Regnum Aetern: Dual Rebirth

Chapter 140: The cult’s emergency meeting

"Shifting all the blame? Just what is wrong with you all?"

All the priests looked at each other tensely.

"Are we having this discussion to find someone to blame?" The Prophet continued in the same tone. "This discussion was to decide what we are going to do next, not mull over what has already happened. And when one of you tries to steer the conversation back in the right direction, that is what you have to say?"

He pressed a hand on his forehead.

"I am worried about the future when I pass away and leave one of you with my responsibilities. Ugh, acting like children even as grown-up adults, do you all not feel ashamed?"

He sighed.

"From now on, raise your hand if you have something to say and only speak if I approve." He turned to Rolf. "As for your question, I was not able to foresee it, as my powers have certain limitations. Do not worry, though. I believe that you are not at fault even if you did bring that sacrifice."

Rolf nodded respectfully. He wanted to verbally thank the Prophet, but the Prophet had told them not to speak unless permitted.

Just then, a priestess raised her hand. Receiving a nod of approval from the Prophet, she voiced what she wanted to say.

"Since the main problem is that we have lost the fragment due to it fusing with a sacrifice, our priority should be to recover it. To that end, does anybody have a good suggestion?"

An elderly priest raised his hand and spoke after getting the Prophet’s permission.

"What if we were to kill him? Wouldn’t the fragment separate itself from him if his life ends?"

The room turned completely silent as he finished, causing him to tilt his head in confusion.

"What? Did I say something wrong? Why are you all...?"

Rolf looked around, but he didn’t find anyone willing to speak. Causing him to sigh in frustration once again.

’Why does it always have to be me?’

With that internal grumble, he slowly raised his own hand. Receiving the Prophet’s approval, he turned to the elderly priest.

"I believe that everyone here can think of such a simple solution. But the reason nobody voiced it is because of a single possibility. What if the fragment doesn’t separate itself from the boy after we kill him? What then? Right now, we know that the fragment is fused with the boy, but if he dies and the fragment doesn’t separate itself, then it will be lost forever with no hope of ever getting it back."

The elderly priest lowered his head with a troubled look.

Just then, another priestess raised her hand. She looked young, probably no older than twenty. She asked after receiving the Prophet’s permission.

"If the fragment of our god has fused with that young boy, doesn’t that make him our god’s vessel? Shouldn’t that be something that we should all celebrate? Sure, we did lose the fragment that we used to worship, but can’t we just worship him instead?"

The room once again turned silent, just like before. The priestess looked around in confusion, but everyone turned their gaze away with a troubled look on their faces, not willing to meet her eyes.

She may have voiced it, but that thought had already been in everyone’s mind. The reason nobody had discussed this until now was that if they were to replace a person with the fragment and worship him instead, it could misdirect their faith.

More than that, it would give that individual an authority more absolute than that of the Prophet’s. And if that individual had problematic intentions, it could even lead them all to ruin eventually.

’Nobody here would be foolish enough to agree to that, knowing all this.’

Everyone looked at each other, wondering who was going to speak now, but that was when a priest sitting near the Prophet raised his hand. The Prophet, as well as many of the priests sitting at the table, were somewhat taken aback.

That was because the one who had raised his hand was a priest who seldom spoke and was of a calm nature. He usually never participated in such discussions.

Looking at that priest, the Prophet leaned back in his chair and gave him a nod, permitting him to speak.

The priest briefly glanced at Rolf, then spoke in a calm and even tone.

"I believe what the priestess spoke could be irresponsible for us to consider since it could lead to some rather dangerous outcomes in the future. But that is not to say that everything she spoke was wrong. Having fused with the fragment, the young boy has already become a part of us whether we like it or not."

He turned to the Prophet.

"Which is why I propose that we make him a priest at the very least. This will ensure that the boy would remain part of us all while not becoming too important to potentially cause damage. We can gradually figure out if there is a way to extract the fragment from him. More than that, we won’t have to worry about conducting those rituals to maintain the fragment’s brilliance as long as it’s fused with him."

Nobody spoke this time either. But unlike the previous two times, it was clear that many of them liked the solution he had proposed. Rolf was no different.

’It’s impressive. If only the lazy guy were as attentive in all the previous meetings.’

But even though many of the priests liked his suggestion, they were hesitant to clearly show their approval. They were all looking at the Prophet, waiting for his reaction.

The Prophet was rubbing his long white beard while looking into the space, as if contemplating. After some time, he finally spoke.

"Hmm... A fine suggestion indeed. Though we can’t just do that. The boy needs to share our faith in the Truth to become part of us. But worry not, I will personally take care of that part. I will engrave the faith in him so deeply that he would not be able to forget it even if he were to lose his memory."

All the priests sitting at the table collectively lowered their heads, showing their unanimous approval.

And so the meeting ended with the conclusion that the boy was going to be indoctrinated by the Prophet personally.

***

Adrian quietly stared at the guard, who was staring back at him without blinking.

He was currently locked up in what appeared to be some sort of prison cell, and a guard was standing in front of the gate with his eyes glued to him.

One of the cloaked figures had come once and offered him food. And he had been sitting quietly since then, as nobody else had come after that.

Adrian let out a tired sigh and pressed his temples.

’Ugh, I can’t even begin to understand what is going on anymore.’

When the only plan he was counting on failed miserably, it was as though his heart had stopped briefly. He had even unconsciously accepted his death, expecting to turn into a dried-up husk just like the others. But then the unknown object producing that light suddenly fused with his body.

He didn’t know why it happened, nor could he guess how it would affect him. But if there was one thing Adrian was sure of, it was that things had gotten far more complicated.

Just then, he saw several cloaked figures arrive in front of his cell. Moments later, the guard walked forward and unlocked the cell’s gate.

Adrian’s gaze sharpened as he observed it all.