NOVPUBThe council hall was filled with tension and worry.
No one present dared respond to Bishop of Nirvana Asksan.
They were all waiting for Sigrid to respond.
The premature intervention of the two Cardinal Bishops raised anticipation among the nobles and ministers for this showdown, but as the situation escalated, many of them began to feel fear.
Despite the protection of Franklin Hall’s barrier and the presence of Grand Sage Isis, they remained anxious—should these two formidable powers come to blows, the fallout from their close-quarters battle could potentially harm them.
Isis sat quietly, listening. As the Grand Sage of the empire, her presence alone was a symbol of authority and power.
She had no intention of intervening in the disputes within the Rebirth Church.
If the Church could handle its internal affairs effectively, she would simply watch.
"Different identities, different contexts, different duties."
Sigrid slowly began,
"Some people never solve problems rationally, even in adulthood, their hearts and behaviors are still like a one-year-old."
She glanced at Asksan and saidwith a slight smile.
"Sigrid, don’t try to change the subject. You attempted vengeance on me for accidentally killing a few of your priests. Now, given the opportunity to kill me, you dare not take it—are you fearful?"
Asksan didn’t take Sigrid’s words as an insult, but continued to question.
"There’s no need for me to respond. As I said, in a month, when we meet again, you’ll have no choice but to run like a rat."
Sigrid looked at Asksan with eyes full of derision.
What a shameless man.
"Unfortunately, you’re thinking too far ahead. Look at the expressions of the Protoss Empire representatives present—they’ve begun to doubt your ability. For you, acting shouldn’t be hard, or would you rather jeopardize the election you’ve prepared so diligently for simply to hide your power?"
Asksan’s provocative words were sharp and disdainful, pressuring Sigrid,
"It’s because of useless bishops like you that your Saintess died so tragically… The blame doesn’t lie with me, or with Anello, but rather, with having you as the Bishop of Hegemony."
His words made everyone present tense up.
Every single word from Asksan seemed to be testing Sigrid’s limits.
In face of such provocation, Sigrid’s fingers trembled slightly. It seemed as though she was doing her utmost to keep calm and avoid escalation.
Everyone knew that if things escalated to violence, the consequences would be unpredictable.
However, Sigrid’s continued evasion and tolerance sparked various reactions among the seated nobles and ministers.
More and more people were beginning to doubt Sigrid’s true ability, the whispers in the council hall grew more frequent, and expressions of doubt became increasingly apparent.
This was without a doubt a great pressure for Sigrid.
The Grand Priests of the Hegemony Branch could clearly sense that, regardless of the truth of Asksan’s words, his aim was achieved.
Asksan’s provocation worked beautifully—if all the southern supporters wavered, it would be a devastating blow to Sigrid’s chances of winning the upcoming Bishop election.
If things continued as they were, the Hegemony Branch would undoubtedly lose.
"Sigrid, it’s time to prove it. We of the Rebirth Church cannot lie to the Protoss Empire."
Asksan patiently inquired, his demeanor suggested he was telling Sigrid he was always ready to help her prove her strength to the powerholders of the Protoss Empire, and he would be happy to be her practice partner.
In this stalemate, Asksan surveyed the upper council.
Now, no one dared to speak for Sigrid.
Although it was likely that Sigrid’s mysterious Saint of Hegemony was a Protoss aristocrat and may have attended today’s election as a member of the Upper House instead of sitting in the Hegemony Branch Priests’ seats.
But regardless of where the Saint of Hegemony was hiding, Asksan was confident that he was definitely present and ready to aid Sigrid, who was isolated and without support.
"Asksan, what I want to present to the Protoss Empire isn’t your typical threats and force, but the possibility of cooperation and coexistence. But if you insist on me proving that I possess power superior to yours, then I shall comply."
Sigrid’s voice became colder as she spoke to Asksan.
She stood in the center of the council hall, her figure was more resolute than ever during this critical moment. Under everyone’s gaze, she looked up to Isis seated in the high position, her voice contained a hint of helplessness and determination,
"Grand Sage Isis, I request your witness to a fair contest between the bishops. Let everyone present witness whether or not I, Sigrid, hold the strength a Cardinal Bishop should possess."
Sigrid accepted the challenge, and the Franklin Hall was instantly in an uproar.
While they couldn’t yet determine who was telling the truth between Asksan and Sigrid, at least Sigrid was willing to fight!
Upon hearing this, Asksan’s expression visibly changed, the corners of his mouth slowly flattened.
He was ready to kill his sworn enemy.
Next to the seat of the Emperor of the Protoss Empire, Franklin III.
"..."
Isis was lightly tapping the armrest with her right hand, not agreeing immediately, as if considering something.
The restriction here couldn’t be lifted, otherwise Asksan and Sigrid could potentially slaughter many high-ranking Empire figures in one breath.
If they changed locations, unexpected things might happen along the way.
As the heart of the Protoss Empire, Herram was densely populated. Although it had multiple potential battlefields with ancient barriers, plus her own barrier lock and control could let the two Cardinal Bishops go full out, every choice needed to be fair to ensure the battle’s impact would be minimal.
She also had to consider how to decide the winner, and when necessary, step in to end the battle.
If for any reason a Cardinal Bishop dies in the Protoss Empire, when the Pope returns in the future, it could bring some trouble. If the Pope blames the internal struggles of the Cardinal Bishops on the Protoss Empire’s instigation and assistance, then the Rebirth Church could hold a grudge against the Protoss Empire.
Sigh, why are humans so troublesome, she shouldn’t have agreed to help Emperor Franklin protect the Protoss Empire.
If she ever encounters the historical projection of the holy war a hundred years ago in the Shadow World, she would definitely advise herself against it.
Isis propped her chin with her left hand, sitting cross-legged in her high-backed chair, her troubled gaze centred on the hall.
