Cullen walks into Sleepy Town.

What happened in Glowlight City a few days ago is far from affecting this place. This summer was full of rain and the fields outside the town were gilded, making it a good year for a good harvest.

Some of the early-maturing wheat fields have already begun to be harvested, and the villagers drive their horses and pull harvesters through the fields. Or the cut straw is loaded onto a pallet truck and sent to the workshop for threshing and milling. After that, they burn the remaining stubble, reclaim the land, and sow the corn harvested at the beginning of winter. It wasn't until the middle of the autumn moon that the farming season in the southern part of the empire came to an end.

The oncoming villagers recognized him and bowed their heads respectfully. Cullen smiled, and at the same time opened the scroll in his hand, casting some spells to dispel fatigue, in exchange for a more grateful and trusting look.

"Inform all believers in God." He went all the way to the square in the west of the village and softly told the few people who had gathered around, "Let them come here, I have something important to convey to them." ”

The believers agreed in a big tongue and scattered. Cullen lowered his head and looked at the sun-drenched land, ready for words to come.

Half a year has passed since the chaos that took place in Winterfell. The "Blessed Wine" made by Gid Sheen and his actions before he was defeated were wrongly counted on the "Lord of Heaven". This dealt a severe blow to the very foundation of belief in Edda, the god in Winterfell and several surrounding villages; Yet, apart from them, most of the remaining villages and towns, and even some cities, are still full of Edda's followers.

This did not surprise him in the slightest. Human beings are a profit-seeking people, whether they are physically fit, energetic, or invincible - the Lord of Heaven has never asked for any tangible contributions, but believes in him to receive tangible benefits. In that case, what is a few words from afar?

As for what happened to Rogman, it has been rumored in the streets of Glow City, but so far, no public has linked the emperor's death to Edda...... At least none are alive, Cullen thought to himself.

A moment or so later, hundreds of people had gathered in the square, more than half of the town's population. Many wore hats, or carried horsewhips and sickles, apparently fresh from the fields. The vast majority of people, young and old, men and women, looked with reverence at him, the "messenger" who served Edda.

Several middle-aged men and women in the distance were an exception. Cullen's eyes narrowed, and he saw in them the power that belonged to Mar. Most of them were the former knights of the Black Crows...... Whatever their intentions, it had no effect on what he was going to do.

"To our supreme, eternal God." With the five fingers of his right hand together, he touched his forehead, his ears, his throat, and his left breast—a way of showing sincerity to the Lord of Heaven, "May you be blessed with all that is on the earth, so that the winds and rains may be smooth, the rivers may be full, and the fields be abundant." To those who believe in you, let them be safe and happy, and be strong and healthy, and free from sickness. ”

The divine magic amplified his voice, imbuing it with divine charm, "Please witness what I have said." I will bear witness with my life, and if there is the slightest falsehood, I ask you to immediately lower the punishment—"

Light fell from the sky, enveloping Cullen's entire body. The white light emanated from his countenance, covered with a supple black robe, and the love came down like a god. He raised his right hand flat, flipped his palm downward, until the whole square fell silent.

"I'm here to deliver sad news." Cullen Dahl stood with his hands down, his face solemn, "Seven days ago, His Highness Rogman Olel died tragically. Today, many affairs in Glow City are presided over by His Royal Highness's younger brother, His Royal Highness Clovis Orel. ”

The villagers looked at each other, but no one was silent. With the knowledge and scope of life of these people, even if the emperor of Glow City changes three more, I'm afraid they don't care at all, Cullen thought to himself. But it's nothing, that's just right.

"His Royal Highness Rogman is in the prime of life, and he has received the blessing of God, and he should not have died of illness for no reason." He slowed his voice, his voice low and convincing, "Your Highness has no heirs, and the Duke of Ishar should be the only legitimate successor in terms of elvenry." At the time of the Emperor's death, Clovis was the only royal family member in the city, thus temporarily taking the throne. To date, however, to the best of my knowledge, Clovis has never intended to return to the throne. ”

"Divine Envoy, didn't you mean—" A middle-aged woman seemed to come back to her senses and raised her voice, "that ...... His Royal Highness Clovis, for the sake of the throne, ...... Killed His Highness Rogman? ”

"I didn't mean to." Cullen shook his head slowly, "Rogman III died of natural causes—the god Edda told me that this was the answer that the city had come up with. He hung his head, "I'm not sure if they'll publish that conclusion or choose a more convincing version." As for what the truth is, everyone has an answer that they are willing to believe. ”

"Natural death? What nonsense! A young man shook off the thatched cloak he was wearing and questioned loudly, "Your Excellency, you said that His Highness Rogman was blessed by the gods, so how could he suddenly die?!" If you want me to see, that Chloe or something, it definitely can't get out of it! ”

"I have not witnessed the death of His Highness. Perhaps even the promise of the gods is no match for the greed of human nature. Cullen shook his head regretfully, his face serious and peaceful, "According to imperial tradition, when the emperor does not leave a will, the first successor should take precedence. From this point of view, Clovis can only be a usurper. ”

"And what does God want us to do?" The middle-aged man with a pickaxe raised his hand and scratched his bare head, "I don't want to be a soldier, but if that's what God wills, then ...... Even if it's just me! ”

Cullen Dahl smiled. It was the seventh village he visited, and the one he was most satisfied with.

"War may not be inevitable. As a fellow believer in God, His Highness Estar does not want to see the lives of his or her people ruined, and he will never send civilians to battle. He reached into his arms, pulled out a palp-sized stack of yellowish paper painted with cyan droplets and curly runes, and handed it to the last man to speak, "Divide them up." ”

The man took it cautiously, his eyes locked on the stack of papers, with burning anticipation, "Lord God, this ...... What is it? ”

"They were written by the bishops of the Lord of Heaven and blessed by the gods themselves." Cullen replied respectfully. In fact, these charms relied on Protodis' network, but ordinary monks might not be able to discern them. On the other hand, it is impossible for the Lord of Light to ban these basic divine arts, unless he intends to bring disaster to the entire Church, "Once a day, hold it tight, call on the name of God, and He will give you enough water and food." Usually carry it close to your body, even if you sleep in the open air, you are not easy to get tired and sick. ”

The man's breathing suddenly became a little heavier. He carefully picked one up, and reluctantly handed the stack of charms to the man beside him. He carefully folded the talisman paper in half and put it in his pocket, as if he didn't feel it safe enough, and took it out and held it in the palm of his hand.

"Those...... What about the usurpers? He asked, "Doesn't God punish them?" ”

"The god Edda is the creator and guardian of life. He does not want to punish even those who do not believe in Him. Cullen looked at the man gently, "Troubled times are coming, and disaster is not far away. If they turn back to the shore, God will still protect them. If they don't come to their senses, they will be punished. ”

"They deserved it, killing Lord Rogman." The middle-aged woman who spoke initially spat and then blinked, "But what if those people ...... What if you come here to grab something, or arrest someone? “

Cullen smiled faintly.

"God teaches us not to harm others, and He teaches us not to be harmed by others. He has a deal for you to deal with the bad people who come. The spokesman of the black robe raised his right hand slightly, "Just like now, identify the evil that hides among us, and then punish it as necessary—"

He closed his fingers, and the white light fell from the sky and landed on the heads of the 'former knights' of Mal, dissolving them in the holy light. Cullen was pleased to see that the believers gathered around him had inquiring in their eyes, but there was no doubt or fear.

"They are believers in Mar, and they have been deceived by the Raiders, and have become miserable people who have gone astray." "I have sent their souls to God, where they will be inspired to live forever," he said categorically. ”

He paused, then spoke again, as he had done six times not long ago, and the rest of the messengers who were trying to travel throughout the empire to convey the divine will of the Lord of Heaven to every village.

"And now, let me tell you what God has promised."

……

Half a day later, Cullen left the town. The townsfolk offered many sacrifices at their parting, and he did not receive any of them.

Neither money nor material things are things he wants to pursue. There are many things that the "gods" cannot do personally, and as a qualified spokesperson, he must grasp Edda's intentions and guide the continent to the right end.

— for His ideals, and for His good.

In the coming new world, as a forerunner, he will have the most special status. Others will forget everything they had been and have a new life, just as fate had it. He doesn't want that, he needs to be in control of his destiny.

If history is unstoppable, if judgment is bound to come, be a part of them in advance. Cullen thought to himself.

A successful sermon gave Cullen a little courage back. Ever since he saw Alicia in person, a deep uneasiness has haunted him. He could guess the identity of the woman, and he knew what awaited the continent—when the battle of the gods began, mortals would be nothing more than a pile of dust. He closed his eyes, concentrated his whole mind, and prayed silently on his back.

"O Sovereign Lord, do you still care for me? If I am in danger, will you save me from danger? ”

A warm and holy voice answered him. "I am always with you, anytime and anywhere."

That's the best gift ever. Cullen opened his eyes contentedly, sank into the shadows, and hurried to the nearest "door". He then walked through the dim plains, through the gaps and traps, until he stepped into the isolated tower.

He did not visit Alpari from time to time. The road to the tower was complicated and dangerous, and he was even more reluctant to meet the tower lord frequently...... As well as a few others to meet.

Barak is pretty easy to do. Even if he is known as a sword master, he is just a martial artist. He destroyed the enemies of the Brigade, his companions who left more than ten years ago, and his dissatisfaction with Pfister...... It's all straightforward reasons to join the current camp. Hughes is rather elusive. The Ites have always lacked a good impression of him, and they have deliberately opposed him before. For some reason, Bayard had always tolerated Hughes's nonsense, and Cullen would probably not be surprised if he suddenly left one day.

As for Bayard, he and he are just taking advantage of each other - it would be a bit arrogant to say that. In fact, the "Lord of Heaven" and the other party are using each other, and he is at most a pawn in the hands of both. There's nothing wrong with that, Cullen thought to himself, and as long as there's value, the pieces won't be easily discarded. Just as Rogman is dead, and he is still alive.

He walked briskly through the obsidian corridor, his leather boots striking the ground, echoing as the tower itself. Elpari's loneliness is insane, and if Bayard were trapped here, would the Lord of Heaven really be able to save him?

Cullen clenched his fists and shook his head imperceptibly, shaking off the thought that bordered on disrespect. The promenade soon comes to an end, followed by an obsidian spiral staircase that leads all the way up. In the circular room at the top of the staircase, Hughes was lying flat on the floor with his limbs outstretched; Jill sat cross-legged on the sidelines, closing his eyes in contemplation.

Hearing him ascend to the platform, the Ites instantly bounced up, flipped in the air, clapped their hands crisply, clapped their fists, and then pointed their ring fingers at him.

"Well, I thought you were eaten by the vulture, Austin." The Ites deliberately used names that disgusted him, but Cullen had long since learned to ignore them, "Tell me, what the hell have you been up to lately?" ”

"Serve the Lord of my faith, Hughes. You won't understand. Cullen calmly replied, "Besides, I'm not the last, where did Barak go?" ”

"He's got another thing to do, so go first, you're the last." The Ites rolled their eyes and lay back on the ground, "Stop talking nonsense, Bayard listens." What news did your 'master' bring to you? ”

Cullen raised his head to meet the pitch-black chasm that had severed the entire tower. He took a deep breath to dispel the uneasiness that was coiling in his heart.

"Alicia." He lowered his voice to keep his breath steady, "I met her, Bayard. She asked me to tell you that she was back. ”

He felt Jill's gaze from behind. Hughes whistled violently, and the shrill whistle made Cullen shiver, "Wow, did you see her?" Where is it? And with whom? What else did she say? Is there any mention of 'that person'? Is she—"

The tower fell silent for a moment, interrupting Hughes's chatter. Like countless tiny flying snakes, dark purple lightning spread through the rift and descended on the space in front of Kulun's eyes. With just one breath, they silently converge in the center, forming a dimly lit human form.

He was about six feet tall, clad in a robe woven like stars, and held a pitch-black staff that looked like a crack in his head. The electric light of the face had no facial features, and the words did not come from the tongue, but directly into Cullen's head.

"What did you do?" Bayard asked.

Cold sweat soaked his back in an instant, and his mouth and tongue were dry for a while. Cullen clenched the scroll in his hand hard, preventing himself from retreating regardless of the image, "Everything I do, it's ...... For the purposes of the Lord of Heaven. ”

"It's a shame I didn't bring the recording equipment." Hughes narrowed his eyes and snorted, "So that those believers can see what their 'divine envoy' looks like!" ”

He ignored Hughes's taunts, and Bayard still looked at him. "I know Alicia...... Got to know her for a long time. What did you do? ”

If he continued to conceal it, Edda wouldn't have time to save him, Cullen was sure. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, "I was going to ...... Get rid of Clovis. He's an obstacle to the ideals of adults—"

"Yuffie stopped you." Jill suddenly turned his head to look at him, his eyes full of banter, "And you want to do something to her, right?" ”

A chill ran down Cullen's back. Compared to the two people who were members of the "brigade", he had never looked through the former commander of the "Oath of the Lily of the Valley". On the surface, Jill always claimed to want to pursue power, but he once used Edda's wishes as a bargaining chip, but the other party rejected without hesitation. Not to mention, she spent six years with 'that woman'—

A beam of light pierced through what should have been a completely enclosed space, spilling all over his body from top to bottom. And the voice of kindness and holiness, which he could not help trusting and worshiping, echoed through his mind, through his mouth and tongue, in the small, circular room in front of him.

"Let me do it." The voice said gently, "Long time no see, Bayard." ”

Bayard seemed to hesitate for a moment. "You...... Not Alex. Where are you from? ”

"You can call me Hill. Hill Edda. Cullen heard himself say, "I was born from Alex's body, and in that sense, I'm Alex's 'daughter'. ”

"The first time I've heard that name." Although he couldn't see his facial features, Cullen still felt that Bayard was watching him and the being behind him, "Why did you never show up, but you instructed him to disturb the empire and cause war?" ”

"For the sake of an eternal promise, I cannot come to the world easily. Just like you, Bayard Kaorich Nolan, the Venerable Lord of Judgment. Hill replied, "There are others who want war." I must gather strength for the sake of the Grim Reaper, who is hidden in the shadows. ”

"Don't talk nonsense. How Rogman died, you know it in your own heart! Hughes couldn't help but interject, "Earlier, didn't you do a good thing to throw power to Rogman and encourage him to invade Elders?" ”

'Cullen' shook his head calmly.

"That's my promise, but it's a pity that Rogman doesn't ...... Or many people, they misunderstand the meaning of power. I want Edda's faith to renew the El Continent, not a war caused by fanatics. He paused for a moment, "The forces of evil never stop, and the demons in the locks may be his vanguard." ”

“…… You mean, Mal? ”

"Io, it's more explicit." Cullen saw himself walking towards the middle of the hall and held out his hand towards the purple figure, "Not long ago, someone stole some of my power. Do you know who did it? ”

Bayard stood still, not taking Cullen Dahl's hand.

"Tell me, where is Io? And where are you? What is the relationship between you? ”

"You're getting more and more suspicious, Bayard. Could it be that after losing Merlin, you no longer trust anyone? “

Cullen heard himself sigh. He stretched out his right hand, palm up, and lit a milky white divine fire.

"Io is in the Endless Abyss, like Freges who is trying to descend. I traveled on this continent to restore my father's former glory. As for my relationship with Io......"

The flame swayed gently, and the soft light was pure and clear. It can reflect the heart of the bearer, the angel does not lie, Cullen thought to himself.

"If he doesn't kill me, I'll kill him. Someday. ”