A Chemist's Interstellar Saga

Chapter 238: The Twelve Cardinals
Chapter 238: The Twelve Cardinals

When Vezgor reached the front, the twelve Cardinals led all the followers in a deep, solemn bow, greeting Arix with a reverent, ”Greetings to the Moon Goddess!”

In response to their overwhelming respect, Arix gave a small nod, lifting her chin again to stare down at them, her gaze cold and dismissive, as if they were nothing more than her servants.

But not every Cardinal was as awestruck as they appeared. Ignathor, one of the Cardinals, spoke up with a concerned tone, ”Your Holiness, now that the Moon Goddess has returned, we should conduct a test right away. It would be disastrous if we were wrong.”

Though some priests bristled at Ignathor’s bluntness toward their supposed Moon Goddess, they couldn’t deny the importance of his words. A silent agreement passed through them as they exchanged glances.

Vezgor didn’t argue. He simply replied with a frosty, ”Alright,” before carrying Arix to the Moon Goddess Hall.

The hall was reminiscent of the Holy Temple of the Tiger Clan, with a statue of Sylvana standing tall inside.

As Arix scanned the familiar surroundings, she quickly grasped how the test would play out.

”Sylvana, is this test going to be okay?” Arix asked nervously in her mind.

”Don’t worry, Arix. You’ve got this,” Sylvana, currently inhabiting Arix’s body, reassured her swiftly.

”Alright.” With Sylvana’s words, Arix felt a wave of relief. She confidently stepped out of Vezgor’s arms, standing tall on the testing platform, ready for what was to come.

As the crowd watched with bated breath, a golden energy streamed from the forehead of Sylvana’s statue, spiraling around Arix. It took a drop of her heart’s blood, then retreated back to the statue.

”To witness the Moon Goddess’s test in this lifetime... I can die without regret,” an elderly priest murmured, clutching his chest with emotion.

”The statue’s reaction proves it—it must be her,” another priest exclaimed, barely containing his excitement.

”Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. What if it isn’t?” Ignathor cut in, throwing a wet blanket on their enthusiasm.

”Ignathor, that’s out of line. Anyone would think you don’t want the Moon Goddess to return,” a young priest snapped, glaring daggers at him.

”Yeah, ever since this started, you’ve been nothing but critical,” his companion added, hostility in his voice.

Despite his doubts, Ignathor didn’t dare disrespect the Moon Goddess. But the accusations riled him, and he glared coldly at the young priests, just about to fire back when the Pontifex intervened.

”One more word, and you’re all out,” Vezgor warned, his expression dark and stern.

The priests fell silent immediately, not daring to push further. Even Ignathor had to swallow his frustration, letting out an irritated huff.

As the tension settled, the light from the statue’s forehead flared again.

A brilliant golden glow filled the entire Moon Goddess Hall, leaving all the priests and followers awestruck, their eyes wide with wonder at the breathtaking sight before them.

Arix had initially expected the test to be a low-key affair, something similar to what she’d seen at the Holy Temple of the Tiger Clan, where the statue’s forehead would simply glow. But she was in for a surprise. After the Sylvana statue glowed, the whole thing suddenly lit up like the sun.

A beam of light shot straight up from the statue, piercing the sky and shaking the Empire’s capital to its core.

The massive display in the sky attracted the whole city’s attention. All over the capital, therian citizens turned their eyes toward the brilliant light, their faces a mix of awe and confusion.

”What is that? It’s huge, so bright, so dazzling!”

”Is someone becoming a god?”

”It’s coming from the Moon Goddess Temple! Maybe those rumors on the interstellarnet were true?”

”Of course! How could we forget the Moon Goddess? I’ve got to get over there and see this for myself.”

As the therians connected the dots, realization hit them like a wave, and many of them rushed toward the temple, desperate to witness the return of their Moon Goddess in person.

Inside the Moon Goddess Hall, Arix stood there, just as stunned as everyone else, staring up at the beam of light. Sure, she’d been planning to make a splash to justify kicking her grandfather and Scion out of the temple, but this was way beyond what she’d imagined.

As she glanced at the massive hole in the roof caused by the beam, Arix nervously rubbed her nose. ’The temple looks pretty luxurious—I’m so lucky, they won’t make me pay for the damage... wait, will they?’

Meanwhile, the priests were too lost in awe to consider what Arix might be thinking. The extraordinary sight before them left them spellbound. When they finally snapped out of it, they stared at the little cub on the platform with wide, sparkling eyes.

The idea that she might not be the Moon Goddess evaporated completely.

Overflowing with excitement, all the priests and followers dropped to one knee in reverence, their voices booming as they proclaimed, ”Welcome back, Moon Goddess!”

The sudden chorus jolted Arix out of her thoughts. Caught off guard for a moment, she quickly collected herself. She slipped back into her role as the arrogant and haughty Moon Goddess, gazing down at them from her elevated position.

Once she felt the timing was right, she spoke up, her voice carrying authority, ”Since my identity has been confirmed, I have three demands. Can you fulfill them?”

”Please, Moon Goddess, state your demands. We will meet them all, be it one or a thousand,” The priest who had brought Arix back was the first to respond, smiling up at her with eagerness.

The other priests quickly nodded in agreement. After all, the entire purpose of the Moon Goddess Temple was to serve the Moon Goddess herself.

Arix was taken aback by how easily her identity was working in her favor. After a brief moment of surprise, a satisfied smile spread across her face. ”Very well. My first demand is to replace the Pontifex.”

Her words hung in the air, and the entire hall fell into a stunned silence.

The hall was thick with tension as Arix’s demand hung in the air.

Priests exchanged uneasy glances, unsure whether to comply with what seemed like an audacious request from their newly returned Moon Goddess.

Some priests nervously swallowed, sneaking glances at Vezgor, who stood calmly at the front. They couldn’t fathom what the Pontifex had done to offend the Moon Goddess so deeply that her first action was to strip him of his position.

Despite the mixture of pity and sly satisfaction that some directed his way, Vezgor remained composed. His face was unreadable, as if the prospect of losing his title didn’t faze him in the slightest.

Arix, noticing the uncertainty in their eyes, began to realize that maybe her demand had been a bit too abrupt. But with limited time in the Empire, she felt the need to act swiftly, even if it meant ruffling a few feathers.

While Arix was guessing at the thoughts swirling in the other priests’ minds, Ignathor could barely contain his excitement. He stepped forward eagerly, his voice loud and supportive as he backed her decision. ”The current Pontifex has clearly displeased the Moon Goddess. It’s only right to replace him. I, Ignathor from the Dragon clan, fully support the Moon Goddess!”

With Ignathor taking the lead, the other priests exchanged knowing looks. Though none openly voiced their agreement, they all subtly lowered their heads in acceptance.

They understood the hierarchy here—between the Pontifex and the Moon Goddess, the latter’s will reigned supreme.

Meanwhile, Vezgor remained unruffled. With a calm and deliberate motion, he began removing his Pontifex robes, eventually handing them over to a nearby priest.

”Your Holiness...” the priest whispered, unsure as he took the robes, a deep sense of injustice gnawing at him on Vezgor’s behalf. He couldn’t comprehend why the Moon Goddess would single out the Pontifex in this way.

But Vezgor simply shook his head, a silent command to the priest not to act impulsively.

Then, with a respectful bow to Arix, he turned and left the Moon Goddess Hall, now dressed only in his simple white undergarments. His steps were steady and composed, showing no hint of regret as he departed.

Everyone in the hall watched him leave, their emotions a mix of confusion, respect, and discomfort—everyone except Ignathor, who was practically beaming.

Arix, too, silently watched her grandfather until he was out of sight. Once he was gone, she turned back to the priests. ”Thank you for fulfilling my first request. Now, my second request is for everyone to recommend a new Pontifex.”

Her words broke the silence, and the priests shifted uneasily once more. This demand was less shocking than the first, but it still carried weight. They exchanged glances, each silently weighing their options, knowing that whoever they chose would have to walk a fine line under the watchful eye of the Moon Goddess herself.