Chapter 98: Leaving
"That’s not my fault! I just wanted to make friends with them!" Ando said with great grievance.
"Is this how you make friends with girls——." Agamemnon looked helpless, because he could sense that Ando genuinely believed that.
"There’s no difference between girls and boys—" Ando earnestly recounted how he was beaten up by his older sister at home.
He hoped to prove that girls were inherently more violent than boys.
But just as Agamemnon was about to shove a lump of clay into his mouth, a voice came.
"Ando! The Bishop is calling you over."
It was Marl.
Agamemnon knew him. He was someone studying in the Monastery.
He had already received the Bishop’s approval. Once the Monastery was completed, he would be bestowed with the Monk’s Robe.
Agamemnon glanced at the Monastery. Thanks to Olivia’s involvement, the construction speed had significantly increased.
He estimated it would be completed within ten days.
"The Bishop is looking for me？" Ando looked at Marl. "What for? Am I getting promoted to a Temple Warrior ahead of time？"
He also knew that Marl had received early approval.
He thought he had been at the Monastery earlier than Marl, and since the Church was currently short on people, maybe he could also become a Temple Warrior early.
Then he’d be just like the person he admired—Monk George, a Temple Warrior.
"I don’t know. The Bishop just asked me to call you over." Marl shook his head, his gaze toward Ando filled with a hint of pity.
"Is that so." Ando scratched his head and said to Agamemnon,"I’m heading over then."
"You know, it’s the Bishop calling me, not me slacking off！"
He brushed off the dust on his clothes and jogged toward the Church.
Watching Ando’s figure disappear into the distance, Agamemnon suddenly asked,"You really don’t know what it’s about?"
"The Small Church in Daniels Village was burned down." Marl hesitated, but still answered.
"".—.When did that happen？"Agamemnon felt a bad premonition.
"It’s been a while."
"Bishop, you called for me？" Ando walked into the Church, calling out loudly.
Only then did he notice that aside from Corleon, there was also a Temple Warrior.
He was very familiar— that Temple Warrior was Hack.
But he felt that Hack’s gaze on him was somewhat strange.
"Ando, come over here." Corleon waved his hand calmly.
"Yes, Bishop." Ando walked over to Corleon’s side, only to notice that beneath the Lord’s Throne, there were two objects placed.
One was a small piece of charred charcoal, the other was something very familiar to Ando.
"This is? My sister’s hair tie？" Ando asked uncertainly.
"Not long ago, the Small Church in Daniels Village was burned down. This is the remnant of the Holy Relics within." Corleon pointed at the piece of charcoal.
"—"
Ando’s expression froze.
A bad feeling welled up within him.
"And last night, the Lord descended with the Purifying Flame of Evil. It was a punishment for the one who burned the Church, for the one who blasphemed the Lord."
"".—·So——" Ando’s lips trembled, unable to speak.
"Yes, the one who ordered the burning of the Small Church was the Daniels Family. And it was your sister, Yara Daniels, who gave the order. The Daniels Family’s guards carried it out." Corleon stated clearly.
"..—"
Ando found it hard to breathe. His body felt like it was drifting, trembling beyond his control.
"..—Will I die too？" Ando asked in a trembling voice.
Combining the two objects before him, even he understood Corleon’s meaning.
"You are innocent. The Lord’s punishment is only for the guilty and those who blaspheme the Lord." Corleon patted Ando on the shoulder.
"Perhaps you should go back and take a look. Reflect properly."
After speaking, Corleon left the Church with the Temple Warrior, leaving Ando standing dazed under the Lord’s Throne, staring at Yara’s keepsake.
The hall was silent, only the crucifix atop the Lord’s Throne seemed to be bowing its head, watching Ando.
Ando left the Church and never returned.
What happened in Daniels Village didn’t take half a day to spread—those who needed to know already knew.
Before the Morning Star fell, Nyx returned to the Church, visibly fatigued.
He had returned to Garcia Village before dawn, and now had rushed back again.
He was still riding the horse gifted by the Newman Family.
Though it wasn’t a warhorse, the horse was still extremely valuable.
However, Nyx had never learned how to ride.
Even with a young squire from Garcia Village leading the horse along the way, the ride had been rough for him.
"The Newman Family is willing to put their faith in the Church, but they hope the Church can revise the Holy Scriptures of the Lord." Nyx rubbed his neck and said.
"You know that’s impossible."
"Yes, I told them that. This matter is non-negotiable."
"What was their reply?"
"They said they wished to wait until Knight Wolf returned before giving me an answer."
"I suppose you’re back now because they’ve already given one."
"Yes, Knight Wolf returned at noon today." Nyx sighed.
"With a relic bestowed by the Lord, he led thirty armored cavalry and launched a sudden assault on those Dark Creatures, eliminating them along with two Holy Relics."
"And after he returned, his family gave me their response."
"The Newman Family will relocate from Garcia Village and establish a new manor outside the village."
"The people of the Newman Family are displeased, as they will lose governance over Garcia Village and only retain the rights to tax revenue and conscription."
"But they dare not oppose."
"Yet that’s their bottom line."
"They’ve given up control over Garcia Village, keeping only the privileges of knighthood."
Corleon nodded.
"Those are the rightful powers of a Knight."
"Knight Wolf wishes to visit you the day after tomorrow."
"I’ll be waiting in the Church."
"Then I’ll go deliver their response now." Nyx stood up.
"Not staying for the night?"
"No, it’s best to settle this quickly." Nyx replied.
"Who knows how many are watching the Newman Family’s next move."
"Very well. Then, will you continue to reside in the Small Church in Garcia Village afterward?" Corleon asked.
"Yes. After breaking away from the old order, the people there will need to listen to the Lord’s Teachings." Nyx nodded.
"Won’t you go see Melia? She’s not in the best mood right now."
"Her mood——" Mid-sentence, Nyx caught sight of a small piece of charred charcoal on the Lord’s Throne.
"Was it Ando?" Nyx asked.
"I told Ando about the matter of Daniels this morning."Corleon said.
"He took a trip to Daniels Village, brought a horse, and went south to find his brother."
"You should’ve kept him here." Nyx frowned.
"He’s still a child. He is innocent and will not receive the Lord’s punishment."
"You are just like George." Nyx said.
"Priest Nyx, as a servant of the Lord, you must always remember: the Lord is merciful, the Lord loves all, and the punishment is only to purify those who blaspheme the Lord." Corleon looked at Nyx.
"And Ando is a baptized Believer, just a twelve-year-old child. He has yet to come of age, and when the Daniels Family turned hostile toward the Church, he was studying in the Monastery."
"......"
Nyx and Corleon looked into each other's eyes, falling silent.
"I’ll go see Melia." Nyx said. "Though she won’t say it, she’s already treated Ando as a friend.
"She’s been with me since she was little, and has never really had friends."
"Ando’s departure will sadden her deeply."