#419
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419
The Archduke accepted the letter Alonso presented with a cautious expression. His eyebrows furrowed.
“I hope all distinguished guests enjoy the banquet.”
With those words, the Archduke left the banquet hall with Alonso.
It was clear that something unusual had happened, but since the Archduke did not leave any comment, Helmut and Area remained in the banquet hall.
After they danced a dance as the star of the banquet, an attendant approached them.
“His Majesty the Grand Duke is calling.”
It appears that it was not urgent enough to disrupt the banquet.
The rest was Charlotte’s responsibility.
Helmut and Area headed straight to the Archduke’s office.
The Archduke was sitting in front of the table with an expressionless face.
Standing next to him was Alonso, the commander of the Black Wing Knights.
“Did the temple move?”
At Helmut’s question, the Archduke’s eyes gained strength.
My floating consciousness, thinking of various strategies, gathered into one point.
“What did they say?”
Helmut asked. It was Alonso standing next to him who opened his mouth.
“A person with a seed of darkness will inevitably bring about disaster. They are something that cannot be tolerated in the royal family, so they deserve to be punished. “Lumen’s laws do not allow him, so it is unreasonable for him, Helmut, to become Linosa’s successor.”
“If I came out of Pahe Forest alive, wouldn’t they be able to punish me?”
In response to Helmut’s question, Alonso shook his head.
“They said this. Those who survive the forest of Pahe are exempted from all sins. But that is because the sacred barrier, like death, purifies the sins of those who pass through it. Even after escaping the barrier, those who have sprouts of darkness continue to commit sins bearing the burden of unwashed sins. The reason he was able to come out of the Forest of Pahe was because he possessed a dangerous darkness that even divine power could not shake off. Therefore, the only way to wash away his sins is extinction, and it is Lumen’s will to destroy him. “Rinosa is also under Lumen’s protection, so we must follow his will.”
Helmut raised his eyebrows.
“They say it was Lumen’s will that I came out of the Forest of Pahe.”
“The meaning of lumen is up to them to interpret and give reasons.”
Alonso’s brow furrowed in disillusionment.
It was an original argument prepared with possible refutations and refutations.
As expected, the temple did not tolerate Helmut’s presence.
Those who do not retreat before the temple.
But that wasn’t the reason, they probably saw this as an opportunity.
An opportunity to restore the priesthood by mobilizing the military under a just cause to defeat the empire that is trying to drive out the temple.
Because the empire will definitely side with Rinosa.
“He is prone to laziness and self-indulgence, but he doesn’t mind fighting.”
As Area muttered, Alonso answered.
“They must be confident in their own power. And it is an easy way to achieve what you want through force. Even lazy people cannot let go of power.”
All you have to do is present a plausible cause or reason. Because they have the power to back it up.
That was actually how the temple ruled the world.
It is not only possible to discuss justice and raise voices, but it is also possible to oppress by force.
Of course, they used God’s justice to deceive the foolish and used them like chess pieces.
All of that was the power of the temple.
“There are many Lumen believers in Linosa. Maybe they will become enemies too.”
Should I choose Rinosa or the temple?
At the moment of choice, there will be quite a few people who will choose the latter, even if they are from Rinosa.
Religiosity sometimes trumps patriotism.
“The Grand Duke of Rinosa’s decision is the law of Rinosa.”
Wrinkles appeared on the Archduke’s forehead as he recalled his unpleasant family life.
“But isn’t it said that the temple law is higher than the law of the country?”
Also, the laws and temple rules were not completely separated anywhere.
In fact, the temple’s law was an absolute law that took precedence over the customs and laws of each country.
Everyone listened to the temple’s laws in order to avoid conflict with the temple or to smooth over a conflict that had already occurred.
Recently, the empire established imperial law and began to prepare a system to strictly apply it.
He saw that as the first step to freedom from the temple’s hand.
Lumen’s law was already useless in Bashor. If it solidifies in the empire, it will spread like fire.
Respect, but do not obey.
In the future, even that respect will be achieved when the temple fulfills its role.
It’s been a thousand years since Pahe’s Forest was sealed. Lumen and temples have gradually lost their authority.
Now is the time to let them know that their authority is within the bounds of humanity.
“So what do I have to do to follow Lumen’s will? ”
Area asked, and Alonso answered.
“They told me to send Helmut to the temple. “It doesn’t make sense.”
“The temple said they would send an army to Linosa to take you away.”
The Archduke spoke in a calm tone.
“They were already preparing an army the moment you showed up. “Just waiting for the departure date.”
Considering the urgency of the situation, it would have been worth stopping the banquet, but judging from the fact that he did not do so, it seemed that the Archduke did not feel much of a sense of crisis.
I had already prepared in my mind.
“Do you know the temple’s power?”
When Helmut asked, Alonso opened his mouth.
“There is no way to estimate the power of priests who use sacred magic. Holy magic is not developed in an aggressive way, but considering the number of priests and high priests, if we were to call them wizards, even the Wizards Association would not be worthy of mention. And the Holy Knights… … .”
Alonso took a moment to choose his words.
“They can use divine power on behalf of Vis and even use holy magic. This means that your injured body can recover instantly during battle. Even if the driver is at the same level, there are even more advantages. In addition, the temple brings in pious and talented people from all over the world and teaches them the sword. It is said that there is a way to select those talented in swordsmanship by judging them through their skeleton, body movements, and sacred magic. Even if the Holy Knights have never fought a large-scale battle against a nation, their skills cannot be low.”
Their numbers are literally their power.
Alonso estimated the size of the Holy Knights based on the information he had collected.
“According to what I understand, even if we combine the Black Wing Knights and the Imperial Knights, we will not be able to stop their Holy Knights.”
Helmut listened to those words indifferently.
That is only when discussing battles between forces excluding Helmut and his group.
Even the Empire would not be able to provide the entire Imperial Knights, but since almost all of the Holy Knights could be mobilized in the temple, it was correct to see that this side was actually at a much disadvantage.
But this side’s power did not end there.
“What if Basor’s Palma is added to it?”
At Helmut’s question, Alonso’s eyes turned strange.
“… … If Palma joins, it will be a fight worth having. “The fact that they are moving means that Basor has sided with us.”
The Empire, Rinosa, and Bashor. They are military powerhouses that cannot be left out.
The corners of Helmut’s mouth lifted fiercely.
“Because they also have a grudge against the temple. “Let’s find out how many more helpers there are.”
“Rinosa refuses the temple’s request.”
The Archduke declared in a grave tone. Even if it is an all-out war, we will not avoid it.
Helmut placed his hand on the sword handle. He shouldn’t give the impression that he enjoys fighting, but Helmut really wanted to fight them.
This side was also accustomed to accomplishing things by force.
*
‘To punish the innocent successor of Rinosa as a temple law under the pretext of a sin he did not commit is an unacceptable interference in internal affairs and an insult to the Grand Duchy of Rinosa. Also, responding to the temple’s tyranny by demanding the life of the successor destroys the honor and standard of Rinosa. ‘Rinosa is prepared to go to war.’
Rinosa’s statement was so firm and even aggressive that even a temple could not help but be embarrassed.
If we’re going to fight, let’s fight, isn’t it?
When has a temple ever been subjected to a statement so blatantly opposed to itself?
Grand Duke Linosa summoned the nobles and announced it to the entire country, the empire, and other countries.
As if we have done nothing wrong and are proud, and those temple bastards who find fault are trash.
Before the temple could react, the Empire raised Rinosa’s hand first.
‘The Grand Duchy of Rinosa also inherited the imperial bloodline, so this means that they will murder the imperial family of the empire. The Archduke declared Helmut to be Linosa’s successor, and the Emperor of the Empire also acknowledged this, so this is a rock-solid fact.’
And the empire secretly released a statement citing their own grudge.
‘Also, the temple has not yet provided a proper explanation regarding the Prince’s attack incident and the fact that Lumen’s followers were involved. Avoiding explanations for their charges and recklessly putting forward justifications is unreasonable and calls into question their qualifications to discuss justifications. If the temple seeks to oppress Rinosa by force, in the name of the Emperor, we will not tolerate it.’
Rinosa is willing to go to war, and the Empire is attacking us by asking, “Are you worthy of this?” and saying, “We won’t just sit still.”
The whole continent was in an uproar with words.
Basor issued a more severe, direct, and shocking statement.
‘In the past, the temple conspired with internal forces to eliminate the sword saint Darian in order to build a temple in Basor. Even though he fell into the temple’s conspiracy, Sword Saint Darion did not die, but he felt disappointed and chose to live in seclusion. Helmut is his disciple, and the fact that he possesses the Sword Master’s sword is proof of this. To dismiss Rinosa’s successor and disciple chosen by the Sword Saint as a disaster or a sinner is to defame the Sword Saint and is an attempt by the temple to bury their sins. Basor will not tolerate this and is willing to fight together.’
Basor’s statement that he would expose the temple’s conspiracy and show evidence buried in the desert was enough to shake the temple’s justification and legitimacy.
The Kingdom of Veneta, which quietly raised its hand saying, ‘The temple will have to be explained to the empire and Basor first,’ was rather shabby.
As every powerful country was the first to rebel against the temple, other countries that had suffered the tyranny of the temple also hesitated and raised their hands one by one.
One by one, the temple’s evil deeds began to be exposed to the world.
It was an unexpected situation even for a temple.
