"Miss Doris, if you're really worried, you can withdraw from the Holy Daughter election. No need to be so anxious."
Hilia was not polite with Doris.
"That Mier was definitely sent by Doris. Hmph, wanting me to quit? You'll have to step over me first! Trying to buy me with gold coins, how naive!" Hilia thought angrily to herself, like an angry little cat.
Rose chuckled, "You could turn the tables."
"What?"
"For example, if she wants you to back out of the election, you could make a demand she can't possibly fulfill. Like asking her to kneel and call you master, or hand over all her family property."
"Ah, that's a good idea. As expected of you, Lord Evil God." Hilia's eyes lit up.
With Rose's 'brilliant plan', she didn't wait for Doris to speak and continued, "Actually, agreeing with you isn't entirely impossible."
"If you agree... what? You agreed?" Doris was caught off guard, her eyes sparkling brightly.
"But I have two conditions." Hilia made a 'yes' gesture.
"What conditions? Tell me! How much money do you want? Is a hundred gold coins enough?"
Hilia was a bit embarrassed; even the cheapest Heart of the Magic Puppet costs about 10 gold coins, a better one costs around 50 gold coins, and Doris immediately offers 100 gold coins.
Curse those nobles!
Hilia resisted the temptation of money and took a deep breath, "First, you also withdraw from the Holy Daughter election; second, call me master."
Originally expectant, Doris's joyful expression visibly froze on her pretty face, gradually turning gloomy.
"Hilia, I suggested it for your own good, to prevent you from failing the election and ending up not even becoming a bishop priest... Since you take good intentions as a donkey's liver and lungs and insult me this way, humph, you'll see!"
With that, Doris stormed off angrily.
Fortunately, Hilia was nearly done eating; otherwise, she might have lost her appetite from the encounter.
"Why is your Holy Daughter election full of intrigue?" Rose asked.
"It's only Doris like this. The others... I don't really know; they rarely talk to me."
"If the Holy Daughter election is like a politician's election full of scheming, then the Holy Court is doomed."
"Only Doris is like that. She definitely won't become a Holy Daughter... By the way, Mr. Rose, why did you want me to ask about Anarce's work?"
"To help you earn money to buy the Heart of the Magic Puppet." Rose said mysteriously.
"Are you suggesting I help at the library?" Hilia was puzzled.
Helping at the library, she might not even earn one gold coin by graduation.
"Of course not, helping at the library doesn't earn much... huh? Are you going to the library?"
"Hmm... I want to look up some information."
"What information? Ask me, and what I say is more accurate than what's in the books."
"About the history from a thousand to five hundred years ago during the Era of Calamity."
"Do you want to verify if what I said yesterday was true?"
Hilia said nothing, just nodded.
"That depends on how well the Gods have covered up the truth."
Walking into the library at noon, it was quite busy inside. With guidance from the manager, Hilia quickly found a book named "Era of Calamity".
This book mainly discusses the various disasters that were triggered throughout the world after the great battle between the Gods and Evil God Ross a thousand years ago.
There are many significant events, such as natural disasters, the continent-wide [Calamity War], the beginning of the demise of Gods...
Rose was also reading, and when he saw the part mentioning the death of Gods, he raised an eyebrow, "A God died? And after I was sealed?"
"According to the book, after you were sealed, a world war affecting all regions broke out on the entire Starfall Continent, named the [Calamity War]. The Era of Calamity refers to the impact that continued for 500 years after the [Calamity War].
"During this period, under the influence of various calamities, certain Gods, while trying to govern, were unfortunately contaminated by the Evil God, dying in pain..."
"What kind of calamity can kill Gods?" Rose couldn't help but be curious, wondering what could have led to the death of Gods.
Unfortunately, although the book is called "Era of Calamity", the detailed descriptions are quite lacking, not thoroughly explaining the cause of the Gods' deaths, only mentioning a death by contamination.
The most renowned [Calamity War], its start, and turning points aren't elaborately described, many parts are vaguely depicted, such as the earth shaking, the Gods in fear, and so on.
In short, after the Gods dealt with Evil God Ross, a mutation caused countless people across the continent to be contaminated, with some powerful individuals even breaking limits and able to contend with the Gods.
The Gods led the remaining humans and different species to fight against the mutation for a long time, eventually eradicating most of it, ending the [Calamity War].
After the [Calamity War], the Gods were forced into slumber, with only a few remaining active, establishing the Holy Court to deal with the last of the calamity's contamination, then also going dormant, returning the world to humans.
This book seems to have been compiled later, integrating various historical records and poetic materials, lacking actual battlefield insights, only portraying an omniscient perspective.
I don't know how much water content is in it, but it somewhat informed Rose of what happened during the skipped thousand years.
"So, after the Era of Calamity ended, all the Gods fell asleep?"
If I had known this, why was I being so cautious!
I'd directly... oh, can't get high, Hilia is too weak, not supporting my mood.
"The Holy Word says that after the Era of Calamity, the Gods seemed to have vanished, each generation's Holy Daughter prayed, but none received a response from the Gods."
Hilia said, glancing at Rose.
Except for me.
"Why does it seem the Gods are so weak? If my posthumous contamination could obliterate the Gods, why was I sealed by their cooperation?" Rose muttered to himself.
If the Gods were this weak, back then, I definitely wouldn't have been beaten, just two rolls, I'd wipe them out.
There must be many truths hidden within.
Rose only believes in the part about the Gods' slumber or death, leaving the rest in doubt.
"After the Era of Calamity ended, did anything else happen?" Rose inquired.
Following his question, Hilia found a history book titled "Era of Awakening" about the era succeeding the Era of Calamity.
Without the presence of Gods, the remaining Holy Court led humanity to propagate, searching for magical technology left amidst the Era of Calamity. As the population rapidly increased, certain areas began to grow dissatisfied with the Holy Court's rule, leading to independent movements.
Initially, the Holy Court's Knight Order easily suppressed them, but the good times didn't last, because the Gods never reappeared. Coupled with the Holy Court's internal complicated forces, 300 years after the calamities ended, areas around the Holy Court declared independence, ultimately splitting into the Four Great Empires and the Holy Court, along with some small kingdoms ostensibly obeying but actually self-governing.
To this day, the influence of the Holy Court has been substantially weakened, even forming a separate Royal Court in the Holy Court's core area to counterbalance the Four Great Empires, a product of compromise.
They are gradually shifting from imperial rulers to pure religious entities.
However, they still wield a strong influence, even within the Four Great Empires from which they separated.
As Hilia quickly flipped through the book, Rose gradually formed a clear concept of the world's human powers.