Chapter 647: Volume Seventeen: Dark Descends on Earth - Eighteen: Bewitching People’s Hearts
"Uh, the two of us are monks dispatched by the Church of Light to preach in Caucasus and Leon. Since the journey is long, we’re planning to rest here in Bruce before heading south. May I ask what brings you two ladies to Bruce Fortress?" Caru asked with a smile, seizing the initiative to speak before his companion.
"So you are monks from the Church of Light, but it seems like Priest Beran and Pastor Gustav are in charge of preaching in this area of Caucasus and Leon. How come we’ve never seen you before?" The elf girl spoke without guile, asking directly whatever came to mind.
Caru inwardly groaned, not expecting that these two would actually be familiar with the Church’s representatives in the area. He and his companion were part of the Court and didn’t have much interaction with the Church’s ordinary missionary organization. They had only heard of Priest Beran and Pastor Gustav before coming to Caucasus and didn’t really know them. If the other party was even slightly more astute, they might have seen through their lie.
"Uh, we are from Jazair, and we heard that there were some abnormal situations happening in Leon and Caucasus, so we came here to inspect the area," Boritz quickly added, sensing his companion’s difficulty, and choosing a more distant origin for their story to avoid any slip-ups.
"You’re from Jazair? Just the two of you? Aren’t you afraid that the half-beastmen and barbarians here in Caucasus would devour you alive? They don’t exactly hold the God of Light in high esteem," said the elf girl playfully. "And you say you’re here to inspect? The two of you look like you’d need protection yourselves. Didn’t you encounter any magical beasts on the Greenland Forest Plank Road? You’re lucky if you didn’t. If you had run into gray wolves or ground bears, they really would have eaten you."
A monk is a novice believer within the Church of Light, typically doing miscellaneous tasks around the church. They must gain considerable experience and make some progress in magic before they can become official clerical staff, and the first level of official staff is the priest. Caru and Boritz, for convenience and to hide their identities, intentionally chose the most basic monk garb. Little did they expect that daring to venture into Leon and Caucasus, regions considered desolate wildernesses, with such a lowly status was pure folly; monks have almost no ability to defend themselves, a glaring weakness that the sharp-tongued elf girl called out, leaving them speechless.
"Ha-ha, the followers of the God of Light have never feared sacrifice. Although we are of low rank, we believe our faith can change everything." Caru cleverly shifted the concept in his response. "Whether half-beastmen or barbarians, the primitive gods they worship are nothing but manifestations of an empty heart and fear of natural forces, a display of ignorance. Can the War God Mars grant them the courage and power they need for victory? No, otherwise they wouldn’t be groveling at the feet of mortals. I believe that with the progress of history and thought, they will eventually realize that only the God of Light can save them from their world of spiritual chaos."
"Mr. Monk, are you saying that all races can and should join the Church of Light and worship the God of Light, and they should abandon their current beliefs?" The words of the white-robed priest resonated with a calm and insightful determination, her clear eyes shining with wisdom.
"Ha-ha, Miss Eve, I didn’t say that, but you could interpret it that way. I’ve always believed that while different races on the Continent have their own distinct natures, their essence is the same. The pursuit of light and nobility is an unchanging truth. Eventually, they will all gather at the feet of the God of Light and bask in his Holy Light. It may be a long and winding process, but if we, as emissaries of the God of Light, do not guide them out of their confusion, they will be lost in it. This is not in line with our Church’s missionary philosophy. Our teachings are universal, and any race that sincerely feels the true, good, and beautiful of the God of Light, I believe, can have a chance for profound transformation."
Caru’s words were filled with sincerity and compassion, persuasive through his body language and convincing tone, so much so that even Boritz had to admit his own shortcomings in this area compared to his unassuming companion.
The elf girl’s eyes sparkled with longing and aspiration. Caru felt a secret pride, but upon seeing the thoughtful stare of the white-robed female priest, his heart suddenly turned cautious. He had used psychic magic in his speech, subtly and imperceptibly, to the extent that likely even Boritz hadn’t noticed. The pure-hearted elf girl was most easily moved by such grand and lofty arguments, but he hadn’t expected that the will of the white-robed female priest would be so resolute that she could penetrate the essence behind his words, a surprise that Caru hadn’t anticipated.