Sylvester got the reaction he expected to get. The Archbishop was immediately interested in Sylvester's plan since every other way seemed close to him. But at the same time, Sylvester wanted to bring the Archbishop along on his travels as it would make things more convenient.
"I must gather the details on how the virus acts. For that, we will have to travel around the Sorrow Kingdom and find more people inflicted with the plague. The more information we collect, the better for us." Sylvester proposed his condition.
There was nothing left to do in the village anyway. So after a bit of contemplation, Archbishop Nelson decided to travel with Sylvester. It would help them regardless since they'd be able to understand how far and wide the plague had been spread while they waited for the Church's official reply.
Sadly, they did not know the reply was already walking with them.
'I can sense he has so many doubts about me, but he's being reserved.' Sylvester amusedly sensed the emotions the old Archbishop was feeling. Of course, he wouldn't mind if the latter found out about his identity, but he kept the mystery going for now.
"If so, I shall prepare the carts of grains to travel with us. This way, we can feed the poor as we come across them. If we encounter a thief or any such fiend, we kill." Count Bradley exclaimed, standing true to his moniker of the brute.
"That I can get behind." Sir Dolorem chimed in with equal fanaticism.
"Likewise." Ever so silent, Bishop Lazark also added.
Amused, the Archbishop agreed with that. "If the consensus has been made, who am I to stop you? Let's start moving. The more we delay, the more intensely the plague will spread."
So they all started their journey to the nearest town. It was more of a refugee town where the refugees were well off since they used to be rich in the past. Using their sneaky methods, they could hold on to some of their wealth and start as 'rich' again.
As Sylvester steered his small carriage with the Archbishop beside him, they encountered many small refugee camps. They were all the same for the most part, rotting, poor, filled with hungry men, women and kids, all with their malnutritioned bodies.
"Ah, what have they done to deserve such ill-graced fate?" the Archbishop began in a wise and aged voice: "These poor souls you see before you, they are broken beyond words can describe. They were but refugees who remained loyal to the Patch and stayed behind. As for those who did not share the same sentiment, they were permitted to leave before the soldiers arrived. Yet, the cruellest fate was reserved for those who surrendered. Promises of a better life were broken, and they were cast into slavery without a master, without work, and without food. Alas, they are trapped, unable to leave or take control of their own destinies."
'The cost of betraying their own people. I reckon they would have felt guilty if not for their constant fight for food and survival.'
On the way, Sylvester didn't stop but did hand out some bags of grains and rice to the people. It wasn't a lot, but enough to remind them which god they needed to pray to.
After a few days of travelling on the destroyed road, they arrived at the Dying City, and the name couldn't be more suited for it. It was dying. The buildings were all rundown, the roads were full of dirt, and the dogs roamed around eating whatever they could find, even human bodies belonging to those unfortunate.
As they entered the Dying City, all they saw were ruins of what used to be a bustling city.
"There is only one part of the city that's still inhabited. It used to be a housing district for the wealthy. Now, it's the housing for the poor who used to be wealthy." Archbishop said. Having been an Archbishop in the Sorrow Kingdom for so long, it made sense that he knew everything.
Slowly, as they came near the city centre, they found some activity. It was nearly nighttime, so the desert cold was sweeping through the streets, and a few people lit a small fire and sat around it.
They all looked dirty and poor in their patched-up clothes. But they were still alive and fat, which meant they were wealthy once. Although now, they were merely living on borrowed time.
"Greetings. Where can I find Baron Clofield?" The Archbishop asked politely with a grandfatherly smile.
The men scoffed, five in total. Then, finally, one of them came up to them with a proud face. "What do you want with him? He's a lowly baron. I used to be a Viscount. Give me the work if you want to give him some. I know how to work on the wood, for I once owned the largest woodworks business in the Kingdom."
Sylvester had never in his life thought a day like this would come. It didn't shock him that the man was a noble, but what surprised him was that a noble was ready to beg, albeit with a lot of pride.
'Even now, they stoop low enough to divide themselves based on rank and class. They will never be free. They can never fight for freedom.' Sylvester already had a shallow opinion of the man.
"Thank you, but we are here to meet him specifically. Now, can you?" The Archbishop insisted with an elderly aura and some flashing magic in the palm of his hand.
"Uhh… Yes, he's in his shop."
Nodding, they got on the carriage again and moved into the city without speaking further.
But, as they entered, Sylvester threw a silver coin at the Viscount. "Keep it."
The Archbishop proudly nodded. "Such charity towards those who speak rotten towards us. The future of the church is bright."
"…"
'Well, I was just trying to make him feel bad. But this is good too, I guess.' Sylvester didn't elaborate.
So after silently humiliating the previous nobles, they entered the central part of the city. As it turned out, the street where they met the nobles was just the outer part of the central district. The real section was guarded from all entrances, creating a city within itself.
It looked like a castle as the two roads leading to the inner city were shut with metal walls and doors. Some guards were standing by, too, looking mean and dangerous with their swords and spears.
"Halt!"
The Archbishop ordered directly. "Open the gates, children of Solis. I am Archbishop Nelson Paul."
"Saint Paul?!" One of the guards frantically shouted. "You've come to save us from the plague? Please, come quick!"
Sylvester, the Archbishop and the rest looked at each other's faces as they realised the plague had also entered the city. But, what didn't make sense was that no outsider was allowed to enter the city unless they were utterly wealthy or talented in something. So, how did the plague spread there?
'This only reinforces my theory that it's a manmade plague.'
"How far has it spread?" The Archbishop asked.
"Ten people have already died, your grace. Please, my wife and mother, are also sick. Please save them. You are the saint. You can do anything!" The guard cried at Nelson's feet.
"Rise, young one. You still have your entire life ahead of you. As for the plague, we are trying to do anything we can do. That is why there are so many of us here. Now let's go inside to see the sick and speak with Baron Clofield."
The Guard shot up and shouted at his colleagues to open the gates. Then, he personally ran in front of the carriage to guide them to the Baron immediately. But it was both Nelson and Sylvester's decision to first look around the city and what they saw made their eyes bleed out.
"This sort of luxury!" Count Bradley exclaimed while gritting his teeth. "While their entire Kingdom is dying a slow and painful death."
"Welcome to the real world." Sir Dolorem muttered. "Nobles are hated for a reason, and this is one of them."
"Such lack of empathy."
Even Chonky on Sylvester's shoulder exclaimed in Sylvester's ears. "Maxy, I think we can find a banana here. Everything is so shiny here."
Sylvester couldn't help but nod. There, right in front of them, was a city so decorated and refined that it looked like a well-polished doll house. There, the roads were made of fine stones, polished until light could reflect from them.
The buildings were all neatly painted with matching colours, the roofs were all tiled, and various shops were full of meat, fruits and all the other things. Small carriages were moving around too, and the people wore expensive clothes made of the finest silk and cotton, fashioned to match the era. They all laughed and spoke with each other as if everything outside was fine.
'This… It's like some sort of a social experiment. Are they just delusional? Or are they willfully avoiding facing the inevitable?' Sylvester wondered while scratching his head.
Bam!
"Aaaa! Move these peasants out of my way!"
Suddenly, a stagecoach hit Sylvester's carriage from the side and broke the wheel. It created a loud noise.
From inside the stagecoach came out a noblewoman screeching like a banshee. Her flowery silky, draped white body was stout and as hideous as it could be.
"Take them away!"
"Kill them!"
She kept shouting for no apparent reason. Even though her carriage hit Sylvester's, she attracted quite the crowd and eventually got the guards' attention.
"Take them! I want their heads!"
Sylvester sighed and cursed his rotten luck, for nothing can ever go normally when it involves him. He glanced at Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark.
Woosh!
Both the men took out their swords and shielded the Archbishop instead. Sir Dolorem roared. "Do not move forward, or we shall cut you for your heathenous activity. To dare threaten or harm an Archbishop of the Clergy is a sin unworthy of forgiveness!"
"We have no Clergymen in our Newland Kingdom! We follow our laws, and none dare break them! I want their heads! Guards~"
Sylvester's brows creased as he instantly realised something. 'Good heavens, these fools didn't just establish a new city but call it a country with self-governing rights. They're just asking to be massacred by the church.'
Thud!
Thud!
"Surrender, or die!" The soldiers followed the orders and started to surround Sylvester and the rest.
At that, Sylvester glanced back at the Archbishop and asked. "Your Grace, what should we do?"
Archbishop Nelson raised his voice loudly. "For this is a newly found Kingdom, they have not ratified and signed the Holy Law of Light with the Holy Land. This means they do not fall under the Law of Non-interference. Not only that, they are violating Article 5A: Creating hindrance in the working of a clergyman.
"But, above all, they forgot that the Sorrow Kingdom is in the State of Emergency. Hence applies, the State of Emergency Article 19 C, which gives power to any high-ranked clergyman the ability to decide the fate of any town-sized dwelling. Here, since they are also heathens, I am contemplating enforcing a purge — Article 66!"
[ANNOUNCEMENT: Thanks to all your support, this book has won the WSA 2022 Nomination Award. It's not much, but it's honest work tbh. Again, thank you all for your awesome support.]
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