NOVEL NEXT Chapter 111: Identity Exposed
The power of the "nuclear explosion" gradually dissipated, and everything around was flattened.
The Divine Hall has completely disappeared, only the statue of Haral still stands tall.
Charlotte and the others stood on a piece of "floating" terrain, surrounded by an endless starry sky, with occasional chaotic void storms and lightning flashing and moving.
In the next moment, the statue of Haral suddenly lit up.
Milky white light blossomed, enveloping everything around, as if covered with a layer of mist.
Soon, the starry sky appeared distorted as if looking through fog, and the entire world underwent grotesque changes like an oil painting's transformation...
And when the light dispersed, the surroundings changed once again.
The destroyed Divine Hall reappeared, murals, dome... quickly restored as if time had reversed halfway.
Before long, everything around had been restored to its original state.
Charlotte and the Clergy still stood in the Divine Hall, the marble floor smooth as before, and the wall reliefs intact, as if the battle had been just an illusion.
"Illusion... Realm?"
A Clergy's eyes widened.
"No... it's not an illusion realm, it's probably the solidification magic 'Eternal Moment'."
Serena looked at everyone's injuries that hadn't restored with the Divine Hall and then at Gregory XII lying not far away, weak and uncertain, speaking.
Gregory XII was severely wounded.
His Divine Robe was shattered, and the Divine Artifact Scepter, Sacred Hand, showed cracks, severely burned all over, with an unnatural collapse at the chest, looking terribly miserable.
Clearly, the earlier "nuclear explosion" was real.
However, the Clergy's attention wasn't focused on this traitorous chief.
Because, like Demon Hunting Cardinal Serena, they all fell into confusion.
As for Charlotte, her attention was again drawn to Haral's statue, sinking into thoughts.
"Eternal... Eternal Moment?! No... how is this possible... Isn't that the legendary blessing bestowed upon the Holy Palace by His Majesty the Divine Lord, the unique space-time enduring blessing in Mireya Continent?! And... and this blessing had already lost its effect with His Majesty's sleep!"
A Great Priest murmured in disbelief.
Demon Hunting Cardinal Serena's expression was somewhat complex.
She glanced at the "Blood True Ancestor" standing beside the statue, then at the lifelike reliefs, swallowed and murmured:
"No..."
"Perhaps... the blessing hasn't lost its effect, perhaps... this is the true Holy Palace."
True... true Holy Palace?
The Clergy's eyes widened.
"No... the true Holy Palace? How... how is this possible?! This..."
The elderly Cardinal Priest was agitated and helpless.
"Cough cough... hehe... hahaha..."
"What? After discovering the hidden truth about Haral and the Church... are you... shocked?"
A hoarse weak voice came from Gregory XII lying on the ground.
He propped up his Scepter, tremblingly stood up, and laughed oddly:
"Yes, you didn't expect this, did you? This is the true Holy Palace... it's the secret hidden by generations of Chief High Priests..."
"Haral, who stole my Lord's power... is just a dog of the Bloodline! You followers of His are actually no different from Blood Servants!"
"Haha... hahahaha... cough cough cough..."
Gregory XII looked insane, and his remarks quickly aroused the Clergy's anger.
"Shut up! You shameless apostate and cultist! Our Lord's glory, Our Lord's dignity, cannot be desecrated by you fallen ones!"
A young Great Priest spoke angrily.
"Apostate?"
Gregory XII wore a mocking expression, his crazy visage soon filled with anger:
"Hmph! The true apostates... are you! The true traitor... is Haral!"
"You are the apostates! You are thieves! You are robbers! You shameless worms stealing my Lord's power! Cough cough... cough cough cough..."
Gregory XII coughed violently, his face turning unnaturally pale.
The Clergy became increasingly angry.
They were about to lash out but were stopped by Great Commander Angus, whose gaze was fixed on Charlotte standing before Haral's statue, exhibiting the True Ancestor appearance. Conflicted expressions spread through the crowd, who fell silent.
Those who could reach high-tier Clergy weren't fools.
Despite firm faith, despite devout belief, despite unwillingness to accept, everything witnessed today actually pointed to the reality they found hard to accept.
The Holy Royal Court... truly originated from the Bloodline!
And the Saintess they follow... is the returning Blood True Ancestor!
This was a harsh reality enough to overturn their worldview.
Of course, even realizing this incredible truth didn't mean the Clergy endorsed Gregory XII's subsequent raving speeches.
Great Commander Angus's expression was as somber as water.
Ultimately, as if resolved or convinced of inner struggles, he regained calm, peacefully stating:
"Even if our Lord was indeed a descendant of blood, even if the Holy Royal Court indeed originated from the Bloodline, our Lord's honor... is not something a mere apostate can sully!"
"Haral? Honor? Haha... hahahaha... just a petty stealer! Talks of honor, indeed!"
Gregory XII laughed while spitting blood.
"Oh? What's this, do you perhaps... want to claim that everything belonging to the Holy Royal Court is meant to belong to your Sun Divine Palace, to that lunatic Helios?"
A calm voice sounded.
It was Charlotte.
Her attention had completely shifted away from the divine statue.
Upon seeing her gaze, which was tranquil, Gregory XII shrunk slightly.
But soon, he reverted to that frenzied state again and continued to laugh maniacally:
"Hehe... Hehehe... Isn't it true? All of this should belong to my lord, it should all be my lord's!"
As he spoke, his expression became increasingly insane, his face twisted:
"You will not win, you will never win! Blood True Ancestor! Today is your divine fall! You will fall! You will lose everything!"
"Not just you! Also them, these followers of Haral, you will die! All of you must die! The great my lord... will reclaim the supreme Divine Throne through your deaths!"
"My lord... will reclaim everything that belongs to him!"
"Everything will return to the eternal sun! Return to true holiness! Return to the great supreme ruler!"
"Hahaha hahaha... hahahaha... cough cough..."
Gregory coughed violently, then slowly collapsed, his eyes gradually losing their brilliance, yet a manic smile still lingered on his face. Gray spread gradually across his body, soon he transformed into a gray-black "statue", and then with a boom turned into ashes.
Only the nearly shattered Divine Artifact Scepter "Holy Hand" lay in the ashes, almost devoid of its divine light.
Seeing this scene, the clergy were stunned, while Charlotte frowned.
Turning to ashes after death... Clearly, Gregory XII and those Bloodline Elves from Moon God Island were not truly living beings either.
The Guardian's Staff stepped forward.
It picked up the Divine Artifact Scepter "Holy Hand", sensed it for a while, voiced a sound of surprise, then its brows knitted tightly.
"Guardian's Staff, did you find anything?"
Charlotte asked.
The Guardian's Staff nodded.
It glanced at the other clergy, then respectfully said:
"True Ancestor, this artifact... is already damaged."
Charlotte's identity had already been exposed, and there was no need to continue hiding it.
And hearing the Guardian's Staff's address to Charlotte, the expressions of the clergy in the Divine Hall became increasingly complex.
The atmosphere in the hall immediately became somewhat delicate, Charlotte read many emotions from their gazes, from bewilderment, confusion, disbelief and pain, to fear, vigilance, and despondency...
However, there was no hostility.
Clearly, regardless of Charlotte's true identity, irrespective of the origins of the Holy Royal Court, Charlotte had shown through her actions that she was not their enemy.
"After all, the Holy Hand is a Divine Artifact, it cannot be damaged this easily, has its power been overdrawn long ago?"
Retracting her gaze from the crowd, Charlotte asked.
"Yes, True Ancestor, its divine power is almost exhausted, perhaps even before the battle, the power was already overdrawn and used elsewhere."
The Guardian's Staff respectfully answered.
Charlotte furrowed her brow:
"The Holy Hand could amplify magic, in that case... the Sun Divine Palace might have already activated something extraordinary."
The Guardian's Staff's expression changed:
"Terrible! We might have been tricked!"
"True Ancestor! This is not the different space opened by Mirick's Shrine, and the tactics of the Sun Divine Palace have changed from what appeared before! From this perspective, perhaps the 'returning' presence is not just you!"
"Now, almost all High Tier clergy from the Church have followed you here, if this is a trap... then the Holy Capital might be in danger! We need to leave here quickly!"
Luring the enemy away from their base!
Charlotte's mind flashed such an idiom.
"Go, leave here, return to the Holy Capital!"
Charlotte said sternly.
After speaking, she took the lead, splitting open a spatial passageway with divine power, leaving the Divine Hall.
The clergy showed hesitation.
Until the Guardian's Staff looked at them:
"What are you still standing for? The Holy Capital might be in danger, as my lord's Favored, it is time for you to defend the divine holiness!"
The clergy showed varied expressions.
The Great Commander of the Holy Hall Knight Order, Angus, gritted his teeth and said:
"All Holy Knights heed order! Follow... the Saintess, and support the Holy Capital!"
Angus's words set a temporary tone for the bewildered knights.
Soon, the silent Demon Hunting Cardinal also stood with Angus, expressing his stance through actions.
The priests showed hesitance.
And finally, the oldest and most respected cardinal also stepped forward:
"Heed Lord Angus! No matter the origin of our Holy Royal Court, we are sincere Holy believers! Regardless of the Saintess's true identity, since she possesses my lord's Divine Favored, now... she is the Saintess of our Holy Royal Court!"
The elder cardinal rallied, and the priests hesitated no longer.
At any moment, it is important to distinguish the primary contradiction from the secondary contradiction.
Although still wearing worried expressions, although still harboring hesitation, the clergy eventually rallied and followed the few Legendary Clergy out of the Divine Hall.