Chapter 91: You Might As Well Run for Pope

You Might As Well Run for Pope

“Sis, hurry and check, how’s Ciel’s mental state?” Adele asked Uris, who had arrived, immediately after giving Ciel the potion.

Ciel was clearly in a very dangerous state right now.

Although her mind hadn’t collapsed, according to Ciel herself, the whispers in her head were severely affecting her spirit, even preventing her from hearing surrounding sounds clearly.

Such a condition was usually a warning sign to being consumed by the potion.

Uris didn’t speak. She knelt beside Ciel, her four white shadows overlapping with her figure. She reached out her right hand and placed it on the head position of Ciel’s shadow.

Voom—

Like a monstrous tsunami crashing down, endless black noise instantly flooded Uris’s mind. Two streams of blood flowed down her cheeks from her ears.

The white shadows overlapping Uris’s body began to twitch spasmodically, unable to maintain complete cohesion with her form.

Suddenly, Uris withdrew her right hand. The overlapping white shadows within her body seemed to suffer some impact, ejected from her back and hovering in mid-air.

The pure white shadows had become somewhat murky, their forms flickering constantly.

Ciel, who had been lying on Avena’s lap with a pained expression, semi-conscious, gradually relaxed her furrowed brow, seemingly drifting into a peaceful sleep.

“I... helped absorb some of the mental interference. She should be fine for now...” Uris supported her forehead. Just as she tried to stand, her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the floor.

Bearing the mental and physical suffering of others was a distinctive ability of the “Ascetic” path. Uris had previously helped Ciel bear some of the burn pain during her “Avenger” advancement.

But now, even enduring just a portion of the whispers and mental interference in Ciel’s mind caused the nearly digested potion within Uris to boil.

Countless absurd and bizarre images even began flashing before Uris’s eyes. Unheard-of, indescribable creatures roamed in the darkness before her.

For transcendents, damage to sensory organs often meant being more susceptible to seeing things others couldn’t, making them more prone to madness.

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The problem with Uris’s eyes prevented her from bearing any more of Ciel’s suffering.

“I can’t hold on for much longer...” Uris steadied her breath, her voice weak. “We must quickly take Ciel to the Church of the Savior Goddess...”

Uris continued, “Let me baptize her, the Goddess will help her. When the ‘Radiance Bishop’ arrives, we will take her to the Holy See for treatment of her mental condition...”

“That won’t be necessary, High Priest.” Avena interrupted Uris flatly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“Thank you for your help, High Priest. I will donate the corresponding amount in su pounds in your name to the Church. I will also personally pay you a generous reward.”

Avena lowered her head, gently placed her hand on Ciel’s forehead, and carefully brushed aside the hair from her brow.

“Ciel is my friend. I will handle her subsequent treatment.”

Behind Avena, the “Crown Guard” Nia slowly stepped forward, her sword and shield still drawn.

Even though Nia said nothing, anyone could see that if Uris didn’t agree, she would resort to force.

Avena would never hand Ciel over to the Church of the Savior Goddess, even though the Church had ample reason to investigate Ciel, now being a “Judicator”—a path strictly controlled by them. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

Handing Ciel over meant she would likely be baptized and become a member of the Church... At that point, would Ciel, prioritizing the Church’s interests and the Goddess, still be the same Ciel?

She wouldn’t be.

“Miss Roswell, please forgive my bluntness,” Uris’s usually kind expression gradually turned indifferent. “Your family cannot resolve Miss Ciel’s mental condition.”

“Moreover, I promised Miss Ciel. She provided intelligence to me and the Holy See, and I helped her complete the Reconstitution Ritual... Her condition hasn’t stabilized yet, the transaction is still ongoing.”

“The agreement, the promise to her, wasn’t just mine.”

“It was the entire Church of the Savior Goddess.”

Uris could not hand Ciel over to Avena.

The “Radiance Bishop” would arrive within 24 hours. Although the Church’s influence wasn’t as strong in Ansu, in Berren City, the Church of the Savior Goddess reigned supreme.

Before then, she had to ensure Ciel remained within her sight. Once the “Radiance Bishop” arrived, even Avena wouldn’t be able to keep Ciel.

Uris was almost certain Ciel was a Saintess candidate. If she baptized her, she herself might complete the final part of her own ritual and obtain the “Radiance Bishop” potion and ritual.

Whether for personal gain or the Church’s interests, Uris had to keep Ciel by her side at all costs.

Uris swayed as she stood up, the flickering white shadows surrounding her.

The atmosphere grew tense, charged with hostility.

The alliance, seemingly unbreakable just minutes ago, now showed widening cracks.

Neither wanted to relinquish Ciel to the other.

“You need not worry about stabilizing her spirit. The ‘Sacrificial Saint’s Relic’ can help Ciel stabilize her mind,” Avena countered firmly. “The transaction is concluded.”

Uris: “Your esteemed family doesn’t possess many ‘Sacrificial Saint’s Relics,’ do they.”

Avena: “Enough to last until she regains her senses and digests some of the potion. If it’s not enough, I will acquire more.”

A deathly silence fell over the area.

Avena gently lifted Ciel’s shoulders, cradling her in her arms, completely unconcerned about the bloodstains on Ciel’s maid dress smudging her own exposed skin.

If Uris made any sudden move, she could immediately scoop up the light Ciel and have Nia escort her away.

Seeing the escalating tension in the exchange area, Adele, standing to the side, grew anxious.

On one side was a friend she had recently made, someone who had listened to her inner turmoil and secrets. On the other was her sister, with whom she had depended on since childhood. Caught in the middle, Adele felt overwhelmed.

But she felt she had to say something, or they would start fighting.

“I...” Adele slowly raised her right hand, but no one seemed to notice her.

“Um...” Seeing the “Crown Guard” already raising her sword, Adele shut her eyes tightly and stepped directly between Avena and Uris.

“Listen to me!” Adele opened her eyes to find both Avena and Uris looking at her.

“I have an idea...” Adele instantly lost the courage she had mustered moments before, speaking softly, “Ciel could stay at my place for now... I’m a ‘Physician,’ I can look after her physical condition.”

“Staying deadlocked here will only make Ciel’s situation worse...”

After speaking, Adele peeked nervously at both sides, seeing they had fallen silent.

Uris remained silent for a long moment before saying, “I have no objection.”

As long as Ciel wasn’t with Avena, once the “Radiance Bishop” arrived, even if Avena objected, she could forcefully take Ciel away.

As for her sister Adele, she couldn’t possibly stop her from taking Ciel. She just needed to coax her later, promise to bring her to visit Ciel periodically.

Meanwhile, Avena, lost in thought, hesitated for a while before also saying, “I have no objection either.”

Adele lived at 31 Gem Avenue, very close to Sir’s Bridge District, but quite far from the Clock Tower Church—a normal carriage ride would take twenty to thirty minutes.

Ciel’s physical condition was indeed poor. Having a top-tier “Physician” help nurse her back to health would speed up her recovery.

She owned several properties on Gem Avenue herself; she could even move directly across from Adele. Once Ciel’s condition improved slightly, she would take her away immediately, bringing her sister along too.

As for the High Priest of the Church of the Savior Goddess? Would she rent a place near Adele too?

Unlikely. Avena would simply rent out all the nearby buildings.

Avena knew that the Church of the Savior Goddess funneled most of its collected funds back to the Holy See in Ansu to solidify its base. Furthermore, because the church frequently antagonized merchants, nobles, and factory owners, it was seen as a thorn in the side of capital and aristocracy.

They possessed few income-generating assets themselves, and any they had would likely be driven to bankruptcy by other capitalists due to high labor costs and insufficient production capacity.

Moreover, members of the Church of the Savior Goddess, starting from “Ascetics,” constantly gave away their wealth to help others. By the time they reached “Missionary,” they were practically broke. They wouldn’t have much disposable income until reaching “Radiance Bishop.”

Even “Physician” Adele could afford to live on Gem Avenue, but members of the Church of the Savior Goddess mostly resided in or near Clock Tower Alley.

Would they station people nearby?

Sorry, the police department belongs to the Russells. How could they compete? A simple pretext would be enough to detain them. Ordinary “Ascetics” and church attendants wouldn’t resist.

As for Adele?

She wasn’t even a factor in Avena’s considerations. Her threat level was probably only slightly higher than a goose on a farm.

Seeing both sides reach an agreement without resorting to violence, Adele let out a long sigh of relief.

A surge of pride filled Adele’s heart. With her unparalleled wisdom and extraordinary courage, she had successfully prevented a conflict between the Roswell family and the Church of the Savior Goddess.

At this thought, Adele couldn’t help but puff out her chest slightly, then hunched her shoulders slightly, adopting a posture like a hunting wolf, and said firmly, “My house is just over there. I... I’ll lead the way...”

Since Avena and Uris’s clothes were badly damaged, and the only available garments in the manor were standard-issue maid dresses, they temporarily changed into those to cover themselves.

Avena carried Ciel onto the carriage, holding her directly, letting Ciel lean against her, seemingly afraid that the moment she let go, Uris, sitting opposite, would snatch Ciel away.

Adele and Nia took the reins up front, driving all the way to the entrance of 31 Gem Avenue.

-

It was an exquisite four-story row house. Adele rented the entire fourth floor to store various equipment and materials, so it was quite spacious.

However, it was now the time when people were waking up and starting work. The streets were already bustling with people. When they disembarked from the carriage, they attracted quite a few curious glances.

After all, the sight of three beautiful young women sneakily carrying an unconscious beautiful young woman upstairs was hard not to spark imagination.

Once upstairs, Adele had Avena place Ciel on the guest room bed, then began cleaning and stitching the visible wounds on Ciel’s body.

Avena left with Nia for a while. Soon after, Uris also hurriedly left Adele’s home, got into a carriage, and headed towards the Clock Tower Church.

Meanwhile, Adele, completely unaware of what was unfolding, diligently continued cleaning the bloodstains off Ciel, suturing her wounds, and applying medicine.

Although potions could heal these minor wounds directly, without sutures, ugly scars could easily form.

After nearly two hours of work, Adele finally straightened up, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

What Adele didn’t know was that, outside, this section of Gem Avenue had already been cordoned off by the police. Her downstairs neighbors had happily left without even packing their luggage.

And just outside the cordon, numerous disguised believers and church attendants loitered, with occasional individuals being arrested for attempting to cross the blockade through alleys or rooftops.

Several hours passed. The sky outside gradually darkened until night fell completely. As Adele entered the sickroom carrying food delivered by Avena, she saw Ciel’s eyelashes flutter slightly.

“Ciel?” Adele placed the tray on the nearby cabinet, sat beside Ciel, and called out softly.

At this moment, Ciel slowly opened her eyes.

She could hear Adele’s voice beside her, but the ringing whispers in her mind had lessened considerably.

She propped herself up and looked down. The pendant around her neck swayed gently, catching her attention.

She saw she was wearing the pendant containing the sealed “Sacrificial Saint’s Relic.” The pendant was currently burning, helping her resist the whispers’ assault.

This is... Avena’s pendant?

“Don’t get up yet, just lie down.” Adele reached out, gently pushed the rising Ciel back down, and asked, “Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere? Does your head still hurt? Have the whispers gotten worse?”

Before Ciel could answer, Avena, who seemed to have been monitoring the room from somewhere, pushed open the door and walked straight in.

Seeing Ciel lying in bed, her face somewhat pale, Avena stepped forward and asked expressionlessly, “Are you still feeling unwell, Ciel?”

To be safe, she had sealed off this entire street section. There shouldn’t be anyone else within 50 meters. She wondered if this would alleviate Ciel’s whispers.

“I’m fine... Where is this?” Ciel asked, glancing at the time on the system interface.

8 PM... Still nearly eight hours until this simulation ends and I can save the “Judicator” file.

She needed to recover as much as possible to avoid being plagued by whispers when using this save file in the future.

Besides that, she needed to use this time to devise a comprehensive plan.

A plan targeting the “Radiance Bishop” from the Divine Advent Church who was scheduled to visit on the 23rd.

Even back in reality, without reporting to the church, she was 90% confident she could go to Deton Manor alone, spend 5 Fate Points to transform into the “Judicator” for 30 minutes, kill Kitty directly, and ensure no cultists escaped.

But even if she swiftly killed them all, a hidden danger remained.

She might be investigated by the arriving “Radiance Bishop.”

She might not even need to wait for the “Radiance Bishop.” Even if she did nothing, once Avena fled and Adele and Uris were captured, various clues would point towards the unremarkable her.

Even if they only came to probe her, Ciel’s life would be disrupted, and she might even be brainwashed into a cultist in reality.

If she couldn’t deal with the “Radiance Bishop,” Ciel’s only option was to flee to Ansu with her sister beforehand.

But even fleeing to Ansu wasn’t safe... If the Divine Advent Church identified her as involved after the incident, given the number of dead cultists, they would surely try everything to capture her, even if she hid in Ansu with its various orthodox church presences.

Ciel felt that ever since stepping onto the transcendent path in the simulation, she had been sinking deeper into a quagmire, constantly drawn into turbulent transcendent events, getting further entangled the more she struggled.

But Ciel didn’t regret intervening.

If she hadn’t, she would already be dead.

Even if they only killed her simulated self, Ciel would make them pay the price.

“I’m fine.” Ciel nodded, lying in bed. She noticed the bandages on her hand, turned to Adele, and said, “Thank you, Adele.”

Then Ciel looked at Avena standing beside Adele, touched the pendant on her chest, and said with a smile, “Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me just yet.” Avena met Ciel’s gaze expressionlessly. After a moment, she averted her eyes slightly, pretending to look elsewhere.

“Covering all the expenses, you already owe me at least 2000 pounds. The ‘Sacrificial Saint’s Relic’ isn’t cheap.” Avena continued, “At your current weekly salary, you’ll have to work for me for at least 77 years to pay it off.”

“...If you plan on doing anything dangerous in the future, you must tell me first, Miss Assistant. I don’t want to clean up your messes again.”

“Of course, Miss Employer.” Ciel propped herself up, sat on the edge of the bed, looked at Avena, and said, “I can tell you about something dangerous right now.”

Her own abilities weren’t enough to confront the “Radiance Bishop.” Ciel had to try and rally more allies within the simulation.

At the very least, she needed to probe Avena and Uris’s capabilities, see what cards they held.

“Huh?” Avena paused, her gaze snapping back to Ciel. Her previously calm and composed face couldn’t quite hold it together.

I was just saying... We just took down a Divine Advent Church stronghold, what other dangerous things could you possibly have to do, Miss Ciel? Taking down a cult base, drinking a second-tier potion less than two days later—could anything be more dangerous than those two things?

“I have reliable intelligence telling me.” Ciel’s smile vanished, her expression turning serious.

“On June 23rd, at 13:01, a ‘Radiance Bishop’ from the Divine Advent Church will visit their stronghold in Berren City—the same Deton Manor stronghold I just destroyed.”

Avena’s mouth slowly fell open.

“Radiance Bishop”?

Precise down to the date is one thing, but how can you be precise down to the hour and minute?

Seriously, sister, what kind of intelligence network is this? Can you even call it an intelligence network anymore?

Does your intelligence network track every single cultist 24/7? Or is your intelligence network the higher authority assigning tasks to the “Radiance Bishop”?

They shouldn’t bother being an intelligence network anymore; they might as well run for Pope!!!!!