"It was the same in my world. Religion became an excuse, a way to rationalize treating people poorly and committing atrocities. Religion is not gone from my world, but it doesn't hold the power it once did. And I would never tell anyone not to believe, if it brings them comfort. Just - I don't like it when they preach sweet words while stabbing you and expecting you to believe in their righteousness."

It was a tangled thing, and at times he thought he himself could almost believe - but not quite. The religion of logic he could understand, such as the Vulcan practiced, but the king relying on gods? That he could not wrap his head around. If the gods were so kind, so loving - why let all these bad things happen? Why encourage your people to maim, murder, kill, and let others starve? It made no sense to him.

"I don't think you can ever get rid of the Chantry, and I don't think that's the answer," he shook his head. "What we did was remove religion from the government. The government was secular, bowing to no religion's code, and judging based on laws that were made to be fair to all. No exceptions, religious or no."

It was a prettier picture than the historical reality, but it had become the truth, eventually.

"Though I admit I didn't realize I wasn't a person in their eyes. I probably should have see that coming though."