The Rise of the Black Plain

"So you want to become the King of Vogel, huh?" Joseph asked as he looked at Minos, thinking of the consequences this young man was ignoring. "And what are you going to do about the Flaming Empire?"

"What about the Empire?" Minos questioned.

"There is a conflict of interest here, no? Your family is part of the Empire, but you want to take command of an enemy state..." Minos' father-in-law cited this problem. "How will you handle it?"

The women in that place looked at Minos along with this man, and this young man answered. "I have no problem with the Flaming Empire, so I will find a way to solve these old problems when the time is appropriate. But until then, the powers of Vogel will be free to act as they wish."

"That really won't be under my control."

Margot frowned, thinking that this answer was not good enough. "If you become the ruler of that state, you will naturally be seen as an enemy of the Empire."

"I don't see it that way." Minos shook his head, indicating that this was not right. "In any case, the Emperor won't be able to do anything against me without breaking Church rules or risking being caught by the women of the Flower Kingdom. Then my family and I will be fine."

Margot shook her head in disappointment, seeing this young man using the barriers of the Church to defend himself rather than thinking of a solid solution.

But then she looked at Gloria. "What about you? What are you going to do? Are you going to stand against your own state?"

"I will side with my family, of course. I have nothing to do with the Empire's disputes with the four kingdoms to the north." Gloria said without hesitation.

They were members of the Spiritual Church, but most in this temple were natives of the Flaming Empire. As such, they had some of the history and culture of the people of this state, which put many of them against the kingdoms to the north.

Because of this history behind them and the education, Gloria had received from her father's family, Margot was in doubt about her daughter's position in all of this.

Joseph looked at his daughter similarly to Margot, seeing that this young woman was focused on her marriage, not their history.

But he did not press her. Instead, he just turned his attention to Minos' project. "So what are you going to do to repair the cultivation time Gloria will lose? What will you do if you become the King of Vogel?"

Minos answered him without delay. "The Black Plain will benefit from all this, and I will extend my influence, as well as Gloria's, across the four enemy kingdoms of the Empire. This will give us access to Church members in each of the posts in those states, which will help me crates good support for my wife."

The Church was one organization despite its divisions. So any member who had more support, even if not necessarily from their main post, could reap greater benefits.

After all, members of that organization could be sent to new posts, not necessarily being fixed in their home states.

So if Gloria had the support of all the Spiritual Saints from the posts in those four states, for example, even if she did not have support in the Temple of Payton, she would still be just as influential as the local leader.

In fact, the chances of her getting a promotion to another Church post, perhaps even headquarters, would become more significant if she had support from many Church members beyond her state.

The leader of a post, as in the case of Gloria's father, was not chosen by the local members of that temple. No, the decision came from a vote among members one level above, that is, the rank in charge of that branch.

In the case of the northern region, the post that oversaw that area was the Temple of Payton. As such, the Spiritual Saints of this place were the ones who decided the Spiritual Emperor to guide that area.

As for the Spiritual Saint who commanded the Temple of Payton, that individual was chosen by a council of Spiritual Sages in the Evergreen Empire.

But these individuals on the council oversaw various other posts, such as the cases of the temples in the capitals of each of the four enemy kingdoms to the Flaming Empire.

Thus, Gloria's morals with people outside the Empire were as relevant or more relevant than her having the same in the Empire!

Joseph was silent after Minos' reply, while Margot looked at him with an advisory look. "You think it will all work out, but the Emperor will cause problems for your family's sect if you become the King of Vogel..."

Minos laughed upon hearing that. "Good thing I have the protection of the Church for a few more years, right? As for the Gray Clouds Sect, I've never been to that place, so I have no relationship with them."

"Any trouble that happens is between the imperial family and them..."

"Really? What about that talk about you becoming the successor of that sect?" Margot remembered Maisie's comment when she had passed through the Black Plain.

Minos frowned and said. "That was the first time I heard that too. What can I do? They think they have some power over my destiny. But they didn't ask me if I wanted to."

"Anyway, all these problems can be solved or delayed if you help us..." He smiled as he showed them the way. "Just delay the Empire a bit, and the stability that existed before the fall of the Vogel family will return."

"One way to do that is to get me to the imperial palace..." He suggested.

"What?" Margot exclaimed in surprise.

"What do you want to do?" Joseph asked as the women in that place watched Minos.

Minos then said. "Nothing much. As Albano's trade ally, I promised to help keep peace in the region. So I am on a quest to fulfill that promise. If I can talk to the Emperor, maybe I can get something done without him knowing I will become the King of Albano..."

Abby and Ruth looked at Minos as they heard this for the first time, trying to imagine what he had in mind to attempt such a meeting. But knowing that their husband was a very capable man, they did not doubt that he could gain some benefit by having access to the Emperor.

"Well, that can be done." Joseph did not refuse Minos' request since diplomacy was part of the role of members of the Spiritual Church in the states where that organization was present.

Since it could also help Gloria to some degree, he was not against trying to use his influence to put Minos in contact with the local sovereign.

Minos was a descendant of the master of the Gray Clouds Sect, so it would not be entirely strange for him to meet with the Emperor. Even more so considering the mess, such a lad had made in the northern region a few years ago.

With that, Minos smiled that his father-in-law did not seem as foolish as his mother-in-law, who had given him a bit of a challenge during the previous visit.

'Very good!'

'Now I have to negotiate with this Emperor and eventually get peace...' He laughed internally at the thought that the responsibility of securing peace had fallen into the lap of just him, a revolutionary!

...