A Wish to Grab Happiness

Volume 8, Chapter 193: Empty Enthusiasm

Soldiers rushed along the main road of the Gharast Kingdom’s capital. This large amount of soldiers crossed the road like a wave.

Everyone looked extremely proud. Each one of the soldiers raised their legs high up while marching triumphantly on the road. The citizens of the capital cheered as the soldiers passed by. The loud cheers and heat generated by the people increased the soldiers’ excitement.

Enthusiasm filled every corner of the Gharast capital.

One could see common folk in the crowds, as well as merchants, aristocrats, and even priests. Everyone screamed high as if their blood burned like flames. They raised their fists tightly and cheered for the soldiers heading for the Holy War. This occurrence made them look united, as if the huge wall named “class” disappeared from the face of this earth. Everyone was enthusiastic.

Everyone shouted the following words.

…Regain Garoua Maria! Give us our land again!

The walled city, or trading city of Garoua Maria. The land, which was the center of trade between the east and the west, was like a special chicken that continued to produce golden eggs. Garoua Maria was a city that received the grace of God and gave unmistakable wealth and glory to those who owned it.

People said that their gilded city was taken away by strangers. Every single citizen cried out of hatred from those who trampled on their golden land.

And everyone said, Yeah, that’s why our lives are so miserable.

The pagans have robbed us of our glory. That’s why we have to whip our breaking bodies every single day of our lives. That’s why we have to live with our spirits tightened. Our misfortune and our miserable circumstances are all due to the hands of pagans.

We tolerated and accepted the pagans once.We even promised them a future and salvation.But as a result, they stabbed a knife at our backs.They are no longer oblivious. They are beasts with the shape of humans.

The people continued to growl, Garoua Maria will be in our hands again.Our golden land is ours. We shall spill blood from the sinful beasts.

「Believers of the Great Holy Church, listen to the words from His Eminence the Pope…」

The frenetic voices finally began to subside when the soldiers stopped at the Great Square of the capital. The roaring voice of a priest echoed in the main street.

The figure who appeared on the stage installed in the square was a muscular man about two times larger than the figure of the previous priest. This man’s voice was low and rough, not suitable for preaching.

However, such voice echoed well in the square. The enthusiasm of the people calmed down as their held their breaths in front of the stage.

「…To us, Garoua Maria is exactly like the fruit of a golden tree. The city was bestowed by our one God. It is now in the hands of the unjust.」

For a while, the Pope professed the usual words. Perhaps, most of the people gathered there did not understand the detailed meaning. But everyone understood that his words supported the emotions within them.

The enthusiastic sound from the people overlapped with the Pope’s voice. This chaotic enthusiasm invoked a thundering sound.

「What a terrible act. What an alarming situation. We have handed over the gift of God into the stomach of the beast.」

His voice got embedded with the surrounding atmosphere as if they were one. The Pope put more heat into his words as the people tuned in and responded with a great applause.

「…Everybody, raise your hands! We must put the golden land back to the hands of the rightful owner! We can only achieve glory by starting a war. It’s a battle to serve God!」

“Those who participate in this feat will be promised salvation. Eternal happiness will be given after death.”

The capital shook the moment the Pope’s voice roared.

A whirlpool of great enthusiasm engulfed the air. Everyone raised their hands and opened their palms toward the heavens as if they were asking for something.

It felt like a huge vortex. The emotions ingrained in the people’s screams swallowed the Gharast capital.

The massive crowd cheering with enthusiasm was not limited to the citizens who originally lived in the capital. Some had traveled from rural areas around the city to sell valuable iron farming tools, while others came to the city to engage in other activities. They threw themselves into the whirlpool of the city.

Was this huge enthusiasm due to their religious passion?

Certainly, the Heraldic Order turned their fangs to the Great Holy Church. People felt that the old believers were aiming knives at their throats. If one thought about it that way, then they would be enemies for certain.

However, the answer was wrong. Religion did not matter to most of these people.

Then, could they not forgive the loss of profits after losing the trading city of Garoua Maria?

No, that was not the right answer either. When Garoua Maria was in the hands of the Great Holy Church, only the people from the upper class could enjoy enormous wealth. Only they could grab gold with their bare hands. How could common folk benefit from it? At best, it would increase a few more grains of wheat into their mouths.

Neither of those two causes mattered much to the people. They had no meaning, whether to be angry at the fall of Garoua Maria or grow hostility towards the Heraldic religion for rebelling against the Great Holy Church.

What made sense to them was that now, their feelings of anger and hatred, which were hidden in their hearts, could finally burst. They finally had a justification to scream in order to make their voices heard. These voiceless people were often deprived and trampled in the name of God. But, today they had a voice.

Yes, that’s true. They were trampled until now. They had been spit on. They were often robbed. Their dignity was also smeared in the mud. Still, they had to endure.

The common folk gritted their back teeth with so much strength to the point of biting their own tongue. Even their nails were often soaked with blood. Nonetheless, they had to endure this suffering or they would die. There were days when they just put their hands together, thinking that salvation would be given to them at some point.

But that was over. Someone said that a certain salvation would be given here. Fight for God, rob for God, and die for God.

Was there anything more than this?

It was already good enough. They didn’t have to endure it anymore. They no longer had to endure the daily oppression that made them want to squeeze their own throats. They didn’t have to worry about food to fill their stomachs tomorrow, and they didn’t have to freeze in the cold season just because they were covered in rags.

Why, because they found salvation here.

No one wanted to get out of the vortex anymore. All the people were intoxicated in their own justice of their extraordinary enthusiasm.

These people were already at their limits. The irreversible difference in status was like a death sentence to them.

If a couple couldn’t get a job even if for a day, that alone would make their child suffer from hunger. Life was like bread crumbs. They couldn’t tolerate such a miserable life anymore. The frenzy enthusiasm was the outlet for that kind of emotions.

What a pleasant euphoria. Every single folk raised their palms, misunderstanding that they were in compliance with justice. There was no point in denying it anymore because salvation awaited them at the end of the line.

The empty religious enthusiasm filled the capital of the Gharast Kingdom. The poorer even took their rusty swords. None of them wanted to worry about tomorrow. Then, everyone said the following statement.

…Everything is done by the will of God.

The first group from the army of the Great Holy Church marched from the Gharast capital with great but empty enthusiasm.