Goddess Kaleidoscope

Any priest with even a little experience could see that this was a sign that Rudd, as a mortal, was nearing the end of his life.

Divine arts are indeed powerful, capable of curing all diseases, and even possessing a great resurrection spell that can bring back to life those who have been dead for no more than seven days. However, the mortal body and soul have their limits; no one is immortal or ageless. Death is the inescapable fate of every mortal.

Of course! There are always some "exceptions" to everything. In the history of this world, there have been seven ultimate masters among mortals who successfully escaped the cycle of life and death. Three of them were "Transcendent Saints," one from each of the three founding families, and the other four were "Demons" who went down the path of corruption.

However, these seven are all "legendary figures" from before the War of the Gods. In the three hundred years since the New Era, no similar ruthless characters have appeared.

In short, most of the priests in Oyster Harbor reacted with a calm tinge of regret. No one believed Rudd could become the legendary "Transcendent Saint," and it was highly likely he would be canonized posthumously. The various religious sects were also eager to demonstrate their decorum at this time, joining in the praise and remembrance.

However, Romian was clearly unable to accept this cruel reality. Although she had only been a disciple of Lud for a short time, about a year, her mentor had treated her with immense kindness, taking in her when she was homeless and imparting all his knowledge to her without reservation.

Over the past year, Romianne's life has been fulfilling and joyful, but just as she was finally emerging from the shadows and preparing to embrace a new chapter in her life, cruel fate once again dealt a cruel blow to her family and friends.

The thought of her master soon "leaving" her made Luo Mi feel uneasy, so she subconsciously gripped Lu De's hand tightly, not wanting to let go.

"master……"

"Hmm... what time is it?"

As if in response to Romian's soft call, Ludwig on his sickbed slowly opened his eyes. The old man's eyes were still as clear as a young man's, but his face was thin and withered, and his gray hair was as dull as dry straw.

"Romean... how long have I been asleep? Help me up..."

"Master, you're not fully recovered yet, don't move around!"

Seeing Lud struggling to get up, Romian quickly stepped forward and pressed him back down, gently covering him with the blanket again.

Looking at the girl who cared for him so tenderly, as if she were a baby, Lude smiled with a hint of relief and said in a very weak voice.

“My child, I have no regrets in my life and can walk to the end with peace of mind, so there is no need to be sad for me. If possible... I would prefer that everyone smile as they send me off on my final journey.”

"master……"

Upon hearing Lud's words, Romian, who had been holding back her tears, finally broke down and they streamed down her face. Most of the others around her also looked at Lud with solemn expressions, their gazes filled with admiration.

Only Hume, hiding at the very back and leaning against the door, turned her head away. Others thought she was hiding the difficulty on her face, but the corner of her mouth, which she covered with her hand, was actually slightly upturned, which she was trying to conceal so as not to give herself away.

The thought of having to secretly deliver food to this drama queen that night made Hume mutter to himself.

Looks like I'll have to give you an extra chicken leg!

End of this chapter

Although it was heartbreaking, everyone accepted the harsh reality that Ludwig's time was coming to an end. Ludwig himself was quite composed, even expressing his wish to be cremated after death.

So, after everyone left the ward, the dwarven high priest Winnig was the first to suggest that they prepare a funeral for Master Lud in advance.

The conventional funeral practice in this world is burial. Sometimes, to prevent the deceased from becoming spirits, the body is sprinkled with holy water. Magicians with stronger mental power than ordinary people will use specially made "sealed coffins".

Cremation is a custom specific to a few regions and is not common within the Kingdom of Duran. Previously, in the quarantine zone, Dr. Nandin was forced to cremate the bodies because he discovered that the corpses of infected individuals could also cause infection, which led to a conflict with other infected individuals.

However, the request for cremation was Lud's own wish, and he even cited the doctrines of the Medicine God Cult to explain it, saying that cremation was a tradition of the Medicine God Cult, and that the blazing flames could purify his mortal body, which had been tainted by impurities, and to conduct a "final judgment" on the soul that had left the body.

If the good in his soul far outweighs the evil, then his soul will ascend to the Pure Land where the gods reside, enjoying eternal bliss. If the good and evil are equal, neither good nor evil, his soul will enter the cycle of reincarnation, being reborn as a human again. But if the evil outweighs the good, then what awaits him is a descent into a terrible hell to suffer torture and punishment until the suffering he endures is enough to atone for the sins he committed in his previous life.

It must be said that Earth's religions are indeed more unrestrained in terms of imagination than other worlds where there are real gods watching over us. Many myths are not only imaginative but also educational.

For example, the concepts of heaven and hell, and karma and retribution, are reflected in many religions on Earth. Their initial intentions are generally positive and uplifting, primarily aimed at guiding people towards goodness.

Ludwig took advantage of this opportunity and copied it exactly.

So the people of Oyster Harbor, following Ludwig's wishes, began to prepare an extremely grand funeral for him.

In their attitude towards this matter, the Steelwhip Clan dwarves were undoubtedly the most proactive and attentive. Winnig personally led a group of dwarven craftsmen, working overtime, and in just one and a half days, they built a wooden pyramid over ten meters high in the city's central square as the final incineration platform.

The dwarves' considerations were quite thorough; the cremation platform was mostly constructed from dried pine wood, with a central stone pillar topped with a grooved stone platform. On the day of the funeral, Lud's remains would be placed in the groove of the platform so that his ashes could be collected after cremation.

Because on the day of the funeral, Viscount Maup will mobilize the entire populace to send Master Lud on his final journey, the area around the cremation platform will be packed with people. Winnig specially summoned a magician to inscribe "accelerated combustion" magic runes on the wood of the cremation platform. Winnig will also directly cast a full-coverage sacred barrier on the entire cremation platform.

This serves two purposes: firstly, it ensures the safety of the public, preventing them from being exposed to the smoke and flames of the incinerator; secondly, it isolates the smell, preventing people from smelling the "roasted meat" and feeling embarrassed and disgusted.

In short, the old dwarf wanted to fulfill his friend's last wish and ensure he passed away with the utmost honor, revered by all. For everything he had done for Oyster Harbor, this was all he deserved!

Three days later, as Lude predicted in his report, the last batch of infected individuals announced their recovery. While there would still be sporadic new cases, it was unlikely to cause any significant disruption. This was because Oyster Harbour had established a rudimentary public health system, and the public had acquired considerable knowledge of proper disease prevention.

However, on the very night these patients were discharged from the hospital, Lu De, the "great hero" who saved the city, also passed away quietly on his sickbed, like a shooting star streaking across the sky.

Even though they were somewhat prepared, when the devastating news actually arrived, Ludwig's friends in the hospital were still struggling to accept it. Those who rushed to the scene, seeing the elderly man lying peacefully on his sickbed as if asleep, were overwhelmed by grief.

Fighting back tears that threatened to spill from her eyes, Romian bowed deeply to her mentor's remains with great solemnity. Aina, who had been with Ludwig for longer, seemed unable to accept this cruel reality. She lowered her head and rushed out of the ward as if fleeing. Hume left with the words, "I'll go take care of that girl," and followed her out of the room.

The rest of the people present observed a moment of silence, and then, under the direction of Winnipeg and Dr. Nandin, began to handle Ludwig's funeral arrangements.

Following Ludwig's last wishes, everyone first carefully wiped his entire body with holy water, then changed him into a pure white priest's robe, and held the priest's scepter in the shape of a fire unicorn in front of his chest with both hands.

The cremation ceremony is scheduled for noon three days from now. The Viscount has agreed to mobilize his own guards to serve as the funeral procession, and other religious sects in the city are also preparing to send representatives. Although they believe in different gods, after working together for several months, even if there were initial prejudices, they now only have respect for each other.

In terms of both character and learning, Luther was a man of outstanding talent in his time!

After Ludwig's death, his body was temporarily moved to the morgue, a special cold storage facility built at Ludwig's request when the hospital was first established. It was specifically used to store the bodies of the deceased and was located on the second basement floor of the newly expanded hospital. The walls on all four sides were made of ice bricks preserved from the winter.

After settling Lud's body, everyone left the morgue. Just in case, Winnipeg arranged for a whole squad of dwarven warriors to guard the morgue's entrance to prevent any villains from desecrating the body.

Although such cases are not common, they are "super-malicious events" that have actually occurred more than once in this world.

Rumors circulate that some heretical cult members, in order to worship their evil gods, would deliberately destroy the remains of saints from other reputable sects, and some would even steal the corpses to use evil secret arts to forge magical artifacts.

Given Ludd's character and conduct during his lifetime, he was undoubtedly qualified to bear the name of "saint," but this also made him a potential target for cultists.

Twelve fully armed dwarves stood in two teams on either side of the morgue's main entrance. Normally, even a mosquito wouldn't escape the sharp eyes of these dwarven warriors. However, the extremely cautious dwarven warriors failed to notice that something was lurking in their shadows, slipping past them like a passing breeze into the tightly closed morgue.

End of this chapter

Three days were deliberately allowed for the news to spread, and the news of Lud's death quickly spread throughout the Viscount's territory, and even reached the neighboring Earl of Ramley, causing quite a stir as well.

The Earl himself, along with his daughter Sharo, rushed to Oyster Harbor overnight. Unfortunately, the great magician Hamilton had recently gone south and had not yet received the news, so he could not return in time for the funeral.

In less than three years, Lud and the Medicine God Cult went from obscurity to widespread fame in the northern border of the kingdom. His departure left countless people lamenting the injustice of the gods and fate, wondering why such a noble and good person had to be taken away at such a time.

Some extreme people even believe that, if possible, the lives of those who deserve to die should be used to give Master Luther another five hundred years of life!

On the day of the funeral, without the Viscount's order, more than 100,000 people in Oyster Harbor took to the streets and spontaneously gathered on both sides of the street between the hospital and the central square to bid farewell to Ludwig on his final journey.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Ludwig's body had been moved into a custom-made coffin. Prominent figures from all walks of life had gathered, and they would follow behind the coffin on foot to the central square.

Viscount Mape's entire family had come, with his two most beloved children by his side. Had it not been for Lude's intervention during this plague crisis, the Viscount might have already complied with Evanrus's wishes, offering them as sacrifices in exchange for the so-called salvation of the goddess of the seasons.

Everyone has selfish desires, but they also know how to be grateful. The Viscount was sincerely grateful to Rudd for everything he had done for the city and his family, but he regretted that he did not have the opportunity to repay him.

The group chatted quietly in the hospital lobby when Winnig, wielding a crowbar and scepter, approached. He wore a long, black robe with fire patterns, followed by six powerful dwarf warriors, also clad in black armor. The six followed Winnig's every step, clearly a professional team.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the ceremony may begin."

Ludwig's funeral was ultimately presided over by the highly respected Winnipeg. Although Romian was also a priest and Ludwig's disciple, he was still young and not as experienced as the older generation.

Moreover, although the Winnipegs believed in the three goddesses of craftsmanship, they were at least part of the Pantheon, so they were considered half of the same family, making them more suitable than people from other sects.

The funeral procession was led by Winnipeg, who walked at the head of the procession, holding a divinely bestowed scepter and loudly reciting hymns praising Ludwig's life. Behind him, six dwarf warriors carried the coffin on their shoulders, maintaining a steady pace so that the people on both sides of the street could pay their respects.

The funeral procession was led by Lude's two female disciples, followed closely by medical students, then local dignitaries, and finally the local doctors who had converted to the Medicine God Cult.

As the funeral procession departed from the hospital, Winnipeg's booming voice echoed throughout the area. People lining the streets, seemingly led by someone, knelt on one knee in prayer as the coffin approached. The scene was solemn and respectful, the grief palpable to everyone present.

The funeral procession, stretching for thousands of meters, took a full hour to reach the central square at a relatively slow pace. The square was already packed with people. As soon as the coffin entered the square, tens of thousands of people, like a surging wave, knelt down in droves. The other religious groups accompanying the procession couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions upon seeing this.

The scene was truly moving, but Ludd was not a member of their own sect. The thought that Ludd's influence in Oyster Harbor might continue for many years after his death, becoming a shared memory for at least a generation of locals, made everyone's feelings even more complicated.

Some priests even secretly wished that when they died, their funerals would be as grand as even a tenth of Lord Lu's!

Soon, the coffin was carried to the high platform. Six dwarf warriors went down first, while Winnig stood in front of the platform, first reciting a funeral dirge, and then taking out a letter from his pocket.

This letter is one of two last letters left by Ludwig. One was for his disciples and students, which made Romian and a group of students who came with him cry their eyes out. The one that Winnipeg had was reserved to be shown at the funeral.

Winnig had memorized the script beforehand, but the others were unaware of its contents.

Winnig glanced at the dark mass of people below, took a deep breath, and then loudly read aloud Ludwig's last words.

"My dear friends, by the time you read this letter, I should have already embarked on my journey to another world. Do not grieve for me, for I have lived a life without regrets..."

Winnipeg read aloud, and the people listened quietly. Ludd's suicide note didn't contain any grand pronouncements or praises of gods; instead, it was like a somewhat rambling, caring old grandfather carefully instructing his younger generation. Some of his words even made people chuckle, but the thought that such an interesting and erudite person had left them brought a renewed wave of sadness.

The suicide note was not long, only a little over a thousand words. At the end of the letter, Ludwig talked about his vision for the future. He firmly believed that the darkness of the world and the ugliness of humanity were not eternal. Just as dawn will break at the end of the night, a bright future will surely come one day. Therefore, he pleaded with people not to give up hope easily, no matter what difficulties they encounter.

After reading Ludwig's will, Winnipeg carefully put the letter away, took one last look at Ludwig in the coffin on the platform, and then slowly walked down the platform.

Winnig stepped down from the platform, followed by relatives and friends offering flowers, while the dwarves on site quickly sprang into action to prepare for the incineration of the altar.

Nearly half of the funeral procession brought flowers, having gathered almost every flower imaginable from the surrounding area. These bouquets were originally intended for the cremation platform, to be burned with the body, but due to the sheer number of them, they ended up being laid out around the perimeter of the crematorium.

Once everything was ready, Winnig signaled to his men that they could begin, and murmured to himself as he gazed at the coffin on the cremation platform.

Farewell, my friend…

As four torchbearers simultaneously ignited the pine wood incineration platform from the four corners, the platform began to burn layer by layer upwards. The pre-arranged explosive runes would activate after the entire platform was ignited, creating a momentary burst of flames.

To prevent injury, Winnipeg had previously cast a massive divine barrier over the incineration platform.

However, at the very moment the flames erupted, a sudden change occurred! A holy power suddenly replaced Winnig's divine magic, enveloping the entire incineration platform. The orange-red flames instantly transformed into dazzling white holy fire, and a beam of holy light poured down from the clouds.

People looked up and a miracle occurred before them!

End of this chapter

It was as if a huge hole had been torn open in the sky. The dazzling holy light made it almost impossible for the people on the ground to open their eyes. They could only vaguely see through their slits that there seemed to be several figures slowly falling in the light.

Ordinary people didn't sense anything unusual, but the priests of various religions were far from calm. As the figures descended from the light, they suddenly felt a strange resonance, and their bodies trembled uncontrollably, though not out of fear.

Among the priests, only an old priest from the Moon Goddess Cult had a similar experience, so even without seeing them clearly, he vaguely guessed the identities of those above him. But what surprised him most was the number of those descending—more than three!

"By the Moon Goddess! This is... way too exaggerated!"

Although it was clear that the one who came was not their own moon goddess, there was still a difference in status between mortals and gods, and the power and status of gods were far beyond that of ordinary mortal kings. Therefore, as long as it was not a demon god exuding an evil aura, no matter which god came to earth or whom they encountered, the proper grand ceremony was indispensable.

So, with the old priest taking the lead, the other priests present quickly realized what had happened and followed suit, bowing deeply in fear and trepidation.

At this moment, the holy light in the sky gradually faded, and the crowd on the ground finally saw the figures above their heads. They were five peerless beauties sitting on suspended thrones, each dressed in gorgeous clothes, with an extraordinary temperament, looking down at the masses below.