Chapter 171: In the Shadows Where the Holy Light Cannot Shine (Part 2)
“Your Holiness.”
A woman with a slightly small stature and a doll-like face knelt on one knee, her right fist resting on her chest.
Dressed in a simple, bright green outfit and somewhat worn, loose-fitting trousers that looked like a man’s wear, she exuded a casual yet bold vibe. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and as she bowed, bandages peeked out from her wrists and ankles, with a patch on her right cheek.
Beside her stood an elderly man with a wispy white beard, looking sprightly.
The old man also bowed to Angel but only leaned forward slightly with a smile. The white gold robe draped over him bore more intricate patterns than the usual bishop attire, giving him a more solemn presence.
Behind them, a dozen or so clerics stood neatly in line.
Angel stepped down from the platform and approached the woman, helping her up. “Are you hurt?”
“It’s nothing,” she replied softly, standing tall. “Thank you for your concern, Your Holiness.”
Angel nodded slightly and ruffled her hair. “As long as it’s nothing serious. Your absence in the upcoming operations would give me a headache…”
His gaze shifted to the old man, and he pointed at the group of clerics. “Have them disperse. You and Anna come with me; let’s chat outside.”
“Understood.”
Angel led the way out of the dark room, with the others following closely behind. Upon exiting the stone door, the old man silently waved his hand, sending all the clerics on their way. Then, alongside the silent woman, he followed Angel’s lead through a larger cavern, passing by several smaller caves.
Faint screams echoed from all directions, but neither of the three paid any mind. Occasionally, a passing cleric would bow hurriedly upon seeing Angel, who nodded and smiled back, appearing approachable. After a while, they reached the end of one cavern where the old man took two steps forward, pulled out a key, and opened a decrepit wooden door, allowing Angel to step in first.
Inside, it seemed to be a conference room.
The stone chamber was not very large; flames flickered on the walls, illuminating the long oval table at the center of the room. Wooden chairs surrounded the table, and other than that, there was nothing else. The closest room was at least a hundred meters away, making it exceptionally quiet.
Angel casually sat down at the table and gestured for the two to take their seats. Before long, a cleric brought over hot tea and set it in front of the trio. Angel took a sip from the cup but flinched at the heat, poking at his tongue. Once the cleric left and the door closed, he lifted his gaze.
“Anna, do you understand what you need to do?”
To his right, the woman, who had chosen a corner to sit in, slowly nodded. “k*ll the jester.”
“No, no.” Angel waved his hand immediately. “Your target has changed.”
He picked up the tea cup again and took a small sip to soothe his throat. “Anna, your new task is to fully assist that knight called Silvya, whatever it takes, whatever means, no matter how many lives are lost—whether we get that jewel or not—you must ensure she can safely enter the Land of Dragons. That is our main priority now, understood?”
The woman frowned slightly.
“You won’t be able to k*ll the jester by yourself; I mean…”
“I can.”
She interrupted him. “I can k*ll him.”
Looking at her serious little face illuminated by the firelight, Angel couldn’t help but chuckle. “Don’t think too much of it. I’m not blaming you; it’s not your fault that things have gone south. The truth is accidents we can’t quite predict often happen. Right now, it’s not just about killing a jester…there’s a more troublesome woman…”
The young pope paused.
“That woman is currently in Stag Town, and she’s giving me quite the headache. A jester can be schemed against; as long as the timing is right, killing him is not all that difficult with the church’s full encirclement. But that woman is different; I have a guess about her identity… with the power of Infernal Fire at her level, wiping her out is nearly impossible…”
As he spoke, he tapped the table lightly with his finger.
“Miss Silvya is our only chance.”
“Her powers… well, her Frost Order perfectly counters the Infernal Fire. Only she might have the opportunity… I’m not blaming you, but your Lightning Order has struggled to find an advantage against powerful heretics. I think you’ve come to understand that well, but ice is different. So, Anna, I hope you can fully assist her, and I want you to keep an eye on her… condition, yes, condition.”
In the flickering firelight, Angel tilted his head as he chose his words carefully. “She has a bit of a sweet tooth, and when she gets hungry… well, she goes a bit crazy, and that leads to trouble.”
…?
The woman in the corner displayed a puzzled expression, her eyes inquiring at Angel.
“That’s a long story…” Angel rubbed his forehead; he wouldn’t truly explain Anna’s condition. “You don’t need to know why. But let me prepare you in advance: if she does go crazy, absolutely, absolutely do not try to interfere or stop her—do not, no matter what happens, do not attempt it.”
“If that situation arises, when our Miss Silvya is hungry and starts biting… or not biting, but eating everything in sight… well, anyway, no questions, no curiosity that shouldn’t exist. This is also something I’ve always liked about you, Anna. The only two things you need to ensure are…”
“…the commoners?”
“No.”
Angel shook his head, leaning back, half his face shrouded in darkness. “You need to ensure you witness everything; besides you, there should only be the dead. And until she enters the Land of Dragons, no matter who ends up with that jewel, you must make sure our hungry Miss doesn’t get a bite of it; that’s your task…”
His voice was low and slow, the light flickering across his lips forming a friendly arc. “The rewards this time will be substantial, enough to cure your mother’s illness, giving her a chance to enjoy her later years.”
“I understand.”
The knight named Anacelis rose to her feet, exhaling deeply.
She glanced at Angel, bowed solemnly, said nothing more, and turned to exit the stone chamber, her frail silhouette gradually disappearing through the door.
Bang—
The wooden door closed.
Within the small room, silence lingered for a moment until the seemingly meditative Archbishop Anseier finally opened his eyes. “Do you trust her?”
Tap, tap, tap…
Angel tapped his fingers on the table.
With his eyelids lowered, he contemplated for a moment before shaking his head. “No.”
As he spoke, he cast his gaze towards the old man, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “But there’s no one more suitable than her.”
The old man chuckled. “How so?”
“…Lowly upbringing, clueless about social entanglements and deceit, simple-minded yet distrustful of everyone. Without trust, there’s no such thing as betrayal; that kind of person is actually the easiest to deal with—just throw money at her. If our rewards are generous, she won’t ask a thing. Anna isn’t stupid; she needs money to treat her mother’s illness, and her mother is currently being cared for by our people in the Fersal Diocese.”
“It sounds like she has no choice, but the risks are still too great. How can one trust a woman? If you give her enough money…”
“Who said I’m going to give her money?”
Angel raised his eyelids and cast a faint glance at the old man.
That look made the old man swallow his words.
He understood the pope’s plan.
That woman and her poor mother likely wouldn’t survive this ordeal…
The old man laughed again. “Looks like I’m the one worrying for nothing.”
“Let’s not say that.”
Angel shook his head, “There’s no such thing as absolute certainty. Success or failure, even with full preparation, things tend to veer in unforeseen directions. You see, I originally thought I’d find that jewel either in Alectine City or even earlier, but what happened?”
The man gazed at the old man, his emerald eyes calm, but the old man felt that look like a dagger, causing him to lower his head and avert his gaze from Angel.
“I don’t blame Anna, of course; I won’t blame you either, you know that,” said Angel.
“…Yes.”
“How is it on the relic side?”
The old man replied, “No new developments yet. We…”
“Who has the jewel now?”
“…There have been some mishaps. That woman suddenly changed her mind, perhaps planning to spare the jester before the Land of Dragons is opened… or maybe she has other plans. We still can’t open that door or track the dragon. Time is running short, and in the end, we’ll likely have to rely on the power of that jewel. But it seems there’s also a problem at the Gate of Truth. In the worst case, a lot more people may need to d*e.”
Angel fell silent.
He tapped the table with his fingers, deep in thought, before saying, “You see, this is yet another variable.”
The pope shifted to a more comfortable position, crossing his legs. “This matter can’t be handled by us.”
“Of course.”
The old man understood the subtext in the young pope’s words and smiled. “Your Holiness, you’ve likely thought of that, right? I mean, the jester won’t just obediently follow a woman’s orders. Given the chance, he’ll try everything to get rid of the people in the Northern Region… at least everyone in these nearby villages.”
“Where?”
Angel waved his hand. “I’m not the God of Wisdom; I wouldn’t have anticipated things going this way. I genuinely hope they don’t.”
“But you’re sending Miss Silvya alone. Are you that trusting… not afraid she might lose control in front of so many people? You weren’t thinking like that previously.”
Because you have already made arrangements. After tonight, there will be no living souls on the border of Woodward Forest. Even if there are, Miss Anna will individually clear them out… Of course, the old man wouldn’t say this outright.
Some things, it’s better if everyone understands without saying a word. He actually held great admiration for this young pope, who wasn’t even thirty yet—capable, resourceful, and possessing a kind heart, yet unwavering in necessary decisions. His thoughts often surpassed the obsolete ones within the church and showcased a man destined for greatness.
But amidst admiration, the old man couldn’t help but ponder how he should act afterward to avoid ending up on the cleaning list of the young pope…
“Ha ha, Archbishop Anseier, you truly have a knack for humor.”
Angel laughed heartily. “No one likes taking risks. Aside from the madmen, nobody wishes to see d*ath happening. I’d rather have no one d*e and see everyone safe so we can solve all our problems. But alas, such is life.”
“Nothing in this world is a given; it won’t all go as you envision. Take one step, look ten steps ahead, determine the most advantageous course, then take another step, reassess the following ten steps, and win the game with minimal losses. Even the finest strategists operate within these parameters.”
“Your Holiness, you are far beyond that.” The old man buttered him up a bit.
“Ha ha, just joking…”
Angel didn’t wish to delve deeper into the topic and asked instead, “So, how’s the Choir of Saints doing?”
“Yes, they’ve engaged,” the old man nodded.
“Then… wish them victory for me.”
“…Alright.”
The old man smiled in response.
He knew that this blessing would likely be only said when the gravestones were erected.
“In any case, what’s done is done; those earlier considerations are now irrelevant. Archbishop Anseier, I must head to another place to make some preparations… For now, I’ll leave this in your hands. Please ensure that Miss Silvya can successfully enter the Land of Dragons and encounter that… thing sealed inside.”
“Ha ha.”
The old man chuckled. “Your Holiness, you truly spoil that little girl.”
“Well, who can resist how adorable she is…”
Angel didn’t deny it. He suppressed his smile and stood up; Archbishop Anseier also stood, and the two shook hands across the table. Angel said earnestly, “Please do your utmost this time. The enemy is very strong, and necessary sacrifices are inevitable, but you must not blindside me again as you did a year ago by suddenly becoming ‘short-sighted’ and missing the most critical shot.”
When he mentioned ‘short-sighted,’ Angel intentionally emphasized his words with a hint of teasing.
The old man acknowledged the reference to that time when he’d first encountered Miss Silvya in her Abyss Form during a skirmish with the Knights. He had deliberately let a fatal blow miss, allowing her an opportunity to retaliate and escape… it was indeed perilous, as Carlos had almost managed to k*ll her.
“Rest assured, this time is different; we’ll be facing a true foe.”
“Mm.”
Releasing the handshake, the pope nodded. “As for what comes afterward… we’ll sincerely pray. Let’s just hope that when Miss Silvya emerges from the Land of Dragons, her condition… won’t be too affected by that thing. We’ll have everything ready, and the rest, I’ll leave to fate.”
……….
Before long, they left the stone chamber.
Pope Angel once again activated a teleportation spell, bathing in golden light and vanishing to an unknown destination. The bearded Archbishop Anseier also left the dungeon, heading towards the direction of Woodward Forest under the dim moonlight.
In the distance, Stag Town, nestled amidst the mountains and woods, ignited into a towering inferno.
