Chapter 7, Faith begins with the tears of the saintess

The sound of sobbing came from behind. Turning around to take a look, Li Qi gasped in shock.

Phineas

The small town has over one hundred households, with dilapidated wooden houses haphazardly spread around a modest central square. People and livestock intermingle as they come and go, with eating and excretion occurring on the same level, and the suffocating stench can be detected even on the mountainside

Looking at Finny, who stood up holding a loaf of bread, biting into it while preparing to walk with them, Richie initially wanted her to stay, but he was also uneasy not having her by his side with Terrence.

This insignia belongs to the Lady of the Night, and the terminology used in the annotations closely resembles that of her clergy. The location is not far from here, only a few days' journey away. It is uncertain whether this is true or if the Lady of the Night is once again engaging in some scheme.

Yes, there is that possibility, Talens lowered his head

Terrence hurriedly said, "I promise! I promise! Please don't cry!"

Terrence asked: "What about the body? It shouldn't have been sent to the church yet, right?"

On the third floor of the castle, in the viscount's study, Talens gazed intently at the young viscount, hoping to discern more from his expression

The gentle holy light spreads in all directions, permeating the bodies and minds of everyone present, forcing out streams of dark energy from the piles of corpses, which are then devoured by the holy light, and faintly, one can still hear the piercing cries.

The crowd continued to stare blankly at the corpse retrieval man, as the bloodstains on his back gradually faded. Although they did not disappear completely, it was akin to the effect of a healing spell cast by a priest, and the man let out a comfortable hum.

There is a map, with annotations, and also patterns resembling divine emblems, which indeed makes it look like a treasure map that marks specific locations

The fleeing of grave robbers signifies the discovery of a substantial amount of money or valuable items on the corpse. After all, if the lord becomes aware, he will always find various reasons in the lease, or even dispense with reasons altogether, to "confiscate" these possessions. This is quite common among lords who possess the right to exhume bodies.

It is too late, the wings of light unfurl, the crown materializes, and soft light permeates the entire room. In the corner, faint wisps of black smoke rise, as divine power dispels the unclean aura

That's it, it must be made public, let the belief in revolution spread, starting from Phiney's tears

The table in front of her was filled with food: white bread, cured meat, fine wheat porridge, milk, and fruit, each of which she had never enjoyed in her life. While Li Qi was talking to Talents, she quietly ate with her eyes half-closed like a little kitten

"It is the night lady's priest," Terrence said as he put down the burlap and stepped back, his expression quite unpleasant: "I think it is better not to get involved, night lady..."

"Then let's go take a look, perhaps we might make some discoveries," Li Qi did not hold much hope, but one must try their luck.

Sadar glanced at the little girl behind Li Qi from the corner of his eye. Fei Ni looked up at him, startling him so much that he took several steps back

Then Terrence, let's stay here with Phineas. The family has only left behind legends, and there is still much to prepare for the return of the goddess. I completely do not understand doctrines, scriptures, or church temples; I am in dire need of a professional like you to assist.

Beside her, Feini said: "Stay, my lord... Whatever Li Qi says, we will do, alright?"

Terrence nodded, realizing that he and Richie were like grasshoppers on the same string; unless Richie's financial crisis was resolved, his cardinal would have no hope

Phineas

Li Qi remembered: "Oh, that guy..."

Li Qi and Talents both gave a thumbs up in their hearts

Terrence does not believe in family histories spanning thousands of years. However, Phineas is the saintess of the Fallen Goddess, which is a fact he firmly believes in.

The little girl nodded repeatedly like a chicken pecking at grains.

He sighed, "Follow closely, but do not cry"

Fini instantly transformed into a saintly form, different from before, with radiant wings raised high, extending over ten meters, and her entire being seemed to float up.

Do not look, Li Qi signaled Fei Ni to step back, but he himself leaned in to watch the commotion, only to find what seemed to be a giant figure that had almost melted into a mass, nearly causing him to vomit.

Terrence stared blankly: "The Church of the Lady of Pain's Hematopoiesis Church only cost eight thousand gold pounds!"

Calm Phineas down, then organize his emotions. A light gradually shone in Talon's eyes: "Build a temple, transform the subjects into believers, collect artifacts and deeds related to the goddess, and formulate a complete scripture."

"As usual," Li Qi waved his hand dismissively, pinching his nose, his attention focused entirely on the parchment in Talon's hand

The old man has thoughts he dares not express, and Li Qi suspects that he might want Fei Ni to cry out in her saintly form again, to solidify his confidence

The viscount's territory resembles the sewer of a kingdom, receiving various refuse from upstream, including corpses. The town of Prelle and the castle are situated near the river mouth, where several corpses drift in daily, accumulating in the river bend, leading to the emergence of professional corpse retrieval workers

Li Qi exchanged a glance with Talents, recalling Talents' earlier words: "You mentioned that you know many such ruins"

She is a goddess

The leather jacket and pants he wore were quite old, and aside from the belt and sword buckle, there were no other adornments, making him even more plain than the foolish knight I had seen before. The belt hung loosely, indicating that the young man did not like to be constrained by anything, and his sitting posture was also quite casual, prioritizing comfort above all else

Nine thousand four hundred gold pounds

Terrence's tone was very assertive, but then he became vague: "The most recent one is also over a thousand miles away, still within the territory of a marquis"

Things are not simple

Li Qi's castle is built on a ridge, with the winding mountains to the east leading directly to Hadron Fjord, and to the west overlooking the river. A mountain road that winds down for nearly 1 kilometer leads to the town of Prelle.

I must take a look, as Talens lifted the burlap, a strong odor of decay surged into the air

Fei Ni looked at the corpse retrieval worker being whipped, her small hands covering her mouth, but the tears in her eyes were already brimming and about to fall

"Gravedigger! Yesterday, many bodies piled up at the river mouth, it stinks terribly, and no one is here to retrieve them"

Sardar was calling from outside the door. Although Liqi had already announced to the people in the castle that Feini was not a witch, Sardar still felt apprehensive. He dared not appear anywhere near where Feini was present

Fini's eyes were clouded with a layer of mist: "Is grandpa going to leave me all alone?"

When Feini cries, what is revealed is not the true form of a witch, but a divine power that is even purer than that of a saint, which is clearly a manifestation of the true god's miracle upon her. The numerous questions arise merely from one's own lack of knowledge and understanding.

I also do not know, perhaps...

Grandfather

Li Qi rubbed his brow and expressed his predicament

The guards all knelt down, and Sadar unleashed his fighting spirit. Upon seeing the brilliant radiance on the sword, he jumped up in joy, shouting "Saintess".

Indeed, Phineas is the saint of the Scarlet Lady, successfully awakening the mark of the goddess. Richie must follow the goddess's oracle, establish a church in the mortal realm, and prepare for the return of the goddess

Nothing happened, and Sadar scratched his head and asked Li Qi: "Young Master, how should we deal with that guy?"

Viscount Ritchie Prel appears to be anything but a noble; he resembles a naive young man from a wealthy freeborn family, lacking great ambitions and unaware of the harsh realities of the world.

This is it

The reason Terrence did not trust Richie was this: although he had lost the favor of the deities, he still had some sensitivity to divine power. The divine power that filled Phineas was very unfamiliar, completely unrelated to the Lady of Suffering and the Goddess of Misery

Sadar said: "He was drinking in the tavern of the northern town, and when he got drunk, he claimed to have found a treasure map, discovered on the body of a professional, and said it was the relic of a fallen deity"

Fini ... ...

The old man did not dare to speak a word of ill about Lady Ye, and Li Qi understood his unspoken words

Yes

Sadar presented a putrid sheepskin, and Li Qi's features contorted in disgust, signaling for it to be handed to Terrence. Observing his demeanor, Terrence thought to himself that this was more like a noble, and he nonchalantly accepted it.

Her straight black hair is tied back in a ponytail at the nape of her neck, and her gray eyes appear lazy and unfocused. She has fair skin and delicate features, with no trace of the white powder makeup favored by the aristocracy, and even her eyebrows have not been meticulously groomed

The relics of the fallen deities

How could a young man like this possibly be better at the skill of lying than someone with decades of experience?

Generally referred to as a cardinal archbishop

Mom, I saw an angel

If Terrence can accept this story, Richie candidly invited him: "In the future church, you will be the second person under the Pope! What is that position called? Cardinal?"

Li Qi's words struck a chord with Terrence: "This is the true power of pain; what you felt before was either distorted or counterfeit... I mean, fake."

Well done, Fini

Lady Scarlet ... ... Is that so

Terrence also noticed and quietly admonished.

Saint!

Terrence murmured, shedding two lines of murky tears

When Li Qi returned to the castle in the morning, he passed by the river mouth, where several corpses had already been piled up. At that time, the original master was still present and, upon inquiring about the corpse retrieval personnel who had gone north the day before, ordered the guards to apprehend them

Who has been caught? Li Qi was bewildered

Recovering corpses is a lucrative job, as the items on the body, including clothing, hold value. These items theoretically belong to the lord, but the lord cannot personally handle the corpses, so the "right to recover corpses" is granted to the corpse recoverers, who pay a fixed tax.

Ms. Ye is not only immensely powerful, with her teachings spread across various regions, but she also possesses a rather eccentric personality, making her quite a troublesome individual. To avoid continuous misfortunes or an unclear demise, it is advisable to refrain from any interactions with her

Such trivial matters, Li Qi could not be bothered to ponder: "What has he found? If it is not more than one gold ingot, just whip him a few times, do not confiscate his money, and let him quickly retrieve the other bodies."

Terrence has come to believe in part of Rich's explanation, at least some of it is true

He can finally walk the right path, and of course, the cardinal is quite good; what kind of life did that guy in the church lead back in the day

The sound of the whip cracking and the cries of anguish echoed as Sadar faithfully executed Rich's orders, as per the usual practice

The priesthood of Lady Pain is derived from the Goddess of Suffering, whose divinity originates from even more ancient deities, which makes sense

Terrence quickly reached a conclusion: Lady Night is one of the few deities aligned with the dark aspect who can still walk openly among the church. The clergy encompasses many elements such as conspiracy and secrecy, including the belief in the "dark" that intertwines fear, suffering, and death.

The territory of Viscount Prelle is located in the southern part of the Kingdom of Hadron, with several rivers flowing from the noble lands in the north and the royal capital, Iron Crown City, and then draining into the Misty Marshes further to the south

But why do I feel no divine power related to Her Majesty Anma

Terrence is still hesitating, in fact, he is being reserved. The old man is in his sixties and must maintain some dignity; he cannot bow down to a young lad so easily. Although the other party is a viscount, he himself was once a significant figure who could engage in light-hearted conversation with the king.

Young master! That fellow has been caught!

Li Qi thought for a moment, waved his hand to Terrence, and then walked over to pat Fei Ni on the shoulder, saying: "Cry, don't hold it back"

Phineas

... ...

The Prel family has long passed down a story that thousands of years ago, the ancestors of the family worshipped a deity known as the "Crimson Lady." Before this deity fell, she left a mark in their bloodline, and when the time is right, the goddess will return

As he turned his head with great difficulty, Li Qi seemed to hear the cracking sound of his cervical vertebrae rubbing against each other

Li Qi and others rode to the foot of the mountain, where the river mouth is located some distance from the town. The fishermen here also serve as corpse retrieval workers. He has already been tied to the doorpost of the fisherman's hut by the guards, loudly pleading for mercy from the lord.

Since the viscount is the foremost devotee of the goddess, the matter becomes simple

The guard pointed to the cart covered with burlap beside him, explaining that the church generally collects unclaimed corpses, and each one would provide a small payment to the person delivering the body. In Prelle's territory, there is no church presence, so the body collectors would deliver them to the nearest temple.

Li Qi was unaware of the connection between Fei Ni and the "Crimson Lady"; he only felt that the mark in his bloodline had been triggered by Fei Ni, which prompted him to seek a private encounter with her for further confirmation