Chapter 643 : Why Do You Not Kneel?

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍cast-iron turntable rotated at a constant speed, producing a rhythmic clanking sound. Frey had heard this sound before on the Steam Engines of trains and Airships.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had once yearned for machines that carried such an industrial aesthetic. Yet now, an indescribable feeling stirred in his heart.

Whips ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍lashed through the air, splattering the believers’ blood. At the side, a Fathers recited the doctrines of the Church of Candlelight. Nearby, people lowered their heads, not daring to look.

All ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍of this combined formed Frey’s first impression of Rhine.

Rhine—the ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍jewel upon the Empire’s crown, the birthplace of industrial awakening, the city of miracles.

Frey ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍pulled his head deeper into his hood.

It was not as though he had never seen cruelty before. When had nobles ever been merciful? And yet the scene before him still filled him with a loathing he could scarcely put into words.

Machines, in his mind, ought to have been something sacred. Everything before him now felt like… desecration.

Of course, he was nothing more than a commoner—not even a believer of the Church of Candlelight. He had no right to accuse a Fathers of blasphemy.

However—

Frey discreetly observed the others in the queue, and his expression gradually turned strange.

These people were clearly believers of the Church of Candlelight. Upon witnessing the Fathers’s conduct, they all lowered their heads in silence.

At first, Frey had thought they were afraid. But after looking more carefully, he sensed something was wrong.

He had spent his life among the lowest strata of the city and had seen plenty of impoverished people. They ought to have been fearful, or angry, or even numb.

But they should not have looked like this… fanatical.

Yes. What Frey saw on their faces was fanaticism.

From time to time, those believers secretly glanced at the machine that carried out the flogging. Their expressions were devout, even intoxicated, as though gazing upon something sacred.

As the Fathers turned the handle, the whip fell faster and faster. The believer kneeling on the ground and receiving the lashes recited the Church of Candlelight’s creed louder and louder. Suddenly, an old man in the queue also dropped to his knees.

It was as though a switch had been flipped. The other believers waiting in line all knelt one after another, loudly chanting the doctrines of the Church of Candlelight. For a moment, the city gate seemed to transform into a sanctum, the Fathers leading the believers in devout recitation.

Only, the cracking sound of the whip as a background hymn was somewhat monotonous—hardly qualified.

Everyone had knelt.

Only Frey remained standing.

He was merely a child, not tall in stature, yet among the kneeling believers, he had instead become the tallest one.

The Fathers at the front lifted his eyes and noticed the boy standing abruptly among the kneeling crowd. Anger flashed across his face.

“You! Why do you not kneel!?”

He nearly leapt up from his armchair, kicking over the believer before him. The automated whipping machine clicked and clattered to a stop as he ceased turning the handle. The other believers all turned their heads, glaring at Frey.

“You—why—do—not—kneel?”

“Because I am not a believer of the Church of Candlelight.” Frey spoke as he handed over a signed seal.

This was the false identity prepared for him by the Ashes’ Alliance. At the time, Frey had been curious—since he was going to the headquarters of the Church of Candlelight, why not give him a Church identity?

When he had asked, the Ashes’ Alliance member responsible for coordinating with him had merely smiled and shaken his head, saying only that this identity would be far more useful.

The Fathers clearly froze upon hearing that. He accepted Frey’s signed seal and examined it carefully. Then his entire demeanor deflated like a punctured leather ball, his imposing presence weakening at once.

He hesitated briefly before awkwardly forcing a kindly smile onto his face.

“My dear child, if you are… interested in the Church of Candlelight, you may come to the church to receive baptism at any time.”

“Thank you. I will consider it seriously,” Frey replied politely.

“You may pass. Welcome to Rhine, the most powerful and prosperous city on the continent.”

The Fathers muttered something as he turned and walked back. The believers kneeling on the ground crawled aside to make way. Those who moved too slowly received a kick.

Frey lowered his head and walked forward. Occasionally, the kneeling believers raised their heads to meet his gaze. Within their eyes were mixed pity, disgust, and hatred.

The Fathers sat back down in his armchair and resumed turning the handle. The whip once again tore through the air, accompanied by the recitation of scripture.

Frey arrived before the towering city gates, so tall their tops were nearly invisible. Slowly, he lifted his head and looked at the emblem etched above.

A candle, quietly burning.

He tugged at his hood, burying his face deeper in shadow, and stepped into Rhine.

“Looks like choosing the Airship this time was indeed the right decision.”

Erwin crossed his arms and leaned against the wall beside the porthole, looking down at Rhine below.

After setting down Frey and the others, they had staggered their timing slightly before flying straight toward Rhine.

Along the way, they had passed many cities. In some places, people climbed onto rooftops to watch. In others, they were less welcoming and tried to attack with bows and arrows—though those arrows had a range of only one or two hundred meters, nowhere near enough to reach the Airship.

“It seems the Empire has absolutely no air defense capability. It feels like a single Airship formation could conquer the entire Empire. Did we waste an opportunity for a surprise assault?” Zoe asked with some concern.

Erwin chuckled softly. Seeing Zoe’s puzzled expression, he gestured toward Gaia beside them.

“Miss Gaia was once the chief engineer of Castel Military Industry. She should have more authority to speak on this.”

Gaia waved her hand.

“I only understand weapons and equipment. As for actual combat, Mr. Erwin is the expert. However—even judging purely by the gap in weaponry—Castel no longer requires surprise assaults.”

“I-Is that so? Has the gap between us and them grown that large?” Zoe asked hesitantly. She turned to glance at the packaged Steam Rifles not far away. “Even those won’t pose a threat?”

“They won’t. Our newly constructed Airships recently participated in drills specifically against Steam Rifles, and the results were very optimistic. Even if the Steam Rifles are set to sniper mode, and even with massive concentrated volleys, they cannot threaten us. The sturdiness of an Airship far exceeds your imagination. Don’t treat it like a giant balloon—treat it like flying armor.”

Zoe nodded in sudden realization. After a moment of thought, she spoke excitedly.

“Then doesn’t that mean we could just bomb Rhine while riding this Airship?”

Even Gaia burst into laughter this time.

“If we really bombed it, we wouldn’t have anywhere left to acquire technology from. And those two Churches possess deep foundations—who knows what strange weapons they might produce.”

“Rhine! We’ve reached Rhine!” The navigator’s voice suddenly rang out from the front.

All three brightened and crowded by the porthole to look below.

But soon, their brows furrowed.

It was Zoe who spoke first, her voice filled with disbelief.

“Rhine… how did it become like this?”