Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 635 The Scheme of the Supreme One (5k4)

— He was granted the title of Marquis, three “Holy Cities”, countless riches and resources, and even Emperor Augustusville promised that he could go to his treasury and choose a treasure to take away!
"..."

When Luo Xiu heard Emperor Augustusville offer him such a generous reward, he was indeed momentarily stunned.

—Emperor Augustus, he certainly gave too much.

As far as Luo Xiu knew, the mere fact that he was granted the title of "Marquis" and held a position equivalent to that of a true "Red Crown Prince" in the empire was enough to be astonishing.

No saint in the Holy Court has yet possessed a title or rank bestowed by the Supreme Emperor.

At this critical juncture—just as Pope Lawrence had fallen—why did Emperor Augustusville bestow such a heavy honor upon himself…?

"..."

These thoughts were subconsciously running through Luo Xiu's mind.

While his thoughts raced through his mind.

The Great Emperor Augustusville, seated on his throne, his dark red eyes fixed on Asreil, the "Spear of Heavenly Law".

Asleil stepped forward, seemingly shocked that the Emperor would bestow such a great reward upon Luo Xiu, but he did not question the Emperor's decision.

He pressed his celestial spear heavily to the ground in his right hand, raised his left hand upward, and knelt on one knee in respectful response to Emperor Augustusville:
"Your Majesty, I will obey your command."

"……Um."

Emperor Augustusville nodded slightly, while Asriel stood up and returned to the ranks of the Sky Pillar Knights.

The Emperor's gaze then returned to Luo Xiu.

Luo Xiu's expression remained somewhat frozen.

"You shall be granted my reward and honor,"

Emperor Augustus spoke, his booming voice reverberating in Luo Xiu's ears. He asked in a deep voice:
"Do you have any objections or complaints, Luo Xiu?"

"..."

"I am unworthy of this honor, Your Majesty."

Under Emperor Augustusville's questioning, Luo Xiu once again offered the emperor a salute and responded in a calm voice—

"My achievements may not be worthy of such a high level of protection."

He displayed humility.

But more than anything, there was caution—caution that Augustusville's generous reward concealed the blade of "Supreme." In this situation, being blinded by enormous profits was dangerous, a fact Luo Xiu knew all too well.

Crash.

Emperor Augustusville slightly raised his head, his eyes narrowing as he gazed at Luo Xiu. The armor he wore began to tremble as the spiritual energy emanating from within gradually overflowed from it.

"Do you think such a generous reward is not enough? After all, you are the most accomplished saint... Hmm, you deserve even more from me."

"In that case, Luo Xiu, I bestow upon you six holy cities—Esco, Los Angeles, and Storm City, as well as the three dark cities you personally conquered during your expedition. I hereby grant them to you."

"I'll give you the five fortresses surrounding it. Is there anything else you'd like to complain about, Luo Xiu?"

"..."

--what?

Why are they raising the stakes even more?!
Luo Xiu was shocked by Emperor Augustusville's gift—the emperor had given him almost the entire territory of Fafnir as a holy city and holy land!

Even though the Matsubara Expeditionary Force was able to conquer the entire territory of Fafnir and had made an undeniable contribution, this was still far too generous as a post-war fiefdom.

The more generous the reward, the stronger his inexplicable unease became—Luo Xiu felt more and more deeply that Augustusville, along with his [Supreme], must be plotting something!
"..."

For a moment, Luo Xiu was at a loss as to how to respond to Augustusville's reward.

He couldn't see what Augustusville was thinking, but the next moment, he heard Augustusville's booming voice, like the sound of a striking bell—

Are you still not satisfied?

"Luo Xiu, do you perhaps covet even more?"

"..."

Augustusville finished speaking.

A surge of intense spiritual energy erupted from him, making Luo Xiu feel as if he were in a furnace.

At the same time, the six "Sky Pillar Knights" on either side of him, along with their emperor, also released their spiritual energy, and that "dominant" spiritual energy field had already enveloped Luo Xiu's figure!

Luo Xiu could clearly feel that the heaviness that had been emanating from his shoulders ever since he stepped into the Obsidian Royal Palace had now spread throughout his entire body.

Even though he didn't know what Emperor Augustusville was thinking, Luo Xiu could foresee that if he didn't accept the emperor's reward here, the consequences could be dangerous.

"..."

"We are grateful for your generosity, Your Majesty."

Roth also offered a sacrament to Augustusville and responded respectfully—

"Thus, our glorious mission has a new sanctuary. On behalf of the Holy Court, I thank you for your generosity."

"..."

Luo Xiu agreed; he accepted the reward from Emperor Augustusville!

If we cannot yet know what Emperor Augustusville and the "Supreme" are thinking, let's consider it from a purely self-interested perspective.

He received the equivalent of the entire Fafnir Territory as a holy territory, and was its sole "lord"; he received a massive influx of resources from the empire; and he also received the title of "Marquis," possessing power second only to the true "Dukes."

Either of these options would be of great benefit to him in the present moment. And since he is unaware of the potential dangers of this action, accepting Emperor Augustusville's reward is appropriate.

Previously, he had not accepted Pope Lorend's offer to serve as a cardinal in the "Holy Court" due to considerations of freedom of action—but accepting the title bestowed by Emperor Augustusville did not seem to have any impact on this; on the contrary, it allowed him to remain active on the borders of the empire and outside the jurisdiction of the "Supreme," which was actually a greater freedom.

Even what only they themselves knew—that even if the Supreme Being and Emperor Augustusville truly intended to do something, they had to abandon it at the last moment before the "Crimson Tide" and the "Abyss Hangs Upside Down." That was a terrifying enemy that required setting aside all internal strife and uniting to face it!

Thinking about it this way, there are only benefits.

"..."

Luo Xiu was thinking about all of this at the same time.

And when Luo Xiu responded to Emperor Augustusville by accepting this reward...

The oppressive spiritual aura gradually subsided. The tense atmosphere in the air also gradually dissipated, and Luo Xiu gradually realized that the pressure from Augustusville and the six Heavenly Pillar Knights was no longer focused on him.

"very good."

Emperor Augustusville wore a meaningful smile.

"In that case."

"When my loyal army returns in triumph, I will honor you at the celebration and personally hold a ceremony to confer titles upon you—"

"Luo Xiu."

"You are someone I value; do not disappoint me."

After Emperor Augustusville finished speaking to Luo Xiu, his gaze turned to Asriel, the "Spear of Heavenly Law," and he said to him one last time:

“Send him away, Asriel.”

"..."

"Yes," Aslelton replied.

He then took a step forward and turned to Luo Xiu. His expression was hidden under the helmet, but Luo Xiu could sense that Asleil was restraining something.

"Please come with me, Lord Rosh Carlos."

"..."

"We take our leave, Your Majesty."

Finally, Luo Xiu paid his respects to Emperor Augustusville on the throne, then turned and followed Asleil away from the Obsidian Royal Court.

……

As he followed Asleil through the corridor, Luo Xiu suddenly understood why Augustusville had bestowed such a heavy reward upon him.

—It seems that all these honors were for one purpose: to prevent him from returning to the "Holy Court" in the capital, and instead to keep him active only in the desolate frontier.

After the fall of Pope Lawrence, the Supreme Being would not suppress its desire to dominate the Holy Court, and Luo Xiu knew this. So… is Augustusville trying to divide us? To create a rift within the Holy Court?

Including what Augustusville said at the end, that when the expeditionary force returned in triumph, he would have a ceremony to "bestowal of titles" held at the Imperial Court—that was most likely a show for the other saints of the "Holy Court," a political maneuver that would indeed deepen the rift between him and the old cardinals like Efra and Yazle...

"..."

Luo Xiu pondered.

But in reality, Emperor Augustusville didn't really understand himself—back when he ascended to become a saint of the "Sixfold Destiny," he had refused an invitation to go to the "Holy Court," and it was the same now; the power struggles in the rear were not his true battlefield.

Or rather, if Emperor Augustusville and the [Supreme] are truly considering things this way... then I am actually the one who benefits the most. Red Maple City, as well as Latama City, Fafnir City, and other important cities in Fafnir territory, if the Emperor doesn't interfere, I do intend to turn them into player capital cities!
Red Maple City alone, along with the "Holy Court," can hardly accommodate the ever-increasing number of players. But what if the entire Fafnir Territory were given the players the freedom to build and operate it... "..."

These were the thoughts that Luo Xiu was pondering.

Outwardly, he still followed behind Asriel, walking out of the Obsidian Royal Court one after the other.

Clang.

Suddenly, Asleil stopped in front of Luo Xiu.

Luo Xiu's thoughts were interrupted as he looked at Asriel, who at the same time turned around.

"Lord Luo Xiu."

Asleil removed his helmet, revealing a handsome yet somewhat weathered face, his dark red eyes fixed on Luo Xiu.

“You are the only one who has been granted the title of ‘Marquis’ by His Majesty, not one of us, the ‘Supreme’ saints. In fact, your position is above mine. You should feel honored and grateful.”

—Aslair, the “Spear of Heavenly Laws,” although he possesses the seventh level of the [Supreme] Destiny, is merely an “Earl” of the Empire!
He was not the "Supreme" inherited by his family, but rather one of the most talented individuals selected from among the common people. After undergoing extremely rigorous and cruel training by the empire, he was the last one remaining from tens of thousands of candidates.

His title and honors came from his outstanding military achievements for the empire, not from the protection of his family. And it was for this reason that Luo Xiu saw bewilderment, incomprehension, and confusion in Asleil's eyes.

As Asler said, "His own position was already above his!"
"..."

"I didn't expect that either." Luo Xiu shrugged helplessly.

Despite this response, Luo Xiu could still feel that Asleil's gaze remained fixed on him.

Asleil was also deep in thought, a dim light flashing in his eyes from time to time. After a while, he looked into Luo Xiu's eyes and said:

“I am His Majesty’s loyal knight, and I should not be saying these things to you. But you saved Cole’s life, and as I said, I will give you the highest reward.”

"If you want to save yourself, obey His Majesty's decree and go to the frontier. Do not have too much contact with the current Holy Court."

"No matter what you hear about the Supreme Being doing to the Holy Court, or even what you see, do not interfere. His Majesty's meaning should be clear. You are not a fool; you should understand what I am saying."

"..."

What Asleil said—it was exactly what he had guessed!
[Supreme] indeed wants to dominate the "Holy Court"—and as a saint whom [Supreme] does not yet understand but who has made the most outstanding contributions in the final battle, the best way for [Supreme] to deal with himself is to separate himself from the "Holy Court".

"..."

“I only want to carry out…the sacred will left behind by Pope Laurent.”

Luo Xiu said to Asleil:
"As for the rest... I'm not capable of doing it yet."

"You know what I mean." Asleil nodded.

He stared at Luo Xiu for a moment, then turned around, put his helmet back on, and continued to guide Luo Xiu on the path away from the Obsidian Royal Court.

“His Holiness the Pope of Lorend has fallen… I think you understand better than we do what that means for the Holy See.”

In the final stretch of the corridor, Asriel's voice, mingling with the clinking of his armored boots on the floor, spoke:

"His Majesty is always merciful. The land he has given you is where you can do any 'sacred' thing that you still feel you must do."

"His Majesty has promised you that he will not interfere with anything you do. Similarly, if you wish to maintain contact with the 'Holy Court,' that is also your Promised Land."

"And only there is your 'Promised Land,' Luo Xiu."

"..."

As they spoke, Asleil had already led Luo Xiu to the main gate of the Obsidian Royal Court.

Luo Xiu's vision had cleared up again, and he could see once more the solemn and murderous square in front of the palace.

Asleil paused, and he said to Luo Xiu one last time:

"Afterwards—when we return in triumph to the capital, I will come to find you again. His Majesty has granted you permission to take me to his treasury to select a treasure to take with you."

“If you still want to do something for the Holy Court one last time, then do it then. I… well, I won’t interfere.”

Seeing Luo Xiu's somewhat surprised expression, Asleil did not wait for Luo Xiu to give him a response.

Then, he looked to one side and saw Lagrán Fernández, the “Minister of Military Affairs,” who had been following them at a distance when they walked through the middle of the corridor.

“You escort Lord Cardinal Rosh Carlos back, Lagrange.”

"We must take good care of Lord Luo Xiu's accommodations and daily life."

"Yes, Lord Asreil."

Lagrange bowed respectfully to Asleil, then turned to Luo Xiu and bowed respectfully to him as well.

Asleil then turned and left, returning to the court of Emperor Augustusville, while Rosh and Lagron went to the edge of the square, where they boarded the "Holy Court" carriage and headed towards the palace where the Holy Court was located.

……

Emperor Augustusville and the Supreme Being's covetousness of the "Holy Court" have already been clearly revealed in Asriel's words.

This made him... no longer doubt other possibilities. Just as Asleil said, it was best for him to stay in Fafnir Territory—perhaps later it should be renamed "Saint Carlos Territory"—and stay there to practice the final "holiness" of [Radiance].

[Supreme] will definitely take action against the Holy Court afterward, and Asleil told him not to interfere. But since Lorend left him such a dying wish, how could he not intervene?
"..."

Luo Xiu was deep in thought.

Surrounded by the visible vortex, the first person he thought of was Franya.

In fact, the true core of the "Holy Court"—the true inheritor of all the legacies left by Pope Laurent—was that saint.

Perhaps we should find some time—before the Supreme Ones actually take action and do anything with the potential fallen saints within the Holy Court—to find Frania and Monine and have a talk with them.

In Luo Xiu's mind, the outline of a plan was gradually taking shape.

"..."

“We have arrived, Your Excellency Holy Cardinal, Lord Rosh Carlos.”

As Luo Xiu pondered, he heard Lagrange's voice in his ear.

The carriage had arrived at the main gate of the palace. Lagron got off the carriage first, then lifted the curtain for Luo Xiu and helped him down.

Luo Xiu then stopped thinking about anything related to it.

He decided to take it one step at a time—but the immediate task was to wait until he had some free time to go outside the city and talk with the two saints who were keeping vigil, the "Second Cardinal" Azle Saint-Léon, and the "Red Deacon" Hardy Lambert.

Listen to what they have to say, and also probe their stance in the "Holy Court".

……

The pitch-black capital, the inner city, the Obsidian Royal Court.

Until that “Acting Cardinal” Rosh Carlos, who, under Asriel’s guidance, left the Obsidian Court a dozen minutes later.

Emperor Augustus, seated on his throne, looked toward the first "Knight of the Heavenly Pillars" on his right side in the hall.

What do you think of... Lemon?

The chief of the "Pillar Knights"—"Lemonster Nolan," a knight clad in heavy armor embroidered with gold and red patterns—stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Emperor Augustusville.

"I don't see anything wrong with that acting cardinal."

Lemonster loudly proclaimed his judgment to Emperor Augustusville—

"He is indeed very powerful, but he is also too young. Perhaps he is a true genius that [Radiance] has only seen once every few centuries, but he has not yet grown up."

"The power he possesses, in my view, is like a roaring wave; though it is powerful, it is difficult to destroy a truly solid dam."

"..."

"……Um."

Emperor Augustus nodded slowly.

“He is indeed a talented man, and I hope that he can serve me… or at least the empire.”

Emperor Augustusville slowly said:
“Lorend has fallen, the Holy See has lost their Pope, and in order to discipline those saints, necessary rule… ‘guiding’ them is necessary.”

"As for Luo Xiu... we, the [Supreme] and the [Radiant], are allies after all, and we need to leave them a way out. Fafnir Territory... that is the holy land I have designated for them, and that is the way out I have given them."

As Augustus the Great spoke, his gaze still fixed on Lemonster, he said to him:
"But we still can't let that young cardinal have too much freedom and get out of our control."

"Lemonster, after that, you will go to Fafnir and stay by the side of that young cardinal, keeping an eye on what he is doing."

“But before that, go back to the capital. Find your brother, Demosth, and tell him it’s time to come back.”

"..."

Lemonster Nolan, the eldest son of Emperor Augustusville and known as the "Knight of the Sky Pillars," knelt on one knee and bowed to Emperor Augustusville.

"Everything is as you wish, Your Majesty."

……

(End of this chapter)