Gospel of Blood

A dense forest stretched for miles, and the vast green plains seemed endless.

At the bay, houses were clustered around a towering castle. Although it wasn’t as prosperous as the Yunette countries, it already looked like a medieval metropolis.

The Northern Grand Duchy, Winterfort.

As the northernmost capital of the Myria countries, it wasn’t as cold as many believed. On the contrary, being close to the coast and influenced by the warm currents of the Star-Moon Sea, it had a relatively mild and humid climate.

However, due to its high latitude, the winters were long, which gave the city its name.

On the bustling streets, tall and sturdy Isaac cavalrymen stood proudly on both sides, escorting the delegation from Castell, attracting curious glances from the surrounding residents.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

At the front of the group, a rugged-looking, lavishly dressed northern nobleman rode a tall horse, chatting and laughing with a handsome elf riding beside him.

“Sir Sebastian, I’ve long heard of your name. Even when I was a child, I’d heard tales of the ‘Crimson Blade’ who roamed the Eastern Yunette Blacklands. I never imagined you’d become an advisor to the Countess of Castell!

Welcome to Winterfort! Please, consider this your home! My elder brother has already prepared a sumptuous banquet in the castle, eagerly awaiting your arrival along with Lady Lottie!”

“Marquis, you’re too kind. I remember the last time I came here, this was just a village on the edge of a swamp. I never imagined it would become such a bustling city in just a hundred years.”

“Hahaha, Sir Sebastian, a hundred years is just a blink of an eye for someone like you, but for us humans, it’s already four or five generations!”

“To build such a city in just four or five generations is already a remarkable achievement.”

“Hahahahaha…”

The two chatted amicably, the atmosphere very cordial.

Sebastian maintained an elegant and appropriate smile, but his thoughts were already drifting.

Marquis Vladimir, a combat mage of the Blazing Sun tier, was also the younger brother of the current Northern Archduke, Stefan Sobieski, making him the second most powerful person in the North.

Sending such a high-ranking royal noble to greet the delegation from Castell clearly showed the importance the Archduke placed on this visit.

Thinking of this, Sebastian couldn’t help but examine the Marquis’ attire.

Fine silk, beautiful embroidery, typical Yunette noble clothing, but more luxurious and flamboyant.

Not only that, he wore a lot of jewelry, making him look particularly ostentatious.

This was probably a tradition of the northern people who loved accessories, but to the elves and Yunette people, it seemed a bit exaggerated.

Clearly, as the rumors said, the unified Northern Grand Duchy greatly admired the culture of the Yunette countries.

This outfit and the awkwardly accented common tongue of Yunette all proved that Archduke Stefan was indeed promoting “Yunette-ization.”

It wasn’t just Marquis Vladimir. Everywhere in Winterfort, one could see traces of Yunette culture.

With a single glance, Sebastian could see many commoners and nobles dressed in Yunette clothing, bustling Yunette shops, and even the architectural style of Winterfort had some of Yunette’s pointed arches and domes. Ꞧ𝓪𐌽ó𝐁ΕS̈

This… was probably the admiration and emulation of advanced culture by the less developed one?

Sebastian mused to himself.

Just a hundred years ago, the northern people were still a loose alliance of tribes, either hunters and herders or pirates and bandits. Continuous wars were the main theme of this land.

But now, all that had ended with the unification of the North.

This even reminded Sebastian of when the elves first set foot on the Myria continent.

Perhaps… at that time, humans learned from elves just as the northern people were learning from the Yunette people now?

Except, one was the admiration of a less developed culture for a more advanced one, while the other was the enlightenment of a primitive civilization by an advanced one.

Thinking of this, Sebastian glanced again at the Marquis before him.

He was quite familiar with the history of the North.

If one were to ask who the key figures were in ending the North’s division, it would undoubtedly be the Sobieski family to which this northern noble belonged.

Perhaps blessed by the Gods, the Sobieski family had produced three wise leaders in a hundred years, finally achieving the great task of unifying the North.

And now, the young Northern Archduke, Stefan Sobieski, had surpassed his father and grandfather, not only bringing advanced knowledge and culture from the South to the North but also aiming to unify religion and ideology.

It was for this reason that the Castell family’s visit was finally facilitated.

For Sebastian, his original intention was just to seize the opportunity to spread his faith in the North while seeking the support of the Northern Grand Duchy in Starfall’s throne conflict.

Of course, now that Her Majesty the True Ancestor had awakened from her slumber and her power had further advanced, seeking aid seemed less important, merely an icing on the cake.

However, aside from spreading his faith, he now had a new task.

Thinking of this, Sebastian’s gaze fell on the residents curiously watching the delegation. He asked casually.

“By the way, I’ve heard that there are still many tribes in the North that worship totems, ancestors, or even legends?”

Hearing Sebastian’s words, Marquis Vladimir snorted disdainfully.

“Hmph, just a bunch of stubborn fools who place their hopes on something intangible, forgetting their reverence for the true Gods!”

He then made a clumsy sign of the Holy Court on his chest and smiled at Sebastian.

“Forgive me, Sir Sebastian, only a revered holy believer like you can bring the teachings of the Gods to our spiritually barren North.”

Recalling the other’s behavior along the way, Sebastian pursed his lips and then apologized.

“I’m sorry, Marquis, there’s something I must confess. I am not a believer of the Holy Court. This delegation was personally appointed by my lord and did not receive instructions from the Holy Court or the Crescent Diocese.”

Marquis Vladimir was stunned.

He looked at Sebastian again, seeing his sincere expression, and awkwardly laughed.

“Cough… no matter, actually, I’ve just recently converted to the Great God myself. No worries. In fact, it’s better without the instructions from the Holy Court or the Diocese. Hahaha, don’t worry about it. If we really wanted to invite bishops from the Holy Court or Diocese to preach God’s glory, my brother would have already written to the Pope of the Holy Court.”

Seeing such a reaction, Sebastian understood.

Indeed, as Her Majesty the True Ancestor had predicted, the Northern Archduke didn’t genuinely intend to spread the Holy Court’s faith across the North.

He merely wanted to unify the North’s ideology while conveniently choosing the Holy Court, which had the least influence in the North but was the most powerful and the most convenient for the North to integrate into the southern world.

“Um… Sir Sebastian, if you don’t believe in the Holy Court, why do you follow Countess Castell? Do you… still believe in the Moon Goddess?”

Marquis Vladimir asked curiously.

Sebastian’s eyes flickered. He pondered for a moment, about to answer, when suddenly there was a commotion at the front of the convoy.

The procession halted immediately, and Marquis Vladimir frowned, displeased.

“What’s going on? Why have we stopped?”

Soon, a tall Isaac cavalryman came to report.

“Marquis, it’s some children from the tribes causing trouble up ahead.”

“Which tribe?”

Marquis Vladimir’s expression turned sour.

“It seems to be the Forest Tribe that has converted and the Free Alliance from across the strait.”

The Isaac cavalryman replied.

“Free Alliance? Them again? Those faithless scoundrels! Truly a bunch of uncivilized fools!”

Marquis Vladimir cursed.

He then bowed apologetically to Sebastian.

“Apologies, Sir Sebastian, it’s just a bunch of uncivilized savages in the North. I’ll have them driven away immediately!”

With that, he dismounted and walked forward.

Free Alliance?

Sebastian was intrigued.

He pondered for a moment and also dismounted.