Abundance City, Temple of Light.
Years had passed, and the Great Archbishop Lawrence had once again graced this border town with his presence. But unlike the grand celebration and joyous atmosphere of his last visit, he brought with him a chilling aura of slaughter.
Seated high upon the central throne of the temple, the Archbishop gazed down at the local dignitaries of Abundance City, who had been summoned in haste from their homes.
“I assume you are all aware of the current situation,” Lawrence said, stroking his graying beard. His voice carried a distinct chill. “What are your thoughts?”
His voice echoed through the cavernous, empty hall. The usual bustle of pilgrims and the murmur of prayers had been replaced by a deathly silence. The powerful figures who ruled this city with iron fists now stood before the Archbishop from the capital, barely daring to breathe, looking more fearful than their own servants.
“The Cardinals in the Holy City are aware of this matter,” the Archbishop said, slowly flipping through a small ledger. A playful, yet dangerous glint appeared in his eyes. “Therefore, I have been specially commanded to eradicate that damnable cult.”
“I know many of you here have guilty consciences, but do not be nervous. A Great Archbishop does not concern himself with petty scandals—such as the mistreatment of servants, midnight fraud, embezzlement of taxes, or smuggling trades…”
Lawrence’s gaze swept over the crowd like a heavy scythe. Everyone lowered their heads, trembling. They knew he was warning them, and the fear was suffocating.
Except for one man.
Green.
The veteran Paladin Commander and Inspector of Abundance City stood with his back straight, radiating a temperament completely opposite to the shivering crowd.
“I have said it before,” Lawrence said, looking with annoyance at the silent elite. “I don’t care about the mess of your daily lives. However…”
The Archbishop’s voice suddenly spiked: “But if anyone dares to turn their back on the God of Light and collaborate with those cultists, regardless of your motives, the only result will be an end a thousand times more terrifying than death itself.”
Whoosh.
Lawrence stood up and descended the steps. “I hope you keep that in mind. Green, come with me for a moment.”
“By your command.” Green placed a hand over his heart and bowed slightly.
The two walked through a long, quiet corridor.
“How are you feeling?” Lawrence asked, glancing at Green’s somewhat haggard appearance. “Have you been taking the medicine I sent? I went to great lengths to get that formula from the Elven Court.”
“Cough! Cough!” Green coughed a few more times. “Thank you for your concern, Your Excellency. The toxins in my body have mostly been expelled.”
“Bodily wounds are easy to heal, but the erosion of the soul…” The Archbishop looked at his old friend with heartache. “If this continues, your soul will dissipate before your body does. When that time comes, unless the God of Light himself descends, there will be no hope.”
“I know,” Green nodded heavily.
“Then why did you volunteer for this sweep mission?” Lawrence’s voice rose again, losing the composure he held in the hall. He reached out and gripped Green’s hand. “Enough, Green! I know you value the Paladin Code above all else, but… for Alice’s sake, can’t you just rest?”
Lawrence spoke with deep earnesty. “I know you want to protect her, but as long as I am here, no one can harm her.”
As a Level 80 top-tier professional and an Archbishop of the capital, Lawrence had the right to be arrogant. Even the high nobility of the Imperial Palace, even the current Regent, Prime Minister Montague, would have to think twice before facing Lawrence’s wrath.
“This has nothing to do with Alice,” Green shook his head slightly. “It is my own vow.”
“But you can’t even sense the Holy Light anymore!” Lawrence argued. “To reshape Alice’s soul, you took her sins upon yourself. You forcibly took over a destiny that didn’t belong to you… and you lost the right to hear the Holy Light. Even so, Green, do you still insist on fulfilling an obligation that grants you no power?”
Lawrence’s question was like a thunderclap. Even Green, with his heart of stone, faltered for a moment. But soon, his resolve returned.
“Yes,” Green answered flatly. “Because my faith is in the Patron of the Afflicted, the God of Justice, Kamudo.”
Green gestured toward a section of the gallery where no icons remained for the fallen deity. He closed his eyes. “Lawrence, do you know why—even though Lord Kamudo has been dead for so many years with no sign of resurrection—so many people still believe in a dead god?”
This time, Green did not use the formal title.
“Because… that is true faith. No expectation of reward, no hope for miracles. Simply believing in a principle for the sake of the principle itself.”
Turning back to the friend who had looked after him for years, Green said, “And I… want to be a true Paladin who has lost the Light and has no god to protect him. That is all.”
With that, Green slowly walked out of the temple. “Do what you must, Lawrence.”
Staring at Green’s departing figure, Lawrence’s expression shifted from shock to daze, and finally, to profound admiration.
“You haven’t changed a bit,” Lawrence sighed. “Just as annoying, and just as stubborn.”
He suddenly remembered their years of study at the Great Temple. Lawrence, smooth and tactful, was a favorite of the professors, while Green nearly failed because he refused to compromise on his principles. ‘Right is right, wrong is wrong. Even if everyone says black is white, it doesn’t make it so.’
Inwardly, Lawrence felt a long-standing obsession begin to dissolve. A bottleneck that had blocked his progression for years began to crack.
He… was breaking through?
Lawrence blinked, unable to believe it. It wasn’t just a level or two. He could feel the barrier to the “Legendary” rank being swept away.
‘Lawrence, you are a genius, but that is why it is hard for you to reach the next level.’ He remembered his master, the Pope, telling him: ‘When you look up at the stars, do not forget the masses living on the horizon beneath the clouds.’
“I understand now.”
Feeling the Holy Light surging within him, Lawrence smiled with relief. He understood the key to his breakthrough. He turned and walked in the opposite direction from Green.
Click.
The Archbishop activated his communication crystal.
“Your Excellency,” an Inquisition elite responded, “I am ready to negotiate with Duke Montague as per your request. We will use the crimes of the Abundance City officials as leverage to ensure their cooperation in clearing the Withered Cult—”
“No,” Lawrence interrupted. “I’ve changed my mind.”
“Sir?”
“Justice must be unreserved,” Lawrence replied coolly. “Whether it is the cultists or the masterminds who allowed them to flourish, all must be purged. I am looking at Abundance City; it is time for a thorough cleaning.”
“But Sir, Duke Montague just became Prime Minister. He won’t want a scandal—”
“I said, it’s an order.” Lawrence’s tone was icy.
“Yes… Understood!” The official turned pale and bowed.
The image faded. Lawrence felt his heart. It was beating fast. “I haven’t felt this fired up in a long time.”
Abundance City, Upper District Courtyard.
“Godfather, you’re back!” Alice was already at the gate, waiting for him. She rushed forward to greet him.
“The Archbishop is ready to move,” Green said, patting her shoulder. “But this mission is different from the ones in the past.”
“Hmm?” Alice looked at him, confused.
“In the past, our enemies were just the cultists. At most, a few infiltrated officials. But this time, Lawrence is going to uproot the very source of the cult…” Green’s eyes were deep. “Alice, are you afraid?”
Afraid?
Alice curled her lips into a small smile. “With Godfather here, Alice isn’t afraid of anything.”
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