The battle ended. Whether in outer space or on the surface, it reached its conclusion in a very short time.
Once they had confirmed it was safe, Bishop O'Henry reconnected with the Dawn.
"Thank you for arriving in time, my lord Earl. You saved us all." O'Henry bowed.
"There's no need. This is the sacred mission entrusted to me by the God Emperor." Earl Mark returned the bow slightly, then asked, "What exactly happened in the Tannis River System? Why are there so many Chaos-tainted people here?"
"It's a long story. About ten years ago, the tyrant issued an order requiring administrative officials and military officers at every level in the system to travel in batches to the capital of the Tyran Empire for an audience. The entire process lasted about two years. No one knew what happened; all they knew was that everyone who returned had undergone a drastic change in personality.
"Gladiatorial contests, orgies—every day the news reported all kinds of heinous incidents. Eventually, they stopped reporting anything at all, because everyone knew the Empire's order was deteriorating. It was no longer news.
"Evil sacrifices of every kind. The whole world was in chaos. It was as if, overnight, the Tannis River System had become a paradise for cultists.
"Before His Majesty's radiance descended, no one knew what was happening. We thought Acturus had gone mad. Only just now did our Lord's divine revelation awaken me to the truth: it was all a plot by the Chaos Gods!
"Acturus has probably already become a pawn of the Chaos Gods. A pathetic mortal, thinking he could trade with the evil gods for power and authority."
The bishop rambled on, and the chaos of the past ten years unfolded before everyone like a painting.
Earl Mark listened patiently, occasionally asking