The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 381: Volume 7: The Awakening Spring Thunder, - 9: Heaven Rewards the Diligent_3

Chapter 381: Volume 7: The Awakening Spring Thunder, Chapter 9: Heaven Rewards the Diligent_3

It seemed that the Church of Light was set on wearing him down, as those two Thunderhorse Knights hadn’t ceased their pursuit and surveillance of him for a moment. However, limited by his own status, they couldn’t adopt more aggressive means to deal with him. Fortunately, he had already adapted to their methods. Perhaps he would even miss them if they were suddenly gone one day. His flat-out rejection of their proposal to strictly forbid heretical preaching here had led them to fall back to their second request, which was for him to crack down on the Great Mysterium Sect—a demand that was difficult to refuse.

Although the Kingdom of Nicosia adopted a tolerant stance toward various sects, there didn’t seem to be any leniency shown toward the so-called sects of dark gods. Although the kingdom’s laws didn’t explicitly state this, looking at the kingdom’s history over the past one hundred years, it seemed no Dark Sects dared to openly preach within the realm. However, practitioners of Dark Magic seemed to appear in certain regions of the kingdom without facing strict restrictions. It was this ambivalent air of freedom that made the Kingdom of Nicosia the most religiously lenient nation on the Blue Continent. Of course, the thriving development of various sects on this land was built on the foundations of conforming to Kingdom Law and not interfering with domestic affairs.

With a faint sigh, he felt as though he was being pushed step by step along this path. Which way should he go, the way of the Lord or the path of the Dark Mage? For the moment, Komer was at a loss. Rebry and his gang finally welcomed a friend skilled in civil and mechanical works; they seemed excited, probably preparing to undertake a big project inside Damarlinsk Castle. Meanwhile, the Thunderhorse Knights had also noted the presence of these people, occasionally appearing around the castle. If not for the knightly code that restrained them, perhaps they would have already marched into the Castle to meet Rebry’s friends.

The emerging sectarian disputes within his territory also made Komer aware of the difficulties that came with leadership. The dominance of the Church of Light was absolutely not part of Komer’s plan. However, the outright appearance of Dark Sects would also cause a great uproar. The best solution was to allow sects—which were neither of the Church of Light nor serious violators of Kingdom Law—to establish and take root in Caucasus. This would preempt the Church of Light’s plan to gain an early foothold, laying the foundation for healthy competition among the various sects in the future. As for the Dark Sects, even if he supported them deep down, he had to take things one step at a time. The center of the territory, Ugru, was definitely not suitable, but Mattdam or Bahomon might be good alternatives.

The goddess Artemis, devoutly worshipped by many Mortals and most Half-Beastmen, soon had a temple built by a seemingly inconsequential small sect in Ugru, marking the arrival of religious influence in Caucasus at last. Komer knew that such developments were inevitable, and rather than passively restricting them, he preferred to take an active role in control. This was his attitude towards matters whose benefits and detriments to his rule were hard to determine. It wasn’t long before other sects, including those elves who worshipped the Goddess of Nature Minto, quickly completed the Temple of the Nature Goddess. Some fervent Half-Beastmen chose the War God Mars; although his temple was small, most of its worshippers were from Komer’s Lord’s Guard. They believed that worshipping the War God Mars would bring them his blessings in battles to protect their Lord’s safety and interests. Komer foresaw that soon enough, sects from all over the Continent would establish themselves here, including the Church of Light.

Marco. Inside Pericles Cathedral, sunshine streamed through the multicolored embossed stained-glass windows in the dome, casting a spectrum of changing lights onto the altar. The twisting and turning beams in the depths of the hall imparted a sense of the mystical. Pericles Cathedral employed the Basilica System building structure as mandated by the renowned Terun Council of the Church of Light. The windows around the hall were all sealed off to serve as places for important figures to atone and confess. The nave became the holy site for ordinary believers. The altar was shrouded in incense, and the flickering of candlelights created a colorful display. The statuette of the God of Light, nailed in the middle of the triangular frame, was shown with arms outstretched in a welcoming embrace. His robust chest muscles looked particularly mighty in the play of light and shadows, and his proud and unrestrained head tilted upward, conveying a commanding aura that let people fully sense his supreme status. The seven-string harp angled behind him seemed to be playing celestial music that enlightened the mortals, blurring reality and making one recall their own sins and gratitude towards God.

Another halo of light rising slowly was not from the daylight outside but emanated from the slender old man seated next to the altar on the big chair. His fluctuating aura of light, which brightened and dimmed, reflected back against the column of light above the altar. It was hard for common folk to believe that such otherworldly phenomena could originate from a mortal; perhaps in their eyes, only a supreme deity could display such unpredictable wonders. This was the God of Light’s divine messenger, the Archbishop of the Pericles Cathedral Church, and the Archbishop of the entire diocese, Frenster.

As the light gradually faded, the two people approaching were finally able to clearly see the face of the one sitting in the chair.

"Archbishop, Captain Kent of the Thunderhorse Knights requests an audience."

"Oh, let him come in." The slender old man seated in the big chair slowly opened his eyes. The world was so tranquil, and yet there were still countless mundane affairs that required his attention. Wasn’t that a desecration and insult to his faith? Frenster didn’t know whether he was right or wrong. Perhaps it would only be upon ascending to heaven that he would understand the path he sought. "Bathed in eternal fire for everlasting life," a phrase oddly out of place surfaced in his refreshingly clear mind.