Wizard: I Have a Cultivation System

Chapter 423: Chapter 88: The Bell

Countless believers, swept up in the atmosphere, began to shout with fervor. The sound was a tidal wave that swept across the land.

Amid the deafening cheers, the shadows behind the altar parted completely.

Saint Cyril Cardinal—no, he who should now be called Pope Ete I—slowly walked out, supported by two Cardinals.

He still wore his deep red Cardinal’s Robe, but now a white Holy Belt, embroidered with Golden Holy Emblems and stellar patterns, was draped over it. In his hand, he held an ancient, jeweled Scepter.

His body seemed even more hunched and withered than usual, the wrinkles crisscrossing his face like knife-carved lines. But when he raised his head and his gaze swept across the entire assembly, the dignity and composure forged through countless trials could be clearly felt even by the spectators in the very front row.

He lifted his chin slightly, his gaze sweeping over the roiling sea of people below, over the distinguished guests with their varied expressions in the viewing area. Finally, his eyes came to rest on Elizabeth—or more precisely, on the giant bell behind her, his meaning unclear.

Then, supported by the Cardinals, Ete I walked toward the center of the altar, step by step, with extreme slowness and solemnity.

The Clergy along his path bowed deeply in reverence.

When he finally stepped onto the highest point of the altar, standing slightly in front of and to the side of Elizabeth, the cheers reached their zenith.

He raised his withered hand and pressed it downward through the air. Miraculously, the tsunami of sound rapidly subsided, a testament to the supreme authority he now possessed.

"Everyone!" Ete I’s voice was hoarse at first, but with the aid of Magic, it quickly became sonorous and charismatic. He deliberately slowed his speech, letting every word resonate in the hearts of his listeners. "Today is no ordinary day! Evil runs rampant, the Holy Throne has suffered, and the Church Court stands on precarious ground! Yet, through the grace of Oriane, the trust of my colleagues in the College of Cardinals, and the hopes of the people, I must step forward! Though a man of meager talent and virtue, old and frail, for the survival of our faith and the peace of this world, I have no choice but to take up this immense burden!"

He paused, took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slightly. His eyes blazed with a fiery light, as if he were truly filled with a sacred mission. "I hereby swear that I will exhaust what remains of this weary body to purge all evil, restore the righteous path, rebuild the prestige of the Church Court, and make the glory of my Lord shine upon every inch of the Continent!"

Another wave of frenzied cheers erupted.

He raised his hand again at the perfect moment, silencing the clamor. His expression returned to one of profound calm.

Next came the most crucial part of the ceremony: the coronation.

Two Assistant Priests, clad in Pure Gold Sacrificial Robes, ascended the altar, carefully carrying a tray covered in deep blue velvet.

The velvet cloth was pulled away, revealing a dazzlingly brilliant crown.

The crown’s frame was forged from Mithril and inlaid with seven Moonlight Stones of varying sizes, each one equally pure and flawless. The largest stone was set in the center, like a star held aloft by a crescent moon.

Extremely fine gold threads were woven around the crown to form patterns of olive branches and stars. It was exquisite and beautiful, yet it exuded an ancient and sacred aura.

This was one of the Church Court’s most treasured Holy Artifacts: the Crescent Star Crown. Only an acknowledged Pope was worthy of wearing it, and only during specific ceremonies.

Ambrosius personally lifted the brilliant Crescent Star Crown from the tray held by the Assistant Priests.

He did not walk toward Ete I, but instead turned to Elizabeth.

"Saint Elizabeth," Ambrosius’s voice was solemn, "please, with the hand acknowledged by the Holy Bell, crown the new Pope. Let this act show that he is favored by Divine Grace and that the sacred lineage continues!"

In an instant, all eyes focused on Elizabeth.

She stood there quietly, as she had been, her pure white ceremonial robe shimmering with a faint halo, her jet-black eyes as calm as undisturbed water.

Under the gazes of a countless multitude, she slowly reached out and took the heavy crown, the symbol of the Church Court’s supreme authority, from the presiding Cardinal’s hands.

Then, she turned to face Ete I.

Ete I bowed his head slightly, revealing his sparse, graying hair. His expression was a perfect blend of humility and solemnity.

Elizabeth held the crown in both hands, her arms steady and her movements graceful.

Finally, as hundreds of thousands in the square held their breath, as countless complicated gazes from the viewing area focused upon them...

...Elizabeth steadily and solemnly placed the Crescent Star Crown—inlaid with Moonlight Stones and Mithril, woven with golden olive branches—upon Ete I’s head.

The crown was set in place.

Elizabeth withdrew her hands, took half a step back, and lowered her head slightly in a gesture of reverence.

"The rite is complete!" Ambrosius roared with all his might.

"Long live His Holiness, Pope Ete I!!!"

An earth-shattering cheer erupted once more, fiercer and more prolonged than any that had come before.

Ete I raised his head, holding his newly crowned head high. The expression on his face was once again a mixture of majesty and elation.

He spread his arms, as if to embrace this entire world that was now his.

The deep red Cardinal’s Robe, the white Holy Belt, and the brilliant crown combined to form a timeless, indelible image.

The cheers continued for a long time, only gradually subsiding when Ete I once again raised his hand.

Next, he turned to Elizabeth. His voice regained its earlier composure, but it was now laced with unquestionable authority.

"Now, Elizabeth! Fulfill your final and most sacred mission! Ring the Morning Star Bell! Let this Holy Artifact, silent for centuries, sound the first blessing for my coronation and for the new era of the Church Court! Let it be a proclamation to all the world!"

The Scepter in his hand struck the altar floor with a heavy, dull thud.