Rise of Myriad Magic Emperor

Chapter 160: Collapsing Faith (Part-2)

[Radiant Sun God Church, Healing Palace]

It's already afternoon and still, rows of people are outside the palace waiting for their name to be called out. So that they can take their loved ones inside and get them treated. They pray in the meantime while the nuns are taking care of the needy and trying to make them comfortable.

While in the wait, most of them pray while nuns are taking care of the ones who need treatment the most and try to calm the crowd.

After some time, one of the doors of the healing palace started to close up, leaving most of the believers who had come confused.

Suddenly they saw the bishops and priests supported by helpers coming out of the back doors of the palace.

Seeing this, believers started to become restless and were not able to understand. Why are bishops and priests in such conditions?

Believes can't be blamed for this, as it was the first time that bishops and priests were healing such a large number of patients at the same time.

Leaving them with no time to recover their mental strength and magic power. After working continuously since morning, they were at their limit.

Yet, more than believers, nuns, and knights were more worried and concerned about the current situation as they looked at the rows of patients and how to manage them.

Time passed, more and more bishops and priests were carried out of the palace while the doors continued to close.

"Just what is going on, why are you guys closing the gates? How can patients enter the rooms? Why are the bishops and priests getting carried away?"

"Yes, why are you closing the door? I have come from a faraway village just to get my father treated"

"Why is this happening? What are you guys doing?"

"You already doubled the cost! Why is the church not providing treatment when we are willing to pay?"

As the gates kept on closing as more and more people started to become restless and panicked. They shouted to the nuns and knights to get answers.

The cries of the people at the back started to create a chain reaction and more and more people started to ask questions.

"What is going on? Why are people in the front row shouting?"

"They are closing the gates of healing palace one by one"

"What!!! Why are they doing it?"

"Are we not going to get treated? Why are you doing it?"

Seeing this, the knights intervened to stop the crowd from breaking the rows.

"Please, calm down and wait. You will get your answers soon. So please maintain discipline and don't panic!"

Knights and nuns were trying to control the crowd but they couldn't control the crowd any more as more and more gates started to close.

On the other hand, inside the Church. An emergency meeting was getting started to find a solution.

[Meeting Room]

The entire room was full of large windows, the bright rays of sunlight gave a holy atmosphere. The walls were painted with frescos that showed the history of the church to remind the later generations about it. In the empty areas, there were paintings of various generations of popes to show their greatness and wisdom.

Ten Archbishop of the Radiant Sun God Church were sitting in their chairs with exhausted expression around a round table, listening to the complaints of the public outrage and health conditions of Bishops and Priests.

"So, our discussion of doubling the charges didn't help much with the problems," said Head Archbishop Grafield in a low voice.

Hearing that, the entire room became silent.

They are aware of the current situation but couldn't find a solution in their mentally exhausted state.

They have already increased the money charged for treatment from 10 to 20 silver coins for minor treatment. Major treatment also doubled, from 5 to 10 gold coins.

But they didn't take into consideration that most of the people coming from the neighboring places of Joisin city are already in the thousands and are quite rich compared to other regions of the empire. The basic treatment charges were set in a way that even remote village people can get minor treatment.

"What should we do? We can't just tell them that our priests and bishops are exhausted and can't heal. I have already gotten reports that since morning after we have doubled the prices. People are questioning the nuns about the reason behind it and many are disappointed. Some even came forward and mentioned the words told by Dai Yusa. That Radiant Sun God is just a false god and all the myths about it are just made up stories'' said Archbishop Martin with deep worry in his eyes.

Hearing that everyone was stunned.

Archbishop Fardin who was sitting across him frowned upon hearing Archbishop Martin words and looked at Garfield.

'I haven't thought that the situation is so dire, that believer started to question their faith and the one responsible for this is Grafield. Since, three years after Saintess Maya went into hiding. This guy has been targeting the medics and doctors, forcing them to leave the Joisin city. Now, even for small problems like fever, people came to church to get treated. Now that they have no other option. After the earthquake, many got injured and the only one who is able to treat them is the Church. The faith of the people started to see signs of cracking while the Church does not have any power to solve this problem. Increasing the charges for treatment will not work. Instead, they will backfire creating more unrest among the public'

Thinking about it caused Fardin to get a headache. but no one was able to come up with any solution.

While Archbishop Grafield was looking at the painting of Saintess Maya and the staff she was holding.

'If I only had that staff. Nothing like this would have happened'

The holy item of the Radiant Sun God. An item that can draw power from the well of faith and is used to cast magic spells without using your own magic power or mental strength. It also has the ability to amplify the effects of healing spells as well as cast higher-level magic spells of light attributes; beyond their current stage of cultivation. If, the required amount of magic power is available.

'I don't know how much of those legends are true. But that doesn't change that it's the symbol of authority and believe among the believers of the Radiant God'

Then his eyes fall on the body of Archbishop Fardin.

'What are you going to do now Fardin. I know that you love the Church from the depth of your heart and don't want it to crumble to pieces. To prevent that, you still not reveal the location of Saintess?'

Other Archbishops thought the same.

The image of Saintess Maya among the believers and devotees was that of a savior. If she says that Radiant Sun God is real. Nobody will question her and if someone does she can just use the power of the Radiant Sun staff.

All of them were thinking about Saintess Maya and were not able to come up with any solutions.

The person they were thinking about was currently laughing and chatting, not knowing about the problems they faced.

[Buraford Kingdom, Royal City, Western Palace Garden]

Maya was watering the flowers and plants in the garden with a gentle smile with Saintess Maya standing beside her without any disguise holding the Radiant Sun Staff in her hand.

Saintess Maya still can't believe that the woman moving before her eyes, looks the same as her almost like a mirror image and is also a light magic-user.

The only difference was that her eyes were green while hers was sky blue as well as the style of clothes.

She knows that this woman is one of the strongest magic users in the continent and one of the six followers of the current king of Buraford Kingdom, Kai Seft.

After staying in the Royal City for three days, she had already come to know from the mouth of Duke Michael that they were all magic beasts. This was quite surprising and for the first time, she came to know that magic beasts have the ability to turn themselves into human form after they become saint stage experts only if certain conditions are met.

The second thing she learned about Maya was that she is in charge of teaching the new agriculture techniques to the citizens and it is also her duty to supervise the distribution of magic crop seeds around the Buraford Kingdom.

If anybody had told her about this before she had come to the Buraford Kingdom, that a magic beast knows how to cultivate crops and take care of them. She would have definitely sent them to a medic who specializes in taking care of mental patients.

But now, by experiencing it, she didn't know how to react.

Maya, who was taking care of the plants, finally stopped and looked at Saintess with a bright smile.

"Nice to meet you, Saintess. I was curious to meet you for quite some time. By the way, my name is also Maya"