As a villain, he could do whatever he wanted.

Page 74

"There are naturally no problems when we cooperate, but what about after we cooperate? Can our two churches continue to cooperate? Once the current crisis is resolved, those Protestants will not hesitate to continue to hunt us down. At that time, the Holy Church will inevitably suffer a major blow, and may even be destroyed."

"So... Aunt Bishop, do you think that the cooperation between the two churches can't continue indefinitely? Even if the churches share the same origins, they can't coexist?" Lius frowned.

"Of course, even though we were all believers in Goddess before, but... at this moment, our paths have long since diverged. The beliefs within those Protestant groups have changed. They claim to follow Goddess's creed, but they are no longer the Goddess we once revered. The so-called 'Protestantism' is actually just a 'pseudo-religion' that is putting on a show."

Clenching her fists, Nottica displayed a helpless yet indignant expression, while Lius gradually fell into thought as he listened to her words.

"Even though they are both churches, their beliefs have become vastly different..."

"This system proves it's true!" Miss System couldn't help but say. "Those people aren't actually following this system, humph! They're all a bunch of false believers. Host, you don't need to be nice to them! You don't need to cooperate with them. It's just a little magic power; this system can absorb it all by itself! Then I'll unleash all that magic power on those false believers and let them taste the power!"

He heard the System Girl's indignant voice, tinged with ulterior motives. Lius rolled his eyes at her and decided to ignore her for the time being. Then, he looked at the veiled beauty in front of him with a sorrowful expression and recalled the series of scenes he had seen in the church earlier. He already had a general idea of ​​what was going on.

"Indeed, when it comes to faith, Protestants may not be as devout as you, and their faith may not even be in that ancient goddess. They also harbor a lot of hostility towards you, but..."

After a slight pause, Lius composed himself and said to Nottica in a firm tone:

“But… even though the situation is so bad, I believe that the conflict between your two churches is not entirely irreconcilable. Even if you have different beliefs, you both have the heart to protect the people.”

"A heart dedicated to protecting the people..."

"Yes, I have also met a high priest who, despite having many flaws and shortcomings, was still very kind-hearted. She was just as I described, a trustworthy person. I believe that if I were to mediate, things might not necessarily go in a bad direction."

"Your Holiness..."

Upon hearing Lius's words, Nottica paused for a moment, then a gentle smile appeared on her lips as she covered her lips with her veil and smiled.

"Ha, Your Majesty truly has a compassionate heart. Indeed, I was so fixated on the disputes between churches that I neglected the affairs of the people and the nation. Compared to Your Majesty, I still have much to learn."

As she said this, Nottica exhaled, her face flushed, and smiled as she gripped Lius's hands tightly.

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Holiness. I will keep these words in mind. Please feel free to entrust other matters to me. In the name of the bishop, I guarantee that I will do my best to assist Your Holiness."

"Aunt Nautica..."

Gazing at this somewhat mysterious veiled beauty, Lius felt a sense of healing from her smile, as if he were facing a virtuous and gentle mother, which suddenly aroused his curiosity.

“Aunt Nottica, may I ask a question that might be a little offensive?” Lius said slowly.

"Oh? A problem?"

Upon hearing the words from Lius, Nottica tilted her head slightly, then continued to smile gently:

"Hehe, of course I can. Since it is your order, Holy Son, I will naturally respond properly. As long as I know the answer, I will definitely reply to you properly."

"Hmm, then I want to know..."

Gently raising his head, Leus pointed to the purple silk scarf adorning Nottica's face and softly said:

"I'd like to know... why are you wearing a veil, Auntie? Is it because you have some kind of scar, or is there some reason you want to hide it?"

"Oh? Is His Highness interested in this?"

Hearing Lius's words, Nottica blinked, a look of reminiscence seeming to appear in her eyes. After a few seconds of silence, she shook her head at Lius.

"Ha...just some personal matters. This face shouldn't be easily exposed, and I don't want others to know about it, so..."

Swallowing hard, Nottica sighed and looked at Lius with a pleading gaze:

"Therefore, I hope that you, Holy Son, can understand that I can only reveal a small part to you... This face of mine is a curse, both for me and for this world. If it were to be revealed to the world, it would cause a great commotion. So it must be hidden. I cannot even reveal it to you."

"You can't even tell me? It must be something very important to you, Auntie..."

Sensing Nottica's earnest tone, Lius hesitated for a moment before finally nodding slightly and continuing to stroke her hair.

"Okay, I understand. Since Aunt Nottica is unwilling to reveal anything, I won't press her further. Let's just continue like this."

"Thank you, Your Holiness..."

Under Lius's caring gaze, Notica blushed and nodded, seemingly feeling appreciated by him. After a few seconds of silence, as if to ease the atmosphere, she jokingly said:

"I'm so sorry to disappoint you, Your Majesty. If the time is right in the future, I might have the opportunity to reveal my face to you. If you remove the veil from my face yourself, I'm willing to give you a special reward."

"Oh, you want me to remove the veil myself?" Lius asked curiously.

"Yes, it's our family tradition. As long as we can remove the veil from our faces, then... we will marry the person who removes the veil, so..."

Nottica lightly licked her lips, a knowing smile playing on her lips, and tilted her head to smile at Lius.

"Therefore, I urge you, Holy Son, to continue your efforts. When the time is right, I will also express my true feelings to you... I will treat you with the same respect one would show to a deity..."

Covering her ample chest, a sweet and alluring scent wafted from beneath her purple veil. Her coquettish tone constantly filled the young man's ears, making Lius feel weak in the knees. When he came to his senses, he nodded to the veiled beauty before him with an expectant smile.

"Hmm! If that's what you say, then I'll have to look forward to it. I wonder what kind of beautiful face you have? Hehe, I'm really interested."

As he said this, Leus continued to look at the beautiful, maternal woman before him, and as if he had thought of something else, he smiled and suggested to her:

"Also, if you'd like, Auntie, could you please share more knowledge about formations with me? I'm very interested in this, and it would be even better if I could learn from you. I'd really appreciate your help in this regard."

"Yes, that's easy. Once this is over, whatever you wish to learn, Your Highness, I will teach you properly. You can also browse the books here at any time."

"That's wonderful, thank you, Aunt Nottica!"

Smiling, Lius patted the young woman on the shoulder, thanked her again, and then parted ways with the veiled beauty. Turning to look at Xiaoyou beside him, he pondered for a moment and then continued to suggest to Nottica:

"Also, let Xiaoyou stay with me for now. Some matters related to the church need her assistance, and it will be easier to handle them with her around."

"Eh? Let me continue to stay by the Holy Son's side..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao You, who had been standing obediently to the side, blinked slightly, then her eyes revealed excitement as she swallowed and looked at Lius.

"Is...is it really possible? Can I really stay by the Holy Son's side...?"

“Of course, after all, Xiaoyou and I are friends now, so it’s okay for us to get closer. Besides, staying at the manor will allow you to learn new things that will be helpful in the future. Or... Xiaoyou, do you not want to stay by my side?” Lius asked deliberately.

"Ah...no, no! I really hope to be able to stay by the Holy Son's side and gain his favor. It would be so wonderful to be valued so highly by the Holy Son..."

Covering her flushed, steaming cheeks, Xiaoyou trembled with excitement, her face beaming with joy, clearly grateful for Lius's affectionate gesture.

On the other side, Nautica also revealed a delicate smile, looking at the two young people intertwined in front of her with a look of relief, her eyes revealing a sense of nostalgia, as if she had just recalled something.

"..."

After a brief moment of surprise, Nottica came to her senses, flicked her long, fiery red hair, and beckoned the two of them to leave the church.

"Alright, now that we've settled Your Majesty in, it's time to spread Your Majesty's fame throughout the church. Come, Your Majesty, please follow me as I guide you through this sacred place and introduce you to the members of the church."

“Yes, this is very troublesome, Aunt Nottica.”

And so, after a brief conversation between the two, Lius followed Nottica out of the church and headed toward another brightly lit building, where he and the two twin nuns waiting outside began to familiarize themselves with the structure of this sacred church...

Chapter 137 The Secret of the Bishop

Some time later, within the sacred ground, beside a constantly gushing spring.

"So, this journey has come to an end. Holy Son, we shall take our leave now. Once you return to reality, if you wish to come here again, simply absorb those magic powders and you can return at any time."

After leading Lius on a tour of the entire holy site, Nottica finally brought Lius and Xiaoyou to the place they had previously visited. After explaining the arrangements for their return, she activated the array located there, opening the path to and from reality.

"Your Excellency, we are about to leave. Please take good care of yourself. We will come to see you again when we are ready."

"Yes, Xiaoyou, you must listen to the Holy Son, don't make him angry, pay attention to safety, and learn from the Holy Son's virtues and abilities so that our church will not lose its dignity."

"I understand, Your Excellency. I promise I can do it!"

With a solemn expression, Xiaoyou made her promise to her teacher, nodded vigorously, then looked at Lius, respectfully extended her small hand, and softly said:

"Your Holiness, let's go back together."

"Well, let's go."

Nodding slightly, Leus took a step forward, standing behind Xiaoyou, watching her walk into the light of the teleportation portal and disappear into it. Leus then composed himself, took a step forward, and stood in front of the teleportation portal, preparing to step inside.

"Well then, Aunt Bishop, I'm going back now."

A second before leaving, Lius turned around gently and waved to Nottica, who was reaching out her hand. Nottica smiled and waved her delicate hand, as she and the dozens of followers behind her bid farewell to their "Holy Son".

"Goodbye, Your Holiness, please come again soon!"

"We will also follow your teachings and protect this sacred place!"

"Take care on your journey, Your Majesty!"

These believers had only known Leus for a short time, but under the halo of his holy son, they still showed a warm and lingering demeanor, repeatedly greeting Leus.

Lius waved goodbye to the young women with deep emotion, then seemed to remember something, blinked, and smiled in the direction of Nottica.

“Aunt Bishop, I suddenly had an idea… why don’t you all come with me? Our mansion has plenty of space, enough to accommodate you all. If you join us, our investigations will definitely go much more smoothly.”

"Oh? Your Holiness, are you inviting us to your residence...?"

Hearing Lius's words, Nottica paused for a moment, then shook her head with a helpless smile.

"Ha... Although I also want to stay by the side of the Holy Son, this sacred place still needs our protection. This land of souls was built by our ancestors and is our only stronghold now. Therefore, no matter what, we must protect it well. Please understand, Holy Son."

"Hmm, so you can't leave no matter what..."

Lius asked a question in response to some surprise, and received a serious look in his eyes in return.

"Yes, and even if others can leave, I can't really get away from here. Right now, I can only move freely here, letting my soul and consciousness be unrestrained. Once I reach reality, I will continue to be imprisoned and unable to feel this freedom again. So I must stay here forever."

"Hmm? I can't feel free, what is this...?"

Lius wanted to ask further, but Nottica shook her head slightly and didn't explain anything more. She just sighed and gently led Lius into the light, surrounding him with waves of pale blue light.

"Alright, Your Highness, it's time to set off. Please take care on your journey. I will answer your questions when we meet again."

"Aunt Nautica..."

Despite still harboring some doubts, surrounded by Nottica, Lius disappeared into the portal before he could finish speaking, leaving Nottica and the other cultists standing there, silently waving goodbye towards the place where the light had vanished.

"Your Holiness..."

Watching the last glimmer of light fade away, Nottica pursed her lips, seemingly wanting to say something more, but ultimately gave up the opportunity to mutter to herself. She simply gazed with a sigh at the traces of Lius's disappearance, placed her hands on her chest, and stroked the cross in her arms, offering a final prayer for the boy who had vanished from this place.

"May you be forever protected by the divine beings on your journey ahead, and may they eliminate all possible dangers for you..."

------

"Well……"

Slowly waking from a chaotic dream, Lius rose from the bench beside the hot spring, shakily straightened his body, and sat down on the soft sofa.

"I feel so dizzy..."

Just like the feeling of entering the soul world earlier, Lius felt a turmoil in his mind. The blond boy struggled to control his drowsy mind, leaning back against the sofa pillows, frowning and panting heavily.

"Phew... It'll probably take some time to get used to this feeling, it's really uncomfortable..."

Just as Lius was feeling this way, Xiaoyou, who had already woken up, smiled and came closer. Like a respectful little maid, she placed a glass of ice water that she had prepared beforehand in Lius's hand, and pulled him by the shoulder to lie down on her lap. In a dignified posture, she launched a "lap pillow" offensive on Lius.

"Come, Your Majesty, you've worked hard. Now, please let me serve you and help you relieve all the fatigue in your body. Please relax and rest well. With my massage, you will recover quickly!"

As Lius lay on her delicate, beautiful legs, Xiaoyou gently revealed a reassuring smile, and very virtuously and charmingly stretched out her hands to place on Lius's shoulders, carefully massaging the young man in front of her.

"Um……"

The girl's movements were very gentle, like a mother stroking her child, full of a unique sense of virtue.

Lius silently gazed at the gentle and considerate red-haired girl before him. While feeling a sense of comfort, he couldn't help but have a few hallucinations, as if the veiled beauty with long red hair from before had appeared before him and was serving him in a younger state.

"Little Yu, are you and Aunt Nottica really just teacher and student? Is she really not your mother or sister? They look so similar in appearance and temperament..." With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Lius asked.

"Haha, Your Holiness is joking. There is no blood relation between me and the bishop. The reason I resemble the bishop is simply because she has been teaching me since I was a child. Over time, my personality has become somewhat similar to hers. It is something that has developed later in life, not something that I was born with."

"is that so……"

"Yes, and the bishop's original hair color wasn't like this either. At first, the bishop had gray hair, but then for some reason, her hair gradually turned red like mine. Hmm... could it be that the bishop dyed it herself? Did she think my hair color looked good?"

Xiaoyou made a naive deduction with a serious expression, to which Lius smiled helplessly, raised his hand and touched her little face, then recalled Nottica's earlier attempt to conceal the truth, and continued to ask the red-haired girl who was stroking him:

"Speaking of which, Xiaoyou, you seem to know Aunt Nottica quite well. Were you raised by her from childhood to adulthood?"

"Yes, Your Grace, she has been educating me since I was very young, teaching me the doctrines of the Goddess. She is a very kind elder to me. In my heart, I regard Your Grace as a mother figure and respect her as much as I respect you, the Holy Son."

"Ha, does that mean I'm going to become your father, Xiaoyou? That's rather unexpected." After making this joke, Lius continued to ask the red-haired girl in front of him, "Since you've been by Aunt Nottica's side since you were little, do you know why she can't leave that soul world?"

"This one……"

Hearing Lius's question, Xiaoyou shook her head in confusion.

"Actually, I don't know too much about it either. The archbishop has never mentioned this matter much since I was a child. I only remember that every year on May 5th, after the prayer, the archbishop would look up at the starry sky above, with a particularly sad look in his eyes. I don't know why, even if someone asked her, she would just shake her head slightly and not reveal anything to us."

"It's really quite mysterious..." Lius remarked.