Kislevgrad.
Legend had it that this city, the oldest in all of Kislev, was the landing site where ancient humanity first touched down upon this world after crossing the sea of stars. It was the first city established by humans on this planet.
The ancient Tsardom of Kislev had also used Kislevgrad as its capital, ruling the entire world from its halls. The Orthodox Church of Kislev, which flourished during the era of the Tsardom, placed the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch here, making it the core from which all church organizations across Kislev were led.
After the Tsardom of Kislev was defeated and dismantled by the newly risen Kingdom of Lehlia, the Lehlians did not directly occupy Kislevgrad or move their capital there. Instead, they built a new royal capital within their own borders to rule their fledgling nation.
Yet Kislevgrad did not decline with the fall of the Tsardom. After the empire's end, the Ecumenical Patriarch and the church organization he commanded stepped forward to manage the Great City personally, raising their own armies to protect the citizens of Kislevgrad.
Thus, in the era of chaos following the collapse of the Tsardom, a city-state ruled by the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Orthodox Church emerged in the heart of the old empire. The staggering wealth possessed by the Church allowed it to maintain a powerful army, and combined with the Church's immense influence, the various Kislevite nations dared not risk universal condemnation by attacking or plundering the old capital.
Under the rule of the Church, Kislevgrad became an oasis in a world of strife. With the Patriarch at the helm, the Church used the city as a base to collect and revise books from the ancient Tsardom, preserving as much of the Kislevite cultural essence as possible.
Following Perturabo's rise and his total annihilation of the Lehlian main force at the Battle of Lake Chudskoye, a saying began to circulate within the Orthodox Church: Perturabo was the unifier of Kislev ordained by God, the new High Tsar, and a messenger sent by the Divine to redeem all of Kislev.
Perturabo's mysterious and ominous origins lent credibility to this theory. No one could determine his background prior to his adoption by Father Mikhail. More importantly, Perturabo's stature—far exceeding that of mortal men—and his astounding wisdom in creating sophisticated machinery made the claim of him being a divine envoy even more believable.
Therefore, from the current Ecumenical Patriarch down to the humblest church servant, all believed firmly in the idea that Perturabo was a messenger of God. As Perturabo defeated the Lehlians, the olive branch from Kislevgrad was extended. The crown and throne for the first true Tsar of all Kislev in a millennium were prepared, waiting only for Perturabo to accept the gift.
Although Perturabo was not a religious man—in fact, he had frequently mocked the God his foster father worshipped—the title of "High Tsar of All Kislev" still held allure. More importantly, he needed the title to establish the legitimacy of his rule; he had no intention of wasting his energy on endless suppression of resistance.
Thus, through the mediation of his clergyman foster father, Perturabo accepted the Patriarch's request for a coronation. In exchange, the Orthodox Church of Kislev would not be leveled by the atheist Perturabo, provided they fully supported and submitted to him.
Through this, the Church struck a bargain with the first conqueror in centuries, securing a place for itself in the new era rather than being eradicated by Perturabo as "feudal superstition."
With the agreement reached, Perturabo led his army to Kislevgrad—the holy city of the Kislevite people and the capital of the ancient empire. He was to be crowned by the Ecumenical Patriarch at the famous Cathedral of the Ascension, becoming the first true Tsar of all Kislev in a thousand years.
"Are you ready, Abo? Ready to be crowned?"
Mikhail, now wearing the robes of a bishop, looked nervously at his towering foster son and asked slowly.
As the foster father of the rising Tsar, once the Orthodox Church discovered Mikhail was merely a priest, they had convened an emergency meeting to elevate the old man to the rank of Archbishop. This allowed him to meet directly with the Ecumenical Patriarch to discuss the relevant affairs. In a sense, it was a case of "when a man attains the Dao, even his pets ascend to heaven."
Standing behind Mikhail and Perturabo were hundreds of nobles and representatives from all walks of life. They were there to personally witness history: the coronation of a new Tsar for the first time since the fall of the ancient Tsardom.
"Heh. Mr. Mikhail, this is not something that makes me nervous. If anything, I worry the Ecumenical Patriarch might lose his wits and falter when he sees me," Perturabo replied with a slight shake of his head and a contemptuous smirk. Clearly, he remained as disdainful of the Church as ever.
"True, Abo. You are a genius, a being beyond the human norm—you are the messenger of God. How could one expect the poor Patriarch not to be startled upon seeing you?" Mikhail shook his head and sighed at the supreme confidence of his foster son and pupil. He knew the boy well.
"However, I find myself deeply moved, Abo. I never imagined I would raise a true Tsar, one who could reunify Kislev," Mikhail added softly.
"Indeed, Mr. Mikhail. Perhaps I should thank you?" Perturabo gave a short snort, his brow arching slightly.
"No, Abo. I am the one who should thank you. You gave me the opportunity to participate in history. If not for you, how could I have witnessed these miracles laid down by the Lord with my own eyes?" To Perturabo's surprise, Mikhail simply shook his head gently and spoke slowly.
"Mr. Mikhail, you still hold so tightly to your so-called deity. You view everything I have created as a miracle laid down by Him," Perturabo replied, shaking his head again in disagreement.
"Abo, do not be so absolute. One day, God will let you know and believe in His great existence. When that time comes, you will understand all of the Divine will."