651 The Open Stratagem (1/2)

In the Golden Cathedral in Aalto, Violet.

It was close to early evening. Led by Philibell, Gossett and the rest of the priests finished their Sunday pray. Without saying a word, Philibell stood up and went back to his living room. In the past, he would stay to preach or guide the priests.

”What happened?” asked a red robe confusedly.

Gossett shook his head, ”No idea. It's been a month that His Excellency's been acting weird.”

”A month? Does this have anything to do with Arcana Voice? They say that His Holiness is Viken, the disaster sorcerer…” the red robe was rather apprehensive.

The low and middle-rank priests were already callous to the repeatedly playing rumor, as there was no solid evidence for support and the story even seemed a bit lame to them. However, for those senior-ranks who knew some of the hidden history and secrets of the Church, they had found that a series of details in this rumor in fact conformed to the history. Maybe there was truth to it.

Of course, there were all kinds of possibilities in history, and it was not difficult to make up a seemingly sensible story. Therefore, they did not treat it very seriously. However, when it was mentioned again, the red robe still felt quite concerned.

Gossett looked up and said seriously, ”Yes… I remember that this has started after His Excellency attending the emergency meeting held by His Holiness…”

”I don't see the relation…” said the red robe with the gloomy look on his face. It seemed that there were some bad associations going through his mind.

Gossett forced a smile, ”Me neither. I mean… Any devout believer would feel upset hearing such slander.”

In Philibell's living room.

Philibell, the Bright Angel, was sitting behind his desk lost in his thoughts while staring at the flickering candle. As the day was getting darker, his beard had been lit up by the candlelight.

Suddenly, the burning candle made a slight noise and then violently grew taller, reflecting the redlight onto Philibell's face.

”Are you ready, Philibell?” The candle started ”talking” in a hoarse voice, ”This can help you recover the faith you've lost and send you a further step closer to the God of Truth. We don't need you to do much, but just give us the key information when the key moment has arrived.”

Philibell looked gloomy. He slightly squinted his eyes and said to the candle, ”There's no way that you can ascend to Mountain Paradise. How can you know he's the ultimate Lord just because of Sun King's notes? I won't believe you. And I will neither do what the Northern Extremist once did! This is unforgiven betrayal to Lord's blessing!

The candle giggled, the candlelight flickering, ”You called him his title, not his name, Philibell. You can't lie in front of me. No matter what kind of past His Excellency once had and no matter where he came from, after he integrated himself into Mountain Paradise, he has become the true god, the ultimate existence that transcends all the demigods, the 'Lord' as you priests call him. Now he's just in a temporary sleep, and the more followers he has, the quicker he'll wake up. Philibell, are you going to betray the God of Truth like Benedict III?”

”Atlant, I know you play with people's minds. But it won't work on me. You shall go now, or I'll turn on the divine circles here.” After a while of silence, Philibell said with deterimination.

The candle insisted, ”Philibell, I can feel what you're truly thinking. If you will, we'll always wait for you to join. You will see. The priests, including Richard, in Holmish Church will grow very fast in a short period of time, as our discovery in the Realm of Gates is beyond your imagination. We're now even a step further than those in the north. They haven't even approached Mountain Paradise.”

Then the candle flickered, and the voice disappeared.

Philibell turned on the defensive divine circles in the Golden Cathedral silently, and his face looked rather gloomy. After the divine circles had all been activated and after he cast Blessed Realm, Philibell finally put on a mysterious smile. His pupils had pure light shining in them.

”Our bright future comes from the prosperity of the Church. His Holiness has made his generous offer, and we're not idiots to split on our own. Atlant, you have underestimated His Holiness so much…”

In a manor outside of Aalto.

Atlant closed his eyes. In front of him, there was a silver candlestick. At this time, the candlelight suddenly twisted and projected an unidentifiable figure on the wall.

”Who is it?!” Atlant suddenly opened his eyes and stared at the figure on the wall with great alert.

The candlelight flickered, twisting the figure, and the old voice came from it, ”It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is the information that I am bringing to you.”

”What?” Atlant was rather cautious, trying to figure out the intention of the unexpected ”visitor”.

The flame said, ”I have a lot. I can tell you how to become a demigod, including how to ascend the legendary ranks, how to agglomerate the power of emotions, how to transform a body, what the specific magic circle is, and the secrets of forging the special divine items…”