The emperor was dead.
Again.
On the plaza before the Grand Cathedral of Light atop the mountain, not a single person breathed loudly. Everyone stared in terror at the place where the emperor had vanished. They could not imagine what had happened, or what would happen next.
"The God of Light... judgment."
In the crowd, someone spoke in a trembling murmur. His voice was not loud, but this place was too quiet—so quiet that everyone could hear him.
Ryan turned his head, his incomparably cold gaze locking onto the man. The next instant, an illusory sword aura slashed down, and the viscount's life was extinguished in an instant. The surrounding nobles looked at Ryan in horror, but very soon, the demigod power released by the Four Grand Dukes suppressed everyone. No one could speak again.
"The Church of Dawn!"
Grand Duke Mayers's hoarse voice was almost a low roar forced up from his heart.
"The Church of Dawn killed His Majesty! This hatred can never share the same sky!"
"All nobles, commoners, slaves of the Florian Empire—everything of the empire—will remember this undying hatred between the empire and the Church of Dawn!"
Mayers's body trembled. His powerful strength meant his age could not become a hindrance that made his body frail, but even so, he was still trembling at this moment.
He was afraid. He was furious. He would never accept this.
"This has nothing to do with the God of Light."
Grand Duke Fleming spoke with a grave expression.
"The Church of Dawn released the authority and power of faith they command and killed Emperor Columbus IV."
Grand Duke Russell's face was gloomy. The armor on his body was already gone.
"The supernatural was in turmoil. In that instant, the power came from Dawn Holy Mountain."
Grand Duke Rodriguez