Over the next few days, the Hori Kingdom sank into a chaotic war of public opinion.
That very day in Havenlight, the Queen's body was placed in a flower-laden coffin and carried by soldiers around the city once, confirming that her death was real. Under such circumstances, no matter how fiercely the anti-Church movement had surged, it inevitably died down at once, and people's attention was instantly diverted.
At the same time, large numbers of soldiers appeared throughout the country, suppressing the protesting crowds and gradually restoring order to the chaotic nation. Black flags hung outside every household in mourning for the Queen's death.
However... though the streets had grown far quieter, rumors in the alleys and marketplaces only multiplied.
"His Majesty the King has vanished, and Her Majesty the Queen has suddenly passed away. Could it be that the gods want to destroy our Hori Kingdom?"
"Her Majesty the Queen was perfectly fine. How could she suddenly be assassinated? What were those Paladins even doing? His Majesty was taken away once already—how have they not learned a single lesson?"
"How exactly did Her Majesty die... I think there's more to this."
In just one day, news of the Queen's death had overshadowed the indulgence affair and become the most discussed topic among the people. The official explanation was naturally that mages had assassinated the Queen, and the Church's informants tirelessly spread that claim among the populace. But after everything that had happened, the Church's prestige in people's hearts had fallen again and again.
Many people doubted the truth. Benjamin, in particular, sent orders to the Academy's Dark Division throughout the country, spreading the claim that "the Church killed the Queen." In an instant, rumors soared. Though the public might not necessarily believe that the Church had truly murdered the