Holy Empire, Cathedral of Aselli.
A week ago, with the exception of Legrand, all the countries that believed in the Lord sent representatives, and the senior bishops of the Holy See gathered here. The Synod of 1433 changed the previous rules and moved the host from the Holy Spirit Bay to the heart of the capital of the Holy Empire.
Cardinal Segone hurried to the church with the secret letter gathered by the barbarians.
All the representatives and senior priests who participated in this religious meeting knew exactly what their purpose was—to discuss the specific plan for the expedition of the Holy Army, to elect the six-member committee responsible for the expedition, and the supreme leader of the Holy Army.
The Holy Army had started recruiting a few months ago.
On the third day that the news of the raids on many important ports of the Lowland Alliance reached the Holy Empire, the Pope made an unprecedented speech to everyone on the open-air balcony of the Holy Empire Palace.
That speech was the clarion call of the Holy Army's Western Expedition. In that speech, Pope Theold, the Holy Empire's Pope and the Supreme Spiritual Leader of the Holy See, severely condemned the Legrand Kingdom's disregard of morality and violation of chivalry. However, for the crime of attacking the fellow believers of the Lowland Alliance cities, the Legrand royal family was declared to be religiously excommunicated.
The excommunication of an entire royal family is extremely rare in history. The only precedent is Atani, a city-state in the Western Strait of the Hopeless Inland Sea in the eleventh century AD. After the senate of the city-state of Atani was excommunicated, the surrounding city-states joined forces to join forces with the Knights Templar of the Holy Court to destroy it in the flames of war.
If the "Battle of God's Punishment" against Legrand made the warships of the Holy Court stun the world, then the destruction of Artani made the Holy Army and the Knights of the Temple famous all over the world.
After announcing that the royal family of Legrand had been excommunicated and judged that it had become a "land of heresies", in this public speech, the Pope called on all believers of the Lord in the world, and the knights of the Lord should cross the Abyss Strait. , to help the believers in Legrand achieve liberation.
The public discourse a few months ago ended, and the fourth large-scale Holy Legion expedition campaign officially began since the birth of the Holy See.
The secular city-states and kings may be shocked by the speed of this Holy Army movement, but only the top officials of the Holy Court know how much preparation they have made for this Holy Legion expedition.
The collection of sacred relics for thousands of years, sparing no effort to preach "Doomsday Theory" and "Purgatory Theory", religious establishment of the country...
This is a war that has been prepared for a long time.
After the Pope's call ended, countless preachers scattered like crows to preach all over the world.
They vehemently criticized the Legrand people on the other side of the abyss, how they blasphemed the Holy Lord, how they did not pray for human souls, how they protected heretics, and how they danced with witches.
"They let themselves fall into purgatory, but they will make the Lord think that human beings are incurable. They are the rotten tumor on the entire human body. As long as they are completely dug up, we can all endure in the end. be redeemed."
"…The blatant blasphemy of heresy is the Lord's punishment for all believers. Put on the cross, only by becoming a warrior of the Lord, crossing the abyss, purging the depraved heresy, and saving the true believers who are under control, can you gain in the judgment Redemption.[1]”
In addition to this, the Pope gave the exact promise after the public preaching:
All those who take part in this movement of the Holy Army, no matter what wrongs they have committed in the past, will be forgiven by the Lord for all their sins. He who fights for justice, justice will give him glory and wealth.
Since that day, the Holy Army's Westward Expedition Movement has been vigorously launched.
It seems that everyone has a fire in their hearts. As long as they step on Legrand on the other side of the Abyss Strait, they will ascend to the kingdom of God.
For a long time, once the religious beliefs that provide human beings with a cautious destination intervene in the war, both sides will not care about their own lives, thus making the war extremely tragic. [2]
Cardinal Segone's grandfather once participated in the third Holy Legion movement, and it was because of that movement that he transformed from a bankrupt poor boy to a famous Earl Segney. So Segney can actually understand why the Holy Legion movement is so attractive to most poor people who want to change their fate.
"In the Holy Army, as long as you are lucky enough to live and come back alive, then even if you were originally a slave, you can transform into a noble with fiefs and servants." This is a sentence left by Segney's grandfather, It still applies today.
"Hey, Segney."
Senior Priest Peter came out of the corner of the corridor when he met Segone and said hello.
"What's going on inside?"
Segney stopped and inquired about Peter, who had apparently just left the meeting. He had left the Holy Empire two weeks ago, so he had no idea where the Synod was going.
"The issue of the Holy Army's maritime transportation was resolved the next day." Peter glanced at him, "It is the responsibility of the Alliance of Abyss Nations."
"Why? Isn't the fleet of the Hopeless Inner Sea Alliance stronger than the abyss countries?" Segney was shocked. His family's territory was in the Hopeless Inner Sea, and the family controlled a large fleet. It was originally planned to take the opportunity to make a fortune during the sea transportation of the Holy Army.
"It was the Holy See's decision." Peter was very clear about what Segney cared about, and he shook his head helplessly, "The original decision should be the Lowland Alliance, but the Lowland Alliance suffered heavy losses in the previous raid and was unbearable. As for Why did you choose the Abyss Kingdoms... I guess it's because it's closer to the southeast coast of Legrand."
"what about others?"
"The council has elected a committee of six who will be in charge of the expedition's combat affairs. The candidates have been selected. But the supreme commander has not been able to decide. The council has been interrupted several times for this."
"What's wrong?"
Peter shrugged, showing an incomprehensible look of doubt: "Because the Holy See intends to lead the expedition himself."
"what?!"
Segney was taken aback.
"Holy See he—he—"
"Who knows."
Peter sighed deeply.
…
The papal lounge of the meeting.
In the lounge, there were only the Pope and several cardinals.
"Holy . . . Your Majesty," said Cardinal Furdland, "in your capacity, you should not have stepped on the battlefield yourself."
"I know what you think," Theodore said mildly. "If I were wounded on the battlefield, or worse yet captured, and died accidentally, it would be a huge blow to the Holy Empire, wouldn't it?"
"That would be a terrible nightmare for all believers."
The cardinals replied.
"I know your concerns." The Pope smiled and shook his head, "but don't forget, this is a life-and-death war. If we lose this war, then what's the use of me even being alive? As for the rest As a result, don’t you have any confidence in the Holy Court’s millennium preparations?”
"That said, it's too dangerous. We have devout people who are loyal enough to you, the Empire, and the Holy See. You don't really need to take this risk yourself." Even the best personal friend of Pope Theodore Sisian shook his head in disapproval.
"This is a battle of armies, my old friend." Siold shook his head slowly, "If I am far in the sky in such a fateful war. Then how should I direct this war? We do have enough 'messengers' to make our messages punctual enough. But how do I make sure the soldiers can follow my orders across the strait, tens of thousands of meters away?"
"The Holy Army fights for the Holy Lord, and all actions will follow your will."
Cardinal Furdland replied.
"Don't use these words in a conversation like this." The Pope shook his head. "What was the reason for the interruption of the Second Holy Army Movement? Others have forgotten it. Have you forgotten it?"
The room fell silent, several cardinals looked at each other, and no one answered the question first.
Among the several Holy Army campaigns of the Holy See, the second one failed the most. The leader of the Holy Army movement is generally held by a person of high status in place of the Pope and obeys the Pope's orders. However, in the second Holy Army movement, the Holy Army did not reach the target of the expedition, Hael, but had a conflict with a city-state along the Hopeless Inner Sea, which was also a believer of the Holy Lord.
The Holy Army violated the purpose of "justice" and attacked the city-state of the Holy Lord's believers. After the incident was reported to the Holy See, the Pope at that time was furious and issued an excommunication order for the Holy Army who participated in the battle.
However, it is of no use. The Pope is far away, and it is difficult to control the huge and complex army.
After the actions of the Holy Army spread, it caused a lot of criticism and blame. At that time, the sea barbarians made a comeback again. Therefore, the second Holy Army movement had to be forcibly terminated to deal with a new round of hopeless inland sea turmoil.
In any case, the failure of the Second Holy Army Movement brought profound lessons to the Holy See and the Pope at that time.
"Even the most wise military strategist cannot always guarantee that his orders are carried out meticulously, unless he is in the army and takes the lead." The Pope picked up the chess piece on the table and held it in his hand, "A real Commander, the significance of his existence does not lie in his profound martial arts and rich combat experience, but in his ability to disperse a plate of sand and condense it into a knife and a sword, making it invincible."
"Sometimes, I envy Legrand."
The Pope sighed.
"It's so fortunate that in almost every generation, there are so few people who can hold the whole country together. The Duke of Buckingham, the Queen of Illinois, and today's Purland are no less inferior to his uncles and ancestors. I I often wonder, is it a cursed land or a blessed land?"
Few people know that the Duke of Buckingham's death was not an accident.
The Duke of Buckingham was specifically noted on the Holy Court's secret list.
A very prestigious knight who can be called the spirit of the empire. For Legrand, his fall was not only a loss of an excellent and outstanding general, but also a very appealing battle flag. The status of the Duke of Buckingham in the hearts of the Legrand knights is too lofty. It is the glory and trust condensed over the years, and his existence is too much a threat to the Holy Court's plan.
Even if he did not fall into the hands of Saint Vaal, he would fall into the hands of others.
The Holy Court provoked the mighty Legrand rebellion in the north, and one of the main purposes was to kill the Duke of Buckingham.
He alone is as important as an entire army.
"It's a pity, Illinois was too well hidden before this." The Pope said with some regret, "Otherwise, if she can be eliminated before the war begins, it will save a huge roadblock for the Holy Army's Western Expedition."
"So, where are we going to start this westward expedition? Hrid Swan Harbor?" Sisian asked.
The Pope opened his hand and placed the chess piece he held earlier on a spot on the map on the table.
"here."
He says.
The chess pieces are on the southeast coast of Legrand.
Cossoa.