Chapter 92

Chapter 92

Hello everyone. This is Kirara. Ive made the decision to stop uploading chapter updates on NovelUpdates going forward, in order to sidestep any potential DMCA conflicts with the publishers. Additionally, as an extra precaution, Im going to secure all the chapters of this series with passwords. You can find the password for this series on the BT Discord. My apologies for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you for your understanding.

Lieutenant Paris of the Holy Knights of St. Marcias was quick to assess situations.

Even though buildings suddenly collapsed and unidentified creatures poured out from somewhere, he remained composed and promptly organized the available forces.

Screams echoed from the Heresy Tribunal all around, but he had no time to pay attention to each one. The real problem, he felt, was in the buildings basement.

So Paris, along with his fellow knights, rushed towards the epicenter. However, while passing through the corridors of the underground dungeon, they fell through a suddenly collapsing floor, descending into the depths below.

Guh

Regaining consciousness, he found himself in a vast underground cavern.

Among the buildings scattered debris, there were prisoners with broken bones or dead from the impact.

The state of the guards who fell with them wasnt much better, given the height theyd plummeted from.

Apart from a few paladins skilled in handling aura and holy power, hardly anyone could get up.

Staggering to his feet, Paris looked around. Despite his long tenure in the Holy Knights of St. Marcias, he had never heard of such a vast cavern existing beneath the Heresy Tribunal building.

And there, at the bottom of the cavern, was an enormous black hole of unfathomable depth.

Out of this eerie, swirling pit of black mire, monsters were continually emerging.

Most of the monsters resembled ants or wasps, and their sizes ranged from that of a large dog to that of a horse.

Ignoring Paris and his group who had fallen into the cavern, these creatures flew straight up to the upper floors, as if they had a clear objective.

Only the wingless ants were left behind, gnawing at the fallen prisoners scattered around the floor.

?

And then, standing in front of that hole, was a middle-aged priest Paris knew well.

A man with a virtuous face, Priest Hayes, who had worked together with him in the Heresy Tribunal for a long time.

Shaking, Paris slowly approached him and asked in a quivering voice,

Is this all your doing, Brother Hayes? Why on earth

What is this place? Since when have you known about this?

Priest Hayes didnt even look back at him. His indifferent voice merely echoed emptily through the vast corridor.

Long before the Imperial Palace stood at the center of Delcross, the continents largest church already existed here. Even before the Heresy Tribunal was established, this place was the sanctuary of the Rest Cult.

Rest Cult?

Youre still young, it seems. You havent heard of the four underground cults.

For a moment, he stared at the ceiling of the hollowed corridor.

We were once persecuted and labeled as the Darkness cults, but we originally were a peaceful sect that had been worshipping the Divine even before the founding of the Holy Kingdom.

Darkness Cults.

An heretical group within the church that was said to have been purged during the early rule of the current Holy Emperor.

Our Archbishop said that through Rest, all followers of the Divine will be eternally saved. Hence, we are called the Rest Cult.

What he was saying meant only one thing.

Heretic Priest Hayes, so youre a heretic!

As Paris staggered in shock, Hayes chuckled.

Knight Paris, on what grounds do you judge heresy? Do you know anything about the true teachings the Divine bestowed before the thousand-year-old empire was established?

What are you saying?

Do you think the current Unified Church is normal? Their dogmatic approach, which distorts the teachings of the Divine and eliminates all dissent, is the true heresy against the will of the Divine!

For a moment, Paris was lost for words. The priest, who always seemed so devout, spoke so confidently. Could he himself have misunderstood something?

The spell was broken by a calm voice that suddenly echoed from behind them.

At least the current Unified Church doesnt commit mass murders like you.

Both Paris and Hayes turned around simultaneously.

Approaching them was a person they never expected to see here.

His appearance was as usual, wearing the long, flowing ecclesiastical robes, which swayed with his steps.

Your Holiness, the Holy Emperor?

The Holy Emperor scanned the surroundings with his usual emotionless face. After briefly fixing his eyes on the massive hole behind Hayes, he faintly curled one corner of his lips.

For a moment, both felt a chill run down their spines.

Youve done well to hide from my sight until now, You devil-worshipping remnants of the old cult.

Those who do such things are generally called devil worshippers.

Paris, who had been listening, was horrified. Hayes did not deny the emperors statement.

The fury slowly vanished from his face that had been silent until now. It looked as if he had regained his composure for a moment.

Its a misunderstanding. It was a ritual to bring Rest.

Did the participants consent to that?

In this world full of suffering, who wouldnt desire rest?

So you granted [Rest] even to nursing babies and submissive women.

They were all saved!

Is that so.

The emperor nodded indifferently to the fuming Hayes.

I too granted you salvation directly through [Rest]. Whats there to resent?

Slashing my brethren unilaterally and now calling that salvation!

However, Hayess protesting voice gradually waned.

He himself knew that the [Rest] indiscriminately granted even to babies was, in the end, not different in result from the death of his brothers.

Paris swallowed nervously as he looked at his face.

Your decisions are so unilateral and full of contradictions; youre like the epitome of heresy.

The Holy Emperor drew a thin smile, slowly pulling the sword strapped to his waist. The sword had a disproportionally elongated hilt compared to its short, sleek bladea pristine white sword.

By now, he should have scattered enough pieces for us to find them all. There seems to be no need to wait any longer.

You knew everything?

Hayes repeated in a voice devoid of strength. His eyes seemed empty, as if he had abandoned his lifes goals and will at the same time.

The Holy Emperor momentarily met his gaze and quietly asked,

Youve managed to hide from my eyes for so long; why engage in such behavior now when you knew youd fail?

The Holy Emperor seemed genuinely curious.

The only reason Hayes could evade the Holy Emperors sight was that he had not yet received the [Baptism]. Without the mark engraved upon his soul, Hayes could survive the period of great purification alone.

However, for someone unbaptized to live according to the doctrine of Rest, its like a living person walking through death. Certainly not something one can endure with an ordinary mind.

Then how could he have so recklessly squandered these long years of suffering?

I had no choice. I could not I couldnt refuse His command

Hayes staggered, clutching his face with both hands. He looked as if he might collapse at any moment.

After shivering for a moment, Hayes eventually raised his head toward the Holy Emperor with damp eyes.

What do you plan to do with Him?

The Holy Emperor did not respond. He simply raised his sword slowly towards Hayes.

I see.

As if understanding something, Hayes gave a melancholy smile, his eyes welling with tears.

Everything is already under His plan. His preparations are still not over

Swish. Silently, the Holy Emperors arm swung down.

Before anyone knew it, a dazzlingly bright and long aura blade was exposed on the sword.

Thud. Hayes, the priest cleanly cut in two, collapsed lifelessly on the ground. Compared to the deeds he had committed, it was an utterly hollow end.

Paris couldnt even breathe as he watched the whole spectacle unfold.

Arent you Lieutenant Durand?

The Holy Emperor, briefly casting his gaze on the corpse, asked Paris.

Yes, Your Majesty.

The Holy Emperor looked up at the hollow, gaping ceiling. His pupils seemed to emit a mysterious silver glow in the dark corridor.

Go up and restore order to the Knights. From now on, you are the Knight Commander of St. Marcias.

What? What does that mean

However, the Holy Emperor did not answer his question. Instead, he moved towards the large hole on the floor of the corridor, from which monsters still continually emerged.

Slowly, the Holy Emperor raised his hand towards that hellish pit. Soon, his body was enveloped in a faint light.

At that moment, Paris thought he saw something resembling a golden halo glowing above the Holy Emperors head.