Chapter 651 Trend
“Necrotic Sect? Parasite?”
On the delicate balcony, Amanda listened to Evi’s words and couldn’t help but furrow her brows slightly. She then slowly spoke.
“Since the Turgid War, the Three Amniotic Sac Sects have been in a severe state of disarray, with almost no cooperative records over the past few centuries… Now the Necrotic Sect is actually actively participating in the Wolf bl**d Association’s plan? And even sent a Chalk to deliver a worm?”
Amanda’s tone carried a clear sense of surprise. After hearing her words, Evi continued to respond.
“Yes, from the reports and reactions of Sister Vania and many believers at the Hymn Cathedral on the day of the attack, there are indeed traces of the Plague Path within the extraordinary abilities they encountered. The missing Chalk mentioned in the report might be a supporter of the Necrotic Sect. From the abilities displayed by that demon wolf, he is likely to have been devoured and transformed into mutant material.”
“Eaten… Hmph, this really fits their style. If the phenomenon of mutual consumption still exists, it suggests that the integration of the Three Amniotic Sac Sects is not yet high. But just the appearance of this trend is enough to warrant vigilance…”
Amanda spoke seriously, and upon hearing about the Three Amniotic Sac Sects’ intention to integrate, she couldn’t help but show a hint of worry.
“The integration trend of the Three Amniotic Sac Sects requires the whole Holy Church to truly take it seriously. But now, with the current state of the Cardinal Council… Sigh…”
Rubbing her temples, Amanda seemed to think of something unpleasant, showing a worried expression. Next to her, Evi also spoke softly.
“I’ve heard rumors about the increasing conflicts among the Cardinals… My Lord, is the situation there really not optimistic?”
“It could be said so. In recent meetings, the opposition between Cardinals has become more apparent. Even arguments, which used to occur only once every fifty or sixty years, have started happening frequently. Previously private confrontations are now being openly displayed, with increasingly direct methods.
“The competition for the official appointment of the Archbishop of the Prit Diocese… This is an example. If the process of replacing the Archbishop of Prit were done normally and quickly, such a vicious attack would never have happened…”
Amanda spoke with a hint of helplessness. Clearly, the power struggles within the upper echelons of the Church had hindered the normal operation of this large and cumbersome supra-national institution. Some of its original functions were gradually becoming inactive, slowly providing opportunities for various evil cults lurking in the shadows.
Listening to Amanda’s words, Evi’s expression gradually turned serious. After some thought, she slowly spoke again.
“My Lord, His Holiness… hasn’t returned yet? It’s unusual for His Holiness to take this long to ascend, isn’t it?”
Hearing Evi’s words, Amanda paused briefly before slowly speaking after taking a deep breath.
“At present, there are no signs of His Holiness returning. Usually, His Holiness returns within a month after ascending, at most one and a half months. But this ascension has lasted for several months…”
“Several months? Then did any other Cardinals attempt to contact His Holiness? Running the Cardinal Council like this is not a solution…”
Evi’s tone was somewhat anxious, and Amanda responded solemnly.
“After His Holiness was overdue for too long, we contacted him through emergency channels. Although we received a reply, it was very brief, merely telling us to continue our respective duties, discuss decisions, and wait. Many unresolved issues requiring his decision were not mentioned, and the entire response was terse…”
Continuing, Amanda said. Hearing her words, Evi’s expression became even more serious. She then spoke.
“Such a response from His Holiness… It feels unusual. Don’t the Cardinals want to confirm His Holiness’s condition?”
“Hmm… Although no one explicitly stated this issue at the Cardinal meeting, there have been several discussions about His Holiness’s current condition behind closed doors. Unfortunately, to confirm His Holiness’s condition, we can only ascend, but none of the previous Cardinals had this authority.”
Amanda continued, her gaze quietly looking towards the distant darkness.
“Throughout history, only His Holiness has been able to ascend and face the Lord. Even Cardinals attempting to ascend is a grave sin, with no possibility of pardon, whether in the past or present. Although His Holiness’s current situation may be problematic, none of us Cardinals are willing to commit this sin of overstepping. We have neither the right nor the ability to do so.”
Amanda spoke slowly, and listening to her words, Evi continued with a worried expression.
“The Three Amniotic Sac Sects are now showing signs of integration, while the Cardinal meetings are continuously splitting. For the first time in a century, I feel this level of concern…”
“Yes… Everything has come together at this moment. I wonder what factors have brought them closer again.”
Covering her forehead, Amanda frowned and continued, seemingly remembering something.
“By the way, you mentioned that the Necrotic Sect and the Wolf bl**d Association collaborated solely to obtain a Secret Transmission. Where is that Secret Transmission now, and what does it contain?”
“That Secret Transmission has already been transported to Sacred Summit and is currently being analyzed by the Office of Scriptures. I don’t know the specific content, but I know it’s mainly written in Imperial Language. Not only does it need to be translated, but also decrypted, which will take some time. Additionally, the Hymn Cathedral has begun tracing the origins of the Secret Transmission to understand how it ended up in the Forbidden Book Repository.
“One notable point is that according to the investigation report from Tivyán, the Secret Transmission was found in the stomach of a fragment of the demon wolf’s corpse, entangled by a living parasite. Only after the battlefield cleanup personnel killed the parasite was the Secret Transmission retrieved.
“In the confession of the captured werewolf, they mentioned that their elder had a parasite, likely the same one. The parasite did not assist the demon wolf elder during the battle but instead wrapped around the spoils in the stomach. It’s speculated that the Necrotic Sect wanted to gain early access to the contents of the spoils, perhaps part of the Secret Transmission’s content has already been obtained by the Three Amniotic Sac Sects.”
Evi continued to respectfully report to Amanda, who then spoke thoughtfully.
“So… although they admitted one Red Tier here, the main goal was largely achieved. I wonder what content is in that Secret Transmission that could make the Three Amniotic Sac Sects cooperate again, even at the cost of sacrificing a Red Tier…”
Amanda murmured, though she was very curious about the content of the Secret Transmission, she would have to wait until it was fully deciphered to know its final content. The fact that the Necrotic Sect had obtained most of the Secret Transmission content further increased her worries.
In this worry, Amanda made a decision.
“Considering the current situation… some things might need to be expedited.”
“Expedite some things? My Lord, you mean…”
Listening to Amanda’s words, Evi asked in confusion, and Amanda continued calmly.
“I mean the promotion of Sister Vania Chafferen…”
“Sister Vania’s promotion… My Lord… but Sister Vania has only been serving as the Keeper of Sacred Relics for a few months. Even if her achievements and reputation are sufficient for promotion to Red Tier, her experience is still too shallow. She is only sixteen years old, too young. To promote to Red Tier, she would need to accumulate at least seven to eight years of experience. Even if she were twenty-five when promoted, she would still be the youngest Red Tier in hundreds of years, which could cause dissatisfaction among other second-tier positions and even Cardinals. Promoting her now…”
Evi frowned, seeming worried about Amanda’s plan to promote Vania. Amanda slowly raised her hand, interrupting Evi.
“I originally considered having her accumulate ten years of experience before planning her promotion, but the situation has changed rapidly. His Holiness has not returned, and the internal division of the Holy Church shows no signs of stopping in the short term. More heretical sects will be stirring in the future, especially the actions of the Three Amniotic Sac Sects, which seem to indicate they are planning something dangerous.
“In this environment, the Holy Church must strengthen its forces and prepare for more incidents like the attack on the Hymn Cathedral. Having another easily mobilized Red Tier adds strength. Sister Vania’s fame is great; promoting her out of turn serves as a deterrent to these heretical sects…
“Isn’t it rumored worldwide that Sister Vania Chafferen is a favored devotee of the Holy Mother, a secret weapon of the Holy Church, executing tasks secretly under the guise of preaching and pilgrimage? Otherwise, why would so many major extraordinary events happen, and so many Red Tiers be brought down?”
Amanda spoke seriously, and when mentioning the rumors about Vania, the corners of her mouth involuntarily lifted.
“As for the news that Sister Vania is a specially cultivated elite of the Holy Church… it is currently circulating in both formal and informal secret organizations and gatherings, especially after the damage to the Black Dream leadership in the Moncala incident and Edward’s public display of enthusiasm. If you promote her soon, it might deepen their misunderstanding and have a certain deterrent effect…”
Listening to Amanda, Evi pondered and continued.
“However, promoting Sister Vania out of turn would be seen by other Cardinals as your attempt to increase the influence of your faction regardless of the rules. Would they agree? If you insist, you might be isolated…”
“Hmph… While His Holiness is away, others are already boosting their factions’ power. They just haven’t found someone as suitable as Vania yet. They would certainly be eager to promote her if they could.
“The responsibility for the incident at the Hymn Cathedral can be directly traced back to Krama and Hilbert. If they hadn’t competed for the appointment of the Archbishop of Prit, this wouldn’t have happened. I can use this leverage to force them to concede and acknowledge Vania’s promotion, as she is clearly one of the main contributors to this event.”
After a cold snort, Amanda directly told Evi. Evi realized that Amanda was taking advantage of the opportunity presented by His Holiness’s absence to expand her own power as much as possible. Although she cared about the overall interests of the Holy Church, this didn’t prevent her from using the current situation to vie for power.
After all, the atmosphere of the Cardinal Council had completely changed, evolving into a battlefield where Cardinals vied for power. In this situation, if Amanda adhered strictly to principles, she would only watch as other Cardinals’ power grew, eventually encroaching on her base and gradually losing her voice. At that point, it would be difficult for her to correct and suppress the other Cardinals.
“This is your idea? I understand. Since the current Cardinal Council has forced you to adopt such tactics, the future of the Holy Church… and even the world… will not be peaceful.”
Listening to Amanda’s words, Evi slowly spoke, and Amanda finally sighed.
“Yes, we can only pray that His Holiness returns soon, to punish those of us who are overly ambitious and dishonest…
“Huh… the Living Saint at the pinnacle of billions of believers, so preoccupied with the secular world and intoxicated by power, far removed from the pure and devout heart, truly ironic…”
In her sighs, Amanda looked toward the distant night, her eyes filled with deep worry.
