Chapter 251: You Are Arrogant

Excomunication meant that this land had been abandoned by the Lord.

But Landon knew—he felt the Lord’s mercy. That knight must have been guided by the Lord. The Lord had let him live, which proved that this land had not been abandoned!

“It must be someone falsely claiming the Lord’s name! It must be them who brought down this damnation upon this place!” Landon shouted hoarsely.

The woman’s body trembled even more violently as she knelt on the ground. She felt that the man before her had gone mad—so mad that his madness itself brought a terror that made her shiver.

“It was I who proclaimed it, and gave this land its damnation.”

The voice still carried traces of youth, yet it was steady.

The woman nearly screamed in fright.

She lowered her head deeply, not daring to look at what should not be seen.

“It… it’s you?!” Landon turned his head with difficulty, staring at Agamemnon who had appeared in the shadows.

“Why would you do this? This land still holds goodness! It should not be damned! It must not be damned!” Landon forced the words out with effort.

Agamemnon had been the one to guide him in studying the Sacred Scriptures, the one who taught him the Church’s classics, the one who had led his faith.

He could not accept that it was Agamemnon who had declared damnation upon this land.

Agamemnon gazed coldly at Landon, his voice flat as he said, “Priest Weir long ago established a church in the Adrian Diocese. He cooperated with Bishop Marl, bringing the Lord’s Gospel there, and formally designated it as a diocese.”

“Priest Jeremiah’s progress in the Doyle Territory was much slower, yet even he, long before, had been welcomed by the lord there and was granted a new village to preach in. That was the lord’s test, and it was also what he had to do in order to spread the Lord’s Teachings and let Doyle Territory embrace the Gospel. Now, he has received the lord’s recognition.”

“Only you, Priest Landon. The land where you serve has refused to accept the Lord’s Teachings. Even now, not a single church has been permitted to be established here.”

Agamemnon stepped forward two paces, standing over Landon who lay on the recliner, forcing him to clearly see the cold indifference in his eyes.

“The Lord does not care that this land refuses the Gospel—that is their choice. The Lord loves all mankind, and He will not force them to believe in Him or heed His Teachings. But they harmed the Lord’s servant and continued to torment him. That is spitting upon the Lord. That is defiling Him.”

“This is what angers the Lord. They not only reject His Gospel—they spit upon Him, blaspheme Him, and even collude with dark creatures, letting sin spread upon this land, and even forcing its consequences upon others.”

“That is why the Lord has brought damnation upon this sinful land.”

Landon’s eyes locked onto Agamemnon, his pupils trembling. With all his strength he roared, “No! The Lord has not abandoned this land! I can see—there is still goodness here! The people of this land still long to hear the Lord’s Teachings!”

“I agree that this land harbors sin. As for the torment I suffered, it was not because they spat upon the Lord. It was because this land thirsted for goodness, and so I suffered in my struggle against sin. The pain I endured was not their cruelty, but the wails of sin being driven away!”

“Look at me! If this land had truly been forsaken by the Lord, then how could I, who have struggled against sin for so long here, still be alive? It is because the Lord affirms what I have done. What I do is right!”

“Agamemnon! You are wrong! You twist the Lord’s will! You are doomed to be abandoned by Him!”

Landon’s roar was chilling. The woman’s mind was shaken again and again. She felt dizzy, almost nauseous.

Agamemnon remained cold, his voice still flat. “Look at this child you spoke of. After the Lord’s damnation descended, he could not even approach the Lord’s servant. That proves his guilt.”

Landon struggled, shouting, “He is a lost lamb! He is a confused soul! He has never heard the Lord’s Teachings! How can you say he is not good? How can you say he is guilty!”

“Before this, the Lord’s Gospel had not yet descended upon this land. And as His servant, it was my duty to bring the Gospel here. Now, before it has even been proclaimed in their hearts, how can you claim they are rejecting it?”

“Agamemnon, you have committed the Sin of Arrogance! You never set foot across this land with your own feet! You never sang the Gospel of the Lord to each person here! You never touched each person’s soul! You didn’t even ask me, the priest who walked this land and fought against its sins! You judged only from the Clock Tower, looking at whether the reports were real or false, and then rashly brought damnation down upon this land!”

“You are the guilty one, Agamemnon.”

Landon’s voice sounded twisted. The woman felt as if her consciousness were being swept away by surging tides, drowning her in the waves.

Suddenly, she felt a hand gently touch her head, as though her fading mind was being pulled out from the current.

She gasped for breath, then looked up. She saw a young man with a gentle expression, his hand resting on her head.

She watched him rise again, speaking softly to the crazed Priest Landon, “You have preached here for two years, yet the people treat you like this. Their sins have not lessened. They are even gathering an army to slaughter the Lord’s believers and servants. Does this not prove that they are beyond redemption?”

The woman suddenly wanted to weep. At last, she saw someone normal.

But in Landon’s eyes, Agamemnon was hateful beyond measure. His gaze was as cold as those nobles who cared nothing for human lives, as cold as that fat priest he had once seen in a village of the Theocracy.

Landon roared, “That is because you have already declared damnation! That is the power the Lord wields to purge sin! Those confused people cannot resist it! They only want to live! They are not guilty! The Lord said that life is precious, and at no time should it be cast aside lightly!”

Agamemnon replied, “That is only what you believe. It is not enough to prove they can still be redeemed.”

Landon declared, “I will prove it. I will prove they are not irredeemable sinners! I will let the Lord’s Gospel resound in every heart!”

Agamemnon said, “This land’s damnation will not be lifted. Viscount Youn has colluded with dark creatures—he must be purified.”

“Yes,” Landon said, “Viscount Youn has colluded with dark creatures. He is this land’s original sin. He must be purified. But the people here are not sinful—they are only oppressed by him! Just as Priest Nyx once said, they are mere common folk, forced to take up arms by the greed of those who committed great sins. They deserve mercy. Only by purging the guilty can ordinary people return to ordinary lives.”

“And how will you prove this?” Agamemnon asked.

“I will prove it!” Landon said firmly. “I will prove it without fail! I will touch each soul with my steps. I will bear their sins upon my body. I will let the Lord’s Gospel resound in hearts darkened by sin.”

Agamemnon said, “The Lord’s warriors will slay Viscount Youn, removing this land’s greatest evil. Time too is the Lord’s might—it will bring silence to all sinners in this land. They shall fall into Hell, never seeing the Heavenly Kingdom.”

“I will help them shed their sins,” Landon answered, “so that they may return to the Lord’s Heavenly Kingdom after death.”

Agamemnon said, “This land of damnation shall become your diocese. Ninety-nine years—one century. Until the next century comes, no priest will be sent here. You shall be the bishop of this diocese. In this century, you must prove to the Lord that this land can yet receive His Gospel.”

“I will prove it. I will!” Landon repeated again and again.

His voice grew faint. Then he sank into slumber.

Only then did Agamemnon turn to the woman, his voice gentle. “I’m sorry to have frightened you.”

The woman was at a loss.

Agamemnon comforted her. “Do not be afraid. Priest Landon is only in too much pain. He has come to save you.”

The woman stammered, “But Bill… and in this state…”

“Do not worry,” Agamemnon said. “When Priest Landon awakens, he will help your Bill walk out of his dream.”

The woman looked at Agamemnon’s gentle face and thought that this young man was far more trustworthy than the raving Landon. So she said, “Alright then, this… priest?”

Seeing that Agamemnon did not correct her, she continued, “This priest, what should I do? Belendir said I must obey his every order. But in this state, I don’t even know how to obey.”

Agamemnon said, “Be at ease. You are not to be his slave. Simply care for him—when he hungers, feed him; when he grows weary, cover him with cloth. That is enough.”

The woman hesitated, then pleaded, “Can you not save me and my child?”

Agamemnon shook his head. “That is not my mission. Even your child’s slumber is my doing. To you, to your child, and to all who live on this land—I am not a good man.”

Fear stirred in the woman’s heart.

But she trusted Agamemnon, and so she believed his words were truth.

“That is why,” Agamemnon said, “you must care for him. He is the one who can save you.”

Only then did the woman nod hesitantly.

Agamemnon turned his gaze to the shadows, where Oscar stood.

Oscar stepped forth, placing a chest before the woman.

Agamemnon opened it. Inside lay two sets of red bishop’s robes, a silver cross, and all the Church’s classics as they now stood.

“When he awakens,” Agamemnon said, “give this chest to him.”

The woman nodded. “Yes, I will obey.”

“You still have some time,” Agamemnon continued. “Before dusk, you may go outside to gather food. For the next two days, do not leave this place. Do not approach the lord’s fortress. Before he awakens, do not come within three steps of him.”

The woman hesitated, glancing at her Bill.

Agamemnon went over, lifted the five-year-old child, and placed him gently into her arms.

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