Embers of Embers

Chapter 411
Gaulnaro, port of Maluri.
The man walked slowly on the pier, and finally stopped in a corner, looking at the still sleeping port.
The air was filled with moist mist, and the sea mist covered every part of the port. Everything in the field of vision was hazy, but even so, sharp and vicious edges could still be seen from behind the mist, and they were lined up one after another. It is as continuous as mountains.
Unlike the port of Rendona in Inverg, there is no sense of fun here as a foreigner. Instead, there is an indelible sense of solemnity. This strange feeling has become a vague consensus among the captains before.
"It's so cold, it's almost like it's freezing."
There was another man following behind the mist. From the blurry shadow behind, we could see that there were more people standing not far away.
"It's been cold here in the early mornings."
The man standing in front replied. He slowly stretched out his hand and gently wiped the railing on the side. The cold water droplets dripped down one by one, like light rain.
"It will only get colder in the future." After a pause, the man said again.
"I know, Curry, but... I think the weather is only one of the problems. It's more about those things. They make the captains very uneasy. In the past few years, they were just souvenirs and no one cared about them.
But in these years, they have been reactivated one after another. Although they are a bit behind, the sound of hammers is endless day and night. They are like resurrected undead, whimpering and roaring until black smoke comes out of the chimney. "
The man held a cigarette in his mouth, and while talking, he looked at those ferocious and sharp shadows in another part of the port.
Long before it was called Maruri Port, it was called Maruri Naval Base, and there were warships docked one after another at the pier.
It was through here that Gaul Naluo continuously sent troops to Yin Erweg's territory. Decades ago, those soldiers called this place the bank of the Styx. Those warships were the ships that carried people across the Styx. Each soldier Then one by one they left their hometown, and finally died on the land of Yin Erweg.
With the defeat of the Glorious War, Gaulnaro, which was severely weakened, needed to revitalize its economy. In addition to the request of Inverg, the Maruri Naval Base was disbanded and transformed into the current Maruri Port. There is only a small base on the edge of the port, but no one cares about it anymore.
Some battleships that were not demolished became museum-like existences, docked there. Until in recent years, engineers began to industrialize them, giving everyone a sense of uneasiness.
This was a battlefield where countless lives were buried.
"So you really decided to hold the Orthodoxy here?"
The man asked again, he has not been optimistic about this plan. Although it is said that the enthronement of the Orthodox Pope at Maruri Port can directly spread information through these ships, such a direct and arrogant behavior is undoubtedly directly provoking the Holy Gospel Pope country.
"Inervig has already noticed this, do you want to add more enemies?" He was very puzzled.
"Add more enemies?"
The director of the Iron Law Bureau laughed disdainfully.
"The Holy Gospel Papal State has always been our enemy, but we haven't found a suitable reason to start the war."
Corey said slowly. The complexion on his face was pale, as if he had been in a dark room for a long time. There were not many wrinkles in his skin, making it difficult to tell his age. His eye sockets were sunken deeply, like a ball. Darkness that is difficult to peer into.
"I know, but this is too urgent." The man said again.
The establishment of the Rhineland Alliance, the hijacking of Ivar... one thing after another has been concentrated in recent years, as if an invisible hand is pushing the wheel of history and speeding up its progress.
"Is it all because that guy gave you the courage to speed up all this?" The man seemed to have thought of something and asked.
"Who are you referring to?"
"The guy who claims to be the Dean, Miguel, and the monster army they formed."
The man said and walked to the fence. A faint light had risen after the hazy fog, and the warm temperature was driving away the damp and cold fog little by little.
"This is a terrifying army, an army that can crush steam technology. Is this what gives you the courage to launch a world-famous war?"
The man asked again, he is Curry's adjutant.
"Remember the story of the Mad King?"
Corey asked suddenly.
"Mad King? Of course I understand."
The man replied that as a Gallican, this was a story that everyone knew.
The history of Gaulnaro is inseparable from the Evangelical Church, and faith has completely penetrated this land. It is even said that in certain periods, the person in charge of Gaulnaro was not the king, but the Pope of the Evangelical Church.
Both Curry and the man were members of the Evangelical Church, but after joining the Iron Law Bureau, their beliefs were slowly stripped away, and finally they became like this.
"In the final analysis, was Mad King Olim really seduced by the devil? Or did he want to continue to be ruled by faith and wield a knife against the divine authority?" Curry said, "But these are not important anymore, he failed, he He hoped that the people would get rid of their ignorance, but in the end he was killed by the people he wanted to save."
"You should know more about this kind of thing than me. After all, your ancestors were dragon-slaying heroes, weren't they?"
Corey turned his head, looked at his adjutant, and slowly read his name.
"Cornell Garrel."
Cornell was silent, and there was a short ending to the Mad King's story. Olivier Garrel, the hero who killed the Mad King, became the new king, and his bloodline continues to this day.
"It was your grandfather who recruited me into the Iron Law Bureau. I still remember what he said to me on the first day. He said that I would devote myself to Gaul Naluo. He asked me if I had the courage to sacrifice myself?"
Corey stared straight at the end of the fog, the gray sea.
"I said of course I have the courage, and he asked me if I have the courage to give up my faith.
I was young at the time, this word was like thunder, I still remember how those people called us, they said that Gaulonalo is the land favored by God, if the Holy Evangelical Papacy is the firstborn son of God, then we are God Second son, I have always lived in honor of this. Even if I am hungry, I still have to worship the gods in my family.
Little by little, I climbed out of the dark ditch, stood under the light, joined the army, and went through untold hardships to come before your grandfather. I feel that my life has reached the most honorable moment, but at this moment he To turn me away from my faith. "
Corey fell silent, and after a long time he spoke slowly.
"It was a difficult process and I almost collapsed, but fortunately I succeeded and threw those sacred beliefs into the dirty ditch."
"One of the rules of the Iron Law Bureau is that you must not have faith... You never said this. I always thought you were an indifferent guy from the beginning." Cornel was a little surprised. It wasn't until today that he knew that Corey had also Is a fanatical believer.
"This is a bad world. Guys like me who come from the bottom always need something to deceive themselves, such as faith. Although they are poor, my parents are devout believers. They do not expect to be changed in this life. Praying for blessings in the next life.”
Corey said slowly.
"Did your father tell you anything about the rest of Olivier's life? Cornier."
"No……"
Cornel was a little confused. They were discussing religion and belief just now, but Corey brought the topic to the ancestors the next moment.
The hero who killed the Mad King.
"This is a story your grandfather told me. He said that when Olivier sat on the throne of the Mad King...how do you think he reacted?"
Corey looked at his face and smiled meaningfully.
"Reaction?" Cornel thought for a while. Although he was Curley's adjutant, he hadn't experienced much.
"Having gained honor and power, he should be in ecstasy. He has transformed from a commoner to a king, looking down on all living beings."
"Indeed, Olivier was exactly what you said at first, but he changed afterwards."
Currie told stories that Cornell never knew.
"One day he was sitting on the throne, looking down at all beings, but suddenly he couldn't feel the joy. On the contrary, he felt the fear that he had never felt before. No one could understand what was going on. The king became He was so frightened that he couldn't sleep every night and moaned blasphemous words all day long.
In the end he died, killed by his son. "
Corey paused and asked again.
"Do you know why?"
Cornel shook his head. He didn't know. For some reason, this period of history was forbidden to be mentioned in the royal family. The only person who knew about it in his memory was his grandfather. After all, he had always been known as a rebellious person in the royal family.
"Because his son knew what his father was afraid of.
Olivier knew very well that what he was sitting on was not a throne, but a shackle. He suddenly realized with a start that he was not a king at all, but a dog of the Evangelical Church, everyone in Nalot, Gaul. All believers are cute puppies. "
Corey smiled, but the smile was terrible, and his pale cheeks made people feel an indescribable chill.
"The Evangelical Church can regard Olim as a mad king, and he can also regard the hero Olivier as a mad king. In the end, the devil is just a reason. As long as the Evangelical Church gives an order, those pious puppies He will kill this big dog.
Olivier realized this, he was just a dog wearing a crown, but he wanted to be a man, he was a hero, but he knew very well that once he showed a little disobedience, he would become the next crazy person. king……
It sounds painful, right? He was a man, a hero, but he was forced to live like a dog, and ended up living like a zombie, and then he went crazy. "
Cornel's expression froze. He knew the Iron Law Bureau's aversion to faith, but he had never known this. He thought he came to be Curley's adjutant just for the sake of inheriting the throne in the future, but now he feels When he arrived, he touched the darker core.
"His son succeeded to the throne. He knew very well that the Garrel family had to be a good dog if they wanted to survive. He was not as contradictory as his father. He was a dog wholeheartedly. I would like to stand on both feet in this world, and from then on, the seeds of rebellion were planted, and the Iron Law Bureau was established."
"Do you remember how your grandfather died?"
Corey asked again.
"Killed by...by my father." Cornel replied with difficulty.
"Yes, patricide. This is a fine tradition of your Garrel family, but do you know that this was planned by your grandfather?"
Corey added that he was the most trusted person of Coniel's grandfather, and he knew all the darkness of the Garel royal family.
"Your grandfather is known as the guy closest to the Mad King. He held a banquet, called all branches of the royal family, and then poisoned everyone at the banquet. So you are the only one left with Garrel's bloodline. In order to quell his atrocities, your father personally executed him, chopped off his head in front of the people, burned his body, and threw his ashes into the ocean. His name became taboo and he was regarded as Garry. Your disgrace."
"I know……"
Cornell's body trembled slightly. This was a memory he didn't want to look back on. It was the biggest shadow of his childhood. He witnessed his grandfather's death with his own eyes, and his blood-stained head flashed before his eyes.
"You know, Cornell, everyone has different ideas. Some people like to eat sweet food, some people like to eat spicy food, some people want to live as a human being, and some people are willing to be a dog. .”
Corey stretched out his hand and pressed Cornell's chin to force him to look at him. It was a pair of intimidating eyes. Under the dark eyes, there was a dullness that was difficult to see through, as if the soul in them had already been traded to the devil.
"Yeah, what's wrong with being a dog? Wearing a funny crown, eating delicious food and holding power. It just barks a few times when the owner needs it. The owner asked us to launch a glorious war, so let's launch it. , anyway, it’s not us who die.
Ah, this kind of life is really perfect. The only price we have to pay is to be on all fours, but... But after all, we are human beings, right?We're all human, Cornell. "
Corey's voice was calm, and the hazy and humid water vapor accompanying the sunrise was also dissipating, but Cornel could not feel any warmth. Instead, he felt that he had fallen into a deeper ice cellar, with his limbs cold and deep into his bones.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The rise of Yin Erweg has attracted most of our attention. There has been another split within the Evangelical Church. The powerful Demon Hunting Order has also become history. We have united with the Rhine League. , the Orthodox Church is also counterattacking the beliefs of the Evangelical Church bit by bit.”
Curry strangled Conell's neck. He couldn't breathe, but he didn't dare to reach out and slap the arm off.
"Now that your grandfather has killed all those who wanted to be dogs in the royal family, your father has revitalized Gaulnaro, and you... you will lead this great war."
"But isn't Orthodoxy another religion? Using it to replace the Evangelical Church, what's the difference from before?"
Cornel was puzzled, and he spoke with difficulty.
"At least, this time this is my own belief, or in other words, this time the tool to manipulate belief is held in our own hands."
Corey let go of his hand with some disappointment.
"Cornell, you are too kind. This kind of thing is not a virtue."
Corey looked at the other side of the port. As the sun rose, the cold water vapor was dispersed. There was a crashing noise and the entire port woke up.
Countless workers carried their toolboxes and walked towards the place they saw. They were silent battleships one after another. They were produced at the end of the Glorious War, and the Glorious War ended before they were put into service, but they were not used. Split, but has stayed here, like a witness, witnessing the changes in Maluri Port.
Workers transformed new technologies into these warships so that they could keep up with modern technology. After an unknown period of time, the steam turbines started operating with a rumbling sound, and billowing black smoke finally rose from the chimneys.
"But don't worry, you still have me, Cornel, I am a terrible and cruel person, leave those despicable things to me, I will complete your grandfather's commission, and what I am still looking forward to thing.
Yes, don't worry, leave it to me, no matter how you judge me, it doesn't matter whether I am a traitor or a hero who saved the country. "
Corey looked at the battleships with a sincere smile on his face.
"Gaulonaro and me, me, Corey Ferre."
(End of this chapter)