Chapter 57: Arshley’s Anger and an Ancient Manuscript 7,000 Years Ago
Hall of Gods──Holy Orthodox
Inside the Hall of Gods, Arshely sat upon the throne, her expression indifferent, her features concealed beneath a white veil.
Draped in a loose, light green saintly robe, her perfect and curvaceous body cannot be hidden at all.
Moreover, with her serene and graceful demeanor, she seemed akin to a goddess descending upon the world.
Right now, before her stood four men, each radiating an extraordinary aura—none other than the Guardians, who held positions of great esteem within the Holy Orthodox hierarchy, second only to the Saint.
“I’m certain that the four of you have heard about the news of the death of my brother, Sword Hero Leon Kruger, as spread by the Holy Empire of Elysium. What are your thoughts on this matter?” Arshley crossed her long, plump legs and asked in a calm, somewhat indifferent tone, directed towards the four.
Upon hearing this, the four nodded simultaneously. Then, a handsome middle-aged man with brown hair, clad in a loose white robe, stepped forward slowly.
“Saint, may I have the honor of expressing my opinion first?” The middle-aged man, none other than Louis, the third Guardian, spoke respectfully to Arshley.
Arshley glanced at him and nodded, responding, “Of course, Guardian Louis. Please proceed.”
With Arshley’s approval, Louis took a deep breath and adopted a serious expression.
“Saint, according to the horoscope I consulted earlier, it appears that hero Leon is not truly deceased. The hero’s star representing him still shines, though dimly, suggesting that he may have sustained injuries following the battle in the Desert of Chaos,” Louis explained, maintaining a composed demeanor as he paused for a moment.
Then, his facial expression turned serious once more as he continued, “It’s just that, Saint, yesterday, I cast a new horoscope to determine the whereabouts of the sword hero Leon and discovered something unexpected—that the hero’s star representing Sword Hero Leon suddenly flickered uncontrollably, as if it might disappear at any moment.”
*Bang!*
Louis’ words hit Arshley like a giant rock, leaving her eyes widened in disbelief, the emotion clearly evident even behind her white veil.
The hero’s Star… It symbolizes the life of a hero.
Unlike the hero’s destiny, which is a one-time event occurring when three heroes are chosen in an era, the hero’s star can be discerned through horoscopic calculation, as Louis adeptly demonstrated.
However, not just anyone can employ the horoscopic magic method; without caution, attempting to observe the hero’s star can lead to a fatal backlash.
Now, Louis suggests that the Sword Hero’s star is showing signs of fading, implying that her brother, Leon, is truly facing imminent demise.
“Is… Is what you’re saying true!?” Arshley asked, her voice trembling as if she were on the verge of collapse.
Observing her reaction, Louis released a small sigh of regret, hesitant to answer her question.
Having known Arshley since before her ascension to the throne as a Holy Orthodox saint, Louis was familiar with her temperament.
Although Arshley was renowned as a beloved saint, esteemed by all mankind and held in high regard, she had a fatal flaw—her obsessive love for the sword hero Leon.
While this may seem admirable, sometimes excessive affection can lead to detriment.
Meanwhile, Louis’ silence in response to Arshley’s question cast a somber silence over the entire Hall of Gods, and observing his reticence, Arshley clenched her palms until they turned red.
“Third Guardian… I demand an answer! Is what you say true or not?” Arshley’s questioning tone instantly turned cold as a faint green aura enveloped her body, spreading throughout the hall.
The green aura caused the entire Hall of Gods to tremble, and the space around them distorted as if it were on the verge of shattering at any moment.
Witnessing the scene, the fourth guardian, Victor, and the fifth guardian, Adam, stood poised to intervene and prevent the imminent destruction of the Hall of Gods under the pressure of Arshley’s power.
However, the first Guardian, Edward, who had remained silent all this time, swiftly took a step forward and fixed a calm gaze upon Arshley.
“Saint, please refrain from succumbing to your anger; otherwise, the consequences could be dire,” Edward cautioned with a nonchalant expression, though urgency tinged his voice.
Upon hearing this, Arshley also gradually regained her composure, though her trembling body indicated that she had not fully calmed down.
Edward sighed and cast a sharp gaze at Louis, causing him to feel a mix of embarrassment and guilt.
Shaking his head slightly, Edward turned his gaze toward Arshley, asking, “Saint, may I speak and offer my opinion?”
Arshley remained silent, seemingly unable to fully accept the news Louis had delivered earlier.
Undeterred by Arshley’s lack of response, Edward proceeded to explain.
“Saint, in the 7,000-year history of mankind’s war against the Demon race, do you know why our Holy Orthodox has never directly participated and only acted passively all this time?” Edward’s question left Arshley momentarily stunned, and she regarded him with a hint of confusion.
She couldn’t comprehend why Edward was broaching this topic.
As a Holy Orthodox saint, Arshley was well aware of the reasons why the Holy Orthodox couldn’t intervene and attack the Demon race.
The primary reason being that the First Saint of the Holy Orthodox had once made a sacred oath to abstain from involvement in the battle against the Demon Race.
This sacred oath applied not only to the First Saint but also to all future saints who would ascend the throne and lead the Holy Orthodox.
Consequently, the Holy Orthodox refrained from engaging in direct conflict with the Demon Race, except to defend humanity’s territory from their incursions.
Noticing Arshley’s hesitation, Edward continued, “You might argue that it is because of the sacred oath of the first Saint of Holy Orthodoxy that our Holy Orthodoxy has refrained from engaging in direct combat with the Demon race.”
“However, Saint, there is another reason for this matter that has been carefully concealed for 7,000 years.”
His words not only widened Arshley’s eyes in shock but also those of Louis, Victor, and Adam.
“Edward, is what you’re saying true? Is there another reason why the Holy Orthodox never intervened in the battle against the Demon Race?” The Fifth Guardian, Adam, asked urgently.
As a Guardian who held the esteemed position of a Holy Orthodox war general and bore the moniker “God of War,” Adam was genuinely eager to eradicate the Demon race and stand alongside the Holy Empire of Elysium in the battle for humanity.
Yet, bound by a sacred oath, he found himself unable to participate, resigned to merely observing without taking any action.
Seated upon the throne, Arshley too felt unable to calm down upon hearing Edward’s words. For the time being, she suppressed her anxiety about Leon’s situation.
Sensing the anxious and curious gazes fixed upon him, Edward maintained a calm demeanor as he began to explain once more.
“A few days ago, I stumbled upon a 7,000-year-old ancient manuscript in the Hall’s library.” Edward paused for a moment, his calm expression suddenly shifting to one of seriousness.
“The manuscript reveals that the true reason the Holy Orthodox refrained from battling the Demon race wasn’t solely due to the First Saint’s oath, but rather to await the arrival of someone who would change an era and halt the war between the Demon race and mankind—a figure referred to as ‘The Fated One.'”
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A/N: By the way, I’m considering updating two chapters in one day. What are your thoughts on this? Please leave your comments below. Thank you!
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