The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 487: Volume 10: Thunderous Movements and Winds Rising, - 22: Deception and Intrigue

Chapter 487: Volume 10: Thunderous Movements and Winds Rising, Chapter 22: Deception and Intrigue

Philip’s proud head now silently dipped, and he remained speechless for a long time. His gaze wandered over the faces of the two men before finally locking onto another person’s face. "It is an honor for our Homer region to be so highly regarded by the Church of Light. May I know if there’s anything in particular that requires the support of Homer?"

The Church of Light had always had a tense relationship with Duke Philip. Years ago, they had even become hostile over certain issues. Had it not been for someone mediating between the two parties at the time, it was uncertain to what extent their relationship might have worsened.

Although Duke Philip’s Mage Corps still contained a substantial number of Mages from the Church of Light, over the years, Philip had intentionally reduced his reliance on the Church of Light, turning instead to the hiring of other Mages. This had made the Church more skeptical about the religious policies in the Homer region, fearing that Homer might be the first among the territories within the Kingdom of Nicosia to loosen restrictions on the Dark Class religions, adopting a much more relaxed policy that could even be described as completely laissez-faire. Such a move was undoubtedly unacceptable to the Church of Light.

"Your Grace, I think you may have some deep misunderstandings about our Church of Light. There’s no need to dwell on who was right and who was wrong regarding the past events. It’s been such a long time, and both the Kingdom’s Privy Council and Archbishop Jazair have stepped in to mediate between us. That matter should be considered settled by now. However, I have noticed that Your Grace still harbors certain prejudices against our Church of Light, for example, in the hiring for the Mage Corps. Your Grace would rather spend a huge sum of money and effort on hiring from abroad, than to invite Mages or Priests from the Church of Light to join the Homer Mage Corps. Personally, I believe that this falls within the rights of Your Grace, and it’s not my place to comment further," he said.

"However, when it comes to the religious state policy of the kingdom, banning the presence of Dark Forces within the kingdom’s boundaries, that is a unanimous agreement reached between all the territories of the kingdom, including Homer, and our Church of Light. If Dark Forces are allowed to spread within one’s own territory, the consequences would be unprecedentedly severe. Once the evil Dark Forces take control of the thoughts and beliefs of the populace, the whole continent will be shrouded in a storm of blood and butchery. I believe Your Grace is aware of the harm people suffered during the rule of the Dark Empire centuries ago. Just think of those malevolent, sneaky Necromancers, Soul Wizards, and Dark Sorcerers coming with various undead creatures, aberrations and Magical Beasts. Imagine the once simple folk becoming crazed by such extreme dark ideologies. What then would the world become? I believe any Lord with a sense of justice and responsibility for their people would not want to see such a phenomenon occur, and certainly not Duke Philip!"

The speaker was a person of significant influence in the Homer region, the Chief Mage of the Homer Mage Corps and an important missionary dispatched to the Homer region by the Church of Light. Of course, his main duty was not missionary work—that fell to the Priests and Clergy. His responsibilities included ensuring the absolute position of the Church of Light in the region, preventing and eradicating the presence of Dark Forces locally, and assisting the secular Lord in maintaining secular rule, with the former being his primary duty.

It should be said that since Onassis took over as Chief Mage of the Homer Mage Corps, the relationship between the Church of Light and the secular Lord of the region had improved significantly. The Church’s Bishop in this area also adhered to the Church’s intentions, on one hand downplaying disputes over secular power to avoid direct conflict with the upper echelons of Homer, and on the other hand working actively to extend their influence beyond Cyprus, striving to maintain the Church of Light’s control over this area in this manner.

"We have always hoped that Homer might serve as a model region for the kingdom, as after all, Homer is one of the most important regions in the Kingdom of Nicosia. Seeing the relationship between the Central Kingdom and Homer reach this state, our Church of Light is also deeply concerned. The beastmen in the North are coveting our land, while the kingdom might be on the verge of internal conflict under such circumstances, which is surely not what any party wants to see. Therefore, we hope that both the Central Kingdom and Homer can be more rational and pragmatic, not letting conflicts over economic interests spiral out of control. Step back, and the sky’s the limit. Our Church of Light is also willing to mediate between the two parties to avoid the escalation of this conflict," he said.

Confronted with the slightly rambling sermon of this Priest Onassis, Philip maintained a steady expression on the surface, but inwardly he was filled with contempt.

If one were to talk about Magic Skills and Level, this individual could be considered first-rate; no one in his own Mage Corps could match him. However, he knew that this individual’s character was not as upright and candid as his sanctimonious appearance suggested. He was very adept at disguising his true nature and was honey-tongued but with a heart of a sword. Most people would be deceived by his sincere and kind outward persona. But to Philip, who had spent his lifetime grappling with plots and power plays, such tricks were difficult to hide from his perception.

The Church of Light constantly preached their commitment to saving the continent’s populace from their lost faith, urging the public to atone and promote kindness, but in reality, they were advancing their own doctrines and expanding their reach and power. Philip had long been aware of this, which is why he resolutely tore his face from the Church of Light, seizing that opportunity to make them restrain themselves. However, he also understood that the Church of Light had deep roots among the continent’s common folk, and to completely detach from them would bring many troubles to his rule as well.

Mutual dependency and utilization coupled with restraint and exclusion, this seems to be the contradictory relationship between regional authorities across the continent and the Church of Light. When the needs of one side exceed those of the other, one becomes the mainstream, and a transformation occurs when it reaches a certain level.

"Mr. Onassis, as you mentioned, the friction between the Church of Light and myself has become a thing of the past. Mr. Onassis and Bishop Bella have cooperated with me in Homer quite tacitly, and I must say I am very satisfied with this. However, the current situation could indeed disrupt the already tense state of affairs within the Kingdom. His Majesty the King has been misled by some cunning courtiers, resulting in misunderstandings and prejudices towards us Great Lords. I have personally discussed this matter with Duke Zellin."

"Although Homer is my territory, it is also a land of His Majesty the King. Never has Homer harbored any other intentions, but the Kingdom has lately made some moves against Homer that have hurt our sentiments. Personally, I find this to be very regrettable and worrisome. The situation around the Kingdom is also quite dire at the moment, especially the threat from the Northern Beastmen. At a time like this, we should be working together to overcome challenges. I am saddened by the current state of affairs, and I would be most grateful if the Church could work to ease the tensions between Central Kingdom and Homer at this time."

Philip appeared to choose his words carefully, pausing before speaking again: "While the propagation and growth of the Church of Light in Homer have been robust, there is still room for improvement and promotion, I believe. On this point, I am very willing to consult with the Church, and Homer is also willing to further promote the spread of the Church of Light in Homer."

A satisfied smile finally emerged on Onassis’s lips. Although Philip’s words might be hard to interpret for the average person, for someone like Onassis, who understood the unspoken, this was already a form of compromise.

The missionary work of the Church of Light in the Homer region had faced many restrictions, even more so than some of the other neutral sects, which was a considerable source of dissatisfaction for the Church. Gaining a breakthrough in Homer could also positively influence the surrounding regions, such as the Galle region.

"Your Grace, I am confident that through communication and dialogue, the Church of Light and Homer can find more common ground. As for the situation with the Central Kingdom, I also believe that after careful consideration, His Majesty the King will be able to see the situation more clearly and make a choice that is beneficial for both sides," Onassis said.

As they picked up their cups, the rich, dark brown liquid exuded a fragrant aroma. The gazes of Philip and Onassis met, both instinctively narrowing their eyes.

At many times, both sides had to rely on and support each other, sharing both prosperity and loss, yet there seemed to be irreconcilable contradictions in their fundamental interests. This strange phenomenon would persist, often becoming even more apparent.

"Mr. Onassis, I’ve heard there are signs of a bud stage of Dark Forces in the Caucasus region; perhaps you’ve heard of it as well? This is not a good omen. While the Caucasus is my territory, I must admit that I have limited influence and control over that somewhat remote land. I’ve also heard that Pastor Gustav was sent by Bishop Bella to preach there. Surely they cannot be entirely ignorant of these developments? I ask that you pay sufficient attention to this matter. I’ve also learned that Judges of the Church Tribunal have been touring the Kingdom lately. If you feel your powers are insufficient to uncover the truth, perhaps it’s worth mentioning the issue to the Tribunal. Some problems are best resolved in their bud stage."

Philip’s balanced words caused Onassis to feel a chill.

In fact, the situation in the Caucasus had already attracted ample attention from the Church of Light. The Great Mysterium Devotees were active in the region, and there were some connections suggested between the death of Miron Mage of Versailles and the local Caucasus Lord. Additionally, the Church’s missionaries had been unduly praising that Lord. Yet for some reason, there had been no clear statement from the Archbishop regarding the Caucasus?

This, combined with the fact that two senior Thunderhorse Knights remained in the Caucasus without making contact, left Onassis perplexed as to what distinguished the son of Finance Minister Ramla to such an extent that Duke Philip regarded him with such wariness, even considering using the Church’s influence to suppress or eradicate him.