Chapter 293 The Villain Lady Arrives 121
Lanster pondered for a moment, his eyes moving between Alice, Aidan and the Archbishop, and finally fixed on the Archbishop's eyes full of wisdom and love, with a hint of unquestionable determination in his tone:
"Archbishop, this battle between the Church of Light and the Church of Darkness has indeed brought unprecedented turmoil to our Kingdom of Lanster. The rubble scattered on the streets, the broken windows, and the innocent people who were involved in the war and lost their lives all tell of the cruelty of this conflict."
The Archbishop's face froze when he heard this, but then he regained his usual calm and solemnity. He spoke slowly, his voice low and powerful:
"Your Majesty, I am fully aware of the harm and pain this incident has brought to Lanst, and the Church of Light feels deeply sorry for this. We came here to protect light and peace, but we never expected such serious consequences. Please allow me to express my deepest condolences and apologies to all the victims of Lanst on behalf of the Church of Light."
Having said that, the Archbishop paused slightly, turned his gaze to Alice and Aidan, with a complicated light flashing in his eyes.
"At the same time, I would like to thank Saint Alice and Warrior Aidan. It was your bravery and sacrifice that finally stopped the spread of this disaster. You are not only the pride of the Church of Light, but also the heroes of the Kingdom of Lanster."
King Lanster nodded, acknowledging the achievements of the two, but then changed the subject and became more direct:
"Archbishop, I respect your sincerity and the church's contribution, but the facts are before us. This battle has caused immeasurable losses to Lanst. The feud between the Church of Light and the Holy Church of Darkness should not be resolved on the land of our kingdom. What we need is peace and tranquility, not endless fighting."
Hearing this, the Archbishop sighed softly, as if he had expected this day to come. "Your Majesty, I completely understand your concerns and dissatisfaction. The Church of Light has never intended to invade Lanst. Our goal has always been to fight against darkness and protect light. However, the infiltration of dark forces is often beyond our expectations, and their actions often catch us off guard."
"But all this cannot be an excuse for us to shirk our responsibilities." The King of Lanster interrupted the Archbishop, his tone revealing unquestionable authority. "Archbishop, you must admit that this battle took place on Lanster's territory without our explicit permission. The actions of the Church of Light have posed a threat to the safety of the people and social stability of Lanster."
The Archbishop was silent for a moment, as if weighing the pros and cons, and finally spoke slowly:
"Your Majesty, I understand your position and difficulties. As the leader of the Church of Light, I am willing to assume due responsibilities. Regarding the issue of compensation, we will negotiate with the Lanster government as soon as possible to ensure that every loss can be reasonably compensated."
"Not only that," King Lanster added, "I hope the Church of Light can reconsider its missionary strategy in Lanster. I have stated many times before that the Lanster Empire does not welcome any forced missionary work by foreign religious forces. We respect everyone's freedom of belief, but we will never allow any force to use the name of faith to disrupt the order and peace of the country."
The Archbishop's face changed slightly when he heard this, but he immediately regained his composure. "Your Majesty, I have taken your concerns to heart. The Church of Light will strictly abide by the laws and customs of Lanst and will no longer carry out any missionary activities that may cause misunderstanding or conflict. At the same time, we will also strengthen internal management to prevent similar incidents from happening again."
"In addition," King Lanster continued, "I hope that the Church of Light can establish a closer cooperative relationship with the Lanster government to jointly resist external threats and maintain peace and stability in the two countries. After all, in this world full of unknowns and dangers, only by unity can we better protect our people."
Upon hearing this, the Archbishop's eyes sparkled, as if he saw new hope and possibility. "Your Majesty, your proposal is very pertinent and visionary. The Church of Light has always upheld the principles of peace and cooperation. We are willing to work hand in hand with the Lanster government to jointly meet future challenges."
As the archbishop finished speaking, King Lanster frowned slightly, and an indescribable emotion surged in his heart.
His gaze penetrated the carved window lattices of the palace, as if traveling through time and space, and fell on the holy land in the distance shrouded in mysterious light. There, his daughter, Vivian, was guarding a corner of this continent as a goddess. Her power came from the people's faith. Every devout prayer was like a trickle of water, converging into a sea, giving her supreme divine power.
Thinking of this, King Lanster's eyes became more determined. He slowly stood up, put his hands behind his back, and paced in the empty hall. Every step seemed unusually heavy. "Archbishop, you may not know that the entire Lanster Empire already has a god to believe in."
Upon hearing this, the Archbishop showed a mixture of surprise and admiration on his face. He had never expected that King Lanster had such a secret and powerful source of power. He bowed slightly to show respect, "Your Majesty, I know nothing about this, but if so, I understand even more your insistence on the purity and singleness of your faith. However, the Church of Light does not intend to compete with your daughter for faith. We are just spreading love and light, hoping that everyone can find a home for their soul."
"Archbishop, your words are indeed noble, but I must be responsible for my people and my daughter." King Lanster's voice was filled with unquestionable determination. "Vivian's belief system is a unique treasure of Lanster. It is closely linked to our culture and history. We do not want any external factors to interfere with this purity and sanctity."
At this time, Saint Alice, who had been standing by, stepped forward. Her eyes were gentle and firm, as if she could see into people's hearts. "Your Majesty, I understand your concerns, but the essence of faith is tolerance and coexistence. The faith of the Church of Light and Goddess Vivian is not incompatible. On the contrary, we can work together to guide the people and let them have love and light in their hearts, as well as devotion to Goddess Vivian."
King Lanster turned to look at Alice. Her eyes were clear and the sincerity in her words made him waver a little, but then he reaffirmed his position. "Saint Alice, I have always admired your kindness and wisdom, but matters of faith are serious. I cannot risk letting the people of Lanster fall into a state of confusion in their faith. That would be the greatest harm to them."
Seeing the king's firm attitude, Warrior Aidan couldn't help but speak. His voice was low and powerful, with a force that could not be ignored.
"Your Majesty, although I am not a religious person, I know the power of unity. In this challenging era, perhaps we can find a way to integrate the beliefs of the Church of Light and Goddess Vivian instead of opposing each other. In this way, we can not only protect the purity of Lanster's faith, but also use the power of the Church of Light to jointly resist external threats."
King Lanster fell into deep thought after hearing this. He knew that Aidan's proposal was not unreasonable, but his years of political wisdom told him that any change needed to be done with caution, especially when it came to sensitive topics like faith. He shook his head slowly and said:
"Son Aidan, I have always admired your courage and wisdom, but this matter is of great importance and I need time to think it over carefully. I cannot ignore the future of Lanster because of a momentary impulse."