“What’s to be done? What else can be done?”
Inside the carriage, upon hearing Shadi’s words, the half-translucent ghost named Setut let out a cold snort, then continued speaking.
“With your current power, you can’t afford to provoke either group of lunatics on that stage—one side is absurdly strong, the other side is too deeply entrenched in your ranks. When the first band of madmen came looking for you, I told you that you couldn’t control them. You didn’t listen. Heh… The predicament you’re in right now is exactly what I foresaw back then…”
With a dark smile on his face, Setut addressed Shadi, sounding more than a little gloating. Shadi, however, showed no anger at Setut’s mocking tone. It seemed he was already used to it.
“I can’t help it… I was too weak back then. On my own, I couldn’t possibly defeat Baruch, so I could only pin my hopes on strong allies. When the Savior’s Advent Sect reached out to me, they were my only choice. Without their cooperation, I would never have had the chance to defeat Baruch head-on.
“After all, the fundamental rule of this world is the strength of Beyonder powers. Without support from powerful Beyonder forces, it wouldn’t matter if I rallied more people to resist Baruch—I’d still have lost. I desperately needed powerful Beyonder support at that time, so there was no other option…”
Shadi pressed a hand to his forehead, visibly troubled. Seeing Shadi like this, Setut paused slightly, then spoke again in a somewhat gentler, less mocking tone.
“That’s why I asked why you had to be in such a hurry. If your Beyonder power wasn’t strong enough, you could have built it up yourself. With my guidance, it would’ve taken only thirty or forty years to rise to the Creator rank. By then, you could have formed a force mighty enough for your rebellion. But you couldn’t wait. You listened to those lunatics’ nonsense, and that led to today’s crisis.” (T/N: I think Setut use the term Creator rank for Crimson rank)
With a reproachful tone, Setut went on, and Shadi gave a slight pause before letting out a sigh.
“Phew… Indeed, I was impatient. But what could I do? After my parents died, my life’s creed was to take revenge on Baruch. That determination to avenge them was what kept me alive after those Shafuzi beasts abandoned me in the tomb. I survived a whole month in that dark grave. If not for that resolve, I wouldn’t have lived long enough to meet you, nor would you have had any chance of gaining your freedom.”As Shadi spoke, his gaze clouded with distant memories. He seemed lost in the past. Meanwhile, Setut floated in silence at his side, saying nothing more.
“Taking revenge on Baruch was my main reason for becoming a Beyonder. It was the only support keeping me alive. I once believed that as long as I could overthrow Baruch, any price was worth paying, so I was willing to borrow any power. Hence, when the Savior’s Advent Sect found me, I agreed to their plan without hesitation.
“At the time, I already foresaw that relying on heretical strength—once Baruch was overthrown—would earn me the enmity of Holy Mount. But it made no difference to me then: if Holy Mount went after me, I’d simply give everything up and become a fugitive once again. As long as Baruch was destroyed, I didn’t care about anything else. So I didn’t think too hard when I accepted cooperation with the Savior’s Advent Sect.
“But everything that followed proved I was wrong. I overestimated myself. When the day finally came that I succeeded in toppling Baruch, I found there were so many things I couldn’t let go of: the comrades who fought by my side, the future of Addus, the people who supported us through our darkest times, those who sacrificed their lives… All of it was far too heavy. I used to think I was just a lone avenger, but now I see I carry the hopes of so many. I’m not alone anymore. I have to consider Addus’ future.”
Shadi spoke with a lamenting tone, gazing toward the ceiling of the carriage with an expression filled with countless emotions. Upon hearing these words, Setut fell silent for a long moment before finally speaking to this man who had started out as an avenger but ended up a revolutionary.
“All right… I can tell you never intended to become a ruler. Things getting to this stage is truly beyond expectation. As it is, this country can’t do without you. If you really want to save everything you’ve built—save this country—then you can’t keep indulging those lunatics in the Savior’s Advent Sect.
“If you really think about this nation’s future, there’s only one path: accept the conditions set by those Three Saints fanatics. After all, they’re the ones who hold the guiding torch in this Fourth Epoch, too powerful to defy. If you don’t want this land to be ravaged by war once again—if you don’t want everything you’ve achieved wiped out—then your only choice is to bow your head. Sticking with those Savior’s Advent lunatics will be playing with fire and only lead to your doom!”
This was Setut’s frank suggestion. Shadi paused before answering.
“But… I’ve been working with the Savior’s Advent Sect for years, and they’ve infiltrated every level of the Revolutionary Army. Muhtar was specifically planted at my side. Right now, I don’t have the final say in many parts of the Revolutionary Army. If I announce my acceptance of Holy Mount’s terms, the Revolutionary Army would split internally; Muhtar would probably move against me and declare that he’s taking over the entire force.
“If that happens, not only might I die, but the Revolutionary Army will also be thrown into chaos, possibly a civil war. Holy Mount wouldn’t want to see Addus fully fall into heretical hands, so they would send troops right away. The outcome would be even worse…”
Shadi spoke slowly, cornered between Holy Mount and the Savior’s Advent Sect, unable to freely choose either side—both options looked grim, so for now, he could only stall for time.
“The Savior’s Advent people just want me to keep my promise and legalize their faith, never mind the consequences. If Holy Mount starts to pay serious attention to Addus, the Savior’s Advent Sect is no match for them. I’ve tried talking to them… told them to continue their preaching in secret, and I’d cover for them. But they just won’t listen… Even an idiot can see you can’t afford to antagonize Holy Mount, but they just don’t get it! They insist on dragging us all to our deaths!”
Shadi continued, his frustration unmistakable. Setut responded in turn.
“Hmph, things even a fool could understand make no sense to a lunatic—especially lunatics devoted to the Lantern. They talk about martyrdom at the drop of a hat; ordinary people can’t comprehend that. There were fanatics like them in the Second Epoch, too, but not as rampant as they are now. It’s obvious that in an era dominated by the Lantern, the situation is appalling.
“To me, whether it’s the Savior’s Advent Sect or the Three Saints Sect, they’re all lunatics, just to different degrees. One is just a bit crazy, while the other is completely deranged. Choosing between two packs of fanatics may be tough, but it still comes down to benefits and risks, kid. You don’t have much time to decide.”
That was Setut’s candid view, but he gave no definitive choice on Shadi’s behalf. Shadi could only fall into deep thought once again, saying nothing for a long time.
…
Meanwhile, on the other side, after concluding one round of talks, Muhtar also led his entourage away from the scene. Along a wooded path near the royal palace, they walked forward slowly on foot. Muhtar wore a sullen expression, while the cleric-like attendants at his side all looked indignant.
“May the Lord bring down punishment… That brat Shadi actually dares go back on his promise. Even now, he keeps not talking and dodging around. He originally agreed that once victory was achieved, he would grant the True Faith legal status in Addus and drive out the heretics; yet up to now, he’s still cowering.”
“Exactly… We never should have trusted Shadi in the first place. We should’ve replaced him earlier with someone more controllable. Now he dares to waver between both sides—who gave him the nerve!”
As they walked along, the clerics around Muhtar grumbled one after another, voicing their anger toward Shadi. Clearly, they were displeased with Shadi’s performance during the negotiations. After quite some time, once the complaining subsided a bit, Muhtar finally spoke.
“Shadi… he’s changed. He’s no longer the man who could abandon everything for vengeance. After overthrowing Baruch, the throne of New Addus became a trap that ensnared him. Wealth, power, status… all of it has blinded Shadi. He’s no longer that pure individual. What a pity—Shadi has ultimately turned into what he once despised.
“I noticed long ago that, after his victory, Shadi was already tainted by worldly greed for power. He no longer wants to hand Addus over to us. Today’s behavior was just what I expected. Not everyone has our willingness to sacrifice themselves for a far greater salvation.
“In the end, Shadi is not on the same path as us. That’s why I hired people to give that heretic nun a warning, forcing her to retreat and cutting off Shadi’s opportunities to waver. Unexpectedly, that heretic nun has considerable resolve and persevered to this point…”
Walking along the forest path, Muhtar spoke slowly. After hearing his words, one of the clerics at his side asked.
“My lord, what should we do now? It’s obvious Shadi is no longer on our side. He wants to keep straddling between us and those heretics from the Holy Mount. This is outrageous—we can’t let him continue. We need to take action!”
Hearing this, Muhtar paused slightly, gazed out toward the sky beyond the city, then continued.
“Let’s wait a little longer until the next round of negotiations. If Shadi still won’t make the right choice, we’ll make it for him. Should he remain unwilling, I believe there are many people in the Addus Revolutionary Army more suited to leadership than he is.”
Once Muhtar finished, the clerics around him perked up with excitement, clearly having built up plenty of dissatisfaction with Shadi.
“That guy Shadi—so we can finally remove him?”
“A traitor to his vow… deserves no sympathy.”
“A cowardly weakling has no right to lead Addus…”
“Addus belongs to the Lord. Even if it’s destroyed in a holy war against the heretics, that will only be a contribution toward a far greater salvation…
“Even if Addus’s unified faith only exists briefly, it can still aid the Lord’s awakening and descent. The vicious cruelty of the heretics will be witnessed by the masses of North Ufiga…”
When they heard Muhtar’s intention to replace Shadi, the clerics around him began excitedly discussing it. Listening to their chatter, Muhtar quickened his pace.
…
In Addus, inside a hotel once reserved for foreign guests—one lavishly carpeted, gorgeously decorated room replete with a nouveau-riche flair—Dorothy, headscarf removed, sat on a chair by the balcony, gazing out at the vast city before her.
Having arrived together with the Church as a “merchant,” Dorothy, along with Nephthys, received very favorable accommodations, staying in a hotel once reserved only for distinguished foreign nobles.
So as not to arouse the guards’ suspicions regarding Vania, Nephthys had temporarily taken on her “merchant” responsibilities, bringing purchased goods into Addus to trade, while Dorothy remained at the hotel—both to keep a close eye on Vania’s negotiations and to manage intelligence about Addus.
She had just finished closely observing the first round of negotiations, which ended not long ago, and could tell how deep the conflict ran on both sides.
“The Savior’s Advent Sect and the Radiance Church… their feud isn’t small at all. Judging by the demands each side presented today, there’s absolutely no room for a consensus. The Holy Mount’s bottom line is that there can be no open dissemination of any heretical faith in Addus, whereas the Savior’s Advent Sect insists on legalizing their faith… The gap is so great, I doubt they’ll reach an agreement no matter how many rounds of talks they hold…
“And there’s also Shadi’s attitude. As the nominal head of the revolutionary army, even he didn’t give a clear stance in the end. I get the feeling he doesn’t actually want to let those fanatical believers of the Savior’s Advent Sect drag his whole new regime to destruction. According to the earlier divination, there ought to be a major rift between them by now.
“A shame... I can’t go all out with my surveillance here. Otherwise, I could have used round-the-clock monitoring to dig up more intel on both sides…”
Sitting out on the balcony, sipping iced fruit juice, Dorothy mused this inwardly. Because of her previous clash with the Priest of Fangs, she dared not deploy micro corpse marionettes for continuous surveillance in front of a Crimson-rank Beyonder, worried that Muhtar might possess some ability to detect them.
By the same token, given that information from the Church suggests Shadi also has some secret weapon that can barely contend with a Crimson-rank, Dorothy chose not to risk spying on him either.
At present, Dorothy finds herself in the midst of a critical diplomatic scenario. If she tried eavesdropping and got caught, it could spell grave complications for Vania. For safety’s sake, Dorothy hasn’t resorted to her previous, nearly flawless methods of prying into every corner.
Because of that, Dorothy’s intelligence-gathering is severely limited now; without more information, she can’t offer Vania much help in these negotiations.
“Whew... if I can’t help, then there’s nothing for it. With a Crimson-rank Lantern here, my maneuvering room is restricted; I can’t operate as freely as before.
“There’s no clear path to reconciling these two sides, so trying to help Vania broker a peaceful settlement looks almost impossible. If worst comes to worst, my fallback is simply ensuring Vania’s safety...
“But fortunately… I didn’t come to Yadith just to make peace between nations—that’s far too difficult. My main aim is to obtain the Crimson-rank advancement ritual, and on that front, there has been some progress…”
So thinking, Dorothy gazed out beyond the city limits, where her view ended on a grand structure bristling with innumerable stone pillars. It was imposing, featuring a distinct ancient Ufiga style of architecture.
That was once Yadith’s Three Saints Church, known as the Light-Prayer Cathedral.
From reading library texts in Yadith, Dorothy learned that Light-Prayer Cathedral is the oldest building in the entire city—so ancient that the earliest records of Yadith mention its existence. Legend has it that it was once a heretical church, later taken over by the Three Saints Sect.
Having studied the history of North Ufiga, Dorothy realizes that this so-called heresy almost certainly refers to the Savior’s Advent Sect. That means this building was once a church dedicated to the True Radiant Lord, but in later times it merged into the Three Saints worship. Yet Dorothy also understands that the True Radiant Lord is essentially a branch of the Third Epoch imperial religion, akin to the Radiance Church. Although the cathedral has undergone countless renovations, it still bears traces of the architectural style belonging to the First Dynasty—which, in turn, dates back to the Second Epoch.
Recalling the works of Mr. Balaar—an ancient Ufiga architect, mathematician, and tomb raider—Dorothy realized immediately what function the cathedral served before its renovation. It must have originally been a temple, a place of worship for one of the deities in the First Dynasty.
Even after countless alterations across seven thousand years, the structure remains dedicated to divine worship. Though the god enshrined there is no longer the same one it once was, the building still fulfills its role as a sacred site in Yadith.
As the oldest structure in Yadith, once a First Dynasty temple, it’s obvious that any secrets tied to Revelation would most likely be hidden there.
Right now, however, Dorothy faces certain obstacles to searching that location, since the Savior’s Advent Sect has already occupied it. After removing all traces of the Three Saints, they’ve returned it to exclusive worship of the Savior, making it their main base for preaching and evangelizing.