Early June, Year 1073 of the Eternal Era.
It was five months after the Eternal Church launched the Great Holy War against the Life Church.
As the war continued, the decline of the aristocratic coalition army in the human countries became more and more obvious. The Life Church had launched counterattacks on various battlefields.
From the Desert of Death to the Elven Forest, from the Maple Moon Free Territory to the Southern Dao Chaser Alliance, news of the allied noble army's defeat kept pouring back to the human kingdoms like raindrops. More and more of these reports were becoming more and more exaggerated, causing the human nobles to panic even more.
At the same time, in the human countries, especially in the Holy Mania Empire where the Life Church had the most control, the preaching activities of the Life Church, which had been successfully suppressed by the Eternal Church, were once again carried out in full swing with the reversal of the war situation …
A very subtle atmosphere began to spread throughout the human countries in the Holy Mania Empire.
When it was the middle of June, another major news occurred in the Holy Mania Empire.
Empress Maria II, who had been bedridden since the incident of the God of Dusk and Sunset, finally woke up for a moment after being in a coma for nearly two years.
However, not long after waking up, the 84-year-old Empress learned about the Great Holy War and the aristocratic coalition army's defeat again and again. She was so angry that she fainted again.
This time, the Empress's condition deteriorated sharply and she never woke up again.
The news of the Empress's critical illness quickly spread throughout the center of the empire. The entire human empire's upper echelons fell into chaos again.
Especially after the Eternal Church's Cardinal, who was good at healing theurgy, was invited to the Empress's sickbed by the central aristocrats. After performing the healing theurgy, he could only shake his head helplessly. The atmosphere of the entire Empire's cabinet and parliament became even more subtle.
Everyone realized that the Empress, who had ruled the empire for seventy years, had finally reached the end of her life and could die at any time.
The Holy Mania Empire was about to change.
The external war was lost, and the internal political situation was unstable.
This made the Holy Mania Empire's parliament even more chaotic.
Especially after the news of the Empress's critical illness spread, the aristocrats with their own thoughts quarreled even more fiercely in the parliament.
Regarding the candidate for the next Empress, the situation of the Great Holy War, and their own interests … The aristocrats quarreled fiercely.
The Empress was like a stabilizing force.
Even if the queen had been seriously ill for the past two years, the entire Holy Mania Empire could still function normally under the prestige that Maria II had accumulated over the past seventy years.
However, when the Empress was critically ill, when everyone could feel the unstable atmosphere of the upper echelons of the Empire that could change at any time, the nobles would subconsciously start to plan for the future, start to group together, and start to take sides …
At the same time, there were also ambitious people who were ready to make trouble in the dark.
However, it was like a coin that always had two sides.
Perhaps it was because the repeated defeats in the Great Holy War had severely frustrated the nobles of the Empire, especially those who had the strength to fight for the throne. The entire Empire's parliament had no objections to the Terence Family inheriting the throne.
However, the nobles began to argue intensely about whether to support Princess Theresa, the rightful successor of Maria II, as the new emperor, or to choose a more experienced adult member of the royal family from the Terence Family to become the emperor.
Among them, the greater nobles were more inclined to support the young princess as the emperor, while the smaller nobles hoped to choose a member of the royal family who could turn the tide.
The two sides quarreled fiercely in the Empire's parliament, as if they had long forgotten that although the Empress was critically ill, she was still alive, and she was still the ruler of the Empire …
"The throne must and can only be inherited by Princess Theresa! According to the Imperial Edict of His Majesty Karl I, Princess Theresa is the first successor of the Empire! She will be our future emperor! "
In the Empire's parliament, the Kurfürst cum speaker, Duke Collens, who had retreated from the battlefield overnight after hearing the news that the Empress was seriously ill, said resolutely.
"Princess Theresa is too young. Although according to the Imperial Edict of the Imperial Edict, she is indeed the first successor of the Empire, the entire Empire is in trouble both internally and externally. This is not something a girl less than fifteen years old can handle."
"What we need is a more mature and powerful emperor! According to the Imperial Elector Law, we have the right to choose a more suitable candidate from the Terence Family! "
On the other side of the parliament, Marquis Weimar, the representative of the smaller nobles, shook his head and said.
"Marquis Weimar! Princess Theresa's succession was confirmed by the Empire's parliament two years ago. Have you forgotten?! "
Duke Collens retorted.
Marquis Weimar also sneered.
"Marquis Weimar, letting an ignorant child inherit the throne, are you trying to control the Empire's parliament together with the other nobles?!"
"How dare you!"
"Shameless!"
The nobles quarreled endlessly in the parliament, and some even fought. The whole place was in chaos.
This made the Regent Bishop Winst, who was sitting on the side and watching the farce coldly, frown, his eyes full of disappointment.
"Enough! Look at the time! You're still quarreling? The Holy War is unfavorable, and the situation is unstable. This is not the time for internal strife! "
Looking at the increasingly chaotic meeting, he finally couldn't help but use his legendary power to stop them on the spot.
The pressure of legendary spread out, and the meeting gradually quieted down. However, when the nobles led by Duke Collens looked at Bishop Winst, their unfriendly eyes soon turned into sneers.
"Unfavorable Holy War? If the Eternal Church didn't announce the Great Holy War at this time and instigate the Empire to send troops to the Southern Territory and the Maple Moon Free Territory, how could things turn out like this today? Also, with the war in such a situation, why haven't the Church's Army of Judges and the Army of Angels taken action? "
"Watch your words! Duke Collens! Are you expressing your dissatisfaction with the Church?! "
On the other side, Archbishop Cahill, who represented the Eternal Church and was one of the three Electors of the Seven Kurfürsten of the Empire, changed his expression and stood up from the seat of the Church.
Next to him, Archbishop Dolan, the last Kurfürst of the Church other than Archbishop Winst, also stood up and looked at Duke Collens gloomily.
"Am I wrong? This Holy War was started by the Church in the first place. "
Duke Collens snorted coldly.
On the seats of the nobles, except for the former Maple Moon Free Territory, the representatives of the Rosen Family, the Collens Family, and the Boruncia Family, who controlled three of the four secular Kurfürsten, all stood up and expressed their support for Duke Collens.
For a moment, the Parliament of Nobles, which was originally discussing the heir to the throne, became even more chaotic and disorderly.
Archbishop Winst sat on the seat of the Regent.
Looking at the nobles and bishops who were arguing with each other and even cursing and fighting with each other, his eyes were filled with disappointment.
He sighed softly and no longer stopped them. Instead, he stood up gently and left the chaotic meeting place.
After stopping the followers of the pastors and knights, Archbishop Winst came to the outside of the Parliament Building alone.
The June sun shone on the clean streets of the Eternal Holy City of Mania, gilding the platinum buildings on both sides with a layer of holy brilliance.
The faint sound of bells from the distant church could be heard from afar, mixed with the faint singing of the choir.
Looking at the streets that had become more and more deserted since the start of the Great Holy War, and looking at the obvious increase of homeless people in the corners of the streets, Archbishop Winst paused for a moment and sighed softly.
He stepped forward and slowly walked towards the Eternal Church of Mania.
Just like the streets, the front of the Eternal Church was still deserted. It was completely impossible to believe that this was once a place where people came and went. Every day, there was an endless stream of devout believers who came and went to worship the Eternal Church.
Entering the church and passing through the deserted church, Archbishop Winst returned to his prayer room.
Kneeling in front of the sacred Eternal Statue, he stretched out his hand and drew a sun symbol on his chest. He sighed softly and murmured:
"Oh, great and wise Lord …"
"May you protect your people and let them survive this disaster. May you protect your people and let them be reborn from the ashes..."
"Your brilliance will always shine on the earth. Your true name will always be passed down in the world."
Just as Archbishop Winst was praying devoutly, there was a hurried knock on the door of the prayer room.
"Lord Winst! The royal guards are here! They said that His Majesty is awake! His Majesty wants to see you! "
It was the voice of the church's pastor.
Winst's prayer movement paused slightly.
He let out a long sigh, slowly got up, and walked out of the prayer room.
...
When Winst arrived outside the church, the royal guards were already waiting in front of the gate. Also waiting was a luxurious carriage with the royal emblem.
"Lord Bishop!"
Seeing Winst, the knights knelt on one knee and saluted respectfully.
Bishop Winst nodded slightly and stepped into the carriage with the help of a knight.
The church was not far from the palace.
Riding in the carriage, Bishop Winst quickly entered the palace that represented the highest authority of the empire.
Perhaps it was because today was the day of the meeting of the Aristocratic Parliament, the palace was much quieter. Only some maids and palace attendants could be seen coming and going.
When Winst arrived in front of the hall where the Empress was, he still did not see a single noble.
"Lord Bishop, His Majesty is waiting for you inside."
The knight saluted and opened the magnificent door for him.
Bishop Winst nodded and entered the hall.
The hall was deserted. Other than Empress Maria II, who was lying on the sickbed, there was no one else.
The Empress, who had ruled the Holy Mania Empire for seventy years, at this moment, was like a lonely person.
No feudal political entity could tolerate the inaction of the supreme ruler for two years.
Even in the history of the Bluestar Celestial Empire, those emperors who did not attend court for decades still firmly controlled the government while drifting away from the court.
Not to mention, the history of the entire Holy Mania Empire was a history of constant competition between the nobles and the emperor, a history of constant struggle between decentralization and centralization of power.
After two years of intermittent coma and two years of political gap, although the Empress's prestige was still there, she was essentially a mere figurehead by the Aristocratic Parliament.
At this moment, she had been abandoned by the nobles.
Maria II was half lying on the bed, quietly looking at the garden outside the window with her head tilted.
Her hair was messy, and she looked haggard. Her old appearance looked like a withered branch that could break at any time.
She was almost 84 years old.
Looking at the Empire's ruler who was like the setting sun, Bishop Winst felt an inexplicable sadness in his heart.
He was also from the Tres Family.
According to seniority, he should even call the Empress in front of him cousin.
When they were young, the two of them had a good relationship and were once inseparable playmates.
Of course, he had stepped into the Legend Realm and had a lifespan that was far longer than that of ordinary people. Maria II, on the other hand, lacked talent in the path of Transcendence.
Bishop Winst still vaguely remembered the days when he played with Maria II, who was a princess at the time, in the palace when he was young.
Now that he thought about it, perhaps those were the best and most carefree days.
Seventy years was a long time, but also very short.
Bishop Winst witnessed the girl inherit the throne from her father who suddenly died at a young age. At that time, Maria faced the condemnation of the domestic opposition and the covetous eyes of the four secular Kurfürst.
He witnessed the girl's continuous efforts in the unstable political situation and her continuous learning. Before she was sixteen years old, she personally went to war and suppressed the nobles' rebellions one after another, finally stabilizing the situation.
He had also witnessed with his own eyes how the girl had started a new policy after she succeeded the throne. She had injected new vitality into the empire that had shown signs of decline decades ago. She had repaired the Holy Mania Empire that had sailed in the ocean of history for thousands of years and had long been riddled with holes …
However, the power of one person was too insignificant.
Even if this person was an emperor, even if this person was the ruler of an Empire.
She had done her best, but she still could not truly solve the internal conflicts of the Empire.
And at this moment, the once innocent, beautiful, and lovely girl, the witty, smart, decisive, and brave girl, had already reached the twilight years of her life …
Even if she had worked hard all her life, even if she had toiled all her life, what she left to her successor was a country that was even more chaotic and unstable.
Bishop Winst's expression was very complicated, and a trace of guilt flashed in the depths of his eyes.
Hearing the sound of the door being pushed open, Maria II gently turned her head.
Her cloudy eyes looked at Bishop Winst, and a smile appeared on her old face.
Different from the sickly face a few days ago, Maria II seemed to be in a good mood today, and her face was also somewhat rosy.
"Rainer, you're here."
She called out softly.
Rainer was the nickname of Bishop Winst before he entered the Eternal Church and became a monk.
His name used to be Linus von Trez.
Or rather, Prince Trez.
Hearing the name Rainer, which he had not heard for a long time, Bishop Winst's nose turned sour.
He sighed softly and bowed.
"Cardinal Archbishop Winst of the Eternal Church, greets Your Majesty …"
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