NOVEL NEXT Chapter 108: Subversive Murals
Holy Capital, District Three, Saint Benedict Street.
The silver-armored Holy Hall Knights were fully equipped, and had placed the entire street under lockdown. Deep within the street's manor, dozens of high-ranking clerics led by a few purple-robed cardinals were safeguarded by more than ten Demon Hunting Knights clad in black robes, setting up a divine magic array to isolate the interior from the exterior.
After a loud dragon's roar, the Silver Horned Flying Dragon affiliated with the Royal Court descended from the sky.
Immediately following, Charlotte, dressed in a Saintess robe, jumped down under the protection of Fabio, the Deputy Commander of the Holy Hall Knight Order, and Aaron, the acting Great Judge, accompanied by Sebastian, Nisi, and the Guardian's Staff.
"Saintess!"
The Great Commander of the Holy Hall Knight Order, Angus, and the Demon Hunting Cardinal, Serena, took a step forward and bowed respectfully.
Charlotte nodded slightly, and then looked towards the huge fissure in the center of the manor's garden.
It was a black space rift, with faint purple lightning constantly flashing within. Around the rift, platinum-colored photons danced incessantly, with golden runes and space fragments resembling shattered glass faintly visible.
"How's the situation?"
Charlotte withdrew her gaze and asked.
Great Commander Angus respectfully replied:
"It has been confirmed that this is indeed a space rift opened by Mirick's Shrine, but we have not detected fluctuations of divine artifact power, so we speculate that this is merely a passage to the hiding place of Mirick's Shrine."
"Historically, District Three once suffered from a space collapse disaster during the Rose Rebellion, making it the weakest area in spatial power throughout the Holy Capital. Hence... Serena and I deduce that perhaps the hiding place of the apostates is also located here."
"However, this rift is too unstable, at risk of collapse at any time, and there's also a possibility that it's a trap. Therefore, we have discussed and decided to first utilize a divine skill ritual to stabilize it, and then Serena and I will lead a team into it for investigation."
"Considering the stabilization ritual requires a large consumption of Holy Power, we plan to set the action's time for tomorrow afternoon. We've deployed the twenty clergy members with the strongest Holy Power in the Holy Capital currently, so by that time, this rift should be mostly stabilized."
Charlotte nodded slightly.
Although Great Commander Angus said the space rift being the apostates' hiding place is merely his and Demon Hunting Cardinal Serena's speculation, from Charlotte's perspective, she is very certain that this space rift is indeed her target.
The reason is simple, standing here, she again felt that ominous sense of threat.
It's a crisis she has sensed since entering the Holy Capital, reaching its peak upon her residency in the Holy Palace.
However, after successfully establishing contact with the Faith Network of the Holy Royal Court, this sense of threat diminished. When she took down the underground bases of the Judgement Court, the threat within the Holy Palace vanished completely.
But Charlotte knew this disappearance didn't mean it ceased to exist, rather it "shifted" with the disappearance of Gregory XII.
And now, following the ethereal sense, Charlotte can now make a definitive judgement that the terminal point of this "crisis" shift is within this space rift.
Moreover, Charlotte faintly feels an indistinct calling.
It's a calling of bloodlines, a calling of the soul, as if something important in the depths of this space rift is calling her.
Considering this, she started walking towards the space rift.
"Saintess!"
Seeing Charlotte heading towards the space rift, both the Great Commander of the Holy Hall Knight Order and Demon Hunting Cardinal Serena jumped in shock, shouting simultaneously.
Instinctively, they stepped forward and blocked Charlotte's path:
"Saintess, this space rift is too dangerous, before it's fully stabilized, even you absolutely must not enter!"
Charlotte remained indifferent.
A simple space rift certainly couldn't harm her, now that she was already a demigod.
Of course, this was something the clergy were unaware of.
Upon approaching the space rift, she further affirmed her judgement, as the indistinct calling grew stronger.
Thinking of this, Charlotte looked at the rift and slightly shook her head:
"Can't wait, tomorrow is too late, too many variables, I'll give it a try."
Having said that, she extended her hand and pointed at the divine skill ritual being constructed.
Platinum light burst from Charlotte's fingertips, quickly spreading and enveloping the divine skill ritual.
Under the gaze of the clergy, filled with either astonishment, fervor, or admiration, the divine magic array being constructed spontaneously completed itself and lit up brightly.
Holy runes ascended, materializing into eight platinum-colored Holy Locks from different directions, locking the space rift. Shortly thereafter, the thunderous space rift quieted down, replaced by a serene white glow like a tranquil lake surface.
This space rift... was completely solidified into a spatial passageway within mere seconds!
The Great Commander of the Holy Hall Knight Order, Angus, and Demon Hunting Cardinal Serena gazed at Charlotte with full astonishment, their eyes even more amazed.
Stabilizing a space rift with Holy Power was known as Holy Stabilization, a high-tier divine art possessed by the Holy Royal Court.
But to perform such an art, one that typically requires at least dozens of high-ranking clerics collaborating for a day, alone, even for legendary clergy, it was their first time witnessing such an event.
"Saintess, your Holy Power is incredibly rare, reverence-worthy!"
Demon Hunting Cardinal Serena couldn't help but exclaim.
Charlotte smiled faintly, indifferent.
Her Holy Power was indeed strong; after all, she was currently connected to Haral's Faith Network, with almost all of the millennium's accumulated Holy Power at her disposal, able to use as much Holy Power as she desired.
Of course, saying so might be a bit exaggerated, as utilizing Holy Power also consumes spiritual strength, and since it wasn't her own power, the spiritual drain was even greater.
Instantly solidifying the space rift left even her demigod self slightly fatigued.
Of course, it was only slight fatigue, not affecting her capabilities.
"Let's go, we'll enter the rift now to investigate."
Charlotte said.
After speaking, she took the lead and walked towards the stabilized space passage.
Great Commander Angus and Demon Hunting Cardinal Serena were startled for a moment, but quickly reacted and hurriedly summoned other high-tier clergies to follow.
Platinum light flashed.
Soon, everyone's figures disappeared into the gentle light.
A familiar sensation of weightlessness came, it was the "Five Senses Confusion" of crossing space.
And when perception was completely restored, everyone found themselves in a solemn and majestic palace.
This was an exceptionally magnificent palace, grand and holy, but all the clergies widened their eyes, even Charlotte was slightly taken aback.
"Holy... Holy Palace? Isn't this the Holy Palace? Have we been transported to the Holy Palace?!"
Deputy Commander Fabio's face was full of incredulity.
Indeed, the Holy Palace.
The familiar columns, identical architectural structure of the palace, all indicated that after crossing the spatial rift, everyone had returned to the Holy Palace, and arrived at the main hall of the Holy Palace - the Creator Divine Palace.
But Charlotte quickly noticed the difference.
Outside the tall and splendid stained glass windows of the palace, it was not the familiar garden scene, but a vast expanse of white.
Not only that, the sculpture of the Creator Divine Lord in the center of the shrine also had subtle differences.
His holy robe was adorned with many exquisite patterns, and when Charlotte saw those patterns clearly, her gaze quickly turned peculiar.
Those... were patterns composed of crosses and roses.
Charlotte was not unfamiliar with those patterns, they were the insignia of the first legion led by Haral during the victory over the Old Gods as she traveled through time leading the Free City State Alliance, designed based on the Holy Emblem deliberately erased by Charlotte.
And in the Bloodline Era of later generations, it once had an even more resounding name that was eventually buried by obliterated history - the Bloodline of Royal Authority, the emblem of the Kilari Clan.
"No, this is not the Holy Palace!"
Great Commander Angus also quickly noticed these differences, he frowned at the decorations on the Divine Lord's statue, his expression unable to hide his anger:
"This is not the Holy Emblem of Our Lord, this is a blasphemous divine statue! This is likely the place those apostates are based! This must be the blasphemous divine statue worshipped by those apostates!"
After speaking, he stepped forward, clutching the Ring Cross Holy Emblem in his hand, his voice was angry and devout:
"Praise the sacred! Our Lord's glory is inviolable, I, Angus, swear here that these apostates who blaspheme Our Lord will pay a heavy price for their evil deeds!"
As soon as he finished speaking, platinum light radiated from his hand, the Holy Emblem in his hand emitted a sacred glow, and at the same time, the Divine Lord's statue at the palace front was also enveloped by a holy light.
Photon points flew up from the statue, as if responding to Great Commander Angus's oath, they danced around him continuously before... covering him.
For a moment, everyone felt that Great Commander Angus's Holy Power seemed to advance another level.
Angus's angry expression instantly turned to astonishment.
"Holy Oath? What's going on?! This... isn't this a blasphemous divine statue? How did the Group Leader's oath take effect just like that?!"
The other Holy Hall Knights who entered the palace with him also widened their eyes.
Holy Oath!
It is the highest vow a devout believer can make before the Divine Lord's statue, possessing the strongest constraints on the Mireya Continent, and also receiving the affirmation of the Divine Lord and the return of the Holy Power!
Making such a vow not only requires the believer's devotion, but also a way that "reaches Heaven's ears," which means it must have a statue recognized and blessed by the Creator Divine Lord.
The stronger the blessing from the Divine Lord, the easier it is for the believer to make a Holy Oath before the statue.
Great Commander Angus's casual angry shout directly established a Holy Oath...
This only means one thing—the statue in front of them, regarded as blasphemous by the clergies, is more favored by the deity than those real statues in the Holy Palace!
Or more succinctly, it more easily resonates with Holy Power, more... orthodox...
The priests and knights entering the Divine Hall were basically high-tier clergies, their grasp of teachings and Holy Power was stronger than that of ordinary priests.
They quickly realized this incredulous fact which for priests undoubtedly counted as a worldview-shattering event, their expressions became astonished and subtle.
A statue with a Holy Emblem completely different from the Creator Divine Lord, actually closer to the deity than those real statues!
"No... impossible... this can't be!"
Great Commander Angus also widened his eyes, even his tall figure staggered.
"Saintess! Lord Angus, Lady Serena! Quick... look at these murals!"
A trembling voice came from the other side, hoarse with endless fear and confusion, immediately attracting everyone's attention.
Everyone looked towards the source of the sound, only to see a Great Priest tremblingly pointing at the relief murals on the walls.
His face was pale, his expression fearful, as if he had seen some horrific thing.
Charlotte's gaze also looked over.
She immediately saw the most striking relief in the mural.
It was a tall young man, the cloak on his body adorned with cross and rose symbols, a bite mark vaguely shown on his neck, he was kneeling on one knee, worshipping towards the throne not far away, full of reverence and gratitude.
And on the throne, a woman with crossed legs supported her chin with one hand, holding a goblet with the other, her demeanor lazy yet dignified.