Sword of Dawnbreaker

Chapter 497 - 496: Sunlight Bathes Lu An City

The rising sun illuminated this centuries-old church city.

The gigantic sun rose from the horizon, covering a large part of the sky as its massive disk radiated cloud-like halos in all directions. The wooden-like patterns on the sun’s corona solemnly gazed upon this land of blood and fire, the century-old streets of Lu’an City, the ancient church spires, the mottled city walls and towers, and the stone pavements soaked in blood and flame. All of it bathed in boundless and warm morning light, a pale golden hue spread throughout the city with the morning light. This scene couldn’t help but make one think of the image that Saint Dumas painted before his death four centuries ago—

I see a gigantic city, endlessly wide, with light seeping through the city’s bricks and stones, the entire city seemingly cast from light.

Yet, the scene Saint Dumas depicted ultimately faded with his eternal rest. All of posterity’s imaginings of the Holy Light Theocracy stopped at a dying man’s final delirium. For the residents of Lu’an at this moment, they had no time to consider what a saint, dead for four hundred years, saw with his dying breath—they were merely gathered in the square before the grand cathedral, cheering for their victory—and survival in the face of the rising sun.

"We won!!" "Holy Light bless us, we won!" "Long live the Cecil!!"

Cheers echoed throughout the square, even through the entire church district. Volunteer mercenaries and adventurers raised their swords and shields high, pounding them to express their excitement, while farmers and craftsmen waved their pitchforks and hammers in the air, laughing heartily with everyone. The merchants and gentry from the Carol Region seemed to also forget their distinctions of status and rank at this moment, throwing their canes, hats, and handkerchiefs into the air, and embracing every person around them warmly—a kind of excitement never before felt surged through the crowd. Although no one could clearly define what this excitement was, its meaning was clear: the "lower people" of this world had finally rebelled successfully against the "upper people" once.

And in a corner of the church square, under the strict care (and protection) of a dozen White Knights and a group of Volunteer Mercenaries, a small group of battered, bloodied, and barely alive priests and clergy huddled together, watching the scene before them in terror.

They were the only surviving priests and clergy of the Luan Grand Cathedral, preserved specifically for a future "public trial." Except for them, more than half of the priests and clergy had already perished in battle—many were slain on the spot by the White Knights, some were attacked and wiped out by adventurer teams formed by mercenaries and adventurers, while a few others, exhausted, were beaten to death by angry citizens with stones, sticks, and hoes.

This small group of survivors watched everything unfold before their eyes, the raw power unleashed by the furious crowd struck terror into their very souls: even if sticks and stones were not as potent as a spell, what they represented was utterly alarming.

In the corner of the square, atop a high spire, some young individuals from the Cecil Newspaper Agency and their mentor recorded the scene on the square with the Magic Web Terminal. Observing the crowd bathed in sunlight and the ancient city sparkling in the morning light, a young person couldn’t help but exclaim, "It’s truly a miracle."

Another young individual shook their head, "Yet, there will surely be those who call this an atrocity."

"It is indeed an atrocity, or a violent act. Any significant change involving the replacement of order and reshaping of societal rules will inevitably be accompanied by violence; history over the centuries is no exception," said the robe-clad elder standing behind the two young people, Godwin Orlando, the most famous scholar in the southern borders. Speaking in a calm tone, this scholar who had devoted much of his life to studying history and grammar had a clear view of what was happening. As a traditional scholar, he felt it his duty to impart such knowledge to his most trusted apprentices. "The difference lies in the fact that the historical transformations were within the same stratum: a leader attacking another leader, a royal family member attacking another royal family member. No matter how grand in scale, the changes to the social order were minimal, usually limited to few decrees or titles of claim, more akin to transfers of power and subtle transformations. What has happened here today is a grassroots uprising against the upper echelons, although our leader is driving it, the transformation itself is completed by the masses, and its results are even more astounding: it has directly dismantled an old order."

"With the collapse of the old order, a vacuum follows, which must be promptly filled by a new order. This is what you told us last time, mentor."

"Indeed, but that is for our leader and the New Church’s Grand Shepherd to worry about," Godwin Orlando smiled softly, "For now, what we need to do is record this moment..."

Seeing his apprentices deep in thought and busily resuming their work, Godwin Orlando nodded lightly, then took out his own notebook, thought for a moment, and wrote:

Anzu year 736, Frost Moon 30th, Requiem Day, tens of thousands of people from the northern region of the southern borders charged the Cathedral of the Holy Light, the authority of the "God" thereafter shall descend upon the earth...

Hesitating slightly, Godwin Orlando lifted his pen and crossed out "belief in the Holy Light God," replacing it with "rules of faith."

...

St. Soniel, Cathedral of the Holy Light, in the Great Hall of Radiance, the bishops were reporting on the news from the eastern plains to Pope Saint Ivan III.

Since the Holy Light Church’s Holy Church Army broke the rules, participating in the Anzu Civil War and joining the Anzu Kingdom’s military camp, the previously skewed war balance gradually tipped back into a delicate equilibrium.

With an unstoppable momentum, the Eastern Legion continuously captured Sorinburg and more than a dozen large and small fortresses, making smooth headway to the Gigantic Tree Path Entrance, yet upon entering the central region of the Plains of the Holy Spirits, their advance was curtailed. Supported by the Holy Light, the kingdom soldiers, with revived morale and strong battlefield recovery capabilities, formed a human wall at the Gigantic Tree Path Entrance, breaking the Eastern Legion’s invincible assault. After paying the price of thousands of soldiers’ lives, Earl of Sorin, the kingdom’s military commander, successfully pushed back the Eastern Legion and advanced the frontline thirty miles eastwards—the frontline was now at a "safe distance," far from the heart of the Plains of the Holy Spirits, but then had to settle back into a standstill once again.

Because the Harvest Day had passed—the kingdom’s military missed the last chance to reclaim the eastern grain-producing lands, and the grains grown in Sorinburg and the surrounding fertile fields had fallen into the hands of the Eastern Territory Rebels.

The Eastern Legion, having filled their bellies and restored their morale, once again stood firm on the Plains of the Holy Spirits.

The stalemate in the war left the leaders in the Silver Castle at a loss, and perhaps even worried the leaders of the Eastern Territory Rebels. However, as a new force just joining this war, the leaders of the Holy Light church were quite at ease with the current stalemate.

"Your Holiness, the activity of the Holy Church Army at the front lines is evident to all. The people around the Gigantic Tree Path Entrance are showing an exceptionally strong willingness to convert to the Holy Light, with a large number of new baptisms every day—among them are defectors from the heterodoxies and soldiers of the Anzu Kingdom’s military," a bishop said loudly, with joy in his voice, "Earl of Sorin specifically wrote a letter of commendation and thanks, thanking our priests for helping him hold the line."

"A temporary stalemate can make people aware of the significance of the priests and Church Knights on the battlefield," Saint Ivan III’s deep and slow voice echoed in the Great Hall of Radiance, "But be cautious, a prolonged stalemate will lead people to question the Lord’s power. Moreover, we must be vigilant, as the heterodoxies are also taking this opportunity to grow and expand..."

"Yes, Your Holiness, a large number of heterodox believers have entered the eastern area, and recently, enemy priests wielding divine power from the War God and the Blood God have appeared at the front lines. They might imitate the Holy Church Army and form an Eastern Territory priest Clergy..."

Saint Ivan III was silent for a moment, as if listening to a vague whisper from the distant kingdom, then broke the silence half a minute later: "The Lord does not care, those heterodoxies have not found the right path. Even if they gather, they are nothing but a rabble. We should continue spreading the Lord’s gospel and intercept those heretics trying to escape to the East..."

The meeting in the Great Hall of Radiance proceeded in a solemn and reverent atmosphere. Under the guidance of the aged but wise Pope, all matters were arranged appropriately, and the meeting ultimately came to an end.

Veronica Moen, known as the "Living Saint," as always stayed by Saint Ivan III’s side after all the bishops left the hall.

In the long silence, Saint Ivan III seemed half-asleep, slumped in the wide, ornate seat. The glorious Holy Light shone upon him, casting a long shadow behind his seat—although the light clearly came from directly above, the shadow extended long and winding, branching out like a bizarre tree, with its treetop filled with swaying, changing illusions resembling hands, eyes, faces, and gaping mouths.

Veronica slightly tilted her head, glanced at the shadow behind the papal seat, her face expressionless.

According to sacred doctrine, no one is allowed to stand behind the papal seat, except for the Living Saint and the Archbishop, nor is anyone allowed to peep at the scene behind the papal seat, for it is believed to be where "God" hides and stands. The Holy Light Canon describes: The God of Holy Light stands behind the Pope, watching His people and the kingdoms through the Pope’s eyes.

In a particular moment, Saint Ivan III seemed to have completely fallen asleep, a peaceful and serene aura enveloped him, and faint holy music seemed to come from the air. This state lasted only a few seconds before the elderly Pope suddenly lifted his head: "The Lord’s radiance has dimmed..."

Veronica slightly bowed, "The South?"

"...Yes, the South. I saw the Lord’s light wavering over that land, with blood and fire spreading across the earth, and the sound of weapons clashing..." Saint Ivan III’s eyes were already open, but his tone seemed like he was still dreaming, "An unprecedented phenomenon... not even in the Eastern Territory has such a phenomenon occurred..."

Veronica’s expression, usually serene and equable, finally showed a trace of astonishment.

In the Eastern Territory, Prince Edmund had already begun officially expelling Holy Light priests, issuing orders to eradicate the Faith of the Holy Light. Followers of the God of Holy Light could only pray in secret. It could be said that on that land, the Faith of the Holy Light had suffered an unprecedented blow. However, in the South... a faith recession more terrible and thorough than in the Eastern Territory occurred?!

What happened behind the grand walls of rocky ridges Fortress? Could it be that the resurrected founding king had massacred all the followers of the God of Holy Light?

Soon, Veronica collected the astonishment in her eyes and continued in a calm, gentle voice: "I am willing to go south and witness the changes there."

"You may not be allowed to enter the heart of the southern borders, but as long as you are close enough, you should be able to sense what is influencing the Lord’s radiance," Saint Ivan III said deeply, his decrepit-looking eyes gleaming with the powerful shine of the Holy Light, "Find it, investigate it. If it turns out Duke Gawain Cecil has done something shocking to eradicate faith, prioritize your own safety, and only then return to discuss strategies. If some blasphemous power has entered the world... then eradicate it."

"Yes, Your Holiness," Veronica bowed slightly, "For the glory of the Lord."

"Go prepare... as it happens, the Silver Castle is also sending ambassadors to the south," the old Pope’s voice lowered, as if about to enter the next dream, "The Southern land... has been neglected by us for too long..."