A move in the Holy City, bound for Tear Knight

After the morning bells, the white-gold sacred flame in the central Assembly Hall was lit once more.

On the second day, the Holy War Council convened its final meeting.

In accordance with the Church's rites for the Succession Deliberation of the governor of the Eternal Night Wall, the four candidates' documents were delivered to the Assembly Hall for joint verification by the recorder and the Sacred Flame Attendants.

The Holy War Council's vote on the next governor of the Eternal Night Wall did not depend on ballots alone. It was also subject to Church regulations.

A candidate had to secure the number of supporting votes stipulated by the Council of Deliberation, demonstrating support within the sacred administration.

If no candidate received majority support, voting would continue until one was selected.

The voting record had to reflect support from different interest groups, preventing the governorship from falling entirely under the control of a single faction or a coalition.

That support had to cover seats from at least five or six different branches, including religious affairs, military affairs, sacred affairs, and the various nations.

This system stemmed from a lesson learned centuries earlier, when various powers in the Holy City had joined forces to install a governor with support from only two or three branches. The other branches felt they had no voice in his decisions, and the resulting problems with internal coordination had thrown the front lines into chaos and turmoil.

After that, the Holy War Council had written consensus support into the rules governing gubernatorial succession.

There had to be enough support to convince the different branches that this authority would be used only to maintain the defense line, not to expand the influence of any particular power or faction.

At the end of the meeting, the four candidates left