NOVPUBIn the Franklin Hall, the empire’s nobles and ministers all remained silent, focusing their attention on the area belonging to the three sects of the Rebirth Church in the center of the hall. 𝑛𝘰𝑣𝑝𝑢𝑏.𝘤𝑜𝘮
Although the final announcement at this moment might influence the personal opinions of the ticket holders to some extent, many nobles or ministers didn’t intend to cast their votes according to their own opinions.
The nobles of the Northern Xueyuan Province all knew that when the voting started, Mr. Rocky McCarthy would take out his handkerchief, then fold it and put it back into his chest pocket. The direction towards which the emblem of the Protoss Royal Magic Academy on his handkerchief points would represent whom he would vote for, and they would follow him in voting for the same bishop.
The directions down, up, and right represented south, north, and east respectively, and also corresponded to the areas that the Bishops of Hegemony, Nirvana, and Mourning had been assigned over the past few months.
Next to the lord’s seat in the hall, as Isis sat down again, the atmosphere turned into a tranquil wait for the moment.
Bishop Sigrid of Hegemony stood firm at her position in the hall.
Her subordinate, Gloria, stepped onto the stage with resolute steps, dressed in a formal attire, ready to begin her announcement.
As personal soldiers, they were considered Grand Priests, albeit of a higher rank than ordinary ones.
Gloria scanned the audience, preparing to share the changes that the Hegemony Branch had achieved in the southern part of the Protoss Empire over the past few months.
"Miss Gloria, please wait a moment."
A Grand Priest at the back of Asksan’s seat stopped everything.
No one knew what the Nirvana Branch intended to do.
Just as Gloria was about to start speaking, an unexpected event occurred at this critical moment. Sigrid also looked at the Nirvana Branch’s seats on the right side of the hall center with slightly knitted brows,
The Grand Priest Sender sitting behind the Bishop of Nirvana suddenly stood up, his actions swift and decisive.
Sigrid had an impression of this Grand Priest.
After she and the Saint Heir had reported and relocated the Knights of Nirvana stationed in the Herram of the Imperial City, it was this direct soldier named Sender from the northern special envoy that took over the logistical work in Herram. He processed their passes to the northern sealed area.
In the case that almost all of Asksan’s Grand Priests were dead, the personal soldiers could be considered as Asksan’s last confidants.
"Miss Isis, on behalf of the Nirvana Branch, I have important matters to report."
Sender’s voice interrupted the forthcoming speech. He looked at Isis, seated at the lord’s seat in the hall, with an anxious and resolute expression on his face.
"..."
All eyes in the entire hall instantly turned to Sender, anger evident on Gloria’s face.
She knew that Bishop Sigrid of Hegemony was currently under accusation from the Imperial Army, and the officer in charge of capturing the Bishop of Hegemony was waiting outside the Franklin Hall. If Sigrid won today’s bishop election, she might be able to continue to negotiate, but if Sigrid lost, she would definitely be arrested by the Protoss Empire. The winning bishop might not only not help her but might even kick her when she was down to seize this opportunity to completely suppress the Bishop of Hegemony.
The Bishops of Nirvana and Hegemony were arch-enemies, and the Nirvana Branch would not miss this valuable opportunity. Considering their unscrupulous and unprincipled style, they could use any dirty tricks today.
The nobles, members of parliament, and other important figures in the empire began to whisper to each other, sensing the tense atmosphere.
The behaviour of the Grand Priest from the Nirvana Branch could be regarded as quite impolite, but those present understood - their own announcements might not necessarily have that big an effect, but revealing and attacking other branches could directly and significantly influence the voting opinions of the nobles and ministers later.
Isis raised her head slightly, her eyes tranquil yet profoundly insightful, as if she could see through everyone’s heart.
She nodded gently, giving silent consent to Sender’s statement.
This simple action immediately plunged the entire hall into silence. The attention of the Empire’s dignitaries was all concentrated on Sender, the personal soldier of the Nirvana Branch, waiting for him to announce the so-called "important matters."
"Madam Sigrid... surely you don’t intend to cover up your crimes by winning the election today, and then escape unscathed?"
Sender took a deep breath and looked at Bishop Sigrid of Hegemony at the center-left of the hall.
"I am more upright and aboveboard than you all."
Sigrid stood still with her arms folded and replied coldly.
Speaking with the people of the Nirvana Branch always made her nauseous.
"Heh, after causing so much harm to the residents of the North, you still have the audacity to maintain your image?"
Facing Sigrid’s curt reply, Sender pointed at Sigrid and sternly questioned her without backing down.
At this point, not just the Hegemony Branch, but also the entire hall’s atmosphere was engulfed by this sudden antagonism.
Sigrid raised her eyes to glance at Sender, the personal soldier behind the Bishop of Nirvana, Asksan.
Although Asksan was only sporting a slight smile as if it was none of his business, he clearly enjoyed watching his subordinate berate Sigrid.
However, Sigrid didn’t fall for this provocation and degraded herself to dispute with a personal soldier over this issue.
She remained aloof, her gaze seemed to tell the Nirvana Branch that she couldn’t be bothered to reason with them. They were not even worth her explanation.
"..."
The Grand Sage, Isis, quietly propped her chin.
She had previously mentioned that the three bishops could present their case in any form and this kind of argument certainly counted as one.
It seemed to be at a deadlock now.
Sigrid chose to coldly dismiss the unfavorable topic raised by Sender.
If nothing unexpected happened, after this brief interlude, the process would return to the normal announcement of the Hegemony Branch.
However, Sender’s face maintained its composure.
As if the scandal he had just mentioned was nothing more than a greeting, and the real secret that Sigrid hid was yet to be uncovered.
Sender once again bowed to Isis, the Grand Sage of the empire, and then looked at Sigrid:
"Madam Sigrid, as we understand it, you have suffered an irreparable serious injury, causing your level to permanently fall to the Eighth-order, yet you have been concealing your true condition during the month when you ran away and hid from your crimes in the Protoss Empire. This behavior is a deception against the Protoss Empire. You are not worthy to stand here because you have already lost the qualifications to be a strong ally of the Protoss Empire."
At the moment when Grand Priest Sender’s accusation fell, the air in the main hall froze.
The entire hall fell into an instant silence, and then the noisy discussions rapidly surged.
If the information from the Nirvana Branch was true, and the Bishop of Hegemony had lost her proudly-claimed supreme power, then fundamentally, she was not the ally the current situation of the Protoss Empire required!
