As a villain, he could do whatever he wanted.

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"...Why bring up Helen all of a sudden? Wasn't this already settled? What does it have to do with my wariness of you?" Rosalind glanced at the red-haired girl behind the carriage, then frowned and asked Lius, "I was just analyzing your thoughts, Your Holiness. After all, you helped raise Helen, so it's normal to care about her. This concern is reflected in me, which is your wariness of me. You're worried about whether I can really take good care of Helen, and therefore you're scrutinizing me with a degree of wariness, isn't that right?"

Faced with Lius's words, Rosalind pursed her lips slightly, a complex look flashing in her eyes. After a moment of silence, the young woman sighed again, as if giving up the struggle, and slowly nodded to the blond boy in front of her.

Chapter 346: Another Encounter with the Pope (Part Two)

Hearing Lius's words, Rosalind pursed her lips slightly, and finally, as if giving up the struggle, nodded to the blond boy in front of her:

"I have some concerns about Helen... I'm worried that the future cooperation between the Church and you, Prince Leus, might be disrupted because of Helen, and I'm concerned that she might offend you, Prince Leus. Therefore, what I've done is solely for the benefit of the Church, whether it's scrutiny or vigilance. Please don't misunderstand, Prince Leus."

"Is it only for the benefit of the church?"

Looking at Rosalind, Lius pondered for a moment, realizing that the white-robed pope was still unwilling to confront her own almost obsessive feelings for Helen, and couldn't help but inwardly criticize her again:

"Are all church members this stubborn? I was hoping to get Rosalind to admit her feelings, and see if I could find a way to change things with her, Helen, and Bishop Nordaca, but it seems to be completely useless... It seems I can only continue to exert external pressure until the secrets of these people are completely exposed."

With this thought in mind, Leus changed his expression, reverting to his previous reassuring smile. He nodded to the white-robed pope before him and continued:

"Regardless of why you were wary of me, when you were telling me about your past, especially when you mentioned your family background, your wariness must have relaxed, right? You not only told me about your past experiences, but also revealed your inner emotions without reservation to me, the person you were originally wary of."

“It’s just to satisfy your wishes, Prince Leus. Besides, it’s not a very important emotion, and even if it’s exposed, it won’t create any weakness for me,” Rosalind said, pursing her lips.

"So you admit that you worry your emotions will become a weakness, and therefore you consciously or unconsciously hide those emotions, is that right?"

When I spoke to Lius, Rosalind narrowed her eyes slightly, her astonishment deepening. She seemed shocked by the boy's analysis, her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to refute him, but she didn't know where to begin. She looked like a god.

Observing Rosalind's current state, Lius was completely certain of the white-robed pope's character. After once again marveling at her stubbornness in suppressing her emotions, he slowly reached out and gently stroked her hair with a calm mind. "Hmm?"

Feeling the gentle touch suddenly coming from above her head, Rosalind's body jolted, and she looked up, a look of confusion flashing in her eyes, as if she was puzzled by the blond boy's sudden action.

“Young Master Leus, Your Holiness, your hair is a little disheveled. Would it be alright if you helped me tidy it up?” Leus asked with a smile. Faced with Leus’s gentle smile, Rosalind hesitated, her voice instinctively wanting to object, but deep down she kept reminding herself not to reveal her true feelings, lest this blond boy see through her.

Therefore, even though Lius was touching her like that, she still tried her best to suppress her fluctuating emotions, and gently lowered her head with her lips closed, letting Lius rub her head.

Rosalind's face flushed slightly as she was being touched.

The thought that she, as the eldest daughter, was being so gently "patted on the head" by this young daughter gave her a strange sense of shame, causing Rosalind's body to tremble slightly and her gaze toward Lius to become uncertain.

At that moment, Leus seized the opportunity, gently leaning close to Rosalind's ear and speaking softly to her in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"When you recounted the past, I could feel the resentment in your heart, and beneath that resentment lay a strong spirit. All these emotions were things you had never shown before, but now I can actually feel them through your stories. I have to say, I feel inexplicably honored."

"So...Young Master Lius, you really want to find my weakness?" Rosalind swallowed hard and asked slowly, her head lowered.

"Why do you keep thinking this way, Your Highness? I've said it from the beginning: I just want to know about your past, Your Highness. Isn't it better to show concern for you as an ally?"

Returning to the initial question, Lius asked Rosalind again, and this time Rosalind pursed her lips and gave a different answer:

"If this exposes one's weaknesses and allows one to be arbitrarily driven by emotions, then it is not a good thing."

"Why has Your Holiness been unwilling to acknowledge your feelings? Why have you been suppressing and hiding them all this time? Aren't you afraid of ruining your inner self?" Lius asked again.

"Because I am the Pope, I have reached the pinnacle of the Church. At this pinnacle, I am not allowed to make any mistakes. My past and my future have all been dedicated to the Church. Everything is for the Church. For the Church, I have done so much, and there is no turning back... Therefore, I absolutely cannot allow myself to expose any weaknesses, even if my body and mind are plunged into darkness... I will absolutely not have any desire to gradually clench my fists. Rosalind showed an extremely suppressed appearance. Even with Lius's gentle caress, she still showed signs of discomfort, as if she was constantly being touched by some past memories, causing her heart to beat faster and her breathing to become as rapid as a rocket."

"The Pope gazed at Rosalind's current appearance. Amidst her rapid breathing, Lius began to ponder again. For a moment, both remained silent, silently gazing at each other."

Outside the window, the carriage gradually slowed down and entered the streets of the capital.

The road surface became smoother, without the potholes and bumps, providing the occupants of the car with the most stable environment to cope with whatever was about to happen.

As the sensation subsided, Leus's right hand, which had been stroking the young woman's hair, gradually stopped and eventually slid down from Rosalind's head to her shoulder.

Immediately afterwards, the boy himself gently crouched down and leaned against Rosalind, maintaining the same height as the white-robed pope who was bowing her head, observing her appearance.

Exhaustion, pain, and inner turmoil—a complex mix of emotions manifested in this white-robed female pope.

This emotion surprised Lius, as he hadn't expected that just a few words would reveal Rosalind's feelings so easily.

After observing for a while longer, a strong idea appeared in the boy's mind, causing him to roll his eyes and suddenly utter a lighthearted sentence:

"Your Holiness, since you became the High Priestess, have you ever taken a day off within the Church?" "Hmm? A day off?"

Upon hearing Lius's sudden words, Rosalind, who was previously feeling depressed, narrowed her eyes slightly and then looked up at Lius with a blank expression.

"Yes, you seem very tired and stressed during your vacation. Have you tried taking a break for a while? It might help you feel better."

"What...what are you saying! As the Pope, how could I possibly have time to rest? If I leave the Church, who will manage it?"

"With so many people in the church, surely there must be at least one capable person? I know several bishops in the capital's church who are very loyal to the church and are also excellent at management. If they assist you, Your Highness, you could perhaps take some time to rest?"

With a serious gaze, Lius looked at Rosalind's face and spoke to her in this way. Rosalind, however, seemed to have no interest in the boy's suggestion, turning her pretty face away and biting her lip as she whispered to him:

"Young Master Leus, please stop joking. Don't bring up such things again, or I'll really get angry." How boring. No wonder you always have that expression. It seems I really need to find a way to give Your Highness a break, otherwise you won't even realize it until you die. Hmm... I'll have to make some arrangements later.

"Hmm? What are you thinking about, Young Master Lius?"

Hearing Lius's words, Rosalind glanced at him, about to ask further questions, but just as she was about to speak, another voice came from outside the carriage, filled with excitement, greeting the blond boy inside:

"Lord Dui, elder brother! You're back! Lia has been waiting for so long! You're finally back!" "Oh??? That voice... it's Lia!"

Upon hearing this voice, both Lius and Rosalind looked out the window and saw a white-haired girl running after the carriage by the roadside with a sweet smile on her face, and Anne following beside the girl, also smiling as she walked towards Lius.

At this moment, the two stood together beside the slowly moving carriage, their cheerful conversation conveying their sincerest concern for the boy inside.

Chapter 347: Another Encounter with the Pope (Part 3)

Brother! Lia has come to see you!

Following beside the slow-moving carriage, Leah kept smiling and waving her little hand at the blond boy inside. She then stepped forward, pulled open the carriage door, and, dragging Annie behind her, squeezed into the carriage together, nestling into Lius's arms.

"Hehe... Brother, Lia missed you so much. You said you were going to help with the remaining matters, leaving me and Mother Annie in the capital. I was so worried about you. I only felt relieved when I heard the news that you were alright. You must make it up to me, brother."

"Okay, okay, I know Leah is the best girl. Thank you for your concern, Leah. Come here, let your brother give you a good hug."

As he said this, Lius smiled and hugged the girl in his arms, rubbing her little head and comforting her with words, playing together with the white-haired girl.

As for Anne, who also entered the carriage and sat beside Leus, she smiled contentedly as she watched Leah and Leus interact. She noticed Rosalind sitting opposite Leus, hesitated for a moment, then quickly regained her usual gentle demeanor and softly greeted the white-robed pope.

"Oh? Your Highness, you were here all along? So you returned with Xiaoli? I really didn't expect that."

Bishop Anne... I never expected to meet you again at this time. I thought you would still be waiting in the palace, but you came directly to the roadside and waited for our carriage. You even got into the carriage with us. I didn't expect this from you, given your personality.

Looking at Anne, Rosalind frowned slightly, maintaining a solemn demeanor as she responded. She seemed reluctant to delve too deeply into the topic, as if deliberately avoiding conversation with Anne. Every movement carried a suppressed sense of wariness. Anne, however, maintained her previous calm expression in response to Rosalind's words, smiling and nodding. She then reached out and put her arm around the shoulder of the blond boy beside her, pulling him and Leah into her embrace. "Leah has been worried about Little Li the whole time, barely sleeping. This morning she dragged me to the roadside, saying she couldn't rest until she confirmed that Commander K was safe. I had no choice but to wait with Leah."

As she said this, Anne looked at Leah again, gently reached out, and patted her little head, which was rubbing against Leah's chest, teasing her as she said:

"Now you can rest assured, right, Lia? I told you before to trust Xiaoli. With Xiaoli's abilities, nothing unexpected will happen. Now that you've actually met Xiaoli, you can finally get some rest when you get back, Lia."

"Mmm! Hehe, thank you for your concern, Annie's mom. I promise I'll sleep well when I get back and won't let Annie's mom worry anymore." Lifting her head from Leus's embrace, Leus smiled and nodded vigorously at the dark-haired young woman in front of her, displaying a very obedient demeanor. Then, she looked at Leus with expectant eyes, wriggling her body coquettishly, her eyes shining as she spoke:

"By the way, elder brother! Um... when you take a nap later, could you stay with me? I want to take a nap with you, elder brother, and have you hold me the whole time. I think I can rest better in your arms. Would you be willing?"

"Ha, why wouldn't I be happy? I'm overjoyed to have such a lovely little sister by my side. If you want, Lia, you can stay in my arms forever. I will hold you forever and never let go." Looking at Lia, Lius stroked the girl's face and nodded with a smile.

"Really?! That's wonderful, Commander K! Lia loves Commander K the most! Hehe, come here, Commander K, give me a kiss~~ cough!"

With a joyful tone, Lia gently parted her lips and pressed her delicate, soft, bright red lips against Lius's. Amidst the sounds of splashing water, she passionately kissed her elder brother.

This scene was witnessed by everyone around them. Apart from Anne, who was still looking at the two with a relieved expression, Rosalind's reaction was more obvious, her face filled with astonishment.

The soft gurgling sounds of lips touching came from Lius and Lia, echoing throughout the cramped carriage and making them the center of attention. Rosalind had also witnessed the scene of the two freely expressing their emotions. The oppressive atmosphere that had been created by her was completely dispelled by Lia, replaced by a sweet and passionate feeling between the siblings.

"Hehe, brother, only after I was satisfied did Lia reluctantly move away from Lius. Then she took a deep breath, freeing herself from Lius's embrace, and sat back down in her original seat."

"Hmm? Leah, aren't you going to keep hugging me?"

Sensing Lia's sudden departure, Leus tilted his head slightly and asked her this question. Lia, on the other hand, stuck out her little tongue and smiled mischievously at her older brother.

"Afterwards... Brother is going to meet with the princess and the others, right? If Lia is being held by Brother the whole time, wouldn't that affect Brother's image? So... Lia will be patient for a while and wait until Brother has some free time before spending time with him properly."

As she said this, Lia gently reached out her small hand and wrapped it around Leus's arm, using this as a temporary comfort to calm her restless heart. Leus also gently stroked the girl's head, looking very pleased with her obedient and well-behaved demeanor, and then pressed his face against Lia's.

"Lia is really sensible." After all, she has to follow her brother's side and become someone worthy of him. She can't let her brother think about everything alone, hehe. In the future, if there's anything her brother needs her to do, please feel free to ask her. Let her brother get some rest."

Countless emotional words flowed from the girl's mouth, her tone filled with sincerity and affection, which was deeply moving to hear.

Rosalind, who was directly opposite the two siblings and witnessing their interaction, felt a profound turmoil within her. Especially after witnessing Lia's unreserved and undisguised outpouring of emotion, her heart stirred slightly, as if struck by some unseen force, or perhaps drawn by a mysterious pull. She kept her attention fixed on the tightly pressed-together Lia and Lia, a look of envy, a feeling she herself didn't even realize she possessed, flickering in her eyes.

"Your Holiness, why have you been keeping an eye on us? Do you have something to say about my interactions with Leah?"

Just then, noticing Rosalind's gaze, Lius asked with a mischievous smile. Rosalind, realizing her earlier eccentric behavior, quickly shook her head, trying to regain her composure. "I... I just felt it was rather embarrassing for you to do such indecent things in public. Don't overthink it." Public? But there are only a few of us here, and no one outside the carriage will see what's going on. In that case, it's just a slight lapse in composure in front of Your Holiness the High Priestess. As for the rest... it's not that serious.

"Not that serious? You two are so close, even if you've already established a romantic relationship, you shouldn't be so indulgent, right? What, are you addicted to doing these things? To the point that you don't even care about your own image or the place you're in?" Rosalind asked, frowning.

"Well... Lia and I were just doing things we do every day. Only we ourselves can understand the feeling. Even if Your Highness wanted to know, it would be difficult to perceive the mystery without experiencing it firsthand." Leus said with a wicked smile as he looked at Rosalind.

"Even now, Prince Leus, do you still want me to reveal my emotions? To find my weakness?" Rosalind frowned as she looked at Leus, offering this assessment before letting out a soft snort.

"Hmph... Don't even think about it. To me, emotions are just useless decorations. Even if I feel a little awkward in front of you, I won't be curious or eager about it. I also advise you, Prince Lius, to give up this idea and stop trying to make me expose any more embarrassing situations."

“I didn’t mean to embarrass Your Holiness. My purpose has long since changed. Rather than trying to find out your true feelings, what I want to do now is to ask you when you can take a rest.”

"What?" Rosard frowned in surprise again at Lius's repeated mention of the matter. She was about to ask further when the carriage arrived in front of the palace. In this familiar scene, she was interrupted once again.

"We've arrived. We've reached the palace. Let's go, Your Holiness. Remember to wake Helen and Bishop Nottica as well, so we can all go and meet Her Majesty the Queen and Her Highness the Princess."

"No, let's go." Faced with Lius's initiative, Rosalind swallowed hard, swallowing back the words she wanted to say. Then she continued to look at the carriage behind her, at Helen and Nottica sleeping soundly inside, seemingly lost in thought.

Lost in thought, Rosalind slowly stepped off the train and entered the carriage where Helen and the others were. Gazing intently at the red-haired girl fast asleep on the seat, Rosalind pursed her lips slightly, recalling Lius's earlier words and his mention of "hidden feelings," and a strange shiver ran through her.

"What's going on? Why am I so worried about Helen...? She was just a substitute, an envoy of the gods. She was supposed to rise to prominence in this crisis, but Prince Leus stole the credit, and all the credit went to him. Now, to me, Helen is just a failed product that didn't achieve its purpose. Why should I worry about a failed saint?"

With these thoughts in mind, Rosalind gradually gripped her own arm to calm herself down, while her mind raced, convincing herself, "Yes, I shouldn't have any more feelings for Helen... Even though I practically raised her, I can't show any emotion. If I reveal too much of my affection, sooner or later someone will see through it and discover the past saintly rituals within the church. Therefore... I absolutely cannot show it, especially not to Prince Lius!"

Clenching her fists, Rosalind's eyes gradually ignited with a dark flame, leaving her in a state of uncontrollable chaos, completely consumed by the darkness that had always been hidden within her.

"...If it's revealed that we have a connection with these cultists during this attack, it will affect the entire church. Even for the sake of the church, I absolutely cannot expose any weaknesses or flaws... As for Helen, we must continue to keep it a secret. We absolutely cannot let anyone discover her background, absolutely not!"

With this in mind, Rosalind slightly adjusted her expression, returning to her usual "poker face," and then gently touched Helen and Nautica's arms to wake them up.

"Hmm, Your Holiness, is this... the capital? Is this... the palace?"

Awakening from their sleep, the two looked out the window, still somewhat groggy, and mumbled indistinct words to each other. Rosalind, meanwhile, stared silently at the magnificent palace, sorting through her complex and gloomy thoughts amidst the ripples in her mind.

Chapter 348: Inside the Imperial Palace (Part 1)

"Is this... the palace? This is my first time inside." After a while, following behind Lius, Nottica slowly toured the palace, her eyes scanning the surroundings. She seemed quite curious about everything she was seeing.

Impressed by the magnificent hall and the rows of lavish decorations and sculptures, Nottica's eyes gleamed with curiosity. Especially upon noticing the magical temple structures, she nestled close to Leus and whispered, "..."

"Young Master Leus, are these... all powered by magic?"

"Yes, in a sense, I also deserve some credit. Back then, Her Highness felt that some facilities in the palace were inconvenient, such as lights or curtains, which were easily damaged when being replaced or pulled. Therefore, she asked me to use magic to protect these facilities and set up corresponding magical connections so that Her Highness could control them at will."

As he said this, Lius made a gesture towards a candle on the wall, and the candle went out immediately. After making another gesture, the candle went out again, and the light once more illuminated the entire space.

"Wow... Your Holiness, you are truly amazing... You can actually use such sophisticated magic. Compared to you, I still have a lot to learn." Ha... Bishop Nodaika, calm down a bit. We are still in the palace, with many people around. If our identities are exposed, it will be difficult to explain.

Faced with this scene, Nottica was clearly captivated, even changing her address to "Your Holiness" when addressing Lius, temporarily forgetting her current state.

In response, Lius gently nudged the young woman's chest with his elbow, smiling helplessly to signal her not to get too carried away. He then turned his gaze to the throne room in the distance, leading the group behind him to the main entrance, where they met Princess Noelle, who was waiting quietly.

"We're back, Your Highness."

Upon seeing the lovely and elegant silver-haired girl, Lius bowed his head slightly and spoke respectfully to her. Noelle smiled sweetly, gently supporting Lius's shoulder to help him straighten up. She then stood on tiptoe to be at the same height as the blond boy in front of her.

"Are you injured?"

The brief words flowed from Noelle's lips, her voice filled with care and tenderness, and Lius nodded gently, responding to the princess with a reassuring smile:

"Yes! Thanks to Her Highness the Princess, we suffered no losses whatsoever, and all battles were won smoothly. There is no need to worry about anything for the time being."

"That's good. I'm glad everyone is alright. Thank you all for your hard work. Now, after you've met with Mother, everyone should go and rest." With that, Noelle looked at the people behind Lius, at Lia waving and greeting them, at Anne smiling quietly, at Rosalind with a serious and solemn expression, and at Helen, who was somewhat nervous but maintained a serious expression. Using her status as a princess, she greeted everyone.

"Everyone, thank you for your help."

After everyone finished greeting her, Noelle rolled her eyes slightly and focused her gaze on Nautica.

Seeing the veiled young woman standing quietly in the corridor, her face filled with curiosity, he also revealed a scrutinizing and thoughtful look in his eyes.

“Lord Leus, this is…” Oh, this is the Bishop of Notica I mentioned earlier. “Notica? The 'heretical' bishop you were talking about?”

Hearing Lius's words, Noelle narrowed her eyes slightly, then scrutinized Nautica again with a hint of wariness. Lius, on the other hand, gently patted the princess's shoulder and explained further:

"Don't worry. Although they are called heretics, their intentions toward the kingdom and its people are similar to those of the orthodox church. It is thanks to her that our operation was able to proceed smoothly. The dismantling of the array points in other parts of the kingdom was also thanks to the believers led by Bishop Notica. In fact, it can be said that they are the great heroes of this operation."

"Thanks to them... I've heard you mention the dispelling of the magic circle before, Lord Lius. Logically, I should thank Bishop Nottica properly. But looking at Nottica, Noelle gently leaned close to Lius's ear and whispered, "But... for some reason, I can't sense any living presence in this person, as if she doesn't exist here at all. Lord Lius, do you have anything to explain about this?"