Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 446: Chapter 445 Reactions from All Sides (Part 1)

For Nobiru and Natsuse, this outing was enormously fun; although some parts were somewhat unpleasant, overall, they were quite satisfied. After all, not only did they meet knights and mages that they had only heard about in stories, but they also encountered a variety of peculiar demon beasts.

Among them, Aohara Nobiru was naturally the most proud, as she was the only one who had truly crossed swords with someone from this world!

This made the little girl incredibly proud, and upon returning, she began to describe her experience with great fervor and enthusiasm to the others.

”You guys should have seen it, that uncle was quite skilled. With a swing of his sword, it was like there were six or seven swords in front of you, his speed was incredibly fast, slicing through the air towards you! Although his strength wasn’t as great as Asaka’s, his speed was much faster. But let me tell you, this missy wasn’t so easy to deal with.......”

Watching the excitable girl gesticulating and recounting ”Nobiru’s Great Battle with Alfred” through the window, Fang Zheng couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile. Who would have thought Nobiru had the makings of a storyteller? Her tales stirred up considerable excitement among the other little girls, especially those of higher ranking, each of them itching to have such an adventure of their own.......

”Is this really okay, master?”

While gently stroking the kitten in her arms, Nymph looked towards Fang Zheng, who simply shrugged his shoulders.

”This is part of my plan. After all, having made such a high-profile entrance, how could we not put on a bit of a show and live up to the hype? I was actually hoping that a few more would be brave enough to come forward. I didn’t expect that only one would show up. It seems Nobiru really does have the fortune of a protagonist......”

In fact, Fang Zheng had agreed to let the children wander around partly for them to have some fun, but also as a means of fishing. He knew that with his entrance, various powers would surely test him. So he decided to amplify their presence, allowing the Cursed Children to join in the excitement. As mentioned before, Fang Zheng was well aware of the power held by the Cursed Children. Had it not been for their young age, their sheer numbers alone would be taken seriously by any nation.

And now, as these children were not yet ten years old, it meant that they not only owned the present but the future as well!

In the future, the Cursed Children would become the core combat force of the Heavenly Dao Palace, and Fang Zheng of course would not hide them away. He decided to let them show themselves to the world, to dissuade those with ulterior motives.

Of course, Fang Zheng didn’t send the children out to take risks on their own. Each group of Cursed Children was monitored by a Fleet Girl, and in case of danger, Fang Zheng authorized them to provide immediate aerial support.

Why else would he keep Musashi and Rodney from entering the harbor, and arrange for Unicorn to be stationed outside?

Did you really think they had nowhere to dock?

Although that was indeed the case......

”This is quite strange......”

At that moment, Nymph frowned slightly.

”Master, I’ve just detected that the people who were observing us from outside have all left......”

”That’s also within my expectations.”

Fang Zheng wasn’t surprised by Nymph’s report. With so many powers previously lurking around, they certainly would want to covertly monitor his side. But after discovering that even the children under ten from his group had the strength to confront a master of swordsmanship head-on, they obviously wouldn’t continue to watch foolishly.

What comes next...... will depend on how those powers react.

However, for Fang Zheng, what he cared about most was only the reactions of the Kingdom of the Holy Church and the Magitech Nation.

Meanwhile, in another room, Grand Knight Astor was sitting on a sofa with a solemn expression, eyes fixed on the tightly closed door. Finally, after a while, the door slowly opened, and an old man with white hair and beard walked out.

”Your Excellency Bishop Carl.”

Seeing Bishop Carl coming out, Grand Knight Astor promptly stood up.

”What are the directives from the Holy City?”

”Hehe... The Highest Bishop and His Holiness the Pope have granted us Level One authority, and this time even the Central Bishopric did not oppose it. It seems that the strength displayed by that young man genuinely frightened many people,” the Bishop Carl said, but then he couldn’t help but sigh.

”Your Excellency Bishop, what’s the matter? Why do you sigh?”

Surprised by the expression of Bishop Carl, Grand Knight Astor was puzzled. Hadn’t Bishop Carl’s words suggested that they had already received the full support of the Holy City? So why did Bishop Carl seem so regretful?

”I’m just reflecting... Sometimes, really, one wrong move... Ah, everything changes.”

Having said this, Bishop Carl found his way to the sofa to sit down, then closed his eyes. Astor, watching the resting Bishop Carl, paused in astonishment before quickly realizing the implication.

”Do you mean... the matter concerning Your Excellency Fang Zheng?”

”Yes...”

Bishop Carl nodded slightly in response to Astor’s question.

”From the first time I met him, I realized he was very wary of our Sanctuary, which is not surprising. After all, what happened with the Holy Spirit Knight back then was indeed... but I did not expect it to escalate to that extent...”

Astor certainly knew what Bishop Carl was referring to. In fact, there was still considerable debate within the Sanctuary about that incident. Some Holy Practitioners felt that Fang Zheng had overreacted. Even though the Castina Knight Commander had indeed issued a capture order, if Fang Zheng had not resisted, it might have been possible to clear up the misunderstanding afterwards. But Fang Zheng chose the most straightforward and violent method, which not only resulted in the Sanctuary’s loss of a genius, but also the loss of a Knight Commander, as well as shaking the reputation of the Sanctuary. This led to some discontent towards Fang Zheng within the Sanctuary.

However, most understood Fang Zheng’s actions. Many had witnessed the situation at the time firsthand. Kona daring to lay hands on an Angel was in itself a blasphemy. Not to mention Fang Zheng was a Holy Spirit Knight, a term that would instinctively remind almost everyone of the dark history of the Sanctuary.

And now Fang Zheng, a descendant of the Holy Spirit Knights, was accused of the same crime by the Sanctuary and had even injured his Guardian Angel. So, to many, Fang Zheng’s method of counterattack was understandable.

But for Carl, the greatest pity was that the Sanctuary had lost Fang Zheng’s trust.

This regret reached its peak today.

Bishop Carl was almost certain that Fang Zheng’s identity was far from an ordinary Holy Spirit Knight. He might be the messenger sent to replace the Goddess on Earth. His previous investigation inside the Sanctuary could very well have been a ”Trial,” but the Sanctuary failed the test...

Bishop Carl certainly understood what it meant for Fang Zheng to make such an appearance. He did not wish to be too entangled with the Sanctuary but re-emerged as a third-party force.

If it weren’t for this mishap, the Sanctuary would not have to expend so much effort to win back this Holy Spirit Knight... but now, within the Holy City...

At this thought, Bishop Carl sighed inwardly. He had just shared the good news with Grand Knight Astor. In fact, there was other, less favorable news. Although ultimately they received support from the Holy City, as Bishop Carl said, the process was not so smooth.

Bishop Carl also learned from his colleagues that within the Holy City, there were people who believed Fang Zheng was acting in the name of God and that this was a major disrespect towards the Goddess of Order. Furthermore, they were quite dissatisfied with the children known as ”Chosen Ones,” and some even suggested that Fang Zheng should bring those children back to the Holy City for investigation, to confirm whether they were genuinely Chosen Ones.

What a joke! Are you deities yourselves? Why should you make that confirmation?

Bishop Carl was so frustrated with these foolish idiots that he could not even sigh. The Holy City had been glorious for too long, causing some to forget that the splendor of the Kingdom of the Holy Church came not only from themselves but also from the blessing of Order. It was because they followed the guidance of the Goddess of Order and walked the right path.

But now, it seemed that some had gotten this order backward.

”Anyway, this is the Kingdom of the Holy Church’s only chance now.”

Having made up his mind, Bishop Carl opened his eyes and looked at Astor.

”Grand Knight Astor, this time, we must repair our relationship with Your Excellency Fang Zheng.”