When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist-Chapter 687 - 645: The Imperial Council and 3 Popes

"You should be ashamed of what you've done!"

"The Imperial Council no longer has even an ounce of legitimacy!"

"I dare say, among the Imperial Council members present today there are spies of the Blood and Flesh Royal Court!"

In the spacious Imperial Parliament Palace, the moment the voting result was announced, Hahndan, the emissary of Duke Nedbach, flew into a rage.

He even climbed onto the podium, holding up a large oil painting high, depicting the Battle of Han Jin Mountain, hurriedly created in five days by the renowned imperial artist Givello.

On the painting, half of the sky was clear, the other half was blood-red clouds and blood rain, while two duchy army soldiers with pleasant faces stood bravely in the blood rain.

Facing them were the King's Army soldiers holding the Leia Royal Family's Lanfeng banner. However, compared to the duchy soldiers, these soldiers had fierce faces with sharp vampire fangs protruding from their mouths.

On a hill behind the King's Army stood a gray-robed figure, raising pale hands, emitting red blood mist.

In the damp brown-yellow soil, gray-green zombie hands reached out from beside the Royal Knights' horses' hooves, and huge bats circled the sky.

"Look, don't you see it? Doesn't such a horrific scene awaken justice in your hearts?" Hahndan's voice was almost crying out in blood, "Is this not evidence enough of that despicable usurper Jinijis colluding with the Blood and Flesh Royal Court?"

"Sorry, Mr. Hahndan." Duke Denova, today's acting chair of the Imperial Council, helplessly tapped the gavel, "The artistic value of this painting is high, I am willing to spend a lot to buy it, but we cannot determine King Jinijis colluded with the Blood and Flesh Royal Court solely based on verbal reports and a painting."

"Verbal reports? Haven't I shown you the decayed bodies of soldiers attacked by magic?" Held by several guards by his legs, Hahndan still shouted.

"Pardon my candor, Mr. Hahndan." The King's emissary, wearing a silk gown of the notary, stood up from behind the mahogany desk, "I didn't want to speak bluntly, but your fabrications are too obvious. Is it so hard to hire a few from the Secret Faction to make such a body?"

"Nonsense, you're a spy of the Blood and Flesh Royal Court, Jinijis is a spy of the Blood and Flesh Royal Court!" Held between two Long Halberd Guards, Hahndan kicked endlessly in the air, "You're all spies of the Blood and Flesh Royal Court, even Pope Puliano is a spy of the Blood and Flesh Royal Court!"

Watching Hahndan being dragged away, Duke Denova dusted off his knee while laughing to Chief Justice Quivarin beside him, "This is truly disgraceful."

Shaking his head and sighing, Quivarin was equally exhausted by the farce of "Duke Nedbach accusing King Jinijis of colluding with the Blood and Flesh Royal Court" that had dragged on.

Yet beneath the fatigue, he couldn't help but find it somewhat absurd and comical.

In this battle for the throne, the River Island Royal University, representing scholars, maintained a neutral stance.

Because there wouldn't be a change in dynasty, at least half of the nobility chose neutrality, even the Imperial Decree Company hinted at neutrality.

Compared to the Falan hero Titled Knight Prince Kongdai who leads by example, these three great nobles vying for the throne are types who don't bother touching the cold river.

To make the Imperial Knights follow with the same loyalty and dedication as they did with Prince Kongdai, they would have to be promised exceedingly high rewards.

In that regard, Jinijis, who lavishly rewarded upon taking power and swiftly replaced the Imperial Decree Master Decree Commander, actually had more control over the army.

Since last winter, both sides have repeatedly contended back and forth on Dawn Island, with mixed results, yet the two dukes' side even held the advantage.

Because they accepted a large number of Imperial Knights and High-tier Cultivators who fled from Thousand River Valley.

However, the shift in momentum happened almost in an instant.

With a large number of mercenaries hired by Jinijis arriving, the situation gradually reversed.

Last month, both sides were still in a chaotic struggle with entangled gains and losses.

This month, King Jinijis suddenly took the field himself, leading a large number of archers, knights, and mercenaries to devour 1500 knights and 5000 infantrymen at Han Jin Mountain.

Among them, two entire Imperial Decree Companies were annihilated, a large number of Imperial Knights surrendered, and the two dukes' most important military commander, Duke of Alava, died in battle, the situation reversed instantly.

Clearly, the two dukes cannot afford to lose, so they immediately sent someone to the Imperial Council to accuse Jinijis of colluding with the Blood and Flesh Royal Court.

Indeed, Jinijis's army included desert nomad mercenaries linked to the Blood and Flesh Royal Court, but that doesn't mean Jinijis is colluding with them.

As for the wizards, it's even more absurd. Although the church officially prohibits Secret Factions and magic, both sides secretly hiring some wizards in war is not uncommon.

Hahndan just presented evidence of the King's Army hiring wizards, while the King's emissary could immediately produce similar evidence for the two duke armies hiring wizards.

This embarrassed the priest members of the Imperial Council, leaving them no choice but to ignore it.

"Ahem, however, the situation has stirred up considerable rumors among the public." Quivarin coughed, "The new pope in the north hopes we can quickly suppress these rumors."

"I know, I will announce the initiation of an investigation against King Jinijis."

"Hmm, that's good." Quivarin stood up with the support of a cane, looking up at Duke Denova who was assisting him, "This period has been like watching a farce."

Holding back for quite a while, Duke Denova couldn't help but laugh: "Do you know what the real farce is?"

"What?"

"After receiving the excommunication from Pope Grandiva, our Pope Puliano announced excommunication on Pope Grandiva just yesterday."

Quivarin was stunned at first, then broke into a silent laugh: "At this rate, before the Imperial Council loses legitimacy, the title of pope won't even have an ounce of sanctity left."

"Hahahahaha, well said, Chief Justice Quivarin." Duke Denova couldn't help but laugh.

As El nobility, they were somewhat pleased to see the Church stumble, as the El people and the Church were both interdependent and mutually disdainful.

So they found the mess left by the former pope troublesome, yet delightful.

Quivarin was very familiar with the arrangements and thoughts of the former Pope Johnny VIII.

As the Falan faction within the Church was still strong, once he stepped down, it was highly likely that a bishop from Falan would be elected, and most likely it would be Grandiva.

Once Grandiva was chosen, the Church might move back to the Falan Kingdom, making all of Johnny VIII's efforts in vain.

At that time, with the key votes of the El people and the pope, the crown of the Divine Ael Empire would once again fall into the hands of the Falan people.

Last time, with this crown, the Falan people established many autonomous cities and eliminated the biggest vassals within the country, successfully transforming from the weakest to the strongest nation.

If it weren't for the Leia Kingdom's victory at the Battle of Windmill Land, which curbed the rise of the Falan Kingdom, Leia might have become a vassal state of the Falan Kingdom by now.

If the Falan people were to wear this crown again, the Divine Ael Empire would truly become the empire of the Falan people.

The old Pope Johnny VIII would rather cause a split in the Church than let power slip away from Golden Horn Bay, ensuring that the Triple Tiara would not fall into Falan hands.

This ultimately resulted in the remarkable spectacle of two suns in the sky within the Empire.

"Speaking of which, isn't there another pope within the Empire?" Duke Denova teased.

"Just the leader of a Secret Faction heretical sect," Quivarin shook his head repeatedly, "I have seen their 'Charter', it's good, but it still has a problem."

"What problem?"

"My teacher spent a lifetime to reissue the 'El Civil Code', but did you see any noble or priest complying with it? It was revoked within two years." Quivarin's tone was filled with discontent and melancholy.

Some things vanish and cannot be regained.

He exhaled deeply, gazing at the exquisite marble statues of the El sages lining both sides of the corridor, unable to conceal his sense of helplessness and sadness.

"Young people like Lupher can still believe, even seeking my help through connections, but in the end, they are too young and naive."

"Didn't they defeat Prince Kongdai?"

"You see the Thousand River Valley People defeating Prince Kongdai; I see the Falan and the Norn People teaming up to defeat him." Quivarin walked with a stagger, "Behind Duchess Moliad stand the Norn, while behind that Pseudo-Pope stand the Falan.

Several thousand peasants with a few alchemical crossbows can't defeat a duke or even an Imperial Decree Company? In the civil war within Leia Kingdom so far, the number of Imperial Knights who died is no more than 300!

Don't forget, there were 500 Royal Constitution Knights garrisoned in Joan of Arc Castle at that time. Look closely at the battle report, I guess it was the Royal Constitution Knights who opened the gates for them that day.

Otherwise, why would that grandson of the Holy Father, with so much sanctity, compromise so much to open the trade door wide to the Falan people?"

Duke Denova opened the door of Parliament Palace for Quivarin: "So now the situation is that the Norn People and the Falan are besieging the Leia?"

Walking outside Parliament Palace, the autumn sun shone on Quivarin's face, as he gazed eastward with clouded eyes: "The Norn Kingdom is like a Hydra, each head has its own thoughts, they are truly unfathomable."

Duke Denova nodded slightly: "Do you think that young Falan king has the bearing of an emperor?"

"The Falan Kingdom faces many checks and balances, and that king is too impatient. Lorenzo is quite the fox, but his secretive plots can't make it to the stage; indeed, he is hasty." A few servants came forward, draping a thick fox fur coat over Quivarin, "Given Falan's current situation, if their campaign against Windmill Land goes smoothly, it's one thing; if it doesn't, if it doesn't succeed..."

At this point, Quivarin's voice grew smaller, eventually fading into a few murmurs, "It's possible...but not likely...or maybe it's possible...ah..."