6-3

Hylan had done everything that could be done.

Yet, he felt as though he had accomplished nothing.

Look at these hands. They were as powerless as if they had been torn from a marionette. The pale purple veins meandered beneath the wrinkled skin. The joints between the index and ring fingers of his right hand formed a clear triangular area, within which a small bump, no bigger than a fingernail, had grown and would shift slightly back and forth with the movement of his fingers. For years, these hands had been closest to the pages of books, but recently, Hylan had started avoiding prolonged contact between his hands and the paper when reading. He often held the spine of the book with his left hand, lightly brushing the edge of the pages with the fingers of his right, and immediately pulled them away after turning a new page. He believed that books possessed a vitality far more abundant than that of humans and that his gradually decaying fingers should not contaminate them. Sometimes, he even felt that the clear black text trembled, as if trying to flee the page when his fingers approached.

If time were to render these hands powerless, so be it, for they had never possessed a strength worth relying on. But the power of language was different. The brain's ability to select combinations of characters and then transform them into a whole system of air vibrations was nearly the entirety of Hailan's personal spirit. People were silenced, enlightened, gathered, and pursued because of his words. He could afford to lose the strength to write, but not the precise voice with which he expressed himself.

His conversation with Jorgen made him realize his decline in this regard. He had at least said one wrong thing, committing a mistake he had spent his life trying to avoid: making a judgment without understanding the actual situation. He told Jorgen that Cornwall and Sylvia were malevolent and negligent guardians. In truth, he had never had the chance to meet Sylvia. To Hylan, she was merely a shadow that existed in the words of others and fragmented files. In his eagerness to persuade Jorgen to reconsider Hilsbeth' plight and abandon his defense of MI7, he had momentarily forgotten the facts, transforming from a persuader into a propagandist.

How this mistake would affect Jorgen's final decision, Hylan could not predict. He only knew that Jorgen's decision might not even matter. Tomorrow, the secret court established by the Council would try Jorgen. This was, in reality, a unilateral ritual. There would be no defense lawyer, no witnesses. The judges, led by Hamilton, would give Jorgen the chance to make a statement, from which they would determine the final verdict. If the Council had already decided to severely punish Jorgen and protect MI7, then any argument Jorgen made at Hylan's behest might backfire. But if Jorgen did not resist, Hylan wouldn't even be able to plead on his behalf. Hamilton had already subtly hinted to Hylan earlier, asking why he wasn't focusing more on the Archbishop election. Those in power could easily bypass the defense of religious influence to cast doubt on him.

"Bishop Hylan, there is something I must remind you of," Hamilton had said to him the morning before last. "The King is displeased with the current stalemate. You and your colleagues should be careful not to let religious disputes take precedence over the interests of the state and its people. Before Bossia Wislanzo was dealt with by the national military for desertion, you placed her under house arrest and privately allowed her to visit the prison for national criminals. To me, this is an example of the Church's misconduct. Please don't forget that your Church's full name is the Holy Light Church of the Storm Kingdom. For the greater good, at least until the new Archbishop is chosen, the Council will do its best to meet the Church's needs. Please do not take this temporary arrangement as a granted privilege. Perhaps you should learn from Bishop Lindy. His ties to the problematic MI7 are indeed concerning, but he has never acted beyond his duties. He has only diligently preached and conducted medical research. As the Archbishop of the Storm Kingdom, your primary concern should be national stability, followed by religious pursuits. I hope this frankness won't make you think I lack religious sensibility."

Throughout his long career as a preacher, many had seen Hylan as their savior. Many times, Hylan had wanted to tell these people not to idealize him, not to see him as a deified figure, but he had never been able to do so. For most people, finding a worthy, imaginary figure to worship was the limit of their approach to faith. Letting them know that their theological idol was actually more restricted by worldly matters would do them no good. Those who had directly imposed restrictions on Hylan included the past Koen and today's Hamilton.

And Panthonia.

The greatest panic of Hailan's life occurred one afternoon decades ago when he awoke in a hospital bed. He opened his eyes, completely unaware of why he was lying there, his mind enveloped in a throbbing pain that swelled and contracted repeatedly. A nurse was by his side, but she left before he could ask any questions. Shortly after, a series of footsteps gradually approached the room, interrupting his futile attempts at recollection. He felt a strange anticipation, thinking that whoever was coming would surely help him remember. The approaching person suddenly stopped, and Hylan heard a voice from the corridor: "Yes. Hylan has woken up, Lord Shawl." Then, the footsteps resumed. That person was about to appear at his door.

In that brief moment, Hylan recalled everything. Cornwall had planned to take Hilsbeth away, and he had tried to stop him but was attacked. The time was too short; he couldn't even ask himself why it had happened, nor did he have time to feel foolish for his naive trust; he was completely overwhelmed by panic, like kneeling on a small, exposed black rock, watching as molten lava from a volcanic eruption surrounded him from all directions. What frightened him most was not knowing Hilsbeth' situation, but the fear of hearing news about her from Panthonia.

On the night before Jorgen's trial, Hylan, unable to sleep, once again heard those footsteps. But this time, they did not approach his door from afar. Hylan could sense that the person stood at the door, trying to say something, but remained silent, gradually moving away, disappearing into the darkness where he belonged.

Mardias had done everything that could be done.

Next, according to MI7's usual practice, it was a matter of waiting for the expected outcome while being prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.

But at the moment, he was unable to predict what the outcome would be.

Following Lindy's advice, he had found a suitable house for recuperation, quiet and secluded, and had moved Dalia out of the hospital. The day before Jorgen's trial, he went to visit her. He was indeed pleased to give her a new environment, but as he faced her familiar silence, he recalled that this was not originally his idea.

This had always been the case when it came to caring for her. In the past, unless Mardias asked, Lindy would only inform Jorgen about Dalia's condition. Treatment plans did not require Mardias's approval. All visiting times were arranged by Jorgen. This situation continued for over a year before Mardias began to feel dissatisfied. This dissatisfaction was directed at no one but himself. When his grandfather was alive, Mardias had reservations about visiting his mother on his own. Since his grandfather clearly trusted Jorgen, following Jorgen's arrangements should pose no problems. Additionally, the pressure of being the next heir to MI7 forced him to limit his actions. His grandfather had been a controller who showed no weakness, so Mardias had to do the same.

Related to this was something he believed no one else knew about. Several times, he had used the opportunity of being out on a mission to meet a girl from Goldshire. In front of her, he was Karl, a student trying to integrate into society and choose his future. Since his grandfather's critical illness, he had cut off contact with her, knowing that it wouldn't be long before his face would be recognized by more people.

After his grandfather's death and Jorgen's imprisonment, Mardias suddenly realized that his caution had been meaningless. His subordinates did not think less of him as a leader for visiting his mother. Recently, although MI7's functions had been greatly restricted, there had been no management chaos. Nothing had happened without Mardias's knowledge; after convincing Elin to submit to Tony's authority, Mardias realized that the leadership transition in MI7 had been completed in a remarkably peaceful manner.

Perhaps one day in the future, MI7 would no longer be synonymous with spreading fear and suspicion, even if it would inevitably weaken its influence. Sometimes, Mardias wondered if this was what Jorgen had intended.

Elin said,

"Just like your father."

Besides his mother's recovery, the other matter Mardias had done everything possible for but still could not predict the outcome of was the Council's trial of Jorgen. Elin had pointed out something noteworthy to Mardias: Hylan had never shown any desire to meet with him. Hylan was fighting against MI7, yet he deliberately ignored its current leader. Elin believed this was because Hylan wanted to avoid unexpected variables, but Mardias didn't think so. In fact, he didn't want to meet with Hylan either. For some unknown reason, Hylan wanted to protect Jorgen. Hylan and Mardias had to struggle against each other, but perhaps they were not enemies. The outcome of their struggle would be decided by the Council.

That night, Mardias stayed late in his grandfather's office, poring over the reports submitted by Tony and Elin. It became evident that, when willing, people other than Elin and Jorgen could cooperate effectively. The investigation revealed that most members of the Prayer Society were civilians who had suffered significant losses in the earthquake, making them naturally prone to gullibility. The severe stampede that occurred on the cathedral steps the night of the earthquake was one of the key examples they used to prove the corruption of the Church's faith. Tony and Elin were getting close to the upper ranks of the Prayer Society, and the preliminary conclusion was that these leaders possessed a level of self-awareness and critical thinking far beyond that of the average citizen. Once their stronghold was confirmed, a raid could be arranged.

If only there were another week, Mardias thought.

At that moment, he suddenly looked up. He sensed someone standing outside the door. There had been no sound of footsteps ascending the spiral staircase; the person was already there. Mardias realized that this might be the person who had set the conflict between him and Hylan in motion. He felt time abruptly come to a standstill; at this moment, nothing existed beyond these seven top-floor rooms.

Mardias waited for a knock on the door. He waited for a familiar voice to call his name. Neither came. The suspended time, if it could be measured, was not long. Though he ultimately heard nothing, Mardias was not disappointed. Ten minutes later, he finished analyzing the investigation report, extinguished the oil lamp, and left the room.