That night, in the Paralar Empire, within the city of Paralar, Will and Lisa were at the entrance of Will's home, preparing an old, worn-out cart. The carriage appeared as though it had not been used for many years. Will carefully led two horses to the front of the cart, securing them with ropes. Meanwhile, Lisa focused intently on repairing the shattered wheel with her magic. "Hey Lisa, do you wizards never do anything by hand, relying solely on magic for everything?" Will teased while tethering the horses. "Fool, do you think it's that easy? One moment of carelessness and the wheel could turn to ash under my magic," Lisa replied, her hands hovering delicately around the wheel as she focused on maintaining control over her magic. Her expression was serious, showing that her work was no less taxing than fixing it by hand. "Alright, I'm finished here," Will said, tugging the rope to ensure it was tightly secured. He then pushed open the door to his home and stepped inside. "Father, Mother, I'm sorry, I must leave again," Will said, his voice tinged with guilt. How much he longed to stay and spend time with them, yet there were urgent matters that demanded his attention. "It's alright," his father, Terry, said, giving Will an encouraging pat on the shoulder. His mother, Sophia, nodded fervently in agreement. In the past, they would have been far more apprehensive about him leaving, but now, they were no longer worried. They had seen their child grow strong, brave, and capable. After bidding his parents farewell, Will stepped back out and made his way to the cart, ready to leave with Lisa. Just as he was about to depart, Mary rushed out of the house, calling his name as she ran toward him. Seeing Mary, Will immediately jumped from the cart and ran to meet her. "You're just in time," Mary panted as she caught up with him. "Mary, what's the matter?" Will asked, puzzled. "Will, this is for you," Mary said, reaching behind her neck to remove a pendant, which she then handed to him. "What is this?" Will asked. "I don't know, really. It's something I've always worn. Just keep it with you, as a talisman for protection," Mary replied, taking Will's hand and pressing the pendant into it. Will examined the pendant closely. It seemed to be made of something precious, a golden round medallion engraved with a floral design. "Thank you, Mary," Will said, fastening the pendant around his neck. "Will, please promise me, you must come back safely." "Of course. For you, I will make sure nothing happens to me," Will reassured her, his voice full of determination. Mary smiled, and after a final farewell, Will climbed back onto the cart, setting off with Lisa. The journey was swift, and soon they arrived at the gates of the Paralar Empire's prison. Three figures were already standing there—two soldiers and a man wearing a black headscarf. Will halted the cart and Lisa quickly disembarked, opening the door to the cart's compartment to help the soldiers place the man in the black headscarf inside. Then, she took a seat beside him. Will urged the horses forward, heading toward the city gates. "General Lei, you may remove your headscarf now," Lisa said, addressing the man across from her. The General, his hands bound in chains, laboriously raised them and slowly removed the black cloth. ... Earlier that day, inside the Paralar Empire's palace. After Lisa relayed to the King and Archbishop Matthew the words spoken by General Lei, both seemed to see a glimmer of hope for reconciling with the Arus Empire. Though those words were merely the General's own account, the Paralar Empire, currently at a disadvantage, had little choice but to take a gamble. After a brief discussion, the King and Archbishop Matthew summoned Will and Lisa to the royal study. "Mr. Will, Lady Lisa, after some deliberation with Archbishop Matthew, we have decided to take a chance. Just as General Lei suggested, we will send him back, using his influence in Arus to unite their forces with ours to expel the United Nations." "But this must be done in secret. While he did not directly participate in the massacre of the clergy, he was an accomplice to Merlin. If we publicly release him, not only will our people never accept it, but the United Nations will surely become suspicious as well. So..." the King continued. "Therefore, we request your assistance in carrying out this task," Archbishop Matthew added. "We?" Will asked, confused. "Yes, after witnessing both of your strength during these events, I am confident you two are capable. Should General Lei have a change of heart, I trust you will be able to subdue him and bring him back," the King explained. "Well... alright," Will said after some contemplation. "Besides, Merlin is probably in the Arus Empire right now. I haven't settled the score with him yet," Will muttered to himself. "And what about you, Lady Lisa?" "Fine, I agree. It's not like I have anything else to do," Lisa said with a resigned sigh. "Wonderful," the King exclaimed. "Your Majesty, when shall we depart?" Will asked. "To avoid arousing suspicion among the people, we must leave at night. We have prepared a carriage for you, though it is quite old and hasn't been used in years. But with a little repair, it will serve its purpose," the King explained with a touch of regret. "Alright," Will nodded. Upon hearing that there might still be a chance to confront Merlin, his spirits lifted. Now, no hardship seemed too great; he would endure anything to defeat the sly Merlin. "Ah, and Mr. Will, I heard your weapon was broken during your fight with Merlin," the King inquired. "Ah? Yes!" Will, lost in thoughts of fighting Merlin, snapped back to reality. "I've decided to give you this sword," the King said, signaling to Archbishop Matthew. The Archbishop immediately turned, retrieving a short sword from the shelf. The sword was exquisitely crafted, with a golden scabbard and hilt adorned with blue gems. Will took the sword from Archbishop Matthew, drawing it carefully. A cold, sharp blade gleamed before him, and at its base, the symbol of the Church, a sun emblem, was engraved. "This is... from the Church?" Will asked. "Yes. This was once Sir Leon's sword. It is a sacred blade, Durandal, only wielded by generals of the Church. It can effortlessly slice through marble without damage. I believe you will find it useful when you face Merlin," the King explained. "But... how can I accept this?" Will asked, still unsure. "Ah, Archbishop Matthew and I have discussed this. Only you, Will, are worthy of wielding this sword now," the King said, turning to the Archbishop. "Indeed. I've heard of Mr. Will's strength, his spiritual power unmatched by anyone in the Paralar Empire," Archbishop Matthew affirmed, eyeing Will with a gaze full of curiosity, not malice. "Now, prepare yourselves. We leave tonight," the King commanded. "Yes," Will and Lisa replied in unison. ... Now, in Paralar city, Will guided the cart at a leisurely pace, unwilling to wake the people in the middle of the night by rushing. As they reached the city gates, Will didn't slow down or stop. Normally, there would be a check when leaving the city at night, but the guards at the gate were not ordinary soldiers; they were members of the Church assigned by Archbishop Matthew to ensure Will's safe passage. As they passed through the gates, Will caught a glimpse of Eddie, who was glaring at him with anger in his eyes. Will knew Eddie wasn't angry with him, but with the General in the cart. In Eddie's eyes, General Lei was an accomplice in the death of Sir Leon, and that belief was not something easily erased from his heart. Lost in thought, Will snapped back to attention, gently flicking the reins to speed the horses up, heading toward the city's outskirts.
