"Kramer" continued to speak with a stern expression. Listening to "Kramer's" words, Neveu couldn't help swallowing and then spoke.
"So... now as long as your half initiates the ritual, it will trigger the Earth Wrath Ritual?"
"Yes, after so long, I have reason to believe that those cultists have completely completed their Land Grudge Ceremony and selected a new fuse node. Now it seems that this node should be Arnstel...
"They lured my half body to perform purification in Arnstell. Once the purification begins, the earth resentment ritual will be activated and disaster will befall... So the purification of Arnstell is not feasible!"
"Kramar" said to Neveu with a very determined look. After hearing what "Kramar" said, Neveu was stunned for a moment. It was not until she heard the voice in her heart that she said "yes" again.
"So... the food mixed with corpse fragments that are circulating throughout Frisia is just a trick used by the Dark Coffin? The reason why the Dark Coffin did this is to attract your half body to Frisia to perform the exorcism. These corpse fragments are essentially useless bait, right?"
Under Dorothy's guidance, Neveu asked Kramar this question. Kramar did not respond immediately after hearing Neveu's words. After thinking for a while, he answered again.
"As for this... I'm not really sure. It's possible that it's just a bait... But I can't confirm it completely..."
"Kramer" thought while answering Neveu. After listening, Neveu nodded thoughtfully and continued to ask.
"Then... I have one last question left. What was the 'accident' you encountered when you were cleaning in Steenham?"
Neveu asked Kramar directly, but Kramar did not answer immediately. After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
…
Returning to Friesland, the time goes back to when the Sister of Extinction had just arrived over Arnstel and Amanda and Kramer had their formal meeting.
While the two cardinals of the church were having a fierce negotiation high in the sky, in the dark city above, on the towering roof of the Cathedral of the Soul in the city center, a tense confrontation was also going on. The two parties in the confrontation were Archbishop Sinclair of Frisia and the legendary Saint Sister Vanya.
"Now Lady Amanda has finally arrived in Arnstel. Thanks to you, Sister Vanya, you have won hope for the city's survival from the madman Vanbas.
"Ms. Amanda must be negotiating with Vanbas up there now. If you, Sister Vanya, want to get involved, I can send you up there. After all, one more person means one more piece of persuasion. Even if you can't persuade Vanbas, you can help Ms. Amanda stop him by force."
Facing Vanya in front of her, Sinclair spoke slowly with a normal look, while Vanya, who was not far in front of her, responded indifferently.
"There's no need for that... I believe you can persuade the judge, but the person I want to persuade now is not the judge... but you, Bishop Sinclair."
"Me?" Sinclair couldn't help showing a look of surprise on his face after hearing Vanya's words, and then he shook his head and answered with a smile.
"Heh... I don't know what you can say to me, Sister Vanya... Haven't I been helping you save the people of Arnstell? Is there something about this action that you don't like?"
Sinclair asked Vanya with a smile, and Vanya continued to respond indifferently.
"There are indeed some things you did that I don't like, Bishop Sinclair... If you really wanted to help me save the people of Arnstell, I wouldn't care about these things, but unfortunately... I'm afraid you didn't have this intention from the beginning to the end..."
Vanya said this to Sinclair. After listening to Vanya's speech, Sinclair's face froze and the faint smile that originally appeared on his lips was slowly disappearing.
"What do you want to say? Sister Vanya...did I do anything to displease you?" Sinclair said coldly to Vanya, but at this moment Vanya continued to answer indifferently without changing her expression.
"That's about right... Just like what the Judge said before, food mixed with corpse fragments has been circulating in your jurisdiction for such a long time but you didn't know about it. The cultists were rampantly active under your nose but you didn't care... When it came to the critical moment concerning the survival of the entire city, you didn't do anything instead of trying your best to find a solution... I have a lot of complaints about you..."
Vanya said this, and as she spoke, her tone gradually lengthened, and her voice gradually became heavy and serious. After looking at Sinclair with a hint of coldness in her eyes, she continued to speak.
"Of course, my dissatisfaction with you is based on the premise that you are the Archbishop of the Holy Church. If you had already abandoned the Holy Church and turned to become a lackey of the evil cult... I might still be impressed by your efficiency in serving your master..."
In the cold wind of the night, Vanya, with her skirt fluttering, stared at Sinclair in front of her and said coldly. After hearing Vanya's words, Sinclair paused slightly, then a smile broke out on her lips again, and she spoke again.
"I've always heard that Sister Vanya is different and has miracles... When we first met, I couldn't tell what made you so legendary, but now I can finally get a glimpse... I'm curious, when did you realize there was something wrong with me... Was my performance too exaggerated after Vanbas came?"
Grinning, Sinclair spoke bluntly to Vanya, while Vanya spoke slowly and calmly.
"Maybe... but maybe before that, at some time that you yourself were not aware of... In short, there is no such thing as a perfect disguise in this world. Your disguise is good, but there are still flaws..."
Vanya slowly said to Sinclair, she was right, she... or rather Dorothy, had realized that something was wrong with Sinclair earlier today, before Dorothy noticed Sinclair's abnormality even before "Kramer" reminded her.
At the dinner that Sinclair hosted to welcome Vanya, Vanya had chatted with Sinclair alone for a while. During this time, Sinclair complained that he had a gap with the Tribunal and did not want to report the problem to it. At this time, Vanya, at the instruction of Dorothy, deliberately led the topic and asked Sinclair to report the problem to other powerful investigative agencies outside the Tribunal.
䀴At this time... under Vanya's guidance, Sinclair took the initiative to talk about the Secret Court and the Secret Privy Councilor Atcherie.
The problem is that Atcherie herself had secretly entered the cursed land of Steenham an hour before Vanya led her to this question. At that time, Dorothy confirmed the situation of Atcherie entering Steenham through the spies planted on the Twilight Shadow. As a result, everyone had forgotten the existence of Atcherie. Atcherie was directly forgotten by the world after entering the forgotten land.
䀴In this situation... Sinclair not only remembered Atcherie's existence, but he could even be guided to bring it up on his own initiative, so there was definitely a problem. Vanya's guiding words were deliberately set up by Dorothy. From then on, Dorothy almost understood that Sinclair was not a good person and had begun to be wary of him.
"Bishop Sinclair, you were once a colleague of the Inquisition and a trustworthy judge of the Holy Church. Why did you voluntarily degenerate to the point of becoming a running dog of the cultists today... Can you explain it?"
Facing Sinclair in front of her, Vanya continued to speak bluntly in a stern tone, while Sinclair sneered and continued.
"Van Bass's colleague? Ha... Don't put me and that madman together! There is only madness in his mind! He is full of shit when he disagrees with you! The lives of people in a city are nothing in his eyes! Steenham was destroyed by him! He is a butcher! A devil! Don't compare him with me!"
As he spoke, Sinclair's tone became more and more excited and loud, and finally he even shouted wildly. Vanya could see that her eyes were gradually filled with madness. Looking at Sinclair with crazy eyes, Vanya said in a deep voice.
"Inquisitor Steinham was there to stop the conspiracy of the Coffin of Hell. But you... Bishop Sinclair, you are now helping the Coffin of Hell to complete the ritual, murdering the lives of tens of millions of people in Arnstel and even the entire Friesland. Isn't the severity of your sin much more severe than that of the Inquisitor?"
"You don't understand! Sister Vanya, this is not murder! This is redemption!"
In response to Vanya's words, Sinclair yelled wildly, then she opened her arms, her face distorted as she screamed wildly.
"This is the salvation granted by the great Netherworld King! The form of humans is so fragile... it cannot withstand the tyranny of the Radiance! All the sufferings in the world... only death can bring eternal relief! Unlike the three saints who live at the top of the sky and ignore the sufferings of the living, and have not spoken a word for thousands of years! The King has promised us that he will create a world after death where everyone is equal and there is no disease or difficulty! Get rid of the cycle of fate until eternity! I love the people of Frisia... I am just redeeming them in advance for that future world. The King has promised us a paradise in the Netherworld!"
With unprecedented enthusiasm, Sinclair spoke excitedly to Vanya, and his face began to show obvious distortion.
"As long as the glory reigns in the sky, there will be no end to the arrogance of people like Vanbas who are high above and do not hear the suffering of the masses. I have figured it out and no longer cling to the boring concept of death. My father once said that the tyranny of the sun has cruelly ruled the world for thousands of years, and the poison is still there. It is the root of all disasters and sufferings in the world.
"Sister Vanya... I can see the kindness in your heart. You are not the same kind of person as Vanbas. I admire you very much, so come... Come with me, return to the arms of the Lord of the Underworld, and with me... extinguish the setting sun and completely end the tyranny of the sun!"
Sinclair extended his hand to Vanya in an invitation. At this moment, Vanya looked at Sinclair with a distorted face in front of her and remained silent.
䀴At this moment, Dorothy's voice sounded in Vanya's heart at the right time.
"Last April, referee Kramer discovered the conspiracy of the Dark Coffin in Steenham. In order to prevent the ritual of earthly resentment planned by the Dark Coffin, Kramer immediately decided to kill Steenham.
"At that time, Kramer's decision was strongly opposed by Frisian Archbishop Sinclair. Sinclair could not bear to see the souls of Steenham suffer, so he firmly opposed Kramer's exorcism and quickly set out from Arnstel to Steenham in an effort to save the city.
"Later, when Sinclair arrived at Steenham, Krama's ceremony had already begun, and nearly half of the people of Steenham had been destroyed by the purification. Seeing the people under his rule suffering so much, Sinclair had a mental breakdown and became crazy. He attacked Krama desperately. Krama was ambushed by Sinclair, but because the other party was his former friend, he did not kill him immediately, which caused the purification to be interrupted. When Krama controlled Sinclair and prepared to reopen the purification, the Golden Extraordinary of the Nether Coffin had arrived.
"Afterwards, the Dark Coffin Gold repelled Kramar and captured Sinclair, who had already been accused. They took advantage of Sinclair's mental breakdown and the collapse of his faith to corrupt him intensively, twisting his mind and turning him into a lackey of the Dark Coffin... preparing for the Dark Coffin's continued plan in secret..."
In Vanya's mind, Dorothy recounted the story she had just heard from Kramar's half-soul in the underworld. Sinclair was the "accident" that "Kramar" had referred to before.
After listening to Dorothy's inner narration, Vanya breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Sinclair and said bluntly with a firm gaze.
"Please wake up... Bishop Sinclair, you have been corrupted by the Dark Coffin Cult... What you just said is definitely not your own will! Please wake up!"
"Awake? Haha... I'm very awake now. I've never been more awake than now..." Facing Vanya's persuasion, Sinclair sneered, then opened his arms and continued to speak loudly.
"It is you who needs to wake up! Sister Vanya! But I am afraid it is difficult to wake you up with words, so let me use some other means!"
As he spoke, a faint glow began to appear around Sinclair, and a dangerous spiritual reaction appeared. Vanya could see that the other party was about to take action.
Just as Vanya and Sinclair were ready to fight, suddenly a dazzling light burst out above them, dispelling and illuminating the large area of darkness on the ground.
Along with the dazzling light, there was a violent roar and a powerful spiritual reaction from the sky. Under the shining light from the sky, Sinclair on the ground couldn't help but laugh and say loudly after feeling the spiritual reaction.
"A fight has started! Sure enough... the Rescue Center and Vanbas have started a fight! Surely the Rescue Center will use force to stop Vanbas in the end!"
Feeling the spiritual reaction in the sky, Vanya paused slightly, and then continued to speak to Sinclair.
"It looks like Her Excellency Amanda has taken action... As long as she is here, the Judgment Center will not be able to execute the purification of Arnstell. Without Arnstell's purification as a trigger, the resentment bombs you sealed underground will not explode, and the Earth Resentment Ritual will not begin... You have made a plan..."
Seeing Sinclair in front of her, Vanya said bluntly, but Sinclair responded with a sneer without changing his expression.
"You also know about the Earth Grudge Ceremony? You know a lot... If it is just as the intelligence says, you have an unclear connection with the revived 'Apocalypse' Cult... you can easily know many secrets.
"However, this time, even the Revelation Cult behind you will probably have to make a decision today! Do you think that if Kramar doesn't carry out the purification... we are helpless? Of course not... You have to understand, I asked you to call Amanda here. I asked you to call her here not to let her stop Vanbas, but to let her die with Vanbas in Friesland, so that the Radiance will lose more wings this time, which will facilitate our subsequent actions!"
Sinclair spoke loudly to Vanya, and after listening to Sinclair's words, Vanya responded seriously.
"According to what you said... you seem to be able to forcibly activate the Earth Grudge Ritual without Kramar taking any action? Or do you have other means besides the Earth Grudge Ritual?"
"What about not?"
Sinclair responded briefly, then she turned her head to look at the city in the dark, and after scanning thousands of homes, she continued to speak.
"Don't you think... that the human remains that we spent more than a day mixing with food and transporting to the whole of Friesland are just meaningless and ordinary things? We spent so much effort... just to attract Vanbas to come and clean up? If it was just to attract cleansing, we only need to do something in Arnstel, why target the whole of Friesland?"
As he spoke, Sinclair waved his hand violently towards the city in the darkness, and then continued speaking like a declaration.
"Come! Let me show you! Sister Vanya, the ancient ritual of cannibalism! The supreme ceremony of the king and father! There is more than one great ritual unfolding on this land!"
…
Just as the conflict broke out between Kramar and Amanda above Arnstell, the Hades Coffin, feeling the spiritual vibration, immediately took action.
In the forgotten cursed land, in the empty city of Steenham, somewhere underground in the city shrouded in dark clouds, there is a secret space.
In this dark hidden space, the pungent smell of blood filled the air, and bloody human bones and skulls were piled up everywhere. In the center of the space, a huge "Silence" magic circle was arranged with bloody bones. In the center of the magic circle, there was a tall chair, and on top of the chair, there was a horrifying object.
It was a bald, eye-closed male head. On the face of the head, there were dark hand marks. From the broken part of the head, extended a bloody spine. This spine was coiled on the seat, holding up the entire head. Apart from the head and the spine, there was no trace of the rest of the man's body.
Suddenly, the head that had its eyes closed and seemed to be in deep sleep suddenly woke up, opened its eyes, and then spoke in a hoarse voice.
"The time has come... hurry... let me embrace death completely... let the corpse food start here!"
"Yes... Lord Jeraak!"
Following the order of one of the three great death lords of the Nether Coffin, Death Curse Jeraak, at the edge of space, the Nether Coffin followers who had been on standby for a long time slowly stood up. Wearing masked robes of executioners and holding various weapons in their hands, they surrounded their seats, ready to give their respected leader, the Death Lord, a chance to greet him.
In addition to the Earth Resentment Ceremony, there is also the Corpse Eating Ceremony in the large-scale rituals entangled in Frisia... If Kramar wants to stop the Corpse Eating Ceremony and perform purification, it will inevitably trigger the Earth Resentment Ceremony. If Kramar does not perform purification or the purification is obstructed, the Corpse Eating Ceremony will be held as scheduled.
These were the two plans that the Ghost Coffin prepared at the same time after something went wrong in Steenham… Of the two large-scale rituals, no matter which one was activated, it would also help the other one to be activated later, and eventually the two rituals would be run at the same time… As long as one of the two rituals was activated, the Ghost Coffin’s purpose in Friesland would be achieved.
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