CHAPTER 498: CHAPTER 428: GOD, I PRAISE YOU FOR THE LIFE YOU HAVE GIVEN ME (TWO IN ONE)_2

The vast grasslands were a trial, and the barren land a test... God awaited his fulfillment of the mission, and at that time, the promised richness would arrive.

But he had been bewitched."

Rowley slowly raised his head at this moment, staring blankly at his father.

The prince’s mind was a blank.

He saw his father smiling gently, as if to soothe his wounds, comforting him in that way.

"He was beguiled by a venomous serpent.

The relentless serpent pursued him, constantly tempting him, making him arrogant and losing the humility before God.

He thought he could deceive the Divine with his wisdom and knowledge,

Yet he was only human, not understanding that God was always watching him, counting even every hair on his head."

Following his father’s words, Rowley’s gaze slowly fell upon the venomous snake, his faith halting its collapse and beginning to painstakingly mend.

"Which... which part... of history is the truth?"

Prince Rowley asked dumbly.

His father’s figure grew hazy amidst the thick smoke and gradually, he could only hear that voice mixed with flames.

"What matters is not the truth."

Nimirda said with a transcendent calm,

"Nor is it which part you believe in, but which part you choose...

Which answer will you choose from me, what history will you tell our people?

My child, this throne is yours."

Prince Rowley could not find words to say, only standing still in a daze.

The fire grew larger.

Nimirda looked towards Po Han and asked,

"So, Po Han,

what history will you write?"

Po Han trembled, straining with all his might to say,

"I will write the truth, I can only write the truth!"

After these words were spoken.

The flames had already spread behind the throne; King Nimirda, cradling the serpent, slowly rose from his throne, his eldest son remaining immobile in his uncertainty.

He understood his child; through the latter’s hesitation, he knew that his eldest had made a choice.

King Nimirda felt a weariness he had never known.

The blaze grew, like hellfire, the serpent restlessly hissing, while King Nimirda knelt before the flames.

He finally saw everything clearly, losing all he had.

King Nimirda removed his crown, clasped his hands in prayer, bowed his head,

and murmured prayers, continuing this great sacrifice,

"God, I praise you,

I praise you for the life you have given me.

God... I beseech your forgiveness..."

After this, the flames consumed him, and the ritual seeking richness ended; King Nimirda offered the last sacrifice—his life.

..............

Above the Cloud Sea, Schiller and Maisy witnessed the history of these exiles.

They watched King Nimirda walk into the fire and take his own life, while the two who listened to history also had to make their final choice.

Po Han chose to leave.

He firmly embedded the first part of history in his mind, diving into the sea from the shore, his aged body journeying through the waves, heading towards his distant homeland.

"I will bring the truth out of here."

He said this to Rowley before leaving.

After the death of King Nimirda, the trusting High Priest defended Prince Rowley, producing the will that King Nimirda had written years ago, allowing Prince Rowley to succeed to the throne.

The coup that took place in the dead of night was unknown to most Logos; as the heir, Prince Rowley was not charged with patricide but ascended to his father’s seat.

The Kingdom sank into prolonged mourning, people groveling on the ground, the cries of thousands resonating through almost the entire sky, even the Great Angel Maisy couldn’t help but feel sorrow for them.

The Holy King died.

Their revered and even worshiped Holy King had died, for them, it was as if the sky had fallen.

The Holy King ultimately did not complete God’s mission, they would never receive the promised richness.

Prince Rowley, or rather, King Rowley,

ascended to the throne amidst their sorrow, still enveloped by the shock of that night on the day of his coronation.

All eyes were on him, tens of thousands of gazes begging for an answer: why did their Holy King not complete his mission and instead meet with death?

"What will become of us now that our king is gone?"

"What bewitched our Holy King to meet such an end?"

"What should we do next?"

Those heavy gazes, like invisible interrogations, caused the newly crowned King Rowley to feel breathless.

King Rowley opened his mouth, longing to tell them the truth.

But he stopped himself.

Should I let my people struggle in despair, or should I nurture hope within their hearts?

Which piece of history am I willing to accept?

Shall I let my people hear the sound of collapsing faith?

Under the scrutiny of all those present, Rowley slowly declared:

"There is a serpent...

A serpent of many deceptions, that bewitched our King...

My father almost... almost had fulfilled God’s mission... we were so close to receiving the promised land of milk and honey..."

Beneath their collective gaze,

King Rowley made such a proclamation.

By now, we have no choice but to add error upon error.

For we have no alternative.

As the words fell,

People prostrated themselves on the ground, they wept bitterly, their grief bursting forth in a vast torrent, overwhelming them. Their words slurred, their chants of Scripture incoherent, as they prayed, beseeching God for forgiveness.

The once-exiled lamented their lack of foresight. With Nimirda’s death, the last hope had shattered; they would never reach that utopian land, forever consigned to this barren earth. They yearned for the beauty of Nus, so tranquil and serene. Yet the past is past, and one must always face the consequences of their misdeeds.

They praised King Nimirda the Great, cursing the serpent that bewitched him. People wept and prayed, swearing that the entire Kingdom would hearken to God’s will in the future, never allowing such tragedy to befall the earth again.

These people of Logos felt...

Not only was King Nimirda bewitched,

But an entire Kingdom had been deceived by a serpent!

We failed to understand God’s will! It was us who were bewitched!

God, forgive our King, forgive us all!

Above the Cloud Sea.

Maisy could no longer bear to watch; his limbs trembled, his lips parted, then closed, unsure of what to say.

Schiller had been coldly observing all along.

Suddenly, Great Angel Maisy whipped around, staring directly at Schiller,

"Tell me, Schiller, I beg you, tell me!

What exactly have you done?

What role have you played in this story?!"

The mission spoken by Nimirda, the guidance of the Angels, and that so-called bewitching serpent... these clues seemed to be connected to Schiller, yet also not.

Schiller turned to Maisy, answering earnestly:

"I have done nothing...

I played no role, did nothing at all."

Maisy was stunned, wishing to question Schiller’s words, yet unable to find any trace of deceit.

"Maisy,

As I have told you, people can bewitch themselves.

It is by their own free will that they choose to fall."

After saying this, Schiller once again cast his gaze down towards the Cloud Sea, upon Po Han weaving through the surging waters.

He was his Trialist.

He would cross vast oceans, bringing back history from across the sea to Nus Kingdom, a mission he could dedicate his life to, as well as an Angel’s trial.

In later generations, the split Kingdoms would produce two different historical records for the same era.

One would be named "Nu Mirda Epic," and the other "Exile’s Word."

The "Nu Mirda Epic" would record thus:

Our Holy King, having received God’s mission, was guided by Angels in dreams, leading us away from the peaceful Nus to embark upon our own Kingdom.

He reigned as King amongst us, the people of Logos.

Yet,

While our King was wise and sagacious, he was still bewitched by the serpent and ultimately failed God’s trial, failing to fulfill God’s mission.

We disappointed God.

From then on,

We would not receive God’s blessing, nor reach the promised land...

For the same historical conclusion,

"Exile’s Word" would say:

The wise and impeccably pious King, for heeding the counsel of the serpent, strayed from God’s path. Thus, the Serpent’s Deceit spread among the Elves, becoming accepted as true history.

"The Serpent’s Deceit led the people of Logos away from God’s path, consigning them to a land of tempest and obscurity."

In the grinding passage of time, none would realize that the truth might be the very opposite,

That the departure of the people of Logos was not due to the Serpent’s Deceit.

But rather,

It was precisely because the people of Logos left the serene utopia,

That... a heart-bewitching serpent was needed!