Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 680: A major event that turns the tide of the war?
"The Conceived Gods do not have self-awareness, but they will use the wishes of their believers as their own consciousness, because they were originally born from those strong and pure emotions. These emotions will drive the Conceived Gods to respond to the prayers of their believers and create an 'ideal world', that is, the 'Kingdom of God', based on their own existence. However, they are only driven by emotions and cannot understand the meaning of these emotions that constitute their own existence. Therefore, the form they express is more like a machine that only acts based on the will of the operator."

Elder Pancras stroked his cane and spoke slowly, "In the past, the followers of the Steam Cult were too enthusiastic about the steam engine and the industrial age it symbolized, believing that this was the most glorious form of civilization created by mankind. They sang praises, praised, and strongly desired that this era could exist forever and guide human civilization towards a better future. Thus, Alexander, the Steam Engine God, who was born from this longing, began to respond to the expectations of the believers, trying to stop time and make everyone stay in a world where only steam engines roared. That is what He wanted to create: a stopped universe and an eternal mechanical kingdom."

Stagnating time, locking up the form of civilization, and making everyone stay in a mechanical kingdom dominated by steam power... This sounded so shocking that everyone found it unbelievable. Ling Ge even blurted out: "Did He do it?"

Then I realized what a stupid question I asked.

"Of course not." Elder Pancras's answer made everyone feel relieved, but the next sentence made them nervous again: "But He did almost succeed - the Alpha Knights created a large number of tireless and fearless mechanical legions under the power of the Steam Mecha God Alexander. The first refined Saint Mida invented the 'Glorious Holy Stone'. The divine gift ceremony with the Holy Stone as the medium can increase the refining range and strength of the Steam Mecha God Alexander by several levels. Through this ceremony, they refined the captured soldiers and most of the people, turning them into fanatical believers of the Mecha God Alexander, thereby rapidly expanding their sphere of influence. Later, this divine gift ceremony with the Glorious Holy Stone as the medium was transformed to a certain extent, and it also had the function of collecting the power of faith and converting it into material form, which is the ritual of summoning gods that you are familiar with."

In other words, the original inventor of the summoning ritual was actually Saint Mida of the Steam Cult?

Linger didn't know much about this historical figure who was originally a saint of the Steam Cult and later became the leader of the Alpha Knights. He only vaguely remembered that the evaluation of her in history books was mixed. It both affirmed her contribution to the promotion of steam engines in the early industrial age and criticized her later betrayal of publishing the December Manifesto without authorization to protect the interests of the old ruling class. In addition, because her ideological change was too abrupt, her performance in the early and late stages of her career was like a completely different person. Many "folk historians" therefore proposed many famous conspiracy theories, which is still an unsolved mystery in the historical community.

However, the truth is, she has not changed, but has been refined by the Steam Engine God - Alexander.

After understanding this, Linger felt inexplicably complicated. He couldn't tell whether he should be happy for solving a historical mystery, or feel sorry for the saint who had noble and great intentions but lost her self-will under the refinement of the conceived god. She still has faith, but is her later faith the same as her initial faith? Wouldn't she, who originally became a saint with good wishes, feel sad when she saw the later one who commanded the Alpha Knights to spread the flames of war across the entire continent?
It is worth mentioning that the saint eventually died in the arms of her lover, the leader of the original Steam Cult "Steam Knights" and the Holy Creation Knight Dayan. Even when the Steam Cult was destroyed, Dayan still stubbornly wandered on the battlefield, looking for his lover. This rather tragic ending may have been destined as early as the moment when Watt invented the steam engine.

"Mr. Ling," Lord Pancras seemed a little tired, so he gave Ling a gentle smile: "As for the later history, after eliminating the interference of the mysterious world, it is basically the same as the history recorded by you humans. Could you please tell us again, so that these children can understand that period of history."

He should be referring to the three photon elf sisters. Although the youngest sister Beimin snorted disdainfully, for the sake of the elders, Lingge nodded slightly and agreed.

He recalled the contents of the textbook while narrating: "The steam supremacy proposed by the Alpha Knights perfectly met the interests of the old ruling class, so it won their support. Influenced by this, more different doctrines were split within the Steam Cult, and they attacked each other endlessly. As a result, the people of the Cult were unstable and unable to fight against heresy. As a result, the expansion of the Alpha Knights was unstoppable like a flood peak. It took only one year to sweep across half of the Western Continent. On May 1253, 5 AD, they captured the capital of the northern country Keran, Jinsong City, and established it as a holy city favored by the steam god Alexander, which is today's Depesion of Saint Keran. After that, the Alpha Knights took Saint Keran as the core, linked the previously occupied areas together, formed the 'Saint Keran Defense Circle', and continued their expansion."

"With this as a trigger, believers from other different factions within the cult responded one after another. In just two years, fifteen new holy cities appeared. Later history called it the 'Disintegration of the Wreckage', marking the official split of the Steam Cult and the continuous expansion of the scale of the holy war, which has swept across the entire continent, and no country can be spared."

When Lingge said this, he couldn't help but think of the evaluation of this period of history by his instructor when he was studying it, and he subconsciously said: "In its heyday, the Steam Cult was like a huge steam engine, continuously exporting technology, talents and ideas. However, when every part of this steam engine began to disintegrate and fall off, all that was left was a steel wreckage." This process may not be as simple as described in history books. It is accompanied by factors from the mysterious world such as refining and divine ceremonies, the power of faith and imagined gods, immortal mechanical legions, and the interference and guidance of magicians and aliens. But that is not the issue that should be discussed today, because it will make the topic infinitely long, and I am afraid it cannot be finished in just one night.

"That's a very comprehensive explanation, Mr. Linger." The old man praised: "It seems that you have been an excellent student and may become an excellent scholar in the future."

Lingge didn't know how to respond to the elder's compliment. He had had this idea when he was in college, but later it turned out to be just a thought. Reality always has some unexpected things and never develops according to the expected plan.

Fortunately, someone interrupted him at this time and saved him from the embarrassing situation.

"And then what?" Alice asked impatiently with her eyes wide open: "Since the Alpha Knights are so strong and the Steam God Alexander is so terrifying, how could they lose the Steam Crusade? Could it be that we have Gundam?"

The others were not as anxious as she was, but their faces were full of expressions showing the desire to know the answer.

Linger hesitated for a while before replying, "The history books believe that the Alpha Knights' ambitions were too inflated, and they betrayed the old ruling class that originally supported them, thus becoming the public enemy of the entire continent. Almost all countries in the Western Continent formed a coalition and launched a counterattack against them. They eventually invaded Depesion on July 1407, 7 and destroyed the Alpha Knights' regime. As for the real situation..."

“That’s far from the reality.”

Elder Pancras took over the conversation at the right time. His voice was soothing and hoarse, but very powerful: "With the expansion of rule, the refined power and divine ritual mastered by the Alpha Knights were gradually exposed, causing everyone's fear. Therefore, the countries of the Western Continent put aside their past prejudices, and after urgent consultations, they jointly formed a coalition to launch a crusade against them. However, young people, never have too much expectation for such a temporary alliance. At the beginning, the battle of the Western Continent Coalition was not smooth. In fact, they were always in a passive state. At one point, the Alpha Knights even pushed the front line to Fontainebleau, the capital of the White City Republic. Until November 1399, 11, an event occurred that completely changed the situation of the war."

November 1399, 11 AD?
Linger quickly searched for the corresponding historical events in his mind. After a while, his pupils suddenly contracted and he muttered to himself: "On November 1399, 11, the 'Realism Cult Union' that believed in the Seven True Gods was established in Sumya, the 'City of Wind and Flowers' in the White City Republic..."

　Give me some meow
　　
　
(End of this chapter)