Mars' Unfinished Tale

Inside the tent, Du Chen listened as Mars recounted the tales of Bovin, the Divination God. The information Mars shared, sourced from the Enforcement Temple, naturally mirrored exactly what Bairu had spoken of. Yet, fueled by copious amounts of alcohol, Mars became animated, spewing forth a torrent of “Bloody hell, that old geezer!” and other coarse expletives that Du Chen found exceptionally refreshing and vivid. Ever since his transmigration into a noble, both he and his companions had adopted a refined manner of speaking, always addressing each other with “Your Grace” or “My Lady.” This stark contrast profoundly moved Du Chen, who had spent over two decades as a thieving vagrant.

‘I’ve dreamt of pointing at some goddamn street sign and cursing your mother, you old bastard!’

But as the ‘Glory of Saint John City,’ the ‘Light of Newin,’ Earl Lanning, and Lord of Durks, he absolutely could not utter a single vulgar word! Even if he desired to, he’d have to embellish it with ‘noble’ rhetoric, much like how he'd cursed the Dragon Clan today!

So, after hearing the story, Du Chen, in a most noble fashion, complained, “Damn it all, to think Bovin was a legendary Eminence twenty years ago! He’s thoroughly duped me these past two years, it’s truly disheartening! Why did no one ever tell me?”

Mars embraced his wine jar, clinked it against Aliza’s, and guffawed, “Back then, that old geezer Bovin was being chased so hard his pants split at the crotch! If he hadn't worn underwear, he’d have been running around with his private parts exposed! There was no choice; after entering Battle God Academy, he transformed, becoming an absolutely disheveled, slovenly old drunkard! Though Zigurd now protects him, he still has to walk on eggshells. If he or his friends dared tell you anything, well, that would be truly demonic!”

Du Chen nodded, chuckling softly. “Yet, that implies Bovin wields no small influence. At the very least, he commanded seventeen High-level Battle Gods who followed him into Battle God Academy back then! By the way, what are they all doing now?”

Mars rolled his eyes. “Bovin chased them away! That old geezer said, ‘I, your senior, am suffering in seclusion, but you are all High-level Battle Gods in your prime with limitless futures; why should you suffer with me? Scram!’” Mars made a ‘get lost’ gesture, then chuckled. “But later, His Majesty told me it was just that old geezer Bovin’s cunning ploy!”

Du Chen smiled. “Indeed, Bovin is cunning! Those seventeen Battle Gods are fiercely loyal to him. Even if not by his side, they would still willingly heed his call. By driving them away, Bovin was actually allowing them to develop independently, so that when he needs them in the future, a single letter could rally seventeen formidable forces! A man with such hidden power truly has few who dare or can oppose him!”

“Who’s to say it isn’t so? Those seventeen include mercenaries, merchants, officials… and one fellow even carved out thousands of miles of land in Yakun and established a small nation!” Mars snorted. “You clever folk, always thinking of these schemes all day long, aren’t you exhausted!?”

“Drink, drink!” Aliza shouted from the side.

Little Beibei also joined the clamor. “Drinking isn’t good, it harms the body… Uncle Mars, why don’t you tell Beibei a story instead!”

Mars patted his head, grinning from ear to ear. In the past, people in the Papal Curia were either treacherous and cunning, speaking with layers of hidden meaning, or they’d bow and scrape before him, respectful to the point of holding their breath! Where could he find such a wonderful ‘audience’? In the past, this old man was utterly stifled!

“Alright, a story then! Hmm… oh right, today that old geezer Thorog mentioned Charlemagne, so I’ll tell you about Charlemagne… and his thirteen wives! Once upon a time…”

But just then, the Pontiff’s decree interrupted Mars’s story. Upon hearing its contents, Mars sprang up. “Hurry! If we’re not there in a quarter of an hour, the Pontiff is truly capable of murder! Bloody hell, a time-limit edict has been issued, which can only mean something major is brewing!”

Du Chen, too, sensed an impending storm from the Pontiff’s extremely stern decree, feeling a palpable pressure.

Eye of Heaven Temple!

Upon entering, the pressure in Du Chen’s heart intensified. The temple had expanded to about a hundred meters in each direction, scarlet carpets covering the floor, golden domes glowing with ornate glaze. In the center, the Pontiff no longer sat on his traveling recliner, but on a golden throne! Zigurd sat beside the Pontiff, occupying a silver chair slightly smaller than the Pontiff’s throne. Everyone else stood in silent attendance, eyes fixed straight ahead, but each had a dark-golden circular cushion at their feet.

When Du Chen arrived, two strangers were already present in the temple. Mars, after Du Chen’s whispered inquiry, pointed to the third dark-golden circular cushion on the Pontiff’s right side, then quietly made his way to the second position on the left side.

‘Is this my status within the Papal Curia?’ Du Chen covertly surveyed the assembled individuals, taking advantage of the fact that not everyone had arrived yet.

Outwardly, the Papal Curia’s structure was composed of three major systems. The first system comprised the common churches and clergy, most familiar to the populace. Ostensibly responsible for proselytizing and educating believers, they secretly monitored and manipulated the affairs of the Three Continents, engaging in the work of politicians! This system was overseen by the Four Godfathers, three of whom operated externally, managing the three major dioceses. Du Chen’s old friend, Godfather Ferdinand of Saint John City, was one of them! However, the Azure Heaven Continent was unique; its Godfather could not openly proselytize, only secretly fulfilling liaison officer and spy-like duties, holding the least authority among all Godfathers.

The last of the four civilian Godfathers resided in the Papal Curia’s Holy Mountain Temple, assisting the Pontiff with internal affairs and matters outside the continental power structures. This position was currently held by Bairu!

The second system, in Du Chen’s words, consisted of ‘enforcers,’ primarily three great temples: the Enforcement Temple, the Guardian Temple, and the Battle God Temple! Their names clearly indicated their respective duties, and Mars was the head of the Enforcement Temple, on par with a Godfather-level authority.

The third system was the Shadow Temple, where Du Chen currently stood. It housed the Holy Church's Inquisition, the Shadow Temple Inspection Group, the Code Revision Committee, and many other subordinate organizations, making it the most chaotic system within the Papal Curia! The head of the Shadow Temple, known as the Shadow Godfather, was the Pontiff’s right-hand man, whose identity was extremely mysterious and who rarely made public appearances. Below the Shadow Godfather was the Shadow Temple’s Number Two – the Deacon Godfather, which was Du Chen!

These three systems and nine Godfathers collectively supported the outward structure of the Papal Curia. But behind the scenes, who knew if the Pontiff held some hidden, super-secret Shadow Temple trump card…

Du Chen mentally calculated. The civilian Godfathers stood on the Pontiff’s right. The three external Godfathers were not in the Eye of Heaven Forest. That made him, standing by the third cushion, likely the Godfather with the lowest rank, even below Bairu.

Soon, all Godfathers present in the Eye of Heaven Forest, except the Shadow Godfather, had arrived.

The Pontiff’s gaze slowly swept across everyone, finally resting on Zigurd. “My brother, do you have anything to say?” He wasn’t truly seeking Zigurd’s opinion but upholding a custom: before major events, the Head of Battle God Academy had to be consulted, demonstrating the Holy Church's respect for and unity with the Academy.

Zigurd shook his head slightly.

The Pontiff nodded, then spoke, “All sit! I have summoned you all for but one matter – today is September twenty-first, and the Fifth-Battle Pact is set to begin in nine days! Yesterday, the Representatives of the Divine personally reaffirmed their promise to the Dragon God. Tonight, the Holy Church’s chosen champion and a formal challenge will both appear on his desk!”

‘Not for steamed buns, but for pride,’ Du Chen mused. It seemed the Pontiff intended to win the Fifth-Battle Pact, gain sufficient face, and then use Constantine to silence the Dragon God. ‘Regardless,’ he thought, ‘as long as Constantine’s appearance can quell the animosity between the two factions, I stand to profit.’

A hush fell over the temple; no one dared speak first.

The Pontiff continued, “For the Fifth-Battle Pact, the Dragon God himself will make a move. For our Holy Church’s champion in this fifth battle, can you offer the Representatives of the Divine an opinion?”

Mars slammed his fist against his chest. “To hell with the Dragon God! Chief, you should personally go and thrash him!”

The foremost military General, a Battle God of War from the Battle God Temple, a brawny man cloaked in golden armor whose face was obscured, spoke in a deep voice, “Your Majesty, Dragon God Samuel’s Secret Technique is like the man himself: fiercely potent, sharp, and incomparably domineering! I fear, only your Golden Circlet of the Divine can overcome him!”

The third military General, the Guardian Battle God behind Mars, shook his head. His scale-like black armor clattered as he moved – a corpulent, silver-haired elder.

“Hard to say! The Dragon God and Your Majesty have never clashed, so we don’t know his full capabilities! Furthermore, Samuel’s Dragon God’s Scepter is a Level-Ten sacred artifact, no less potent than Your Majesty’s Golden Circlet of the Divine. In this battle, even if Your Majesty personally intervened, we might not be guaranteed an absolute victory! Therefore, my suggestion is, since we have Constantine, perhaps this Fifth-Battle Pact isn't worth fighting at all!”

Mars, hearing this, raged, “Old Fatty, aren’t you just dampening our Chief’s prestige?”

The Guardian Battle God frowned deeply but did not argue with Mars! Arguing with a crude person would only make oneself ‘crude’ as well!

“Enough! Enforcement Battle God! What the Guardian Battle God says is also wise counsel for the state!” The Pontiff’s gaze then fell upon the civilian Godfathers. “What are your opinions?”

Bairu bowed. “Your Majesty, ever since the Dragon God clashed with our Papal Curia half a year ago, four battles have already been fought, with the Holy Church and the Dragon God each winning two. Thus, the significance of this Fifth-Battle Pact is self-evident…”

He began speaking from half a year ago, rambling on, yet in his heart, he was seizing the opportunity to fathom the Pontiff’s thoughts. But was the Pontiff’s mind so easily deciphered?

Bairu needed ample time!

His superfluous words grew increasingly tiresome. Just as everyone began to grow impatient, with Mars even complaining aloud, Bairu suddenly noticed that while he was rambling, the Pontiff’s expressionless eyes had, for the third time, swept over Francis…

He understood! Ha, I, Bairu, understand His Majesty’s intentions!

He abruptly ceased his rambling and declared loudly, “For the Fifth-Battle Pact, our Holy Church absolutely cannot show weakness! Please consider, everyone, if we win this fifth battle, and then use Constantine to prove that the Five-Battle Pact was merely a jest concocted by the Dragon Clan, then the blow to the Dragon Clan this time will be immense!”

“That sounds good to my ears!” Mars mumbled.

Bairu smiled in acknowledgment, then continued, “Now consider, everyone, if in this battle, our Holy Church’s strongest—His Majesty—does not personally intervene, and the Dragon God is defeated… what expression would the dragons on Mount Miglio wear? Heh heh!”

The Battle God of War spoke in a deep voice, “But if His Majesty doesn’t intervene, who else can contend with the Dragon God?!”

Bairu smiled without answering, his gaze falling upon Du Chen!

‘Indeed, besides the Pontiff, who else could contend with the Dragon God?! Damn it…’ A faint, ominous premonition stirred within Du Chen’s heart.