Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2465 Two paths

Mid Sector 99—Sacred Covenant Cosmic Academy

Step Step

Morgana walked through the academyʼs wide and spacious streets, a small, formal smile resting calmly on her face, holding both hands together beneath her navel as she advanced with short, elegant steps that remained measured and composed.

The atmosphere surrounding her was extremely tense, to the point that the unease hanging over the academy could hardly be ignored...

After all, those gathered within the academy were no ordinary youngsters, but individuals being prepared to become the leaders of the future.

Even after a large number of the Behemothsʼ children withdrew from the academy following the many rumors, exaggerations, and recordings that had circulated everywhere, a considerable number of the children of Behemoths scattered throughout the universe still remained within its grounds, as their fathers had yet to reach a decision about what they should do next.

The many children of the Burton Family were increasingly anxious about the developments taking place almost every day, especially with the news of the coming war in Mid Sector 90 that would begin three years from now, along with the revolts erupting against their rule throughout every sector they had brought under their control.

The children of the Cosmic Elder were worried about their father, and even though the older siblings among them had managed to convince the others not to believe the spreading rumors so easily and instead wait patiently for an explanation from their godfather, that explanation never came. Their godfather had completely ignored them without offering them anything at all, and with their own father still absent, the pressure weighing upon them and the dark thoughts filling their minds continued to accumulate with each passing day.

A number of external powers, including the Syndicate, had already begun secretly contacting them through the Soul Society in an attempt to pull them out of the academy out of concern for their safety, but despite those attempts, they continued refusing to leave the place where their father himself had left them... at least for the time being.

But their eldest brother had already begun finding it increasingly difficult to keep them under control for much longer... Some of them had even started to feel as though they were continuing to live inside the home of their fatherʼs killer.

Even the instructors themselves were conflicted about what they should do... A large number of them had already resigned from their positions and left the academy entirely, while some had gone as far as giving up their privileges and returning the advance payments they had previously received simply so that they would no longer have any connection whatsoever to the academy.

As for those who chose to remain, they continued comforting themselves with the good treatment they received from the Academies and tried their best to forget the accusing fingers being pointed toward them from across the entire universe, accusing them of willingly working for a demonic power that continued to grow stronger while spreading the plague!

And amid this tense, charged atmosphere that had enveloped nearly everyone around her... the only smile that could still be seen anywhere in the entire place belonged to Morgana.

”Student,” Morgana called out as she gestured toward a young man who was sleeping comfortably beneath a tree, ”off to the General Soul Lecture with you!”

Then, still wearing exactly the same confident smile, she clapped her hands toward a group of girls from the Cosmic Elderʼs family and called to them, ”Alright, alright, girls. Chatting is fine, but the exams are approaching, so keep it up!”

Morgana did not receive anything resembling the enthusiastic response she had grown accustomed to... What she received instead was merely a cold glance in her direction before the girls simply turned back and returned to whatever they had been doing, while even the young man beneath the tree ignored her words and continued sleeping.

But Morgana simply continued walking forward with the same confident smile still resting upon her face, seemingly unchanged by the reactions she had received.

Until she suddenly heard a voice addressing her:

”Youʼre strange.”

”Hmm?” Morgana stopped in place and turned toward the source of the voice, quickly recognizing who it belonged to. ”Oh, the student who isnʼt really a student. Temari, what do you have for me today?”

A girl wearing a red shirt, her hair braided into the shape of a large knot, continued casually swinging her legs back and forth while sitting atop a thick tree branch. ”Iʼm just wondering...” Temari tilted her head slightly as she looked at Morgana. ”Itʼs not only the academy. Everything under Lord Robin is suffering from bloodshed or turmoil right now, everyone except you, for some reason.”

Then she raised one eyebrow slightly as she continued studying Morganaʼs expression. ”Are you actually happy about whatʼs happening right now, or something like that?”

”Are you questioning my loyalty to Lord Robin?” Morgana chuckled at the question, seemingly finding the implication amusing. ”What exactly would you gain by proving that Iʼm some bad girl who secretly wishes him harm? Are you perhaps planning to take my place?”

”I just want to understand how the followers he personally chose for himself think.” Temari gave a small shrug and turned her gaze away from Morgana. ”Pleasing that man is difficult.”

”Oh?” Morgana raised both eyebrows at those words. She understood something from the way Temari had phrased that sentence, but she had no intention of pressing her for an explanation or digging any deeper into the matter. ”...I donʼt think too much.”

Then Morgana turned her gaze back toward the road stretching ahead of her and raised her head slightly as she continued, ”He entrusted me with the task of taking care of education and building new Cosmic Academies, and thatʼs exactly what Iʼll continue doing until I die.”

”Education has already collapsed. All the students and instructors have either withdrawn or are behaving cautiously because of everything thatʼs happening. And building new Cosmic Academies? No one is even applying to teach in them anymore, and Blokan is failing to appoint even a single new Academy Director!” Temari said in obvious surprise at Morganaʼs words.

”It doesnʼt really matter.” Morgana smiled as though none of what Temari had just listed could change her answer. ”Iʼll continue doing what Iʼve been entrusted with to the very best of my ability until the very last moment. At the very least, he wonʼt have to worry about the front where he stationed me, while he can devote his thoughts to everything else and find a solution for it... Heʼs very good at finding solutions, I can assure you of that.”

”...” Temari continued staring at the side of Morganaʼs head for a long moment, seemingly trying to understand the confidence behind those words. ”So Lord Robinʼs followers really are as crazy as he is, filled with blind faith and completely disconnected from reality.” Then she gave a small nod, as though she had reached a conclusion that satisfied her. ”I suppose that suits his personality.”

”Heh~” Morgana became slightly annoyed at hearing that description and immediately looked toward her. ”And what exactly do you know about his personality? Has Lord Robin ever even seen you before?”

”He hasnʼt seen me, but he knows me, and believe me when I tell you that I know him better than you do.” Temari rested her small chin against the tip of one finger as she spoke, her expression thoughtful. ”And I donʼt like what Iʼm seeing.”

”...?” Morgana furrowed her brows slightly as she looked at the girl.

She had always been suspicious of this girl from the beginning. Her strength was tremendous, far beyond what one would normally expect, and there was no doubt whatsoever that she was much stronger than a mere 10-star Soul Master, yet despite possessing such strength, she continued attending classes and interacting normally with students around her own age, deliberately aiming to earn only enough examination points to allow her to remain inside the academy while doing her best to remain silent about both her background and her past.

But the Shadow Swords had already uncovered her history.

Temari, one of Morpheusʼs daughters and one of the greatest talents in the entire Dream Galaxy... When Morgana finally learned about her history and discovered who she actually was, she ultimately decided to allow her to remain inside the academy.

But now that same girl was claiming that she knew Robin?

”Listen, Morgana.” Temari folded her arms beneath her chest as her tone became more serious. ”Lord Robin is someone who concerns himself almost entirely with discovery and improvement, someone who wants nothing more than to remain in isolation so that he can continue discovering the world. I donʼt believe this whole story about him supporting the plague merely for the sake of spreading destruction, not for even a moment.”

Then she continued without changing her serious tone, ”An alliance is currently being formed against him between the Syndicate, the Tyrant, and the Council of Thrones, an alliance unlike anything that has ever happened before, and it will most likely spell the end of everything Lord Robin has gathered and built before he can even begin walking his true path... That must not be allowed to happen.”

”...What do you suggest?” Morgana asked, her expression and voice becoming serious as well.

”You need to convince him to go and meet my eldest brother and somehow make him an ally, regardless of how he chooses to accomplish it.” Temari then furrowed her brows slightly as she added, ”Or go search for Athena.”