"Disappeared?"

Francis's voice echoed through the empty and extravagant palace.

He spoke those three words so softly that they couldn't even be drowned out by the sound of fabric rubbing against his shoulders as the blonde women next to him massaged them.

Andrew knelt on one knee on the soft carpet and raised his head slightly.

For the first time ever, a look of astonishment appeared on that usually stern face.

He stared at the old man on the soft couch, trying to find shock or the solemnity that should be present on the old man's face, which was covered with age spots.

But there was nothing there.

Francis's expression was extremely calm, and he didn't even fully open his eyelids. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

He leaned lazily against the brocade cushions, showing no reaction whatsoever to the news that two cities and nearly a million people had vanished into thin air.

“That’s right, Your Majesty.” Andrew suppressed the absurdity and reported, “The entire population of Losga City and Newt ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) City has vanished overnight.”

"Without any warning, without any distress signal, and even the vital signs detection array failed to detect any fluctuations in energy."

Andrew spoke quickly and clearly, trying to make the deity of the Free Federation realize the seriousness of the situation in the most straightforward language.

A million people!

Those aren't just a few penned livestock! Even if it were a million pigs, it would take several days and nights to slaughter them.

Moreover, those are two core cities with complete defensive facilities and stationed with high-level professional armies!

However, Francis did not show much emotion upon hearing the news.

He didn't even try to sit up; he just grunted softly.

That was an extremely perfunctory nasal sound.

Andrew felt a sharp pang in his heart, but he could only grit his teeth and continue:

"This morning, as soon as I received the news, I sent the Holy Judgment Knights to investigate the situation."

"But... so far, there has been no news. The entire knight order has vanished without a trace, completely out of contact."

The Holy Knights of Judgment—that is the trump card directly under Archbishop Andrew!

This knight order is not to be underestimated; all its members are S-class professionals, and their average level exceeds a terrifying 70!

Among them are many experts who are proficient in various forms of detection, concealment, defense, and even spatial magic.

Such a team, not to mention within the Free Federation, would be an elite force capable of crushing small countries and suppressing any region in the world!

Now, they've also mysteriously disappeared?

They couldn't even send out a magical distress signal?

This forced Andrew to be on high alert.

Even if they encounter a powerful enemy, even if they face SS-level or multiple SS-level powerhouses, this knight order is still capable of transmitting information even if they cannot defeat them!

Unless... the opponent's strength has far exceeded their comprehension!

An instant kill of a full-strength S-class knight order? How is that possible!

"In that case, let's send Domoko and Thor together."

Francis finally spoke.

His voice remained languid.

Andrew looked at Francis on the soft couch, opened his mouth, and swallowed hard.

He had a lot of questions he wanted to ask.

Holy Lord, don't you find this strange at all?

Holy Lord, those are your most devout believers, the source of your divine power!

Francis was once a dissolute and extravagant man, but his desire for control over the power of faith and territory reached a perverse level. Even the destruction of a church in a remote town would enrage him, and he would personally unleash divine punishment.

But today...

"What?" Francis opened his cloudy eyes slightly, his gaze sending chills down one's spine. "Is there anything else?"

Andrew met that gaze, and his heart skipped a beat.

“No...” Andrew swallowed hard, lowered his head to avoid that gaze, and shook his head: “This subordinate...this subordinate is fine.”

"If there's nothing else, you can leave. Don't disturb my rest."

Francis closed his eyes again and waved his hand.

"Yes. I'll take my leave."

Andrew slowly stood up, respectfully performed a gesture of respect with his hand on his chest, and then stepped back step by step.

As he left the main hall, the heavy, gilded doors slowly closed in front of him.

"Bang--"

Andrew stood in the empty corridor, motionless for a long time.

His hands and feet were a little cold.

This SS-rank, level 83 Holy Archbishop actually felt a chill in the place he knew best.

He turned around absentmindedly and walked out along the corridor.

The scenes from the main hall just now replayed in my mind.

This is very unusual.

This is so abnormal!

The Holy Lord's inaction even has a strange, go-with-the-flow feel to it?

Did he already know that those two cities would disappear?

Does he simply not care about the lives of those millions of people?

Even... this was part of his plan?!

“No, impossible...” Andrew shook his head inwardly.

But once the thought took hold, it became a poisonous vine with barbs, coiling around his heart and tightening its grip.

In a daze, Andrew had already walked out of the palace gates.

The bright sunlight outside shone on him, but it couldn't dispel the gloom in his heart.

"Your Majesty Bishop!"

"Lord Andrew, you've come out!"

As soon as they stepped off the palace steps, several vicars of the Holy Church, dressed in red robes, surrounded them.

They were all Andrew's confidants, and anxiety was written all over their faces.

After all, while the news of the two cities disappearing into thin air was kept under wraps, it was already too late to hide the truth within the upper echelons of the Holy Church.

"Well? Have you told the Holy Lord everything in detail?" one of the older vice-bishops, named Clement, asked, lowering his voice. "What does His Majesty intend to do? Will he perform a miracle, or mobilize the entire army of the three knightly orders?"

Everyone stared expectantly at Andrew, awaiting the deity's command.

In their view, as long as Lord Francis is willing to take action, there is no crisis in the world that cannot be resolved.

Looking at the expectant faces before him, Andrew felt an even greater chill in his heart.

He forced himself to regain his usual cold and composed demeanor.

“I’ve said everything I needed to say,” Andrew said in a low, emotionless voice.

"Then... what did the Holy Lord say?" another deputy bishop pressed.

"The Lord has ordered that Cardinal Domoco and Judge Thor be sent to the scene for investigation," Andrew said coldly.

Upon hearing the names of these two officials, the several vice-bishops breathed a sigh of relief.

"Excellent! With Lords Domoko and Thor on the case, they can uncover the truth!"

"That's right, these two are both top-tier SS-level combatants. No matter what kind of demons or monsters are causing trouble, they can't escape their punishment!"

The archdeacons found reassurance, and the panic on their faces subsided considerably.

However, Archdeacon Clement caught a fleeting shadow in the depths of Andrew's eyes.

He had followed Andrew for many years and knew his boss's personality best.

If it were really just a matter of sending two SS-level experts to make a formality, Archbishop Andrew would not have such a distracted expression.

Clement waved his hand, signaling the others to step back.

After everyone had gone some distance, he approached Andrew and asked in a low voice:

"Your Excellency... is there something you're worried about?"

"Or is it that even His Majesty the Holy Lord considers the disappearance of the Holy Knights a serious problem?"

Andrew turned his head and stared at Clement.

Those eyes were sharp, as if they could see right through Clement's soul.

Clement felt a chill run down his spine under her gaze and couldn't help but take a half step back, his back soaked with cold sweat: "M-Sir, I was too talkative..."

"Clement".

Andrew suddenly looked away, tilted his head back, and gazed at the radiant sun overhead.

His brows furrowed, forming a deep "川" (river) shape.

"It must be my imagination..."

"Suddenly, I feel that the Holy Lord is... somewhat different now."