Chapter 90: The Great Chaos Approaches

The assembled doctors exchanged glances, each looking to Lothar. His reaction caught them entirely off guard; with a cold expression, Lothar declared, “Did you not hear Archbishop Neil’s words? Hmph. So many of you spent the entire day and couldn’t heal this child—what use is there for you to stay? Get out, now!”

No one dared linger any longer after hearing this. They quickly made their farewells and departed, while Lothar ordered his men to carry away those who had been knocked unconscious. Yet, before leaving, each cast a meaningful look at Link, as if pondering something unknown.

Link, however, paid no mind to their thoughts, for they were irrelevant. With the room cleared, he immediately approached Saka to assess his condition. Lothar took the opportunity to explain, “Archbishop Neil, this child was stabbed in the waist by a weapon imbued with a powerful curse. The wound cannot heal, so we’ve used magic to freeze it.”

Link nodded at the icy layer over Saka’s waist, wasted no words, and began channeling his magic to cast the single-target healing spell, Touch of Holy Light. Unlike the paladins, Link’s holy light magic was powered by mana, giving it attributes slightly different from their skills, but not by much. In fact, the purity of his light element surpassed even that of a paladin’s skill, which explained its remarkable effects.

Under the astonished gaze of Bass and his son, Link’s hands blossomed with warm golden radiance, bathing Saka as if pouring forth a basin of light. Instantly, Saka’s wounds began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye. The icy layer on his waist vanished, the dark red curse was forcibly expelled, and the blackened wound rapidly returned to its normal color and closed.

In less than five seconds, Saka was completely healed. His breathing steadied, and his complexion returned to normal.

Such formidable healing caused Bass and his son to gasp in shock, staring at Link in disbelief. They had witnessed powerful healing spells before, but none that could simultaneously dispel negative effects and heal injuries. Moreover, the speed was astonishing—five seconds to cure all wounds! Did the Star Kingdom possess such potent healing magic?

Then they recalled that a few months ago, the Father had bestowed a miracle, gifting the church a great edifice for training powerful paladins. Many of those paladins had mastered strong holy light healing spells. Could it be that Link’s spell belonged to this holy light magic?

Their minds whirled with thoughts, eyes growing ever brighter. Such healing prowess, even without offensive power, could easily determine the outcome of a battle on the field.

Yet now was not the time to dwell on such things. The father and son quickly refocused on Saka. Lothar, unable to contain his concern, asked, “Archbishop, is Saka alright now?”

Link smiled warmly. “Rest assured, the Father has not wished to claim this child’s soul. He is healed and should awaken soon—look, there he is.”

As Link finished speaking, Saka slowly opened his eyes, prompting Bass and his son to rejoice and rush to his side.

Freshly awakened, Saka was still dazed, looking around blankly and instinctively asking where he was. Upon seeing Link, he gained clarity and inquired about what had happened, clearly not remembering the events before he lost consciousness.

Lothar quickly explained the situation to him, then, full of emotion, said, “Child, thank you. If not for you, I would surely have lost my life. I’ve heard you are an orphan—would you be willing to become my adopted son?”

The sudden question stunned everyone in the room. After a while, Saka stammered, “My lord, your words truly humble me. With my status, I am unworthy to be your son.”

Lothar waved his hand dismissively. “Unworthy? You saved my life and are a Champion of the Father. If anything, I am unworthy to be your father. If you do not mind this old man taking advantage, I would be delighted.”

Saka, though strong, was only fourteen—a boy still. Faced with such an abrupt situation, he was at a loss, and looked pleadingly to Link.

Link, though surprised, did not object. Lothar remained a high-ranking devotee, and if this could strengthen his loyalty to the church, allowing Saka to become his adopted son was not a bad idea.

Still, Link would not decide for Saka. He gave him an encouraging look and said, “Saka, this is your decision. You must choose for yourself. Rest assured, whatever you decide, the church will support you.”

Relieved, Saka saw Lothar’s expectant expression and, for the first time, revealed a shy smile. “My lord, I am honored by your kindness and would gladly acknowledge you as my father. But I wish to discuss it with my sister first. Though my parents have passed, I still have a sister.”

Though not an outright acceptance, Lothar was satisfied, smiling and nodding. “Of course. When things are safer, bring your sister here. I recall her name is Yuna, yes? Haha, I’ve always wanted a daughter, and Brand wants a sister. If you both become my children, I’ll be laughing in my sleep!”

He laughed heartily, and Brand smiled, casting a warm look at Saka, clearly satisfied with his new brother.

With such commotion, Link felt like an outsider, prompting him to cough and interrupt this melodramatic ‘family gathering.’ “Gentlemen, let’s discuss these matters later. We have other issues to address. My lord, is it true that temporal rifts have appeared throughout the Red Moon Province?”

Lothar’s smile faded as he nodded. “Yes, I’ve received many reports from across the province. Temporal rifts and creatures from other spaces have appeared, but for now things are stable, and the monster numbers are manageable. Each area can cope. But this afternoon, I got word from the capital—the Star Kingdom and neighboring countries are all suffering from these rifts. The nation is on war footing, the situation is under control for now, but as time passes, who knows what will happen? The king has ordered me to organize troops to clear the rifts and monsters in the province. With my forces, it’s not difficult to handle the current threats. The problem is, no one knows where the real culprit is or when a new rift will open. When that happens…” His voice trailed off, the atmosphere turning grim, and everyone’s faces darkened.

After a moment, Link spoke. “The culprit is almost certainly the Church of Baal. But that cult is secretive, and finding them will not be easy. My lord, does the kingdom have a plan?”

Lothar shook his head. “Not yet. We’re told to act as circumstances demand. But I have sent word to the king about what you told me. I expect a response soon. Still, we must prepare for chaos. Archbishop, please lead the Father’s Church and be ready to act. If the situation cannot be resolved for a long time, many churches may grow restless—especially those with ambitions for the papacy.”

His words were a clear warning: the major religions would likely take advantage of the chaos to expand, especially those eager to claim the papal title. The existing papal churches all rose during times of turmoil, and Lothar was reminding Link that if things spiraled out of control, he should seize the opportunity to grow, or risk being swallowed by more ambitious churches.

“Indeed, shrewd eyes will see this coming. I must prepare countermeasures as soon as I return,” Link thought, then nodded. “I understand, my lord. Thank you for the advice. Please take care. Saka and I will return to Chinko Town now.”

Seeing Link about to depart, Bass and his son wished to persuade him to stay, but once Link explained what had happened in Chinko Town, they understood his urgency.

Just then, Lothar’s eyes gleamed as he spoke with a mournful tone, “The catastrophe in Chinko Town is terrible. There’s no official ready to assume office… So, Archbishop Neil, let the Father’s Church manage it. Due to the disaster, I’ll waive all taxes for twenty years. I’ll send food and supplies. Please rebuild a grand new city, and when it’s done, you may name it as you wish.”

Link was momentarily stunned, then his eyes flashed with keen insight. Lothar was openly offering him a rare opportunity. When chaos erupted, the Father’s Church would need its own holy city, and rebuilding Chinko Town was the perfect chance—to win popular support and construct a sacred city, shielded by Lothar from government scrutiny. Once the city was built, the church’s foundation would be secure, and even if the kingdom wanted to seize it, they couldn’t. Moreover, by then, who knew if the kingdom would even have the strength to govern?

With this in mind, Link thanked Lothar and, taking Saka, rode White Spirit back to Chinko Town, while Lothar and his son set about cleaning up the mess before them. For a long time to come, they would be busy.

Meanwhile, the disaster of the rifts began to unfold everywhere. Centered on the Star Kingdom, it spread like a plague to neighboring nations, and from there outward, with no end in sight.

This confirmed Link’s suspicion—the Church of Baal was playing a long and dangerous game.