The church has four characteristics known as the Great Attributes of the Church, laws passed down from ancient times.
These four characteristics—unity, universality, holiness, and apostolic tradition—share one common point: those who don't conform to them can all be classified as heretics.
A council is an event held to define these Great Attributes and provide guidance on the direction of faith. It's a highly authoritative ceremony with only seven precedents throughout the long history of the church.
When a council is convened, all church members—that is, secular rulers—unanimously pause their affairs and hold their breath.
"The last council was held 172 years ago."
"Hmm."
"At that time, there were 29 secular royal families."
"...29?"
"Yes. Do you understand what it means that for 170 years until the Demon Lord's rampage, the secular kingdoms numbered 21?"
Eight nations perished within two years.
The Saintess continued in a gentle voice.
"I mentioned that a council establishes the direction of faith. This means there were trends that deviated from the faith's direction... and when the council ended, it resulted in excommunication orders against eight secular royal families."
All royal families typically receive baptism directly from the Pope or equivalent cardinals during their coronation ceremonies. This ceremony guarantees the perpetuity of secular royal families. Among fellow believers, war may be possible, but conquest becomes impossible.
This means that under no circumstances can a royal family be completely dismantled. Even after winning a war, expanding borders, and imposing unequal treaties, the royal family must continue.
It was a form of mutual benefit. The Papal See could maintain enormous influence by mediating conflicts between secular royal families without an army, while the secular royal families were granted near-absolute perpetuity within civilized society.
Therefore.
"When the excommunication orders were issued, the eight royal families identified as heretics immediately faced invasion from all neighboring countries. There was no surrender or negotiation. Making agreements with apostates was itself a sin worthy of hell."
It was a war of pure profit, where devouring one's neighbor would be praised as opposing heretics. Secular royal families fattened themselves by consuming their neighbors without hesitation.
So at this moment, the declaration of the 8th Council foretells a bloodbath similar to that time. Once a council is convened, someone will certainly be declared a heretic.
"Wasn't it convened because of the disappearance of divine power?"
"Of course, but wouldn't it be better to blame someone for the disappearance of divine power? To say that we all lost God's love due to the sins of some heretics. Isn't that a perfectly reasonable opinion?"
"But this is Beolgrin's..."
"Hush, brother. You must always be mindful of listening ears."
The Saintess gently admonished Ivan and closed the Bible. The train was passing through a mountainous region in the deep night.
"The council's agenda differs each time, but the results are similar. The 'correct faith' was cultivated through the teachings of the Pope of the time. This was called papal infallibility... Are you not paying attention?"
"Can we just assassinate the Pope?"
"I now understand what Sister Enrique complains about daily. I truly feel like I'm losing my mind."
The Saintess scolded the half-dozing Ivan and continued.
"Infallibility. It means teachings without error. Since priests are teachers of all people, and the Pope is the teacher of all priests... Well, to put it simply, if His Holiness the Pope declares 'that one's a heretic,' that country falls. Satisfied? It's not an authority that can be used recklessly, but if there's sufficient evidence, it's an extremely powerful authority."
"Then is there any need for us to go? We could just receive the results."
"I also have infallibility, brother. The Pope is the teacher of doctrine, and I am the teacher of faith."
At this point, Ivan looked at the Saintess with extremely dubious eyes. His memory of the Saintess was mostly of her burning demons on battlefields or reviving burned people, not of her propagating some grand faith.
Seeing his gaze, the Saintess sighed and said:
"When divine power existed, I was the strongest."
"Ah."
"Yes. Since the size of divine power could be interpreted as the size of faith at that time. My rights are guaranteed by the Lord's great love that I received then."
"Then now..."
"Yes, while doctrine hasn't disappeared, faith has. So one could say the position of Saintess no longer carries weight."
At the Saintess's words, Ivan straightened his posture and asked:
"If all divine power has disappeared, doesn't that mean the authority of the church itself has been damaged?"
"Doesn't it?"
"Then even if heresy is declared against a secular royal family, it won't carry the same weight as before."
"Ah, brother, you've finally come to understand church politics. That's absolutely right."
The Saintess made a brief sign of the cross and said:
"I've lost my divine power and become no different from an ordinary priest, and His Holiness the Pope can no longer use excommunication orders as he did in the past. Now, do you know where the church's weight will shift?"
"No."
"I don't know either!"
Is she joking? As Ivan looked at the Saintess, she smiled brightly.
"No one knows. Who to draw the line with, whose side to take. Whether they're even in opposition to begin with. If they are in opposition, who is right, who is wrong, why they're in opposition... The church has fallen into unprecedented confusion."
"That makes sense since divine power has disappeared."
"Yes, so His Holiness the Pope must demonstrate that his authority remains intact. He must regain authority within the church and once again become the leader of faith."
This wasn't because the Pope was power-hungry. The decline of papal authority meant the authority of all priests would be trampled, which could threaten all believers spread throughout secular society.
Since the church was not an organization that ruled by force.
"I heard what you discussed with Sister Enrique. You're right. The most certain and effective method His Holiness the Pope could choose for the sake of the entire church would be..."
"To excommunicate the Saintess."
People are not afraid of those who cause trouble half-heartedly. But no one approaches a madman who crosses the boundaries of social justice and causes havoc.
If the Pope excommunicates the Saintess and begins to wield the knife within the church, secular royal families will fear the current Pope.
It has nothing to do with the presence or absence of divine power. As long as doctrine hasn't disappeared. Even without divine power, "believers" are still their subjects.
All countries in the United Alliance believe in a single religion. Who would dare to point a sword at the Pope—who "spiritually" rules more subjects than any monarch, more than the subjects ruled by a single monarch—especially a Pope blinded by anger?
Authority does not bring fear. Fear is authority. It's the power absolutely necessary in a world where divine power has disappeared.
"Then why participate in the council at all? If we go now and fill the seats, aren't we just setting ourselves up to be branded as heretics and killed?"
"Because we must take one step further. Didn't I say it's a situation where 'no one knows whose side to take'? So, I plan to excommunicate His Holiness the Pope with my 'infallibility.' In the midst of confusion, the church will lose its momentum."
With the same even tone as if choosing a breakfast menu, the Saintess smiled and said:
"I've already made preparations. The Lord's final revelation, yes. I've declared that student whom you cherish so much, Yevgeny Novikov Karamzin, a prophet."
The Lord, who withdrew His love in disillusionment with the world's believers, nevertheless gave this final revelation with affection.
Since it was the Saintess who spoke of this, its impact would certainly not be small.
"A prophecy is just a conspiracy theory until it comes true."
"Patricia."
Ivan unconsciously gripped his axe. All the prophecies Yujin mentioned were related to... the death of the Hero Party.
If the plan that requires his prophecies to come true means that at least one former Hero Party member must die for verification...
Looking into Ivan's eyes, the Saintess concluded:
"Droan will fall first."
Despite possessing no divine power, the Saintess still spoke in a deep voice as if pronouncing judgment on behalf of God.
"Sister Enrique will be in great trouble."
"Patricia. Are you in your right mind?"
"No one will die. But confusion was necessary."
"For what purpose?"
"A soft landing."
—THUD—
The train shook violently. But Ivan still remained in the same position, looking at the Saintess.
"For a world without divine power, where people's futures are no longer manipulated by numerous 'gods.' This was Brother Beolgrin's intention. I agree. If the Lord is truly omnipotent, and if He truly loves people, then the Lord should willingly let go of the human world."
—THUD THUD THUD—!!
The train's vibrations began to grow increasingly violent. Ivan briefly glared at the dense, rugged forest beyond the shaking window.
"So the ensuing chaos is inevitable. But even inevitability can be prepared for if anticipated. Brother, my calling is now singular. To stop the greatest confusion and discord in the world as quickly and decisively as possible before it begins."
"By declaring the Pope a heretic?"
"Yes, if His Holiness intends to declare me a heretic for the sake of a soft landing within the church, isn't what I'm trying to do for the sake of a soft landing for the entire world?"
"Patty..."
"She won't die. Their existence is still the last bulwark against demons. Until those cute children you're teaching grow sufficiently, we must still remain alive."
—SCREECH—
The sound of the train derailing and crossing tracks rang loudly.
Ivan wrapped his arms around the Saintess's waist without hesitation. Soon, BOOM. With the impact, the train began to tilt.
Even in the midst of this chaos, the Saintess didn't stop speaking.
"There was something wrong with Brother Yevgeny's 'prophecy.'"
"...What is it?"
"The Doctrine War. One of the many future disturbances he mentioned. It wasn't something that would happen in the future."
The Saintess placed her hand on Ivan's cheek and whispered.
"From the moment Brother Beolgrin's plan succeeded, it was already happening."
"Let me ask one thing."
"If you have a question, please."
"Do you still believe that we must protect ourselves and move forward on our own?"
"Since that day until now, there hasn't been a single moment when I didn't believe so."
Ivan nodded deeply with a sigh.
"Is the train attack a self-orchestrated act or the Pope's instigation?"
"His Holiness didn't directly instigate it, but he was expecting it. That's why I asked you to accompany me."
"So we need to survive this and reach the council."
"It will be arduous. This isn't the end."
"I'm used to it."
Ivan carefully helped the Saintess to her feet while trying to disperse the impact of the overturning train as much as possible.
The derailed train carved a long trajectory as it plunged into the forest.
A man who had been monitoring the area made a brief chin gesture. Robed men began to appear one by one from the forest.
Blades coated with black paint to prevent reflection even in darkness were revealed. The man at the front spoke briefly.
"Make sure to bring back the heads."
There was no response. The men rushed toward the overturned train in unison.
And then.
—CLICK.
When one man tore off a train window.
—BANG—!!
With the sound of a gunshot, the man's head exploded.