Chapter 1295: Chapter 1295
From Benjamin to Salvatore, then to Hornheim;
From Yawen and the Paper Princess to Nigel, then to Nigel’s students...
Perhaps at the beginning, it was merely for a remarkable yet seemingly impractical dream; perhaps it was simply an overflowing love from deep within for others and the world...
It is from hope and love that the most precious "seeds" are born.
If these seeds are nurtured by a fleeting moment of kindness born of interest, a single good deed, or a kind word... then they will gain sustenance.
Eventually, they will sprout, flourish, and bear fruit in this "fire of goodness." A century later, after the fruit falls to the soil, it will grow into new fruit once again.
"...This is what is called a legacy."
Annan silently sighed with emotion.
[But as the legacy passes down, people have already forgotten... what the initial dream truly was.]
[People have already forgotten why they once strove so hard.]
A gentle whisper, belonging to Qingdiao, suddenly echoed in Annan’s heart.
It was a melody-like sound, not tied to any language yet pleasing to the ear like a song.
Annan merely watched the casual conversation of the two people, a gentle and almost benevolent smile gracing his face.
Annan softly said, "The original shape of the dream is entirely unimportant."
Although his voice would linger in the crevice of time, he believed Qingdiao could grasp the meaning of his thoughts.
"Perhaps the monarch who first emancipated slaves simply wanted to recruit soldiers to overthrow a neighboring country; perhaps the scientist who invented the ideology and weapons that ended wars just wanted to uncover the truth; perhaps the technology that improved everyone’s lives originally stemmed from someone’s desire to make some money...
"The original intention doesn’t matter; it is unrelated to the miracles recorded in human civilization’s history because these miracles weren’t achieved solely by one great person or one hero. They were merely the initial ’seeds.’
"For a seed to grow into a towering tree, it requires the joint effort of soil, rain, breeze, and sunlight... the collaboration of nature itself. We cannot say the fruit owes nothing to the seed, but neither can we claim all credit belongs to it.
"Every single person who supports the dream, every inheritor of the dream, every optimizer of the vision, every critic of the flaws, every coincidence maker, every accumulator, every summarizer... the final result arises from the collective endeavor of everyone.
"When that time comes, people will inevitably see that precious miracle as a natural, commonplace reality. Because it wasn’t a miracle achieved overnight or swiftly; it was painstakingly built, a legacy passed down over hundreds of years—a ’tradition.’
"In truth, this ’natural happiness’ of theirs has always been the very goal their ancestors fought and devoted their lives to achieving."
Annan’s voice was as tender as a lullaby.
Qingdiao likewise felt the warmth within Annan’s heart and remained silent.
She continued watching people chat happily before eventually departing. Only then did Annan, satisfied, let out a soft sigh and floated upward out of the Hornheim Group’s building.
Amid the clouds above, a magnificently beautiful winged maiden floated like a butterfly.
Her hair, shifting from deep blue to pale blue gradients, was extraordinarily long—twice her height in length—and her wings bore the same smooth, silken gradient of blue hues.
She was an epitome of pure beauty, unblemished and unadorned.
"Long time no see, Qingdiao. Although for me, it’s only been a few months... to you, it’s already been over a hundred years, hasn’t it?"
Gazing at Qingdiao, Annan let out a deep sigh. "Honestly, the future is far better than I had imagined.
"I had thought The Worm would plunge this era into chaos..."
[To this day, we have yet to uncover The Worm’s true form.]
[It should indeed exist here, yet it has grown even more dormant.]
[This is certainly no surrender; you must remain vigilant.]
Qingdiao explained to Annan.
Annan slowly nodded: "I understand. I’ve never underestimated this world’s foremost adversary.
"How about... tell me about those I knew? How are they now, over a hundred years later? Have they become remarkable figures?"
[I will take you to meet someone,] Qingdiao replied simply.
...But in my current state, I can’t meet anyone.
Annan had intended to say this, but he knew Qingdiao was well aware of it.
Thus, he followed Qingdiao out of curiosity, flying behind her.
Soon, they arrived at the Silver Baron’s temple nearby.
Calling it a temple was merely symbolic—it was, in actuality, a massive bank. The lobby on the ground floor alone was comparable to a small plaza. The enormous crowd maintained orderly procedures, conducting their business according to their appointments and designated channels.
—Yet Annan’s destination lay at the top floor.
Following Qingdiao, Annan quickly spotted a familiar figure.
A figure so familiar that it left Annan slightly astonished:
There stood a kind and benevolent-looking, rotund bald man with a shiny head. While his skin was now lined with wrinkles, no longer smooth and delicate, his face remained almost unchanged from over a century ago.
The only difference was that most of his golden teeth had reverted to normal ones.
—He was none other than the first bishop Annan had met over one hundred years ago.
The Silver Baron Church’s Bishop Daryl.
Known among players as the "Darry Garden Old Bread" fat bald man.
He had survived all this time!
Upon seeing Qingdiao, Daryl struggled to rise and offered a respectful bow.
"Lord Qingdiao, you..."
He paused, as if suddenly grasping something.
Instantly enlightened, Daryl ceased speaking and lowered his head.
If expected, then "he" must have returned...
Yet Qingdiao ignored Daryl, merely explaining to Annan:
[Today, he is the most renowned philanthropist in the world.]
Annan questioned in mild surprise.
[In truth, Daryl was a saint from the very beginning; he simply wasn’t one when you met him.]
[In reality, he is the holder of the Tongue of Mercy. However, years ago he deviated from the path, leading the Tongue of Mercy to abandon him.]
[After your departure from that era, Daryl reclaimed the Tongue of Mercy soon after.]
Annan realized the truth.
Suddenly, he recalled that meeting long ago when Daryl participated in the highly classified conference about Nicholas. Only the Pope and saints could retain their memories of its contents, as unrelated individuals had their memories sealed.
—Yet Daryl could remember.
At the time, Annan had speculated that Daryl might have been a former Pope of the Silver Baron. But later, he discovered that every generation of the Silver Baron Church’s Pope had their own territory within Capital Noah.
Back then, Daryl could even guarantee his safety in front of a corrupt ruler. Despite lacking powers as a transcendent, he could appear or disappear before Annan at will, even altering celestial phenomena—feats beyond Gerald’s capabilities as a silver-tier transcendent.
At the time, Annan had assumed all bishops possessed such abilities, only later realizing this was not the case...
Now, Annan finally understood everything.
Daryl was not a retired Pope, but a retired saint!
[Today, Daryl oversees thirteen charity foundations that encompass various domains across the empire.]
[It isn’t merely about handing out money as a simple solution. Instead, he ensures direct assistance across multiple dimensions, including food, medicine, healthcare, education, disability support, employment, and elder care.]
[He has now been the Saint of Mercy for one hundred and ten years.]
[And this is all thanks to your indirect influence.]
Annan blinked in confusion, quickly realizing: "Is it the players?"
[Indeed... After your departure, your companions gradually grew into the pillars of the empire.]
[With power in their hands, they corrected numerous flaws within the empire’s systems. Although their efforts initially led to some misguided actions, they ultimately took responsibility and amended the mistakes they had made.]
[As the first Saint of Mercy, Daryl’s way of practicing mercy was to distribute his wealth to the poor. But while well-intentioned, this failed to address fundamental issues and left him shaken, unable to proceed down the path of mercy without hesitation.]
[Through the guidance of the players, he came to understand... what true mercy should be. It is not "charity" bestowed from on high, but rather "help" and "support" calculated as an equal.]
[After a century of effort, starting from scratch without theoretical groundwork, he built greatness step by step. He has almost become the longest-living saint because his path was unwavering, resolute, and clear. Until seven years ago... when the development of another technology brought Daryl’s vision to fruition.]
[—No one in this world will starve to death due to poverty again; no one will be unable to afford education, healthcare, or retirement due to financial struggles ever again.]