Chapter 696: 694 Temptation_1
The night was pitch black, but the Holy Light Cathedral was as bright as day.
The holy beam of light descending from the heavens forever banished the darkness from taking its place.
Yet, in such a solemn and sacred place, the atmosphere tonight was not solemn.
“We must retaliate! Otherwise, where will the church’s dignity and prestige be?”
“Exactly! We must let those damned nobles know, their authority cos from the Supre Lord!”
“Indeed, if we do nothing, wouldn’t that be admitting that the Emperor of the Empire doesn’t need the coronation of the Church? That Monarchy trumps Theocracy?”
...
…
Pope nsai stood expressionless before the statue of the Lord of Glory, listening to the vehent accusations of the high-ranking church officials around him, showing no reaction.
Upon closer inspection, one would find that the Pope’s eyes had lost their focus, presumably lost in thought sowhere.
“Your Holiness! Your Holiness!”
Not receiving a response from the Pope for a while, Cardinal Kendall finally couldn’t help but call out.
nsai finally ca back to his senses, cleared his throat lightly, and casually asked:
“What’s the matter?”
Kendall replied, frustrated:
“Your Holiness, are you really prepared to do nothing? Are we just going to let Colin St. Chapman do as he pleases?
His hostility and threat to the Church are unprecedented. We must retaliate!”
“How can we retaliate?” nsai asked, his face expressionless.
“Of course, with drastic asures!” Kendall said through gritted teeth, “Just as we dealt with the Chapman Family three hundred years ago!”
“Three hundred years ago?” nsai twitched the corner of his mouth, pulling out a grim smile, “Do you think it’s still three hundred years ago? Or do you think the Duke St. Chapman from three hundred years ago is comparable to the current Duke St. Chapman?
The Duke St. Chapman of that ti was not a Holy Knight, nor did he have the prestige of commanding the battle of Luwal Valley, let alone control of the Empire’s most elite army!
You tell , facing Colin St. Chapman, even if we send out the Temple Knight Regint, could we really kill him?”
Yet Kendall did not back down, replying coldly:
“Your Holiness, are we truly incapable of dealing with Colin St. Chapman? Let us not forget the Golden Horn!”
At the ntion of the Golden Horn, nsai’s eyes flashed, and his complexion instantly darkened:
“Golden Horn? Are you certain it would be of use?”
“Your Holiness, have you lost faith in our Lord?” Kendall applied sharp pressure with his gaze, asking a question that left nsai speechless.
nsai stared at Kendall, murderous intent chilling his heart.
“The matter is too significant, it calls for a great deal of deliberation! Moreover, the Orcs are still lingering in the Westland, it’s certainly not a good ti to instigate infighting.”
With that said, nsai turned and walked out, not giving Kendall any more chances to protest.
His retreating figure, however, fell upon the eyes of the high-ranking Church officials, imdiately sparking a round of discussion.
Kendall observed this scene, a triumphant smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.
Exiting the Prayer Hall, nsai ascended the spiral staircase all the way to the Pope’s private room at the top of the tower.
Upon entering the room and closing the door, the facade that nsai had barely been maintaining crumbled spectacularly, and a torrent of curses spilled out of his mouth.
After venting for a while, nsai finally regained his composure.
He casually took off his golden priest’s robe, and threw his tired body onto the soft leather sofa.
“Your Holiness nsai.”
The sudden voice in the room startled nsai.
He sprang up from the sofa, and turning around he saw that there was suddenly soone seated at the round table.
“Who are you? When did you co in?”
nsai’s tone was sowhat shaky, after all, in the heavily guarded Holy Light Cathedral, no ordinary person could co and go freely, unless…
It was a Holy Field!
nsai almost thought that Colin St. Chapman had co to assassinate him.
But when he got a clear view of the person’s face, it wasn’t him.
Moreover, he found the person’s face sowhat familiar, as if he had seen him sowhere before…
“Your Holiness nsai, do you really not rember ?”
“You…” nsai stared at his face, a na flashing across his mind, “Are you… Kurd? No, impossible!”
“Yes! It’s , glad to see you rember!” Mage Kurd laughed heartily, standing and approaching nsai, spreading his arms as if he wanted to embrace an old friend.
But nsai recoiled as if he had seen a ghost. While shaking his head and repeating “Impossible… Impossible…” he retreated.
Mage Kurd was unsatisfied with nsai’s reaction, sighed and said:
“nsai, don’t you understand? In the hands of a powerful mage, what is impossible? If my student can kill and take over a Holy Knight, why can’t I rejuvenate?”
“Rejuvenate?” The tone of nsai’s voice finally had so changes.
“That’s right.” Kurd poured himself a glass of water, drinking as he spoke, “The world is becoming more and more boring, and I miss my old friends more and more. nsai, would you like to join us?”
“Join you?”
“Yes. I have mastered the secret of rejuvenation, and I want to find so old friends to share it with. There are already quite a few old friends in the Eastland who have chosen to join, so, nsai, would you like to join?”
“The troubles in the Eastland were created by you?”
“Indeed. How can the Duke of Eastland let a wet-behind-the-ears brat take the role? This world still needs us mature and wise old fellows. Plus, I heard you’ve encountered quite a bit of trouble recently… ”
nsai felt his heart pounding, but he still forced himself to calm down, asking solemnly:
“Kurd, what is your purpose in doing this?”
“My purpose… Hehe, don’t you know?”
nsai clenched his fists and muttered through gritted teeth:
“I will never cooperate with a blaspher like you… ”
“Blaspher?” Kurd scoffed, “As a Pope, aren’t you clear on what a deity really is? Why do you continue to deceive yourself?
Of course, if you remain stubborn, unwilling to accept my help, then I shall seek soone else.
For example, Cardinal Kendall there, I’m sure he will be more than willing to cooperate with … ”
“How did you achieve rejuvenation? Was it through sacrifice again?” asked nsai, his tone already showing signs of waver.
“Of course not.” Kurd shook his head, “All it requires is a strong heart and so simple arcane materials.”
“A strong heart?”
“Alright. The specifics of the secret you won’t understand even if I explained. But with , a living example, standing right in front of you, what else do you have to question?
If you cooperate with , not only can I rejuvenate you, but I can also help you deal with your biggest enemy!”
nsai lowered his head in silence, clearly undergoing imnse internal struggle.
Mage Kurd waited for a while, seemingly losing patience, and turned to leave, saying:
“Since you still need ti to consider, I’ll leave first… ”
“Wait!”
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