Supreme Pontiff Axel Tar Kreed's Palace

"Holy Father, Queen Rexine Gracia will rebel if we do not hear her. Her threats are becoming more direct now. She refused to send any food aid to our storage this year. It will only escalate, I fear." The Inquisitor High Lord reported to the Pope.

The meeting was being held inside the Pope's Palace, in a secured designated meeting room for the Sanctum Council. It was an enclosed concrete gray hall with no doors or windows. It neither had furniture nor any carvings other than a simple stone table and seven stone chairs. Today, all members were in attendance.

The Pope sat on the short end of the long table as his aides sat on the sides. While he heard the Lord Inquisitor's words, he frowned, "For years, we have kept a balance to maintain peace. I was able to end the thousand-year war, not for us to be consumed by these petty, foolish dreams of a mad queen.

"She tries to control us with threats, not knowing we hold the spine of her Kingdom. I have something in mind, but let's hear what Saint Scepter has to say first."

Saint Scepter was also called Sword of Solis because he was the only personal guard of the Pope. His real name was unknown, however. He always wore white hooded robes with golden embroidery. His face was obscured as it stayed covered at all times. The only thing telling him apart was the golden scepter with a triangular head that he always carries.

Even his voice sounded muffled at all times, "I believe she is out of her line and needs a reminder of who her people pray to. We need to remind her that it's not the Holy Land that resides in the Gracia Kingdom. Rather, we allow them to exist around us."

The Pope nodded in agreement. "And that is why I agree with you. We will lose all respect if a kingdom as weak as this can threaten us. Saint Seer, what's the news?"

Saint Seer, Cardinal Roman Vas Zenim, was the Pope's Chief Spymaster. He was a trader's son who joined the Church out of his heart. He used his father's vast networks to make friends across the continent. This way, he ended up hearing gossip and news from everywhere. Eventually, he caught Pope's eye and got re-educated.

He was an unremarkable man from the looks, having ordinary thin facial and body features and white hair. This man would go unnoticed in a crowd unless he did something to gain attention. Even his robes looked normal, standard yellow-golden.

"Holy Father, it appears Queen Rexina wishes to wage war with the Riveria Kingdom to get their rich fertile fields. She hopes to make it a short war to avoid our meddling and use the same fields as leverage to get our approval. Maybe we could prepare Riveria and weaken the Gracia Kingdom even more?" Saint Seer suggested.

The Pope instantly objected to this plan in a severe threatening tone, "Do not even think of that. Wars have already weakened our Sol Continent. Riveria is the breadbasket for us, and to allow it to face even a single day of battle is destructive. While we fight among ourselves, I believe that those filthy heathens are recuperating and growing stronger across the Blood Sea.

"I do not know how long my brokered peace shall last, but when it breaks, I hope we can crush them and spread the warmth of Solis to those forsaken lands. But for this, shortsighted rulers like Rexina are not welcome. Lord Inquisitor and Saint Seer, accidents do happen. Some random queen can get crippled. The world runs on uncertainty—use that."

Gone was the cheerful and grandfatherly Pope that everyone was used to seeing. This was the true face of ultimate strength in this world. Kings or Queens, Princes or Princesses, if they make the Church's plan stall, all shall fall.

He got up and looked in the eyes of his ministers to ensure there was no lack of faith. "Sol is my home, for it, I will if I have to—purge!"

"May the Holy Light Enlighten Us!" Saint Scepter chanted in a low voice and ended the meeting. He was the Shield of the Pope and ensured that none bothered him more than they should.

When only the Pope and the Saint Scepter were left, the Pope asked, "So the Bard and the Sword turn out to be the best candidates? Just like the two of us back in the day, my friend. Ensure they get grouped. The bonds they form at this age shall last a lifetime. And to become the Pope, one's strength is not enough."

Saint Scepter saluted by crossing his arms on the chest before bowing and leaving silently. He rarely spoke, even during his days as the God's Favored.

…

The morning rays of the Solis hit the lands and woke up all the true believers. With the first rays, the day starts with a small prayer and a bath. Then, the Church's giant bells would ring as a reminder to all. Be it the Holy Land or some monastery.

For Sylvester, today's morning was not very pleasant as he felt sweaty and suffocating in his sleep. While Xavia cooked food, he tried to enjoy the last few minutes of his sleep.

Slowly, his breathing became fast. He felt like he was drowning, and something was filling up his nose, not allowing the air to pass. His dreams, which were full of sunshine and happy scenes of him rowing a boat in a nice lake in his past life, suddenly turned dark. The boat had a hole, the lake water turned into blood, and the sun started spewing fire everywhere.

"Ah!"

He jumped up and was awake, his breath slowly calming down as he noticed the familiar room and the sunlight falling on him from the open window. But the culprit behind his condition was right there.

"Chonky! I warned you not to sleep on my face. There is a limit to being clingy." He lifted the cat by his nape and looked in the eyes.

Miraj yawned and slowly opened his eyes. Then the first thing he saw was Sylvester's face, which instantly lightened up his mood.

"Meow!" He quickly used his paws to hug Sylvester's head and lick his forehead as if grooming his child."..."

Now Sylvester felt some pain in his old-young heart. Miraj was an extremely clingy cat, which made sense as he lived for 500 years in isolation.

His anger melted away, and he sighed. "Fine, stop licking my face now."

He got off the bed and went out of his room. Thankfully, he and Xavia were given better housing now since Xavia was a full-fledged Bright Mother. It was still in a building complex, but now it had two bedrooms.

The kitchen was the same as ever. But instead of firewood, magic fire stones were used. For drinking water, there were water stones. All elements had stones, and it was very convenient.

But all this was only a luxury, as outside Holy Land, one would not find tall building structures unless it's a city.

"Max! What are these? Where did you get this much money?" Xavia stopped him on his way to the floor's shared bathroom.

"I won them in yesterday's knight's training competition. I beat everyone easily, and Sir Baldfreak gave it to me." He revealed.

Xavia appeared amazed that he won so much, not knowing he had also scammed a kid. "This is… amazing, dear. I get paid five Gold Graces a month, and you made four! What do you plan on doing with this?"

"I will store it, buy some land, and build a house when I grow up." He proudly answered. After all, this was a dream every man should have. Also, when he gets stronger, he will want a place to live, away from the Holy Land.

Xavia nodded in agreement. The land was a good investment. "Do you want me to keep it safe?"

This put Sylvester in doubt. He wondered if he was ever going to see this money again. Was he getting scammed too? He narrowed his gaze and tried to judge if she was being truthful.

She was smart enough to discern his doubts. Fakely acting as if offended, she put her hands on her waist and stared daggers with her blue eyes. "Sylvester Maximilian, do you think your mum is a liar?"

"Last week, you said you would buy me honey. There is still no honey." He argued as his honor didn't let him accept defeat so quickly.

Xavia's brows twitched. "T-That's because…"

"You forgot?"

"Yes, I forgot." Her shoulders fell in defeat.

Sylvester, in triumph, folded his arms and showed her his hand to get the money back. He had the best bank in the world, after all. Miraj's endless belly could store a lot in there, much less money.

However, as Xavia gave him the money, she was reminded of something. "Wait, I'm the mother. You're trying to outsmart me again! Sylvester, you need to stop gulping down bottles of honey every month. It's unhealthy."

"Honey is healthy for the body. And one bottle a month is under the good limit." He debated.

"It was a mistake to let you taste honey just a week after your birth. You're addicted to it." She sighed. She had tried to get him to quit, but nothing worked. "Go and freshen up. I need to leave early today."

Sylvester quickly ran off to the floor's bathroom. Although he was the only male in the whole building, that didn't restrict him from going to the bathroom. Yes, sometimes he would see some unspeakable things, but he was a kid, and everything slides.

He also took Miraj to bathe him. It was his punishment for sleeping on his face.

…

Half an hour before seven, he quickly ate breakfast and left for his second day at school. Today, he wished to mend his relationship with Romel Riveria, as it was counterproductive to antagonize someone too much.

The process of manipulation is a slow and tedious one, after all.There was no crowd outside the School of Dawn as all students other than Sylvester lived in the dorms. He, too, was thinking about living there for a few nights every week to ensure he had the proper interaction with other dwellers.

As he entered classroom 'A-1', he looked around and found Felix Sandwall sitting on the third row of the staircase-like seats. He walked up to the latter and sat beside him. "Good morning, Felix."

"Good morning, grifter." Felix snarled.

Sylvester knew he was messing around, so he went along. "Still salty about yesterday's deal? Need a shoulder to cry on?"

"Yeah yeah… whatever. Look at that, your work of art."

Sylvester looked in the direction and noticed Romel Riveria sitting at the rightmost corner of the first row. He was sandwiched between Louis Hermington and Griffin Blazekin.

Romel had a few white cotton clothes wrapped around his head and jaw, signifying his injuries. But it confused Sylvester because Sir Baldfreak had said the staff would heal him in no time.

Deciding to take care of this later, he noticed another boy, Markus Lionis, the flexible boy. "Markus, come here."

He called the boy to sit beside him as he felt optimistic about him.

"Felix, meet Markus. I beat him up yesterday." Sylvester introduced the new guy jokingly.

Markus scoffed. "I didn't know you used legs too. If I did, I would have won."

"Keep dreaming." Sylvester proudly crossed his arms, sitting between the two.

Bam!—The class door opened with a loud noise, and an old man walked in, looking as if he was constipated. He had long white hair, a beard, and a long sharp nose. His face was full of wrinkles. His clothes looked like ordinary church robes too. He also had a long staff with a red crystal orb in his hand.

He put his staff on the table and looked around with his sharp green eyes.

"I am Bishop Norman Spring! I will be your Runes mentor and ensure you can fully utilize your magic. Can anyone tell me what the three types of runes are?"

Sylvester raised his hand to answer as he had read some theory books in the past few years. "Support Runes, Engraving Runes, and Holy Runes. There is another one called Elder Ru-"

"Deacon Sylvester Maximilian!" Bishop Norman boomed in his heavy old voice all of a sudden. "I did not allow you to speak yet! Only open your mouth after my permission, or else leave my classroom. I will not tolerate any misbehavior in this classroom. Being spurious does not give you the excuse to be unruly."

"..."

"Romel Riveria, you answer."

'Did he just call me a bastard?'

Sylvester silently watched as Romel recited the same answer he gave. The cotton cloth strips on his face didn't disrupt his speech. Not only that, he felt strange emotions from this mentor.

'I smell anger and hate from him. But I never even met him before… and he's so kind to Romel…'

Having faced politics for years in his previous life's profession, he had steered through various political messes. So the answer to his question quickly made itself clear to him.

This unprovoked hostility was the exact reason why many kingdoms and empires fell to their destruction.

'Factionalism!'

(Editor note: Spurious means illegitimate, fake, bogus.)

___________________

I SHALL BE YOUR STONE WH***!

**1001 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**

APE TOGETHER STRONG!