I Pioneered Scientific Magic - Chapter 352 (Patreon)

Chapter 352: All These Trials Are Tests from the Divine!

Due to the limited supply of magic stones, they could only prioritize protecting certain key areas.

For instance, granaries, armories, or the alchemy research institute.

Under Dennis's explanation, Lynn could only regretfully abandon this marvelous idea and continued to inquire, somewhat disappointed, "Have there been any recent disturbances among the faithful in the capital and the nobles under house arrest?"

Compared to external threats, Lynn was more concerned about internal chaos within the capital. If there were chaos both inside and out, it would indeed be troublesome.

"We've been monitoring those nobles, and the citizens within the capital have been relatively peaceful. Apart from the training squad catching a few commoners gathering for prayers, the rest have shown no signs of unusual behavior."

Raydell responded, currently responsible for patrolling and defending the capital.

However, this duty wasn't easy since they hadn't occupied the capital for long, and the resistance among some of the faithful was still high.

As the royal family was still present, they couldn't win the commoners' approval by bestowing land or punishing the corrupt nobles.

The fortunate aspect was during the capture of the capital, the Archbishop had helped them apprehend the fervent radicals who were now undergoing rehabilitation in the mines.

The remaining were regular faithful. While they believed in the pseudo-god, "Ella," they weren't fanatical to the extent of sacrificing their lives.

"I don't think ideologies change overnight," Lynn nodded, having a general estimate of the situation within the capital. After considering for a moment, Lynn suggested, "You could start by highlighting discrepancies in the scriptures, picking out easily disprovable elements, conducting intriguing experiments. The more attention-grabbing, the better. It might be best to impart this knowledge to children first; they tend to be more receptive, gradually influencing the adults."

Upon hearing this, Raydell's eyes lit up, promptly rushing off to make arrangements.

Disregarding Raydell's hurried demeanor, Lynn picked up a nearby map, contemplating whether there were any oversights in the capital's defenses.

"I believe your arrangements are already quite comprehensive!" Raphael shook his head in slight dismay. To him, Lynn was being excessively cautious.

Having seen the capital's defense plans, it was practically fortified at every turn, with numerous emergency measures in place, ensuring that if any area were to riot, over a thousand riflemen and at least fifty wizards would arrive within a minute to suppress the rebellion.

"While these measures might suffice against civilian uprisings, they would fall short if the Holy Church's punitive forces suddenly appeared within the city. These defenses won't be enough, and the losses would be immeasurable," Lynn expressed concern.

"But didn't you inquire about this with King Hatar before? There were no hidden passages left when the capital was being designed or renovated," Raphael hesitantly replied.

"What if they dig a tunnel directly here?" Lynn countered.

"How's that possible?" Raphael rolled his eyes. The headquarters of the Holy Church's punitive forces were at least ten kilometers away from here! Even if they dug without considering costs, it would take ten days or even half a month. By then, their new weaponry would be developed, enabling a counteroffensive.

However, Lynn disagreed. Having witnessed the dimensional gates within the magic stone mines, Lynn suspected that these clergy might possess similar divine techniques.

The recent frequent visits and probing by the griffin knights, even at the risk of being attacked, likely held a deeper purpose.

Lynn rubbed their chin, lamenting the acute senses of these griffins. The production of laser emitters wasn't complete yet; otherwise, Lynn could have sent airships to intercept their supply routes.

Even the most powerful individuals needed to eat. While these great wizards could endure hunger for a few days, prolonged deprivation would eventually affect them.

Hmm... perhaps that pseudo-god, "Ella," was an exception.

Just as Lynn pondered whether gods needed to eat, an apprentice knocked and entered respectfully, saying, "Dean, Lord Anthony and several alchemical masters from the Institute are looking for you."

"How fortunate. It seems our new weapons have been completed!" Lynn's furrowed brow finally relaxed.

"I've been itching to confront those punitive forces of the Church!" Raphael also expressed joy. They had been confined within the city, passively enduring attacks, and their frustration was ready to explode.

...

A day passed in the blink of an eye. The impoverished citizens of the capital gradually adapted to wartime life, still witnessing squads of griffin knights soaring through the skies.

The shadow of the rain of fire that had descended five days ago still loomed over everyone's minds. However, life continued, even amidst the war. They couldn't pause their livelihoods, even in the midst of conflict.

Lahm, an utterly ordinary pauper within the capital, used to attend the church every week before those damned wizards occupied the capital. At this very time each week, he would listen to the priests' teachings, repent for his sins, and put whatever meager savings he had, apart from sustenance, into the church's offering box.

According to the clergy, the sound of the copper coins hitting the box signified the purification of one's soul!

Lahm firmly believed this. Being poor, wifeless, and childless, his sole hope lay in ascending to the divine kingdom after death, to enjoy endless joy and pleasure.

There, there would be endless steaks to eat, inexhaustible wine to drink, and beautiful elves serving his every need...

Everything he yearned for was within the divine kingdom!

Lahm had always considered his faith unshakable until two months ago, when those heretical devotees breached the capital, bringing chaos and slaughter. That was when he heard a calling from the divine.

However, Lahm hesitated, fearing the malevolent wizards' henchmen outside. If he dared to venture out, he would surely be captured and sacrificed to those malevolent gods, dooming his soul to an endless abyss.

Later, he heard that the divine embodiment had descended upon the capital but was dispersed by several radiant lights!

Lahm was both perplexed and frightened. God was great, eternal, all-knowing, and all-powerful. Even if it were just an embodiment, it couldn't possibly be defeated by a group of heretical devotees.

It had to be a falsehood, an illusion conjured by those strange wizards, a blasphemy against the divine!

At the moment of Lahm's wavering thoughts, an Archbishop suddenly appeared in his home, addressing the confusion and perplexity in his mind.

Everything he had experienced was a trial from the divine. It was because the nobles and citizens of the Kingdom of Hadralata had faltered in their faith in the divine that such calamities had occurred...

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