Dawn Holy Mountain, Supreme Cathedral.
Saint Solarian stared out beyond the church, his deep gaze reaching the distant sky.
He was the supreme Pope, but now the entire world seemed to be challenging his authority. The Faith of Dawn was held in his hands, and that Power of Faith was slipping away.
"The war between the Church and the Empire began because of faith. Will I lose everything?"
Solarian murmured to himself. He had no clear answer in his heart, but he was too powerful, both in the strength he possessed and in the firmness of his convictions.
Even as he watched the Empire's vast army about to arrive before him, the Pope remained calm, showing no anger at the failures on the front line.
This was different from the man he had once been.
After atoning for himself and making a trip to Abyss Hell, Solarian had changed. He was no longer as irritable as before, but this Pope frightened the clergy of the Holy Mountain even more.
Outside the Supreme Cathedral, anxious bishops and archbishops waited one after another. The Pope was not in a hurry, but they were frantic. Bad news kept coming back from the front, and even a Cardinal Archbishop had died during divine descent. They could not imagine just how powerful the army of the Florian Empire had become. "Your Majesty, perhaps we should open the gates of faith."
"Our armies have already been defeated. The war on the front line cannot wait a moment longer. We must gather more power now and drive out the Empire's army." "The lands of the Kingdom of Lausanne and the Kingdom of Grund need more believers. The Lord's people will do everything they can to resist the Imperial army's desecration of the Holy Mountain."
The clergy chattered