Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 39 Major Reforms (1/2)

Chapter 40: Chapter 39 Major Reforms

On the streets of Fein City’s main urban area, Byrne, clad in black finery, adjusted his glasses, instructed guards and servants to go for a meal, and sought out the similarities between this city and the one where he spent his childhood.

He soon deeply furrowed his brow, for he could see garbage strewn everywhere, completely unmanaged, and the sewage-strewn ground was even dirtier than Nasir.

People bustled by in a hurry, houses on either side of the street were chaotically built and crowded, all contributing to a claustrophobic oppression that surrounded Byrne.

With the emergence of steam engines and factories in recent years, the people from the towns and countryside of the East Coast had gradually begun flocking towards Fein City; the massive influx of outsiders, primarily settling in the suburbs, was part of an inevitable, broader trend of explosive urban population growth across many cities on the Ouden Continent.

He quickly fled the general area towards Fein City’s center, noting the environment around him gradually improving.

The city center streets were wide and flat, with a clean pavement, free from any trash, and lined with tall, lush trees whose branches let dappled sunlight scatter in patches on the ground.

Byrne surmised that this part of the street in the city center must be where the wealthy lived.

A boy wearing a hat approached, giving Byrne a shy smile.

“Sir, would you like to buy a newspaper? There’s big news about the Seven Stars Alliance today! Oh, it’s not quite accurate to say that, as there is no longer a Seven Stars Alliance.”

Byrne was slightly stunned and saw that many around him who had bought newspapers were also looking astonished; clearly the boy wasn’t lying, something astonishing had indeed occurred.

Although the Seven Stars Alliance was a bit far from Cyart, Byrne was still curious about what had happened, having never seen a newspaper in Nasir but only heard of such a thing; he wanted to try buying one today.

“Alright, I’ll take one.”

So Byrne spent a copper nal to buy a newspaper from the newsboy’s hands, and began reading this paper named “Cyart World News.”

Byrne was astonished to see it filled with knowledge and information from all over the world, almost like a handy paper treasure chest!

Soon he found the largest page of the newspaper used a giant font to detail a major upheaval in the northern Seven Stars Alliance, and his face instantly changed.

“If this isn’t a double prank, it’s truly terrifying.”

The first matter was the official renaming of the Seven Stars Alliance to the Seven Stars Empire, completely abolishing the longstanding republic structure, as an officer of sub-human status successfully ascended the throne as Emperor of the Seven Stars Empire.

“Miller Corsica of the Seven Stars Empire, from an obscure small noble family, now called the ‘Military God’ is likely one of the most powerful knights on the Ouden Continent, or even in the world today.”

He took a deep breath; if the first matter was utterly shocking, then the next was simply absurd enough to make one question the sanity of the world.

The Sun Church, one of the Five Great True Gods Churches, publicly acknowledged the legitimacy of the Reforging Church, considering it the sixth of the Great True Gods Churches!

“It’s utterly nonsensical; the descent of the God of Reforging is one of the most negatively impactful events over the last century.”

Initially, He slew large numbers of nobility and the Extraordinary Exponent overnight after the Arrival of the Seven, even the then-Emperor perished.

Byrne remembered all too well how countries and churches once regarded the Reforging Order as a scourge; before today’s newspaper, he couldn’t imagine the Reforging Order being recognized as a True Gods Church.

The Reforging Order honored the “furnace” and “steel” as their symbols, and the increasingly popular steam engine of recent years was rumored to be their inventive creation.

“At least both matters won’t affect Cyart, whatever happens in the continent’s north, the distance here is ultimately too far,” he muttered to himself.

Cyart, one of the Eastern Four Kingdoms, is located to the southeast on the Ouden Continent, quite a distance from the Seven Stars.

The city center was much cleaner, houses in the area no longer felt as oppressive, but Byrne was not relieved; the content on the newspaper was too sensational.

“The Sun Church acknowledged the Reforging Church’s status, even after doing such terrible things, they still have a chance to turn around public opinion?”

He recalled the many history books he had read and suddenly felt that in a few decades, the perception of the Reforging Church in people’s minds might indeed change.

“If the Reforging Order could become recognized as a True Gods Church and gain a foothold, perhaps one day, Dawn might also gain legitimacy in people’s hearts.”

A longing arose within him, yet he clearly felt it was a goal almost as challenging as ascending to heaven, even more tangible than the crazy idea of annihilating the Meyer family.

Some fifteen minutes later, Byrne located the bank of Fein City.

In Nasir there were no banks, and intrigued, he walked into the spacious lobby, noticing the candlelight from crystal chandeliers reflecting off the marble floors.

The Fischer family only had those chandeliers with many curved arms and candles; Byrne had never seen more beautiful crystal chandeliers, always irresistibly looking up at them a second time.

“In the future, the Fischers’ house must have such chandeliers,” he thought silently to himself.

A middle-aged dwarf with a big beard approached, dressed in loose bright yellow clothing, with kind eyes, appearing very friendly and approachable.