Chapter 2030: Chapter 2030

A welcoming party lined the path, leading to the table designated for the Believers of Lies. Originally, seven chairs had been set aside for them, complete with seven sets of documents. But now, though seven seats remained, six of the places were bare of papers. In their stead, a single white flower rested on the tabletop.

Princess Sophia spotted the flowers from afar and had a sudden realization—the people being mourned were the other Believers of Lies.

"Did Jenkins change the script?"

The suspicion flickered in her mind, but she continued forward, accepting the welcome of the assembled crowd. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ noᴠelfire.net

At that moment, everyone rose to their feet to watch her—the negotiators at the tables and the False God Followers in the upper tiers with only spectator status. This part of the procession was meant for applause and music, but the somber atmosphere made clapping seem terribly out of place. And so, only the clear voices of a children's choir filled the hall.

Princess Sophia reached her designated seat, her mind swirling with questions. As the others remained standing, she had no choice but to stand beside her chair as well.

"We will remember your sacrifice."

The woman across the long table declared. Princess Sophia gave a reserved nod in response. She didn't recognize the speaker, but it was clearly a high-ranking figure from the Orthodox Church.

The word "companion" at the end was pointedly singular, a deliberate expression of the Church's view.

This time, the speaker was a demigod from the Church of Death and End. Princess Sophia did not recognize him either, so she simply offered another impassive nod in reply.

Doubts bloomed in her mind; she had no idea what game Jenkins was playing. She turned her gaze to him. Though there were many long tables in the hall, a seat at the most important one was, of course, reserved for Jenkins.

Jenkins looked at her and repeated:

"Your sacrifice was worthwhile."

Princess Sophia blinked at him. Jenkins's expression was composed, but his voice was laced with sorrow as he spoke:

"I'm truly sorry. The Church never expected something to happen... You've made an immense sacrifice this time. In comparison, we..."

The Orthodox Church had also suffered losses in the recent battle, but they were ordinary Enchanters. Compared to the death of Candle Mr., their sacrifices were indeed insignificant.

"There's no need to say that. All of this is for the sake of the world."

Though she still had no idea what Jenkins was truly planning, Princess Sophia's improvisation was superb. She had at least grasped the general context of the situation.

"Miss Fabry's" reply earned her even greater sympathy and goodwill from the onlookers. Applause rippled through the hall, a sound that both welcomed her arrival and echoed her sentiment—"for the sake of the world."

"Let's not dwell on this. What's done cannot be undone, and we've already wasted too much time. Let us begin."

The truth was, Princess Sophia simply couldn't bear being the focus of so many mournful gazes any longer. It made her deeply uncomfortable.

She decisively pulled back her chair and sat, prompting everyone else to finally take their seats.

Jenkins glanced toward the Church's leader, Pope Pontiff IV, who was now the only person left standing. As the host of these negotiations, held within his own Sage's Church, he certainly had the right to preside.

A single cough drew every eye to him. The sound itself was quiet, but amplified by a ruby on his collar, it carried clearly throughout the vast hall.

"Friends, regardless of your faith or your origins, I am pleased to welcome you all today. Welcome to these negotiations. I need not repeat how crucial this council is. I only hope that you all understand this: the words and actions of every person here will shape the future.

We have gathered here for the sake of the world, not for personal gain or the interests of any one group. Today, some have already made the ultimate sacrifice—the sacrifice of their lives—and I fear more will follow. But these sacrifices are necessary. Our civilization, our history, has reached a critical juncture. It is my hope that everyone here understands what, precisely, we face today."

In the end, representatives from one hundred and fifty-four confirmed False God cults were in attendance—far more than the Church had anticipated. They rose once more to applaud the Pope's opening address. At least a third of them had some connection to Miss Stevel and the Believers of Lies. But with only a single Believer present, they were now uncertain if the original items on their agenda would even be raised.

The monarchs of the three great kingdoms, their courtiers, and the representatives from vassal states had already been briefed on some of the truths concerning the end of the Epoch. Even so, they could not help but sigh at the Pope's words. The end of the world... it was not a truth an ordinary person could easily accept. Queen Isabella, King Salsi II, and the young king of the southern nation exchanged a look, a shared understanding of the weight they carried passing between them.

The vast dome above clearly reflected the dark clouds swirling in the sky. Beneath it, floating orbs of fire formed a curtain of light, illuminating the assembly. The Pope's voice echoed through the space, reaching everyone—those in formal gowns and suits, those in colorful religious vestments, all seated at the long tables or in the tiered rows beneath the dome. None could suppress the bittersweet emotions that came with this moment.

The Eighteenth Epoch had finally come to this. The unification of humanity served as official confirmation that the worst of times was upon them. That they could organize such a massive negotiation before the true cataclysm was a good thing, but it was also a stark warning to those who had never known true disaster, a sign of just how difficult the days ahead would be.

The flames flickered, casting dancing shadows over the thousands of attendees, who remained utterly silent. The Pope's voice reverberated through the hall. Following his opening address, he held nothing back, describing in detail the dangers now facing the material world. And for the first time, he publicly declared the name of their enemy: the Difference Engine.

From the Difference Engine came the fog. From the fog came the black clouds. From the black clouds came the steam, and finally, from steam, came a challenge to civilization itself. This was the final blade hanging over the Eighteenth Epoch, and the most dangerous of all.

The path ahead was a one-way road. Whether civilization would vanish, whether the millennia of brilliance accumulated by the material world would be reduced to nothing—all of it would be decided by those present.

This opening was not intended to frighten anyone, but simply to state the facts, to ensure everyone understood just how dire the situation had become.

And so, when the speech concluded after nearly fifty minutes, the hall was shrouded in silence. Pope Pontiff IV turned to "Miss Fabry," hoping she might also say a few words. But the script Princess Sophia had received from Jenkins had no lines for an impromptu address.