While Marcus was leading a dissolute life with the men of the same faction, his cousin, Archbishop Constantine, was stuck in a chapel.
The Marius Faction he was leading, the faction that one boasted as the highest-ranking one in the Holy Empire, was so weak.
Veronica III, who declared that she wouldn’t choose a certain faction to strengthen the Holy Empire, entrusted key positions to people who were loyal and committed to their acts.
As a result, young priests and lower nobles who were doing basic chores in the Marius Faction fled and went toward the Pope.
Even the high ranking bishops betrayed Constantine.
“Kuak, I was deceived! I was deceived by that wench!”
Constantine, who said the same thing a hundred times before, was stripped of his position of being a regent and was whipped countless times.
The so-called ‘repetition’ was a practice of seeking God’s grace while reflecting on their sins.
Crack!
“Oh, great El Kassel! Forgive this foolish man and give me the power to defeat that witch!”
Initially, Constantine’s whipping was strongly protested by the others.
But later, it was notified that he was facing atonement for his wrong decision of electing the Pope and trying to shake the position of Veronica III.
However, the reaction of the believers was rather cold.
The people began to say that Constantine was getting senile. They also said that he would be closer to God if the Pope used a poison or a dagger on him instead of a whip.
That led for Constantine, who was overwhelmed by those responses, to take the whippings sincerely.
He was getting whipped constantly.
Even as his blood oozed out of his body, the whipping didn’t stop.
Even when Count Marcus and the others pleaded to her, she didn’t order for the whipping to stop.
“Please allow me to defeat that witch! Grant me the divine power to defeat the witch who is deceiving everyone’s eyes!”
Day and night, he kept repeating the same thing in front of God’s statue that stayed silent.
Rather, it seemed like the statue was laughing down at him.
It was to show that everything that happened was due to his greed.
“Please, please give me the strength! If I get to defeat the witch and correct this Holy Empire, I am willing to pay any price!”
Are you really sure you would do that?
All of a sudden, a voice sounded from somewhere. Constantine, who was shocked by it, looked around.
“W-who is it?”
Don’t be afraid. I am the one you have been waiting for.
Crack
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The statue in the front cracked and fell to the ground.
Blue flames appeared at the place where the statue was standing and took the shape of a human.
‘T-this is…?’
Constantine was flustered and tried to figure out what just happened, and a solemn voice came out of the flames.
My child, now that I showed myself, won’t you accept me?
“Huh? Ah, I-I apologize.”
As the flames shook like it was going to devour him, Constantine fell to the ground in fear.
Seeing the man who was laying on the ground, the moving flame spoke in a soft voice.
My child, your sin was that you got deceived by the witch who was using magic, and for that, you need to die. But I’ll give you a chance to atone for it.
“A-an opportunity you say?”
Constantine raised his head, and the flames nodded its head.
Yes. Soon, punishment will be given to those who have been deceived by the witch and moved away from my will. Make sure that those sinners will repent.
‘Punishment? Then what about the Holy Empire?’
Constantine was startled and was panicking. If something went wrong with the Pope, it was an opportunity for him and the Marius Faction.
Honestly, he wasn’t sure if the person in front of him was really a God or not. It was because he couldn’t feel divine power from the flame.
Nevertheless, he believed that it was some kind of God.
It was because he thought that God would be the only one who would support him, the man who made a mistake and wanted to repent.
I will share my power with you, so try to awaken those foolish sinners with these powers.
When the words were done, the fire disappeared.
The smoke, which was hovering over the place, soon faded from Constantine’s vision.
The cloudy smoke around Constantine soon entered his body through his eyes, nose, and mouth.
Humph!
The moment he began to breathe in the smoke, the pain on his back disappeared.
In addition, his wrinkling face and hands became smooth again, and his grey hair turned black.
Constantine was captivated with the new feeling of vigor in his body that seemed to have brought his youth back.
‘God’s power! This is God’s Power! The thing that he gave me. It’s God’s power!’
Thrilled with it, Constantine stared at the place where God’s statue had disappeared.
For a moment, he apologized for doubting God’s presence and thanked the generosity that was shown to him.
“Thank you, God! I will surely accomplish the work you have given to me and punish that witch and her followers!”
There was a shadow that was watching Constantine praying several times.
‘Huh, got him.’
The sinister creature made from the body of someone who was once referred to as the Devil King smiled at Constantine and disappeared immediately.