The Lich of Glory Knight Spirit: Moving towards Krimasha!
Chapter 87 - 20: The Whole World as Enemy

Chapter 87: Chapter 20: The Whole World as Enemy

During the three days Gray was in a coma, many, many things happened.

The Silver Moon Knight Order occupied Pearce Cathedral as their office headquarters, and the entire floor where Gray was located was sealed off. Twenty members of the Silver Moon Knight Order guarded him day and night, allowing no one to approach.

Shelley’s eyes were swollen from crying, her tears almost running dry. Yet, the Silver Moon Knight Order was adamant about not allowing anyone except their members to get close to Gray, not even his fiancée, the Holy Knight, could enter the room to see him.

This filled the small White City gang with unease—they even suspected Gray had succumbed to his injuries. After all, rumors were circulating outside that Gray had been carried into the cathedral, and one of those who saw this was a bishop.

Nobody doubted that the bishop would lie about such a matter.

Yilin was ready to break in with a group of people.

At the last moment, it was Count Gruglu who stopped them.

"Gray is fine; what they’re saying is probably true. If Gray were really in trouble, as a member of the Silver Moon Knight Order, there would be two choices: announce his death or hide it. And if they wanted to hide it, the best way would certainly not be to tell us he’s in a coma like now, but rather to have one of the Silver Moon Knight Order wear Gray’s armor and appear in front of everyone. After all, impersonating Gray is easier than impersonating anyone else. Isn’t it?"

These words were very convincing, quickly dispelling Yilin’s doubts. At the same time, they became Shelley’s only lifeline in her grief.

"But why would he let the Silver Moon Knight Order protect him? Don’t we seem more reliable than a group only formed two months ago?" Pas asked.

"Maybe they weren’t formed just two months ago? Perhaps they only received their Silver Moon Knight Order armor two months ago?" Count Gruglu rejoined with implied meaning.

Instantly, everyone was stunned.

Nobody knew about Gray’s past. No one had seen the face beneath his mask.

Probably because his image was so radiant, the Angel protected him, the Church recognized him as the fifth living Holy Knight on the continent, to the extent that everyone selectively ignored the mysterious past of this knight.

Shelley stared vacantly at the tightly closed door in the distance, her heart filled with complex emotions.

Count Gruglu sighed softly, "Wait and see, the real problem is just beginning. Even if he wakes up, he must face a disaster—a terrible disaster."

Unlike the complex emotions pervading the small White City group, on the first day of the Holy Knight era in Lion King City, all the residents were already immersed in joy.

No other war seemed to have ended with such a scene.

The Silver Moon Knights were patrolling the streets and alleys, tirelessly, impartially judging justice. They moved swiftly, with formidable martial prowess, ensuring no evil escaped their eyes. They even, like Gray in the past, anticipated the occurrence of evil to manifest their knightly spirit.

For the villains, it was a nightmare.

In the morning they entered the city, by noon the battlefield was cleaned up, and by the afternoon, the Silver Moon Knights were already collecting lists of the city’s villains, then formed groups to fight evil.

The residents were stunned; they had never seen such proactive law enforcers.

The thugs who collected protection fees were required to return the money to each household with an apology, and if it wasn’t enough, they had to write an IOU. For other law enforcers, such things were perhaps never possible, but the knights of the Silver Moon Knight Order had the patience—they could accompany the thugs door-to-door, demanding an apology in person.

The moment the extorted residents got their money back, they kept pinching their faces, afraid it was a dream, about to wake up.

The thugs collecting protection fees wished they could find a hole to hide in.

You have to admit, villains dealing with villains are the most experienced. They knew what methods could stop certain people from committing evil. Coincidentally, all the members of the Silver Moon Knight Order were once villains. And from Lion King City. Nobody knew the place better than them.

For those for whom evidence was lacking, but reputation was terrible, did you think they used force? And then fall into the infamy of coercive confessions? Then incite public anger?

No, the Silver Moon Knights were diligent and upright, adopting a tracking policy.

It’s said that a notorious villain in Lion King City, upon waking in the afternoon and drawing the curtains, found three Silver Moon Knights standing outside the window staring at him. He was petrified with fear.

No matter what he did, whenever he looked back, he would surely see a Silver Moon Knight watching from the alley’s entrance. Even when he woke in the middle of the night, he found a Silver Moon Knight lying on the window sill of his room. Like ghosts, they were ever-present, everywhere.

Most guilty ones couldn’t withstand the pressure in the end and would rush into the church to surrender the evidence themselves. After all, compared to being followed every day, prison might seem more peaceful.

Those falsely accused had no choice but to open up to the Silver Moon Knight Order transparently and cooperate to find out the rumor-monger.

"Was it because we didn’t perform well before? No! If we were given so many diligent knights, I’d have done better than this!" the former sheriff fumed.

Yet, most people who heard this chose to spit on him.

Everything from the Royal Family’s era was being wildly criticized; a new standard was being born.

The Silver Moon Knight Order lived up to their motto: "Justice! Justice! Justice!"

Perhaps others couldn’t do it, but they could. They could relentlessly pursue justice, requiring no sleep, no rest, no food, no bathroom breaks. Needing nothing, with only justice in their eyes.

Not only that, but they also refused monetary bribes, untouched by beauty, even rejecting water and food residents offered, worrying about their endurance. After all, these things were unnecessary for the undead.

During those days, the church and prison were packed with people. For the self-aware guilty, Lion King City had only these two safe places left.

Everyone was stunned.

"If every city had such a group of undead, how could we lure humans into evil?" Zeda said, covering his face. "Luckily, it’s only temporary."

"Temporary?" Tavia asked, puzzled.

"Do you think such a thing can indefinitely exist?" Zeda whispered, "Everything is only just beginning, watch closely. Changing this world, how can it be that simple?"

Just as Gray was still in a coma, and the residents were rejoicing in the sudden good life, what happened in Lion King City was swiftly spreading across the continent.

"The Holy Knight overthrew the soon-to-be Isaac King?"

Holding the letter, even the Pope couldn’t believe his eyes.

"And it’s a king recognized by the Church, soon to take the throne."

"What did he do? For such a big thing, shouldn’t we be informed in advance?"

"Maybe we could see this positively: he controlled Isaac Kingdom, and we might herald a truly theocratic state."

"Is that so? Along with numerous potential opposition forces. How do you think the Royal Families of other kingdoms would view us?"

The seated cardinals began to discuss eagerly.

"How does the bishop of Isaac evaluate this incident?"

"Anthony said in the letter he couldn’t comment, as he had completely lost control over Holy Knight Gray."

"A praised Holy Knight, uncontrollable by the Church, overthrew a Church-recognized king... this sounds like we are the heretics, doesn’t it?"

In the eyes of the Church’s upper echelons, the image of Holy Knight Gray was gradually transforming from a gift of the Holy Spirit into a massive nightmare.

The Pope had no choice but to put on the most solemn robes and walk into the prayer room deep within the Church. He urgently needed a clear answer from the Holy Spirit.

Letters were flying to Lion King City like snowflakes, as churches, Royal Families, and even small and large dukes from neighboring countries all demanded an explanation from the Church of Isaac Kingdom. Even the Church sent a joint letter from the entire Cardinal Court. Yes, the entire Cardinal Court. Before Gray, hardly anyone forced the entire Cardinal Court to send a joint letter.

Of course, Gray, in his coma, couldn’t reply. The Silver Moon Knight Order even rejected emissaries sent by the Church to Lion King City who wished to see Gray.

This was seen as a severe offense to the Cardinal Court.

The next evening, the Pope emerged from the prayer room. He told everyone that the Holy Spirit has explicitly stated that the actions of Holy Knight Gray were his personal decisions, granted permission by the Holy Spirit but not driven by it.

Immediately, the whole Cardinal Court exploded into confusion.

Of course, this confusion was short-lived. As the highest interpreters of doctrine, the cardinals quickly gave an explanation of the Holy Spirit’s will.

"Granted permission by the Holy Spirit" means Gray is still a Holy Knight, neither falling nor becoming a heretic.

"Not driven by the Holy Spirit’s will" means they could react to Gray’s actions however they deemed appropriate.

Thus, letters were sent out, destined for every country on the continent, to every church in every nation on the continent.

"The actions by Holy Knight Gray were based on his individual understanding of justice, not fully endorsed by the Church. The Church is not prepared to offer any support for his actions."

In a few simple sentences, it practically drew a line between the Church and Gray.

"His prestige is extremely high, unimaginably so. Residents of Lion King City are even willing to venerate him as king, ignoring original succession traditions." A minister said to King Allen Barnett III, "If we assault, we might face unimaginable resistance. And the battle strength of the Silver Moon Knight Order is supposedly fearsome."

"The higher his prestige, the more dangerous. Residents can forgo tradition to make him King of Isaac, nothing assures that one day they’ll also make him King of Allen. As for their strength...however fearsome, there’s only a hundred of them, right? Not every knight’s strength could rival a Holy Knight. Even Benedict said he almost defeated him," Barnett, with graying hair, said while holding four letters in his hand, "Benedict II, Duke Fernandes, Duke Tangjis—all have written to us, hoping we’ll halt this Holy Knight. The reward is half of Isaac Kingdom’s land. It’s worth the risk, right? Other countries are also eager, possibly becoming our allies. The Church’s stance is to let us do whatever, ensuring the Holy Knight won’t receive aid from the Holy Spirit."

Slowly rising, supporting himself on the arms of his throne, Barnett III firmly declared, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; we may finally resolve Allen and Isaac’s thousand-year dispute, and I will become the greatest king in Allen’s history."

Gray probably would never have expected it, that when he raised the banner of justice, the first to draw a distinction with him would be the Church that had enshrined him as a Holy Knight.

At dusk on the third day, he finally slowly woke up, ready to face, with a heart as before, this world that had already changed its face against him.

Upon seeing Gray, Shelley burst into tears, crying "waaah!"