56 Romeo and Juliet

Time flew by in a flash and 1 and a half year went by in a flash.

Somewhere in the Roland kingdom's capital, the Pope, and the highest ranked Cardinals were in a meeting.

"The Resistance plan has failed."

"It is because Rachel disappeared all of a sudden."

"Hmph. This will set back our plans slightly. The Leon Kingdom is still too strong internally."

While the cardinals were quarrelling, a raspy voice interjected causing everyone to shut up.

"No."

Every turned and bowed once more towards the pope, and waited for him to continue.

"We will continue as planned. Continue the preparations and prepare for the crusade. We will eradicate that non-believing state, and all other non-believing states on the entire continent. We will make everyone worship the almighty and omniscient Lord Foveros!"

The pope's voice gradually turned from sombre to reverence as though he was possessed.

A few moments of chanting later, the pope calmed down and gave another order.

"Contact Islesat and tell them to maintain preparations. Make sure to keep the spies away from project #421"

All the cardinals present understood which 'project' the pope as talking about and quickly rushed to comply with the orders.

However, after everyone left the room, the pope gave a deep sigh.

'These ignorant fools. They know nothing about Lord Foveros.' He thought to himself.

Throughout the countless years since the founding of the religion, and the creation of the Theocracy from the ruins of the Roland Kingdom, the unbreaking line of popes maintained the truth about their lord.

The one they called their lord and saviour was not actually a god. He was a mortal being, a being with power greater than anything imaginable, but a mortal being none the less, with intentions of having faith of him, but, according to his own words passed down the generations of popes, "I am not picky, so do your work properly or die. Simple is it not?"

Shudders ran through the pope's spine as he remembered the expression his predecessor had made while describing the holy decree.

'We need to complete the task given to us all those countless generations ago, and we need to do it fast.' The pope thought to himself as he ruminated alone in the study.

In another part of the Roland Theocracy, a bishop had just received her new orders.

[Accompany Cardinal Joseph to the Holy Kingdom of Islesat and complete the final plans of attack on the Leon kingdom with the representative.]

[Representative: Duke Darth, Duke Vader, Baron Gard]

Seeing the last name on the list of representatives, the bishop's eyes sparkled.

'I will finally get to meet him once more.' She thought as she gritted her teeth from excitement. Although she looked like a battle-hardened veteran, which she was, she was still a 19-year-old girl.

And she would be finally meeting one of her only childhood friends, if that is what you could call them.

This bishop's name was Harlem Archon, a.k.a. Juliet.