Sword of Dawnbreaker

Chapter 488 - 487: Heterodoxy Trial

The grand search operation within Lu’an City has commenced.

The destructive endeavors undertaken by the Intelligence Agency’s task force in the Outer City District have finally pushed the city’s chaos and division to its peak. Facing the growing loss of control over order, the priests of the Grand Cathedral have adopted their ever-effective customary response—

The Disciplinary Monks and pioneering knights no longer held back, barging into every house, interrogating every citizen, seizing every item suspected of involvement with heterodoxies, and taking away all whose faith was suspected of wavering. Starting from the "Iron Cross Street" in the north of the city to the "White Pine Street" in the south, the black-robed clergymen and armored knights swept through the outer city like a terrifying wave.

As the wave swept over, the unarmed commoners were filled with panic and fear; for a while, the shouts and curses of knights, the crack of whips, and the cries of people filled every street. After the wave passed, only a deathly silence and whispered sobs hidden in the corners remained between the streets. On the surface, it seemed this wave had flattened everything, but anyone with a bit of wisdom traveling around Lu’an City at this moment would find an unsettling fact:

In the streets and alleys, amongst the trembling citizens of Lu’an, amidst those who are the most devout believers of the Holy Light God in the entire southern border, no prayer could be heard anymore.

Yet, unfortunately, at this moment, the Cathedral of the Holy Light was completely oblivious to the real situation in the Outer City District. Those in charge of the church had only one goal in mind: to swiftly conduct the heretic trials and hopefully end this chaos that was already out of control...

Meanwhile, outside Lu’an City, in the city streets of the southern border central region, a large holographic image was being projected above a public Magic Web Terminal set in the square. In the image was the now somewhat famous Witch Giply, sitting with another dynamic scene displayed behind her: it was the chaotic streets of Lu’an City.

"...Lu’an City is sinking into tremendous chaos, and the cathedral priests are arresting innocent citizens across the city... All who disobey the cathedral’s orders are being labeled as heretics, and the priests and knights are violently assaulting the unarmed commoners...

"Our leader is still trying to communicate with the clerics in Lu’an City, yet the open letter sent into the city was confiscated and burned publicly by the cathedral...

"The Holy Light Order within the city seems to have utterly rejected our peace offerings. Despite the armies led by Sir Philip and Byron Kirk being in a position to destroy the Luan Grand Cathedral at any moment, they chose to withdraw voluntarily to several kilometers outside the city walls. The soldiers have waited in the wilderness outside the city for eighty-six days, only to meet with unilateral resistance and hostility from the cathedral... We can’t help but question, what exactly do the priests inside the cathedral want? We’ve ensured no military engagement, yet how can you start harming your own innocent people?"

As Giply spoke in distress, the holographic projection flickered through images, displaying the large scale burning of pamphlets and booklets, images of cruel executions by fire, and scenes of church soldiers searching homes and intimidating citizens. The last image was of an angry, grim-faced church soldier stepping on a civilian, the soldier’s roar ringing from the image: "...How dare you secretly harbor the Cecil people’s... Who gave you the guts to defy the bishop’s orders?!"

It was evident that all these images were taken under very tense and covert circumstances, with many accompanied by severe noise interference and blotches. The citizens gathered in the square stared in horror and fear at the brutal scenes, listening to Miss Witch’s voice continuing: "...These are the reports smuggled out by messengers trapped inside Lu’an City using spells at the risk of their lives, hoping these brave messengers can survive this calamity safely..."

"Now, we welcome Mr. Godwin Orlando, the esteemed editor-in-chief of the Cecil Weekly and renowned scholar, along with several citizen representatives from both Cecil City and Kant Castle to examine the reasons behind the current chaos in Lu’an City. We will also explore a question that’s been attracting a lot of attention lately: Do we still wait for a reasonable response from the clergy inside the Luan Grand Cathedral, and is it still justified to place our hopes in the current Holy Light Order—if we cannot expect a rational and peaceful reply, should we consider establishing a new Holy Light Order with our own hands to prevent the further sullying of the Holy Light?"

The people gathered in the square passionately watched the images on the holographic projection, seeing the current state of Lu’an City playing in the background behind Giply’s figure—those gathered here were not unfamiliar with the Holy Light Order’s acts of "punishing heresies." In everyday life, everyone more or less dealt with church priests and witnessed them, or church soldiers, whipping erring commoners. However, the dense information on display now before them was utterly different from their usual experiences; so many atrocities presented together agitated every nerve at the scene.

As for the matter Miss Witch mentioned: the question of whether to establish a new Holy Light Order that caught the attention of a large audience, there was hardly any doubt among the people.

Though most people had never given it a thought before, since Miss Witch herself mentioned it, the situation must indeed be as described.

Even if I haven’t been paying attention to this matter, perhaps others are.

The people of this city may not have been concerned with it, but perhaps people in other cities are.

Already citizen representatives have gone on the "program" to discuss this issue alongside the most renowned scholars of the southern border, it seems this matter truly has become a focal point, a subject everyone is debating.

"What are we waiting for? Those priests have gone crazy!"

No one knew who first shouted it in the square, but soon many began to respond.

"The priests of Lu’an City would never open the gates, they’re all dogs of the Northern Church!" "The commoners in Lu’an City are also people of the Cecil Clan, we can’t just let them suffer!" "Those priests are outright insulting the Holy Light! Let our ’White Knights’ take over Lu’an City!"

Before the law enforcement teams came to control the situation and remind everyone to quietly watch the program, similar calls sounded almost in every city and town covered by Magic Web Terminals...

Yet, the cries from outside Lu’an City could not reach the cathedral. Within this "City of the Church," preparations for the heretic trials were nearing completion.

The terrified and anxious people were once again driven to the square, gathered under the coercive power of Divine Arts and swords—in this world of extraordinary power, the endurance of the lower class commoners at this moment showcased an almost tragically great strength. Even in this dire situation, there was no sign of them rebelling against the knights or priests; they gathered around the square like silent sheep, appearing docile and fearful.

Yet, amidst the crowd, Amber could sense within this silent flock an unsettling atmosphere, an atmosphere without form or substance, soaked with the chill and oppression that precedes a storm.

This was an atypical silence—in normal circumstances, when commoners gathered quietly, no matter how docile or reverent they were, they would find it hard to refrain from creating a commotion and buzzing conversations, but at this moment...

It was too quiet, too silent, a silence as if all life had ceased.

The wooden platform in the center of the square had already been assembled; the ashes of the last execution by fire had long been cleaned away, yet the square seemed still enveloped by an unyielding burnt smell—how many people had been burned here since the establishment of Lu’an City? How many were burned to death here for defying the church, for discussing the bishop, for secretly keeping scriptures?

The acrid smell of their bodies gradually charring seemed to have infiltrated every crack of those stone tiles, and today, it seemed to seep out bit by bit...

The side doors of the church district opened, and the first to step out were a group of fully armed church soldiers. Behind the church soldiers followed a group of clergymen dressed in gray burlap robes, barefoot, and without crows.

This was the sign of being "chastened."

These being punished were those clerical figures who had secretly harbored pamphlets or privately discussed the bishop. They walked behind the church soldiers, flanked by black-robed Disciplinary Monks maintaining the lineup. With heads lowered, they stopped at the innermost circle of the square, nearest to the commoners.

Some commoners quickly glanced at the clerics who seemed to be punished, and the latter also curiously glanced at the commoners in the square.

They all showed expressions of curiosity and surprise.

Soon after, the doors of the church district opened, and Fran Belon, the bishop of Luan Grand Cathedral, appeared in the square with his priest Clergy.

A brilliant Holy Light radiated from them, their white robes still immaculate and bright, their steps steady and full of vigor—even at a time when food rations were repeatedly reduced, and the commoners in the outer city were in a half-hungry state, their faces remained ruddy, and their skin was full and healthy.

Surrounded by the priest Clergy, Fran Belon ascended the platform and then frowned slightly.

The atmosphere here made him very uncomfortable.

In the overly lifeless square... stood a mass of numb and foolish commoners, yet those who normally only cowered with heads lowered now looked at him with a strange gaze.

The look was neither reverent nor offensive; Fran Belon couldn’t describe it. He only felt it was like the gaze of a group of dead people, yet also like they were looking at a dead person.

Perhaps it’s because of hunger...

Suppressing the unease in his heart, Fran Belon forgave the offense in those eyes with great tolerance, knowing that today’s heresy trial was a crucial ceremony. He must endure until it was completed.

The sound of armor clashing came from the side of the square as another group of Church Soldiers escorted a dozen ragged people onto the wooden platform and tied them to the prepared stakes.

Fran Belon steadied his mind, then faced the square, invoking the Holy Light to make his voice heard everywhere: "Citizens of the Holy Light—I know the suffering you have endured during these days, and indeed, I am deeply distressed over it...

"...It is the devil that tempted and corrupted your friends and family, implanting thoughts of doubt and division in people’s minds..."

The square was silent, without cheers, objections, or even a hint of commotion.

Such a cold, dead reaction was something Fran Belon had never encountered before, leaving him momentarily embarrassed, followed by a measure of anger.

However, since he had started his sermon, he had to continue.

He forcibly suppressed the discomfort in his heart, further invoking the Holy Light to let the grand divine radiance create a formidable presence around him, which eventually prompted some disturbance in the square—this disturbance finally allowed him to continue his sermon: "...Today, I will unmask the devil’s tricks here and expose the shadows lurking in people’s hearts!

"Those who have been bewitched by the devil must be exposed and then purified, while those who have not will naturally receive fair identification and release—I promise everyone that this trial is just and effective!

"Swear to the God of Holy Light that the Lord’s brilliance and righteousness will surely be upheld!"

Fran Belon raised his scepter high; usually, after shouting such an inspiring slogan, he would wait for a moment for the surrounding thunderous cheers, yet now he realized such cheers were unlikely to come, so he skipped unnecessary ceremonial details and directly invoked his entire Magic Power. While connecting with the Holy Light in his heart, he released a vast range of Divine Arts.

Accompanied by the faint sound of holy chants, a hazy white halo spread outward from Fran Belon as the center.

Witnessing such extraordinary power, the common folk in the plaza finally stirred a little, while those bound to the poles on the dais in the front widened their eyes, staring with fear and anxiety as the halo swept over them with seemingly unstoppable momentum—

Where the halo passed, those who were bound immediately manifested weak light screens, which then shook violently, twisting into countless shadow-like fissures floating around them and above their heads, appearing unmistakably striking.

Fran Belon watched this scene with satisfaction: just as he predicted, those consumed by fear and self-doubt could not pass the heresy trial.

The halo continued spreading outward from the platform, gradually showing signs of dissipating.

The crowd at the inner edge of the square tensed as the halo approached, some quietly stepped back half a step, but dared not make it too apparent, fearing detection by the priests on the platform, while others clearly stood too close ahead—they fell within the range of the halo’s coverage.

Fran Belon was surprised to see a few bright and steady glows emerge in that near-dissipating Great Divine Incantation halo.

Could there be such devout individuals among the commoners?

He had intended only to use the residual wave of his Divine Arts to intimidate those commoners, yet unexpectedly, he saw a response from the Holy Light.

This temporary bishop was immensely surprised, yet in the next second, he could no longer focus on what those "devout believers" looked like.

He found that the Great Divine Incantation meant to dissipate upon reaching its limit seemed to be inexplicably strengthened, and the already dim halo ahead suddenly became exceptionally bright!!

Logically, the Divine Arts limited to around the "judgment podium" appeared to resonate with some holy artifact, it was re-infused with energy, then rapidly began to spread across the entire square.

Fran Belon watched in astonishment, suddenly realizing—oh dear, it’s a disaster.