Only God

His voice was very calm, as if stating a fact.

Such calmness was met with the Emperor's laughter.

"Martyr?

Wake up, madman, you are but a self-proclaimed martyr.

The martyrs from the age of the Disciples are remembered to this day, but you? You will only be judged as a heretic, excommunicated, and despised by the masses!"

The Emperor loudly declared, like a judge delivering a final verdict, passionately pronouncing Eden's crimes,

"Tell me, Eden, tell everyone, what makes you qualified to be a martyr, what have you done except plague the True Believers and plague the Church?!"

As his words ended, Eden stared at the Emperor. Instead of answering directly, he countered:

"What have Your Majesty done?"

The Emperor seemed to find this question hilariously foolish, he chuckled, and then slowly said:

"What have I done, you ask me what I have done?

I, Constantine VI, am the Guardian of the True Religion's world. During my decades of rule, not only did the Empire reclaim the northern lost lands, but it also converted tens of thousands of heathens.

Under my reign, the Empire convened two Great Councils, passed several sacred resolutions, and revised the program and doctrine of the entire world of the True Religion.

In addition to this, the Empire also formed a marriage alliance with the Ausenco Royal Family, who are now God's humble servants, devotedly executing God's will, and their hundreds of thousands of citizens will bathe in the radiance of Heaven.

All that I have done for God, is that not enough? No matter, in the remainder of my life, I will conquer more lands for the Empire, it was I who led countless people towards the path of redemption, not you, a Heresy Priest."

The Emperor's words were so forceful that no one could deny the achievements of this Imperial ruler at that moment.

His accomplishments were so brilliant that even a hundred years after his death, his wisdom would still govern the Empire.

But what about Eden?

What would he receive after his death?

Nothing but the scorn of the masses.

"Yes, I will be despised by the masses; compared to Your Majesty, I am like a breeze, a chirp of an insect, a snowflake, just like the jester in a play, there only to highlight Your Majesty's greatness."

Slowly, Eden spoke these words.

The crowd was momentarily taken aback by his statement, and numerous people craned their necks, watching Eden, with even Constantine VI slightly startled by these humble words.

They thought, could this man finally be begging for the Emperor's forgiveness and pity?

"However, however,"

"Even if I am despised by the masses, even if I am to be the jester in a play, the Savior will still come!"

Eden stared intently at the Emperor, as if trying to peer into his soul, to extract the sins deep within the ruler's spirit. At that moment, his voice was incomparably solemn.

Faces of shock spread among the crowd; they couldn't believe this man, who even now held firm to his heretical ideas, insisting on the prophecy of the Savior. Was he mad? He must be mad, surely a madman!

Everyone thought he was insane; everyone believed he had lost his mind because they vaguely felt,

if he was not mad...

then what he spoke was the truth!

"Your Majesty said I'm scorned by everyone, but does being scorned make one any less of a martyr?

Disciples of old, too, were slandered and libeled, their words denounced as monstrous lies, yet truth nonetheless arrived, and Heaven still descended in accordance with God's will!

Just as Heaven comes in times of suffering, so, too, will the Savior come upon the high mountains!"

Eden's voice grew louder and more fervent, those words thundering forth seemed so shocking.

These proclamations were akin to some sort of warning, a caution; they were not meant to garner favor like the Emperor's words, but to manifest truth.

He had no need to curry favor, no need to gain sympathy from anyone, and certainly no need to bow his head begging for anyone's forgiveness and pity.

The clear chirp of a robin echoed outside the narrow cell; in that moment alone, he felt baptized. Whether it was the trial for heresy or the experience of punishment and humiliation, even posthumous scorn counted for nothing—all became clear. What he truly had to do was encapsulated in one phrase: "You shall lay down your life, and forsake yourself, for what you believe, you ought to love, praise, and walk with God."

Eden looked around at the thousands in the hall as if surveying billions across the world,

"What does the scorn of everyone count for against the truth?

I am not a villain, nor am I an evildoer, I have always held myself to the standards of the righteous, but even if I were truly a villain, an evildoer, would that diminish the glory of truth?

Even if I murdered, committed arson, theft, and adultery, truth remains truth. Truth does not dim because I am a villain or an evildoer, just as lies do not shine because I'm a righteous man or a good person!"

The priests began to tremble, a power, a peerless force, was tugging at their hearts, wrestling with the Emperor's absolute authority.

The Emperor sensed this shift, his glare fixed upon Eden. He understood that Eden's words were merely the struggle of a cornered beast, victory would ultimately be his, yet he still couldn't quell the rage spreading within him.

Eden stared back at the Emperor, and declared word by word,

"Your Majesty, you ask what I have done for God...

So I tell you, what I have done for God is to speak forth that prophecy, to illuminate truth.

Your Majesty, even if you conquer tenfold the lands, coerce tens of millions into conversion, even if you construct thousands of churches and raise up countless hymns, how can you possibly extinguish truth?!"

Those words, like tidal waves at the end of days, were enough to make mountains crumble and the earth tear apart, making even the Emperor shudder. He finally understood that Eden sought to persuade no one's heart, gain no one's sympathy; even if he rejected everyone, he still proclaimed his truth.

"How then can you prove the truth in your words!?"

The Emperor gripped the table, bellowing loudly.

He had to deny that truth, to shatter this madman.

No matter how Eden might explain, he would find a flaw, tearing it asunder completely.

"Indeed, how shall I prove it to you?

I certainly will prove it. After you have condemned me as a heretic, after Your Majesty secretly executes me, my death will stand as my testimony!"

Eden faced everyone, the light from the window streaming in behind him, as if bathed in Spirit Light. Before him were the illustrious priests of the True Religion's world, the nine pastors, the defenders of the sacred faith, the Emperor of the Empire, the Monarch who boasted of ruling the Mortal World. Amongst the thousands gathered, there were the righteous and the villains, the kind-hearted, and the sinful, all assembled in this city, this hall, to witness the truth.

"I once feared the reputation I'd leave behind after my death, for I was weak; I did not fear death, but only dreaded not being recognized as a martyr.

But now I tell you,"

Eden made his testimony for truth,

"to be a martyr is not difficult,

but to be a martyr despised by everyone requires a truth, requires a Savior!"