Chapter 857

【 THE AWAKENING OF FAITH 】

The rumored human saint of the Goddess of Life, John, was actually Old John!

How had he become a highly respected missionary of the Church of Life in just a few months?

Frank looked at Old John, deeply shaken and unable to calm himself for a moment.

He carefully examined the Life Saint whom the slum residents regarded as their mentor and found it difficult to associate this holy man before him with the rough, impoverished miner he had encountered back in Luke City just a few months ago. The change was simply too drastic, almost as though he were looking at an entirely different person.

Was the Church of Life really such a profound institution that it could truly transform a person so completely in just a few short months?

What exactly did Old John experience to become such an entirely new person in such a short span of time?

Frank could not help but feel that there had to be something extraordinary behind this transformation.

“Old John… I remember, didn’t you say you were heading to Zelouan? How did you end up here in Larona? And how did you become a missionary of the Church of Life?”

In the end, he could not resist asking these questions.

Hearing Frank’s question, Old John sighed softly and began recounting what he had experienced over the past few months.

“It’s a long story. I have the Goddess to thank for Her benevolence and favor…”

“Lord Frank, after arriving in Zelouan, I visited the Church of Life and became a believer of the Goddess of Life.”

“And after learning about the teachings of Her Divine Grace, I finally found my true path in life…”

As he spoke, Old John’s expression became solemn.

“The empire is rotten, the nobility has fallen into decadence, and the Eternal Church remains lost in the glory of the past. Only the Church of Life can save the people in this increasingly dark age, and only the Church of Life can awaken the people to the real truth of life, thereby allowing them to finally break free from suffering once and for all…”

Frank’s heart stirred.

Looking at the conviction and radiance of faith in Old John’s eyes, he could not help but ask:

“Old John… how can you be so certain?”

Old John smiled gently.

He looked deeply at Frank and said:

“Lord Frank, look around you… Are the things you have witnessed along the way here not proof enough of my conviction?”

Frank fell silent.

Old John was right.

Ever since he had entered this slum district, there had not been a single moment when he had not been shocked.

The transformed surroundings, the residents whose hearts had been filled with hope, and the vigorous vitality that could be felt everywhere…

Everything here was overturning his understanding of the world. The more he witnessed, the more he felt that the beliefs and assumptions he had held for so many years might not be as absolute as he had once thought.

Looking at the slum residents’ bright, hopeful smiles around him, Frank felt as though he had vaguely grasped something.

But it was not enough.

Many of the things happening before his eyes lay beyond the scope of his existing knowledge. He could not yet understand what they truly meant or what deeper implications lay behind them.

He needed a mentor who could guide him and help him find the answers he was seeking…

With this thought, Frank no longer cared about the surprise and shock in his heart.

He took a deep breath and bowed to Old John once again.

“Old Jo… No, Your Excellency, Saint John, there are some questions in my heart, and I would like to ask for your guidance…”

“How… How have this slum and its residents, whom everyone looks down upon, changed so tremendously in just a few months under your leadership?”

Frank genuinely wanted to know the reason.

Because if he could inspire every slum residents throughout the Holy Maniya Empire to fight for a better life and transform them as completely as Old John had, then perhaps he would finally have a chance to challenge the nobles’ rule!

After all, the poor made up eighty percent of the entire Empire’s population. Even if the probability of an individual becoming an Expert was extremely low, their sheer numbers would still amount to a terrifying force.

If he could somehow awaken the strength hidden within this vast population, then the balance of power throughout the empire could be fundamentally changed.

At this moment, Frank finally saw a glimmer of hope for changing the world!

“Because of love, because all things are equal, and because every life possesses infinite possibilities…”

Old John spoke devoutly.

“…Love? All things are equal?”

Frank was left completely bewildered by such an unexpected response.

Old John did not elaborate. He merely smiled gently before asking in return:

“Lord Frank, do you love this world?”

Frank became even more confused.

“Saint John, I… I don’t quite understand. Could you perhaps explain what you mean in greater detail?”

He asked.

Old John smiled.

“Do not be in such a hurry. Stay by my side for a while, and perhaps you will come to understand the meaning behind my words.”

After saying this, he looked deeply at Frank and smiled.

“Lord Frank, I can see that you are currently standing at a crossroads in your life. Your eyes are filled with uncertainty about the future. If you can find the meaning of life for yourself, perhaps… it will be better for your future.”

After hearing Old John’s words, Frank swallowed the questions in his heart.

He looked at the smiling slum residents around him. After hesitating for a moment, he finally nodded.

He was genuinely curious about the changes in the slums, about Old John, and about the Church of Life…

There was something here that he had yet to understand, and Frank believed that if he could understand that “something”, then maybe the things he wanted to accomplish would be within his grasp.

Perhaps this was the opportunity he had been searching for all along.

Just like the name he had given his mercenary group…

And so, Frank and his personal guard settled down in Larona’s slums.

He became Old John’s assistant and began helping him with his daily affairs.

Old John’s life was highly regimented.

The human Saint of the Church of Life slept for only four hours a day and spent the rest of his time constantly working.

At dawn, he preached to the slum residents, teaching them faith and knowledge.

In the morning, he worked alongside the elves and slum residents to develop the slum district, taught them practical life skills, or reclaimed the wasteland on the outskirts of the city…

In the afternoon, he treated any sick slum residents free of charge and prayed together with the believers of the Goddess of Life.

In the evening, he would personally baptized any slum residents who showed talent, awakening their extraordinary powers…

Day after day, without interruption.

As time passed, Frank personally witnessed Larona’s slum region becoming better and better with each passing day, while more and more people gathered there.

Eventually… it was no longer merely the poor, refugees, and vagrants. Even ordinary citizens of Larona began appearing there.

Some came seeking treatment, others came to learn new skills, while some were simply drawn by the warm and welcoming atmosphere that had gradually taken root in the once-neglected district.

The changes were subtle at first, but as the days passed, they became impossible to ignore.

Looking at Old John, who was always smiling and clearly delighted by the changes taking place in the area, Frank finally understood what he had meant by “love.”

Perhaps it was precisely because of his love for the people that Old John had chosen to remain here as a beloved missionary of the Goddess of Life!

Frank told Old John this, but all he received in response was a faint smile, neither denying nor affirming it.

At that moment, Frank realized that what he had understood was probably still not enough.

There was clearly something deeper behind Old John’s actions, something that Frank had yet to grasp.

So he continued observing…

After staying in the slums for quite some time, Frank gradually became familiar with its residents.

By assisting Old John, he gradually became involved in the reconstruction of the slums himself. He personally led his mercenary group in helping the residents improve their living conditions, and he even taught martial techniques to those among them who possessed extraordinary talent…

These were things he would never have done in the past.

Or rather, he had never even considered doing them.

Regardless of whether they were poor, the difference in status between supernatural Experts and ordinary people alone was enough to ensure that the former would never casually teach extraordinary knowledge to the latter.

Yet under Old John’s influence, Frank gradually found himself questioning this long-standing practice. What had once seemed completely natural now appeared increasingly strange to him.

If the poor were given the opportunity to learn, grow, and improve themselves, then perhaps their circumstances did not have to remain unchanged forever.

And so, it was not only Frank who gradually broke this unspoken rule. Even the mercenaries who followed him began doing the same…

As time passed, the slum residents became increasingly friendly toward Frank.

They gradually stopped viewing him as merely a noble-born mercenary leader and came to treat him with the same respect they showed towards Old John.

This change was subtle, but Frank could feel it clearly.

“Good morning, Lord Frank!”

This was what Frank heard every morning.

And Frank, who had initially felt uncomfortable with such greetings, gradually became accustomed to them, responding with a smile and a nod.

The days continued to pass, one after another, until finally… the annual Harvest Festival arrived.

The Harvest Festival…

It was an extremely ancient festival on the continent.

Within the Church of Life, it was also the most important event of the year.

And this year, the Harvest Festival in Larona’s slums was destined to be a grand occasion.

On this day, all the residents of the slums joined in a joyous celebration of the festival…

Before they knew it, the number of believers of the Goddess of Life gathered here had surpassed ten thousand!

Together, they prayed to the Goddess of Life, celebrating this year’s good harvest, celebrating the changes in their lives, and celebrating the beautiful future that awaited them…

And on this day, he unexpectedly received a gift from the slum residents.

It was a white cloak made from the hide of a precious magical beast.

Frank was greatly surprised because he knew where the hide had come from. It should have belonged to a magical beast that lived in the southern mountains, whose fur was worth a fortune.

This cloak alone was probably worth a hundred gold coins!

In the past, Frank might have been able to spend a hundred gold coins without difficulty.

But after leaving his family and establishing a mercenary group, it had become difficult for him to spend that much money on a decorative cloak.

Of course, he could still afford an expenditure worth hundred gold coins.

But the people giving it to him were not wealthy nobles or merchants. They were slum residents…

Where had they gotten so much money?

Frank was astonished.

He soon received his answer.

“Lord Frank, we heard from Sir Roland that you have always wanted this magical cloak. So, to thank you for taking care of us all this time, we discussed it among ourselves and pooled our money together. We bought the white hide from a fur merchant and had this cloak made for you.”

“We hope you like it!”

Surrounded by his companions, a representative of the slum residents presented the cloak to Frank with both hands.

Looking at his radiant smile and feeling the sincerity and affection of the slum residents, Frank’s heart inexplicably softened, accompanied by a faint ache.

A warm current, like a spring breeze, slowly flowed through his heart…

“No, this is something I should have done. This cloak is very expensive. You…”

He instinctively tried to refuse.

“Lord Frank, please accept it. This is a token of our heartfelt gratitude!”

The slum residents insisted.

In the end… Frank accepted the gift.

The magical white fur was incredibly soft.

Because of its affinity with wind-elemental magic, a cloak made from this fur was exceptionally light. It could even reduce the wearer’s effective weight.

As he gently stroked the snow-white cloak, Frank’s heart softened further.

For some reason, the cloak felt warmer than it should have, perhaps because of what it represented.

It was not merely an expensive piece of clothing. It carried the gratitude of the people he had once regarded as strangers, people whom he had never imagined would one day regard him with such sincerity and affection.

Holding the cloak in his hands, Frank remained silent for a long while.

“…Lord Frank, do you understand now?”

A familiar voice came from behind him. It was Old John.

Frank turned around and saw him smiling at him.

He was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding what Old John meant.

“Saint John, you mean…”

“Of course, I am referring to the question you asked me before. So, how is it? Do you feel the love now?”

Old John asked gently.

“Love?”

Frank’s heart stirred.

Old John suddenly took a small mirror from his robes and placed it in Frank’s hands.

“Lord Frank, take a look at yourself in the mirror.”

Frank instinctively picked up the mirror and looked inside.

It was still the face he was familiar with.

However, compared with how he had looked when he left his family, he now looked considerably more disheveled. His hair had also grown quite long, and his jaw was even covered with a messy beard.

Yet the person reflected in the mirror had an unprecedented brightness in his eyes.

There was a faint smile at the corners of his mouth, as though he had encountered something that brought him genuine happiness. Deep within his eyes was a different kind of gentleness, one that had not been there before.

Seeing himself like this, Frank froze.

“This…”

“—It’s love.”

Old John said.

“Love…”

Frank murmured.

He suddenly raised his head and looked out the window.

It was nighttime. The moon was bright and the stars were sparse, yet the slums were still brightly illuminated as bonfires burned and the laughter of the people gradually drifted over…

All around him, people were singing, laughing, and dancing.

They danced together and celebrated together. Slum residents, ordinary citizens, merchants, the mercenaries in his group, and even the elves helping Old John had all gathered here.

Different races and people from different walks of life had come together at this very moment, laughing, singing, and celebrating the Harvest Festival.

Everyone wore smiles on their faces. They had their arms around one another, like brothers and sisters, with the barriers of status and background seemingly forgotten for this single night.

Looking at this harmonious scene, Frank was left spellbound.

The doubts that had plagued his heart for so long suddenly vanished. At this moment, Frank finally understood the question he had been unable to answer all this time…

“So that’s how it is… So that’s what it was…”

“I was wrong. All this time… I had been wrong all along…”

Frank murmured.

He finally understood!

The force that had transformed this place, the force that had changed everything here, was “love”!

It was not merely Old John’s love for his followers and his love for the people. It was also the slum residents’ love for one another, their love for themselves, and their love for the future…

This love had made the world more beautiful, adorned their lives, and inspired the slum residents with the courage and determination to change everything.

Love was hope. It was faith. It was the power that awakened them!

He had been wrong.

He had always been wrong!

Although he wanted to change this world, although he wanted to change this era, he had forgotten that everyone was also a part of this era…

Despite renouncing his noble status he had still inadvertently failed to break free from the constraints of his noble upbringing. He had still failed to see who existed in the greatest numbers beneath the darkness, and who endured the greatest hardships…

He had never truly cared about the countless poor. He had failed to realize that they were the foundation of human society, and that they too could be touched by love, inspired by love, and awakened by love…

At the same time, he realized that he lacked sufficient universal love, a sufficiently broad heart, and a sufficiently far-reaching perspective.

He had never truly turned his attention toward the poor. He had never truly loved this world, nor had he truly loved a future filled with hope and beauty…

He had merely recognized that something was wrong with the world, but he had never truly delved into the essence of the problem.

He had wanted to overthrow the existing order, yet he had never truly considered what kind of world should take its place.

At this moment, Frank also realized that what he lacked was not wealth, power, or influence.

What he lacked was a lighthouse to guide his path!

Looking at Frank’s excited expression, Old John smiled faintly.

“Looks like… you understand now.”

“There is a saying in the Codex of Life that puts it very well. If one wishes to achieve true success, one must achieve ‘unity of knowledge and action’…”

“Through your experiences in the real world, you have already gained enough insight. You have come to understand yourself and understand the world around you…”

“Now, I believe it is time for me to teach you what the true power capable of changing this world is.”

Old John’s expression was gentle and devout.

As he spoke, he took a set of books from his robes.

They were none other than the Codex of Life, along with several accompanying textbooks…

Life, Rights, and Struggle

The Theory of the Church of Life and the Ideology of the Maple Moon Free State

The Relationship Between Feudal Nobility and the Eternal Church

Equality, Universal Love, and the Future

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