Mystic Overlord: Reading Gives Strength

"How... how could this happen?!"

After hearing the warning, the High Priest quickly left the tent.

However, when the riot within the camp came into view, the old man stood frozen, uttering a dull and bewildered sound.

He even turned his head stiffly, seeking help from Ronald in a somewhat irrational manner:

"Why have the people become like this? What exactly happened in the camp?"

In response to the High Priest's inquiry, Ronald could only lower his voice and express regret:

"High Priest, I'm very sorry."

"But in reality, we just arrived, and we don't know much about what's going on here."

Katherine, on the other hand, looked at the High Priest, whose mind was in extreme chaos, and made a half-joking, half-serious remark:

"If you don't mind them becoming my slaves in the future, then for the sake of preserving lives, I can make them stop fighting immediately."

"..."

"Ah? Slaves? Lives!"

The High Priest, whose mind was already in a jumble, was now even more bewildered.

And seeing the old man in such a state, Katherine had already drawn out the Mirror of Saint Catherine, slowly untying the cloth around it while speaking in a very bored tone:

"By the way, since you died not too long ago, you might still remember something about the origins of this riot if you think carefully."

"..."

Hearing this, the High Priest finally snapped out of his daze.

Next, this elder, who theoretically held the highest status among the migrants, did not hesitate. He hurried forward, raising his arms high and shouting loudly to those around him:

"Everyone, stop immediately!"

"You are harming your own kin; such a thing must never happen within the tribe under Great Commander Ivan!"

The High Priest's actions at this moment were not merely calls.

In his voice was his unique casting technique, containing the power to guide people's emotions.

This ability, although not enough to completely change one's heart,

was enough to temporarily pull the fighters out of their violent state due to the familiar cry, with Ronald's prior emotion-guiding spell laying the groundwork.

Then, those nearest to the tent looked over.

When the fully intact High Priest appeared before everyone, those most impacted by the sight swiftly transitioned from initial confusion and shock to immense anger:

"How dare you desecrate the High Priest's corpse!"

"You despicable undead, get out of that revered one's body!"

In the next instant, the target of their violence changed from infighting to hatred toward the High Priest.

For those with simpler views,

the revival of the dead was an appalling violation of natural law, an impossible evil.

So there could only be one explanation for the scene before them.

—That an evil necromancer had turned their revered High Priest into a puppet at their mercy.

However, the conflict could not evolve further,

because Ronald took action.

When he first arrived at the migrants' camp, he knew it was impossible to change their minds successfully, so he refrained.

But with the High Priest present, everything changed.

Before the crowd's impact came, Ronald extracted power from the original tome, enhancing the spell to efficiently spread the Power of Domination throughout the entire migrant camp.

"Everyone, stop where you are!"

Meanwhile, Katherine wasn't idle.

She also helped by casting her dominion magic, strengthening the effectiveness of Ronald's large-scale control spell.

When the two top-tier casters took action together,

it took just an instant for magic power to fill the entire camp, leaving no one capable of moving their bodies.

"..."

Seeing the scene turn out as such,

the High Priest couldn't help but cast a gaze of fear toward the two.

He knew they were powerful beyond his understanding, but he had not expected them to display such divine-like results!

Even the Great Commander Ivan, whom he served, could not have achieved this scene with a single spell.

Last night's conversation, and even their interaction today, left him marveling at what kind of extraordinary powerhouses this man and woman were.

As the High Priest's mind was reeling in shock, 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Katherine suddenly turned to him with a smile and reminded him:

"Old man, let me tell you something."

"Since confusion-spreading spells were pre-emptively cast, your tribe members can't perceive our presence. So remember this, and calm this conflict in your own way."

The High Priest's body trembled, showcasing his leadership character and decisiveness.

In front of all the controlled tribesmen,

the old man boldly stepped forward and shouted with the same unique spellcasting technique:

"Children, I am not a filthy being resurrected by necromancers!"

"It was through secret arts that I preserved my life during the attack, planning to breathe anew after overcoming this crisis."

"Now, put down your swords and weapons!"

"As the esteemed Ivan always said, among kin, swords should not clash, causing killing!"

"..."

The High Priest's prestige among the migrants was still quite effective.

After making an announcement using emotion-guiding shouts, Ronald could clearly sense that the migrants' emotions were pulled away from killing, sinking into various complex states instead.

This was almost the dawn of restored order.

"Katherine, it's nearly done."

Ronald glanced at Katherine and then cancelled the spell controlling the migrants.

As expected, the people who had just been immersed in violence all dropped their weapons and knelt to the ground.

Once their minds broke free from thoughts of slaughter,

they looked around at the infernal scenes of their own making.

Crying and wailing of anguish erupted throughout the camp, unending.

"Breathe—"

The High Priest took a deep breath.

Seeing the situation, he felt similar sorrow.

But as a leader, he could not immerse himself in these emotions; stabilizing the tribe was of utmost priority, so he quickly got involved in the work of restoring order among the tribe.

Just then,

Ronald, originally planning to provide assistance from the shadows, paused. He sensed other human forces approaching.

Strangely, they weren't coming from the direction of Harmono City.

Instead, they were approaching from another part of the forest!