Chapter 350: The Stirring of the Holy Light
After returning to the lord’s manor, Gawain had Amber bring him all the intelligence gathered recently concerning the Holy Light Church and the activities of heretics across the land.
Noticing Gawain’s dark and serious expression, Amber immediately sensed he had caught wind of something troubling. Curiosity got the better of her. “What is it? You think the Holy Light Church is up to something?”
“Looks like you’re getting better at handling intelligence,” Gawain said approvingly, glancing at her. “You feel something’s off too, don’t you?”
Amber waved her hand dismissively. “Not exactly. I just think those zealots are always scheming.”
Gawain was speechless.
“Come on, tell me,” Amber pressed, stepping closer with a cheeky grin. “I do think the Holy Light Church has been acting way too aggressively lately, but that’s obvious to anyone paying attention. It’s just the way things have been going. What else have you noticed?”
“Ever since the leaders of the major sects signed the Sacred Covenant atop the Ancestor’s Peak, the different churches—though they have their disagreements—have maintained peace for seven centuries. During that time, there were certainly moments when heretics ran rampant, but no mainstream church ever turned their weapons against one another. The Holy Light Church has always had a special edge in combating evil and purifying corruption, while the darker, more shadowy sects struggled against heretics. Yet the Holy Light Church acted as a leader, guiding and supporting the weaker churches in their fight.”
Gawain spoke as he set the documents aside. “That’s the most natural and proper approach. Each church serves a different social function: the Holy Light fights evil; the Fertility Church ensures bountiful harvests; the War God’s followers protect warriors and oversee warfare and reconstruction; the Blood God’s cult monitors contracts and controls desires. Humanity’s survival isn’t just about fighting heretics. When heretics appear, the Holy Light Church steps up; when other troubles arise, the other churches have their roles. I understand this, and theoretically, the priests of the Holy Light Church should too.”
Amber curled her lip. “But now they’re clearly suppressing the other sects.”
“Exactly,” Gawain nodded. “Since last autumn, as heretic activity increased within Ansu, the Holy Light Church has rapidly expanded under the banner of fighting heresy. By late winter, they began to suppress and exclude churches that performed poorly against heretics. This trend has only intensified recently. The people are often blind, especially in panic. With the heretic threat growing daily, most tolerate or even applaud the Holy Light Church’s actions.”
“The churches being pushed out aren’t just sitting idle,” Amber said. “In many places, their members have clashed directly with Holy Light priests. The Holy Light Church is large, but not invincible. Combat monks and church knights aren’t exclusive to them.”
“I suspect… the Holy Light Church is actually waiting for a rebellion,” Gawain said, resting his hands on the table, frowning. “Their suppression of other sects is too blatant, too rushed. If I were in charge, I wouldn’t openly suppress all heresies nationwide. I’d first win over churches sympathetic to the Holy Light, then brand the darker sects as heretics, dismantling opponents bit by bit. But their current behavior… it seems less like a slow weakening and more like forcing the other sects to unite and fight a full-scale religious war that would leave both sides battered.”
“No way…” Amber looked skeptical. “Maybe it’s not that complicated. Maybe those Holy Light priests are just straightforward and reckless, wanting to charge headfirst. Not everyone’s as cunning as you, with all the scheming and dividing. Who can keep up with that?”
“You really think anyone who climbs to the top of the church hierarchy is as naive as you?” Gawain rolled his eyes at the half-elf. “Divide and conquer isn’t a brilliant strategy. I’m sure the Holy Light’s leaders have thought of it. Since they haven’t done it, I have to suspect they’re aiming for something bigger. Of course, it’s also possible they’re overconfident, thinking they can crush all other faiths on their own…”
As he spoke, a figure appeared in Gawain’s mind.
Golden hair, simple priestly robes, an otherworldly aura unlike any human’s, surrounded always by the radiance of the Holy Light…
The “Saintly Princess,” Veronica Morn.
A high-ranking member of the Holy Light Church and a royal at the same time—was she involved in the church’s recent actions? What role did she play? If she’s behind these changes, then dealing with the “Saintly Princess” in the future will require caution…
At the Holy Light Cathedral, in the Great Hall of Radiance, pure holy light hovered and shimmered beneath the dome, casting a faint, rippling glow like water over the painted scenes of the divine kingdom. The brilliance was as dazzling as ever.
Bishops reported on recent progress in rooting out evil and suppressing heresy across the kingdom. Their calm, steady voices were like the holy light floating above, but their reports were anything but peaceful.
“Your Majesty, the number of heretics purified by the Holy Light grows daily, and the Lord’s power is manifest. Yet stubborn, ignorant pagans are becoming a new problem,” said a bishop wearing a tall crown. “In Giantstone City, after the blood god’s temple secretly controlled by heretics was destroyed, many blood god worshippers refused to accept the true faith, baptism, or repentance. They were expelled from the city but now roam the wilderness as bandits, attacking our missionaries spreading the Holy Light.”
Another bishop added, “Similar incidents have occurred in the western plains. Followers of the Shadow God, after being exiled, have begun attacking our priests and even ordinary Holy Light believers, causing widespread panic.”
The aged Saint Ivan III barely lifted his eyelids, his voice devoid of emotion. “Their actions only confirm our judgment, do they not?
“Being exiled proves their guilt. We offer them the chance to repent—that is their opportunity to prove innocence. Those untainted by evil would not fear embracing the Holy Light. Fear of the Light is proof of falling into darkness.
“They become bandits, attack priests and innocents, and previously refused the Light and repentance. This confirms their evil nature. Once we declare this, the world will see the truth.”
“Your wisdom clears our doubts,” the first bishop bowed. “We obey your will.”
The bishops continued their reports—on expanding the church knights, increasing the number of believers, spreading the faith across regions, and the progress of the newly implemented “atonement tax” to raise funds…
Saint Ivan III lowered his eyelids again, as if drifting to sleep yet still listening. The bishops’ buzzing voices echoed in his ears, blending with a greater, deeper, boundless divine voice within his mind.
The old pope devoted a small part of his mind to the reports, but most of his attention was on that voice deep within his spirit—
The voice of the Lord.
It whispered softly, indistinct yet filled with infinite wisdom. Only by listening closely could one discern fragments of the world’s truth.
Veronica stood quietly beside the pope, her head bowed slightly, serene and gentle. The holy light radiating from her spread through the hall, enveloping everyone present, subtly resonating with the light emanating from the bishops in a complex, ever-shifting harmony.
This “divine resonance” was the source of the cathedral’s pervasive light.
When the bishops finally finished their reports and the Great Hall fell silent, Saint Ivan III slowly opened his eyes, his hoarse voice low and deep. “Is it over…”
Veronica bent slightly beside him. “Yes, Your Majesty. The bishops have departed.”
“I heard the Lord’s voice just now,” Saint Ivan III murmured. “Such a magnificent voice… The Lord must be pleased with our efforts.”
“Yes, the Lord is pleased with our deeds,” Veronica said softly. “He wishes to make this world His earthly kingdom. We must clear it of heresy and evil for Him.”
“We must clear the world of heresy and evil for the Lord…” Saint Ivan III muttered, sinking into a deep sleep, to continue embracing the indescribable whispers of the Holy Light God in his dreams.
At the buffer camp by the Whitewater River in the land of Cecil.
After receiving permission to settle, a place to lie down, and a hot meal, those refugees from the Holy Spirit Plains—who had been living in fear for weeks—finally felt a flicker of relief.
They thanked the lord for his mercy, marveling that Gawain Cecil truly was the broad-minded hero who protected his people. Yet most of all, they pondered their uncertain future.
They still couldn’t enter the city—though they could see its neat, bustling streets. Until they passed the final inspection, they had to stay in the buffer camp outside the walls. This was their last source of unease.
No one knew what the inspection entailed, how long it would last, or what would happen if they failed. Though they understood the lord’s caution, as long as the suspicion of heresy remained, they could not rest.
Gathered in the large tent assigned to them, they whispered about the future and the past. Suddenly, the tent flap was pushed open.
They looked up tensely, seeing a tall figure standing in the doorway.
At first, they thought it was a strong warrior, but then they saw the person wore a priest’s robe.
The robe was worn and faded, but it was clearly that of a Holy Light priest.
Everyone tensed and stirred nervously.
“Do not be afraid,” Light opened his arms and stepped slowly toward those showing fear and suspicion. “I carry no weapons, no ill will, and I am not here to interrogate heretics.
“I only wish to speak with you.”
(End of chapter)