Mason Order
"Those people said they didn't want to go with you."
Sigmonds said to the person who called himself the Presiding Judge uneasily, "Why? Are you dissatisfied with the remuneration I'm offering?"
"That's not it."
"Or do they not believe what I said is true?"
"How is that possible? They saw the monster's corpse."
After William killed the Webweaver, the Soul-Ingesting Spider Demons in the miners' bodies were vomited out by them. A few miners with severely parasitic limbs had been modified into Lunar Monsters, and their modified limbs turned into black salt crystals and dissipated with the Webweaver's death.
Fortunately, no one died from this. The few people with the deepest parasitism only became disabled.
The huge disparity between what they knew over the past two months and the current situation threw them into chaos. Many people couldn't calm down enough to understand anything until William released Wide Domain Serenity, allowing them to calm down.
After a simple explanation, William arranged for Sigmonds and Colt to comfort the miners while he wiped out the imprisoned wraiths. Then, he walked to the small mountain of skulls for an inspection.
He was very familiar with the way this skull was stacked into a temple. Back then, before he completely eliminated Moon Realm worship in the Blackwater Kingdom, this skull temple could be considered a semi-public Moon Realm worship altar.
In the past, faith in the three Moon Realm goddesses was widespread in the Blackwater Kingdom. Many of the customs and habits that had been passed down to this day were also formed at that time.
For example, burial and ancestral worship.
This was because true necromancy spells existed in this world. To prevent zombies, ghosts, or water ghosts from wreaking havoc, cremation was popularized among the various races in the Vic Continent a long time ago.
Only the Blackwater Swamp insisted on burials to this day. This was because the people here firmly believed that cremating the corpses of the dead would dissipate the souls of their ancestors and prevent them from communicating with them.
Even though the Doomsday Watchers later exposed that this custom was largely a plot by the Lady of Starvation to expand her domain, and many of the so-called ancestral soul manifestations were just a disguise the Whispering Empress used to weave a web of conspiracies, most of the ancestral dreams were also a means for the Lord of Nightmare to use dreams to absorb the intense emotions of mortals.
However, the practice that had lasted for a thousand years couldn't be changed so easily.
Previously, when William was strolling around Thorn City, he realized that although the Holy Spirits Church could provide a full package of cremation and requiem ceremonies, most local residents would still choose to bury the dead in the graveyard outside the city.
The temple made of skulls in front of him was a manifestation. Back when a natural disaster or war happened in the Blackwater Kingdom when a large number died without having the time to be buried, they would choose to bury only the heads and cremate the bodies to prevent an epidemic.
As for a place like this where skulls were piled up, it was easy for the Moon Realm parish to use it for rituals.
But why did it appear under the Silverstream Mine? More importantly, what was its goal here?
William walked to the statue of the three goddesses, wanting to find some clues there. At this moment, Sigmonds walked over and told him that some miners weren't willing to accept his hiring conditions—excavating the ruins at three times the market price.
"Then why? I don't think they have the right to refuse."
William's words made Sigmonds's expression change slightly. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Presiding Judge, everyone here is very grateful to you for saving them. They all believe that you're a benevolent person…"
William turned his head when he heard that.
"Do you mean that you think I'm using kindness to hold them hostage, or that I'm threatening them with strength?"
"Definitely not. Moreover, about half of the miners, including me, are willing to accept your commission, but the rest…"
"I understand…"
William sighed.
"They don't dare to follow me because they're worried that having killed a Palace Mage, I have completely angered Duke Simon, right?"
Sigmonds nodded slightly.
"As long as one remains in the Blackwater Province, nobody will dare to disobey Duke Simon. Even if he deceived us and cast that unknown spell, he's still an overlord with the power to decide life and death… Those people believe that leaving with you, the person who killed the Duke's Palace Mage, is a completely different matter."
"Do you know why I said they don't have the right to refuse?"
Sigmonds shook his head.
William sighed softly.
"They won't survive if they don't follow me."
As he spoke, he looked at the miners who weren't willing to be hired by him.
They gathered together and discussed amidst whispers. When they saw William look at them, they lowered their heads and bowed with fawning smiles.
He shook his head deep down.
"It's easy to remove the shackles in the body, but it's impossible to remove the shackles buried in the soul."
William sighed and looked at Sigmonds.
"What about the rest who are willing?"
"Including those who are already injured and those who are willing to go to other provinces to make a living after this business."
"What about you? Are you also planning to earn a living in other provinces after this business?"
Sigmonds shook his head.
"Presiding Judge, I heard you claim to be a Doomsday Watcher, one of the 13 Judges. Although I don't know what the 13 Judges mean, from the monster's reaction and the strength you displayed, I don't think it's something trivial."
"So?"
"This might be my only chance."
"A chance to make a name for yourself?"
"A chance for revenge."
Sigmonds enunciated each word. Then, he gritted his teeth and continued,
"And a chance to embark on the path of magic again."
William nodded, then took out six azure gems from his pocket.
"Many years ago, the Doomsday Watchers had a branch that specialized in forging weapons and building fortresses. It gathered the most outstanding architects, blacksmiths, enchanters, and alchemists on the continent. The fortress ruins you're going to excavate next were also made by them."
With that said, William threw the six gems into the air. They floated in midair, and sparking lightning connected them into a hexagon, outlining a rippling portal.
"This branch's name is the Mason Order. I've asked around previously. This organization was disbanded by the Empire after Terra's conquest and no longer exists."
Seeing a portal suddenly open, the miners not far away exclaimed.
As for Sigmonds, he couldn't help but fall into a daze as he looked at the dilapidated and ancient fortress on the other side of the portal.
"Signmonds, bring those who are willing to go through this door."
William said to the stunned Sigmonds. Without waiting for him to answer, he raised his voice and spoke in an extremely solemn tone,
"However, as long as you pass through this door, it means that the contract between us is signed."