Chapter 283: The Tin Knight and the City of Hubris (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 283: The Tin Knight and the City of Hubris (3)
Perhaps the blow you dealt it had been quite a painful one.
The red mist remained quiet, making no further moves.
But you knew.
It hadn't given up. It was merely biding its time, waiting for an opportunity.
Amidst this subtle, mutual standoff, Sophia’s story continued to unfold.
Intense holy power and the status of a confidante to a renowned priest.
With these two forces in her grasp, Sophia’s standing became completely different from what it had been before.
She was now free to wander the city, and conversely, the number of people visiting her home to speak with her grew by the day.
If, at this point, Sophia had acted arrogantly or grown complacent, relying solely on the holy power she possessed, people might have praised her to her face but would have secretly kept their distance.
But Sophia’s passion for learning was genuine, and she acted as if the holy power she held was nothing particularly special.
And this was a city of scholarship and debate.
A place where culture, knowledge, and the attitude of seeking to understand the principles of things were deemed worthy of respect.
To receive the benefits of her holy power, out of simple curiosity, to use her as a stepping stone to get closer to the elderly priest, or to see through her supposed false reputation and steal her fame for themselves.
People approached Sophia with all sorts of intentions. They engaged her in countless conversations, and Sophia, as if nourished by every one of them, continued to grow as a scholar. In turn, people came to acknowledge her, were inspired by her, and respected her.
Sophia’s father, who was initially flustered by the situation, did a complete one-eighty and began to actively support her once her fame started to elevate the family name.
Of course, as is the way of the world, the more that happened, the more people harbored negative feelings toward Sophia, seeking any opportunity to tear her down.
Her older brother was a prime example.
“Father, you must do something about Sophia immediately! How can you stand by and watch as that wench, who doesn't even have proper citizenship, acts so wantonly?”
“It is a long-standing custom of this city to recognize any person with mana or holy power as a citizen, regardless of their gender or their family’s lack of wealth. Sophia will gain her citizenship in a few years anyway. Is there any need to be so difficult about it?”
“This is no time for such leisurely talk! Do you know what people are saying outside? They’re saying that Sophia is the most brilliant and outstanding member of our family! That without Sophia, our house is nothing! Does that make any sense?”
Despite his son’s fierce complaints, the father did not nod.
He simply looked at his son with eyes full of concern.
“As soon as she obtains her citizenship, Sophia will leave the family and become independent.”
“What?”
“It was her request. At first, I wondered why she would ask for such a thing, but now I see. She knew this would happen. She foresaw that her presence here would cause discord. Hah.”
Sophia’s father placed both hands on his son’s shoulders and met his eyes.
“Do you understand? That child has no intention of fighting you for the position of heir. You are the one who will inherit the family’s wealth and history. Does that ease your anxiety?”
“Ah, Father, that’s not what I meant…”
“Here, look at my arm. I’ve had these minor tremors ever since my time on the battlefield when I was young, but after Sophia tended to it once, they vanished completely. And that’s not all. I no longer have to worry about my joints aching when I go up and down the stairs, nor do I have to worry about fatigue the next day after working late.”
“…”
“Even nobles in other countries, with their storehouses full of gold, silver, and bountiful grain, cannot enjoy such luxury. Only a king or a great noble of equivalent stature could hope for a similar position. That is what a priest is. Simply having one by your side can keep illness and aging at bay.”
“…”
“If you cannot embrace her out of familial affection, then evaluate her with the eyes of a merchant weighing profit and loss. I am already old, so at best I can avoid some minor ailments. But if you, who are still young, receive the benefits of holy power every day, your very lifespan will change. Now, tell me. Which is more profitable for you: hating and pushing her away, or embracing her as family?”
“I understand what you’re trying to say.”
From your perspective, it was clear he didn’t understand at all, but Sophia’s father, satisfied with the answer, placated his son and sent him away.
Wondering if this boy was a ticking time bomb, you tried to see if you could smash his head in preemptively, but unfortunately, it was impossible to strike him.
A truly lamentable state of affairs.
“It’s infuriating to see that young girl acting all high and mighty, being called a genius and a saint. She’s tarnishing the history and tradition of this city.”
“Oh, Lord! Why have you granted your power to one so foolish as to refuse to serve by your side? Had you given me that power, I would have served you with all my heart and soul!”
“Insolent bitch. How dare she ignore my proposal! It’s only natural that we noble scholars should be healed before the ignorant masses on the street!”
Besides them, others who grumbled and complained about Sophia were scattered throughout the city, but to put it another way, her reputation grew day by day to the point where such people could not dare to raise their voices openly.
Among them, the ones who followed Sophia most fervently were those who questioned the heavenly realm known as the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ and the god they served.
“Is the ‘Lord’ that the Kingdom of Heaven speaks of truly an omnipotent being?”
“Can the presence or absence of holy power be the standard by which to judge one’s faith?”
“They take those with holy power to the Kingdom of Heaven, but is that truly the will of God?”
These were not people who particularly hated God or wished to deny His existence.
On the contrary, they belonged to a group that was extremely faithful to the duties of a scholar.
To question every idea in the world with ‘why,’ and to investigate it.
To not simply accept a phenomenon as ‘natural,’ but to find the reason behind it.
They simply questioned and investigated this and that until they eventually applied the same standard to the existence of ‘God.’ They held no particular malice.
But people treated them as heretics and eccentrics.
Even in Doria, a nation of scholars, the act of questioning God or trying to judge His rights and wrongs was considered blasphemous.
In fact, it was only because this was Doria that they survived after raising such questions; in any other country, they would have been openly beheaded without a word of complaint.
The influence of the Kingdom of Heaven on the mortal world was that absolute.
For one, people couldn’t carelessly voice doubts about God for fear of how others would see them. Even if they mustered the courage to speak, they couldn’t escape the accusation, ‘Aren’t you just saying that out of jealousy because you can’t go to the Kingdom of Heaven?’
But Sophia was different.
She was a rare being who had the right to go to the heavens but chose to remain on earth. At the same time, she was one who had openly questioned the policies of the Kingdom of Heaven, yet instead of being persecuted, she was chosen as a discussion partner by a highly respected priest.
For those who held doubts in their hearts but were unable to speak out, blocked by the absolute precept against blasphemy, Sophia was the ideal focal point.
They doubted God, they debated God, and they sought to understand God.
People called these individuals, or their gatherings, Hubris (ὕβρις).
Due to the patriarchal social structure, Sophia only had her given name and no separate surname, but as she rose to a position representing the school of Hubris, that title came to be treated as something akin to a family name.
Though its concept was somewhat different from the surnames you were familiar with.
And so, several more years passed.
Stated like that, it sounds like a very long time had passed, but in truth, your subjective experience of time was not so long.
It was similar to how decades can pass in a dream without feeling long at all.
The young girl Sophia had grown into a woman who looked similar to the one you knew, but a little younger.
Many admired her for her beautiful green hair and outstanding beauty, but Sophia did not marry.
Considering the culture of Doria you had observed, this was quite unusual. It was made possible not only by Sophia’s own will but also by a complex web of political intentions.
The Hubris school led by Sophia had grown into a massive faction, almost unrecognizable from its past as a mere club, and Sophia also served as a paramedic and doctor for emergency patients in the city.
The various factions in the city did not want Sophia’s marriage to tip the scales of power toward any particular group, and the rumor that she might ascend to the heavens at any moment also served as a bulwark that allowed her to avoid marriage.
Suddenly, you felt the hazy passage of time sharpen into focus.
You also noticed the presence of the faint red mist growing clearer and more distinct.
It was proof that a turning point in Sophia’s life, much like her dialogue with the elderly priest, was now at hand.
“Lady Sophia, it is something I have long suspected but denied, but now I am certain. The Kingdom of Heaven—they are by no means the benevolent and just beings they are known to be!”
“We have secured ancient texts from the ruins of an old kingdom. And we have realized it. The civilization of this continent is developing at an unnaturally slow pace, and there are those who are guiding it to do so!”
“The reason why records of the great civilizations that existed in the past are strangely absent, the reason why those who tried to uncover the origins of the so-called magic beasts repeatedly disappear, the reason why ‘misfortune’ conveniently strikes whenever a certain nation tries to grow beyond a certain level of power! We suspected, and now we know the answer.”
“It’s them! They have instigated strife on the surface, placed foolish rulers on thrones, and hindered the development of civilization! While pretending to comfort people with gentle and merciful faces, they have been committing acts more heinous than any vicious criminal organization!”
“We must spread this truth far and wide, and the people of the world must join forces to escape the cage they have built!”
In response to the words of her followers, Sophia answered.
“—No. If we condemn the heavens without clear proof, the world will try to silence us and erase our existence. Before we rashly raise our voices, we must first secure undeniable evidence and build a foundation for people to accept it.”
“—I understand. Let us inform the people of the truth and condemn the arrogance of the heavens. The time has come for the light of the earth to dispel the dark clouds of the heavens. Let us hurry.”
The two voices overlapped.
The world split in two, and two different scenes unfolded before your eyes.
《STAGE 2nd. VS ≡二三二≡≡二三二≡》
《If you win the confrontation, you can choose the desired history.》
《If you lose the confrontation, ≡二三二≡≡二三二≡ will ≡二三二≡≡二三二≡ with Sophia Hubris's body.》
The red mist gathered and took on a human form.
If the red mist you first encountered was merely a humanoid mass, this one more closely resembled the figure of a woman.
Your body felt a little heavier than usual, but you paid it no mind.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ declares that compared to the giant boulder that once blocked its path, a thing like you is nothing more than a small fry!]