Felix, cloaked in a grey mantle, sat quietly in the carriage, blending in with the other travelers. Only his hands, pale as snow, would occasionally catch the eyes of those around him when lifted.
Once the path is chosen, one should follow it relentlessly and make the best of the journey.
To make his name known to the world, Felix realized that only sensational deeds, intricately tied to My Lord's decrees, would suffice. Otherwise, he risked losing My Lord's divine favor, perhaps even the holy light would forsake him.
In setting his initial course, he identified his role – The Arbitrator in the Sunlight.
Though the detailed plan was still nascent, the general direction was unmistakably clear.
The first step was to present himself in a positive light, making a grand entrance so that his presence would quickly become known. Felix couldn't wait for gradual recognition; only impactful events could draw the world's attention and lead to intense scrutiny of his subsequent actions.
Being known was the first step in amassing faith.
Once enough eyes were on him, Felix's deeds would captivate the public, be sung by minstrels, and his initial image would be gradually elevated through word of mouth until he became the embodiment of justice, My Lord's earthly spokesperson.
When his positive reputation reached a nearly mythical status, it would be time to solidify his faith.
At that point, Lady Ireland would lend her aid, elevating him to a demigod walking the earth.
Marilyn had left the day before for the Place of Rest, the abode of the dragons in this realm, to summon the Dragon God from the chaotic void and break the planar shackles binding her.
Utilizing Lady Ireland's residual influence, Felix sent a message through St Pilds Cathedral to the outside world.
The message was simple: St Pilds Cathedral would dispatch an envoy to inspect the various dioceses.
In the world of Delrano, St Pilds Cathedral was not only the sacred ground of the Church of Light but also a gathering place for ascetic monks, drawing keen attention from the Holy See. Normally, such a message wouldn't cause much stir, but coming after a series of mysterious events at St Pilds, it seemed to carry a different weight.
Those sensing the significant changes at St Pilds were numerous. Now, with the cathedral announcing the dispatch of an envoy, it was hard not to speculate.
St Pilds Cathedral, traditionally autonomous and revered, but without tangible secular power, always maintained a detached image. The sudden decision to send an envoy, especially a lone one in plain clothes, coupled with the recent anomalies, sparked wild conjectures even among outsiders.
Could it be that My Lord's incarnation is about to walk the earth again?
In the world of Delrano, the first descent of the holy light onto this ancient land was marked by My Lord sending a six-winged seraph to spread the faith. Since then, with every abyssal invasion, My Lord dispatched an angelic incarnation. Lady Ireland's recent triumph in her trials, becoming the new Saint Elouan, was a sign. Soon, news of Saint Elouan's emergence would spread throughout the territories under the Holy See's influence.
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Felix intended to seize this delicate moment. Before the interplanar war erupted, he planned to masquerade as My Lord's incarnation, building momentum for his fame to spread across the world of Delrano.
Indeed, within St Pilds Cathedral, the ascetic monks somewhat regarded him as an earthly incarnation of My Lord.
The carriage continued to rock gently, some weary travelers already dozing off against their luggage. Only Felix sat cross-legged in a corner, most of his body concealed in the shadow of his cloak, silent and slightly out of place.
After assimilating the mark left by Lady Ireland, Felix's power had roughly reached the early stages of the Golden Dominion. In Delrano, without titles like Blade Master or Arcanist, a great swordsman or a wizard was akin to a grand magus of the Prime Material plane. Yet, in this world, even those who step into the Golden Dominion are considered merely a step away from entering the sanctuary.
The strength of a Blade Master, or entry-level Blade Master, might be formidable in a single region or nation. But when viewed against the entirety of Delrano, it seemed somewhat insufficient.
Excluding dragons, demons, and sinister beings that had entered the sanctuary.
Felix aimed to incrementally augment his power through judicious judgments, yet he had to tread carefully. While leveraging the power of the Holy See, he sought to make his name resonate far and wide.
Thus, he needed to master the art of striking hard yet subtly, engaging in acts that seemed grand but barely rippled the dark world.
As long as he didn't provoke a full-scale backlash from the dark world, relying on the current power of the Holy See was enough for a worry-free existence. After all, for the human world, the Holy See remained a beacon of My Lord's glory, a protector of greatness.
As Felix sat with eyes closed, pondering his first move, a sudden clamor arose outside, and the entire caravan halted abruptly.
"Bandits!"
"Bandits are here, grab your weapons!"
In this world, there were no regular carriages for travelers. People either journeyed together or paid a modest sum to hitch a ride with a north-south merchant caravan, which was exactly what Felix had done.
After leaving St Pilds, he found a merchant caravan in a nearby town. After parting with ten silver coins, the caravan's leader agreed to give Felix a lift to the kingdom's capital, Griffin Heart, though Felix had to cover his own meal costs.
Observing the frantic footsteps outside the carriage, an idea suddenly dawned on Felix.
The profession of a merchant, inherently mobile and with an extensive network, was undoubtedly the best conduit for spreading one's presence. Besides mercenaries and minstrels, merchants were ideal for propagating one's existence. And Felix had chosen these merchants as his first point of entry.
Unlike the other panicked travelers, Felix rose calmly and stepped out of the carriage at a leisurely pace, his gaze serene as he watched the encroaching bandits. His nonchalant demeanor stood out starkly against the others. His detached attitude even influenced those close to him.
Order began to return to the chaotic caravan.
In total, there were thirty-two bandits, a leader barely touching the fringes of the Silver Domain, four low-tier professionals capable of wielding elemental powers, and the rest were mere mortals in terms of strength.
In contrast, the caravan was significantly outmatched. With only twelve guards, mostly mortals, the only competent figure was the head of the guards, whose strength was nearing the Silver Domain.
Almost a match for the bandit leader.
After assessing the situation, Felix stood quietly among the crowd, showing no intention of intervening.
It's remembered best when aid is offered at the most critical moment. Moreover, Felix's aim wasn't merely to rescue these people; he wanted to use their testimonies to amplify his fame. To achieve this, he had to employ special methods to appear divine in their eyes. He certainly couldn't dispose of the bandits as a high-tier professional might, swiftly and easily.
He needed to maintain an air of mystery.
Just as he had concealed his power and proceeded with caution since leaving St Pilds Cathedral. The more mysterious something is, the more it piques people's curiosity.
What Felix intended to do was to rescue these merchants in the most divine manner at the opportune moment, then disappear mysteriously.
Mysterious, yet continually performing awe-inspiring feats. Only by doing so could his name rapidly spread among the grassroots populace of this world. And faith, after all, springs from those at the bottom, those who harbor the greatest hope in the divine.
As a nobleman groomed by Lady Elizabeth, Felix certainly couldn't expect the world's aristocracy to provide him with faith.
For nobles have no faith.