Bear School Astartes

Chapter 906: Chapter 888: Flame and Loyalty

”There are plenty of things we can’t understand.”

The voice of Priestess Emma began to reveal a hint of determination.

”What’s important is how to confront and resolve them!”

”Lorenzo, you’re right. We are the pillars of Losric’s royal authority, and naturally, we respect the power of the royal family. But at the same time, we must do something in this world teetering on the brink of the abyss.”

”Now, there is clearly a way to resolve the issue without harming the authority of the royal family. If we still foolishly wait without taking action, then we’d be too stupid.”

She caressed a ring on her hand, which was engraved with a white ecclesiastical symbol.

”Take your evidence and come with me to find the Knight Captain directly. These matters can no longer be delayed. The more chaotic the world becomes, the more chaotic people’s hearts become. Who knows what kind of surprises might unfold in the end?”

”And as for this kindhearted witness, please repeat what you just said in front of the captain of the Losric Knight Order.”

Saying this, Priestess Emma led the two out of the church with a stride nimble beyond her years.

”Heading toward the High Wall?” Lorenzo questioned in confusion. ”Is the captain at the High Wall now? Isn’t he supposed to...”

”What’s the point in watching over the Dragon Training Ground now?”

Before Lorenzo could finish his question, Priestess Emma swiftly interrupted him.

”I had also invited him and Knight Captain Maruk to come out from the Inner City to have an open and honest discussion with me.”

”It’s just as well; they’re still here now.”

”Brother Maruk?”

Lann glanced sideways; Lorenzo’s voice clearly carried a weightiness.

It seemed that this ’Brother Maruk’, the Losric Knight Captain, was not perceived as an ally by him.

Priestess Emma remained silent, simply leading the two along the outer walls of Losric with her head down.

Lann wanted to confide his purpose to Priestess Emma.

It was about the matter of [Angel Daughter] Geside.

When the Demon Hunter discussed with others in the Profound Church about retrieving Geside, both Leonard and Klimte said that Priestess Emma was a trustworthy choice.

Once Queen of Losric, Rosalie’s plight was understood and sympathized with by Priestess Emma, who was willing to help.

However, due to Lorenzo’s constant presence, Lann hadn’t found the right moment to confide in this trustworthy priestess.

After all, they only said the ’priestess’ was trustworthy, but whether the ’knight’ would help was another matter.

The three of them trudged along the high wall’s path.

The outer wall of Losric was almost wide enough to be used for military purposes, as well as being transformed by some residents into homes, a market, and taverns.

This city occupied an entire side of a mountain range, its vastness beyond description.

Throughout the journey, one could see confused, emaciated people everywhere.

These people’s hair was disheveled, their steps staggered, evidently already affected by the ever-fading First Flame.

Yet when Priestess Emma passed by them, they would still cast their last hopeful gaze upon this clergy member.

They hoped that the clergy could once again bring light to the world.

Lann’s gaze was deep... Even the so-called ’Holy City that guards the Fire Transmission Ceremony’ had come to this state now.

These people were not yet the Undead, or they would have been cleared out long ago.

But how far were they from becoming the Undead?

As the First Flame wanes, the curse of the Undead is spreading.

This curse, coming from a world on the brink of collapse, was far stronger and more widespread than any curse Lann had seen or heard of in the Magic Middle Ages.

Even the ’Black Sun Curse’ proposed by the Mad Mage Adibad, saying: that it would bring about the return of Lilith, the God of Darkness, to bring destruction to the world.

The omen being ”the appearance of sixteen golden-crowned girls born during a solar eclipse, filling rivers and valleys with blood” as the sign for Lilith’s second coming.

This curse, compared to the ’Undead Curse’ that Lann now witnessed, could be described as ’mild and lovely.’

The mutation of these Losric residents’ souls had already begun to manifest physically: emaciated and elongated bodies, tangled and luscious hair.

They were just waiting for the mark of the Undead—the Ring of Darkness to select them, and soon they could turn into wraiths that kill on sight.

At this moment, as if reflecting the low and desperate atmosphere, white ash-like floating flakes, akin to snow or the residual ash of burning paper, began to fall from the sky.

Lann, puzzled, reached out and caught one of the white ash flakes drifting down from mid-air.

Mysteriously, he felt the darkness deep within his ’sight’ stirring restlessly.

”This is...”

Lann looked up.

He saw that over the entire vast Losric City, these flake-like white ashes were floating in the air.

”What is this?”

Lann muttered.

At this time, Priestess Emma and Lorenzo also noticed the stuff drifting from the sky.

”I’ve never seen this before...” Lorenzo also caught a flake in his hand, first puzzled, then shook his head and crushed the white ash on his iron glove.

”We can study this phenomenon later.”

None of them had much energy to spare on this trivial phenomenon now.

The First Flame was waning to such an extent, the world’s order was collapsing. It wasn’t impossible for any anomalies to appear.

The most urgent task now is to advance the progress of the Fire Transmission Ceremony.

The intelligence brought back by Lorenzo confirmed that during this period of decline, there is a force uniting everywhere, targeting Losric.

This became the last straw to tip the balance in Priestess Emma’s heart.

Previously, to maintain the royal family’s dignity, she had always adhered to the rules. She had not made any direct statements or declarations.

After all, she was once the nursemaid of Prince Losric. When he was born, he was frail and sickly, and it was through her continuous use of [Miracles] that he grew up.

Whether out of emotion or duty, she should not oppose the royal family.

But now... the situation was tense after all.

Soon, the patchy white ash continued to fall from the sky, landing on the dazed Losric residents and soldiers.

And the three of them arrived at the place on the high wall they had agreed to meet.

Two Losric knights stood facing each other at that position, and the atmosphere seemed far from harmonious.

One of them was dressed identically to Lorenzo, with a deep red tunic and cloak like flames outside his armor.

But the other knight, while his armor was the same in form, his tunic and cloak were blue.

Both were equipped with swords and shields; at this moment, the swords were sheathed at their waists, and the shields were strapped to their hands.

Lann looked at this scene, his eyes slightly narrowed.

In knightly tradition, red symbolizes bravery and fearlessness, and in this world, it also symbolizes ’being protected by the flame.’

But blue has always represented—loyalty.

Loyalty to the master they serve.

Typically, the personal guards of lords and commanders are granted this color.

Just like Vernon Roche, whom Lann had once met; his blue attire was bestowed upon him by Veltrest.

And now, the confrontation between red and blue... it feels like ’the defense of the flame’ is clashing with ’loyalty to the master.’

Lorenzo stepped forward first to pay his respects to the Losric knight in red.

”Captain.”

He greeted and then stood closer to the side of the knight clad in red.

”Hello as well, Brother Maruk.”

After stepping aside, Lorenzo greeted the knight opposite him, speaking in a cold voice that was almost purely ceremonial.

And the knight in a blue tunic opposite seemed unsurprised by this situation.

Priestess Emma coughed and interjected into the conversation.

Lann watched the conversation representing the two major pillars of Losric, standing against the wall by himself.

His gaze occasionally slid through the silver strands hanging over his forehead, looking in the direction of the conversation.

The demon hunter’s extraordinary hearing allowed him to easily hear the conversation from this distance, although those people assumed their voices were not loud.

Priestess Emma began telling the Knight Captain about the recent riots on the bridge and the anomalies Lorenzo and the others had discovered.

”We can’t wait any longer.”

Priestess Emma declared decisively.

”As long as the first flame does not resume burning, this world will get closer and closer to collapse! Think about it, Captain! Consider how many undead you have personally revoked the knight status of in the Losric Knight Order?”

”...nearly a third.”

The Knight Captain’s pain could even be heard from the muffled voice beneath his helmet.

”Then according to your intention,” suddenly, Knight Captain Maruk interjected, ”are we supposed to disregard the royal orders and forcefully push the Fire Transmission Ceremony?”

”Allow me to speak frankly, Captain, Priestess... are you intending to rebel?!”

”You certainly ’speak frankly’ without much thought, Knight Captain Maruk!”

The Knight Captain abruptly turned his head from facing Priestess Emma, a stern voice emerging from under his helmet.

”How dare you accuse me! Accuse Priestess Emma of treason?!”

”If you truly intend to do that, then I certainly would do so, Captain.”

The Blue Knight confronted his captain, refusing to budge.

”We are loyal to the royal family and swore to King Ausloes. Later, in the war against the demons, we followed Elder Prince Lorrian to eradicate those filthy creatures attempting to encroach upon the first flame.”

”Prince Lorrian single-handedly vanquished the last hope for those filthy species—the Demon Prince. Since that time, we also pledged loyalty to Elder Prince Lorrian.”

”Don’t forget this, Captain. Because among the current knight order, at least half remember our vows and are prepared to sacrifice their lives for it.”

The Blue Knight’s words made the Knight Captain clench his iron gloves tightly.

But he still strived to keep his voice calm, lest he becomes the spark in such a tense atmosphere.

”But Losric is the Country of Fire! The fundamental reason we established the nation is to maintain the Fire Transmission Ceremony!”

”King Ausloes must also wish for the Fire Transmission Ceremony to start quickly, to stabilize this world heading toward the abyss!”

”Then show King Ausloes’s orders.” Knight Captain Maruk said coldly.

”We are loyal to the royal family. If you have His Majesty’s orders, of course, we will comply. But the problem is...”

”Do you have them?”

The Knight Captain could no longer utter a word.