Thousands of miles away, the Vatican of Lambas.
It was a country of believers.
The government of the country was completely under the control of the Vatican, and the monarch of the country was the pope.
It was hard to imagine a country where the government was highly efficient and corruption was rare. The people of the country believed in the God of Light and were extremely loyal believers.
Before the Vatican of Lambas came into power, it used to be a huge country similar to the Empire of Saint Reims. But in the undead war three hundred years ago, this glorious empire was almost completely destroyed by a sea of skeletons. If not for the Holy Church, which did not have many believers at that time, the country would have become a wasteland.
After the war, King Charlemagne I immediately announced that the God of Light would be the god of the whole country. He set an example and became the first believer.
At the same time, he also ordered that no one in the country should believe in other gods. Those who disobeyed the order would be burned at the stake as "heretics"!
When the king died, he did not announce any heir to the throne in his will. Instead, he announced that the pope of the Holy Church would be the first ruler of the country. This led to the country becoming a huge kingdom of believers in the next few decades.
The current pope, Ramiel IV, had taken over the mantle of the previous pope for nearly four years. The 57-year-old pope, who was also the youngest pope in history, had ambitions that his predecessor never had.
After hundreds of years of recuperation, Lembas had gradually become stronger and more powerful. The army of the Church was also getting stronger and stronger. The lives of the commoners were safe and sound, and they had an abundance of food reserves. Under these conditions, Ramiel IV suddenly made a shocking decision —
Launch an expedition to destroy the northern heretics and make them worship the God of Light!
Of course, this was the practical meaning. The "oracle" that the pope uttered was not so straightforward — "Let us spread the glory of the God of Light over the land of the heretics!"
But no matter what, the pope's decision was supported by nine of the twelve cardinals — only one opposed and two abstained.
War?
Wars always needed a reason, but most of the time, these reasons were ridiculous. For example, Lamiere's ambition was to see the whole world kneeling at the feet of the God of Light, or rather, at his feet, the incarnation of the God of Light in the world.
To the north of the Holy Church of Lambas was the nomadic country of Velun. This country did not seem to be developing well. They lived a very primitive nomadic life. The people did not have large cities or castles. Instead, they lived a tribal life in the wet grasslands and dense forests.
Velun had no king, only a tribal chief. Of course, compared to the two powerful countries of Saint-Rames and Lambas, Velun's military and food reserves were far inferior. But they had a natural advantage — their bodies.
The harsh conditions gave these people living in the wilderness a physical advantage that ordinary people did not have.
In other words, the climate of Velun was always below the level of the continent, and the winter was frighteningly cold!
The people who lived in such a harsh environment were much stronger than ordinary people in every aspect. Moreover, in the face of the natural law of survival of the fittest, the people living in the warm and comfortable Empire of Saint Reims and the Holy Church of Lambas were on average a head shorter than the average men in Velun!
The climate wasn't the main factor. More importantly, there were countless dangerous magical beasts on the continent, and the human's strength had almost limitless room for growth. This led to the hunters of every tribe in Velun to be far stronger than the average person. It could even be said that if Velun dared to claim that they had the highest proportion of high-ranked professionals, no other country would dare to claim that they had the second highest proportion of high-ranked professionals.
The Pope was ambitious, but he wasn't a fool. The main goal of the Velun Kingdom's "spreading of Holy Light" wasn't endless slaughter. However, the Pope had taken it for granted and neglected the valiant customs of the Velun Kingdom's citizens.
In fact, these valiant people had a common name in other countries: "Barbarians"!
Just like their name, when faced with the "expeditionary army" that wore luxurious clothes, rode tall horses, and carried crosses, none of these valiant people showed any signs of compromise.
Since ancient times, they had always believed in the God of Ice, "Krassulin", and had no interest in changing their beliefs. They raised the hunting bows and axes in their hands and unhesitatingly started a bloody battle against the knights who attempted to spread the "Holy Light"!
But unfortunately, due to the flaws in the tribal system, the small villages were quickly destroyed by the ferocious knights. At the same time, all the Velun people who tried to resist were labeled as "heretics" and burned to death on the stake!
The rest of the women and children had become the victims of the war. Without men to hunt for them, many of them could only survive on crude and unhygienic dried meat and dry batter.
The expedition of the Crusaders began in spring, and it was now late autumn. The weather had suddenly turned cold, and the army's mobility and supplies were insufficient due to advancing alone. At this moment, Pope Ramiel IV sent an "oracle", ordering the entire expeditionary army to rest and recuperate in the villages that they had conquered.
But the warriors of Velun were not weaklings that could be bullied. Under the leadership of their chief, the warriors who had been retreating regrouped and were ready to reclaim their lost territory.
* * *
The clear sound of footsteps echoed in the empty and quiet corridor.
Exquisite, lifelike statues lined the two sides of the corridor. There were statues of the various Deities of legend, as well as the Angels of the Radiant Church.
Sunlight shone on the mirror-smooth marble floor, and the reflected sunlight illuminated the exquisite murals painted by countless artists.
This was the Ceseville Palace, the heart of the city of Siliath, the palace of the Empire of Saint Reims.
His ceremonial robes flashing with magic runes made Many's figure look even straighter. The guard who was leading the way was now following behind him respectfully.
The guard was a veteran of the Royal Guards. He did not expect the commoner who was invited to participate in the conferring ceremony to be so outstanding. After walking for a few dozen meters, he instinctively chose to follow behind Many.
There were a few times when he wanted to remind many people which direction they should take at the fork in the road out of kindness. However, he realized that the entire Sisfel Palace was like the backyard of this mysterious man. From the beginning to the end, they did not take a wrong path!
Many had an expression on his face that no one could imitate. If one did not look carefully, they would look like ordinary passersby. But when one looked carefully at his face, one would feel a strong sense of self-confidence and majesty. It was not a dignified bearing, but an intimidating aura.
After stepping into the meeting hall of the palace, many people raised their eyelids and ignored the dozen or so noble councilors who had already arrived. They stared straight at Emperor Bodinar, who was sitting on the throne. Their slightly narrowed eyes seemed to be sizing him up.
It had to be said that there was no other person who dared to look at him like that except for the arrogant Dragon race!
But Many was not a Dragon. He was just an inconspicuous member of the human race, so his slightly playful and scrutinizing gaze immediately caused dissatisfaction among the surrounding members of parliament.
Bodinar The Great sat up straight. After the meeting with Bishop Becky from the Lambas Vatican, everyone could feel that the old emperor's body was recovering day by day and seemed to be getting better.
His skinny arms began to fill out, and his muscles were no longer shrunken. His sunken cheeks gradually regained color, and his turbid eyes shone brightly again. His luxurious robe could not conceal the sharpness of a Rank Nine Great Swordsman. Seeing Many's expressions and expressions, as the emperor, he was not dissatisfied. Instead, he sat quietly on the throne and waited for Many to walk to his throne.
As if it was their own home, Many Mercenaries walked calmly to the famous "Sword Emperor", but they didn't kneel down on one knee like a mercenary should. Instead, they bowed slightly and said, "Mercenaries Many Mercenaries greet Your Majesty."
At this moment, the surrounding members of parliament could not sit still anymore. They whispered to each other, but none of them dared to reprimand them loudly. It was obvious that Bodinar's image as an iron-blooded monarch had been deeply imprinted in their hearts. These nobles did not dare to be presumptuous at all.
Bodinar suddenly chuckled. Then, he pointed at the simple crown on his head that had no complicated patterns and said, "It seems that you are more suitable to wear this crown than I am."
This was the first conversation between the two of them.
Later on, this classic answer was recorded in the 'General History of the Roslorian Continent'. It became a sentence that countless people used to praise someone as a 'prophet'.
As soon as Bodinar's voice fell, the people below instantly burst into an uproar. However, they quickly regained their silence.
Many straightened their backs again and looked straight into Bodinar's eyes without a single ripple of emotion on their faces. They did not say a word.
"The recipient of the Medal of the Guardian, the 'friend' of Her Highness the Red Dragon Carolina. Dear mercenary Many, I have summoned you here today to reward you for saving an important minister of the Empire and the only remaining heir of the Caslort Family, Victoria. Do you have anything to say about this?"
Bodinar spoke as if he was chatting with an old friend. This was his usual way of speaking. He was approachable and never arrogant.
"I have no objections, Your Majesty."
"Very well. Let us begin now."
The Emperor did not say a word of nonsense. This was his style. He stood up and gently picked up the silver-white sword that was used to confer nobility.
Although his body still looked weak, the sharp aura he exuded when he held the sword made people feel the might of the 'Sword Emperor'!
Under the witness of the nobles in the Senate, many knelt down on one knee and accepted the conferment from Charnak, the Monarch of the Empire of Saint Reims.
The tip of the sword touched his shoulder lightly. Bodinar The Great announced the conferment of many 'Baron' titles. This title was not hereditary. However, the territories that Bodinar bestowed to many made these 'Baron' nobles the most controversial in the Empire!
Logically speaking, the Baron was the lowest level of the entire noble class. Lords and knights were not considered true high-ranking nobles. However, just this many Baron titles corresponded to a surprisingly large territory!
It even exceeded the territory of some Count!
However, the important thing was not the size of the territory. If a territory did not have fertile soil and hard working farmers, no one would be willing to accept a territory no matter how large it was.
Bodinar bestowed a territory near Celias City. It had beautiful scenery and rich resources that all the nobles could imagine. However, at the end of the conferment ceremony, Bodinar suddenly asked, "Are you willing to become a citizen of the Empire of Saint Reims and remain loyal to this land? Are you willing to become a citizen of the Empire of Saint Reims?"
The surroundings instantly fell deathly silent.
Many raised his head and answered without hesitation, "No, I will not give up my Elven citizenship."
"Good!
As expected of the owner of the 'Guardian Medal'! "
Emperor Bodinar wasn't surprised by Many's answer. He waved his hand and changed the name of the fief. Thus, the barons received a fief called "Oditore".
This territory was not ordinary. It was located at the edge of the Limt Forest and was close to the border of the Empire. It faced the Azura Forest where the Trolls lived. It was a place where wars frequently broke out in the Empire every year!
This action immediately caused the nobles to fall silent.
In terms of resources, the territory of 'Oditore' was not rich at all. It could even be described as poor. The continuous years of war and the occasional attacks from the Trolls made it impossible for the people of this territory to plant crops in peace. They could only rely on hunting in the forest to survive. However, from a political point of view, this territory was a rare 'treasure land'!
As everyone knew, the title of a baron was divided into hereditary and lifelong. Many titles were not hereditary, but once one obtained some merit, there was a high chance of increasing the size of the territory or getting a higher title. The territory of 'Oditore' was located in the war-torn area. Although the battles there were not intense, it was the only place in the relatively peaceful Empire of Saint Reims that had conflicts. Therefore, the speed of obtaining merit in this place was much faster than in the peaceful areas of the Empire of Saint Reims!
When this decision was made, it did not cause any dissatisfaction among the nobles. There was no other reason than this decision involved a taboo that no nobles were willing to touch.
However, there was no need to discuss whether Bodinar had made this decision on the spur of the moment. The nobles only knew that once the 'Sword Emperor' Bodinar had made a decision, no one had ever heard of him changing it.
The old foxes of the parliament greeted Bodinar hypocritically and quickly left the Sissevan Palace. Bodinar, who had already become a member of the nobles, bowed slightly to express his gratitude and left without looking back.
He did not panic at all. From the beginning to the end, Bodinar's heart did not even skip a beat.
"Benders, what do you think?"
Bodinar asked Prime Minister Benders, who had been standing in a corner all this time, with great interest as he watched the many figures that had already left into the distance.
"Just as His Majesty said, he is like a king. He reminds me of Cleveland III."
"Let's leave him there for now. I hope he can play an appropriate role at the right time."
Bodinar closed his eyes. No one knew what he was thinking.
* * *
"Is it over?"
In front of the Sissevan Palace, Sylvia very naturally took a step forward and gently held Bodinar's hand. Then, she intimately hugged his arm and walked beside him.
"Well, it's nothing. But it seems like we have a territory that needs to be managed."
Bodinar was the original Bodinar. He took a deep breath. The enchanting fragrance of Sylvia made him feel refreshed. The silly girl walked beside him like a little bird. His heart was also very sweet. Carolina had been sent to teach Salia, allowing the two of them to enjoy a rare moment of peace in this chaotic world.
After taking a few steps, Bodinar suddenly stopped. He turned around and looked at the silly girl in a daze. In his heart, he recalled the scene when she fainted in his arms.
There was a faint blush on Sylvia's fair face. She averted her eyes and looked at the ground. Her silver-white hair hung on both sides of her delicate face. Her breathing was slightly rapid. She looked as if she was looking forward to something.
Because this was the aristocratic district, there were very few pedestrians on the street. Only the guards were constantly patrolling. Bodinar looked around. Then, he suddenly pulled Sylvia in a somewhat domineering manner. Her long skirt fluttered gently. Flustered, Sylvia looked up at Bodinar, and her face became even redder.
With no one around, Sylvia, who was usually very shy, became a lot bolder. She seemed to understand Bodinar's meaning. Her long eyelashes fluttered. She mustered the courage to widen her enchanting purple eyes to look at Bodinar in front of her. Then, she gently moved her lips forward.
What was there for Bodinar to hesitate about?
He tightened his arms around this silly girl who had made his heart ache and made him like her. His heart was filled with warmth. Then, he lowered his head and kissed her faintly fragrant lips.
Sylvia let out a moan. Her body trembled as if she had been electrocuted. Then, she softened and melted into Bodinar's embrace. That intoxicating feeling made Sylvia instantly addicted. However, a scream suddenly interrupted Sylvia's first kiss.
"Shameless!"
Someone in the distance screamed, causing Sylvia to be startled.
Then, she immediately burrowed into Bodinar's embrace in embarrassment. She didn't even dare to raise her head. However, Bodinar furrowed his brows and lightly patted Nana to indicate that he was fine. Then, he turned around and looked in the direction of the scream.
Not far away, a little girl in a milky white dress stood there. Her small chest was violently heaving up and down. It was as if she had seen something that made her very angry. She was beyond excited.