A few days before Grey gave the order to end Operation "Even a Lion Falls Before the Crowd," the Ashen Shepherd sat with his arms crossed at a long table inside his private estate in the northern part of Thorn's Cloaca.
His eyes kept drifting back to the entrance, while his fingers tapped the tabletop in restless rhythm.
The door stayed closed far longer than he had expected.
Time seemed to crawl by at a torturous pace, and the silence, along with the complete lack of news, weighed on him far more heavily than even the worst possible report.
He knew that if his guest failed to arrive on time, everything could become even worse, so he waited patiently.
At last, the door creaked open, letting in a narrow strip of light.
The guest did not ask for permission, but the Ashen Shepherd still said, "Come in."
The nervousness vanished from his eyes, replaced by cold calculation, while a welcoming smile spread across his face.
"Good evening, Master of the Thorn Tower. I'm glad to see that Lord City Lord still values our cooperation."
The guest forced a smile and quickly replied, "Don't jump to conclusions. I'm here on my own initiative, out of respect for our past friendship. The City Lord knows nothing about this meeting and has absolutely nothing to do with it."
The Ashen Shepherd clenched his fists. He caught the undisguised meaning behind the words of Thorn's Cloaca's chief mage.
At this moment, the City Lord wanted nothing to do with him, yet still considered his strength too valuable to abandon. Sending a trusted high-ranking messenger was meant as a gesture of goodwill, nothing more.
"You certainly took your time," the Ashen Shepherd remarked as if in passing.
"I'm still here," the high-ranking mage replied. "That's already more than anyone could guarantee in your current situation."
"Is it really that bad?"
"The rumors have spread, and they've alarmed the Church of the One God. You, more than anyone, should understand how influential they are. For now, the bishop may choose to overlook your actions, but the moment you cross the line, even he will have no choice but to make an enemy of you and brand you a heretic."
"And what exactly does crossing the line mean?" the Ashen Shepherd asked in confusion.
"Don't play games with me. You chose to play a high-risk game, and you failed. Now you're paying the price.
"A large-scale human sacrifice, especially one involving children, is something the Church can never tolerate. If evidence surfaces, you'll go from being a mere suspect to a wanted criminal. And once that happens, your head will no longer belong to you. Not even Lord Orpheus will be able, or dare, to protect you."
The guest spoke without the slightest emotion, as though he were discussing the weather. He had no interest in the other man's reaction because everything he had said was the undeniable truth.
"You'll be dragged into this as well!" the Ashen Shepherd nearly shouted, but managed to lower his voice in time. "Don't forget that we were the ones who eliminated the Lord's political opponents. Do you really think you'll be able to wash your hands clean once they back me into a corner?"
"Are you threatening me?" the Master of the Thorn Tower asked.
The mana around him rippled faintly, and a magic wand appeared in his right hand, ready to unleash a spell the moment he spoke the "magic word."
The Ashen Shepherd took several steps back and raised his hands in surrender.
Although, on paper, the City Lord, the Master of the Thorn Tower, and the cult leader himself were all Saint Adepts (Level 4), their true strength in a one-on-one battle was worlds apart.
The Ashen Shepherd had reached the Saint Realm only through the blessing of the god he worshipped. Simply put, that power did not truly belong to him. It had been borrowed, and that inevitably came with consequences.
The City Lord and the chief mage, while not the strongest among Saint Adepts, had reached that realm through their own effort and relentless training. That alone made them vastly superior in both raw power and control over mana.
"Don't misunderstand me. I thought we were speaking honestly, so I simply told you the truth. Surely you don't expect details like these from our past to go unnoticed once our activities come under close scrutiny?
"No matter how careful we are, complete secrecy can never be guaranteed, especially if the angels of the Church of the One God take an interest in our little organization."
The Master of the Thorn Tower studied him carefully before withdrawing his power, realizing the man had no intention of doing anything foolish.
"I'm glad you understand your position."
"Then what does the City Lord propose? You didn't come here just to comfort me, did you?"
"First of all, get rid of every fugitive and destroy the site of the potential sacrifice. Without evidence, rumors will remain nothing more than rumors..."
The Ashen Shepherd grimaced.
"Of course I know that's necessary. The sacrificial altar has already been erased by divine power. Even the Church won't be able to find any traces, but we've run into problems with the escapees. We thought they were still in the city, but no matter how hard we searched, they had vanished without a trace.
"I sent all my subordinates to search the surrounding area, but by then the rumors had already spread, and many of our groups stopped reporting in. Most likely, someone quietly eliminated them. I doubt a bunch of teenagers could have done it, but we have no other enemies."
"What are you getting at?" the chief mage asked. His brows drew together as he reached the same conclusion.
"I believe the Ninth Consort's faction has intervened. You know her methods. She's extremely clever, and she most likely discovered our connection to Baron Orpheus long ago. Your factions are already at odds, so it's only natural that she'd want to take advantage of our current predicament.
"If she helps those teenagers and finds their hiding place before we do, she'll undoubtedly do everything in her power to destroy my reputation, and with it, Lord Orpheus's reputation as well."
The Ashen Shepherd had finally played the strongest card he had in these negotiations.
Ever since so many of his groups had failed to report back, he realized he could no longer handle this alone. Someone powerful was deliberately hunting down the Merciful Flame's Cult, which meant he had to secure the City Lord's support at any cost.
It didn't matter whether his theory was true or not. The mere possibility of such a scenario should be enough to make Lord Orpheus feel the pressure and lend him his support.
The Master of the Thorn Tower smiled, his grin carrying a faint hint of menace.
"Since you understand how desperate your situation has become, then you should also know the simplest solution. One that would solve Baron Orpheus's problem once and for all."
The Ashen Shepherd frowned. He did not like the way the other man spoke, but he could not help asking, "And what solution would that be?"
"Eliminate you and your cult. Do you think that would solve the problem?"
The mage gripped his wand again and fixed the cult leader with a threatening stare, as if he could launch an attack at any moment.
This time, however, the Ashen Shepherd did not move. He remained perfectly calm, without a single twitch crossing his face.
"Do you think I never considered that possibility? Don't forget that you're on my territory. Right beneath this mansion stands an altar, and my patron's power can manifest itself at any moment. I admit you're stronger than I am, but getting rid of me won't be nearly as easy as you think."
The Master of the Thorn Tower gave no response. He simply continued staring intently into the cult leader's eyes.
The Ashen Shepherd realized there was still room for negotiation and let out a quiet sigh of relief. He did not want to cut off his last path to survival. If he showed hostility now, a potential ally would instantly become his worst enemy, one who would stop at nothing to eliminate him.
Their negotiations had now reached the decisive stage. Both men knew exactly what the other wanted. The only question was who would show weakness first.
Unfortunately, the Ashen Shepherd was in a terrible position. He had already revealed every card in his hand, yet the chief mage still had not made his offer.
"Our goals still align, and I'm certain the City Lord won't rashly cut ties with us. So why don't we continue working together?" the Ashen Shepherd proposed.
"Cooperation implies benefits for both sides. Surely you don't think we'll recklessly wade into muddy waters just to save your ass? Unlike you, the City Lord is not the one who's desperate."
"Then what is it that you want?!" the Ashen Shepherd flared, slamming his palm onto the table. His eyes turned bloodshot as he realized they were about to blackmail him.
"Lord Orpheus is offering you two choices. You can completely sever your ties with your lower followers, abandon the cult, join his army, and lie low for a while. Naturally, you'll also have to sign a witch's contract, swearing eternal loyalty to him."
"Out of the question!" The Ashen Shepherd was so furious that he wanted to throw all courtesy aside and fight the Lord's envoy to the death right then and there. The demands were simply outrageous.
"Don't reject it so quickly. Think it over carefully. Yes, you'll have to abandon your lower followers, but the City Lord isn't asking you to renounce your faith. You'll still be free to preach in the barbarian territories.
"Not everyone welcomes the return of the Ninth Consort. Even within her own tribe, there are those whose interests are threatened, which means there's room for negotiation with the Lord. I'm sure we can provide you with fertile ground for your teachings."
The Master of the Magic Tower finally revealed his trump card. His primary mission at this meeting was to recruit the Ashen Shepherd into the Baron's service or eliminate a potential threat.
The entire negotiation had been leading to this very offer. He had already accomplished the minimum objectives and skillfully guided the conversation to this point. Now only one question remained: just how favorable a deal could he secure?
"Still no! My God would never allow His Messiah to become someone else's subordinate. Most likely, He would rather kill me with His own hands. At that point, I might as well throw all courtesy aside and fight you to the death right now. At least then I'd still have a chance to survive."
The Master of the Thorn Tower was not surprised by the refusal. After all, his proposal had been absurdly excessive. But that was the foundation of every successful negotiation. Always start with the highest price.
"Now, now, there's no need to be so absolute. Everything is negotiable.
"My Lord is willing to help you find the fugitives, but you must also demonstrate your sincerity.
"What do you think of this proposal? We can send the city guards to conduct a reconnaissance mission. Officially, we'll announce an early campaign to clear out magical beasts before the winter season begins. Unofficially, they'll be searching for those teenagers.
"In return, you'll have to carry out a few minor assignments and give up several of your businesses. What do you say?"
The Ashen Shepherd frowned. His hands trembled with suppressed rage, but he knew he had no choice.
In the end, he leaned back in his chair in defeat and began to bargain.
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