Chapter 605: Secret Chamber
Chapter 605: Secret Chamber
While Charles was in the middle of stopping the Disaster, many things happened in the Sacred Empire’s Capital City.
The first one was the assassination of Bishop Clay. Although no one knew who assassinated him, this incident caused pressure among the higher-ups. After all, it had been almost 15 years since such a similar incident happened, which confused everyone.
What was more coincidental was that Bishop Clay was Bishop Michael’s best friend, which brought in lots of suspicions and questions about the killer’s intention. Some even linked both incidents and suspected that the same person killed both. Because of this, the High Ups of the Sacred Empire increased security all over the city and even sent six holy knights and a deacon to protect Bishop Clay’s family members.
The second important news in the city was the killing of a foreign guest by the Order Church Official member in broad daylight. Although no one had witnessed the killing, many people in the Holy City saw Inquisitor Erwin chasing after Charles. Not only the Inquisitor killed a guest of the Empire, but he also caused great chaos in the Slum Borough by burning multiple houses in a slum street, which infuriated many people.
And last, the incident that attracted many powerhouses from different parts of the Edhen World was the announcement of the opening date of the Star Tomb by Lawful Alliance. Star Tomb was not a mere small tomb but a Dungeon. Although it wasn’t a powerful dungeon like Lost Tombs, it was still one of the true Dungeons connected directly to the main World. Like all other dungeons, this one also had a severe entry restriction and could open only once a century.
Because of this, only a few people talked about it.
But that didn’t mean anyone had forgotten about it. When the Star Tomb opened last time, a major magical beast breakout happened, resulting in countless deaths. So, the appearance of Star Tomb’s entrance was both an opportunity and a danger.
Alas, only those with a rare artifact known as the ’Key of the Star’ could unlock the entrance to the Star Tomb and enter.
During the First Arcane Era, all of these keys were once in the hands of the Arcane Empire and always kept in secrecy. But after the fall of the Empire, the keys fell into the hands of Churches and other powerful families. For now, only seven Lawful Churches and five powerful mage families hold the Key of Celestial Stars.
But even the Key Holders couldn’t break some rules of the Star Tombs.
For each key, only ten people were allowed to enter. Even they had to pass the trials before even entering the true dungeon. Otherwise, it would result in the total death of the whole team.
Word of the opening of the Star Tomb spread like wildfire more than a month ago and had already reached the farthest corners of the Edhen World. Explorers, Mages, and all other class Mystics came from all over the place and gathered at the Sacred Empire’s headquarters, their eyes gleaming with anticipation and their hearts yearning for glory.
Legends spoke of the great treasures hidden within its labyrinthine halls, guarded by formidable creatures and traps.
There was also a rumor that the rise of the former Star Empire was mainly due to a powerful artifact from this Star Tombs. Although it ended up destroyed by the schemes of outsiders, the Empire’s history and achievements had yet to be disappeared from the annals of time.
Holy Cathedral of Order and Truth, Central Borough, Holy City, Sacred Empire.
It was around 8 P.M.
Beneath the sacred grounds of the Cathedral was a hidden underground chamber, surrounded by mystery and heavily guarded. This secret room, reached through a hidden entrance, revealed a grand hall where important meetings took place.
As a young man in his twenties entered the chamber, the dim lighting cast strange shadows on the old stone floor. His blue eyes quickly scanned the room, taking in the ancient, unknown writings on the walls and ceilings.
Four sturdy stone pillars stood in the corners, holding up the chamber above, their rough surfaces showing signs of age.
In the center of the room sat a round table, worn down by the years. Twelve chairs surrounded it, their detailed designs showing the skill of craftsmen from long ago.
The stone walls were tall and solid, serving as a backdrop for the chamber’s mysterious stories. Paintings of wars and battles decorated the walls, showing heroic mages and key moments in history. Though a bit exaggerated, the scenes held hidden meanings.
Over time, the chamber’s secrets faded, and some paintings became unclear. Their once bright colors had faded, leaving only traces of what they once were.
At that moment, three figures in crimson robes stood at the far end of the hidden chamber. They silently turned their gaze toward the young man as he entered the sacred hall and approached them.
Each of them held books tightly, giving off an otherworldly presence. On the right was a tall man, nearly seven feet tall. His skin was as pale as snow, and his fiery red hair framed his broad forehead, drawing attention to his sharp amber eyes. Despite being around 50 or 60 years old, he had a look of wisdom and authority. Golden rings on every finger hinted at wealth, while his stern expression showed a mix of pride and arrogance.
Positioned in the center, an elderly gentleman stood, his diminutive frame hinting at the weight of years. His bald head gleamed under the light, contrasting against his olive-toned skin. The contours of his face showcased a strong jawline, accentuated by a distinct X-shaped scar etched onto his chin. His appearance exuded the essence of wisdom, resembling the archetypal sage of old.
On the left stood a robust figure radiating strength and vitality. In his forties, he had wavy blonde hair that cascaded in unruly waves. His pale complexion contrasted with his rugged features, defined by bushy eyebrows that framed his piercing gaze. Calloused hands, weathered by labor, told tales of perseverance and hard work, while numerous scars adorned his palms and fingers, symbols of past struggles and battles fought.
They were all Archbishops of the Order.
When the young man arrived closer to the round table, he first went on his knees and greeted the man on the left side.
"Greetings, Lord Victor Hawthorne!"
"Just because I come from Hawthorne family, you don’t have to kneel down and respect me like a king, Erwin. In Cathedral, I’m nothing more servant of the Lord of Order. Just mere bow is more than enough." He deliberated for a moment and soon changed the topic.
"Do you know why I called you here?"
Upon hearing those words from Victor, Efwin went stiff for a moment, slowly standing up, and answered with a forced smile.
"Lord must have called me here to give me punishment for causing chaos in the Slums and also for killing the guest of a foreign kingdom."
"Not entirely wrong, but I also called you for another matter. Anyway, I thought you always act calmly but what happened? Why did you kill that man? If not for the Miracle City’s ownership changed suddenly due to an unknown reason, things would’ve gotten more serious. In the worst case scenario, even I might have faced some severe punishment in the Family Elders meeting for selecting a troublesome guard under my wings."
Erwin’s face turned purple as he heard those words.
"I-I’m ashamed for not controlling myself back then, My Lord. But that human knows lots of secrets. Leaving him alive would’ve resulted in much more devastating consequence-"
Before he could end his speech, the elderly bald man stroked his long white beard and interrupted.
"Hohoho, interesting. A mere Rank-3 Mage from Miracle City knows lots of our Empire’s secrets? I love to hear what he said, which made you act impulsively." Although his voice sounded more carefree, Erwin strangely felt a cold shiver in his spine.
"L-Lord Magnus!" Erwin hurriedly bowed his head and answered.
"He not only knows about the ’Slave Auction’ happening in the night market but also said something about ’World of the Wild.’ Although I don’t understand his words, I vaguely suspected that it must be secrets behind the Barbarian Slaves under the control of our Empire’s Nobles."
A frown appeared on the elderly man’s forehead.
"What are you talking about? World of the Wild? Even I hadn’t heard of anything like that, though. Aren’t those barbarians captured in an Island of the Endless Sea and transported to our Empire with the help of Azure Federation? Although they are useful tools for carrying heavy objects, those guys are nothing but primitives. If not for the language barrier and strict aristocratic contract terms, even I would’ve brought a few as bodyguards."
At that moment, Victor heaved a deep sigh and shook his head.
"It’s a cover up to fool the masses. I heard from my father once that the World of the Wild is a secret world occupied by our Sacred Empire and has lots of resources over there. But it’s a secret only a selected few working under Cardinal Fourth and two family members knows. If I’m not wrong, even the puppet Pope knows nothing much about it." He deliberated for a moment and added gravely.
"This is not something even Archbishops like us could handle. If the news of us knowing about the truth of the ’World of the Wild’ reaches Cardinal Fourth’s ears, we might be branded as sinners and hanged. Forgot about everything." Victor shook his head and asked further.
"Did you kill that man properly? He shouldn’t be left alive after all. But the question is: who leaked the Sacred Empire’s top secret to the Miracle City?"
"I stabbed his heart and even burnt his corpse, My Lord. As for how he knows about the secrets even we don’t know of, I also have no clue about it," While answering, Erwin decided not to casually tell the other secrets Charles muttered in the hotel room.
