Chapter 137: I Should Already Be Dead
Knight Wolf returned with the warriors.
Only half of the people came back. None of the conscripted militia who had been taken out returned.
This made the atmosphere in York Territory even more tense.
All the conscripted militia had died, while the elite warriors of the Lord who had been taken out suffered only single-digit casualties.
This made the conscripted militia who had gathered around the town and had not yet been dispatched feel somewhat anxious.
Piero was under great pressure.
Although he was continuously dispatching conscripted militia in batches to fill the border, there were still nearly six hundred militia remaining in the town.
And there was still no news of the Lord. If chaos truly broke out in the center of the territory, even if it could be suppressed,
Piero himself would still have to bear the responsibility.
However, Knight Wolf ignored all these matters. He did not station the army in the town or the military fortress, but instead led the entire force to garrison at the Church grounds.
“I lost the bet.” Wolf said directly after entering the Church.
“After breaking into Forth Town, I had Priest Nyx order those conscripted militia to storm into the city and massacre wildly. And when I left, I took Viscount Youn’s Holy Relic, Hunting Fang.”
“I had someone from the Rat Path inform Viscount Youn of this news.”
“But Viscount Youn did not retreat. Instead, he told me he would personally come to York Town to retrieve the Holy Relic.”
“I know the Bishop is powerful, so I hope the Bishop can help me.”
Wolf said to Corleon.
Corleon turned around and looked at Wolf.
Now, Wolf’s armor was completely dyed red with blood, and just standing there he exuded a strong stench of blood.
The armor on his body was battered and uneven, the helmet had deformed from heavy blunt force, and the dents were so deep one could suspect they had embedded into his flesh.
His faceplate was down, and only through the narrow eye slits could one feel the gaze hidden in the darkness beneath the helmet.
“You must be aware of what Priest Nyx said.” Corleon spoke.
“In just two days, he turned over a hundred people who were originally just farmers into fearless warriors.”
“You must have also seen the manuscript he wrote at the end.”
“That is not Mystery. That is divinity overflowing—it is will corroding reality, overturning reality. That is the beginning of all Mystery, that is the end of all Mystery.” Corleon recited the words written on Nyx’s manuscript.
“The Church has always only used the Lord’s power against Dark Creatures and sinners, because even a glimpse of the Lord’s Might is unbearable for ordinary people.”
“Therefore, the Lord of Hosts only reveals His Might to Dark Creatures and sin.”
Wolf did not mind the fact that although he had only just arrived, and the Three Monks had only just sent Nyx’s corpse and manuscript to the Monastery, Corleon already knew the contents of the manuscript.
He merely opened his mouth and said, “I don’t care how many people die.”
“I just want to drive them back and stop outsiders from invading the territory.”
“This is my duty, and also the final order given to me by the Lord.”
“Those people are just ordinary people, yet because of the greed of those who committed grave sins, they were forced to take up arms.
They deserve pity, and only by purging those sins can these ordinary people truly return to normal.”
He was repeating what Nyx had said before.
“This is what Priest Nyx said while he was still alive. He had already passed the sentence on the greedy.”
“Therefore, I beseech the Lord of Hosts to descend with His Might and purify the sins.”
The Church fell into silence, only the White Dove hopping on the cross, cooing from time to time.
Then, both of them clearly sensed the earth tremble for a moment.
“It seems the border defense has already been torn apart. Their coalition army will charge into the territory—an army of over a thousand,
it will only take five days to slaughter everyone in the territory clean.” said Knight Wolf.
“To them, Holy Relics, Mystery, and Sacred Items are the most valuable things.”
“They will not tolerate conquering York Territory and not obtaining these things.”
Corleon turned around, his back facing Wolf.
“That is greed. And then, they shall feel the Might of the Lord of Hosts.”
The Church fell silent again. At last, Knight Wolf opened his mouth and said,
“Bishop, I should already be dead.”
“I can feel it. The caved-in armor has already embedded into my body. My flesh is corroding the armor.”
“My heart is still beating, my blood is still circulating, flowing through my body, flowing into the armor.”
“My body has already stabilized. This armor shall now be one with me.”
“No human should become like this.”
“Bishop, I have committed great sin. I should confess to the Lord.”
“I am willing to kneel long before the Lord’s Throne, to pray for the Lord’s salvation.”
After speaking, Wolf tilted up his helmet, his gaze falling on the cross upon the Lord’s Throne.
“Just as you said, your heart is still beating. As long as your heart still beats, then you are still alive.”
“You are merely ill. I will have Cicero build a hospital. You may rest there.”
“You have committed the sin of indiscriminate killing, but it is the sin you ought to commit as a Knight—this is your duty.”
“You do not need to kneel long before the Lord’s Throne. You need only pray and repent daily.”
Saying that, Corleon turned around.
“You are right. They bear the sin of greed. Therefore, they must be punished. Their sins must be purified.”
“The Church’s Sacred Items are extensions of the Lord’s Might. But now, the Slumbering Horn that we can use cannot effectively cleanse such sins.”
As Corleon’s words fell, Knight Wolf spoke: “I brought Viscount Youn’s Holy Relic with me. According to tradition, this Holy Relic should be kept within the Church.”
Saying that, Knight Wolf turned and left the Church.
Corleon followed.
Outside the Church, Knight Borien was holding the Hunting Fang tightly wrapped in burlap, his expression somewhat tense.
“Long time no see. Congratulations, Knight Borien.” Corleon said.
That familiar address made Borien feel a little ashamed, but he quickly collected himself.
“Long time no see, Bishop Corleon.” he said, his gaze toward Corleon carrying a trace of reverence.
Knight Wolf ignored the exchange and handed the Hunting Fang to Corleon.
Unwrapping the burlap, Corleon gripped the Hunting Fang, then directly drew the bowstring in front of the two.
His eyes instantly gleamed brightly, and his hands effortlessly pulled back the bowstring.
The bow trembled, its two ends seeming to come alive, lengthening and flailing wildly.
As if it could not find a target.
Under the gazes of Wolf and Borien, the bow slowly emitted a golden light.
Even in daylight, the brilliance of this light could not be concealed.
Under this glow, the brown bow gradually faded in color, finally becoming entirely white.
The bow’s extended ends stretched and eventually solidified into white wings.
Overall, it appeared like a pair of joined wings embedded with a row of black eyeballs.
On the bowstring, a golden arrow slowly manifested.
Once the arrow solidified, Corleon released the bowstring. The arrow shot through the air like a stream of light.
After stowing away the now-transformed Hunting Fang, Corleon looked at Borien.
“I ask Knight Borien to take some men to the border. Perhaps you can still rescue some warriors.” he said.
Borien looked at Knight Wolf.
“Take them with you. Once the battlefield is cleared, bring them back to the town.”
“Then tell Piero that starting today, I will remain in the Church for treatment.”
Knight Wolf said.