Chapter 464: D170. Barus_3
“But the angels themselves also had their own beliefs. Although scholars could not fully interpret the specifics of this belief, the humans who served the angels were also influenced by them, regarding this higher-level belief as the only true God.”
The Sergeant paused for a moment, taking a deep breath.
“Then, a millennium-rare grand Arcane Surge occurred.
“The fundamental difference between demons and humankind is not in the disparity of strength and appearance, but in the reaction to the Magic Element. Demons are born able to absorb the Magic Element, but this also makes them easily affected by the mutation of the Magic Element, to the extent of being overwhelmed by the Arcane Surge.
“However, humans are different. Naturally void of magic, every bit of Magic Power they have comes from within themselves, and they have a strong resistance to changes in the Magic Element from the outside world.
“The scale of that Arcane Surge was so tremendous that it probably surpassed all historical observation records in the Kingdom. Even a powerful species like the angels could hardly escape unscathed from that Arcane Surge,” the Sergeant’s gaze was profound, as if he was seeing through time to that tragic history.
“A large number of angels fell into Depravity under the chaotic and violent influence of the Magic Element. Their wings were stained black, their personalities became bloodthirsty, extreme, and filled with Madness.
“The depraved angels attempted to slaughter and enslave all the species they deemed inferior to them, like humans, while the angels who had not fallen still retained their inner Kindness, unwilling to stand by and watch the tragedy unfold… Thus, a civil war among the angels broke out.
“For humans at that time, it was undoubtedly a war between gods.”
The Hero and the Fourteenth Princess heard this, and both of their pupils constricted, taking a slight inhale.
“In the end, then, which side won?” the Hero asked eagerly.
“There were no winners,” the Sergeant shook his head.
“All perished together…?” the Fourteenth Princess murmured to herself, prompting the Hero to think of something.
“Could it be, the Royal City was destroyed like that…?”
“You’re not wrong,” the Sergeant nodded.
“The White-winged angels needed to cover the retreat of humans, while also resisting the invasion of the Arcane Surge. Being not adept at combat, they were no match for the Fallen Angels, and this only added fuel to the fire.
“Nevertheless, the leader of the angels did not fall and still commanded the angels at the heart of the Royal City. Relying on this, they fought the Fallen Angels to mutual destruction, resulting in an unimaginable Magic Power detonation. Everything was destroyed, the Fallen Angels nearly wiped out, creating what now is the Ancient Royal City in the Western Realm.”
As he spoke, even the Ghost Warrior, who had once cleaved through the sky, revealed a hint of astonishment on his face.
“Although in the end a small number of angels survived, these survivors ultimately could not withstand the corruption and underwent complete degeneration. They lost their control over the Light Element, their wings grew mottled and withered, and their personalities turned violent and foolish…
“This remaining group of descendants is today’s Winged People Tribe, a band who lives almost a primitive existence as raiders,” the Sergeant said with an air of regret.
Upon hearing this, the Hero’s expression also became somewhat dejected.
“The humans of that time witnessed all of this, witnessed the Depravity and destruction of their faith, witnessed that there was no Redemption in the end. Thus, they gradually lost their devoutness towards any specific existence, but from the Unyieldingness of the White-winged angels, they understood the strength of the Spirit and grasped the meaning of Kindness, persistence, and protection,” the Sergeant continued.
“So the founders of the Church decided to take this as a starting point, abandoning the faith in a specific ‘God,’ and instead turned to the concept upheld by the angels as their core, choosing the path of worshiping an ideology.
“It was also to commemorate these angels that later records of them were mostly of a positive image, while the existence of the depraved angels faded into history along with the decline of the Winged People.
“This is the history we pieced together from the remnants of the Ancient Royal City and it has been corroborated by the ancient documents of the Church. It should be the origin of today’s Church.”
In the officer-exclusive private room, the meals had become slightly cold, but the Hero and the Fourteenth Princess were not focusing on the generously portioned dishes. Their pair of clear pupils urged the Sergeant with anticipation.
The Sergeant gestured with one hand, lightly tapping the tabletop with his index finger, activating a Magic Technique that reheated the food to an appropriate temperature.
“It took a bit long to say, but aside from some irrelevant details, I’ve pretty much told you everything there is to know about that Royal City.
“Although the scene at the time is still vivid in my mind, our exploration did not proceed to the end. Those scholars did sort out many research-worthy materials, most of which were related to the culture of the Angel Ancient Country and traits of the Angel Clan. I’m not too clear on these intricacies; if you’re interested, you can learn more about them at the Knowledge Hall when you return to the Capital.”
After all, everyone has their specialization, and even though the Sergeant was an outstanding Spellcaster, his responsibilities at the time were not research-oriented.
“Due to the extremely dangerous environment inside the Angel Royal City, as we ventured deeper, the scholars’ Constitutions began to waver, so once we confirmed that the surroundings of the Royal City were relatively stable and without the risk of secondary disasters, we chose to retreat, and that was where our exploration came to an end,” the Sergeant said frankly.
“Did you come across any other people exploring at that time?” the Hero asked, recalling the dejected expression of the Weapon Store owner.
Before the Sergeant could answer, the Fourteenth Princess shook her head: “The time that Forging Master went to the Royal City doesn’t coincide with the year of the exploration.”
“That makes sense…” sighed the Hero.
“The Magic Cloud there indeed possesses special properties, using it as forging material is indeed a very innovative idea.”
The Sergeant shook his head too.
“But as you now understand, the environment of the Ancient Royal City is extremely perilous. To set up a ceremony there could likely trigger a Magic Element upheaval, causing a small-scale Arcane Surge, and the interior of the Royal City is completely unfit for human habitation. Even the Winged People would not stay there long; chances are slim for that Forging Master.”
He spoke directly, yet there was no ground for rebuttal, leaving the Hero with no choice but to accept this reality.
“Anyway, let’s eat first.”
The conversation came to a halt at this point, the Hero and the Fourteenth Princess began to taste the steaming hot meals, yet the image of the dilapidated yet majestic scenery of the Ancient Royal City lingered in their minds, unable to be dispelled.
[The taste of the military canteen]
D40+40=d40(3)+40=43
“Indeed, the Border seems somewhat deficient in resources.” After a satisfying meal, the Fourteenth Princess elegantly put down her utensils and gently wiped her lips.
Although both had only taken a modest amount of food, and did not waste any, the appraisal of this meal was obviously not too high, whether from the Fourteenth Princess or the Hero.
The Fourteenth Princess aside, the Hero wasn’t too picky about food; even trying something cooked by a Goblin, but after all, she was a lady of the Viscount’s House, and could still tell whether the food was good or bad.
And moreover, there were no desserts… huh, but perhaps it’s normal for the military not to provide desserts?
“The Count has also considered this problem, but as of now, it has been difficult to make much improvement,” the Sergeant said with a wry smile, watching their subtle reactions.
Although the Border City is not a harshly cold place and has the support of the Arcane Industry led by the Count, coupled with the presence of numerous Adventurers and a relatively prosperous economy, it ultimately cannot change the geographical disadvantage of being distant from the Kingdom Center and often harassed by Magic Creatures.
Here, agriculture and animal husbandry are difficult to develop; relying on inland supplies come with various restrictions, and even with the Count’s astute governance, it’s impossible to conjure resources from nothing.
If one goes to an expensive high-end restaurant, it’s possible to enjoy culinary delights on par with the Capital, but in a military canteen where quantity is a priority, the taste naturally cannot aspire to much when the raw materials are restricted—it can only be said that it is edible, not inedible.
The walk after the meal saw the Sergeant showing the Fourteenth Princess around the composition and operations of the Border army, discussing various complex issues along the way, while the Hero went to say goodbye to some Soldiers she was somewhat acquainted with.
Learning of the Holy Maiden’s impending departure, many Soldiers could hardly hide the loss and sadness on their faces, making the Hero feel somewhat embarrassed, unsure of when she had become so popular.
[Did someone confess to the Hero (95+ yes)]
D100=d100(86)=86