MTLNOVEL Chapter 1005
Chapter 1005: Uninvited Guests (4k)
Whether it was the elderly Pope Patricius or the Moon Elf Queen who theoretically could never leave the land of the elves, they both made the decision to travel immediately upon confirming the authenticity of the message.
Once a decision was made, any obstacles that might hinder its execution became minor issues that needed to be resolved.
It was just after six o’clock, with only an hour left until the scheduled meeting time. Pope Patricius and Queen Vela Artemis of the Elves hurried through the Northern Territory and arrived near the Mountain of Gods.
However, instead of entering the camp of the Church of the Saints, they collided with another uninvited guest amidst the darkening night sky.
By coincidence, all three chose to travel light, arriving swiftly on a flying carriage. And as luck would have it, they collided with each other!
The Pope’s carriage was a gilded one, adorned with a sun pattern on top, pulled by a slender-necked Lightbird, steered by two Golden Plate Knights seated on the carriage.
The Elf Queen’s carriage was an emerald jade one, pulled not by the common unicorn but by a slender-bodied beast-shaped Steel God Soldier.
The third carriage, lavishly decorated with gold, was drawn by a royal golden-backed flying dragon — a scaled creature with a golden shell-like back armor, the standard mode of travel for King Austin Clarissa.
The three carriages met in the air, facing off against each other, none willing to yield. Theoretically, although Pope Patricius held a high position, in a kingdom where royal power surpassed divine authority, he still ranked half a notch below King Austin Clarissa.
Therefore, he should have greeted the king first.
But Patricius did not come out.
King Austin Clarissa, of course, would not come out before him either.
On the other side, the Queen of the Elves, who had always been at odds with humans, certainly would not show any friendliness at this moment.
Before the meeting even began, the arrival of the uninvited guests had already chilled the atmosphere between these three factions.
In the camp of the Church of the Saints:
Members from various factions who had detected the situation rushed into the camp, reporting to their respective leaders.
Bishop Sabrina Melville was the first to learn of this matter. Her expression changed instantly, and she quickly summoned Twin Knight Albert Gransham to go and meet them.
Originally, if only the Pope were arriving, she would have waited in the camp.
However, based on the description from the scouts, if she did not appear soon, anything could happen among the three carriages.
Of course, Bishop Sabrina Melville deeply wished she didn’t have to go.
She was not one to humble herself!
But when she walked out with Albert, she saw another door to a rest area open suddenly. Count Stanley Longfellow, who had entered under the pretense of “visiting,” emerged from within.
“Good evening, Bishop.” Count Stanley Longfellow bowed very respectfully, his manners impeccable, completely devoid of past flamboyance.
Perhaps, this formal demeanor was his true self. Behind him came Gavin North, looking embarrassed, and Gwen, no longer concealing herself.
Bishop Sabrina Melville slightly raised her head, her gaze passing over Stanley Longfellow to fall on Gwen.
Then she naturally pointed out Gwen’s identity: “Sir Gwen d’Ulysses, since we’ve met, let’s go together.”
Gwen d’Ulysses nodded slightly and said, “Tonight’s meeting requires a bit more courtesy from you, Bishop.”
Bishop Sabrina Melville replied, “I have no objections, but you should know, I merely provided the venue; the real person in charge of the meeting isn’t me.”
Gwen d’Ulysses smiled and said, “Principal Altair never embarrasses anyone.”
They exchanged smiles and walked out together.
“Is the Pope really like this?”
Dark Demon, puzzled, asked.
Principal Altair looked at the swirling steam of his black tea and recalled, “Patricius has always been ambitious. Have you heard of the concept of divine right of kings?”
Dark Demon nodded slightly.
Altair continued, “Patricius has always wanted to restore the Church to its most prosperous era, and divine right of kings is the symbol of that prosperity. In the past, he couldn’t achieve it, so he always remained one step below King Austin. But now, everything can be fulfilled after becoming a god. However, Patricius doesn’t have much time left.”
Dark Demon pondered for a moment and said, “Perhaps, because there’s little time left, he has become so assertive. No force can stop Patricius.”
“Even King Austin?” Aurora asked, her face showing slight confusion.
Dark Demon sighed and said, “King Austin Clarissa… doesn’t have much time left either… originally.”
Before the abnormal events occurred, King Austin Clarissa and Pope Caius Saint Patricius were both old and frail. The difference was that King Austin’s aging was due to the natural passage of time, and the injuries sustained during war merely accelerated his decline compared to ordinary elders, leading to the dispute over the succession between Princess Eliza and Prince Charles.
Pope Caius Saint Patricius, however, was in his prime but appeared aged due to the side effects of being an artificial saint.
Regardless, these two old men who could see the underworld weren’t particularly hostile to each other on the surface.
Since they were both going to die, many barriers naturally fell away. However, the harmony brought about by their shared age could not last long.
As soon as either found a way to extend their lives, the other would immediately become an “eyesore”!
King Austin Clarissa had imposed numerous restrictions on the Church over the past six months, further straining their already poor relationship.
Under such circumstances, if Pope Patricius didn’t have much time left, he might continue to endure for the sake of the Church’s future development.
But now, a direct path to divinity lay before him. If this method succeeded, it would surely prolong his life.
He had great confidence in his strength, believing that as long as he put in the effort, he could be the first to ascend to the rank of Archmage!
This foreseeable future naturally restored some of his spirit. Thus, he could no longer bear it.
Moreover, on this path to divinity, they might become the most direct competitors!