Right here, right now.
After the "Bone Duke" had completely perished.
A new god, known as the "Absolver," had been born from His power.
The God of Defiance was by no ans a weak deity.
He was the punisher of traitors and the guide of the enlightened. This ant that within the realm of "defiance," there certainly existed divine abilities to either punish sinners or lead them to redemption.
Thus, it was impossible for Him to beco an Evil God.
The "Church of Defiance" could even secure support from the upper echelons of various nations.
Divine abilities that could discover, stop, and chastise traitors... were undoubtedly aningful to those in power, and the ability to guide those who had strayed back to the Righteous Path also ensured that the "Church of Defiance" would be highly esteed among the common folk and in the grey areas of society.
These were talents that even the twelve True Gods would seek to recruit.
It was just uncertain under which True God He would serve as an subordinate deity...
Although He was born from the powers of the Bone Crone, it seed His abilities were not particularly compatible with hers, nor were they closely related domains. The Red Knight’s war domain seed to blend with the defiance domain, but not quite fittingly either.
Nevertheless, the Absolver, even if not serving as a subordinate god to any True God, would definitely hold a status of considerable exaltation.
At least in this instant.
Arthur and Yufimia certainly felt their hearts stir.
All the sailors aboard the treasure ship "Silver" had assembled under Selicia’s charm. Naturally, there was a part that lusted after her body... but the bigger reason was the sense of belonging from "finding one of their own."
——These people could recognize their own kind when they saw them.
Every person on this ship was a failure in life.
They all once followed a fervent devotion, only to proclaim their failure for so pragmatic reason.
Hidden underneath their personas that were either gentle, arrogant, or aloof... was a uniform sense of inferiority.
And now, as custodians of the holy covenants—the first Pope of the new god was most likely to erge from among them.
It was a true ascension to the heavens.
If soone desired to walk the path of the clergy... with just one step forward, it would be the endpoint.
Even as a Pope of a False God, the Absolver’s control over the "defiance domain" would directly grant them a status close to that of a sovereign... This influence could even transcend national borders.
With this power in hand... their once completely proclaid failures of desires could possibly have a chance to start anew.
Arthur was about to speak:
"Your Grace, the Absolver..."
"—Lady Absolver."
But at that mont, Selicia’s voice interrupted him.
She stepped forward slowly, her gaze fixed on the Absolver.
Seeing her speak out, Arthur and Yufimia hesitated for a mont, then closed their mouths. Though her face was masked, Yufimia’s complexion notably darkened... Arthur seed better off, rely pursing his lips slightly and contemplating quietly.
If the captain were to beco the new god’s Pope, it wouldn’t be bad either.
At least they could also indirectly utilize this imnse political influence...
If things went smoothly...
But before he thought further, Selicia’s words took them by surprise:
"Do you still have contact with Duke Winter? I wish to see him."
"—Captain?!"
"...Lady Selicia?"
Ofelia, holding the Golden Harp, and the horse-like girl Lucia looked over in astonishnt.
They all knew sothing about Cesilia’s past, more or less, especially Lucia... As a centaur who could see the threads of fate, she could even see everything about Cesilia "before she beca Cesilia."
But everyone on board knew that their captain had always been trying to search for the "Winter Reverser."
She seed to be deeply in love with her teacher.
It was an overt love, fervent like that of a loyal dog.
Whether she was a mber of the Icebreaker Army or had t him only after the Winter Reverser entered the Underworld... rely based on her feelings for the "Winter Reverser," Cesilia would undoubtedly beco an enemy of the Winter Duchy.
Given her fiery and passionate nature, she had indeed killed so spies the Winter Duchy sent to the Underworld. With the efficiency of the Winter Duchy’s intelligence departnt, the "Silver Brigade" should have been on their blacklist long ago.
And now, hearing her say this...
She was actually planning to et with the Grand Duke of Winter in person?
Wasn’t that like walking into a trap?
"I have no intention of competing with you for the Pope’s position,"
Cesilia glanced at her crew and answered earnestly, "I never thought that what I pursued in the past would now be within reach...
"Only that person could never deceive , for it would be pointless. He offered an irrefutable proposition. If all goes well, I think... I might have to withdraw from this journey."
Cesilia spoke seriously, "If things really do turn out that way... Arthur, I’ll leave this ship to you."
"...I don’t want it."
Arthur’s face darkened, his intimidating, lava-like eyes fixed intently on Cesilia: "Such things will only make less pure.
"Moreover, if I could beco the Pope, I would also have to leave the ship, Captain."
"I must fight for this opportunity to beco the Pope at all costs,"
Just then, Yufimia, wearing a iron mask, looked at the Absolver and said devoutly, "If I cannot beco the Pope, I am willing to beco your follower... because I truly, very much need your Divine Arts."
"Hey, hey, don’t be like that..."
Ofelia smiled wryly, "Are we going to disband now?"
The centaur lady beside them nervously tapped her hind hooves, too timid to make a sound.
Before their eyes, an odd contradiction erupted within the Silver Brigade.
—But Cesilia was not surprised by this.
What outsiders did not know was that.
The Silver Brigade wasn’t just recruiting new mbers based on "fate’s decree."
There strange rule of "tell a story to send soone on their way," was exactly because of the special needs of the treasure ship "Silver."
In fact.
Rather than saying "Silver" is a treasure ship that can traverse the obstacles of the material domain and go anywhere in the world.
It was more akin to a living sanctuary...
A monster that lived by devouring dreams.
In this world, there are no such fairy-tale things.
Just like the nightmare nad Sporogenesis Mill.
Underneath the candy coating of fairy tales, writhed flesh and blood.
"Silver" indeed devoured matter around its berthing location, but this was actually just to repair itself. The substance consud was not enough to provide the energy to "travel" and dematerialize itself... What fueled "Silver" were the "dreams" of the crew and passengers.
It was only when soone desperately wished to go sowhere that this living ship from The Void World could subrge in The Void. These crew mbers, whose hearts were filled with longing but whose dreams had shattered and who were no longer in a hurry, were like batteries.
The captain naturally possessed the power to use the desires of the crew and passengers as an energy source.
And in exchange, the ship would never take the crew to their "destination."
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