Chapter 817: Mordor Strait
Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Amidst the chaos of the world, the turbulent times provided an ideal opportunity for the Oceanic Faith to rapidly expand.
The highly organized, premeditated, and unified actions of the Oceanic Faith quickly caught the attention of various kingdoms.
Within the Lienhardt Palace.
âSebastian, have you found out about the Oceanic Faith?â
âFather, not yet, but Iâve sent people to investigate in several coastal cities. We should have results soon,â Sebastian replied, bowing his head.
Julius frowned. âThe Oceanic Faith appears to have sprung up out of nowhere. Its missionaries are popping up in nearly every coastal city, and its influence has grown rapidly. Iâm worried if it turned out to be something like the Deep Sea Church.â
The Deep Sea Church had caused them quite a bit of trouble. They had expended considerable effort to root out their strongholds, temporarily driving them back into the sea.
Sebastian pondered. âFrom what we know so far, the Oceanic Faith hasnât shown any malicious tendencies. Its teachings mainly revolve around offering faith for protection and safe voyages at sea.
If it were just that, it wouldnât be much different from other preachy religions. However, whatâs most surprising and worrisomeâŠâ
As Sebastian spoke, Julius furrowed his brow, bluntly interjecting, âDonât leave me hanging halfway. Do you want me to start throwing punches?â
Sebastian coughed nervously and, with some embarrassment, hurriedly continued because he knew his father meant what he said.
ââŠWhat concerns me the most is, according to the initial reliable reports weâve received, those who have joined the Oceanic Faith have indeed received some level of protection.â
âExplain in detail.â
âTo be more precise, those fishermen are catching more fish, and sailors encounter fewer adverse weather conditionsâŠâ
Julius interrupted again, âThatâs probably just coincidence. The sea is everÂchanging. How could it suddenly make the fishermen more successful or the weather more favorable?â
Sebastian said gravely, âI initially shared your thoughts. However, if one, ten, or even a hundred instances could be dismissed as mere coincidences, what about when a thousand or ten thousand people from various locations encounter the same phenomenon? Can we still call it a coincidence?â
Monica, who had been silent all along, spoke up, âPerhaps deities can accomplish such feats. They are supreme and possess immeasurable power.â
Upon hearing this term, Julius felt a weight in his heart. âMonica, are you saying that this so-called Oceanic Faith is truly worshipping a deity?â
In fact, not every church worshiped deities. Most of the so-called churches worshiped by the faithful were fabricated by false priests to deceive followers for money. They couldnât possibly attract the attention of real deities or produce such strange âcoincidences.â
A genuine divine church wasnât something just anyone could establish; it required the approval of the âdeityâ themselves.
The deity was on the verge of becoming a deity, marking the beginning of absorbing followers.
This meant that a new deity was being born.
Just as the three were contemplating, a soldier pushed the door open and entered, holding a rolled-up parchment.
âReporting to His Highness, the paintings used by the Oceanic Faith missionaries have been brought back.â
Sebastianâs expression was firm as he immediately took the parchment and unfolded it on the table after the soldier left.
Julius and Monica approached, seeing the slowly unfolding painting depicting a tumultuous sea.
âIs this the ocean?â
At first glance, the painting seemed ordinary, like a landscape painting by any artist. But upon closer inspection, they noticed the waves in the painting were actually moving.
Before their eyes, it seemed as if an ever-rolling and surging ocean appeared, with billions of tons of water rising and then crashing down with the force to shatter mountains before merging back into the sea.
The interconnectedness of all beings
They felt like they had become small waves, merging into the surging waves, joyfully leaping and rolling together, forgetting the troubles and worries of the world.
They also felt enveloped by endless seawater. Yet, they didnât feel cold; it was like becoming a babbling toddler embraced by the gentle arms of the ocean, hearing soft murmurs, warm and safe.
âEmbrace the arms of the deity-â
In the boundless ocean, a blurry and majestic figure stood, as if becoming the entire world.
After what felt like an eternity, as if awakening from a beautiful dream, the three slowly came to their senses.
Looking at the painting on the table again, it had returned to normal.
Feeling somewhat frightened, they realized they had involuntarily immersed themselves in this painting?
ââŠIs that the deity?â Monica asked in disbelief.
Sebastian was at a loss for words, the blurry figure lingering in his mind, difficult to dispel.
In fact, a surge of belief in this existence even rose within him.
Now, the answer seemed to be forthcoming. The Oceanic Faith did indeed worship a deity; otherwise, a painting wouldnât have had such an effect on them.
ââŠRoyal Father, should we take any action against the Oceanic Faith?â
Julius furrowed his brow. A church with a genuine belief in a deity couldnât be handled lightly. After pondering for a moment, he said, âDonât hinder the Oceanic Faith. No matter what, theyâre only spreading their faith near the ocean, and their doctrine poses no threat to us. Letâs leave it for now and see how the situation develops.â
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