Chapter 768: Shaken

The various streams of light receded like the tide, and in the splendid rotunda, the figures of the archbishops disappeared into the air.

Daniel, who had attended the meeting of the Supreme Council of Bishops, also stood up and bowed slightly to greet Selina Gerfen, who was still staying in place: "Then, I will check the stability of pan-consciousness first. The situation of the barrier, Archbishop Selina."

"Thank you, Archbishop Daniel," Selina nodded slightly, "Your security team is very important to us now."

After a flash of light, Daniel also left the hall. In the huge indoor space, only Selena Gerfen, who was standing quietly, and a ball floating above the round table, mixed with dark purple background and A silvery-white light spot with an aggregation of starlight whose surrounding contours fluctuate.

After a long silence, a long sigh suddenly came from the starlight aggregate: "Selena, today's situation reminds me of seven hundred years ago."

"The Druids have failed, the children of the deep sea The people have been lost in the deep sea, and the road we adhere to seems to be facing an impasse." Pope Megall III's voice sounded quietly, "Perhaps in the end we will have to completely abandon the entire spiritual network, and even pay hundreds of dollars for it. Thousands of compatriots lost their lives... But compared to these losses, what I regret most is that our efforts for the past seven hundred years seem to..."

"His Majesty the Pope, it is too early to say these things now. "Good morning," Selina suddenly interrupted Megall III, "We haven't had to make a decision yet, and the things in Sandbox No. 1... are still being held tightly by us at least for now."

"But it is already consciously trying to escape. It has realized where the boundaries of the cage are, and then it will seek to break through the boundaries at all costs. If it escapes from Sandbox No. 1, it can enter The spiritual network, and with the help of the spiritual network, it can dominate reality through those compatriots living in the real world. By then, I am afraid we will really call it 'him'."

Selena was silent, but in her mind she recalled her experience in Phantom Town, and the "extra person" who almost returned to the Dream City with the exploration team.

Although Phantom Town is just an "overflow projection" and not the body of Sandbox No. 1, at a time when the pollution has gradually spread, if the things in the projection want to enter the spiritual network, they themselves are Sandbox No. 1. The "thing" in the box is one of its attempts to break out of its cage.

She couldn't help but clenched her fists with some force, and couldn't help but think of the darkest and desperate days seven hundred years ago.

The pollution from the gods took away the minds of thousands of people. The most determined priests and believers also fell into madness overnight. The "Lord" who was once deeply revered became an indescribable one. The monster, the church inhabited by it, is torn apart, and the compatriots are lost and fallen in the madness...

Those who stay awakeOrder was reestablished at an unimaginable price, and it took hundreds of years for the remaining compatriots to recover step by step. Just because of that slim hope, even close to self-deception, these people who walked on the border between sanity and madness The survivors made paranoid plans and got to where they are today.

Then, all roads were cut off in just two or three years. Seven hundred years of persistence and the faint hope were finally proved to be nothing more than the blind and arrogant delusions of mortals.

All efforts are just paving the way for God.

But... is the matter of "trying to survive" really just a delusion?

Selena raised her head, looked at the slowly squirming mass of starlight in mid-air, and said calmly: "Maybe we are on the wrong path, but that doesn't mean the right path is. It doesn't exist. In the final analysis, we have only tried three paths."

The voice of Megall III came: "What you said... reminds me of Franken and the Body of the False God. The last message he sent to me before the fusion."

"His Excellency the Grand Priest..." Selina blinked, "What did he say?"

" He said, 'There are many roads, I will try one of them, and if it doesn't work, don't give up.'" Megall III's voice was calm and indifferent, but Selina heard a hint of emotion in it, "Now I think I think he might have been vaguely aware of the hidden dangers in our three roads at that time, but it was too late for him to remind us, and it was difficult for us to try other directions."

"The druids tried to create. As a human 'controlled god', we try to cut off the chains from the depths of the soul, and the people of the sea try to upgrade the elements and merge with the remains of the Storm Lord..." Selena recounted one by one, "Now it seems that we may have been too arrogant when we first discussed these three paths."

Megor III was silent for a long time before he said: "Anyway, since the chains have been cut off, This road was chosen and opened by us, so we must face everything about it, including being prepared to bury this road. This is... the responsibility of the pioneers."

"Yes, As you said."

"Rest, I have to think about the future of the Order."

Selena lowered her head, and in her perception, Megao. Er III's consciousness gradually moved away from this place.

She maintained this posture for a long time, and it was not until a few minutes later that her voice sounded softly in the empty conference hall: "...a pioneer..."

After the meeting, Hetty did not communicate with anyone and returned to her office in the Government Affairs Department alone.

The entire third floor of the Government Affairs Office is very quiet. On the rest day of October, most non-urgent matters will be left to next week. The office of the Grand Archon will also be rare and quiet. .

The heater made a slight buzzing sound, and warm air flowed from the corner of the room.The wind blows from the ventilation ducts, and the magic crystal lamp on the roof has been lit. The bright light has dispelled the gloom at dusk outside the window. Through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, you can see that the lights on both sides of the street opposite the square have been lit up. Enjoy Citizens who have finished their leisure time on their holidays are returning home under the lights, or going to pubs, cafes, and chess and card rooms in the streets to gather.

Looking at the citizens coming and going, looking at the imperial capital far away from the darkness in the artificial lights, Hetty suddenly thought of the words she heard during the previous meeting——

Gods did not create humans, humans created gods.

"Is the same thing true for the goddess of magic..."

Hetty couldn't help but mutter to herself, and gently drew the shapes of wind, water, fire and earth in the air with her fingers. Four basic runes, then she shook hands into a fist, put her fist against her forehead, and softly recited the honorable name of the goddess of magic Myrmina.

This is the standard procedure for mages who believe in the goddess of magic to perform simple prayers.

As a somewhat special deity, the goddess of magic Myrmina does not have a formal church or priest system. Mages who possess extraordinary power and lack awe of gods regard the goddess of magic more as a goddess. Worship as a kind of psychological sustenance or an "origin of knowledge" worthy of awe, but this does not mean that the "divineness" of the goddess of magic has been shaken or weakened in this world.

God is real. Even the mages who are keen to explore the truth of the world and believe that knowledge and wisdom can explain the operation of all things recognize this, so they undoubtedly believe that the goddess of magic is A true god.

It’s just that compared to the feelings of other believers towards the gods they believe in, their feelings for this god may appear more “sane” and “peaceful”.

The mages are all casual believers of the goddess of magic Myrmina, but it is almost never heard that there are fanatical believers of the goddess of magic among mages.

And Hetty... can be regarded as one of the more pious mages who believe in the goddess of magic.

This point has not changed even if she knows about the disobedient plan, even if she participates in and promotes many "theocratic secularization" projects of her ancestors.

Because in her concept, these things do not damage the light of the goddess of magic herself - the gods have always existed, since ancient times, and have existed forever, they are like the stars in the sky It is as natural as ever and does not change due to the actions of mortals. Regardless of "secularization of divine authority" or "imposed divine authority", they are just correcting the wrong behavior of mortals in the process of belief, even if the means are more drastic, the "disobedience plan" , and more like an attempt by mortals to get rid of the influence of gods and find their own path.

It is all the business of mortals and has nothing to do with God - this may be the way of thinking of most mages.

However, what she heard at the meeting today shook the foundation of the gods.

The result of praying to the goddess of magic is as always, Hetty can feel itI felt that there was a mysterious and inexplicable power surging in a very distant dimension, but I couldn't hear any instructions from Myrmena, nor could I feel the arrival of divine magic.

Myrmena is the only god who almost never sends down oracles, and never even displays miracles and magic. If prayers to her could not get the most basic feedback, the mages would probably Not even sure that this god still exists.

"Goddess...you should be able to hear it, right?" During the brief calm after receiving feedback after praying, Hetty whispered as if talking to herself, "Maybe you didn't. Time responds to every voice, but you should also be able to hear it...

"Are you really created by the collective thoughts of mortals... Are you an existence like the stars, or are you a mere mortal? Collective hallucination..."

Myrmena, the goddess of magic, did not respond. Only the indescribable feeling of transcendence, holiness, and tranquility was still floating in Hetty's heart, but soon, this feeling of prayer caused The calm feeling caused by the feedback suddenly disappeared.

Hetty heard a knock on the door from behind: "Hetty, didn't I disturb you? "

Heti quickly turned around and saw Gawain standing at the door. She hurriedly saluted: "Ancestor - do you have anything to do with me? "

"It's nothing, I just saw that your door was open and there was a light inside, so I came over to take a look." Gawain walked into Hetty's office and glanced at the latter casually, "I just saw that It seems like you are praying? "

"I..." Hetty opened her mouth, but after a slight hesitation she nodded slightly, "I am praying to the goddess of magic Myrmina. "

"Ah, I remember you are a believer of Myrmena," Gawain said without surprise, "Looking at you, you feel a little uneasy, right? "

"Worrying you," Hetty lowered her head, "Actually, I'm fine. "

"Unfortunately, I am not a believer in any god. It is difficult to empathize with you at this time." Gawain gently patted Hetty on the shoulder, "But I know that the people who have accompanied me for decades It would be uncomfortable for anyone to have their notions of the year suddenly challenged. "

Hetty looked at Gawain and suddenly asked boldly: "In your time, how many people did not believe in any god like you? ”

“…More than you imagine,” Gawain said slowly after a moment of silence, “but people who do not believe in gods are not necessarily people who have no faith. "

Hetty tilted her head slightly, thinking and feeling a little: "Many of what you say are always full of philosophy. "

"Sometimes it's just the experience summarized by predecessors," Gawain smiled and shook his head, then looked into Hetty's eyes, "Can you come out on your own? ”

“Yes. "

"That's good, but if you really encounter difficulties or are confused, you can come to me at any time - we are family. "

Hetty looked at Gawain and suddenly laughed: "Of course,Ancestors. "

"Today is a rest day, go back early," Gao Wen hummed, looked at the sky outside again, and said with a smile, "On the last day of this year, don't work overtime in the Government Affairs Office Yes, I will give you an extra day off tomorrow to have a good rest - I will help you arrange things here. "

This time, Hetty's smile was especially heartfelt: "Yes, ancestor! ”

The two left the room. In the huge office, the light of the magic crystal lamp went out silently. As darkness surged up, the light from the street lights from the square and streets outside also dimly shone into the room. , all the furnishings in the office were outlined vaguely.

In the silence, a little light suddenly appeared.

Heti once outlined four basic runes and magic. Where the goddess had prayed, a translucent glow suddenly condensed and lasted for a few seconds before breaking silently. Bits of broken light flew through the room like fireflies, and were gradually set up throughout the room. The printing machine, Magic Network unit, and Magic Network terminal are absorbed, and no trace remains.