Only God

Soon, the convoy reached the next city.

When the convoy arrived, General Bright heaved a sigh of relief, because this city was directly governed by the Ausenco Royal Family. After learning of the assassination attempt, they had reinforced the city's patrols and defenses overnight and sent a large amount of gold and silver jewelry to the convoy. Moreover, in a week, the royal troops would come to escort the convoy.

Thus, this city was arguably the safest and the most welcoming one they had encountered since entering Ausenco.

On a silent moonlit night, in the rustic city of Ausenco, a small, stout church stood on a hillside, blending into the night like a little mound.

Eden and Arsia, disguised, followed Timian in the dark towards the church.

Initially, it was only Eden who followed Timian to the church to make contact with the Fahela Sect.

However, unfortunately, Arsia happened to use a bell given by the Queen to find Eden and relieve her boredom, and upon learning that Timian was taking Eden to meet the Fahela Sect, she insisted on going along.

Eden wanted to refuse, but Arsia was persistent, threatening to expose Timian's heretical identity, which forced Eden to agree to her demands.

"It's so dark, it's like being in the wilderness despite being in a city."

Arsia observed the thick night, stretching out her hand, and realized she couldn't see any of her fingers,

"Danschel would never be this dark; even on a night clouded with heavy clouds, there would still be light shining between the city walls."

Eden whispered:

"This isn't Danschel."

Arsia nodded:

"Of course, I know. I never had high expectations for these barbaric cities.

This city is pitifully small. Just name any city from the empire, and it would be twice its size.

Tsk, I bet they lived a life of blood-drinking and raw meat eating more than two hundred years ago."

Princess unabashedly ridiculed this country and its city.

Eden thought, she wasn't wrong; the city under their feet, rather than a city, might be better described as a slightly larger market town. The whole city had just about ten thousand people, and not just this city, but the entire Ausenco Kingdom lacked any city that could compare to Danschel. Even the capital of Ausenco Kingdom in contrast to Danschel seemed like an old, dilapidated village.

Danschel, the imperial city of the Empire, was flourishing as if it didn't belong to this era.

Arsia appeared to be reminiscing about the scenes of Danschel; her pace slowed until Eden urged her, then she sped up again.

Looking at Timian leading the way ahead, Arsia lowered her head, leaned close to Eden, and whispered:

"Hey, this is actually my first time attending such a heretical gathering."

"So?"

"Do you think they will eat children, use human intestines for bloody sacrifices, or catch frogs and bats for making potions?"

Arsia asked with some excitement.

Eden sighed:

"You're treating them like some kind of evil witches?"

Arsia tilted her head.

"In the past, the Three-eyed Ape People of Ajia Land also slandered us True Believers. But what happened later? After the Church left Ajia Land, the footsteps of the Preachers spread across the world, and countless kingdoms converted under the Holy Scripture, and those footsteps built the walls of the True Religion's world."

Eden slowly said:

"What I mean to say is, if they indeed ate children and performed all sorts of bloody sacrifices, they certainly wouldn't have the whole kingdom convert, because people aren't that foolish to integrate a religion that eats children and performs bloody sacrifices into their lives."

Listening to Eden's words, Arsia first appeared enlightened, then somewhat profoundly disappointed.

She seemed to be upset that the heretics weren't evil enough.

As the church drew closer, Eden couldn't help but whisper a warning:

"When we get inside, don't speak out of turn. Timian won't reveal your identity, so just pretend to be my servant."

"Alright, alright."

Arsia smiled cunningly,

"Oh, my master, I am your faithful staff."

Eden ignored her.

The night stretched thickly over the city, and they had finally arrived at the church.

Timian rhythmically and regularly knocked on the church doors. Soon, as if he had received some kind of signal, the doors slowly cracked open.

A figure clad in a gray-white robe and of slender build appeared before the trio, causing Arsia to briefly express surprise. It was a Zor Elf.

"Praise be to God of the present and the future."

Timian whispered.

The Zor Elf repeated the phrase, then swung the doors wide open.

Timian led Eden and Arsia into the church.

The architectural style of the church resembled those in small towns or villages of the Danschel Empire, with a wooden framework and surfaces covered with stone bricks and slates. The interior of the church was very dark, with few lights, except for a bright area in front of the four Holy Scripture monoliths, making the surrounding darkness accentuate an incomparable sanctity.

The church had no pews, and it was not hard to imagine people standing to hear the Priest's sermon. Besides Timian and his company, there were about a dozen others dressed in monk robes standing before the monoliths.

"Timian, whom have you brought here?"

From the very center of the crowd, an old man in a black robe spoke.

His voice was stern and somber, full of authority and unquestionable demeanor.

"Elder William, this is... Eden, as I mentioned before."

Timian began to introduce:

"And this is his maid."

Before going to the church, the half-blood had sent a letter informing them of Eden's arrival. However, at Eden's request, he had concealed Arsia's identity in the letter. Therefore, no one knew that the tall woman in the dark was not a mere maid, but the prized jewel of the Emperor of the Empire.

Had Elder William known Arsia's true identity, he might have ordered the immediate execution of both on the spot.

Elder William's gaze shifted to Eden, and for some unknown reason, Eden shivered.

There wasn't the slightest bit of goodwill in that look, only vigilance and suspicion.

Such heretic sects... it seemed they always had a strong aversion to unfamiliar Priests.

Eden thought to himself.

Being on the grounds of heresy, Eden did not dare to enter a Spiritual Cultivation State to scrutinize the souls present, as the consequences of being discovered were unimaginable.

"Eden, I know of him. I heard he offended the Emperor,"

Elder William inquired bluntly,

"So, Timian,

has he embraced our doctrines yet?"

Impossible!

Eden responded inwardly.