Chapter 135: The Tribunal

Mount Bright sits in the heart of the Kingdom of Aier. Towering over eight thousand meters high, majestic and imposing, it is considered the place closest to the sun within the human realms. It was here that Enoch, the first Pope, founded the Church of Radiance; thus, Mount Bright is also known as the Holy Mountain. The Holy See of the Church of Radiance is established at the foot of Mount Bright. Every day, many high-ranking clerics arrive at the Holy See to report on their duties or to depart for the various human kingdoms with new missions.

On the southern foothills of Mount Bright, Paladin Conall lifted his weathered face, marked by the passage of time, to gaze at the Holy Mountain not far away. He knelt on one knee and silently recited a prayer. His old, faded leather armor shimmered with a faint luminescence under the sunlight, possessing a strangely radiant and sacred quality.

After his prayer, Conall did not continue toward the Holy Mountain. Instead, he turned west, rounded a mountain pass, and arrived before a heavily guarded outpost. Several guards clad in intricate armor saw the shimmering holy light on the paladin's leather armor and immediately pulled up the gate.

Conall nodded to the guards and passed through the stone gate. The radiance flowing over his armor gradually dimmed, returning to its original appearance. The resonance of holy power is a phenomenon triggered whenever any cleric prays devoutly facing the Holy Mountain. Its only purpose is to prove the cleric's identity and level of holy power. Clerics of different ranks can move freely within the corresponding institutions of the Holy See without needing to report or undergo inspection, even within the notorious Inquisition.

Behind the stone archway lay a picturesque valley. Colorful wildflowers bloomed across the grassy meadows like a magnificent, multi-colored ribbon. Beside this ribbon, a clear stream flowed through the valley. The pure water struck rounded pebbles, shattering into countless crystal-clear beads before rolling back into the ceaseless current, vanishing in an instant. On the other side of the stream lay neat, lush wheat fields, the heavy ears of grain already tinged with gold, the emerald stalks swaying in the wind with a rustling sound that brought joy to the ear. A dozen farmhouses were scattered gracefully at the far end of the wheat fields, forming a vibrant, idyllic rural scene.

Conall walked deep into the valley along the stream. A group of lively children with chubby little feet ran past him, leaving behind a trail of crisp, youthful laughter that rippled around the paladin. Watching the children head into the distance, Conall couldn't help but reveal a knowing smile. Several middle-aged men in magnificent holy robes saw the paladin and smiled, bowing in greeting; Conall nodded to each in response.

As they passed one another, Conall couldn't help but sigh. Who would have imagined that the Inquisition, rumored to be a dark and terrifying place, would be so peaceful and serene? Conall continued onward and soon reached the end of the valley. A delicate little chapel sat halfway up the mountainside, with a waterfall like a white silk ribbon cascading beside it. Amidst the roaring sound of the water, a platinum-gold rainbow hung over the chapel's spire.

Conall climbed the steps, and at the chapel entrance, he saw a man in a short robe standing with his hands behind his back, facing the waterfall.

"Lord Lesta, good day," Paladin Conall greeted the man in the short robe respectfully.

Lesta turned around. He appeared to be about thirty years old, with thin lips and a beak-like nose; his cold, sharp facial lines outlined a temperament as keen as a blade. Yet, his eyes were calm and serene. Two completely different temperaments existed in him in a surprisingly harmonious way, making him unforgettable at first glance.

"Conall, you look a bit older. When will you finally step into the Silver realm?" Lesta smiled, and his cold demeanor thawed like a glacier in spring; the surrounding scenery seemed to come to life. Conall was both surprised and delighted, knowing this was a sign of the elements resuming their flow.

Conall offered his congratulations: "Congratulations, my Lord, you are one step closer to the Legendary realm."

"The Legend of a knight is not so easily grasped; I am still far off," Lesta shook his head, then added, "As for you, you have reached the third rank of Paladin without even stepping into the Silver realm. Are you unwilling to abandon the divine grace? It seems I should grant you a long leave to prevent you from straying down the wrong path."

Conall said awkwardly, "Uncle, I will work hard. You know how rare wizards are these days; I was just worried that when I need to advance later, I won't be able to find one."

Lesta sighed and said, "Indeed, the number of wizards is dwindling, and they are hiding deeper and deeper. Our Trigovar family has managed the Inquisition for two thousand years, but the divine grace we can obtain is far less than it used to be. However, you must never forget the principle: the Knight comes first, the Paladin second. Otherwise, you will age rapidly, unless you can raise your Paladin rank to the sixth level—which is impossible. Remember, we are knights first, and paladins only last!"

Conall was startled and said with sincere conviction, "Uncle, after this official business is finished, I will return to the family to cultivate in seclusion. If I do not reach the Silver Knight rank, I will never use combat divine arts again!"

Lesta nodded and said, "Very well. It is not too late for you to realize this. After all, our combat divine arts as paladins use our own bodies as vessels. While holy power grants us great strength, it inevitably drains our potential. Without the constant replenishment of void elements, a paladin's lifespan is only a sliver longer than an ordinary person's. If the price is the severance of our family bloodline, then such power is not worth having."

Conall nodded in agreement. Just as he was about to state the purpose of his visit, Lesta stopped him: "We shall discuss your affairs later; let us first bid farewell to a comrade."

Hardly had he finished speaking when red flames rose slowly from a dense forest on the opposite side of the waterfall, and the platinum-gold rainbow turned into a blood-red arch. Lesta and Conall stood solemnly as sacred radiance emerged from their bodies. Then, a straight pillar of light rose from the dome of the small chapel, piercing the clouds and echoing the blood-red arch. A moment later, the fire extinguished, the pillar of light dissipated, and the arch returned to platinum-gold.

Lesta and Conall chanted in unison: "When all things are dark, only the Radiance endures."

Seeing Conall's inquisitive look, Lesta said in a low voice, "Even the most beautiful scenery cannot sweep away the gloom in Fermilo's heart. It is a pity; he was only one step away from becoming an Arbiter Knight."

After a long silence, Conall sighed: "The guy couldn't hold on after all."

Like priests, paladins have firm beliefs and can obtain divine grace through combat, but their level of divine arts is generally not high. Paladins are always at the forefront when facing alien races and orcs, making it difficult for them to live long. However, the paladins of the Inquisition are an exception. Modern wizards are deeply hidden and much weaker, so the Inquisition's paladins have enough time to improve their divine art levels.

However, the paladins of the Inquisition often engage in bloody and cruel deeds, which contradicts their beliefs. Some paladins lose their holy power due to a collapse of faith, which, for a paladin, is equivalent to being forsaken by the Lord of Radiance. To stabilize the faith of other paladins, the Inquisition claims that one can purify one's sins through fire, allowing the paladin's soul to return to the embrace of the Lord of Radiance. For thousands of years, countless paladins who lost their holy power have chosen to be burned to ashes.

Fermilo was an old acquaintance of Conall, a fourth-rank paladin of the Inquisition. If his divine art level had increased by just one more rank, he would have possessed Silver-tier combat power and earned the title of Arbiter Knight, a status equivalent to that of a Paladin. Now that Fermilo had completed his own salvation through self-immolation, Conall was filled with sorrow. Most high-ranking clerics know that the root of holy power lies in the Codex of Radiance, and there has never been a law of self-salvation within it. Self-salvation is merely an unrevealable lie; without this beautiful lie, it would be difficult for the paladins of the Inquisition to carry on.

After the sorrow subsided, Conall said to Lesta, "My Lord, I have two things to report to you this time."

Seeing Lesta nod, Conall continued: "The first matter concerns the Ant-Men. The Ant-Men have invaded the Centaur Hills, threatening the survival of the people. According to the rules, this should be handled by the Radiant Knights, but the Knights are currently tied up. I believe the Inquisition should take on the heavy responsibility of exterminating the Ant-Men and protecting the people. This is also an opportunity for our family to obtain divine grace."

Paladins can use divine arts, and their combat power is far stronger than that of knights at the same level. However, this advantage can only be maintained until the Silver tier. Once a knight steps into the Gold tier, the surging elemental power makes the paladin's offensive divine arts ineffective against them. However, Gold-tier paladins can utilize the Sacred Domain, freely controlling the power of the elemental sea, achieving the same effect as a Legendary Knight. Therefore, all Gold-tier paladins are Legendary Paladins.

Of course, knights call Legendary Paladins "pseudo-legendaries." There is an element of jealousy in this, but the main reason is that a Legendary Paladin's domain can only last for thirty minutes, as holy power is always consumed faster than battle aura.

Despite the limitations of holy power, the Sacred Domain remains the greatest advantage of paladin families. To obtain the Sacred Domain, a paladin must raise their divine art level to the fourth rank, and to raise their divine art level, obtaining divine grace is the priority. The Trigovar family controls the Inquisition, and what they lack most now is a stable source of divine grace, as wizards are far rarer than monsters. It is no wonder Conall was drooling over the Ant-Men; even Lesta was tempted.

Lesta pondered for a long time and then shook his head resolutely: "No! Gambis is the backbone of the White Tower. The weaker they are, the easier our plan will succeed. The human realms have been divided for too long; if this continues, we will perish before the devils even appear. It has been three thousand years since the Sword Saint Draven killed the Ogre King. The monsters in the Northern Wilderness will soon give birth to a new ruler, yet we do not have a Sword Saint!"

Conall stammered for a long time before saying: "Uncle, you are right. Without the root of faith, no amount of divine grace is useful. It is just that we have been left too far behind by the other five families. The members of our family are somewhat unwilling to accept this."

Lesta patted his nephew on the shoulder and said, "The big picture comes first! Although the Inquisition has the most elite paladins, that is not the strength of our family. If anyone harbors thoughts they shouldn't, their path as a paladin will come to an end."

Conall's expression grew stern, and he nodded: "I understand. I will certainly convey your meaning."

Lesta was satisfied by Conall's alertness and said with a smile, "Tell me about the second matter."

"Yes!" Conall said seriously: "Vincent, a paladin from a branch of the family, found two wizards in Alexandria. Before they could even engage in battle, one of the wizards decisively self-destructed, taking his companion with him. According to Vincent, that wizard might have been covering up some conspiracy and appeared very fanatical, much like a zealot of our church."

"Wizards are all strange creatures; this is not worth making a fuss about," Lesta said dismissively.

Conall nodded: "I thought so at first, too. However, Vincent said that the wizard mentioned a scapegoat and another wizard accomplice called the 'Beguiler.' They are clearly carrying out a plan."

"Hmm, that is a bit strange. Wizards, who are usually like mice, actually dare to carry out a plan? Could it be that they are organized?" Lesta frowned.

Conall replied: "I am afraid so."

"I see. I will send Constantine to investigate this matter."