Chapter 424: Enmity Settled, What on Earth is This

"Perhaps, but if it were you, Wang Yu, you certainly wouldn't care what others think. If the vigilance and wariness from them were to cause trouble later, I would surely stand by your side."

Avia’s reply was earnest, delivered with sincere gravity.

"Haha, sounds good."

Wang Yu responded with a laugh; he truly didn't take Celine’s opinion of him to heart. He had just been wondering what would happen if he weren't human at all, and the answer was that he still wouldn't care. As for what came next, he hoped Celine and those other entities wouldn't bother him.

"Wang Yu, is everything settled on your end? We have finished dealing with the remnants of the Royal Guard in the capital. Most chose to surrender and are now under our custody, while the few who resisted have already been taken care of."

Edward led his troops to the summit, now reduced to a desolate ruin. He looked at Wang Yu, who stood there alongside the silver-haired woman he did not recognize.

"Yes, it’s done. This is the Professor’s sister. There are some rather troublesome matters I need to discuss with you later, though it’s unclear if they will impact Alastair as it stands now. Other than that, we must first reassure the residents of the capital; after all, that is the most important thing right now."

Wang Yu casually introduced the silver dragon, Arelian, while briefly mentioning the situation concerning Celine.

"Understood. Charles has already laid the groundwork. Magical broadcast devices have been set up throughout the city, currently playing the four Grand Dukes' joint pledge regarding this incident. The Night’s Edge and my father’s army have also dispersed into the city to quell any potential unrest."

Edward nodded, explaining the arrangements they had made.

"I shouldn't have doubted your foresight. How are the results?"

"Much better than expected. At first, when the situation was unclear, a large portion of the residents were quite panicked, but once they learned the specifics, they were quickly put at ease. Ultimately, this event neither threatens them nor really concerns them."

Edward gestured toward the capital. Wang Yu took a look and saw that it was true; there was no sign of chaotic crowds or people fleeing in terror. The fact that the palace had been obliterated by an Archangel hadn't caused much of a stir.

Thinking about it, it was only natural. What hadn't the residents of Alastair endured over the years? The infiltration of evil gods like the Source of Life, the demonic invasion, and then the descent of the God of Fear. If so many residents weren't so deeply rooted that they couldn't leave, they probably would have moved elsewhere long ago.

Having survived such calamities, their mental fortitude was hardened. Now that they were assured the rocks wouldn't fall on their heads, they accepted the situation quickly.

"The average resident of the capital doesn't care much about who sits on that throne. After all, they mostly only deal with tax collectors and nobles. They can't decide who becomes king, and it doesn't affect them."

"On the contrary, the four Grand Dukes have a better reputation here, and with that strange title of mine, things have gone more smoothly than expected. According to news from Charles, nobles are already seeking them out to discuss matters."

Edward spoke of the progress, looking slightly embarrassed when mentioning his title as the "Earthly Proxy of the God of Light" and "Savior of the Capital." He rubbed his nose, but the facts remained as they were.

"So, how do you plan to deal with those nobles? Do you intend to negotiate with them?"

Wang Yu asked out of curiosity. He was eager to see how Edward planned to reshape Alastair; he didn't know when his own strength had reached the level where he could influence an entire kingdom.

"According to Charles, those privileges are absolutely off the table. If they want them, they can ask you—the guy who wiped out the palace in one hit. As for their assets and such, he’s still considering it. Regardless, we lack experience."

With a half-joking tone, Edward shared his current thoughts. The power held by those nobles could never shake them; Wang Yu’s existence alone was an insurmountable threshold. Of course, Edward and his allies certainly wouldn't rely on Wang Yu forever.

"That’s great. And as for the choice here, what about the position of 'King of Alastair'? You said you hadn't decided before; do you have an answer now?"

Edward scratched his cheek, appearing slightly hesitant, but he shared his thoughts with Wang Yu nonetheless.

"I think the existence of a 'King of Alastair' is still needed, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a single person. I think a decision-making team composed of four people would be a good choice."

"The four border Grand Dukes?"

"Yes. As you said before, what is great is not a specific profession, but the person themselves. I think that is extremely profound. Even the Night’s Edge, even the Church of Light—you can't say every single member is trustworthy, can you? I suspect that isn't the case."

"But at least the four Grand Dukes, their positions, and their willingness to stay away from the capital—that courage is worth recognizing. They protect not the royal family, but the entire kingdom. In reason and sentiment, I feel they are capable of the task."

Having laid out his choice, Edward was uncertain if his idea was correct. He had intended to consult a professional first, but since Wang Yu asked, he shared this somewhat immature plan.

"I express my support for you in my personal capacity."

Wang Yu patted Edward on the shoulder, smiling in approval.

From an Earth perspective, Edward’s plan was actually a step forward from the original structure. Besides, the systems from the era Wang Yu lived in were not entirely suitable for this world.

After all, in his past life, no one could cultivate to the point of taking on a country or a province single-handedly. Thus, this compromise seemed the most appropriate for now.

"The question is, will those Grand Dukes be willing?"

Wang Yu raised another point.

"Well, my father is one of them, and their relationship is generally quite good, so..."

Edward didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was clear to anyone who understood.

"Heh, fair enough."

Thinking about it, Wang Yu felt there would be no problem at all.

"It’s fine. I will consult Father Fang when the time comes. The Church of Light has much more experience with these things than we do."

Although a plan existed, it couldn't be decided so rashly. The "professional" Edward had mentioned earlier was, in fact, Father Fang.

"If I may interject, wouldn't the Church of Light you speak of interfere with what you are doing?"

Arelian’s voice joined the conversation. She asked what she wanted to know. Because of her prejudice against the Dragon God, Arelian had never bothered to learn about the Church, but after the truth came to light, she began to care about these deities.

She was curious: wouldn't the Church of Light intervene because of these actions?

"It’s fine. The Church of Light absolutely does not interfere in internal affairs."

Wang Yu answered for Edward. When she was in Alastair before, the Church of Light had always acted this way.

"The doctrine of the Church of Light can be summarized as making the world a better place. But what constitutes 'better,' and how to achieve it—that is something they are constantly exploring."

"If the Church of Light were to intervene in every country, forcing these kingdoms to operate according to their vision, what would become of the freedom of these kingdoms and their residents?"

"Would that be making the world a better place, or forcing the world to run according to the Church’s one-sided definition of 'better'?"

"Father Fang told me this. It is something that actually happened in history, and it remains a scar for the Church of Light—a past they constantly face and reflect upon."

"Since then, the Church of Light has vowed never to cross that line. They prefer to do things that are obviously and undeniably just: aiding refugees, resisting disasters, preventing wars between nations, and so on."

Edward continued where Wang Yu left off, introducing the unique nature of the Church of Light to Arelian.

"I see. Their god has no specific image or concept, and they are constantly exploring to find a better path..."

Edward’s words left Arelian in deep thought. She truly hadn't known about the Church of Light’s uniqueness compared to other deities.

"Right? It would be nice if the God of Light gave a correct answer, but I think it’s precisely because He doesn't—because the believers are the ones exploring—that it is the Church of Light."

Wang Yu said with a smile. Since he first arrived, his impression of the Church of Light had been exceptionally good, and the more he learned, the more he wanted to use the word "awesome" to describe them.

When he was in Alastair, that was how the Church operated. The avatar of the God of Fear was dealt with by the Church, and even the priest in the nameless village in the Mist Forest was the same.

In fact, by definition, the churches in this world couldn't be described as "religions" in the Earthly sense; they were only somewhat similar, but fundamentally different.

From their starting points, they were easily distinguishable. The origins of religions on Earth were quite grim; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were meant to control thought. How they evolved later is another matter.

More importantly, miracles never really happened there. Wang Yu didn't know if God existed, but what the believers worshipped was mostly just comfort for their own hearts.

As for this world, gods certainly existed. Looking at the starting points of the Church of Light and the Church of Night—one aimed to make the world better, and the other, well, although the Lady of Night was a bit lazy, the goal was still to make life better for her believers.

Once a religion attempts to control human thought, it has already lost completely.

So, what on earth was this "Utopia" that Celine mentioned?