Chapter 472: Sigrid's Acting Skills
Chapter 472: Sigrid's Acting Skills
A brief moment of silence befell the hall, during which the nobles and ministers engaged in hushed whispers and furtive glances. The nobles, seated in the outer circle of the uppermost tier of the hall, occasionally glanced at the Great Sage Yixi, their eyes darting quickly across the other key members of the Resurrection Church in the center of the hall, seeking clues to decipher the situation.
Among them, the southern nobles wore more solemn expressions, while those from the north and east appeared mildly curious and vigilant.
Seated closer to the center, the ministers reacted more directly to the unexpected turn of events. Many furrowed their brows, their thoughts interrupted by the sudden development, as they whispered to one another, attempting to analyze the situation.
Amidst the ever-shifting gazes and expressions, the reactions of the few power-holders present were the most anticipated by all.
Bishop Sigrid of the Domination Church remained calm, her eyes gleaming with a frigid determination to judge Askesan.
Askesan, the Cardinal of Annihilation, also reverted to his most ruthless and dangerous self in this moment. It seemed that at any second, he would unleash the full force of his power at the pinnacle of the eighth tier and remind everyone of the soul-suppressing might of the original stone tablet's seal.
Duke Morotian Bernhard, seated on the upper left side of the chamber, exuded an even deeper aura of solemnity. His steady gaze seemed to be assessing the impact of this sudden turn of events.
Although the Great Sage Yixi might not fully trust him as the second most powerful person in the empire, he was always ready to lend his aid if needed.
The silence of these key figures cast a subdued and sluggish aura over the light and shadows within Franklin Hall.
"Sigrid," Askesan said, a cruel smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he broke the prolonged silence in the hall, "we could very well settle things between us today without causing any trouble for Your Excellency Yixi. If we let this drag on any longer, I fear that this battle, which you finally mustered the courage to accept, will once again end inconclusively due to various reasons."
Askesan fixed his gaze on Sigrid as he spoke. "You, who remain silent, aren't waiting for the Great Sage Yixi to come to your rescue, are you?"
When Askesan had seen Sigrid accept the challenge, he had surmised that she might have another plan up her sleeve—even if her state was sealed and restricted, she could still find a way to temporarily display the power of an eighth-tier practitioner and deceive the Protoss Empire.
After all, just a month ago, the injuries he had sustained were no less severe than Sigrid's, and even now, he hadn't fully recovered to his peak condition.
There were a few summoning creatures that could be transferred to others to activate the summoning.
Magical devices and magic scrolls also had no user restrictions, with the only drawbacks being the inconvenience of carrying the devices and the one-time use of scrolls.
Who knew if that damned wolf could be lent out? Despite being only a four-tier card, it possessed the terrifying trait of growing stronger against stronger opponents.
Moreover, that wolf carried a similar aura to Sigrid, an aura that Askesan loathed. Just the sight of Sigrid reminded him of the endless white blaze that had erupted in the northern snowfields in an instant.
Of course, it was also possible that Sigrid was biding her time, hoping that Yixi would realize the difficulty of this duel and intervene.
But Askesan would never give her that chance.
"... "
At this moment, everyone in the Imperial Assembly understood what Askesan meant by "need not cause trouble."
There was indeed a way for cardinals of the Resurrection Church to settle their differences and determine who lived and who died.
The Deadly Arena, as a realm unfolded by the proof of a bishop, did not allow for any external assistance or interference.
The initiation of the Deadly Arena required the consent of both parties, and its termination did likewise. Once begun, it would continue uninterrupted until one of the combatants perished. This formal internal deathmatch of the Resurrection Church did not necessitate the involvement of the Protoss Empire to preside over the duel or arbitrate the outcome; the two cardinals could simply commence battle!
Archbishop Amyres, who had intended to interject, abruptly halted, his words left unspoken.
In principle, the Pope did not permit cardinals to engage in the Deadly Arena.
However, she was not the one being reprimanded.
Should the Deadly Arena commence, the loser would perish today, and the victor would eventually face reckoning at the hands of the returning Pope.
"Sigrid, why aren't you saying anything? Are you feeling uneasy again?"
Askesan locked his gaze onto Sigrid, his eyes brimming with sarcasm.
"In the Protoss Empire, let everything be decided by Great Sage Yixi,"
Sigrid replied calmly.
"..."
Great Sage Yixi continued to observe the two cardinals, deep in thought.
While this was the simplest and most direct solution, and the one most beneficial to the Protoss Empire, human life was fleeting and precious. To decide life and death in such a manner felt somewhat cruel.
Seeing Sigrid awaiting Great Sage Yixi's decision, Askesan couldn't help but sneer.
"Sigrid, in any of my battles with you, you always wanted to fight to the death. Yet, this one time, now that I challenge you to a cardinal's duel in the Deadly Arena, you hesitate to accept?"
Askesan turned to Yixi and bowed.
"Great Sage Yixi, regardless of the outcome, this is an internal matter of the Resurrection Church. The Protoss Empire need not bear any responsibility, nor is it within your duties to intervene in matters beyond the maintenance of the rules. It would be unwise to jeopardize the Protoss Empire by officiating a battle between us that could potentially harm its people."
He then waited for Sigrid's response.
"From my position as the protector of the Protoss Empire, as long as you do not endanger the lives of the Protoss people, I will not interfere,"
Yixi finally spoke after a brief contemplation.
As the upholder of the rules, she ought not to involve herself further in the internal affairs of the Resurrection Church.
"..."
Sigrid remained silent, her head lowered.
Now, she had to make a final decision.
The faint smile on Askesan's face grew increasingly composed.
The southern nobles, who had considered voting for the Domination Church, exchanged glances, their resolve beginning to waver.
Sigrid's behavior today was indeed unusual.
Through Askesan's successive tests, one could discern from the subtleties that Sigrid lacked confidence!
This only served to reinforce the veracity of Askesan's words.
If Cardinal Sigrid of the Domination Church had not lost her martial power and was backed into such a tight spot, losing the bishop election would make it truly difficult for her to counter the ascendant Askesan. With the enmity between them, the matter of life and death would have to be settled sooner or later, and it might be better to do so now.
If Sigrid had indeed lost her martial prowess and still lost the bishop election to Askesan, then her chances of survival were slim to none.
Her only path to survival was to accept the challenge now and make a final stand against Askesan.
(End of Chapter)
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