"It doesn't matter what you think in your heart, it doesn't matter at all." Victoria said, "My personal desires don't matter at all. I'm sitting in this seat, and I can't live for myself alone. Apollonia, you should know the foundation of our country. ”

[Mysticism. 】

"Yes, my Excellency Apollonia. So you shouldn't expose my shortcomings. I have a heavy taboo on my back, and someone must keep it a secret. If you break through my psychological defenses, the consequences will be unimaginable. ”

[Okay, okay. Oh, by the way, I suddenly remembered. You said so much like a colander yesterday, including the fact that you even burst the reserve price of 5 gold branches just now, why didn't you trigger 'silence'? 】

"What's that?" Shang Luo asked.

[It's like being ticketed for violating the rules.] These Roman nobles had sworn an oath, and when a leak was detected, they automatically fell into silence and could not speak. The ban cannot be lifted until you go to the oracle to go through the questioning and adjudication process. But Victoria said so much that it didn't trigger. 】

"Huh?" Victoria behind the desk was a little strange, "yes, why."

"How did this mechanic come about?"

"I say how the mechanic works itself triggers silence, so I can't say that. But. Huh? She pondered, "Is it because of this?" Wait. Shang Luo, look at me. ”

"Well, look at you."

"Listen to me." She took a deep breath, "Shepherd Stephen is still alive!" ”

"Huh? What do you mean? ”

[Didn't it trigger?] You leaked a secret to him that wouldn't even trigger? 】

"So what the hell is that?"

[Why don't you continue to talk to him?] Try. I remember going on and the mystery level would continue to increase. 】

"You've probably heard such a story." "When Emperor Justinian I was building the Hagia Sophia, a great light fell on the construction site. The rest of the craftsmen had gone to eat, but only an apprentice named Stephen was still there. Stephen was horrified, but the light said, 'Don't be afraid, my child. Where have everyone else gone? A frightened Stephen asked for the name of the light. He asked: 'Your light blinds me. Who are you, O noble spirit? ’。 ”

After saying that, she paused, touched her face again, and found that there was nothing before she continued:

"The light spoke, 'I am Gabriel the archangel. I have come to tell you that the construction of this church must be completed immediately, so that the craftsmen can return immediately. I'll wait for your news here. Then Stephen informed Emperor Justinian of the news. The Emperor immediately ordered that he be sent to Asia Minor to work as a shepherd, and that he would never be allowed to set foot in the cathedral again. Since then, the archangel Gabriel has been 'waiting' there. ”

"Good fellows! What about your card bugs? ”

"This is the mystery, the taboo, the power itself. The archangel Gabriel guards the Hagia Sophia and saves us time and time again. For as long as He waited there, Hagia Sophia would not have been destroyed, the Roman Empire would not have perished, and even the invasion of 1453 had failed to shake the power of the archangel. But correspondingly, as soon as the shepherd Stephen returns to the church, the archangel leaves. ”

"He must not lift you all up before he leaves! It's been almost 1,500 years! Sun Wukong is only 500 years old. ”

"So, he definitely can't come back – we call him by the code name 'Shepherd Stephen'. Because of his covenant with the angels, he was bound by an oath and is still alive and under the watchful eye of the oracle. All of this is a Level 4 mystery, one of the top secrets that only the 13 Archons of the Senate, the 2 Prophets of the Oracle Office, and the Think Tank of the Muse can know. Anyone who knows this secret can destroy the Roman Empire instantly by bringing Stephen to the Hagia Sophia. And you, obviously, are not among the legally informed people. ”

"Then I am"

"I just remembered - you are the king of Rome! Although it hasn't been measured or recorded, your mystery level should be 5 like mine. This means that you have the same level of secrecy as I do. ”

"Wait." "He didn't sign it at all. ”

“.” Victoria was stunned for a moment, "Wait, something seems wrong." Our powers are conferred by agreements and oaths, and there will be reciprocal taboos when taking oaths and signing. And after the oath, then the authority will be granted. And you didn't sign it at all, you were the king of Rome obtained by ceremony. Does that mean you're taboo-free now? ”

"Is that so? Can I know anything? ”

"You can see it just now. Although it is level 4 mysterious, it is also knowledge that can only be granted through a ritual, and if you say it casually, even if it is not a red card, at least there is a yellow card. And I was not subject to any ban, stated. Your mystery level is 5. ”

"Ah, how many people are 5 then?"

"Theoretically, it's just me." Victoria replied, "Of course, there are some derivative tiers. For example, the Emperor of the Co-rule shared this rank with me under my authority, and now this position is my father. Apollonia and Phaethon can't do the number, they are gods and demigods, on the outside. They do not keep the mysteries, nor can they obtain them. And because you are the king of Rome, our rank is the same. Ah, that's easy to do. ”

She suddenly breathed a sigh of relief: "Finally. . . It's easier. Shang Luo, did you ever ask how this mechanism works? I'll tell you right now - all memes have mysteries, and so does everyone. The spread of memes that our series of vows itself prevents from high to low is taboo.

"The cornerstone of our country is mysticism, and we also keep secrets according to the hierarchy, and in the end, all the big secrets need to be kept by one person, and that person is me. That's why we want to keep layers of patriarchs, citizens, freemen, slaves, and so on. It's brutal, but it's necessary. Because mystery gives rise to taboos, and taboos are not only the pillars of mystical power, but also the pillars of our regime. Of course, there are people who are outside the system. For example, as the sun god of our time, Apollonia is uninhibited. ”

【Hey~】

Shang Luo covered his forehead: "Is this the reason why this guy can't talk freely?"

"That's right." Victoria replied, "Apollonia won't touch the taboo no matter what she says, because she's outside the system." And within the system, our mysteries are constructed through agreements and secrecy, which is the cornerstone of Rome. And you, the Roman king, is indeed within the system, but because your power is not granted by agreement, but by ceremony, you are not bound by agreement. Really. Is this the power of the Roman kings? This is an unrestrained, almost theocratic, yet in-system force. No wonder no one has ever climbed the golden branch before. It's so secret that I don't even know it. Fortunately, it is you who broke the branch, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable. ”

(End of chapter)