Chapter 375: Side Story 1: Michael and the Emperor

"Your Grace." The head butler of the Flanders manor bowed respectfully to William, who was reading a copy of the Arrmary Future. "You have a guest. One whom I don’t know what to do with." William lowered the paper and squinted, "He claims to be Grand Templar Michael of the Church."

William opened his eyes wide in surprise. "Are you sure?" Is he armed?" Firing the question out rapidly, the Butler shook his head.

"He told me to tell you that he has renounced the sword." Once again, William was surprised and finally, standing up, he ordered the butler to take him to Michael. Stepping into the guest room, there was no doubt in William’s mind that the man was Michael. His beard and hair hadn’t been trimmed, and he didn’t wear the armour of a Templar, instead an outfit fit for a low-ranking noble.

"You couldn’t get in using your name alone," William said, casually taking a seat before him. Michael pulled out a small insignia of the Templar order. It was nearly impossible to steal a normal one, and even more so to steal a Grand Templar one. "Why are you here? We are enemies."

"Not anymore. At least I don’t know." Michael lowered his head. "Six months ago, I left the order. I’m sure you heard about the events in the Holy Seat."

William nodded and smiled, "You kicked up a storm. I have to hand it to Constance, he handled it well, but the schism is inevitable now." William stared into his eyes, "It seems people are waiting for what you will do."

"Yes. I have a plan, but I want to confirm something before I begin." Michael paused and lowered his head. "We are not friends. I don’t see the Pantheon as a worthy replacement for the Church. But I must meet the Emperor. I need to confirm my theory before I begin."

William frowned, "Why come to me. I’m retired now."

Michael scoffed. "You can enter the Palace when you please. But that’s not why. I trust you. Even as an enemy, I know you’re a man like me. A man of honour who will at least guarantee that I survive my visit to the Empire."

William smiled and leaned back into his chair. The two old men stared at one another. "I can set up a meeting, but we will have to go to Brookhaven."

"That is fine." Michael knew he had no room to negotiate the terms of the meeting and happily agreed.

"I will send word to him. In the meantime, you can stay here. My wife will be cooking a meal later. You may join us."

"Thank you." Michael lowered his head, finally feeling at ease. His journey to the Empire had been a long one. When he first left the Holy Seat, he didn’t know where to go. He had made enemies with many places, be it his schism or his actions as Grand Templar. The Empire was one of them, but the urge to know the truth about Alfred ate away at him. He needed to know who the Emperor was. He was willing to stake his life on it.

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Michael walked into the cathedral of Brookhaven with William. At the end of the long path, he saw Alfred sitting alone, staring up at the altar with Sister Alice kneeling before it, praying. Michael walked forward and took a seat next to Alfred. No one would have dared to act so casually with an Emperor, but Michael didn’t care. Human titles meant nothing to him. He had spent his whole life respecting men who claimed to speak for God, only to find out they lied.

"Hello, Alfred," Michael said quietly. Alfred turned to face him and nodded.

"I felt it was only right we meet here. You don’t strike me as the type for ceremonies, and I don’t wish to be embarrassed in front of my vassals." Michael nodded and looked at sister Alice.

"She is?"

"The face of the Pantheon. Let her finish, and then we will begin." Alfred and Michael sat silently with William standing behind them. Alice’s prayer lasted for ten minutes before she stood up. Her eyes looked at Alfred full of respect before landing on Michael.

"We have a guest."

"Sister." Michael lowered his head toward Alice in a respectful manner. Unlike Alfred, he could tell that her faith in God was real, the burning fervour in them intensely glowing. Alfred stood up, and the rest followed him. Entering the next room, which was part of the Cathedral, half-completed statues littered the space. Only one was complete, a large faceless man, covered in a robe. Its left hand was outstretched, holding a small orb that resembled a planet. His other pointing towards the ground arrogantly.

"This has been a project of mine. I understand some men and women don’t like to worship icons, but I believe it is necessary to make them. If the faith in Sol and his children ever vanishes, then the evidence still exists."

Michael looked at the statue of Sol and frowned, "To give him a human body is a sin. And to think the faith would die is even greater."

"We can not conceive his real from Michael. Besides, can you tell what theb pagan belief was before the Church existed?" Alfred said softly. Michael didn’t say anything, not knowing the answer, "Why did you wish to see me. I can guess it is to do with the affair in the Holy Seat."

"I have a single question?" Michael looked at William and Alice. "But I wonder if you would want them here for it."

"William is my most trusted aide, and Alice can be trusted not to say what she hears. If that is even necessary." Michael looked at them and nodded.

"I have read the documents in the Holy Seat. The secret Archive. His Holiness released the journal of Damon ’The Traitor.’ I believe I know what a Blessed One is." Michael paused and looked into Alfred’s blue eyes. "All I want to ask is. Are you the original Alfred Lindonfall?"

Alfred looked at Michael and smirked before looking at the statue of Sol. At first, he had dreaded the news of his coming from another world ever coming out. He didn’t know how people would react. Call him a witch, a heretic. Stone him or burn him. Maybe they would worship him.

But now, he felt none of that old fear. He was powerful enough to counter anything thrown his way. He had those loyal to him. "No," Alfred said easily and looked at William. The old man had a slight surprise on his face, but after years of being with Alfred, the man in question noticed the oddness around his Emperor. "I’m sorry, old friend, that I never told you. I know my father was friends with you."

William opened his mouth but stopped. Looking into Alfred’s eyes, he remembered his old friend’s face, which was slowly fading from memory. "I knew something was different with you when you took the throne. I knew you as a child, after all, Alfred. It should feel like a betrayal, but at the end of the day, I am the loyal servant of the man who forged the Empire, not the child who was hidden away."

Alfred smiled. The one thing he feared didn’t happen, and he nodded. "On the day of my coronation, I awoke as the one who controlled this body. After my first war with Snowid, I met Alfred, the original Alfred of this body, in a plane that defied explanation. He told me what to do if I ever wanted forgiveness. I got that forgiveness, and he is gone. All that remains is me."

Michael looked at Alfred and gulped." You stole the body of a child..." His words trailed. "Were you even sent here by Sol?" It sounded evil, like witchcraft. Michael saw Alfred’s eyes flare up angrily.

"I was stripped of a life that I was happy with and forced into this horrid world." His words came out like a growl, "I cursed what happened to me for so long, but eventually I realised what I had to do." Alfred took a step forward, closer to the statue of Sol. Turning around, he proudly lifted his head, "To lead. To show humanity the way forward. Lay the groundwork to make this world like my own. I was a teacher once, and I will be one again. The world will be united underneath me, and in turn, they will unite under the Gods once more—the Gods in their correct form. United, not split by human delusion."

"What are you?" Michael asked in slight horror. Alice stepped forward and clasped her hands together, her pure smile spreading across her face as she muttered a quiet prayer. William watched with a cold gaze, wondering if what Alfred was saying was what he believed or a performance for Michael.

"The Blessed One." Alfred paused and said arrogantly, "What they really are. Damon, Jeremiah, Clement, Kavir, Dorothea and many more who came before me. They had all been blessed by Sol, but they were still themselves. Damon became Sol’s divine instrument by the time of his schism, and you purged him. I will not be the same. I won’t make his mistakes."

"The divine spirit," Alice said maddly, her eyes shaking in disbelief. Michael looked at her and could tell she was gone. He had seen few people so deeply entrenched in their belief that nothing could shake it, but after many years, he saw another. "He is the living proof of Sol’s grace." Alice clasped her hands and looked to the sky, praying once more.

"You honestly believe your Sol’s vision of the world." Michael shook his head in disbelief.

"I have taught the children to read, I ended slavery in my lands, I made it so people wouldn’t go hungry, I improved the law, and gave the common people a chance to have a say in their future. What has anyone else done? The Church lets slavery continue, and the Kingdoms and Empires of the Continent refuse to teach their people how to read and write unless they are wealthy. I improved agriculture in a way that my neighbours now use. If making human lives better isn’t Sol’s wish, then what is?"

"You’re a butcher and tyrant. Just because you have done good deeds doesn’t mean you are not evil."

"You see everything as black and white." Alfred sighed, "I have committed numerous sins, taken an uncountable number of lives, but all of it was necessary to see my vision through. If there was another way, I would have taken it, but there isn’t."

"Thank you for this meeting. I got my answer." Michael said coldly and walked off not wanting to hear Alfred delusion any longer. Looking at William, Alfred smiled.

"He’s a hypocrite. He reveals the truth of the church and believes he is good, forgetting he was its greatest killer." William shrugged and looked at Alice. The woman was lost in her own mind, praying and praising the Gods.

"He could be dangerous in the future."

"It’s fine. I need him alive for now. It was never my plan to cause something like this within the Church, but the schism will keep them off my back for a while until it has recovered. Constance knows he can’t fight a two-front war."