Pillar of Yita

”The King of Sand is the true master of Istania, an ally approved by Colin Ishurian, and naturally the only legitimate ruler of Istania recognized by ’you’. If Her Highness the Princess openly opposes her own father, even at the risk of dividing the kingdom, wouldn’t your involvement violate your manifesto?”

Fang Hong opened his mouth slightly.

For a moment, he was at a loss for words, because he had never considered this issue from this perspective.

To him, the conflict between the Grand Princess and the King of Sand never escalated to the level of a national or ethnic issue, merely an internal royal household conflict.

But he suddenly realized he had oversimplified the matter; how could internal royal conflicts ever be purely simple? The internal struggles of the Colin Royal Family have led to the current situation, are they not lessons of the past, vivid and clear in sight?

He couldn’t help but become stunned.

”But...” he hesitated, ”our relationship with the Grand Princess is just employment... we wouldn’t...”

”Wouldn’t be so deeply involved?” the Old Bishop questioned.

Fang Hong nodded.

”But what about your companions?”

”Aren’t they deeply entrenched in it too?”

Fang Hong furrowed his brow.

The Old Bishop shook his head and softened his tone: ”...I’m not saying anyone is forcing you to take sides, but in your current actions, haven’t you already made a choice?”

”Even though you don’t want to be involved, that’s the reality.”

Faced with the Old Bishop’s calm gaze, Fang Hong found himself speechless.

The bishop then continued calmly, ”Do you think you’re right?”

”You have indeed done nothing wrong—whether intentional or not, the King of Sand stepped into forbidden grounds. And Her Highness the Princess merely wants the truth about her mother’s death, which seems perfectly natural; she did not use you, likely she herself was unaware from the start.”

”...You were drawn in by a misunderstanding.”

Fang Hong asked hoarsely, ”Does Bishop Faris think I was wrong?”

But in his heart, he didn’t believe that.

He asked himself if his decisions could pass the scrutiny of his conscience.

Faris gave him a glance, unexpectedly shaking his head: ”The answer is within you, isn’t it?”

Fang Hong looked at him in surprise.

Faris replied slowly, ”I guess there’s a Knight of the Lord Goddess beside you, right?”

”Didn’t they tell you anything about the definition of justice?”

The Old Bishop’s eyes gleamed with an undefined light.

Fang Hong’s thoughts immediately drifted back to a long time ago.

In Elpaxin, the Big Catfolk indeed spoke to him about something similar.

The justice pursued by Marlan’s servants was nothing more than not going against their own hearts. Follow what you believe is right, and as long as you maintain your bounds, you won’t lose your way—

But why was Bishop Faris bringing this up now?

He looked at the bishop in confusion.

The elder seemed to read the confusion in his eyes and gently patted his shoulder.

”Even the Lord Goddess cannot foresee the future; as her believers, naturally, neither can you. In matters of right or wrong, not even the participants can claim to know everything. When you’re deeply involved and feel lost, it’s normal, but as long as you recall your thoughts at this moment, you won’t lose your stance—”

”Just remember—the Lord Goddess is in fact a seeker of justice, not an Arbiter.”

”Isn’t this what you wanted to ask of the Lord Goddess? This is it.”

Fang Hong found himself dumbfounded.

He had always doubted the intentions of the Holy Sanctuary, furthermore suspecting that Lady Marlan designating him as God’s Choice harbored ulterior motives.

For he never believed in free lunches in this world; how could a deity overseeing all mortals take a fancy to him for no reason and favor him?

Yet Faris’s words suddenly clarified the doubts in his heart. It turned out that the other side never lied to him from the start. Lady Marlan chose him merely because his actions aligned with her doctrine. If he remains true to his original intent, then all he does is the outcome Marlan desires to see.

Should there come a day he changes even himself, that goddess’s favor would naturally leave him as well.

Fang Hong couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

The Lord Goddess indeed played a deft hand.

Yet he couldn’t help but accept it. He couldn’t oppose for the sake of opposition, could he? Besides, it also benefited him, so it might be considered a win-win situation.

However, he understood clearly that the Lord Goddess surely gained more. Was he really the only person in the world acting in line with her doctrine? Certainly not. Not to mention afar, Big Catfolk and Sir Diket were far more upright and capable than he was, so why didn’t she choose them instead?

Fang Hong knew it was because he possessed the Pale Glory.

After all, with the Star of Calamity approaching, and divine wars on the horizon—

The Oulin Gods were surely preparing, those getting closer to the line of Star of Calamity’s arrival naturally gained divine favor, and from these individuals, they would identify those aligning with their teachings and designate their God’s Choices.

Even if events had slight discrepancies, they wouldn’t deviate much from this.

Yet Fang Hong had understood the attitude of the Holy Sanctuary, at least ensuring no sinister force lingered behind him, bringing him some relief. In any case, it could barely be considered ’good news’.

However, he always felt that in Faris’s final words, there seemed to be something more between the lines.