As a villain, he could do whatever he wanted.

Page 164

It was precisely because of this emotion that a rare sense of anxiety welled up in the boy's heart, and a feeling of complaint also emerged in his mind, causing him to clench his fists slightly, purse his lips, and finally sigh.

"Thud... my lost memories... about what I experienced in the past, it's so hard to know what to do. It feels like a past life. I feel like if this continues, when I regain my memories one day, I won't be able to say that I'm the same person I was before." Hmm? Brother? Hearing Lius's words, Lia, who had been waiting silently by the side, narrowed her eyes slightly, a look of doubt appearing in her brows. She quickly said, "Brother K, what are you saying? Regaining memories is naturally a good thing. Isn't it good to recall things that were forgotten? Why do you say that I won't become someone I'm not like before?"

"Because... I have a feeling that that memory is very deep. For me, now, my memories of you, whether it's you, Leah or Aunt Annie, are the most important memories. They are everything to me. If I were to add some new memories of you on top of that, I can't say... whether it would affect my current memories."

"So, Lord Dui... are you worried that after your past memories awaken, you will become unfamiliar with us? Are you worried that your past memories will take over your present memories and make you forget us, is that right?"

Looking at Lius, a sharp glint flashed in Lia's eyes. She slowly analyzed the older brother in front of her, then gently reached out and took Lius's arm, pulling the hesitant blond boy into her embrace.

"Hmm? Lia, you feel the girl's sudden tugging. Lius glanced at her, seemingly a little surprised. Lia, on the other hand, showed a very serious look, placed her hands on Lius's face, and pulled him close to her, maintaining a close distance with her older brother where they could feel each other's breaths.

"Lia and Lius gazed at each other face to face. Lia exhaled softly, as if she had made up her mind. Then, a serious light flashed in her eyes, and she spoke softly but firmly: "

"In my heart, Elder Brother is also a very important person. No one can replace him. Even if Miss Heart Demon injects her past memories into Lia's mind, Lia will not be affected in any way. Because in Lia's heart, Elder Brother is Elder Brother. His love and care for Lia will not change, nor will it be affected by any external factors."

"Lia," I also believe that in the heart of the elder brother, there is the same... no, a deeper feeling for Lia. As long as this feeling exists, Lia believes that no matter what memories the elder brother recalls, or what new impressions he has of Lia, that deepest and most sincere feeling in his heart will not change. This is Lia's thought. What do you think, Elder K?

"I felt the serious and determined gaze of the white-haired girl, and Lius was slightly stunned. He was surprised by the girl's strong and tenacious attitude."

At this moment, Lia's eyes looked exceptionally serious, and her words were devoid of any falsehood or hesitation, revealing only a unique love and care for the leader before her.

Under this care, the girl's usual delicate and innocent temperament vanished, replaced by a keen and mature emotion, which Lius fully sensed. After his initial surprise, the blond boy's eyes gradually revealed a sense of relief and emotion.

Lia... I didn't expect Lia to be so considerate of me at this time, and to comfort me with such words... It seems that she has grown up a lot without me even realizing it.

With this thought in mind, Leus slowly exhaled, and the hesitation in his eyes gradually subsided, causing him to nod slightly to Lia as he continued speaking:

"Lia... Ha, yes, I was indeed overthinking things. To you, I am the most important person, and you have given me your absolute love. So why should I doubt myself? Is my love for you, Lia, something so cheap? I was just confused for a moment, and I feel a little embarrassed that you have to comfort me like this." Hehe, as long as you can cheer up, brother, that's all that matters. Lia has always believed in you, brother. Even if you are occasionally disappointed, you can always adjust your emotions on your own. Even if I hadn't comforted you just now, you would have quickly figured things out yourself. I just gave you a little push; it's nothing serious.

Looking at Lius, Lia smiled gently, regaining her usual innocent and lovely demeanor. At the same time, she playfully stuck out her little tongue, letting Lius lean gently against her chest, taking the initiative to comfort her older brother.

“Come on, brother, you must have worked very hard earlier, talking about work with Her Majesty the Queen until now. You must be very tired. Now you have to think about what Lia just said. You need to rest first. Come on, let Lia give you a massage.”

As she spoke, Lia placed her small hand on Lius's shoulder and gently massaged it. Lius, while inhaling the milky fragrance emanating from the girl's body, pressed his body against Lia's shoulder, feeling the rise and fall of her chest, and immersed himself in the gentle massage.

"How was the force of that, Commander K? Did it feel good?"

"Hmm...not bad, that's just the right amount of force, and I feel the fatigue in my body dissipate as well." Looking at the girl who caught him, Lius smiled slightly and said this.

"Such stiff shoulders, just pressing them makes me feel the fatigue in your body, brother. It seems you really had a lot to talk about with Her Majesty the Queen earlier, accumulating so much fatigue. Hehe, you need Lia to help your brother release it properly." "Ha...yes, Her Majesty the Queen is indeed a bit tired." "Please help me relax here too, Lia." Leaving the silver-haired girl in front of him, Leus forced a smile, deciding not to reveal what happened between him and Flora, but simply continuing to enjoy the massage from his sister, immersing himself in the comfortable feeling to get the most soothing rest. While receiving the massage, Leus began to think about what he needed to do next. "Now, all the problems have been temporarily resolved. For me, the most important thing is to continue to conceal the whereabouts of the cultists. Then there's my own family matter...I also need to properly appease Lilith and Diana, hmm." "It's decided. I'll start heading back to the manor tomorrow. The sooner I leave, the better. Otherwise, if Her Majesty the Queen rekindles any desires, it will be difficult for me to leave the capital." With this thought in mind, Lius closed his eyes again, recalling what Lia had just told him, and his fists clenched involuntarily.

"Fate, huh? It's a boring concept, but if this is truly something I must experience, then I'm willing to go along with it... to face this destiny that belongs to me." As night deepened, only the boy's thoughts continued to permeate and echo in the room where the two of them were together...

Chapter 362: Meeting with the "Holy Maiden" (Part 1)

The next morning, in Lius and Lia's room. "Is everything packed for the journey?"

"Yes, everything is packed, brother. Leah also went to see Mother Anne earlier, and she said that she had packed her things and was ready to leave at any time."

After placing the neatly folded clothes in the box beside her, Lia looked up and nodded vigorously to the boy in front of her, a knowing smile appearing on her lips.

"What should we do next? Shall we say goodbye to Her Majesty the Queen and leave the capital now? Or does Your Majesty have other matters to attend to?"

"Well... looking at Lia, Lius nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to the window, towards the direction leading to the Royal City Church."

"As for me, I'd like to meet with the current Holy Maiden. After that, I might need to do some research to help me recover my lost memories. You should go ahead and set off first. I'll catch up as soon as I've finished dealing with things here."

"Read... Are we going to be separated from our brother again? Can't Lia stay by our brother's side and investigate with him? The inner demon still exists in Lia's mind; she can also help you, brother."

“Miss Heart Demon? I’ve heard you talk about her all along, but I’ve never actually felt her.” Looking at Lius, Lius hesitated for a moment, then finally shook his head slightly.

"It's alright, I can handle it alone. As for matters concerning the church, having more people means more variables, especially given my close relationship with Pope Rosalind. It's best for me to go alone, which will make it easier for me to carry out my next steps. So, I can only ask you to make do for now, Leah."

"Is that how it is?" Looking at Lius, despite some hesitation in her heart, Lia still maintained a graceful posture and nodded vigorously to the blond boy in front of her.

"Yes, Lia understands. Since my brother doesn't want me to get involved for now, I'll listen to him. I hope you'll come back soon, brother. When I get back to the manor, I'll make preparations and, together with Lilith and the others, prepare a lavish victory celebration for you. Look forward to it!"

"Okay, then I'll look forward to it. Have a safe journey, Leah."

With that, Lius smiled gently at the silver-haired girl in front of him, rubbed Lia's head, and then parted ways with her for the time being. He then walked away from the palace and arrived at the church where they had agreed to meet beforehand, where he met the Pope who was waiting there.

"Hey, Rosalind, have you been waiting here for quite a while?"

Looking at Rosalind standing outside the gate, Lius smiled slightly and waved gently, greeting her. "Rosalind," he said. The Pope, hearing Lius address her by her first name, narrowed her eyes slightly, looking somewhat surprised. Then she frowned, seemingly feeling offended, which revealed her displeasure.

"Young Master Leus, do you... address me by my name directly?"

"Yes, after all, we're cooperating now, especially when it comes to investigating cult members. If we're too unfamiliar with each other, it might affect our future investigations. So I'll address you as such for now, as a way of taking a new step in our relationship."

As he said this, Lius, with a friendly smile, walked gently to Rosalind and slowly extended his hand to her. After hesitating for a moment, Rosalind bit her lip with slight dissatisfaction and extended her hand as well, shaking hands with the blond boy in front of her.

"Afterwards... I would appreciate it if you would be more discreet in public, Mr. Lius. I allow you to address me by my name when we are alone, but please be more respectful in public."

“Alright, since Rosalind says so, I will follow your advice. Please guide me in the future, Madam Rosalind.” Maintaining a friendly smile, Lius and the Pope separated their hands, returning to their previous face-to-face posture. He then turned his gaze towards the monastery and continued speaking to Rosalind, “Yesterday when I told you about wanting to see the Holy Maiden, I was a little nervous, worried you would refuse. I was quite surprised that you agreed so readily.”

"What... is this how you perceive me? So cold and unapproachable?" Rosalind snorted, glancing at Lius.

"That's not what I meant. I just felt that Your Holiness usually strictly follows the rules of the Church, and always maintains a reclusive lifestyle for the Holy Maiden. I never expected that you would allow me to meet you directly under these circumstances. I really want to thank you for that."

Lius said this with a smile, while Rosalind sighed softly again and slowly said:

"While strict rules should indeed be followed for meetings with the Holy Maiden, it is different for you, Prince Lius. As you said before, you and I are partners. As long as your requests are not too outrageous, I will not object. Please do not have any deep-seated prejudices against me."

"Oh? So this is considered a gesture of goodwill towards me? That's quite an honor, hehe. To receive a gesture of goodwill from Pope Rosalind is an immeasurable honor in the kingdom. I must thank you again."

"...Let's not say anything more. Now let's satisfy your wishes, Young Master Lius, and go and meet the saintess you've been longing for."

As she said this, Rosalind waved her hand gently, and the previously closed door slowly opened. Rosalind led the way, guiding Lius behind her into the closed monastery.

Along the way, there were no nuns or servants around. The entire monastery was in an extremely tranquil atmosphere. Strolling through it, one felt one's heart gradually immersing in this quiet space.

"Does the saintess live here?"

"That's right. She usually stays here and rarely comes out. There are very few servants or nuns around her. Only the people I specially sent manage this place to prevent excessive disturbance to the saintess."

With this introduction, Rosalind led Lius to the wooden door of the monastery, gently pushed it open, and together with the boy, stepped inside to "meet" the saintess...

Chapter 363: Meeting with the "Holy Maiden" (Part Two)

Strolling through the monastery, Lius felt that the surrounding environment was very simple, without any overly ornate decorations. It was not as luxurious as the capital's church, nor even as exquisite as the local churches with their murals or sculptures. The only thing that could be called "decoration" was the fountain at the main entrance, which had not flowed water for a long time.

"This place... is so deserted. Does the Holy Maiden usually live here? It must be so boring."

Looking at Rosalind beside him, Leus frowned slightly and asked her this question. Rosalind gently shook her head and further explained:

"This is just a temporary residence for the saintess. She used to live in the church, but now, due to some important matters, the church has been affected, and we have no choice but to let the saintess stay here temporarily."

"Important matter? What important matter? Judging from your tone, Rosalind, it doesn't seem to be anything good. Could it be that because of the cultists, the church has been affected in some way, causing the saintess to leave the church to avoid getting involved in the internal struggles?"

Looking at the Pope beside him, Lius made this analysis, while Rosalind sighed slightly and gave her own answer:

“Young Master Lius, your analysis makes sense, but the matter is not that simple. If it were only because of cultists, I wouldn’t have placed the saintess here alone. What I’m considering is that some scheming and dark people within the church might use this as an excuse to divide the church.”

"Divide... Rosalind, do you have any specific ideas?" Lius continued.

“This matter is…very complicated, and I only have a general understanding of the situation. Since we have already cooperated with you, Prince Lius, it’s no harm to tell you now.”

Looking at Leus, Rosalind pursed her lips, seemingly deep in thought. Then, with a serious expression, she leaned close to Leus's ear and whispered her innermost thoughts:

"Young Master Leus... do you know anything about cultists and the church?" Hmm?

Faced with Rosalind's words, Lius glanced slightly, inwardly surprised that she had brought this up. He quickly composed himself, trying to avoid revealing any flaws, and with a calm expression, looked at Rosalind, shaking his head slightly as he replied:

"Church and cultists? Sing... I really don't know much about this. Is there something going on? Isn't it said that the church is investigating cultists? Could there be some inside story that I don't know about?"

“Oh, Prince Lius, you have little contact with the inner workings of the church, so naturally you wouldn’t know the hidden secrets. In fact, some of the higher-ups within the church… have secret connections with cultists.”

"What! Faced with Rosalind's words, Lius was shocked, but this shock did not come from the words spoken by the Pope herself, but from the unexpected attitude she displayed at this moment."

Rosalind now wore a very "innocent" expression, her brows furrowed slightly, and her face showed dissatisfaction and resentment. Her delicate fingers gripped the hem of her skirt, as if she were showing her attitude to the blond boy in front of her.

In front of Leus, Rosalind only wanted to express one thing: she had long known about the connection between the church and the cultists, but due to pressure and checks and balances, she could not reveal this matter and could only silently endure this "evil" behavior! And she would look for an opportunity to resist. This was the "righteous" image that the pope wanted to show in front of Leus.

"Rosalind's behavior at this moment seemed exceptionally genuine. If Lius hadn't known her true personality beforehand, he might have actually been deceived by her."

However, after learning about Rosalind's true thoughts and the sins she had committed, Lius no longer had any positive feelings towards the Pope.

Therefore, after hearing these emotional words, he was not deeply moved, but only showed a serious attitude on his face and nodded slightly to the female pope in front of him.

"Hmm... If that's really the case, then the investigation will likely become even more difficult. If the church's higher-ups are indeed in contact with those cultists... then our investigation will inevitably face numerous obstacles. Your Holiness, are you absolutely certain about this matter? Are you certain that the church is indeed cooperating with the cultists?"

"That's right, I'm absolutely certain of that. That's why I want to report this matter to you, Young Master Lius, so that you can make preparations and take precautions to avoid any unforeseen changes in the future."

As she said this, Rosalind reverted to her usual aloof and noble demeanor, her previously expressive face becoming expressionless, and she once again adopted an aloof attitude to distance herself from the blond boy in front of her.

In fact, Lius had already anticipated this, since Rosalind's main purpose in saying that was to clear her of any future suspicions, so that if Lius really found out something, he wouldn't put her on the list of suspects first.

Now that they had achieved their goal, they naturally needed to maintain a proper distance from Rius to prevent revealing any flaws. Rius himself didn't feel much, only secretly sighing at the ruthlessness of this female pope. "I really don't know how to evaluate her. Should I say that Rosalind is rather arrogant, or that she can occasionally put aside her status to prevent herself from falling into a disadvantageous situation?"

Such thoughts filled Lius's mind, causing him to scrutinize the young woman again, and finally nod slightly in his heart.

"In any case... Rosalind's actions just now were indeed without any mistakes. From her perspective, they were quite appropriate. The only thing she didn't expect was that I knew her true identity in advance. Thinking about it this way, letting Rosalind continue to act in the future may not be a bad thing."

With this in mind, Lius did not reveal any other thoughts, but simply continued to follow Rosalind and delve deeper into the topic they had just discussed.

"So, Rosalind, do you think that the higher-ups in the church are in cahoots with those cultists, and that's why you want to use this to transfer the saintess to prevent her from being harmed?"

“That’s right. So, Young Master Lius, your actions need to be kept secret. You also need to maintain a certain distance when you have contact with the Holy Maiden. You must not approach her easily, nor can you look directly at her face. Even if you meet, you must be separated by a screen or barrier. Do you understand?”

"Is this... really necessary to be so mysterious? I'm one of our own, aren't I? Are you worried that I've had contact with cult members?"

After saying this, Lius's heart inexplicably quickened. He suddenly realized that he did indeed have some contact with cultists, and the connection was quite close. This made the originally boastful blond boy pause slightly, and then he coughed a few times to prevent himself from revealing more flaws.

"Ahem... In short, what I mean is, since you've brought me here, Rosalind, you should have complete trust in me, right? The Saintess is so great, can't you let me meet her? It would be an expression of my respect."

"I really can't, Young Master Leus, please stop talking. Bringing you here was already difficult enough; if you were to meet with the Holy Maiden, and word got out, it could cause even greater chaos. Please, for my own good, don't do anything further."

"Faced with Rosalind's explanation, Lius knew he would have a hard time convincing her in a short time. On one hand, she genuinely didn't want him to meet the Saintess, and on the other hand... Lius also knew that this Saintess was actually Rosalind herself in disguise. If his prediction was correct, after going into the monastery, he and Rosalind would be separated for some reason, at least when meeting the Saintess. Rosalind would find an opportunity to leave his side and, where Lius couldn't see her, impersonate the Saintess to talk to him."

"Well... whatever she wants. I just want to get a feel for the layout of this place. As for the Saintess and even Nautica, let's discuss it in detail when we get back before we start taking action." With that thought, Lius followed Rosalind and entered the monastery with her.

The interior decoration was pretty much as Lius had expected, with not much ornamentation. Apart from a prayer room and a bedroom, there were no other rooms. Lius followed Rosalind into the main hall and sat on a bench to wait.

"Then, please wait a moment, Young Master Lius, while I instruct the saintess. Afterwards, when the lights in the prayer room are lit, you may enter and speak with the saintess in the other part of the room."

"Rosalind, aren't you going to stay here with me? Didn't you say the rules here are very strict? You're just leaving me here alone like this. Aren't you afraid I'll do something else and break the rules?" Looking at Rosalind, Lius asked her with a slightly mischievous smile.

"Ah, in response to Lius's words, Rosalind's eyes narrowed slightly. She seemed surprised that the boy would suddenly ask such a question, leaving her momentarily at a loss for how to respond. She could only stand there, stunned, her lips moving slightly involuntarily."

"What's wrong, Rosalind? Is there something you want to tell me? Why are you suddenly silent?"

With a sly grin, Lius asked the pope before him, and Rosalind, gradually realizing what was happening, hesitated for a moment before shaking her head slightly and replying in a somewhat awkward tone:

“Well… although the rules here are strict, I believe that you, Young Master Lius, would not break them casually. That is my impression of you, Young Master Lius, which is why I trust you so much that I entrust all matters to you.”

"Oh? So in Rosalind's heart, I'm someone you can trust? I've become so important to you? We used to be quite distant, but now I feel truly honored to have your complete trust."

"Uh... haha... yes, yes. At first, I was somewhat hostile towards you, Young Master Lius, but now that I have seen your character... I completely trust you. So please wait here, Young Master Lius. After things are arranged inside, you will be able to meet with the Holy Maiden. Please wait a moment."

As she spoke, Rosalind managed to maintain a "kind" smile. After finishing her story to the blond boy in front of her, she turned and left the hall, entering the prayer room where the "saint" resided, where she made some preparations.

Meanwhile, as Lius watched Rosalind's embarrassed and somewhat flustered back, his smile deepened, feeling quite pleased with himself for his prank of asking a question he already knew the answer to.

"Ha... As expected, the wolfish demeanor displayed by this proud female pope is so beautiful no matter how many times I see it. It's a pity that she's still a bad woman. If her personality were a little better, I could love her more, and maybe she could show a very cute side of herself then."

With this thought in mind, Leus stretched lazily, maintaining a relaxed posture as he waited on the bench. Time ticked by, and after about five minutes, hurried footsteps sounded from the direction of the prayer room. Then, the room's lights came on, bringing Leus into view.

"Oh? Everything's ready over there too?"

Sensing all this, Leus nodded slightly, then rose from his seat and slowly walked towards the prayer room, where, as planned, he would "meet" the saintess...

Chapter 364: Meeting with the "Holy Maiden" (Part 3)

"Sorry to bother you!"

Arriving at the gate, Lius gently knocked on the door and entered the prayer room.

There were no extra people in the prayer room, only a completely isolated screen. Through the screen, one could barely see the figures inside. The figures swayed slightly under the lamplight, presenting a very graceful and charming appearance.

"Is this the saintess?"

Sensing the few strands of crimson hair peeking out from behind the screen, Lius straightened his expression, conformed to the surrounding atmosphere, and sat down on a bench that had been prepared in advance. He slowly settled down and turned his gaze toward the direction where the young woman was.

There was no one else around except himself. Rosalind was nowhere to be seen, or rather, she had appeared before Lius in a different guise. This gave Lius the illusion that he was playing a role with the red-haired woman in front of him. "Well... Your Excellency, I apologize for any inconvenience of meeting you here today."

Looking towards the "Saintess," Leus didn't reveal the person's true identity, but simply nodded slightly, taking the initiative to speak to her. The "Saintess" behind the screen also nodded slightly, responding to Leus with her face obscured by a hazy image: