Divine Flame Crystal

Chapter 567: Small Countries Outside the Four Great Empires

Mo used this to quickly launch his next plan - to win over those forces that were once controlled by the Holy See of Light. He knew that the attitudes of these nobles and major forces were the key to determining the situation on the continent, and now was the moment when their loyalty to the Holy See was the lowest.

Mo looked at the distant sky, feeling proud in his heart. He knew that although the Holy See of Light still stood, its inviolable sacred aura had long been eclipsed in the storm of public opinion. It was time to take the next step. Although the prestige of the Holy See of Light had not completely collapsed, it was no longer as indestructible as it used to be. And this was exactly the opportunity that Mo wanted to take advantage of.

He knew very well that the reason why the Church could be so domineering on the continent was not only because of its own strength, but also because of the major empires that nominally submitted to the Church. Under the long arm of the Church, although the kings of these empires held power, they always walked on a tightrope in front of the Church - on the one hand, they were afraid of the power of faith controlled by the Church; on the other hand, deep in their hearts, they were full of dissatisfaction with the Church's interference.

Mo decided to take advantage of this discontent. He sent out elite envoys from the Moonfall Organization to quietly contact these empires that had had friction with the Holy See in a low-key and clever way, and convey his carefully designed "truth".

The Dawn Empire, as one of the oldest empires on the continent, once had a glorious history. But with the rise of the Holy See of Light, the royal family of the Dawn Empire gradually became a vassal of the Holy See. Whenever the emperor wanted to implement a new policy, he would always be criticized by the Holy See. Even in the court, the representatives of the Holy See could almost negate the emperor's decision with a single word.

Mo had heard that King Reynard of the Dawn Empire felt extremely aggrieved about this, so he sent an envoy of the Moonfall Organization, a seasoned negotiator named Garrott, to lobby.

Garrot knew very well that it was dangerous to directly oppose the Church when facing an emperor like Reynard. He had to plan carefully and gradually dispel the other party's fear of the Church.

In the palace of the Dawn Empire, Garrott met Reynald. He whispered softly, his tone respectful and reserved: "Your Majesty, do you also feel that the interference of the Holy See has become more and more serious over the years, and has threatened the independence of the entire empire?"

Reynard was stunned, frowning. Obviously, he didn't want to talk about this topic. After all, the power of the Church in the empire was deeply rooted, but he had to admit that Garrott spoke out his deepest concerns.

"The influence of the Holy See is indeed not small, but it is the representative of the God of Light after all. We have to consider the feelings of believers." Leonard responded cautiously, but there was a hint of uneasiness in his eyes.

Garrot smiled and continued, "Your Majesty, you are right. But have you noticed that the authority of the Holy See of Light is no longer as strong as before? They have many internal problems, and even some conflicts between high-level officials are gradually surfacing. If Your Majesty chooses to take action at this time, it may change the situation in the future."

Reynard was obviously a little shaken, but he still hesitated: "Even if the Church has some problems, it still rules the faith. The majesty of the God of Light is inviolable."

Garrot knew the time had come, and he said slowly: "Your Majesty, the holy halo of the Church is nothing more than a facade they created. Internal corruption and power struggles are eroding their power, and the believers' trust in the Church is no longer as indestructible as before. You can consider uniting with those empires that are equally dissatisfied with the Church to form a new alliance. No longer be a vassal, but control your own destiny."

Reynard pondered for a moment, his eyes complicated. He had long been tired of the suppression of the Church, but the fear in his heart still made it difficult for him to make up his mind. Seeing this, Garrott stopped pressuring him and quietly left, leaving Reynard to think alone.

"Is the Holy See still as omnipotent as it was in the past?" Leonard looked out the window, his heart gradually wavering.

Then, the envoys of the Moonfall Organization came to the Cold Wind Kingdom. This empire is located in the north of the continent. It has a cold climate and scarce resources. It is a small country outside the four major empires and has always had a tense relationship with the Holy See. The Holy See often asked the King of the Cold Wind Kingdom, Valentine, to contribute to the expansion of the God of Light, but rarely gave substantial help. Valentine has always had a hidden anger towards the Holy See, but has never expressed it publicly.

Mo has a deep understanding of the Cold Wind Kingdom. The messenger he sent this time is an elf beauty named Elsa, who is good at using the weaknesses of human hearts to exert her charm.

Elsa quietly visited King Valentine in the Coldwind Palace. Unlike Carrot, she did not directly raise the issue of the Church, but started from the plight of the Coldwind Kingdom, and like an old friend, she talked to Valentine about the various troubles he faced - the bad climate, internal resource competition, and the constant pressure from the Church.

"Your Majesty, the people of the Cold Wind Kingdom have always been tenacious. They deserve a more just rule, rather than being enslaved by the interests of the Church as they are now. Have you ever thought about how powerful the kingdom would become without the constraints of the Church? Even becoming the fifth largest empire," Elsa asked in a soft tone.

Valentine looked up at Elsa, a trace of suspicion flashed in his eyes: "Without the constraints of the Church? Do you know what you are talking about? The Church has always been the pillar of faith on the continent. The people of the Cold Wind Kingdom believe in the God of Light."

Elsa smiled softly and replied, "Your Majesty, the God of Light will not disappear, but the Church may not always be God's spokesperson. You can choose to unite with other empires and gradually get rid of the Church's control. The belief in the God of Light remains, but you can strive for more autonomy for your kingdom and no longer be oppressed by the Church."

Valentine whispered to himself: "Freedom and independence..." This thought slowly penetrated into his heart like a cold wind. Although he did not express his support, Elsa could see that Valentine had already planted the seeds of hesitation in his heart.

The Flame Empire has always been an important ally of the Church of Light, but its king Ackerman is an extremely ambitious man. On the surface, he is in awe of the Church, but in fact, he has always been dissatisfied with the Church's control over the power of faith. He has repeatedly expressed in public that he hopes that "the Empire has more independent decision-making power", but the Church has never paid attention to his ideas.

The envoy sent by Mo this time was a diplomat from the Moonfall Organization, an experienced middle-aged man named Walder. When he came to the Flame Empire, he had a secret meeting with King Ackerman directly.