Volume 2 Chapter 17: The Millennium Pact
Volume 2 Chapter 17: The Millennium Pact
If possible, Qin Lun wanted to delay his answer to Baron Albert for a few more days to make it more believable. But he had already been in this world for about half a month. Although he felt that he was slowly getting closer to the core of his mission, he was running out of time.
Therefore, after dinner, Qin Lun approached Baron Albert on his own. He expressed his desire to join the Demon Hunters and do his part to protect the Aodia Region.
Baron Albert was very happy. He led Qin Lun and Bonnie to a hall in the Subsidiary Keep on the right side of the Main Keep.
This hall in the Subsidiary Keep was actually a library. Tall bookshelves lined the walls. Rows of well-maintained hardcover books even gave off a faint scent of ink. Above these bookshelves hung many portraits.
These portraits included both men and women. Their facial features looked similar to those of Baron Albert and Bonnie. They seemed to be the ancestors of the Albert Family.
Qin Lun’s gaze fell on a portrait placed centrally on the bookshelf at the back of the hall. This portrait was twice as large as the others. The oil painting depicted a tall knight wearing plate armor.
The knight held his helmet in his left hand. With his right hand, he planted his greatsword into the ground like a walking stick. He stood on the top platform of Albert Castle. His eyes shone brightly as they stared into the Great Forest Maiar ahead.
Below this painting, a line of small text was inscribed.
“A thousand years of duty, a thousand years of protection, a thousand years of glory! We are the Alberts of Odia!”
A very familiar sentence! Qin Lun’s eyes flickered, and he rubbed his temples.
The center of this library was a small salon. It held a large round coffee table and some wicker chairs.
“Doctor Stan, I am very happy you could join us! Please, sit!” Baron Albert selected a wicker chair and sat down. He gestured for Qin Lun to take a seat.
“Your Lordship, is there any ceremony required to join the Demon Hunters?” Qin Lun asked with a smile.
“Haha, no, no!” Baron Albert laughed and waved his hand. “The Demon Hunters are not a religious organization. Instead, it’s more like a loose mutual aid group. Anyone can become a Demon Hunter with a recommendation from an old member. However, to become a Demon Hunter, one must possess the courage and will to fight evil!”
“It is an honor for the Stan Family to serve the Demon Hunters!” Qin Lun slightly bowed. “I will need Your Lordship’s guidance from now on!”
“I wouldn’t call it guidance. Since I am the one recommending you for membership, I naturally must tell you some historical truths and the purpose of our Demon Hunters!” Baron Albert took the wine glass Bonnie handed to him. He gently swirled it in his hand. His gaze became distant as he fell into memories.
More than three thousand years ago in this world, various human settlements flourished across the continent. The improvement in productivity led these human settlements to gradually develop classes and kingdoms. Humans at the top of the pyramid began to enslave others.
Vast wealth concentrated in the hands of a few. After meeting their basic needs for food and shelter, these people began to pursue spiritual liberation. Some of them devoted all their energy to the noble cause of improving the overall well-being of humanity. Others began to pursue higher personal pleasures and attempted to extend their own lives.
As time passed, the first group, the virtuous ones, proposed the concept of faith. They began spreading their gospel across the continent. They hoped all humans could have a spiritual anchor, liberating their minds and souls. Even under harsh living conditions, they could maintain a positive and optimistic attitude.
The second group, those pursuing personal gain, began to frantically amass wealth, persecute people, and plunder lands from other countries. They also used their wealth and knowledge to begin researching the secrets of immortality.
Different from the Earth timeline Qin Lun came from, over the long river of time, both of these groups eventually discovered the secret of immortality, as well as some other powerful spells.
However, the secrets of immortality discovered by these two groups were not the same. The first group, through faith and firm will, obtained the secret of “Longevity.” The second group obtained the true secret of “Immortality.”
The secret of “Longevity” required a pure heart and strong will. They called themselves “Followers of Faith.” The secret of “Immortality” relied on external forces. They named it “Witchcraft.” Using “Witchcraft,” they created evil Magical Creatures and called themselves “Wizards.”
The Followers and the Wizards not only gained completely opposite powers but their ideologies were also at two extremes. They soon developed irreconcilable conflicts, and war began!
At the start of the war, because the requirements for becoming a Follower were too high, while becoming a Wizard through external forces was relatively easier, the Followers suffered repeated defeats. However, just at this time, the ordinary people who had long been oppressed and persecuted by the Wizards began to join the Followers’ side.
These ordinary people did not have long lives. But they made up 99.2% of the human world. Once united, they almost effortlessly crushed the Wizards. During the long war, some ordinary people also gained considerable combat power.
Advocated by the Followers, these powerful ordinary people united with the Followers and jointly established the Exorcist Organization. The purpose of establishing the Exorcist Organization was to drive out the “Witches” and their Magical Creatures, and to protect the human world.
In the final battle, most male Wizards vanished from the world. Only a few female Witches escaped into the forests, deserts, deep mountains, swamps, and other remote corners with the most harsh living conditions.
The Followers’ side also suffered great losses. The surviving Followers felt that both the secret of Longevity and the secret of Immortality held too much temptation for ordinary humans.
Therefore, they used their lives to cast a powerful protective spell. They sealed away the secrets of these two laws of the world forever. Apart from the surviving Witches and the small amount of Magic Potion in their hands that could create Undying Ones, this world could no longer produce any Longevity Seekers or Undying Ones.
The Followers’ noble ideal of protecting the world through Sacrifice moved all the Demon Hunters. They swore to guard these two secrets, preventing them from ever seeing the light of day again. They vowed to hunt down any Witches who returned to the human world and the Magical Creatures they created, generation after generation.
In the following years, the Witches gathered their forces. They repeatedly counterattacked the human world from various corners. Although they were all defeated by the Exorcist Organization, the ordinary people of the human world also suffered heavy casualties.
Under these circumstances, the Demon Hunters and the Witches reached an agreement. The Witches and their Magical Creatures would no longer appear before ordinary people. The Demon Hunters would no longer hunt Witches who settled in remote corners.
The term of this agreement was one thousand years. The Demon Hunters believed that after a thousand years, humans would become stronger, and the few remaining Witches would no longer be a threat. The Witches believed that after a thousand years, the Demon Hunters would lose their faith and inherited power. Then, they could rule the world again. They could use the world’s law power to break the Followers’ protective spell and usher in the Great Wizard Era.
“The agreement between the Witches and the Demon Hunters is called the Millennium Pact. Only a little over three hundred years have passed so far!” The old Baron shook his glass and drank it all in one gulp.
“Is there a Witch in the Great Forest Maiar?” Qin Lun’s eyes glittered as he asked quietly.
“There is more than one Witch in the Great Forest Maiar. The area of this forest is too vast. More than ten Witches hide within it. Unless humans burn down the entire Great Forest Maiar, under the cover of the terrain, no matter how many people go in, that’s how many will die.” Baron Albert said with a bitter smile. “If it weren’t for this, those Witches would have been completely exterminated by the Exorcist Organization hundreds of years ago!”
“Doctor Stan, you needn’t worry. Actually, near the edge of the Aodia Region, there really is only one Witch. And the Demon Hunters surrounding the Great Forest Maiar aren’t just our Albert Family. There are five Demon Hunter families in the Maiar Forest within the Maize Duchy.” Bonnie added with a smile.
“Since the Millennium Pact exists, why did my attendant encounter a Gargoyle attack near the castle?” Qin Lun suddenly frowned and asked.
The Baron and Bonnie exchanged a look. The old Baron explained, “No contract can be perfect. The Millennium Pact also has loopholes. When the contract was signed, the magical oath restricted the Witches and Magical Creatures from attacking humans. But it did not include any new Magical Creatures the Witches created after that.”
“So, those cunning Witches used this loophole. They often send newly created Magical Creatures to attack humans?” Qin Lun raised an eyebrow slightly. “Is this useful?”
“Well, their resources are limited. The purpose of this is just to kidnap a few humans as slaves. At the same time, they use these captives to test various evil Black Magic spells!” Bonnie nodded and said solemnly. “However, we do the same. Demon Hunter families often have some members bypass the oath to enter the Great Forest Maiar and scout the Witches’ movements.”
“In that case, those Gargoyles on the castle bridge…” Qin Lun’s eyes shifted as he asked softly.
“Only a few of them are. The rest are just real stone statues!” Bonnie said with a laugh.
“Doctor Stan, do you have any other questions?” Baron Albert looked at Qin Lun with a smile.
“Well, there is one last question!” Qin Lun thought for a moment, then asked, “Is the current Epidemic Disease the work of the Witches?”
“We don’t know yet. But using a virus to greatly reduce the human population in the Aodia Region would certainly benefit them when they later try to break out of the Great Forest Maiar!” The Baron’s eyes flashed as he gave a steady answer. Bonnie, however, hesitated for a moment and remained silent.
Qin Lun noted both of their reactions. But he did not question them further. He just smiled and nodded.
“Doctor Stan, in a couple of days, we will organize a scouting team to enter the Maiar Forest. I wonder if you would be interested in joining the team as its doctor?” Baron Albert asked seriously.
“Haha, if this is a test for newcomers to the Exorcist Organization, I would be very happy to demonstrate the courage of the Stan Family!” Qin Lun raised his glass and saluted the two Alberts opposite him.