"So—?"
"The attack on the queen in the past is well-known among the Istania people, so it's not really a secret," Bishop Faris spoke again, "Last ti I ntioned the King of Sand to you, so I won't elaborate this ti. However, since Mr. Ade is interested, shall I tell you about the queen?"
Fang Hong gradually cald down.
He looked at the bustling crowd in the hall, montarily forgetting the celebration, and quietly asked, "Is there anything unusual about the queen?"
In a flash, he recalled the notebook Princess had entrusted to him.
A notebook he distinctly rembered seeing once in his uncle's study when he was very young.
Considering a queen who collected such a peculiar notebook, one might imagine she also had so stories to her. He actually had this feeling back then. Only the clues were too few, and naturally, the Princess and the queen's family weren't about to let him investigate, so in the end, it was left unresolved. But now the archbishop's words suddenly stirred mories in his heart.
"There are indeed so peculiarities about the queen."
Faris answered slowly, "This is not really a royal secret; such rumors are widespread in Quistack, so true, so false, but so are too far-fetched and rarely leave this ancient city. However, this one is true. The Grand Princess's birth mother ca from a prominent family, but she was sowhat of a maverick among the noblewon of Istania. To the Istania people, she might well have seed rebellious and unconventional—"
"In her early years, she visited Colin and t so adventurers, even becoming acquainted with holy choosers. There's even a rumor she participated in an adventure group—of course, the latter claim is less credible, as no matter how unconventional, she'd still care about her family's opinion."
"But it was probably because of such a noblewoman that she could take a liking to the equally unconventional Penelope family in the eyes of the world. You see, during the ti of Princess Rupert's grandfather, those lofty old royal nobles didn't necessarily look up to this newly established king."
"Many stories exist about the queen and the King of Sand, so quite romantic. There's a rumor that the queen's family originally intended for her elder sister to marry Barbaltan, but the two t by chance and fell for each other, setting the stage for all that followed."
"However, in life, the queen was indeed deeply in love with the King of Sand. Together they had two daughters, who are now the Grand Princess and her younger sister."
Fang Hong couldn't help but think of the two Afia's.
Was it really just a coincidence?
But these stories he had already heard once from the Grand Princess, yet it was the earlier story from the bishop, the unconventional girl, the adventuring noble lady, that captured his interest. After all, how else would she have such a strange notebook?
But what was the aning behind Bishop Faris suddenly discussing this with him?
He looked towards the bishop, seeing an aged face, deep-set and sowhat profound eyes:
"Ten years ago, the queen suddenly passed away, causing a huge uproar in Istania..."
"The King of Sand, Barbaltan, seized upon this opportunity to uproot several ancient families and established the authority of the new king..."
"But it was the blind followers directly involved who were never completely eradicated... Mr. Ade, do you rember when I ntioned that matter to you when you first ca here?"
Fang Hong was slightly startled and imdiately recalled the matter.
The elves' art of creation.
The secret of immortal life.
"Bishop Faris, are you saying," he paused slightly, "the King of Sand plans to use the blind followers to achieve that near-mythical thod of reviving the dead... But it's sothing that simply cannot be achieved, not even considered a 'miracle,' just a lie..."
"...Alchemy on the surface indeed shares so resemblance with the eternal secret the blind followers pursue, especially the creation thod of the Nulin elves; the two are almost on the sa path."
"But..."
Fang Hong himself had studied ancient alchemy and understood the application of the art of creation, so he knew well. But he also knew that these two only appeared similar on the surface but were fundantally opposed and contradictory.
The creation in alchemy is not bringing sothing from nothing, but rely altering the way matter exists in this world, and the ether involved is a necessary price to pay—the so-called equivalent exchange is exactly this.
And in Eteliria, when a person dies, starlight imdiately dissipates, and the soul that once existed rges back into the world's essence. To re-form that 'person' from the boundless starlight, is the 'life' recreated truly still the original soul?
When he first heard the news, he felt an eerie chill.
But no matter what the blind followers did, it was hardly surprising.
And after settling for a few days, he was left with a faint sense of absurdity in his heart, and perhaps this explained Barbaltan's 'cooperation' with those blind followers. It sounds reasonable to explain everything he previously witnessed, yet this 'reasonableness' seed almost laughable to Fang Hong.
Faris seed not to notice his expression and slowly spoke:
"This matter is almost an open secret; the arcanists wish to use the King of Sand to regain the center of power, while Nulman is rely a fool for loyalty..."
"But I know the King of Sand himself should remain quite clear-headed, not too deeply embroiled in this matter. He rely harbors a sliver of hope by using those people..."
"However, when the ti cos for revenge, he will definitely not hesitate."
Fang Hong looked at him: "Is this why the Holy Sanctuary hasn't intervened?"
"Of course not," Faris replied, "The Holy Sanctuary has always been investigating the movents of the blind followers, but with the King of Sand's protection, it's just hard to catch them in the act."
Fang Hong suddenly realized: "Is this the purpose of the Lord Goddess?"
Unexpectedly, Faris shook his head: "This is the duty of Marlan's believers; how could it be blad on others?"
Fang Hong was taken aback: "Then why is the bishop telling all this?"
Faris glanced at him and then asked a question beyond Fang Hong's expectations: "Mr. Ade, what was your motive for agreeing to the Grand Princess's request to investigate the affair of the queen?"
...
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