Chapter 413: The Method
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 413: The Method
"You did that on purpose?"
"Magic can be thrown around recklessly, but words can't. When did I ever... alright, alright, don't look at me like that. I admit it."
Seeing that she couldn't act cute to slide by this time, Mela dropped her facade and returned to her usual nonchalant self. She crossed her arms over her chest and said proudly, "I did it on purpose."
"...To pit your own disciple against certain death and still look so insufferably arrogant."
The Pope lowered his head, his eyes filled with pity. "If I were that kid, I’d probably be thinking about how to pull the plug on your breathing magic device once you’re old and gray."
"I’m eighteen forever! How could I possibly get old?"
Mela threw an indignant punch at the air, her pink pajamas fluttering with the movement and revealing a flash of fair skin at her midriff. "Besides, everything I do is for his own good. As my disciple, he’ll surely understand his teacher’s painstaking efforts!"
"Heh, 'painstaking efforts'? You mean putting five different powers—each capable of killing him hundreds of times over—into his body to play a battle royale?"
The Pope raised an eyebrow. He paused to reflect, as if remembering something, and his gaze suddenly landed on Mela as she floated nearby.
He narrowed his eyes, studying her for a moment before realization dawned on him. "I see. You’ve already reached that stage. No wonder. At a time like this, you certainly wouldn't allow any accidents to interfere with your plan—like the Withered King's Divine Blessing, even if you don't care about that thing at all."
"It’s not that I’ve reached this stage; it’s that I must reach this stage. Your Sanctuary is progressing much faster than mine, you know."
"That’s different."
The Pope let out a dry chuckle and shook his head.
With a wide sweep of his sleeve, the artificial celestial bodies—aside from the Moon that had already fallen into Cantville—began to move along their designated orbits once more. A sky full of stars appeared upon the artificial sky dome, sketching a magnificent, mysterious, and ancient tapestry.
"For a thousand years, we have never observed a Divine Blessing having side effects on the recipient or requiring an extra price. 'Divine Blessing'—those words themselves represent the extraordinary grace of a deity.
"Therefore, a Divine Blessing is fundamentally different from a trade; it is not mixed with pollution or erosion.
"But even so, that grace comes from that specific Evil God—the one currently devouring the Moon, whose next move remains unknown.
"Favor implies bonds and karma; it means an inseparable connection. Are you afraid that He will use that boy to interfere with your plans at a critical moment?"
"That’s just a side benefit," Mela replied.
"A side benefit?" The Pope turned to her, looking somewhat bewildered.
"Of course. You just said yourself that I don't care about that kind of thing. So, a minor matter like that is naturally just a side benefit."
"Then you..."
"Naturally, it’s to plot the very best thing for my dear disciple!"
Mela said with a beaming smile, "As my disciple, how could he be satisfied with something that’s basically a handout? I was actually quite relieved when the boy gave up the Divine Blessing earlier. it shows he hasn't been blinded by power."
"...So you pushed him into a pit of fire instead?"
The Pope prided himself on his ability to look down upon all worldly affairs with composure, but at this moment, he almost couldn't resist personally offering a prayer or two for Muen. He hoped that when the boy eventually died at the hands of this wicked old loli, he might at least leave behind an intact corpse.
"This 'best thing' of yours is a bit too hot to handle."
"Of course. I told him when he chose to become my disciple... this is a path filled with the unknown and pain, a road where one might fall into the abyss at any moment. I think the boy is already mentally prepared.
"And besides..."
Mela looked toward Cantville, her lips curling into a ruthless smirk.
"I, his teacher, have been working so hard, running back and forth for him, and he actually went off to pick up girls? And he actually succeeded? I really want to have a good talk about this later with his little girlfriend and his little fiancée.
"Since he respects the fruits of my labor so little, he naturally needs to suffer a bit more."
"I agree with that part. Please, feel free to increase the intensity," the Pope nodded, then changed the subject. "But, aren't you afraid he'll die here?"
"Die?"
Mela tilted her head and gave a strange smile. "Shouldn't I be asking you that? Where is this? Who is served here? And who are you, His Holiness the Pope?"
"..."
Where was this?
This was the Church, of course.
The Church that served the Goddess of Life.
And he was the Pope, above tens of thousands and beneath only the Goddess.
If he truly let Muen die right under his nose, he would lose every bit of face he had left.
"Even if I am here to ensure he at least keeps his life, I still don't think he can succeed."
The Pope lowered his eyes, countless flickers of light swirling deep within his pupils. "Those powers simply cannot reach a balance. They will only consume him entirely in a cycle of pointless conflict and exhaustion. Moreover... with several Evil Gods plus the resentment of a million people, I suspect even you don't know what will eventually be brewed from that mixture."
"What it ends up being isn't important. What matters is that the result will belong entirely to that boy."
Mela shrugged. "As for being unable to reach a balance... well, that’s obvious, isn't it? How can five powers reach a balance? You need an even number for that. So, naturally, we’re still missing one."
"Missing one?" The Pope frowned. "What other power in Cantville could possibly—"
As he spoke, the Pope’s voice trailed off.
He suddenly realized that this damned, unscrupulous old loli was staring straight at him again with that eerie look in her eyes.
Like she was looking at a delicious little cupcake.
"What... do you mean by that?"
"What do I mean? I don't mean anything at all~"
Mela leaned in with an innocent expression, rubbing her thumb and fingers together like a servant fishing for a tip. She said with a sweet smile, "It’s just, Your Holiness... have you forgotten something you promised a long time ago?"
*
"Mu... Muen?"
Seeing Muen suddenly lose consciousness, Liya panicked and carefully laid him flat on the ground.
Liya had no way of knowing what Muen was experiencing, but she could tell from his contorted expression alone that he was in extreme agony.
Terrifying forces were clashing inside his body. Crimson flames bored frantically into him, but when they leaked back out, they were already stained with a black, unholy filth.
"What should I... what should I do?"
Liya wiped the sweat from Muen's brow, wanting to smooth the creases of his frown, wanting even more to share his pain, but she felt utterly powerless.
During her previous self-sacrifice, her Holy Light had been almost entirely depleted. Combined with her later efforts to help Muen shoulder the burden of the resentment, she currently didn't have a single drop of extra strength to spare.
"At least I have to make him more comfortable."
Liya bit her lip. She suddenly leaned down, pressing herself against Muen, using the soft flesh of her own body to gently rub against his skin.
The friction of their skin brought about an electric sensation. Liya panted softly, and a certain feeling that had only just subsided began to rise again following this intimate movement.
As she rubbed against him, Liya bumped into something that was, surprisingly, still standing firm.
Liya froze for a moment, her cheeks flushing a deep red.
She suddenly remembered that although she couldn't release Holy Light externally right now, she had been cleansed by Holy Light since childhood. Everything about her body could be said to possess the properties of Holy Light itself.
That was exactly why those people had wanted to melt down her very blood and bone.
So...
Liya bit her lip.
Thinking about it that way... that part of me... should work too, right?