Ilkand was the first to co back to his senses, and he promptly declared the trial over before commanding people to swiftly carry Hirodod’s body into the Temple.
The priests from the Blood Moon Association followed inside as well, but it was unclear what they were discussing.
However, the crowd that had co to partake in the trial did not disperse just yet.
Just now, under Hirodod’s instigation, many were heated with passion, especially when facing the Nobles who normally towered above them.
Many had not been spared from these individuals’ abuse on ordinary days, yet now the fates of these aristocratic lords were in their hands, allowing many to taste the flavor of power for the first ti, which led them to feel sowhat elated.
But with Hirodod’s death, they realized the gravity of the cris they had just committed.
The unauthorized trial and slaughter of Nobles, utterly obliterating a Noble Family with a long history, and more fatally, angering the true ruler of the western region—the Figrola family.
What would happen when the latter ca to settle scores?
Now that Hirodod was dead, who could lead them against the onslaught of these Nobles.
Shapiro was the best example, who, in a fit of rage, had once killed twenty thousand troops, and just recalling this sent chills down the spines of those involved in the trial.
They were urgently looking for a new reliance.
At this mont, soone noticed Quintus down the stone steps.
As the High Priest of the Silver Moon Church, Quintus was already well-known in Duolin City.
Moreover, unlike other High Priests from Noble Families, Quintus, who was born into a farr’s family, always had a good reputation among the commoners.
Previously, when Hirodod ordered an attack on all the High Priests in Duolin City, only Quintus had received an early warning, enabling him to escape.
Now, as everyone was feeling anxious, they subconsciously gathered around Quintus.
Once soone took the lead, others followed suit, and in a short while, more and more people gathered around Quintus.
The guards responsible for watching him were also sowhat distracted at this ti, not dispersing the nearby crowd imdiately, and by the ti they intended to do so, it was too late—hundreds had already amassed around Quintus.
And as the crowd kept growing, the guards, seeing this, simply gave up, threw aside their weapons, and slipped away to who knows where.
Quintus was oblivious to all of this; his mind was dizzy, and the shock of Hirodod’s death had affected him greatly.
Quintus had always viewed Hirodod as his foremost adversary, believing his presence would fracture the Silver Moon Church, causing irreparable damage as had indeed happened.
Both factions revered Pisya, yet one was traditional and conservative while the other was radical and violent.
But undeniably, Hirodod had also forged his own path, and with the turmoil in the western region, the Blood Moon Association’s appeal to the faithful was becoming even stronger.
In this battle of Duolin City, Hirodod had defeated Gwen and his eight thousand troops, nearly wiping out the upper echelon of the Silver Moon Church in one fell swoop, forcing Quintus to confront a long-standing issue within his heart.
—Perhaps the path that Hirodod and his Blood Moon Association had chosen was indeed the right one.
Especially when the people within Duolin City ultimately chose to stand with Hirodod, this greatly stirred Quintus’s heart, leading him to doubt himself, to question his own choices.
This was also why he had seed so despondent in the dungeon before.
Yes, he was shaken.
As the only remaining High Priest of the Silver Moon Church and soone who prided himself on his steadfast faith, Quintus surprisingly began to waver.
The re thought was a blasphemy against Pisya and filled Quintus with self-reproach.
But then, sothing unexpected happened—Hirodod just died inexplicably.
Quintus felt as if he were walking in darkness, barely seeing so light, but when he approached, he found it was still a dead end.
So, he was lost again, in a way he had never been before, with no clue of what lay ahead or behind.
However, he eventually noticed the congregants gathered around him; there were already thousands of them.
They looked at Quintus with hopeful eyes, and soone said, "Quintus the High Priest, what should we do now?"
"What should we do, what should we do?" Quintus replied subconsciously.
"We have killed so many people, those nobles won’t let us off. Now only you can save us."
Quintus shook his head, "I can’t save you; I can’t even save myself. Not long ago, I was brought before Hirodod for judgnt. Have you forgotten?"
The followers fell silent, but after a mont soone said, "Regardless, we still... hope to follow you."
"Yes, please lead us, Quintus the High Priest, as you did before," the people clamored.
However, Quintus still did not agree, "I can’t lead you anymore, because I haven’t heard the goddess’s voice for a long ti."
After pausing, he added, "I think I have lost my faith."
The crowd was greatly disappointed, but ultimately they had to disperse.
The guards and watchn did not return, and Quintus walked alone toward the city gate.
As he passed Gwen’s corpse, Quintus took off his robe and covered it over her body.
He continued on.
The cold wind blew against his thin undergarnt, making the High Priest of the Silver Moon Church shiver involuntarily.
But Quintus did not stop. He kept walking until he reached the city gate, where the soldiers who should have been guarding it had also disappeared.
Many people were hurriedly fleeing the city, driving ox carts, taking all their belongings; so took advantage of the chaos to rob others, unchallenged, all signs of impending disaster.
Luckily, Quintus stepped forward; his status as High Priest deterred the plunderers, saving the stolen goods on the ox carts for the victims.
In gratitude, they gave him a thick cloak and two loaves of bread.
Quintus put on the cloak, feeling sowhat warr. He ate half a loaf of bread to regain so strength, packed the remaining bread, and continued toward the outskirts of the city.
He needed soone to resolve the doubts in his heart, to point him in the right direction once again.
Quintus knew there was one person who could provide the answers.
Because just over a year ago, he had personally witnessed that person performing a miracle, not a fabricated one like those of Hirodod, but a genuine miracle.
If anyone in this world was close to God, it was certainly that person.
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