credit for defeating the cult, the Church’s influence will wane."

"Our holy knights should be leading the charge, not sitting idle while secular forces do our work!"

The debate continued, voices rising and falling in passionate discourse.

Saintess Seria watched in silence.

Her gaze drifted across the arguing paladins, not paying attention to their words at all.

What does it matter what anyone thinks?

Her eyes moved to the Cardinal at the far end of the table.

In the end, what he says goes.

The discussion shifted.

"There is also the matter of the Beast Forest."

A paladin with silver streaks in his hair spoke, his tone more measured than the others.

"Our scouts have reported unusual activity. Monsters and beastmen are moving in patterns we haven’t seen before."

"Something big is happening out there."

"Could it be the Demon King? Is he finally making his move?"

"If so, we need to prepare. The Hero is still too inexperienced to..."

"The Hero is not our responsibility. Our duty is to the faithful!"

"And what good is faith if the Demon King burns it all to ash?!"

The arguments intensified.

Then...

"Enough."

A single word from the Cardinal.

The hall fell silent instantly.

Every paladin straightened in their seat. Even the air seemed to still.

The Cardinal opened his eyes fully, his gaze sweeping across the table.

"I hear you. Both issues are relevant."

He paused, letting his words settle.

"This is what we will do."

The paladins leaned in, listening attentively.

"Regarding the Abyss Cult - we will deploy a small party of holy knights to join the royal forces in hunting down the cultists."

He raised a finger.

"This way, the Church is seen acting alongside the crown, not in competition with it. The faithful will see their protectors working in unity."

Several paladins nodded in approval.

"As for the matter of the Beast Forest..."

The Cardinal’s expression grew more somber.

"It is a little more complicated."

He steepled his fingers before him.

"Best case scenario - it is simply the Demon King mobilizing those beastmen to form an army."

One of the paladins blinked.

"Best case scenario?"

The Cardinal nodded slowly.

"That’s right."

His voice dropped lower.

"Worst case... there is an unknown variable."

Tension rippled through the room.

The paladins exchanged uneasy glances. Even Saintess Seria’s serene expression flickered for just a moment.

Could it be him?

The Cardinal gazed toward the stained glass windows, as if seeing something beyond them.

"Well..."

He exhaled softly.

"Let us just hope it is not what I am thinking."