Chapter 95: Sin and Punishment
To the northeast of the Marquis Demitri’s territory stretched a range of hills.
A group of more than five hundred people was marching along the road.
At the center of this group, a tall flag bearing a purple Cross Painted in Blood stood out conspicuously.
"I feel like we’ve walked right into a wolf’s den."
Beside Zezel, a burly man cursed.
He appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a massive greatsword slung across his back.
"Perhaps, but that doesn’t matter," Zezel said, raising the flag. The black cloth wrapped around his body grew even thicker.
"Darks, we need to pass through here as quickly as possible and reach the Principality of Corlay."
"But we’ve already been walking for over ten days. If we followed the normal route, we should’ve arrived long ago," Darks said, looking at Zezel.
"Zezel, you’re wise. I believe in you, and I’m willing to follow you."
"But this route you planned isn’t the usual one."
"Hahaha, that’s right. But this is the Lord’s guidance," Zezel laughed and said.
"Along the way, although we’ve encountered some attacks from Werewolves, we’ve also liberated many villages and saved many civilian brothers."
"Our group is growing."
"Yeah right, I can’t even sleep soundly at night anymore," Darks shook his head.
"And if that Lord really exists, we wouldn’t be suffering this much."
Unlike Zezel, who rallied people by stirring fervent Faith and storming manors to win hearts and minds,
Darks had simply used force, killing the officials sent by the town and sweeping up the civilians.
Although he also followed Zezel’s arrangements and used rhetoric from the Holy Scriptures of the Lord to gather villagers so they wouldn’t interfere while he worked, he himself was not a particularly Devout Believer.
"Don’t ever say things like that again," Zezel patted Darks on the arm.
"Now we are all gathered under this Cross."
Saying this, Zezel glanced at the people following behind.
Their clothes were ragged, their eyes dull, only lighting up a bit when looking at the Cross Painted in Blood fluttering in the sky.
Shaking his head, Zezel said to Darks,
"And this Holy Scriptures—you have to memorize it."
"Can’t you just memorize it for me?" Darks replied bitterly.
"It’s only a little over ten thousand words," Zezel shook his head. "I haven’t even asked you to memorize the books I wrote afterward."
"Those have even more words."
"But the teacher said not to memorize those books. You can’t even tell if the things written in them are right or wrong," Darks said, trying to avoid the memorization task.
"Just because the teacher said it, does that mean it’s definitely right?"
"That I don’t know. But compared to this Lord we’ve never seen, the teacher has helped us much more."
"Ai, Darks, oh Darks," Zezel only shook his head.
"Are you calling me dumb again?"
"Aren’t you pretty smart?"
"Of course— wait, you’re mocking me."
"You really are getting smarter."
…
Nyx returned to the Church.
"Knight Wolf has gone to the western territory of Baron Sacker."
"He told me to come back; it’s safer this way."
"He said that because of the Church’s actions yesterday, some of those families couldn’t hold back any longer."
"George still lacks resolve. Since we already broke down the doors and charged in, we should’ve done it more thoroughly."
Inside the Church, Nyx stood beneath the Sacred Cross, slightly lowering his head, eyes closed.
"He went to Gobelow with good intentions, but instead witnessed a war between men," Corleon said, sitting on a bench.
"Those who kill their own, those who exploit the ignorant, those who use sin to oppress others—even those who consume their own kind as food."
"He is now lost in confusion. The conflict between the Lord's Faith and reality leaves him unable to make a decision."
"Even when he smashed open the gates of Daniels Village, he had to seek the Lord’s guidance."
"In the struggle for power, one must naturally employ any means necessary,"Nyx opened his eyes and turned to look at Corleon.
"Those people are not the Lord’s Believers. They are neither good nor evil."
"In some families who follow their lords to battle, there are even lessons on how to make people taste better."
"And those slaves, apart from filling the trenches beneath city walls, are also considered emergency rations."
"George, who rose from the bottom, ultimately still has limitations in his thinking, and dares not glimpse the truth."
Nyx shook his head and sighed. Though George possessed such powerful combat strength, his mindset did not match it.
"That is only because his Faith is pure enough, which is why he experiences such struggle,"Corleon said.
"I believe the Temple Warriors possess Faith purer than his,"Nyx replied.
"They have undergone trials,"Corleon shook his head,"therefore, I plan to send George to the north."
Nyx was stunned."At this time?"
Even Knight Wolf could not guarantee Nyx’s safety, yet Corleon was still thinking of sending George away.
"Yes, exactly at this time."
"If I apply for a York Territory permit for George now, they won’t stop it."
"What about the Church?" Nyx frowned.
"I know Cicero’s identity, but they don’t."
"And even if they did, at this point, they would not back down."
"Even though Cicero has Magical Items, killing doesn’t necessarily require blades in hand."
He spoke of how grave the situation had become.
"They are not necessarily all our enemies,"Corleon said with a smile.
"Terry Adams is willing to accept the Church’s Faith."
"That poor woman has no other choice,"Nyx responded.
"Knight Wolf is willing to protect you, and his illegitimate son is also studying at the Church,"Corleon said.
"Knight Wolf merely maintains neutrality. His family is hostile to the Church, and as for his illegitimate son—he matters only when needed."
At this point, Nyx asked seriously,
"Bishop, what is the Lord’s attitude toward us?"
"All."
"All?"
Nyx did not understand this word.
"Beneath the Holy Throne, I can establish the Lord’s Laws."
"This—this…" Nyx’s expression changed.
"Does this mean the Lord handed over the territory to you?"
Corleon shook his head.
"No one knows what the Lord is thinking, but this is the Lord’s promise to me."
Nyx felt some unrest in his heart.
"And now, the places where the Holy Throne resides—"
"Daniels Village, and Garcia Village."
His voice grew dry.
He was a Scholar.
Before becoming a Priest, he had always used the Ritual Powers of a Scholar.
After becoming a Priest, he realized the Church’s Enlightenment and Divine Word were actually similar to ritualistic powers.
And such powers require Foundations and Anchors.
For example, a Scholar’s Enlightenment uses as its Foundation the ancient phrase『When the Morning Star falls, children listen to the songs of Scholars; when the Morning Star rises, children pick up the pen』, and its Anchors are the period from the Morning Star’s fall to its rise, Scholars, and illiterate people.
The Church’s Pure Water production uses Church Scripture as its Foundation, and Anchors such as the morning dew and Blessing.
And now, according to Corleon’s words, an Anchor had already been confirmed. As for the Foundation—
"This is the newly compiled scripture,《Sin and Punishment》,"Corleon took out a book and handed it to Nyx.
"Of course, this is a copy. The original has already been placed together with the《Divine Word Manuscript》,"a smile appeared on Corleon’s face.
Nyx silently accepted Sin and Punishment, looking into Corleon’s eyes.
A slight tremor stirred within him, as though facing Mystery.
"Garcia Village has nearly seven hundred people. Among them are some Believers."
"And Knight Wolf maintains neutrality. I can persuade his family to follow Terry’s example and accept the Church’s Faith,"Nyx said, his voice a bit hoarse.
"Those willing to accept the Church’s Faith are, of course, welcome. But I also told Terry at the time that fallen families must still accept punishment."
"Yes, I will tell them,"Nyx lowered his head slightly.
"But what about Ando,"he asked with his head down.
"After this matter concludes, I will inform him of the news."
"That would be cruel to him."
"When the Small Church was burned down, Daniels was also cruel to those Devout Believers."
"When are you planning to begin?"
"After George leaves."