CHAPTER 338: CHAPTER 167: CROW QUEEN ESOTERIC BUDDHISM

The empire’s territory continues to expand.

However, Duncan no longer needs to personally wage wars on all fronts. The British Legion has recaptured the Danube defense line, and, aside from the Kingdom of the Western Goths on the Iberian Peninsula, the empire he reforged has essentially restored to the vast territory of the Western Roman Empire at its peak.

Half a year passed quickly.

Shortly after Anya gave birth, Princess Praxidica also quickly became pregnant.

At this time, the religious reformation entered a white-hot stage, and as religious conflicts intensified, the conflict between the newly established empire and the Eastern Roman Empire also escalated. Especially with the revival of the Olympic Games, the monotheistic factions of the East and West almost completely split, with Eastern Orthodox becoming the radical faction.

Under the support of the emperor of the empire, Protestantism has become the rising faction of monotheism, with the only opposition being the Shepherd Leader of the Eastern Empire.

But the Pope has already been dealt with, and the Shepherd Leader can be handled slowly.

Britannia, London.

More than a year later, Duncan returns once again to the British Province.

London, Central Square.

This time, Duncan travels in secret, accompanied only by Kulin and his personal guards, arriving in London by the afternoon.

The sky grows dark.

In this era, there are not many nighttime entertainment activities, but in London’s square area, a considerable number of people still gather, mainly towards the direction near the Divine Hall area. However, what lies there are not the altars of monotheism or polytheism, but a continued tradition from the early empire, an altar devoted specifically for the emperor of the empire, meant to consolidate divinity for the emperor.

As Duncan’s starting point, the belief structure of the British Province is peculiar, with the most active faith surprisingly being the worship of the emperor himself, and the main congregation being Britons.

Duncan can be said to have single-handedly saved the Britons from gradual decline.

Moreover, with the endorsement of the faith of Avalon, there are signs in popular culture of deifying Duncan, leading the once-abandoned emperor’s altar to be reinstated, presided over by priests from the Avalon faith.

This can be considered a mutual exchange of favors.

The lifespan of mortals has its limits, and it seems the Guardian Fairies are making plans for the future; they have revived the local faith by holding onto Duncan’s coattails.

In the distance, a cluster of sacrificial flames burns on the altar, with six priests conducting the ceremony.

At the center.

Stands Duncan’s statue, different from elsewhere, as here the statue holds the Sword of Oath and Victory, but the second sword, Oathkeeper, is not seen. Surrounding the altar are kneeling Britons, with the rites here having been ongoing for more than a year, almost every night Britons come to pray.

An odd point.

The group that worships Duncan the most is surprisingly escort guards of trade caravans, resembling mercenaries, in addition to soldiers from the army.

Currently, these altars dedicated to the emperor of the empire have no practical effect.

The gathering of divinity is a very lengthy process, possibly taking decades or centuries to slightly accrue divine power; most emperors of the empire do not live to see that day, and when a new emperor rises, a new statue is immediately erected for worship.

But after Duncan reforged the empire, it is estimated these altars worshiping the emperor will continue for a long time.

"Let’s go."

Duncan merely glanced at it, then quickly departed.

The early empire always had a tradition of worshipping the emperor as a divine spirit, and it was this that inspired him to elevate the Crow Queen Triss to godhood.

London has a specifically zoned area for Divine Halls.

Monotheistic churches lie on the right side of the street, polytheistic temples on the left, and within there is a newly built temple dedicated to Freya of the Norse Pantheon, part of a secret deal.

Duncan made a deal with this goddess.

He exchanged the Wine God’s divine position with her for secret techniques and witchcraft, the lower concepts of magic, and allowed her faith to spread within the empire’s territory. In return, Freya must help the Crow Queen Triss to grasp the divine position.

But all this is still insufficient to make the Crow Queen Triss a god.

After having the Crow Queen Triss relinquish the position of High Priest, Duncan began to secretly establish a church to serve her, a very lengthy process that might take many years before the Crow Queen Triss ascends to become a demigod.

As for when she will ultimately take shape, it may take several decades.

By then, the Crow Queen Triss might become a divine spirit with equivalent weak divine power, and her faith will only be spread within supernatural groups, not competing with other deities for secular beliefs.

What Duncan needs most is for the Crow Queen Triss to achieve ’immortality’, whether as a demigod or a true god is unimportant.

For he will arrange for the matter afterward.

In fact, Duncan has already begun arranging the wrap-up for the future, as the Kingdom of the Western Goths has been severely crippled by him, and the Eastern Roman Empire, previously defeated repeatedly by God’s Whip Attila, has long been severely wounded. The Eastern Empire is relying on Constantinople’s fortified walls for defense, or else the Huns Empire would have obliterated them.

Duncan has pointed out the technology of the weighted catapult, and attacking Constantinople would take him at most a month, directly smashing it to ruins.

As a result, within the entire European map, only Great Germania’s desolate regions remain a bit tough to tackle, a slightly noteworthy opponent, the Alamanni, are not doing well, and heading slightly north, the Lombards are a bit stronger, but they are not formidable enemies.