On September 22, just as the fierce conflict in global public opinion reached a fever pitch.
With the approval of Fiamma of the Right, leader of God's Right Seat and the true power behind the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Pietro Yogdis gathered the upper leadership of the Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican. To counter the negative impact of Academy City's revelations concerning the "fabricated slander involving Terra of the Left's scandals," they began using the Document of C to brainwash Roman Catholic believers.
Faced with the increasingly tense situation, Pope Matthai Reese hurriedly concluded his visit to the Anglican Church and returned to the Vatican on the night of September 22.
The elderly pope, who loved peace, was widely learned, enjoyed tremendous prestige among the faithful, and was deeply loved and respected by the public, wanted to ease the conflict. Unfortunately, it was useless!
After all, the old pope was not the holder of the Roman Catholic Church's greatest power. His status might have been lofty, but in reality, he was merely a puppet. He was completely incapable of changing the will of God's Right Seat.
Just as the old pope was still desperately holding on and trying to persuade the bishops who had "lost their heads" to calm down, a piece of news from the British Isles, where another incident had occurred on the night of September 22, reached the Vatican.
Pope Matthai Reese knew that all his efforts to ease relations had already become a thing of the past.
Almost immediately after his plane left London, the undersea tunnel connecting the British Isles was bombed. While Britain was still in turmoil over the explosion, Buckingham Palace was attacked, Queen Elizabeth I was injured, and John's Pen Remote Control, held by the British royal family, was stolen.
The timing was far too convenient.
Matthai Reese could already imagine just how furious the Anglican Church and Parliament were. His peace visit had probably already been branded a long-planned act of deception, while he himself had likely been labeled "the greatest fraud of the century," "a hypocrite," and "the most shameless pope in history."
He was now like a man with mud smeared all over his trousers. No matter how reasonable his explanation was, no one would believe him.
Even without the magical footage transmitted back through parchment, showing the distorted mass of finger-shaped light that had demolished more than half of Buckingham Palace, Matthai Reese could still be certain that this was Fiamma of the Right's handiwork!
"Love thy neighbor. All humanity are brothers beneath heaven. Before the Lord, all are equal."
"Those are the words of our Heavenly Father! They are the very foundation upon which Christianity was established!! But look at yourselves now! Are you still messengers of the Heavenly Father? Are you still devout believers?! How are your actions any different from those shameless politicians?!"
"If you lower your own moral standards simply because of their shamelessness, then how are you any different from them?!"
Inside the magnificent St. Peter's Basilica, the white-haired and white-bearded old pope gripped a staff depicting the crucified Jesus and glared at the more than one hundred cardinals present, roaring until his voice went hoarse.
But even he now had no choice but to sign the mobilization order in his capacity as pope.
Because in addition to Britain's statement demanding accountability, Academy City's counterattack had arrived as well—
Whoosh!
As that celestial judgment pierced through the stars and descended, searing crimson light illuminated every building in Avignon, and every towering structure reflected the overwhelming red radiance.
That crimson glow also illuminated the people behind the glass of the Papal Palace. The Roman Catholic magical combat force carrying the Document of C stood behind the magnificent floor-to-ceiling stained-glass windows depicting the Virgin Mary. Scorching red light poured through the enormous windows and fell across their terrified faces, bathing their entire bodies in orange-red firelight.
It also illuminated the faces of the many cardinals inside St. Peter's Basilica.
Only several minutes later did surviving clergy finally transmit a report through the communication terminal. The Papal Palace in Avignon, France, had been completely razed to the ground.
The Document of C had been destroyed. Several cardinals were dead, along with countless priests, nuns, and knights.
The Document of C was also known as the Book of Constantine the Great.
Aside from the Croce di Pietro, it was another spiritual item possessed by the Roman Catholic Church. Although it could not distort physical laws, it could make Roman Catholic believers unconditionally accept whatever it presented as "truth."
In other words, it was an essential spiritual item for the Roman Catholic Church to incite and brainwash its believers. After Academy City exposed the damning information hidden within Terra of the Left's mind, its importance to the Roman Catholic Church was self-evident.
Activating it from the Vatican normally required the unified authorization of the Roman Catholic leadership, including every cardinal and the pope. However, due to historical circumstances, the Papal Palace in Avignon, France, could bypass that entire procedure and activate it directly through remote manipulation of a power conduit.
Knowing Matthai Reese would never agree, Fiamma of the Right and Pietro Yogdis had taken another path and used the latter method to activate the Document of C. They had even specifically mobilized several cardinals and knightly orders to defend against a decapitation strike from Academy City.
Unfortunately, they truly had not expected Academy City to be this ruthless. Before war had even been declared, it had immediately unleashed a devastating attack, with absolutely no intention of playing along with small-unit infiltration raids.
At that point, even Matthai Reese realized there was no choice but to go to war.
No matter how unwilling he was, he could only sign his approval of Fiamma of the Right's plan.
All his goodwill rested on the assumption that the Roman Catholic Church still existed and retained its position as the leading denomination of Christianity. Given the present circumstances, neither the Anglican Church nor Academy City clearly intended to let matters end peacefully.
"I agree to sign off on your plan." After saying those words, the old pope seemed to have all the strength drained from his body at once and collapsed weakly onto the papal throne that existed in name only.
Matthai Reese loved the Roman Catholic Church more than he loved himself, even more than he loved his own ideals.
Another day passed. Academy City and the Roman Catholic Church, respectively the leaders of the science side and magic side, initiated completely undisguised wartime mobilizations at almost the exact same moment. Everyone knew they were truly preparing for war.
There were no unnecessary explanations. Both sides had already made their positions clear through action. The continuously produced and armed military forces were the strongest possible response.
People who had still been laughing and celebrating went to sleep, only to wake and suddenly discover that the entire world had become tense and poised for conflict.
This threw countless pacifists into a panic. As the smell of gunpowder grew stronger by the day, countries across Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe, and North Africa... immediately sided with the Roman Catholic Church, while the nations of the Americas, Oceania, and Southeast Asia clearly leaned toward Academy City.
Across the Americas and Oceania, countless cities plunged into fierce religious division.
The Roman Catholic Church's supposed two billion believers had always been an inflated figure. The faith of believers in these "New World" regions was nowhere near as devout or deeply rooted as that of Europe's nations. In particular, the scandals exposed from Terra of the Left's mind, including horrifying footage of innocent civilians and children being used in magical experiments, struck directly at their most sensitive nerves.
With interested parties fanning the flames, countless believers began questioning and even openly cursing the Roman Catholic Church.
At that moment, the overwhelmed Roman Catholic Church was still trying to win back the Anglican Church. Even if Britain refused to join the war, neutrality would have been enough.
If all three major Christian denominations stood against Academy City, then with only the Anglican Church missing, they could almost claim to represent the entire magic side.
The Roman Catholic Church attempted to transform the war from a confrontation between Academy City and its allies against the Roman Catholic Church and its allies into a war between the magic side and the science side.
One should not underestimate such a seemingly insignificant, almost self-deceptive shift in terminology. In the former case, Academy City was explicitly naming the Roman Catholic Church as the sole target it intended to destroy. In the latter, it became a war against the entire magic side. Naturally, the intensity of resistance such framing could provoke was entirely different.
At that moment, Europe's attention converged upon London. As Academy City's ally on the magic side, Britain's position at this critical juncture would directly influence the coming changes in the world.
Inside Westminster Abbey on the northern bank of the Thames in London, a farewell ceremony was underway.
Displayed here were the ashes of the knights, members of Parliament, guards, and others who had died in the Buckingham Palace attack two days earlier. They would remain for public mourning for one week in this sacred place where Britain's past kings, famous generals, and great ministers were buried before being interred in a newly established cemetery for victims of the Buckingham Palace attack.
"Almighty God and Father, my Lord, sovereign Lord, merciful God!"
"Look with mercy upon Britain and receive them into everlasting light. Grant that all the dead may soon be freed from the bonds of death and enter the heavenly homeland of peace and light, where through Your loving mercy they may enjoy eternal happiness. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Your Son, who is God, and who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen!"
As the Supreme Bishop of the Anglican Church, Laura Stuart had made the rare decision to leave Lambeth Palace and personally preside over the funeral rites.
Large numbers of people from the Knights, the Royal Family, the Anglican Church, Necessarius, the government, Parliament, and wider society attended the funeral for the victims of the attack.
Queen Elizabeth I wore a solemn black gown that covered her feet. Clear traces of treatment remained on the wounds across her face, and her right arm was encased in plaster. She lowered her head and offered a final prayer for the subjects who had died protecting her, sending them onward to heaven.
"My condolences, Your Majesty Elizabeth."
Dressed not in her usual pale pink nun's habit but in far more solemn and imposing archbishop's vestments, Laura slowly descended from the prayer platform. With both hands folded before her, she approached the Queen, bowed slightly, and spoke in a low voice.
"Thank you for praying for them. May they all ascend to heaven."
Queen Elizabeth silently finished reciting the prayer from the front row beside the prayer platform and nodded to Laura. When she turned around, all three of her daughters were wearing long black dresses. First Princess Limea wore a dark expression, Third Princess Villian's eyes were red, and only Second Princess Carissa looked furious enough to erupt.
Ah... It can only be her.
After weighing the expressions, personalities, and abilities of all three daughters in her heart, Queen Elizabeth thought silently.
My eldest daughter is intelligent, calculating, and gifted in both civil virtue and domestic governance. If this were peacetime and she were given more time to grow and be observed, she would very likely become the heir. But under the current circumstances, that is no longer possible...
My third daughter, Villian... Ah. After returning from Academy City, she actually renounced her right to inherit the throne and instead chose to support Carissa...
Queen Elizabeth looked toward the burly man standing rigidly among the mourners. It seems quite a few deals were made... That makes sense. With someone as forceful and possessive as Selene, only Carissa could truly get along with her.
She was not particularly disappointed. She had never placed especially high expectations on Villian and had only wanted to give her a chance. If her daughter had found a place where she could be happy, that too could be considered a kind of good fortune.
At a time of such enormous upheaval, what the people needed was precisely a powerful monarch with formidable military ability, someone capable of giving them a sense of security.
Queen Elizabeth solemnly gazed at her second daughter and asked in a deep voice, "...Carissa, can you defend Britain?"
Knowing that this meant the matter of succession had finally been settled, Carissa shuddered all over. She looked at her mother with fighting spirit blazing in her eyes. "Of course I can!"
Her people had already been inserted into large numbers of critical departments, and the Knights had begun supporting her with all their strength. Because of the undersea tunnel bombing and the attack on Buckingham Palace, large numbers of previously neutral figures in both society and the government had also begun shifting toward her. The conditions for a coup were already in place. All that remained was the final step.
But if she could smoothly inherit the position and formally secure the title of heir, that would naturally be far better. They were both acting for Britain's sake. Unless there was truly no other choice, Carissa did not want to cross swords with her own mother.
"Do not disappoint me, Carissa."
Queen Elizabeth used her left hand to draw the Curtana she carried with her. Without the slightest trace of reluctance in her eyes, she held it horizontally before Carissa.
At the sight, the government officials attending the funeral widened their eyes.
Is this a transfer of power?!
...
September 23.
The British monarch and Head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth I, announced that she would be recuperating from her injuries.
Second Princess Carissa was formally designated heir to the British throne and granted the title of Princess of Wales.
She would take over the handling of state affairs from Queen Elizabeth I, who required medical leave because of the attack. At 11:00 a.m. local time, Princess Carissa delivered a speech before the House of Commons at the Palace of Westminster, announcing that the entire Commonwealth had entered a state of war.
The House of Commons passed the wartime resolution with unusual speed. Britain had officially entered a state of war and issued a final diplomatic demand to Vatican City, headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church: hand over Fiamma of the Right!
The declaration was practically an open declaration of war. With that, the Roman Catholic Church's attempt to provoke a war between the magic side and science side ended in failure.
It had instead become a war between Academy City and its allies against the Roman Catholic Church and its allies.
Across the ocean, after seeing Britain formally enter the conflict in support of Academy City, science-side nations throughout the Americas and Oceania were immediately encouraged. The last stone weighing on their hearts finally fell away, and they began accelerating their alignment with Academy City.
Unlike in the original timeline, where science-side forces dominated countries throughout the Americas and other regions yet still chose to remain on the sidelines.
In this timeline, those countries had become much more deeply bound to, guided by, and enticed by Academy City, or more precisely, by Selene's Schicksal conglomerate. Combined with the massive exposure of the scandals in Terra of the Left's mind, the Roman Catholic Church's influence in those countries had suffered unprecedented weakening and suppression, while the more radical factions of the science side had gained an absolute advantage.
At this moment, every camp had taken its position, and all preparations for war were proceeding at full speed. A world war could erupt at any instant.
...
Academy City.
With the international situation having developed this far, unless someone was naturally oblivious, what would happen next had already been made obvious.
The overwhelming majority of Academy City's students and teachers had taken shelter underground. One small blessing amid the impending disaster was that the Daihasei Festival had already ended. It had not been ended early. Rather, the competition had progressed unusually quickly. With Selene as its trump card, Tokiwadai Middle School lived up to expectations and suppressed Nagatenjouki Academy to seize first place.
Yet Tokiwadai Middle School could not muster even the slightest joy.
Kamijou Touma was undoubtedly among those who had ignored Academy City's instructions. He hurried through streets filled with fully armed military combat robots.
"My God, what is going on? How did the world situation turn into this? Two major camps facing each other... This isn't going to become a world war, is it?"
Even after dealing with numerous supernatural incidents, Kamijou Touma could be considered worldly and experienced. But when he thought of the First and Second World Wars, of tens of thousands becoming mere numbers consumed by battles and tens of millions dying, a chill ran through him.
What Selene said... the magic side... or the science side... Is this what she meant?
"Unfortunately, I'm afraid all of it is real. The Second Princess has been designated heir... War is probably truly coming."
The priest Stiyl looked around. After walking all this way and seeing an Academy City where almost nothing remained except weapons of war, he had already abandoned any hope.
Academy City has been planning this for a long time!
And reality was indeed exactly that. As they passed through an intersection, the image of a middle-aged man in a suit abruptly appeared across the glass curtain wall of the building directly ahead, cutting into the ongoing broadcast about the international situation.
The worst thing countless people could imagine had happened.
On September 23, the Italian Republic, Russian Federation, French Republic, Spain... issued declarations of war, formally declaring war on Academy City.
World War III had begun!