Chapter 96: Social Death!
The Pope stepped out of the blood pool, a strange halo purifying the filthy pool, restoring it to clarity.
His hand rested on Simon’s head, his face full of love and compassion: “It’s all for the sake of saving the world.”
Simon stiffened all over.
What a respectable ideal. What a heavy ambition.
In this world where everyone pursued their own cherished desires, only the Pope persevered through a long, arduous journey.
When he opened his eyes again, Simon regained his courage and firmly declared, “It’s all for the sake of saving the world.”
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That day, Roy and Alice had dinner with Teresa, discussing the inauguration ceremony.
As the former core high-ranking member of the church, the Saintess knew a lot more about the inauguration ceremony than they did.
“The inauguration ceremony is quite complicated and mysterious; only the archbishops who have presided over it in the past have the right to know.”
“However, the principles of these extraordinary ceremonies are the same. Essentially, they harness higher powers to baptize lower-level extraordinary beings, thus purifying their bloodlines. This is why past Saints experienced significant boosts in power after the ceremonies.”
In the original work, the Saintess’s inauguration ceremony was the story’s grand finale.
At this point, Alice was merely Sequence 7, and she would be promoted to Sequence 6 only after the ceremony.
But a game is just a game.
Having been through so much, Roy had long seen through the secrets hidden beneath the seemingly peaceful plot of the original work.
With the reversal of the fated node still present, it was enough to suggest that the church had not given up on Alice, and Simon surely had some backup plan.
He still couldn’t let his guard down.
Reflecting on this, Roy pondered, “Since the inauguration ceremony is dangerous, is there any way to avoid it?”
“If you don’t accept the ceremony, the Angel bloodline will never awaken on its own, and the possibility of ascending to high-tier will remain nonexistent.” Teresa sighed softly, looking quite troubled.
“Moreover, it wouldn’t hold up legally. The Archangel might use this as leverage to make things difficult.”
“I don’t want to lie.” Teresa straightened her posture slightly and stated honestly, “I have been seeking the secrets of the Saints and the truth behind the church’s use of them, so personally, I hope Alice can take a gamble.”
Teresa’s voice softened: “Of course, this is a request, not a demand.”
Alice is the Destined Saintess, and if she could receive the baptism of Holy Light, ascending to high-tier would just be a matter of time.
What high-tier extraordinary being isn’t a lord or a ruler in their own right?
A high-tier extraordinary being who wholeheartedly belongs only to herself. Just that alone is enough to make anyone’s heart race.
Compared to that, Roy even thought that the secret of the False King breaking through to high-tier didn’t matter as much.
But weighing Alice’s safety…
As Roy was about to refuse Teresa, a soft touch came from his palm.
Alice was holding his hand, gazing at him softly: “Alice wants to accept this ceremony.”
Roy’s heart tightened, and he instinctively held Alice’s hand a little tighter.
“I’m not at the point of needing to sacrifice you. Didn’t we agree…”
“Didn’t we agree to walk together?” Alice countered obstinately.
“To protect Alice, wouldn’t that be sacrificing myself by taking on all the risks alone?”
Under the gaze of the girl who was both pained and dissatisfied, Roy was left speechless.
At this stage, Alice didn’t want to let Roy down anymore, but she also didn’t want to be left behind him.
What right does she have to accept his embrace if she’s just being protected?
“The relationship between the Master and the church is already pretty sticky; it can’t get worse. Besides, the inauguration ceremony can further strengthen the extraordinary bloodline, enhancing Alice’s powers as the Master.”
Alice placed her other hand atop Roy’s hand, her light blue, clear eyes unexpectedly resolute: “No matter how difficult the fate, Alice wants to walk alongside the Master.”
The girl’s palm was gentle yet full of strength.
This sentiment was enough to move Roy.
This was not a solitary sacrifice but an adventure to move forward together.
The bloodline of the Angel can only ascend because of the strong, genuine feelings for others.
Alice, having worked so hard, had even surpassed the original protagonist, relying not merely on her growth but also on her passionate heart.
“…I’m sorry; I was too self-righteous.”
Roy slightly covered his flushed cheeks and pretended to be calm as he conceded, “Then let’s leave the inauguration ceremony to you.”
Alice nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling: “Mm!”
Facing challenges isn’t about surrendering to fate; it’s about seizing that thread of hope to grasp the best outcome.
This was a principle he had practiced countless times; how had he retreated when it came to Alice?
Roy couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, realizing he had unconsciously made the same mistake as Alice, wanting to shoulder everything himself.
Just like Roland back in the day. She abandoned everything around her, walking alone to a tragic end.
That would be the cruelest thing for someone who is cherished.
Thinking of this, Roy unintentionally pulled the girl beside him tightly into his embrace.
“Master, Master?”
“Please lend me your strength, my Saintess.”
Though she didn’t quite understand, being relied upon and trusted like this made Alice feel overjoyed.
That said, Roy still couldn’t help but start to nag like an old father: “But if you encounter danger, don’t push yourself too hard; you must protect yourself.”
Alice rested her head on his shoulder, fully relaxing her body as she leaned into his embrace, speaking softly yet without a doubt: “If danger truly comes, Master will definitely come to save me, right?”
Roy smiled: “Isn’t that obvious?”
With their hearts laid bare, they drew not only physically closer but also deepened their yearning for each other.
In this slightly warm atmosphere, the two of them were so close they could smell each other’s breath.
Unable to contain his affection any longer, Roy reached out to caress Alice’s flawless face…
“Slurp.”
An unusual sound broke the increasingly sweet atmosphere, causing both Roy and Alice to jump, suddenly remembering there was someone else nearby, quickly releasing each other.
I want to die.
Whether it was the usually stoic Alice or the one pretending nothing happened, Roy, both of their cheeks were burning.
Even if they were a bit overwhelmed by their confession and couldn’t contain their excitement, they couldn’t go all lovey-dovey in front of a high-tier extraordinary being, a dignified Saintess, right?!
So embarrassing!
But why did that sound just now resemble not a cough, but more like… someone swallowing?
That was obviously because someone bumped into something!
And the two of them, lost in their own world, seemed to not even realize they had been exposed…
Master? The young ones surely know how to have fun!
Teresa swallowed hard, a satisfied grin appearing on her face, as she composed herself: “I’m very happy to see the two of you getting along so well.”
“Well, the inauguration ceremony is worth the gamble; I will do my utmost to assist you, preventing Simon from causing any trouble.”
“However, there’s one thing I must remind you.”
The Saintess’s expression turned serious.
“The first Saintess, my sister, underwent a significant change in character after her inauguration ceremony, becoming someone entirely different.”
“The impact of Holy Light baptism on the soul might far exceed anyone’s imagination.”