The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 470: Volume 10: Thunderous Movements and Winds Rising, - 5: Testing the Waters

Chapter 470: Volume 10: Thunderous Movements and Winds Rising, Chapter 5: Testing the Waters

"Xerob, the Great Dark Envoy, it seems you have forgotten something. I once mentioned that the Caucasus falls under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Nicosia, and any violations against kingdom laws and prohibitions will not be permitted. While the Great Mysterium Sect may openly preach in the Southern Continent, this is still Nicosia territory, where it remains prohibited. I can only apologize. As for the reasonability and legitimacy of the teachings of the Great Mysterium Sect you speak of, I believe that requires proof through time and practice. Even as the Lord of this region, I am not familiar with your sect. How could I defy the kingdom’s prohibition to allow you to preach here?"

Komer subtly steered the conversation toward the purpose of today’s invitation.

"The matter is simple. Everything about the Great Mysterium Sect is open to the Dark Lord; there is no need to hide anything. Whatever the Dark Lord wishes to understand, Xerob can share without reservation. Moreover, Xerob hopes that if the Dark Lord has the time, you would allow Xerob the honor of accompanying you on a visit to the South to witness the true grace of our sect. The Church of Light claims to be the continent’s foremost sect by leveraging the foundations they built in the northern mortal societies. However, in the South, it is our soil that fosters the growth of the Great Mysterium Sect. I believe, once you understand the true essence and goals we strive for, you will comprehend the secrets behind our sect’s long-standing admiration and devout followership among different races of humans," he said.

Smiling slightly, the gaze of the Great Mysterium Devotee hidden in darkness suddenly brightened, even the thick air of insidiousness dissipating notably, becoming particularly captivating.

"Very well, I hope to see this for myself. I am not a narrow-minded religious zealot, but neither do I oppose the spread of religion. People have the freedom to believe, and naturally, faiths that can bring peace to the citizens’ spirits, encourage good and suppress evil, benefiting society, should of course receive understanding and support from secular authorities," Komer spoke with an undertone, yet to the savvy man in black, the implication was crystal clear.

"Dark Lord, if there is anything that you need our Great Mysterium Sect to do, please feel free to ask. What the Church of Light can do, our sect can also achieve. What they cannot do, we can manage as well. Too many prejudices have been misled by the Church of Light. It seems to them that the Church represents the exclusive choice for instituting righteousness and enlightening the populace, while our sect lurks in the shadows, a sinister assembly of ghosts. I am eager to ask those people, from what have they seen the sanctity of the Church of Light, and where have they witnessed the evils of our Great Mysterium Sect?" Xerob’s words remained measured and calm, as if chatting with an old friend by the fireside on a winter day.

"Mr. Envoy, the Church of Light’s reputation was built gradually, through their centuries of relentless efforts in promoting good and fighting evil ever since they drove back the Magical Beast invasion that nearly destroyed humanity. This accumulation of prestige cannot be achieved overnight. If the Great Mysterium Sect wishes to truly establish itself on the Continent, merely developing in the extraordinary regions of the South will not suffice. Only by facing challenges head-on, by letting the public witness your conduct and words, seeing what principles you uphold and disdain, and proving your sect’s beliefs through the actions of every devotee, rather than resorting to slander and vitriol, can you achieve your goal," Komer said with a light smile, suggesting amicably.

"Ah, the Dark Lord’s words are indeed sensible. However, what opportunities do you perceive now that could prove the principles of our Great Mysterium Sect?" Xerob inwardly chuckled; these feeble ploys were all too clumsy for someone like him. Clearly, Komer needed his help but was reluctant to entangle his requests with the favor he sought, thus circumventing with seemingly strained reasoning.

Nevertheless, Xerob had no intention of calling out the other’s bluff. Goodwill and trust required more interaction to build, and for someone like Komer who had always lived under the shine of the Church of Light, it would take considerable time for him to accept the truth of the Great Mysterium Sect.

Komer also realized that his counterpart seemed to see through his intentions. However, he didn’t mind it. The Church of Light’s footing in the Caucasus naturally raised suspicions in the sect, and perhaps the confrontation between the two was precisely what Komer wished to witness.

"Xerob, the Great Dark Envoy, in the eastern foothills of the Baden Gold Mountain Range, the citizens have discovered two Wicked Dragons lurking near a mine, greatly disturbing their normal lives. If your sect could find a way to drive these Wicked Dragons away from the area, it would surely leave a favorable impression of the Great Mysterium Sect. This may even aid in the development of your sect within this region," Komer proposed.

"Wicked Dragons? The Baden Gold Mountain Range? To my knowledge, that does not fall under your territory, Lord Komer, but should belong to the range of the Barbarians. Could it be that they have already submitted to the Caucasus?" Xerob inquired, his brow slightly furrowed and his pale face appearing somewhat exacerbated.

"No, Mr. Xerob, doing good knows no bounds. Are you suggesting that the Great Mysterium Sect would need to discriminate by race and region to do a good deed?" Komer queried in return.

"Oh, Xerob had no such intention, the God of the Underworld cares for the citizens of all races on the Continent just the same. Just as light can shine upon any place, darkness will not miss any corner either, every person has the right to enjoy the blessings of the God of the Underworld," the man in black’s pallid face lifted with a faint smile, "However, God’s Abandoned People are not included in this."

"God’s Abandoned People?" Startled, Komer had yet to come to terms with the notion.

"How can those who lack even the faith in a deity receive the grace and care of the gods? These barbarians lack the foundation of civilization and the most basic faith. The appearance of the Wicked Dragon is merely a minor punishment for their disbelief in the gods. Over so many years, they have been confined to the Cordillera Wilderness, unable to step away, yet they never repented. The current destitute state of their people, isn’t it a divine punishment?"

The man lifted his dark pupils, his face taking on a cold expression as he claimed to be a faithful follower of the God of the Underworld.

Only then did Komer realize, the barbarians living on the Cordillera Wilderness do not worship the traditional deities of the Continent. They believe in the spirits of heaven and earth, opposing idol worship; their shamans, who preside over faith and sacrificial rights, are said to possess the ability to communicate with heaven and earth, not only healing the sick but also predicting the future through special methods and techniques, yet they never interfere with the tribe’s internal administrative affairs.

Because of this, the barbarians, as a race, find it difficult to coexist peacefully with other races on the whole continent that have the tradition of worshipping deities, and it is precisely this point that Xerob had just referred to.

"Heh, Mr. Xerob, your point of view may have some merit. However, if the Great Mysterium Sect could overturn the barbarians’ tradition of not worshipping deities with their own actions, wouldn’t that be an earth-shattering, ghost-weeping event? Mr. Xerob, have you considered the impact this would have on the populace of the whole continent that worships deities?" Komer did not give up, refuting with conviction.

Seemingly moved by the other’s words, the man in black fell silent for a while. In fact, Xerob was contemplating the other’s eager intent to facilitate this matter, and understood the nature of the barbarians well; mere superficial measures were unlikely to subdue them. Xerob had no intention of involving the Great Mysterium Sect in this unfounded act of "valor," but now the preordained Dark Lord of the Sect seemed so persistent, it made him reconsider carefully.

"Dark Lord, since you so value our Great Mysterium Sect, I have nothing more to say. I can relay your opinion back to the Temple of the Great Mysterium Sect, asking the Mage King and the other Envoys to discuss this matter. After all, the Wicked Dragon is no weakling; to eliminate it, we need to be thoroughly prepared. However, I must also ask you to seriously consider my suggestion, Dark Lord—if you are merely humoring us or using us, it would hardly be in keeping with our original intentions," the man in black’s expression turned exceedingly solemn.

"Please rest assured, Mr. Xerob, I shall give it thought. If the Great Mysterium Sect is as commendable as you describe, even if I am not some so-called Dark Lord, I might still faithfully believe. I truly hope that day comes," Komer felt a wave of pleasure, finally managing to persuade the man, and saw it as an opportunity to witness the true strength of the Sect that dared challenge the Church of Light.

Watching the man’s fleeting figure depart, Komer could finally take a deep breath and settle his mind.

The details of the Great Mysterium Sect were nearly unknown on the Continent. Although they had considerable foundations and power in some countries and regions of the South, under the repression of the Church of Light in various ways, they had virtually no foundation in the North, and the situation in the South was also becoming less optimistic as the Church of Light increasingly relied on the power of local secular governments to oppress and weaken the Sect. All this forced the Great Mysterium Sect to seek change for survival, which was the real reason for Xerob, the Great Dark Envoy, to head North.

According to Rebry’s introduction, within the Temple of the Great Mysterium Sect, there were at least ten mages with strength not inferior to his, and a number of others comparable in power to him. Such formidable strength, if not used, would be against Komer’s nature; the barbarians’ plea provided him an opportunity for observation.

This was a chance to kill two birds with one stone. Komer had indeed been tempted to take up the supposed duty and responsibility of the Dark Lord as urged by the mysterious sect. He could almost be certain that the Great Mysterium Sect had ties inseparable from the bygone Dark Holy Church lost to history. Yet why Kennifer III had left nothing of this in his memory was beyond Komer’s understanding. Perhaps Kennifer III, having become the Emperor of the Dark Empire, deemed it beneath him to mention a role unsuitable for an emperor; this was Komer’s rather far-fetched self-explanation.