Chapter 660: The Divine Oracle

Inside Silverkeep, Amber had brought some documents that Gawain needed.

“These aren’t hard to find,” Amber said, barely hiding the pride in her voice. “Though officially classified, they weren’t exactly secrets among the former royal advisors. The daily routines of the royal family were meticulously recorded. These files are about Veronica…”

Gawain took the carefully organized rubbings and let his gaze slowly scan the lines of text.

“Veronica Morn showed extraordinary magical and spiritual talent from a young age, but at birth, doctors and priests nearly declared her dead,” Amber casually remarked as Gawain examined the documents. “She was born without a heartbeat, like a stillborn, and only after an hour did she suddenly show signs of life.

“The Church of the Holy Light later called this a ‘divine blessing’—the power of the Holy Light God preserving a child with such strong affinity for the Light. It sounds like nonsense, but even the physicians couldn’t explain it, so the event was recorded as a miracle. This was one of the reasons Veronica later converted to the Holy Light faith…

“Before she turned six, Veronica often fell into sudden, unexplained comas. Despite numerous examinations and all doctors and priests declaring her physically healthy, she frequently fainted. So, until she was six, she barely left her room and required a maid’s constant, round-the-clock care.

“Her conversion to the Holy Light seemed flawless—at ten, she attended church with other royals for the first time and encountered the power of the Light. She displayed remarkable spiritual talent and affinity, catching the attention of Saint Ivan III. From then on, her interest in the Light grew. After years of study and countless negotiations between the royal family and the church, she officially ‘converted’ at sixteen.

“The whole process looked like a normal, carefully brokered agreement, and Veronica’s role never exceeded what was expected of her.”

Gawain flipped a page, his tone calm. “As an ancient soul who’s lived a thousand years, she has the patience and wisdom to ensure none of her actions raise suspicion. Her ‘conversion’ was certainly above reproach.”

“Makes sense. I think so too,” Amber nodded, folding her arms. “But what about those coma episodes before she was six? Could they be related to her ‘soul parasitism’?”

“A girl under six shouldn’t have a brain capable of hosting a high-level soul. These records indirectly confirm that Veronica’s own account is at least partially true,” Gawain said, setting the papers down. “Anything else?”

“That’s all the documented info,” Amber shrugged. “So, what do you think? Is this ‘Rebel’ a big risk? Should we dig into the maids, doctors, and court scholars who cared for her back then? Many of them still work here in Silverkeep…”

“No need. Excessive probing would be offensive and probably fruitless,” Gawain waved her off. “The situation is pretty much as I expected. Some evidence supports Veronica’s story, but nothing will surface to expose her secrets… That doesn’t affect our cooperation with her.”

“She does seem to be keeping her promises—maintaining order among the faithful in the city. And as of this morning, she helped the White Knights smoothly take over the Holy Light Cathedral. Regardless of her identity, her influence is significant.”

The White Knights had already entered the Holy Light Cathedral.

According to the plan, this marked the completion of the Northern Church’s leadership handover—the White Knights, representing the Southern Church, would now control the cathedral. The Southern Church’s High Patriarch, Leight, with Veronica’s assistance and the backing of the “Divine Oracle,” would enter the Great Hall of Light and become the joint leader of both Northern and Southern Churches.

The Northern Church would undergo reforms, starting with restructuring its hierarchy. The title of “Pope” would be abolished, replaced by the Southern Church’s “High Patriarch.” New positions like bishops and treasurers would be established to replace the old council of bishops.

Following that, the Southern Church’s doctrines would gradually supplant the Northern Church’s teachings. Many former “holy decrees” of the Northern Church—indulgences, forced conversions, inquisitions—would be abolished.

For the Northern Church, this was a seismic shift, but it was inevitable. After all, this was the “Divine Oracle,” a revelation from the Holy Light God to the last Pope, Saint Ivan III, recorded by the living saint Veronica, reviewed by the Imperial Regent and the Council, and approved by the Empire’s leadership.

Gawain lowered his head to the other documents on the table. Amber quietly faded from view but remained nearby, her presence lingering in the study. Outside Silverkeep, a solemn, melodious bell tolled.

The bell’s sound enveloped the Holy Light Cathedral. Sacred light shimmered across its spires, domes, and pillars. Priests, clerics, baptized knights, and devout core followers stood silently among the colonnades outside the Great Hall of Light, listening to the bell with a mix of tension and hopeful anticipation as the “Holy See Assembly” drew to a close.

White Knights from the South guarded every entrance and gate of the cathedral. These towering, imposing clerics stood silent and solemn, their armor and warhammers shimmering with ethereal light like legendary warriors of heaven. Their faces were hidden behind full helmets, their cold gazes piercing through crystal visors, scanning the crowds. Beyond that, they made no unnecessary movements or conversation.

Lower-ranking clerics and believers, barred from entering the Great Hall or even the main cathedral building, watched with reverence. To them, the holy light surrounding the White Knights and their austere presence was proof of divine blessing—surely these were the most devout and powerful followers, for how else could they possess such radiant, forged-in-light bodies?

Inside the Great Hall of Light, Leight stood at the center, surrounded by the highest-ranking clergy left in the Holy Light Church. Beside him stood the living saint of the Northern Church, Veronica. The saintly princess held the platinum scepter symbolizing the “Bridge of the Gods” in one hand, while her other hand was open as she spoke in a gentle yet commanding voice:

“…The devout and venerable Saint Ivan, through his noble sacrifice, has earned us the mercy of the Holy Light. The new Divine Oracle reveals the true path before us…

“…The Oracle has appointed our new leader, born from the Light, who walks the path of the Holy Light. His deeds embody the true way of the Light…

“…That terrible and profane calamity was a test and warning for us. Because we misunderstood the will of the Holy Light, we had to endure this trial to reshape our faith…

“Saint Ivan bore our mistakes and left this world, but through his great sacrifice, the Holy Light called him early and, before his passing, spoke these truths through him…”

Veronica’s voice echoed through the hall. The high clergy listened quietly, and when she finished, they voiced no doubts but instead chanted in unison:

“Praise the Holy Light! Praise our Lord! Praise our new guide and protector, High Patriarch Leight Eviken!”

As their voices rose, Leight raised his warhammer high.

An unprecedentedly pure and powerful light descended from the heavens, piercing the cloud of holy light above the hall and enveloping Leight.

The high clergy were visibly moved and renewed their praises, this time with a deeper sincerity…

“Disperse,” Leight said as the light faded, lowering his warhammer. “Go and share this good news with the faithful. There will be no unrest, no one will be abandoned or unjustly judged. The Holy Light still protects everyone.”

The church attendants opened all seven doors of the hall. The high clergy filed out, and soon the sacred chamber fell silent.

Leight sighed softly. “…In the end, they still need a ‘master’ to worship…”

“Change must come step by step,” Veronica said softly. “The Northern Church has survived here for seven centuries; their faith runs deep. We can’t expect them to abandon their master overnight. Besides… we all know that ‘master’ truly exists.”

Leight glanced at the “Rebel” beside him and nodded slightly.

Whether it was Gawain supporting the Southern Church, Leight pushing new doctrines, or the Rebels opposing the gods, none denied the reality of the divine.

The existence of gods was an objective fact in this world. The Rebels were never atheists; their most awe-inspiring trait was precisely this:

They acknowledged the gods’ existence—and yet dared to oppose them.

“Replacing the old title of the Holy Light God with the new concept of the ‘Will of the Holy Light’ and promoting the true path of the Light is a relatively safe approach,” Leight said gravely. “But be wary that the ‘Will of the Holy Light’ doesn’t become a new shackle… You’ve considered this, haven’t you?”

“If the old faith and doctrines don’t change, the chains remain. Simply renaming the deity won’t free the hearts of the people. We all understand these simple truths,” Veronica smiled faintly. “But that’s exactly what we intend to change at the root, isn’t it?”

She paused, then continued calmly:

“So it can also be understood this way—if everyone realizes the extraordinary power of the Holy Light belongs to each person, if everyone understands that each individual can freely interpret doctrine, and that gods are merely spiritual anchors rather than supreme laws or masters of fate, then even if everyone still believes in the Holy Light God, the chains will have already fallen away, won’t they?”

Leight pondered her words deeply. After half a minute, he looked up.

“Is this some kind of research conclusion from you as a ‘Rebel’?”

“Let’s say it is,” Veronica smiled. “But not the final conclusion… Perhaps only when mortals can confront the gods face-to-face, when we find the divine realm and understand what gods truly are and how they operate—only then will we have the ultimate answer.”

Leight hesitated but didn’t press further. Instead, he turned to the practical matter at hand:

“The reform of the Northern Church will begin with Saint Sunir. First, I will establish a clerical structure here modeled after the Southern Church, with key positions filled by priests transferred from the South. Do you have any suggestions on this?”

“The old bishopric has vanished, so you won’t face much resistance at this level. But once you start encroaching on the interests of the middle and lower-ranking clergy, opposition is inevitable. The good news is, these mid- and lower-tier priests are more susceptible to worldly tactics. Unlike those who lean toward ‘divinity,’ their human weaknesses are more pronounced—money, violence, division, psychological warfare—all these methods will work on them.

“Secondly, you must ensure you have enough force to maintain control throughout this process. The White Knights are powerful; their strength is just what you need. Do not show mercy. The situation in the North is very different from the South. Here, many of the clergy are extreme, stubborn conservatives who will not tolerate leniency.

“Finally, for the vast majority of the faithful, the word ‘oracle’ carries immense power. Use it fully to make them believe and follow. In the North, this approach is the most effective. But be careful not to abuse the term. ‘Using the name of God for convenience’ is a dangerous temptation. If you indulge in it, you’ll become no different from the original Northern Church and unknowingly fall into the chains of the divine.”

Leight nodded slightly.

Veronica’s advice was much like what Gawain had privately told him, but more detailed and tailored to the unique circumstances of the North. This, perhaps, was indirect proof that this so-called “heretic” before him was someone worth working with.

“‘Oracle,’ huh…” Leight murmured softly, a hint of awe in his voice. “Then it’s necessary for us to further strengthen the radiant image of Saint Ivan III…”

“To ensure our reforms proceed smoothly, and to give the ‘oracle’ greater legitimacy and persuasive power, a noble martyr is indispensable,” Veronica said quietly, turning her gaze toward the empty throne at the center of the hall.

“Glory to the departed. Since His Holiness the Pope has been honorably called to the Lord, we can boldly attribute all righteous causes to him…”

(End of chapter)