Chapter 229: Spoiler(1)
Chapter 229: Spoiler(1)
The Holy Theocracy Savior was founded for the sole purpose of worshipping Luminous, the God of Light and Hope.
Established in the immediate aftermath of the Demon War, the nation was built by humans as a tribute to Luminous, the deity who had delivered them from destruction.
While the gods Mora and Hirt had also existed during the Demon War, their contributions had not been as prominent as those of Luminous.
To be more specific, Luminous bestowed blessings upon those on the front lines, Mora provided a veil of concealment for fleeing refugees, and Hirt gifted the Seed of the World Tree to the elves.
Under these circumstances, Luminous’s exploits naturally stood out more, and the fragile humans had little choice but to devote themselves to him. After all, in a desperate era where they had to fight demons with their bare hands, Luminous was the god who granted them Divine Power.
As the saying goes, heroes are born in times of chaos. Under the protection of Luminous during the Demon War, countless heroes rose to prominence, while many others perished gloriously without even leaving a name behind.
The nation founded at the end of this long struggle was the Holy Theocracy Savior. Regardless of the era, any civilization built for a god tends to flaunt immense power.
Furthermore, unlike Earth, the gods of this world actually exist and continue to exert significant influence to this day. Before its social culture reached its current level of development, Savior had often become intoxicated by that power, committing terrible atrocities.
They had arbitrarily labeled the Demon Clan as "demons" to justify massacres and oppressed neighboring countries under the banner of a "Holy War." Anyone who did not believe in Luminous was branded a heretic and persecuted under the most absurd pretexts.
However, Luminous himself eventually decided this was going too far and moved quickly to stop them through oracles. If those warnings were ignored, he was kind enough to personally deliver "Divine Punishment."
Thanks to this, the Holy Theocracy managed to pull itself back from the brink of depravity. Today, it stands as both a great power and a neutral state.
Since most humans believe in Luminous, there isn't a single country without one of his temples, and the church enjoys immense wealth through steady donations.
However, because they maintain a strict stance of neutrality, they rarely interfere in international politics. Unlike in the past, other nations are no longer weak, and the church sees no reason to force its hand.
At least, that was the case until the publication of the Xenon Biography and the subsequent emergence of demon worshippers.
"So, Cardinal Kate. May I ask why you have summoned us?"
The group sat around a circular table engraved with the sun emblem, the symbol of the Holy Theocracy and Luminous. Four individuals were seated at the cardinal directions.
The man who spoke was Deimos, an elderly man sitting to the east. His thick, caterpillar-like eyebrows nearly obscured his eyes, and he possessed an impressively lush beard.
At his question, the others turned their curious gazes toward Kate. One was a middle-aged man, and the other was a middle-aged woman.
As one might guess, the individuals Kate had gathered were the Cardinals of Savior—the most powerful and authoritative figures in the nation, second only to the Pope.
Given how busy they were with their respective duties, the fact that they had all gathered at Kate's request was a testament to her formidable influence.
Unlike the other Cardinals, she also held the position of Grand Inquisitor. In terms of sheer rank, she was effectively one step above them.
It was fortunate that Kate had little interest in politics; had she desired it, she could have easily become the true power behind the throne. The others could only breathe a sigh of relief that her common sense regarding human relationships was somewhat... skewed.
"Everyone is here. How long has it been since we last gathered like this?"
Kate responded to the bearded Cardinal Deimos with a gentle smile. As a woman famous for her stunning beauty, her smile seemed to brighten the entire room.
Seeing that smile, Deimos let out a hearty chuckle, while the middle-aged man cleared his throat and looked away. It was a smile so radiant it felt almost sacrilegious to stare.
Only one person remained unmoved: the middle-aged woman. She watched Kate with an unreadable expression before speaking in a sly, oily tone.
"Still as beautiful as ever, Cardinal Kate. Seeing as you've grown even more radiant, I take it something wonderful happened during your pilgrimage?"
The woman, whose blatant distaste was palpable, was named Hera. She looked as though she might have been quite beautiful in her youth, but now she was merely a middle-aged woman with deepening wrinkles.
While the others frowned at her sarcastic tone, Kate simply nodded and gave a positive reply.
"Yes. That is correct, Cardinal Hera. Something wonderful happened, which is why I hurried back."
"Something wonderful? Don't tell me..."
At the mention of "something wonderful," Hera’s eyes widened, and her voice trailed off. The others reacted similarly.
The reason for Kate’s pilgrimage was public knowledge: she had set out to find Xenon.
Therefore, her return could only mean one thing—she had met him.
"No. I did not meet Sir Xenon. I simply realized what it is I must do."
However, Kate shook her head, neatly shattering their expectations. While it was true she had met Xenon—or rather, Isaac—that was a fact she had to keep hidden at all costs.
Hera let out a deflated sigh, as if to say, I should have known. But then, the middle-aged man spoke up.
He was a man who still exuded handsomeness despite his age, sporting a well-groomed beard that connected to his sideburns and sharp, defined features.
"What you must do? Could you tell us what that is?"
"Of course. But before that, Cardinal Bark?"
"Yes. Please, speak."
"Cardinal Bark, how long has it been since you last offered a prayer to Lord Luminous?"
After asking him, she turned to the others and posed the same question.
"The same goes for the rest of you. I am curious to know how long it has been since you last prayed to Lord Luminous."
"I offered mine just before Cardinal Kate arrived," Hera answered first. She still looked annoyed, but she answered the question nonetheless.
"The same for me. If I were to miss even a single day of prayer, Lord Luminous would surely be saddened," replied Deimos, the man with the caterpillar eyebrows. His piety was as evident as his gentle appearance.
The last one remaining was Bark. Kate shifted her gaze from Deimos to him.
The moment Bark met Kate’s emerald eyes, he flinched. He then gave a bitter smile and answered cautiously.
"Ah... I... I've been so busy lately that I haven't been able to offer a prayer."
"I see."
"Cardinal Hera knows this as well, doesn't she?"
Perhaps feeling self-conscious about his lack of prayer, Bark hurried to seek Hera’s validation.
Hera looked at him for a moment, her cheeks flushing slightly, before she spoke quietly.
"Cardinal Bark has been buried under a mountain of work lately. He hasn't had a moment to spare for prayer. I can personally vouch for that."
"Understood. If you are busy with work, it cannot be helped. Then, Cardinal Bark."
"Yes?"
"Have you read the latest volume of the Xenon Biography?"
It was a question that seemed to come out of nowhere. However, as everyone knew, the world currently treated the Xenon Biography as a book of prophecy.
It had brought the truth about the pollution of the World Tree's roots and the existence of demon worshippers to light, and it had even opened the door to the possibility of mana engines, which would advance technology to the next level.
At this point, it was stranger not to believe in it—especially for clergy members who were closely connected to the divine.
Bark blinked at Kate’s question, then nodded with a hesitant voice.
"Yes, well... I have read it."
"I see. And the others?"
"I have read it as well."
Unlike Deimos, who answered warmly, Hera merely nodded. Seeing their reactions, Kate’s smile deepened.
It was a smile similar to the one before, yet different—somehow, it felt chilling. The other Cardinals couldn't help but shudder at the sudden change in atmosphere.
In the silence, Kate slowly scanned the room before posing another question.
"Then, everyone. Are you familiar with the proverb, 'It is darkest under the lamp'?"
"Under the lamp..."
"Darkest?"
"You continue to speak in riddles."
As expected, they looked completely baffled. Kate nodded at their predictable reactions.
She herself hadn't understood the meaning of those words until she heard them from Isaac. She had simply kept them in her heart while she was preoccupied with hunting down demon worshippers.
But as time passed and she pondered them deeply, she finally realized what they meant. The release of Volume 17 of the Xenon Biography had made everything clear.
It is darkest under the lamp. On the surface, one might wonder why it would be dark directly beneath a light source.
However, the area immediately under a lamp is pitch black because of the shadow the lamp itself casts. While it illuminates the surroundings, it creates a pocket of darkness that goes unnoticed.
"It is darkest under the lamp. You might not understand the meaning just by hearing it. But surprisingly, a deep darkness settles directly beneath the lamp that lights the room. It is a phrase used when one wanders far looking for a cause, even though it is right under their nose."
"How fascinating. 'It is darkest under the lamp'... Is this a realization you gained during your pilgrimage?"
Deimos stroked his thick beard, speaking as if he were proud of her. Most clergy members on a pilgrimage gain enlightenment through physical or mental hardship.
He assumed Kate had undergone a similar experience. He guessed that while her body might be fine, the mental toll of hunting demon worshippers had led her to this conclusion.
However, his guess was completely wrong. Kate nodded in affirmation to Deimos’s words, but then she dropped a bombshell.
"Yes. That is why I am telling you this. Our Savior is no different."
"Pardon?"
"What on earth do you mean by...!"
"..."
The statement was so shocking that while their reactions varied, every face was etched with horror.
To suggest that Savior, a nation founded for Luminous, was no different from the darkness under a lamp... It was a dangerous statement that could be branded as sacrilege.
No matter how high Kate’s rank as a Cardinal was, an insult to Luminous was something that could never be tolerated.
Yet Kate herself seemed unbothered, maintaining her calm with that same gentle smile. In fact, she took it a step further.
"Savior is a massive lamp, incomparable to any other. That means an equally massive shadow must be cast beneath it. It means that those subhuman demon worshippers are hiding right here, under the name of Savior."
"H-How can you be so sure? Even for you, Cardinal Kate, that is a very dangerous thing to say. Can you handle the consequences?"
Even Hera, who usually disliked Kate, hurriedly tried to stop her, sensing the gravity of the situation. The others felt the same.
But Kate was resolute. She met each of their gazes one by one before speaking in her characteristically serene voice.
"The Xenon Biography."
"What?"
"That is where I found my certainty. Since you've all read it, this conversation should be simple. The identity of the one who attacked Jin and Lily at the end... was a high-ranking priest of the Holy Kingdom."
The moment Kate said those words, a heavy silence descended upon the room. Not just Deimos, but even Hera looked like she didn't know how to respond.
After all, the conversation had flowed from a cryptic proverb straight into the plot of the Xenon Biography. It was a dizzying leap of logic.
Only one person reacted differently: Bark. The moment he heard Kate’s conclusion, his lips began to quiver before he burst into a loud laugh.
"Hahahaha!!"
"..."
Everyone’s eyes fixed on Bark as he laughed abruptly. Deimos and Hera still looked confused, but Kate remained perfectly calm.
Bark, clutching his stomach in fits of laughter, wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. It was as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.
He continued to chuckle as he looked at Kate. Kate’s face remained almost expressionless.
"I wondered what you were going to say... Cardinal Kate."
"Yes, Cardinal Bark."
"That is quite an entertaining story. I suppose your sense of humor improved during your pilgrimage."
Kate tilted her head at Bark’s words. Lacking in certain areas of common sense, she truly didn't understand what he found so funny.
Seeing her reaction, Bark clicked his tongue and spoke in a soothing tone, as if lecturing a child.
"Cardinal Kate. I am well aware that the Xenon Biography is being treated as a book of prophecy. I also know that Xenon cannot reveal his identity due to the restrictions placed by the gods."
"..."
"But this is too much of a stretch. Savior is a nation built under the protection of Lord Luminous. It is a place where even a shadow cannot exist."
His words reflected a deep, unwavering faith in Luminous. Since every word he said was technically correct, the other Cardinals had no choice but to nod in agreement.
To be honest, Kate’s claims were difficult to accept, and they were, after all, merely "predictions."
Furthermore, the level of her remarks was such that she couldn't complain even if she were charged with sacrilege; they had the potential to throw Savior into utter chaos.
"In fact, I find myself wondering if it is you, Cardinal Kate, who is doubting Lord Luminous. I must ask, cautiously, if these thoughts stem from a lack of faith in His light."
"..."
"Still, as Cardinal Kate suggested, it might be wise to be cautious. I shall personally look into—"
"Cardinal Bark."
"Look into... Yes?"
Bark was forced to stop mid-sentence. Kate’s voice, which had been gentle just a moment ago, had dropped to a chillingly low register.
Moreover, a terrifying pressure was radiating from her. Unable to contain her emotions, a thick, visceral bloodlust began to seep out.
As everyone swallowed hard and turned their eyes toward Kate, Bark saw it clearly.
"How dare you..."
The face of a fanatic consumed by rage.
"How dare you doubt?"
A madness...
"His words?"
...more pure than anything else in existence.