Xavier, founded to worship only Luminous, the deity of light and hope.
The establishment of Xavier occurred just after the end of the Devil War, when humans erected Xavier in honor of Luminous, who had saved them. During the Devil War, there were also Mora and Harte, but they couldn’t perform as remarkably as Luminous.
To elaborate further, Luminous bestowed blessings upon those at the frontline, Mora concealed the sight of fleeing refugees with a veil, and finally, Harte gifted the seed of the World Tree to the Elves.
Due to these circumstances, Luminous’s actions stood out even more, and particularly, the feeble humans had no choice but to worship him. Luminous was the deity who bestowed divine power upon them while they were fighting devils bare-handedly in dire situations.
Heroes emerge in turbulent times. And under Luminous’s protection during the Devil War, numerous heroes were born, many of whom perished gloriously without even leaving their names. At the end of this sequence was founded the nation known as the holy kingdom of Xavier.
Any civilization established in the name of a deity tends to demonstrate immense power.
Moreover, unlike Earth, the gods of this world not only exist but also continue to wield significant influence to this day. Until the societal culture in Xavier developed as it is today, they became intoxicated with their power and committed dreadful atrocities.
They unilaterally categorized demons as evil beings and massacred them, suppressing neighboring nations under the guise of a ‘holy war.’ Those who didn’t believe in Luminous were persecuted under absurd pretexts, being labeled as heretics.
However, it seemed Luminous found this unacceptable and swiftly stopped it through divine intervention. If ignored, he graciously bestowed ‘divine punishment.’
Thanks to his support, the Xavier Kingdom was able to barely hold onto its faltering path and has now risen to be a powerful nation while maintaining a neutral stance. Because most people believe in Luminous, there wasn’t a place in any country where temples weren’t built, and receiving support funds made the country wealthy.
However, due to the necessity of maintaining strict neutrality, there was little interference in international affairs unless absolutely necessary. This was because unlike in the past, there was no need felt to meddle in the affairs of other weaker nations.
At least until Xenon’s Biography and the appearance of devil worshippers.
“So, Cardinal Kate. May I ask what you’ve summoned us for?”
Around a round table adorned with the symbol of the Xavier and the Luminous, representing the sun, four people were seated in the cardinal directions.
The elderly man seated in the east, Deimos, directed the question to Kate, who was seated opposite him. His eyebrows were almost completely covered by thick hair, and his impressive beard was striking. The others, apart from Kate, shifted their gaze to her with curious expressions. One was a middle-aged man, the other a middle-aged woman.
You might have already inferred, but these people summoned by Kate were the cardinals of Xavier. In other words, they hold power and authority just below the Pope. Despite their individual busy schedules, the fact that Kate was able to gather them in one place hints at her considerable influence.
Unlike other cardinals, she even holds the position of Grand Inquisitor, positioning her one step higher than them in terms of hierarchy, considering roles alone.
Kate didn’t have much interest in politics, but if she had put her mind to it, she could have become a real influential figure. Thankfully, she could somewhat let go of her feelings, considering her distorted common sense in human relationships.
“Everyone’s here. How long has it been since we gathered like this?”
Kate responded to Deimos, the bearded cardinal, with a kind smile. She was known for her beautiful looks, and when she smiled, it seemed as if the surroundings brightened with an illusion.
Seeing her smile, Deimos chuckled softly, while the other middle-aged man cleared his throat, unable to look directly at the strikingly beautiful smile.
Except for one person, the middle-aged woman. She smiled mysteriously at Kate and spoke in a flustering tone.
“You still have that beautiful smile, Cardinal Kate. Seeing how much more beautiful you’ve become, I wonder if something good happened during your pilgrimage?”
The middle-aged woman emitting strong displeasure was named Hera. She might have had quite a beautiful appearance in the past, but now she was nothing but a wrinkled middle-aged woman.
While others showed discomfort at her sarcastic tone, Kate, upon hearing her words, nodded positively.
“Yes, that’s right, Cardinal Hera. Something good happened, so I hurriedly returned here.”
“Something good? Surely not…”
Hera widened her eyes at Kate’s answer, trailing off in her remarks. Not only her but others as well.
The reason why Kate embarked on the pilgrimage path was already publicly known. It was solely to meet with Xenon. So her return meant she met Xenon.Please visit https://novel-next.com website to read fastest update
“No, I didn’t meet Xenon. I simply realized what I have to do.”
But Kate shook her head vigorously, shattering their expectations. While it was true that she had met Xenon, or rather Isaac, it was a fact that needed to be concealed somehow.
Hera responded with a skeptical face. However, a middle-aged man soon addressed Kate.
With a well-groomed beard and a continuous gaze, the middle-aged man exuded a handsome aura despite his age.
“What do you mean by ‘what you have to do’? Could you tell us?”
“Of course. But before that, Cardinal Bark?”
“Yes. Go ahead.”
“How long has it been since Cardinal Bark prayed to Luminous?”
After asking that question, Kate looked around at others and posed the same question.
“The others too. I’m curious how long it’s been since you all prayed to Luminous.”
“I did it before Cardinal Kate arrived.”
Hera was the first to respond. She still had an uncomfortable expression, but she continued to answer the questions diligently.
“Xavier is an enormous lantern unlike anything else. Such a colossal shadow looms beneath it. Even the devil worshippers, less than insects, hide under the name of Xavier.”
“How can you be so sure about that? Despite being a Cardinal, your statement is extremely risky. Can you handle it?”
Hera, who usually detested Kate, seemed to think this was going too far and urgently tried to dissuade her. Not only her, but others felt the same way.
However, Kate was adamant. She faced the gazes directed at her and, in her unique gentle voice, spoke up.
“Xenon’s Biography.”
“Pardon?”
“The reason I am certain. It’s convenient that everyone has read the story. The identity of the one who attacked Jin and Lily in the end is a high-ranking clergyman of the Holy Kingdom.”
As soon as Kate said this, a silent hush fell upon the room. Even Deimos, and notably Hera, had expressions indicating they didn’t know how to react.
It was a conversation that flowed from the darkness beneath the lantern to Xenon’s Biography.
Except for one person, Bark. Upon hearing Kate’s revelation, he initially trembled, then burst into laughter.
“Hahaha!”
“··· ···”
Suddenly, all eyes were on Bark as he burst into laughter. Deimos and Hera still had expressions of confusion, but only Kate remained calm.
While holding his stomach, Bark wiped away tears forming at the corners of his eyes. It was comical how farcical the situation was, even leading to tears.
Then, while chuckling, he looked at Kate. Kate’s face remained almost expressionless.
“I was wondering what story you’d tell… Cardinal Kate.”
“Yes, Cardinal Bark.”
“It’s quite an amusing story. Seems like on the pilgrimage, you’ve even developed a sense of humor.”
Kate just grinned at Bark’s words. Due to her lack of common sense in many aspects, she couldn’t grasp Bark’s words.
Meanwhile, Bark, looking at her, wagged his tongue as if consoling a child, speaking softly.
“Cardinal Kate, I am well aware of the significance of Xenon’s Biography as a prophecy. I also know that due to certain constraints, Xenon cannot easily reveal their identity.”
“··· ···”
“However, it’s too speculative. Xavier is a nation established under the protection of Luminous. It’s a place where even shadows cannot exist.”
Words expressing deep trust in Luminous. Since Bark’s words were all accurate, the other elders could only nod in agreement.
Honestly, what Kate brought up was simply too difficult to accept, and it was just a ‘prediction’ after all.
Not only was her statement sacrilegious, but it could also bring great confusion to Xavier.
“It seems that Cardinal Kate is the one doubting Luminous. Could it be that you don’t believe in Luminous’s light and hence harbors such thoughts?”
“··· ···”
“Still, it would be wise to be cautious as Cardinal Kate suggests. Let me look into it once···”
“Cardinal Bark.”
“Yes?”
Bark had no choice but to stop speaking in the middle of his words. Clearly, Kate’s voice, which had been gentle just a moment ago, had become infinitely lower.
Moreover, a terrifying momentum was emanating from her. She couldn’t control her emotions, and a deep resentment was slowly seeping out.
As everyone turned their gaze to Kate, swallowing all their saliva, Bark could clearly confirm it.
“How dare you…”
The face of a fanatic filled with anger.
“How dare you doubt?”
Above all, innocence.
“His words?”
Madness.
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