What happened in Glow City a few days ago has far from affected this place. There has been abundant rain this summer, and the fields outside the town are covered with gold. It is a good year for a good harvest.
Some of the early-maturing wheat fields have begun to be harvested. The villagers drove horses and pulled harvesters through the fields; or moved the cut wheat straw onto carts and sent them to the workshops for threshing and grinding. After that, they also
The remaining wheat stubble must be burned, the land must be reclaimed, and the corn harvested in early winter must be sown. It is not until the middle of the autumn month that the busy farming season in the southern border of the empire comes to an end.
The oncoming villagers recognized him and bowed their heads respectfully. Cullen smiled in response, and at the same time opened the volume in his hand and cast some spells to relieve fatigue, which gave him a more grateful and trusting look.
"Inform all the believers of God." He walked all the way to the square in the west of the village and softly told the few people gathered around him, "Let them come here. I have something important to convey to them."
The believers agreed in droves and dispersed. Cullen lowered his head and looked at the sun-drenched land, preparing his words in the near future.
The chaos that occurred in Winterfell has been going on for half a year now. The "Wine of Blessing" created by Geed Sin and his actions before being conquered were mistakenly attributed to the "Lord of Heaven". This is a serious blow.
However, apart from them, in most of the remaining villages and towns, and even in some cities, believers in Edda can still be seen everywhere.
This did not surprise him at all. Human beings are a profit-seeking group. No matter whether they are strong, energetic, or invulnerable to all diseases - the "Lord of Heaven" never requires any tangible payment, but believing in him can get tangible benefits.
Visible benefits. In this case, what do the mere words coming from afar count?
As for what happened to Rogman, there have been rumors in the streets and alleys of Glow City, but so far, no one has connected the emperor's death with Ada... At least there is no one alive, Cullen thought.
About a moment later, there were hundreds of people gathered in the square, more than half of the town's population. Many people were wearing bamboo hats, or holding riding whips and sickles, and they had obviously just come from the farmland. Regardless of men, women, old or young,
, most people looked at him, the "messenger" who served Ada, with reverence.
The exception was the few middle-aged men and women in the distance. Cullen squinted his eyes and saw the power of Mal in them. Those were probably the former knights of the "Black Crow"... No matter what their purpose was, they were all against
What he's about to do has no impact.
"To our supreme and eternal God." Cullen put the five fingers of his right hand together and touched his forehead, ears, throat and left chest in sequence - this was a way to show sincerity to the "Lord of Heaven", "May you bless this world.
Everything on earth makes the weather smooth, the rivers full, and the fields rich. To those who believe in you, please make them safe and happy, strong and free from all diseases.”
Divine magic amplified his voice, making it full of sacred charm, "Please bear witness to what I said. I would like to use my life as a witness. If there is any falsehood, please punish me immediately——"
The light fell from the sky and just enveloped Cullen's body. The holy white radiance emanated from his face, covering the soft black robe, and he was as loving as a god coming from the sky. He raised his right hand flatly, turned his palm downward, until the whole square was silent.
"I came here this time to convey a piece of sad news." Cullen Dar stood with his hands hanging down, his face solemn, "Seven days ago, His Highness Rogman Aurel died unfortunately. Nowadays, many affairs in Glow City,
All are presided over by His Highness’s youngest brother, His Highness Clovis Orel.”
The villagers looked at each other and no one said a word. With the knowledge and scope of life of these people, even if there were three more emperors in Glow City, they probably wouldn't care at all, Cullen thought. But it's okay, this is just right.
"His Royal Highness Rogman was in the prime of life and had received blessings from God. He should not have died of illness for no reason." He slowed down his speech, his voice was low and convincing, "His Royal Highness has no heirs. In terms of eldest son, Istar
The Duke should be the only legal successor. When the late emperor died, Clovis was the only royal family member in the city and thus temporarily held the throne. However, so far, as far as I know, Clovis has never returned
The meaning of the throne."
"Master God Envoy, are you saying-" A middle-aged woman seemed to have come back to her senses and raised her voice and asked, "That... His Highness Clovis, for the sake of the throne... killed Rogge
Your Highness Man?"
"I didn't mean that." Cullen slowly shook his head, "Rogman III died of natural causes - God Ada told me, this is the answer found in the city." He lowered his head, "I can't be sure, they
Whether we will publish this conclusion or choose a statement that is more convincing to the public. As for the truth, everyone has an answer they are willing to believe."
"Natural death? What nonsense are you talking about!" A young man shook off the thatched cloak he was wearing and questioned loudly, "Sir, you said it, His Highness Rogman was blessed by God, how could he die suddenly?
?!You want me to see it, that Cloo or something, there is absolutely no way to escape it!"
"I have never witnessed the death of His Highness with my own eyes. Perhaps even the wishes of the gods are no match for the greed of human nature." Cullen shook his head regretfully, his face serious and peaceful, "According to imperial tradition, when the emperor has not left a will, the emperor should
The first successor takes precedence. From this point of view, Clovis can only be a usurper."
"Then what does God want us to do?" The middle-aged man carrying a pickaxe raised his hand and scratched his shaved head, "I don't want to be a soldier, but if that is what God wants, then...
Even if I’m the only one!”
Cullen Dahl smiled. This was the seventh village he visited, and it was also the one that satisfied him the most.
"War may be unavoidable. As a believer of God, His Highness Istar does not want to see the loss of life, and will never send civilians to the battlefield." He reached into his arms and took out a palm-sized stack, painted with blue water drops and
The yellowish paper with curled runes was handed to the man who spoke last, "Divide them up."
The man took it carefully, his eyes locked on the stack of papers, with burning anticipation, "Master God Envoy, what is this...?"
"They are written by the bishops of the Lord of Heaven, and then blessed by the gods themselves." Cullen answered with respect. In fact, these spells relied on the network of Protodis, but ordinary monks may not be able to identify them. In addition,
On the one hand, the "Lord of Light" cannot
Can ban these basic magical arts, unless he intends to harm the entire Theocracy, "Once a day, hold it tightly and call the name of God, and He will give you enough water and food. Carry it close to your body at ordinary times,
Even if you sleep in the open air, you won't get tired or sick easily."
The man's breathing suddenly became heavier. He carefully picked up one piece, and then reluctantly handed the stack of talismans to the person next to him. He carefully folded the talisman paper in half and put it into his pocket. He seemed to feel that it was not secure enough, so he took it out again.
Hold it in the palm of your hand.
"What about those... usurpers?" he asked, "Will God not punish them?"
"God Ada is the creator and guardian of life. He is unwilling to punish people, even for those who don't believe in Him." Cullen looked at the man gently, "Troubled times are coming, and disaster is not far away. If they turn back, they will be safe.
, God will still protect them. If they persist in their stubbornness, they will naturally be punished."
"Then they deserve it, they killed Mr. Rogman." The middle-aged woman who spoke first spat, and then blinked, "But what if those people... come here to steal things or arrest people?
?"
Cullen gave a faint smile.
"God teaches us not to harm others, and also teaches us not to be harmed by others. He has his own response to the bad guys who come." The spokesman in the black robe gently raised his right hand, "Just like now, identify Chuzang
We will give necessary punishment to the evil among us——"
He closed his five fingers, and the holy white light fell from the sky, landing on the heads of the "former knights" of Mar, melting them into the holy light. Cullen saw with satisfaction that there was something in the eyes of the believers gathered around him.
Inquiry without doubt or fear.
"They are the believers of Mar, who were bewitched by the Seizer and became pitiful people who went astray." He said decisively, "I have sent their souls to God, where they will be inspired.
Have eternal life.”
He paused, and then spoke again, just like he had done six times not long ago, and the other "envoys" who were working hard to travel throughout the empire to convey the divine will of the "Lord of Heaven" to every village.
"And now, let me tell you what God has promised."
…
Half a day later, Cullen left the town. The townspeople offered many sacrifices before leaving, but he did not accept any of them.
Neither money nor material things are what he wants to pursue. There are many things that "gods" cannot do personally. As a qualified spokesperson, he must understand Ada's intentions and guide this continent to the right end.
——For his ideals and for his interests.
In the coming new world, as the forerunner, he will have the most special status. Others will forget everything in the past and get a new life, everything is like fate. He doesn't want this, he needs to control his fate.
If history is unstoppable, if judgment is bound to come, then become a part of them in advance. Cullen thought to himself.
The successful evangelism allowed Cullen to regain some courage. Ever since he saw Alicia in person, a deep uneasiness has been haunting him. He could guess the identity of the woman and knew what was waiting for this continent.
——When the battle of the gods begins, mortals are just a bunch of dust. He closes his eyes, concentrates all his mind, and prays silently.
"Sovereign Lord, do you still care about me? If I encounter danger, will you save me from danger?"
A warm and holy voice answered him. "I am always with you, no matter where you are."
This is the best gift. Cullen opened his eyes with satisfaction, sank his body into the shadow world, and rushed to the nearest "door". Then he walked through the dim plain, through the space full of cracks and traps, until
Step into that isolated tower.
He doesn't visit Elpare often. The road to the tower is complicated and dangerous, and he doesn't want to meet the tower master... and the rest of the people frequently.
Barak is relatively easy to handle. Even though he is known as the Sword Master, he is just a warrior. He destroyed the enemies of "The Brigade", his companions who left more than ten years ago, and his dissatisfaction with Feist...
These are all straightforward reasons for joining the current camp. Hughes is quite elusive. The Yit people have always disliked him, and they deliberately opposed him before. For some reason, Bayard has always tolerated Hughes's nonsense.
, if he suddenly leaves one day, Cullen will probably not be surprised.
As for Bayard, it would be too arrogant to say that they are just using each other. In fact, the "Lord of Heaven" and the other party are using each other, and he is at most a pawn in the hands of both. There is nothing wrong with that.
Well, Cullen thought, as long as there is value, the chess pieces will not be easily discarded. Just like Rogman has died, but he is still alive.
He walked quickly through the obsidian corridor, his leather boots hitting the ground, making a silent echo, just like the tower itself. Elpa Rui's loneliness is enough to drive people crazy. If Bayard trapped himself here,
Can the "Lord of Heaven" really save him?
Cullen clenched his fists and shook his head imperceptibly, shaking off this almost disrespectful thought. The corridor soon came to the end, followed by an obsidian spiral staircase that went up. In the circular room at the top of the stairs, Hughes was stretching
He lay flat on the ground with his limbs spread out; Jill sat cross-legged beside him, closing his eyes and meditating.
When he heard him boarding the platform, the Yit man jumped up in an instant, turned somersaults in the air, clapped his hands crisply, fisted each other, and then pointed at him with his ring finger.
"Come on, I thought you were eaten by a hippogriff, Austin." The Yit deliberately used a name that disgusted him, but Cullen had long learned to ignore it, "Tell me, you have been in
What kind of trick are you doing?"
"Serve the Lord I believe in, Hughes. You won't understand." Cullen replied calmly, "Besides, I'm not the last one. Where did Barak go?"
"He has another thing to do, so he left first, and you will be the last one." The Yit rolled his eyes and lay back on the ground, "Stop talking nonsense, Bayard is listening. Your'
What news did the master ask you to bring?"
Cullen raised his head and faced the dark crack that cut off the entire tower. He took a deep breath to dispel the uneasiness lingering in his heart.
"Alicia." He lowered his voice to keep his breathing steady, "I saw her, Bayard. She asked me to tell you that she is back."
He felt Jill's gaze from behind. Hughes whistled suddenly, and the sharp whistle made Cullen shudder. "Wow, you saw her? Where? With whom? She also said
What? Did you mention 'that person'? Is she--"
The tower suddenly fell silent for a moment, interrupting Hughes's chattering. Like countless tiny flying snakes, dark purple electric light spread through the cracks and descended on the space in front of Cullen. In just one breath, they silently gathered in the center,
Constructed into a dim human form.
He was about six feet tall, wearing a robe that seemed to be woven by stars, and holding a long black staff that looked like a slit on the top of his head. His face made of lightning did not have facial features, and his words did not come from his mouth, but were transmitted directly to Cullen's mind.
"What did you do?" Bayard asked.
Cold sweat instantly soaked his back, and his mouth and tongue went dry. Cullen tightly clenched the volume in his hand to prevent himself from retreating regardless of the image, "Everything I do is... for the purpose of the "Lord of Heaven"
.”
"It's a pity that I didn't bring any recording equipment." Hughes narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue repeatedly, "so that the believers can see what their 'God's Messenger' looks like!"
He ignored Hughes's sarcasm, Bayard still looked at him. "I know Alicia...I've known her for a long time. What did you do?"
If he continued to hide it, Ada would not be able to save him in time, Cullen was sure. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, "I originally planned to... get rid of Clovis. He is an obstacle to the adults' ideals -"
"Yuffie stopped you." Gil suddenly turned to look at him, his eyes full of teasing, "And you want to do something to her, right?"
A chill ran through Cullen's back. Compared with the two people who were members of the "Brigade", he had never seen through the former leader of the "Oath of the Suzuli". On the surface, Gil always claimed that he wanted to pursue power.
But he once used Ada's favor as a bargaining chip, but was rejected by the other party without hesitation. Not to mention, she had spent six years with 'that woman'——
A beam of light penetrated the space that should have been completely enclosed, and filled his whole body from top to bottom. And that kind and holy voice that made him involuntarily trust and worship, this time passed through his mind, through his mouth and tongue
, echoed in the small circular room in front of me.
"Let me come," the voice said gently, "Long time no see, Bayard."
Bayard seemed to hesitate for a moment. "You... are not Alex. Where are you from?"
"You can call me Hill. Hill Ada." Cullen heard himself say, "I was born from a piece of Alex's body. In this sense, I am Alex's "daughter"
.”
"This is the first time I heard this name." Although he couldn't see the facial features, Cullen still felt Bayard staring at him and the existence behind him, "Why did you never show up, but ordered him to disrupt the empire and trigger a war?
?”
"For the sake of the eternal agreement, I cannot come to the world easily. Just like you, Bayard Kaorich Nolan, the respected "Lord of Judgment."" Hill replied, "There are others who want war.
For that matter, I must accumulate strength for the sake of the "God of Death" hiding in the dark."
"Don't talk nonsense. You know how Luo Geman died!" Hughes couldn't help but interjected, "Earlier, if you had given your power to Luo Geman and encouraged him to invade Elders, you wouldn't have done it.
Is it also a good thing you did?"
‘Cullen’ shook his head calmly.
"That is indeed what I promised. Unfortunately, both Rogman... and many people have misunderstood the meaning of power. I want Ada's faith to spread across the El Continent again, instead of a war caused by fanatic believers.
War." He paused for a moment, "The power of evil never stops, and those demons in the mystery may be his vanguard."
"...You mean, Mal?"
"Io, this is more clear." Cullen saw himself walking towards the middle of the hall and extending his hand towards the purple humanoid. "Not long ago, someone stole part of my power. Do you know who did it?"
Bayard stood where he was and did not take Cullen Dar's hand.
"Tell me, where is Ao? And where are you? What is the relationship between you?"
"You are becoming more and more suspicious, Bayard. Do you think you will no longer trust anyone after losing Merlin?"
Cullen heard himself sigh. He stretched out his right hand, palm upward, and lit a ball of milky white divine fire.
"Io is in the endless abyss, just like Fregus who is trying to descend. I am traveling on this continent in order to restore my father's past glory. As for my relationship with Io..."
The holy fire swayed gently, its soft light was pure and clear. It could reflect the heart of the holder. God's messengers don't lie, Cullen thought.
"If he doesn't kill me, I will kill him. One day."