The Journey Begins: Unveiling the Divided Holy See

Early the next morning, preparations were underway for departure.

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“It has been a long time since I last wore these robes, and with the packed bags, the horses, and the provisions… this truly amounts to quite a lot.” Eric leaned on his staff, his figure, clad in a grey mage’s robe and pointed hat, indistinguishable from any wandering wizard.

It had been a long time since he last donned these robes, yet now, having changed into his traveling attire, he resolved to embark upon what might well be the final journey of his life.

“We’ve prepared seven days’ worth of provisions for the four of you, along with some local specialties.” The Village Chief produced a package filled with food.

Anto smiled as he accepted the food parcel.

“Thank you, Village Chief.”

“We will certainly return to visit you if we have the chance.”

“Such a promise carries no responsibility at all,” the Village Chief responded with a laugh.

“Anto, it’s quite right for them to worry about you.”

“Your nature is too gentle; you always think of others.”

“Sometimes, you should strive more for yourself.”

“…From here, if you head south, you’ll encounter many villages more prosperous than those on the border.”

“They are far from the ravages of war, yet they are not without their own problems.”

“Compared to the endless battles against the Dark Legion, the conflicts between humans on the continent are even more arduous.” The Village Chief spoke, patting Anto on the shoulder.

“May you become the person you wish to be.”

“I certainly will,” Anto replied before mounting his horse.

The party departed under the Village Chief’s watchful gaze.

The group, consisting of Tikka, a sword-wielding adventurer from the Council; Mula, an adventurer archer; Ilivy, a Knight of the Holy See; Eric, a mage; and Anto Colmensin, the Holy Child and illegitimate son of the Pope, who possessed the Sacred Flame, set out from the fringes of human territory.

They journeyed south, towards a continental region brimming with both prosperity and peril, fraught with various hidden dangers.

“We must first stay in the Draynes Kingdom for a period,” Ilivy stated, taking the lead on the road.

“This will allow the Holy Child… Lord Anto… to understand the situation of the Holy See.”

“Ah, is that so? Then, it wouldn’t be impossible to go directly to the Council’s tower to learn more, would it?” Mula began to say, but Tikka’s gaze cut her off before she could finish.

Anto then explained, “Clearly, I am merely a very weak wielder of the Sacred Light right now.”

“I haven’t undergone systematic training or any other studies concerning the Sacred Light and the Holy See.”

“At a time like this, even if I were to declare my identity on Heavenly Mountain, I wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything.”

“At most, I would become a pawn in the struggles between those ambitious individuals who already seek to control the Holy See.”

“Therefore, I intend to study in a remote diocese first and gain a basic understanding of the situation before making any decisions.”

“Indeed, compared to others, Anto, you still need to understand the current state of the Holy See for yourself, and then decide whether to join or leave,” Eric affirmed his actions.

“By the way, why don’t you have the Knight beside you explain the general situation of the Holy See’s forces?”

“…Can I?” Facing Anto’s inquiry, Ilivy replied naturally, “The Holy See is currently in a state of division.”

“After the death of the previous Pope, the once vast power of the Holy See fragmented in the aftermath of the Demon King’s War.”

“While the various nations of the continent cannot be said to have completely abandoned the Holy Faith, most have suppressed the Church beneath their governments.”

“A significant part of the internal division within the Church stems from a schism in faith.”

“Since the death of the last Pope, the Sacred Flame has ceased to exist.”

“This fact has led to even a Cardinal ascending to the Papal position not being trusted by others.”

“Moreover, every Cardinal also desires the highest position.”

“They attack each other, leading to the fragmentation of their respective churches, or several factions unite to form a new diocese.”

“After several upheavals, the Master of Ceremonies on Heavenly Mountain completely sealed off the entire Holy Land, relying on the last remaining knight order, the Holy Land Knights.”

“They declared that among the many churches, only those who ultimately unite them according to God’s will are worthy to become the masters of Heavenly Mountain.”

“Before that, the Heavenly Mountain Papal Court will not be open to anyone.”

“However, the Trinity Abbey Academy at the foot of the mountain still accepts people from all church factions to apply for study and faith.”

“Thus, those who obey and support the Grand Master of Ceremonies have formed a faction, which we call the Originalist Church.”

“Meanwhile, the dioceses in the southwest of the continent suffered the least calamity during the Demon King’s War and the period of unrest.”

“They also maintained control of the southwestern faith stronghold even after the emergence of the Council’s influence.”

“Therefore, they attributed the blame to the former Pope, reinterpreted the holy scriptures, preserved their own culture, and formed the Truth Church.”

“They advocate for independently electing a new Pope without requiring recognition from other systems, to lead all factions forward.”

“They are also the ones who oppose the Council and protect their own interests, serving as the stronghold of the conservatives.”

“The eastern part of the continent saw the establishment of a new church after the devastation of the Demon King’s War.”

“They advocate for reconciliation and cooperation with Otherworld Travelers, while also modifying the content of the holy scriptures to be more convenient for the people and more secular.”

“They promote church reform, making this ideology their core principle.”

“Many dioceses in the north and central regions have accepted this idea.”

“They also advocate for establishing a new Pope for this new denomination.”

“And in the north, besides the Truth Church, the New Church, and the Originalist Church, there is another power: the Black Church,” Ilivy stated at this point.

“After the Demon King’s War, less than one-tenth of the Holy Army remained.”

“Many wounded and stranded warriors stayed behind on the border.”

“They no longer adhered rigidly to the original doctrines but focused wholeheartedly on demon-hunting on the frontier.”

“Their leader, the demon hunter Rhys Aelshir, abandoned the original faith, gathering those with Sacred Light talent and training them to fight against the dark forces.”

“Most of the monks in this church wear black clothing, which is why it is also known as the Black Church.”

“I see, the Originalist Church in the central region, the Truth Church in the southwest, the New Church in the east, and the Black Church in the north.”

At this moment, Eric, having listened to all this, began to ponder.

“Then, Knight Ilivy, what faction does your Rose Church belong to?”

“The Rose Church is a branch of the New Church.”

“They are more open and skilled in management than the Truth Church.”

“However, many churches still haven’t publicly declared their faith.”

“These unaligned churches are targets of contention for the three factions, apart from the Originalist Church.”

“Just like the one we are about to visit, which was originally considered the largest diocesan cathedral in the Draynes Empire.”

“After the decline of the cathedral, this church gradually became mired in difficulties.”

“I intend to apply for Lord Anto’s holy office status there.”

“Bishop Rhys there was once an executor of the Inquisition, and it was through him that I was able to locate Lord Anto.”

“What do you mean?”

“Lord Rhys was one of the executors who participated in the pursuit of Saint Livia back then.”

After this statement, the atmosphere of the entire group immediately fell silent.