The next morning, Rowan woke up to find Alice still peacefully asleep beside him. Her beauty was like a blooming flower, vibrant and captivating. His heart swelled with pride—such a stunning woman was now his.
Meanwhile, Emperor Montrei returned to the palace, his heart filled with fear and regret. He immediately turned to the messenger and said, "We must end our cooperation now. The Pope's power has only grown stronger. If he finds out about our dealings, he won't spare me."
The messenger smirked, his tone slow and deliberate. "Your Majesty, it's too late to back out now. The deed is done, and there's no turning back. We're already on track to replace the Radiant Church. We've lost a Master Swordsman, the third strongest in the Radiant Order. That's a grudge we'll carry. We're simply waiting for the Radiant Church's final decision."
His eyes gleamed with a mix of malice and determination.
Montrei regretted his decision. He hadn't expected the Radiant Church to be so ruthless. They were clearly set on binding him into their plans. If he turned against them now, they might sell him out to the Radiant Church. With no other choice, he reluctantly agreed.
On the other side, after seven days of "activity," Alice was finally pregnant. Rowan felt a wave of relief and immediately arranged for four maidservants to tend to Alice's every need. She was far too important to him to be left unprotected.
For the past three days, Raymond had been trying to meet with Rowan, but to no avail. He muttered to himself, "So this is what newlyweds do—never leaving the bed. I didn't want to disturb them earlier, but this is getting ridiculous." Shaking his head, he found himself impressed by the Pope's "stamina."
Finally, after Rowan had attended to Alice's needs, he met with Raymond. There was a strange look in Raymond's eyes, but Rowan paid it no mind.
Rowan spoke first, his tone direct. "Is something happening recently?"
Raymond responded quickly, "The Radiant Church is amassing troops in the Duchy of Lorlan, which they control. Considering the Master Swordsman who attended your wedding, we believe they may be preparing to take action against us."
Rowan furrowed his brow. "What's the royal family of Bluean's reaction?"
Raymond answered, "No response at all. It's highly unusual. They should at least have mobilized some troops to guard the borders, just in case."
Rowan thought for a moment before asking, "If a war broke out now, what are our chances of winning?"
Raymond's voice was heavy with doubt. "Almost none. You know the situation with divine magic. The Radiant God's power is far superior to that of the Gleaming God."
Rowan fell silent for a while before replying, "You'll go to the Holy Light Alliance and report the breach of the treaty by the Radiant Church. Tell them the Radiant Church is preparing to attack its allies."
Raymond nodded. "Understood. I'll go at once."
Meanwhile, within the Radiant Church, there was a heated debate between two factions. One, led by Knight Commander Vance, advocated for immediate action to destroy the Gleaming Church and expand their territory.
Vance spoke passionately, "The Gleaming Church has always been weak. Now that the Emperor of Bluean seems willing to align with us, we can't let this opportunity slip by. We must strike now and bring Bluean into the fold of the Radiant God's rule!"
His eyes burned with ambition and zeal.
The other faction, led by Archbishop Carlo, called for caution. "We don't yet know if the Gleaming God's powers have been weakened. An ill-timed attack could lead to massive casualties. If we end up severely weakened, other forces might take advantage and crush both our factions. Besides, the Master Swordsman Leca was killed instantly by the Gleaming Pope. This means the Pope must have reached the level of a divine emissary. Who knows what other secrets he's hiding?"
His tone was filled with caution and concern.
Vance dismissed Carlo's warnings. "The war of faith is brutal by nature. Casualties are inevitable. If the war is approved, I will lead the charge."
Carlo shook his head. "Even if we agree to go to war, the Holy Light Alliance might interfere. We need to sort out these issues before we act."
At that moment, Pope Kaise spoke with authority. His voice was steady and commanding, filled with the weight of leadership.
"I've received a divine revelation. This plane is of immense importance, and it's rapidly approaching the status of a primary plane. It may very well ascend in the future. The Radiant God has decreed that we must spread our faith at all costs. I believe other forces have received similar revelations. The Gleaming God has fallen to a lower-tier deity, now nothing more than a false god. The Gleaming Church will surely attack, but we must be strategic. We cannot risk an all-out assault. First, we must assess the stance of the Holy Light Alliance and their allies."
He turned to Carlo. "You will go to the Holy Light Alliance and report that Leca went to the Gleaming Church to offer congratulations but was killed by Pope Rowan."
Carlo nodded. "Understood. I'll leave immediately."
Back in the Gleaming Church, Rowan was contemplating the looming war of faith. His mind raced through the possible outcomes, each more terrifying than the last. The worst-case scenario would be losing the war.
If it came to that, he'd take Alice and his closest allies into hiding, waiting for his strength to grow before striking back. After all, as long as there's life, there's hope. But that would be a last resort—he hoped it never came to that.
The followers in Bluean were his, loyal to the Gleaming God. They were filled with deep, unwavering faith. Rowan felt an urgent need to visit the palace. Emperor Montrei was becoming increasingly "rebellious," and he couldn't let this situation spiral out of control. Swift, decisive action was required to stabilize things.
With that thought, Rowan summoned Chief Justice Ian from the Tribunal. Ian was one of his most trusted aides—loyal and principled, unlike Raymond, who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Ian wasn't naive, though. He was skilled at assessing situations and making the right decisions when it mattered most. Plus, he was on the verge of reaching the level of Master Swordsman—a true talent.
Soon, Ian arrived at the Pope's palace.
Rowan looked at him and said, "Come with me to the palace. The Emperor's becoming a problem."
Ian's eyes flashed with deadly intent. He understood the stakes—if the Emperor continued to defy them, it could lead to disastrous consequences for the Gleaming Church. As Chief Justice, he had a duty to protect the Church's authority.
Without a word, Ian nodded.
The Pope's palace and the Emperor's palace were in the same city, not far apart. It didn't take long before they stood before the palace gates.