The Pope declared passionately, "... They are the Goddess' people so we can't drive them out. However, we are about to do an important ceremony and we can't afford to have a distraction. Send them to the back garden and the mini-forest for now. Have a few of our brothers in faith guard them and keep order."
"We understand, Your Holiness. We'll do as you said."
After nodding, the Pope led everyone deep into the church. After a minute of walking, they reached the place where the Saintess appeared. The mood of those around turned low, especially the newly crowned Emperor.
Duke Bolden who had been quiet for so ti noticed the atmosphere. But since there was sothing bothering his mind, he chose to break the silence, respectfully asking the Pope. "Your Holiness, when you said there is an important ceremony to do... what do you an by that?"
The one asked kept his eyes at the altar which could be seen lying ten or so ters away from them. He explained as they walked. "We all saw the heir of Lilac. I'm pretty sure his state is very unusual. And his whole House is with the heretical monks. I think there is more to it. Like Marcus Lilac no longer being himself, but a vessel."
"Vessel..." Ro murmured. As a learned individual, how could he not know what the term ans? But this was precisely why he beca angry.
As fury boiled within him, he turned to the Pope and asked in a fierce manner, "Your Holiness, the Pope. Why did Luke Wade do that to the Saintess? Now that an unknown god is wreaking havoc in my empire, who will be the one to go against him? Can he take responsibility?"
Rumina Bolden and her father looked on with interest. However, they kept their silence, rely waiting for what the church's leader would reply. The forr Emperor also narrowed his eyes, which then disappeared due to the fat of his face.
"Your Majesty, please observe decorum, especially towards the person who crowned you." In a rebuking tone, the Pope said. "While it's disappointing and depressing, we can't do anything if it's the Goddess' will. And the prophet is the one who held back that vessel for our safe escape, if you forgot."
"What will of the Goddess?" annoyed, the male lead yelled. "Su Luxi is the Saintess she summoned, why would she suddenly want to send her back to the other world? Does that make sense to you? Your Holiness, I'm sorry but to , it doesn't!"
The Pope disdainfully glanced at him. After this, he would make sure to lessen the Church's dealings with the palace. Building a good relationship with such a stupid Emperor was not sothing he would do in exchange for his patience and brain cells.
Seeing his leader's coldness and unwillingness to speak, one of the bishops who had been there and saw at least from a distance what took place at the center of the amphitheater stepped forward and bowed.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Even we are sad about what happened. However, please reconsider the events earlier. The rebels are not the usual run-of-the-mill type. They are organized and have a clear rank of commands. And the vessel earlier kept targetting the Saintess for an unknown reason. I firmly believe that the Goddess has a reason why the Saintess is sent back. Perhaps it is for her safety?"
"Are you implying once the problem this ti is settled, she would be summoned back?"
Rumina sighed and looked away after hearing Ro's words.
The forr Emperor nearly strangled his son. To think once he got crowned, his stupidity shot up like a firework reaching for the sky. Faced with all these crises, how could he still think of a woman?
"Everyone..." From the direction of the double doors that they had just entered, a husky voice rang, prompting everyone inside the huge hall to turn their heads back.
"Prophet." The new Emperor's tone was still quite unfriendly.
Jiang Li had just arrived. His face still had a sparkling sheen of sweat on it and arms exposed due to his torn sleeves. So traces of blood, of course, were present on him.
"Your Holiness."
"I'm glad you are safe."
Jiang Li nodded. He then walked towards the Pope, wearing a worried expression on his face. After a slight bow, he said, "I'm deeply sorry for earlier. I know my attitude earlier had been quite bad so I can only hope for your forgiveness, but the situation is just that urgent. I have completely confird that Marcus Lilac has beco an avatar of the evil god and he is the leader of the rebels!"
Avatar. Vessel. The two terms were basically the sa. The suspicion of the bishop was confird and thus, a few of the people present exchanged glances, their countenance turning as bad, if not worse, than Jiang Li's.
Frightened, so of the priests turned to the Pope and asked, "It is as we guessed. It's the evil god provoking our people. What should we do now?"
"Have you chosen the person to be the one on our side?" Jiang Li imdiately followed up. The old man's aged eyes went to the duke's daughter. The words he heard from a while ago lingered in his ears.
'The prophet did not know the chosen vessel is Duke Bolden's daughter. So the Goddess only said the na to ? So to the world, the rit of choosing the vessel will fall to ?' thought the old man who was still feeling feverish from having personally listened to the goddess' voice.
The Pope didn't know the voice was sothing Jiang Li only simulated and passed to the other through the system's help, another matter which robbed the poor host's points away.
He looked at Rumina Bolden. The to-be-crowned Royal Concubine stepped back after receiving the Pope's stare. Jiang Li pretended he didn't know it would be the female lead.
The young man also appeared just as shocked when the Pope suddenly said, "Miss Bolden, forgive for the rudeness. But the whole empire, or even, the whole continent is facing a crisis. Would you please help us out by lending your body to the goddess?"
"W-what?" The female lead blurted out, dumbfounded.
This was another thing that did not happen in the past. Of course, she was caught off guard. She also disliked the idea. After all, it sounded like she had to sacrifice herself.
Why? Why should it be her again?
"I, I..." Rumina opened her mouth, intending to say no and use the illness card as her excuse. The Goddess would not want to use a dying body, right? She thought. Unfortunately, when she was about to voice this out, she found her body not responding to her wishes.
"I-It will be my honor..." Instead, she said, filling her heart with horror.
...
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