Chapter 871

【 MARTYRDOM 】

The falling snow gradually grew lighter, while the howling wind continued to sweep across the city square.

Old John’s gaze swept across the nobles and archbishops seated on the elevated platform, then shifted to the crowds gathered below, before finally settling on the presiding bishop who had been debating him.

He let out a soft sigh before speaking.

“Order may indeed have its hierarchies, but the living beings who constitute that order should all be equal in dignity.”

“Absolute fairness may be difficult to achieve, but that does not mean we should abandon the pursuit of justice simply because it is difficult.”

“Fairness means opportunity. Every living being deserves a bright future, and everyone deserves hope.”

“No nobles, no privileges. All beings, whether extraordinary individuals or ordinary people, whether members of long-lived races or short-lived ones, should be able to respect one another and work together for mutual benefit.”

“And that is what our Church of Life, regardless of one’s race, truly strives to achieve.”

“Fallacious sophistry! Utter absurdity! How could extraordinary individuals possibly be equal to ordinary people? And how could long-lived races possibly coexist with short-lived ones? These deceptive words of yours are nothing more than excuses for your Church to sow chaos throughout the Empire and fulfill its own ambitions!”

The presiding bishop rebuked him sharply.

“But what if it can be done?”

Old John countered calmly.

“Preposterous!”

The presiding bishop rejected the notion without hesitation.

Old John smiled faintly.

“Your Honor, it seems you have never visited the Maple Moon Free Territory.”

“Maple Moon? That is nothing more than a lie fabricated by the elves, a colony wherein the elven race oppresses others. Only the ignorant and those who have been deceived would flock there.”

The presiding bishop sneered with undisguised contempt.

Old John shook his head.

“How can you possibly know what happens there when you have never even visited the place yourself?”

As he spoke, his expression grew solemn, and his voice took on a tone of sincere reverence.

“The Maple Moon Free Territory is a true paradise on earth, and it’s system of governance could safeguard the future of humanity!”

“Its governance? How utterly absurd! Its so-called ruling system is nothing more than an elaborate sham created by the Church of Life to deceive its believers!”

The presiding bishop immediately retorted.

Old John let out a long sigh.

“Yet even if it were a sham, what has the Eternal Church actually done for the common people in reality? You constantly preach about an illusory heavenly paradise awaiting the faithful after death, but what tangible benefits have you brought to the people at the bottom of society? What have you accomplished for them, compared with the Church of Life, which has established a functioning fair system of governance that actually improve the people’s lives?”

The presiding bishop was momentarily stunned.

He had been about to continue his rebuttal, but the words suddenly failed to come.

After all, the Eternal Church was deeply intertwined with the ruling class. Much of its faith came from powerful experts and other practitioners of extraordinary abilities, while its believers were scattered throughout the universe. Yet for the vast majority of its ordinary believers, who possessed not even the slightest trace of supernatural power, the Eternal Church had long since become increasingly disconnected from their everyday lives.

All intelligent beings could generate faith power, and the amount they produced was proportional to the strength of their souls. A hundred ordinary mortals might not generate as much faith power as a single devout practitioner with extraordinary abilities.

Over more than a thousand years of expansion, the interests of the Eternal Church had become inextricably intertwined with those of the nobility and powerful experts.

Just as Old John had said, the Church had indeed neglected ordinary people for far too long.

Perhaps during peaceful times, it could maintain religious unity by relying on the ruling class to keep the masses under control. However, now that mana was beginning to recover at a rapid pace and the world was descending into turmoil, this long-established system of governance was bound to face unprecedented challenges.

Old John’s pointed question had left the presiding bishop momentarily speechless. Seeing that his opponent had no immediate response, Old John continued.

“Your Honor, I was once a devout believer of the Eternal Church myself. It was only after traveling to the Maple Moon Free Territory that I came to understand what true equality meant for ordinary people, and what genuine hope for the future truly looked like…”

“I personally witnessed countless refugees who had once grown numb to their suffering rediscover the meaning of life and find hope for the future in the Maple Moon Free Territory.”

“There are no nobles there who oppress the masses. Everyone could stand on equal footing, and everyone has the opportunity to work toward a better future.”

“Under the government reforms introduced by the Church of Life, the nobility no longer holds a monopoly on knowledge of extraordinary abilities. Knowledge is shared among the people, giving everyone the opportunity to discover their own path and shape their own destiny.”

“Under the guidance of the Church of Life’s believers, different races can coexist harmoniously. They complement one another’s strengths, respect one another’s differences, and cooperate for mutual benefit. Wherever you go in the streets and alleys of the Maple Moon Free Territory, you can see the genuine smiles of people who have found happiness in their lives.”

“Sure, a bogus government might able to deceive the people, but the happiness of its populace cannot be easily faked… can it, Your Honor?”

Old John paused briefly before continuing.

“And while the Church of Life is doing all these things for the people, what has the Eternal Church done for them?”

Old John described the virtues of the Maple Moon Free Territory one by one. As the crowd listened, their attention grew increasingly focused, and many began to reveal expressions of longing, as though they were imagining what life might be like in such a place.

Some of the Church’s clergy fell into thoughtful silence, apparently reflecting on his arguments. However, most of the nobles seated on the elevated platform responded by furrowing their brows in displeasure.

Noticing the shift in the attitudes of both the crowd below and the nobles seated on the elevated platform, the presiding bishop’s expression changed slightly.

He let out a derisive snort.

“As expected of a heretic from the Church of Life! Even now, you are still trying to incite the masses, turning them into nothing more than stepping stones for your own ambitions!”

“Ambitions? Stepping stones? No, Your Honor, you have misunderstood us. We simply wish to make this world a better place.”

Old John shook his head calmly.

Then his expression grew stern, and his voice took on a tone of unwavering conviction.

“If we truly have an ambition, then it is this: to ensure that every person can enjoy equality in their lives and that everyone has the opportunity to build a bright future.”

“And if stepping stones are truly necessary to achieve that goal, then we, the missionaries of the Church of Life, are willing to be the first to lay ourselves down on this arduous path!”

“Madness! You have all gone completely mad! You have been utterly deceived by the hypocritical doctrines of the Goddess of Life!”

Looking at Old John, whose face radiated fervent conviction, the presiding bishop rebuked him in utter disbelief.

Old John responded with a derisive laugh.

“Madness? No… I am not the one who has lost his mind. You are.”

“Your Honor, you stand high above the common people, far removed from their lives. You could never truly understand the hardships they endure or the struggles they face every day…”

As he spoke, Old John’s expression grew increasingly agitated, and a trace of anger crept into his voice.

“Have you ever worked yourself to exhaustion for an entire day, only to discover that what you earned was not even enough to fill your stomach?”

“Have you ever struggled day after day just to make ends meet, all while enduring the abuse, humiliation, and oppression of the nobility?”

“Have you ever faced the unbearable tragedy of being unable to afford to raise your own child, until you were left with no choice but to take your infant’s life in a moment of unimaginable anguish?!”

“Have you ever witnessed the devastation left behind when demons invade and lay waste to a village, while the nobles flee long before the attack, abandoning their own people to be slaughtered?!”

“No! I am certain you have not, Your Honor! There are probably many such tragedies that you do not even know exist!”

“After all, your dealings are confined solely to the nobility and your fellow clergy. You are accustomed to passing judgment and imposing punishment, yet you have never once stopped to consider why the ordinary people rise up in rebellion!”

“You see nothing beyond the scope of your own interests!”

As he continued speaking, it seemed that the painful memories buried deep within his heart had been stirred to life. The anger he had long kept suppressed surged to the surface, growing stronger with every word.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice trembled with barely restrained emotion.

“These tragedies occur throughout various human nation almost every day! Ordinary people live in helplessness and suffering, struggling just to survive. They are lost and desperate, longing for someone to offer them a helping hand. Yet where are the Eternal Church and the nobility when these tragedies unfold?”

“Hah! Most of the time, you are all gathered at lavish banquets, competing with one another in displays of wealth and status! The nobles enjoy their privileges without the slightest pang of conscience, even though everything they possess has been built upon the exploitation of ordinary people!”

At the end of his tirade, Old John shouted furiously. His powerful voice rang out across the square, reaching nearly every corner.

Hearing the anger in his words and recalling the hardships they endured in their own lives, the people below began to feel a deep sense of resonance with his accusations. An undercurrent of unrest spread through the crowd, and many turned their gazes toward the nobles and members of the Eternal Church on the elevated platform. Their expressions had changed, now carrying an unmistakable hint of resentment and discontent.

Old John grew more impassioned with every word.

“You clergy of the Eternal Church are like fireflies in summer, content to live in your own little garden, forever ignorant of the bitter cold of winter…”

“You protect your own interests and never spare a thought for the common people!”

“Meanwhile, the nobles monopolize every possible avenue of advancement! Together, you suppress progressive ideas, oppress the people, and exploit them without the slightest restraint! You, the Eternal Church and the nobility, are the true enemies of the people!”

“It is because of you both that ordinary people cannot escape their oppression! It is because of you two that they are forced to struggle every day just to secure enough food and clothing to survive!”

“What a rotten noble system! What a degenerate Church! Only by overthrowing these two institutions can the people truly free themselves from oppression and build a brighter future!”

Old John’s words were nothing short of shocking.

The nobles seated on the elevated platform turned livid with rage, while the archbishops’ expressions changed dramatically. Never had they expected a condemned heretic to openly denounce the Church and the nobility so brazenly before such a vast crowd.

Duke Corens let out an angry snort and cursed under his breath.

“Why are you still allowing that heretic to spout such nonsense? Gag him immediately!”

“He has completely lost his mind! Sentence that lunatic to be burned at the stake at once!”

The archbishops seated on the elevated platform also began shouting, demanding that Old John be silenced and executed without further delay.

The presiding bishop was even more flustered than the others.

After all, this was his first time presiding over a trial of this kind. It had also been the reason for his recent promotion from priest to bishop. Initially, he had believed that fortune had smiled upon him, granting him an opportunity to advance his career. Never had he imagined that what seemed like a stroke of good luck would turn into such a disastrous predicament.

At that moment, he could almost feel the furious gazes of his fellow clergymen boring into him.

His face had grown pale. He glanced at the enraged nobles, then at the grim-faced archbishops of the Eternal Church, before finally turning his gaze toward Pope Benedict II.

Throughout Old John’s blasphemous denunciation, Benedict II had displayed no discernible emotional reaction. Even the faint stirrings of unrest among the crowd below seemed incapable of disturbing his composure.

He merely watched the proceedings with cold indifference, like a detached observer who had no connection to the events unfolding before him.

Only when he noticed the presiding bishop’s pleading gaze did the Pope lower his eyelids slightly and give a subtle nod.

The presiding bishop immediately understood the signal.

Taking a deep breath, he turned toward the nearby Inquisitorial Knights and issued his command.

“What are you waiting for? That heretic has gone completely mad! Carry out the execution! Burn him alive this instant!”

The moment the order left his mouth, Old John suddenly threw back his head and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“People of the Empire, hear me! Look at this farce! This is the true face of the Eternal Church, a degenerate and morally bankrupt institution! Look at it! The moment you expose its shameful deeds and touch upon its sore spots, it never considers resolving the problems peacefully. Instead, it instantly seeks to eliminate those who dare to speak out, silencing them without the slightest regard for justice!”

“The nobility has grown rotten, and the clergy of the Eternal Church has become degenerate! People, stop living in a stupor! Open your eyes! Wake up! Unite and stand up for yourselves!”

“Stop submitting to oppression! Join the Church of Life and fight alongside us! Overthrow this rotten system, cast out this degenerate Church, and establish a new order founded on fairness and justice, an order that truly belongs to us all!”

“Silence! Gag that madman at once!”

The great nobles seated on the elevated platform could no longer contain their fury. One after another, they sprang to their feet, shouting furiously as Old John’s words continued to echo throughout the square.

Their contorted expressions frightened the young Princess Theresa.

The Inquisitorial Knights rushed forward and quickly stuffed a strip of cloth into Old John’s mouth. Yet even then, his impassioned words continued to echo in the hearts of everyone present.

It was one of the Church of Life’s high-ranking divine spells, [Resonance of the Heart]…

“Everyone! Do none of you wish to live in an age without nobles or oppression, an age filled with hope and light? An age in which everyone can enjoy the benefits of magic and look forward to a bright future?”

“If so then, join us! The Church of Life can guide you toward a better future! Every village, every town, and every city can become a prosperous and beautiful place, just like Zelouan!”

Under the influence of [Resonance of the Heart], Old John’s voice seemed to grow even more persuasive. His impassioned message spread rapidly through the crowd, stirring the emotions of the people below the platform and intensifying the growing unrest.

Even the soldiers tasked with maintaining order began to feel immense pressure as the crowd grew increasingly agitated.

“Burn him alive! Hurry up and burn him alive! Burn that despicable heretic!”

The nobles and archbishops continued to curse furiously, desperate to silence Old John before his words could provoke further unrest.

The Inquisitorial Knights soon set the pyre beneath Old John alight.

In an instant, white-gold flames erupted around him.

These were no ordinary flames, but Purifying Flames, a special kind of fire designed specifically to target those who had received divine blessings from a god.

The flames roared and quickly engulfed Old John. Yet even as his body was consumed, his voice continued to echo in the hearts of the people below.

“Hahahahaha… So this is all the Eternal Church amounts to! Nothing more!”

“A single spark can start a raging fire! I, Old John, may fall here today, but mark my words! Tens of thousands will rise in my place!”

“You can destroy my body, but you cannot destroy my soul!”

“You can persecute those who seek change, but you cannot stop the march of progress!”

“The future belongs to the people! The future belongs to the Church of Life!”

“People of the Empire! Rise up! Join the Church of Life! Overthrow the Empire’s rotten system of governance and drive out its degenerate Church! Let’s establish a new order of our own, one in which no one ever has to go hungry or suffer from the cold again, where everyone has more bread to eat and more ale to drink than they could ever finish!”

“Long live the Church of Life! Long live Her Majesty, the great Goddess of Life, Evé!”

“Long live the Church of Life! Long live Her Majesty, the great Goddess of Life, Evé…”

“Haha!…haha…ha.”

Gradually, Old John’s hysterical laughter grew weaker and weaker as the raging flames consumed him.

At last, his voice fell silent.

Yet his final words, his mad laughter, and his furious denunciations continued to reverberate in the minds of the people, lingering long after his voice had vanished…

Old John’s figure was eventually reduced to nothingness beneath the Purifying Flames. However, the great nobles and archbishops seated on the platform felt no sense of victory or relief.

Instead, the unrest among the crowd grew even more intense. The city guards had already begun violently suppressing the onlookers, using force to drive back those who refused to disperse.

Watching the frightened yet furious people below being brutally subdued by the soldiers, Princess Theresa, who was seated on the elevated platform, could no longer bear the sight.

She turned toward Bishop Winston and asked hesitantly, “Lord Winston, do the commoners… not have any bread or ale?”

“Your Imperial Highness, people are born unequal. Everyone has their own fate. When some people are wealthy, there will inevitably be others who are poor,” Bishop Winston replied matter-of-factly.

Theresa nodded gently, seemingly accepting his explanation. Yet after a brief pause, she could not help asking another question.

“…If they have no bread or ale, then can we at least let them eat cake and drink milk?”

—

〘 PREVIOUS 〙

〘 NEXT 〙

— —