On one hand, he keeps talking about wanting to do something that can bring happiness to everyone, while on the other hand, he has given up on himself and chosen a path that may lead to his own death. No matter how you look at it, it is a situation where the internal and external are out of sync.

But when faced with my accusations, she merely curled the corners of her lips slightly and said, "Yes, you're right. I just felt that doing this would be the fastest way to achieve my goal."

"...So, your choice is to voluntarily become a living sacrifice?"

I found it hard to believe, and while questioning it, I tried to gather my strength to break free: "Indeed, things have gradually developed to this point under your guidance, but, putting everything else aside, how can you be so sure that we can successfully obtain the blueprints for the ritual and also acquire the golden cup that serves as the core of the magic array?"

"Ah...it's impossible to know those things in advance."

The blind saintess smiled vainly: "Even now, I am surprised that you were able to do this so smoothly. I merely 'saw' the possible development of the event, so I chose the combination of factors most likely to lead to it and reproduced it."

"Of course, even if this idea doesn't work out, I still have other options."

Other methods...

"Did you make a deal with people from the church?"

Long-standing doubts then surfaced.

Within the Frozen Snow City, no one is allowed to perform healing operations. Even merchants selling potions are strictly investigated, let alone openly carrying out activities to treat illnesses right under anyone's nose.

This offended the authority of the church, which claimed to have the responsibility of salvation and a superior position, even though they were not interested in ruling the poor outside the inner city, yet still pretended to maintain this behavior.

Strangely, the blind saint not only carried out this work peacefully for a long time, but was even revered as a saint and spread her influence over a wide area. No matter how you look at it, she seemed to have won the hearts of the people. Sooner or later, this would arouse the vigilance of the church and lead to her elimination.

However, according to rumors, the investigation team only stayed briefly before returning without doing anything, just like when they later came to search for the criminals who had deliberately damaged the buildings of wild mages who were collaborating with the church.

At the time, I thought it was the effect of those eyes.

And the church's insistence on using her as a human sacrifice is also... All these doubts, accumulated bit by bit, are now pieced together with new puzzle pieces, forming a truth completely different from the initial deduction.

And, in response to this question, Thiel readily nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I did try to get in touch with it."

"Why...why didn't I know?"

Stanley looked betrayed, writhing repeatedly and muttering incoherently.

Their complete unreliability is truly shameful.

I glanced at Miyuki, who was already leaning on her sword and struggling to her feet, while silently calculating the final formula in my mind.

There are only two ways to completely stop the ritual. One is to let the ritual complete naturally, and the other is, like the magical offense and defense between mages, to thoroughly understand the operating principle of the spell itself, and then destroy it from its weak point, or directly launch the corresponding countermeasures.

Although the ritual in front of us is a triple nested structure, making it very difficult to abruptly interrupt the one that has already begun, and the slightest carelessness could lead to a major accident, it is not without a way, it just requires sufficient time.

Right now, what we lack most is time.

Of course, there is also an additional method, which involves inserting a rod into the gap of the technique and forcibly prying it open. This method does not require a high level of skill in breaking the technique, but it carries considerable risk.

And, although the purpose is unknown, thanks to Thiel's desire to express herself—perhaps simply because she wanted to clarify her thoughts at the last moment to avoid any possibility of us feeling guilty—this conversation did manage to delay the ceremony.

Of course, this method could only be implemented smoothly and quietly if Till was indeed just an ordinary person with little magical perception.

However, once the magic binding the ritual array is broken, the resulting disturbances will inevitably attract her attention. A swift and decisive action is essential to safely rescue her from there.

Fifi and Alice, who were close to Til, had already received the signal and started making noise and interfering. Miyuki was also gradually gathering her strength, seemingly preparing to break through the invisible barrier in one fell swoop.

After a moment's thought, I spoke again, voicing my confusion: "I still can't understand your choice. Is it because this is the only way to save them?"

Sacrificing one person's life can save everyone from potential danger? What a joke. Leaving aside whether those seemingly real crises will actually occur, the proposed methods are far too extreme, filled with self-righteousness and self-pity.

Furthermore, even if he did achieve his goal in the short term, what about afterwards? Would someone need to make the same choice again if faced with a similar problem in the future?

Only selfless sacrifice can ensure survival, while selfishness can only lead to destruction.

Anyone who would believe in this option is probably crazy.

Even if she did achieve that, it would still be far removed from the peaceful and happy world she envisioned.

Till remained silent for a long time, opening his mouth several times and closing it again, revealing obvious wavering.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!