After Becoming The Tyrant CH 175 Seven Seals
When the wind that turned cold gradually blew across the earth, the defensive preparations of Yoringshire County were carried out in an anxious and orderly manner under the King's order.
Almost the entire city was mobilized, and the King's clerks walked through the streets and posted notices of Legrand's battlefield situation at every intersection. Scholars and bards told the people over and over again that the lost land in the southeast of Legrand was now being recovered, and their struggle was fruitful. As long as everyone could work together to hold on to Yoringshire County, Legrand would usher in a glorious victory.
The names of every recaptured town in the southeast were engraved on the city walls to inspire everyone.
The new model of military planning that King used high-pressure methods to force the officers to accept showed its advantages at this time. The quartermasters who had experienced "torture" quickly formulated a reasonable plan, dispatched nearby carriages and horses, and transported all the food in the surrounding areas of Yoringshire City in an orderly manner. The trees that were closer to Yoringshire County and all resources suitable for building siege equipment were also cut down early and transported into the city to become raw materials for carpenters and architects to build fortifications.
The mathematicians who worked hard to sort out the "logistics system" with the quartermasters were not much better off than before, because after the surrounding food was transported into the city, the King's next order was issued to them again.
They must work with the quartermasters to count the grain reserves currently owned by Yoringshire City, and then formulate a rationing system that was as reasonable as possible.
This was probably the most rigorous and error-free grain transportation process in Legrand's history. The King assigned a cavalry to guard the granary and set up supervisors. No matter who dares to hide food secretly, he would be executed on the spot.
When the scouts reported that they saw the flag of the Holy Army appearing on the horizon, the last carriage carrying wood withdrew into the city.
The winch turned, the drawbridge rose, and the city gate slammed shut.
The sky and the earth were dim. In the darkness, Yoringshire County closed the city and stood firm.
"They are coming."
The King stood on the observation tower. He heard the warning horn passing from one tower to another. The whole city was like an awakened beast under the dusk, showing its fangs in warning to the enemy who was about to arrive.
Smoke and dust billowed on the horizon. Countless crosses were raised high in the smoke. The Knights Templar who came covered in blood were like the legendary knights of doom. His Holiness said that God gave them the authority to make war, and taught them to come to the earth to seize peace and make people kill each other. The swords in their hands were weapons given by God, and those who kill with that weapon would not be blamed for sinning.
Among the crosses raised high, there was one that was the most brilliant and dazzling.
It was a golden cross as tall as a person.
The symbol of the Pope, Emperor of the Holy Empire, Theolde.
Now, the two most powerful and outstanding emperors of this era finally set foot on the same battlefield.
Amidst the desolate sound of horns, the army stopped some distance away from Yoringshire City in good order. The front line of the army separated, the golden cross was raised and brought forward, and a carriage drove out from the army. In the distance, the King saw someone getting off the carriage.
The person who got off the carriage looked over from a distance, and his eyes fell accurately on the observation tower where the King was.
"Theolde."
The King whispered.
"Pureland.”
The horse that stopped suddenly spurted white mist from its nose, and its iron-nailed hooves stepped on the ground. The sound of wind, the clanging of armor, and the roar of the battlefield. Theolde stood on the ground and murmured the other's name to himself like a sigh.
Just as the King saw him at first glance, he seemed to have captured the King's location immediately as well.
“Set up camp."
He ordered.
A white eagle circled in the sky for a while, then converged its wings and landed on the outstretched arm of Pope Theolde.
It came from Holy Spirit Bay.
………………
Holy Spirit Bay, Holy Court, Holy City.
Cardinal Deacon Segni stood outside the bronze door of the sanctuary. There were many exquisite reliefs on the bronze door behind him, which told the story of the original Holy Lord who commissioned his apostles to walk on the earth. Scenes of angels and demons fighting, and heretical cities being destroyed on the Day of Judgment were depicted.
His palms were faintly covered with sweat, and there was a secret letter hidden in his robes.
A letter from the Holy Empire, written by King Ferri III himself.
Segni didn't know whether his choice was right or wrong, but as the Holy Army movement unfolded and Pope Theolde chose the Abyss Strait Alliance's fleet to transport the army, the Hopeless Inner Sea merchant caravans began to decline rapidly. Especially when the ensuing Nujin Empire attacked the Holy Spirit Bay and captured many ports, his family's merchant ships were completely burned by the barbarians.
Pope Theolde was increasingly split from the Holy See. Cardinals like him had to make a choice.
He just added a little more gap to the cracks, it was nothing.
Segni comforted himself in his heart.
With this thought in mind, he walked into the bronze door.
After the last cardinal stepped into this secret church, the bronze door closed behind him. From this moment on, all the doors in this church were sealed and no one was allowed to enter. The guardian knights of the Holy Court were guarding outside the secret church, which would be isolated from the world until the important decision that was about to take place in it came to an end.
In the past, ceremonies of this size only appeared when selecting a pope, but now despite Pope Theolde being still alive, it has been held again.
Deep in the secret church, in the secret room normally used to discuss the election of the pope, thousands of candlelights illuminated the secret room extremely brilliantly. On both sides of the long table, there were people sitting in black robes. Most of them were old and dying. Segni sat down at the end of the long table, knowing that he had no speaking right here.
All the cardinal-level clergy still in the sanctuary were gathered here.
What would be held here was a trial that affected the entire Holy Court.
A trial that was absolutely secret and could definitely shock the world.
——The trial against Pope Theolde.
In terms of doctrine, the pope, as the incarnation of God, could never make mistakes, let alone sin. However, among the top-secret documents within the Holy See, there was a secret rule in the Twelve Bronze Books that were originally formulated. As a last resort, under certain conditions, all those who were qualified to participate in the selection of the pope would be gathered here. The place that conferred divine status on the pope was able to convene the trial against the pope himself.
This trial was absolutely not allowed to be made public, so several trials held in secret in history ended with the death of the pope who was being tried. The Holy Court still maintained its holy appearance to the outside world.
However, this trial was completely different from the past. The trial document had been drafted in advance, and cardinal deacons like Segni only had the power to sign the document.
Under the illumination of the candlelight, the faces of the old men at the head of the long table were cold. They were like corpses that had walked out of coffins, carrying a heavy aura of old age, but there was also a terrifying power in their old age. They were the seven elders of the Holy Court, corresponding to the seven archangels mentioned in the holy book.
The seven great elders appeared together in this secret meeting, establishing an irrefutable conclusion for the trial.
Segni took a deep breath and signed his name on the trial document.
He was the last cardinal deacon invited to enter here. After he signed his name, the bell rang in the cold and solemn church, and the sound echoed between the cloisters and rooms of the church. At this moment, Segni thought he was the one who had received the Book of Revelation. He heard the God of the past, present and future unveiling the prophecy of the doomsday in his ears, and the bell was the signal of that day.
Segni forgot himself at the ringing of the bell. When he woke up from his hazy state, he was already in the secret room of the church, completely forgetting what he had just done.
The sound of the bell echoed for a long time like a roar rushing out from the ground.
Deep in the huge church, there were only seven elders left at the long table.
The instrument condemning Theolde for apostasy and blasphemy was placed before the elder who sat at the head of the table. He pushed it towards the middle of the long table and raised his eyes to look at the others.
"The power of God is given to believers, not to usurpers."
An elder said hoarsely.
"Those who steal will be destroyed."
The elder sitting at the head had neither sadness nor joy on his face. He raised his hand and drew a cross on his chest.
The elder who spoke first placed a lead-sealed copper box on the table. Another elder held a candle, which melted the lead. As the lead sealing the seal slowly melted, the cold wind in the hall caused the candlelight to sway. There seemed to be countless holy spirits singing loudly in the air, or it seemed as if countless snakes were laughing in low hisses.
The box of taboos.
There was an ancient contract sealed in the dust that even the Pope could not know. It was the oath mentioned in the holy book——the original contract signed between God and man!
The copper box was opened, and the contract between man and God was held up by the old hands.
The scroll was filled with strange words both inside and outside, and it was sealed with seven seals.
The first elder slowly opened the first seal, and then passed it to the second one. The second elder opened the second seal and then passed it on… the third seal, the fourth seal… the last seal!
All the candles were extinguished in an instant.
"The seven seals have been opened. We shall open the door to the Kingdom of God and the world so that God can return to the earth."
The elder held the ancient scroll high with both hands. Every word on the ancient scroll was emitting a dazzling light, illuminating the cold hall as bright as day.