Chapter 200 Guards
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…
"How long will it take to reach Katifan?" Lu Yi asked the Templar Knight behind him in a low voice.
"Reporting to His Highness Lanter, if nothing unexpected happens, we will arrive as scheduled at noon tomorrow."
Lu Yi nodded slightly and said with a smile: "We will be there soon... Thank you for your hard work along the way."
The Templar smiled shyly, "Compared to the hard work of His Highness Lanter, what we have done is really not worth mentioning."
"Yes." Another knight responded, "It is our honor to be able to follow Lord Saint."
"When we return to the temple, the bishop will definitely arrange a personal guard for you. I wonder if we will be lucky enough to be selected by then."
Lu Yi tilted his head and said, "Personal guards? Do I have personal guards too?"
Although there is a strict hierarchy and clear class distinctions within the Vatican, even the highest-ranking cardinal is not qualified to personally manage a private guard.
The Knights Templar, as the largest backbone force of the Holy See, is jointly governed by three forces within the Holy See.
In the entire Vatican, at least on the surface, only the Pope has his own independent guard.
"Yes, Lord Saint, as far as I know, after you accepted the appointment of His Holiness the Pope in Luo Saiqiao, His Holiness has already started to prepare to select a personal guard for you."
"Was it chosen for me personally by His Holiness the Pope?" Lu Yi pretended to be surprised.
"Yes!" The knight nodded heavily, feeling happy for him from the bottom of his heart.
"Your Holiness the Pope personally takes care of His Highness Lanter's personal guards. It shows that His Holiness values you very much!"
Lu Yi smiled shyly and said, "I am really flattered..."
"Although it is an honor for His Holiness the Pope to personally select you, the premise of all this is that Your Highness is worthy of it!"
"Yes!" another knight said excitedly, "Your Highness, we have all seen what you have done for the human race. No matter how great the honor is, you are worthy of it!"
"Praise the God of Light, Your Highness Lanter, you are the best Holy Son in the history of the Holy See!"
…
The Vatican's guard of honor marched on the wide avenue, with Lu Yi riding a tall, snow-white horse at the front of the team.
The majestic city walls slowly came into view from the horizon.
The Knight Commander Machi behind Lu Yi cheered up and said, "Your Highness Lanter, we are here!"
——Kativan, the great holy city of Kativam!
"Has the Holy See sent someone to pick us up?" someone in the team asked in a low voice.
"That's right! Those people are clearly wearing the clothes of our Church."
As the distance got closer, they could see more clearly that among the group of Vatican officials who came to meet them, the leader was none other than Pope Callisto!
"Wow! God of Light, am I seeing things? His Holiness the Pope actually came out of the city to pick us up in person?!"
"Hey! Don't be so self-indulgent, my boy. His Majesty is obviously here to welcome His Highness Lant..."
Pope Callisto came to greet them personally, and everyone dismounted and walked away ten meters away.
When they reached the city gate, everyone in the team, led by the Son of God, Lant Hobbes, gave the Pope the highest greetings of the Holy See.
Lu Yi bowed slowly, made the sign of the cross on his chest, and then raised his hands lightly and stretched them towards Callisto.
"Good morning, Your Majesty. Fortunately, I have fulfilled my mission. Lant extends his most sincere and loyal greetings to you."
Callisto placed his fingertips on Lant's upturned palm and smiled as he accepted the kiss.
"Thank you for your hard work, Rand. I know you can always do everything well."
"Your Majesty, thank you for your praise."
Lu Yi responded with a perfect smile, completely unaware how similar his smile was to the one on Callisto's face.
The crowd widely spread the praises of the Pope and the Son of God, and marveled at the extraordinary friendship between them.
They spoke of the Pope's keen eye for talent, recalled his outstanding achievements since he took office, and supported him fanatically as if it were their faith.
Lu Yi lowered his eyes and followed humbly, listening quietly to the flood of praise.
Callisto is actually a very scary, or very powerful person.
He suddenly became aware of this matter again with great clarity.
"Rant?" Callisto tilted his head slightly and called him, "Why are you distracted? What are you thinking about?"
Lu Yi smiled again and replied, "Nothing, I just feel a little emotional. It was still snowing when I left Kadifan. When I came back today, it seemed that nothing had changed, but everything had changed."
"The holy city of Katifan has remained unchanged for a hundred years. It has witnessed the long history of the Holy See and has seen off several Holy Son Popes." Callisto said softly, looking up at the majestic and towering spire of the temple.
The holy spire is refracted by the sunlight, emitting brilliant light, the same light, the same refraction angle, day after day and year after year.
"Kativan will never change. Perhaps only people's state of mind will change. When I was the Son of God, my state of mind was different from now. And before that, it was another completely different state of mind."
Lu Yi glanced at Callisto and couldn't help but ask softly, "What is your state of mind now?"
Standing in front of the temple of the holy city of Katifan, the Pope of Light Callisto, who enjoys all the glory, is above everyone else and second only to the gods.
In other words, Callisto, a tiny human with great ambitions.
Callisto lowered his eyes, and the smile on his face seemed to fade a lot.
"My current state of mind?"
“Maybe it’s a feeling that things have changed and people have changed.”
…
The air was thick with mist.
Lu Yi reached out and tucked the loose hair on his forehead behind his ears. His long golden brown hair stuck wetly to his thin shoulders, and then meandered along his slender waist onto the snow-white bath towel.
Perhaps it was the mist, his light amber eyes were tinged with water, and his perfect outer shell was stripped away, revealing his soft inner self.
Lu Yi held a thick towel and slowly wiped his long hair.
He was in the habit of doing some meaningless actions repeatedly when thinking. The soft velvet brushed against his cheeks and his slightly trembling eyelashes.
[“857, what do you think Callisto wants me to do…to test me again? To seduce me?”]
After arriving at the temple, Callisto did not exchange pleasantries with him, but directly ordered someone to take Lant to the residence of the Son of God so that he could have a good rest.
Before Lu Yi could catch his breath, Callisto asked him to pray together in a few days.
[“Is this a serious prayer?” Lu Yi complained at that time.
[Bewitched? This word should be more appropriate for Mios, right? ]
Lu Yi glanced at 857 in his ball state and snorted: [“It’s just the same.”]
[You didn't treat Kaka like this before!] 857 said in amazement, [Why do you think Alice's eyes are not eyes and mouth are not mouths after a few words from her?]
[“No, it’s just that some things suddenly connected together and made more sense.”]
Lu Yi suddenly asked: ["What is Xia's recent development?"]
857 hadn't heard this name for a long time. He was stunned for a moment and turned to check the background log.
[…Xia’s backstage log is broken?! ]
Lu Yi frowned immediately, [“Broken? When did it break?”]
[Let me see——]
[Soon after the God's birthday! A few days after Alice gave you his little thumb bone.]
Lu Yi murmured: [“The background log cannot track information involving gods... Which god is he hanging out with?”]
[I think so.] 857 said affirmatively, [There is only this possibility!]
[“This is a bit troublesome…”]
He had just obtained the item that could kill Xia by ignoring the protagonist's halo, but Xia got involved with the gods.
Is this the irresistible nature of the protagonist’s halo?
As long as the protagonist's halo remains, no matter how bad the situation is, there will always be a glimmer of hope.
[“What is this called? An indestructible cockroach…”]
Knock knock——
Is there anyone coming to see him at this time?
"Hold on--"
Lu Yi raised his eyebrows, put down the towel he was using to wipe his hair, and put on the outer robe that was hanging beside him.
After making sure that there was nothing wrong with his body, Lu Yi stood up and opened the door.
Outside the door was an unexpected old friend.
"Waverlin?!" Lu Yi said in surprise.
Waverin, who was standing outside the door, was wearing a silver-white knight's formal suit, with a huge knight's sword tied firmly at his waist.
His body stood straight, his eyes were scorching, and without saying a word he gave a standard knight's salute.
"Your Highness, Captain Wavelin of the Holy Son's Personal Guard reports to you!"
Wavelin's eyes were filled with smiles, but he also looked more calm than before.
This calmness is a far cry from the dullness of the past, and carries with it a sense of confidence and strength from having experienced many things, which is truly eye-opening.
Lu Yi didn't expect to meet an old friend again on the first night after returning to the Vatican, and he happily pulled him into the room.
"I didn't expect it to be you! Waverin!"
Wavelin's eyes flickered slightly, and his gaze fell on the wrist he was holding. He said nothing, but his earlobe quietly turned red.
"We haven't seen each other for a long time since the Saint Son Selection Tournament." Lu Yi handed him a glass of water. "How have you been doing recently? Did the Knight Commander give you any trouble?"
Wavelin shook his head honestly and answered: "No, Teacher Warren is very good to me. I have benefited a lot from him during this period."
"That's good, I knew you could do it." Lu Yi smiled when he heard that.
"What about you? Lant, you have been on the front line since the outbreak..."
Lu Yi smiled and said, "Don't you know my strength? Although they exaggerated it, it's basically true. I am the enemy of plague! Look, didn't I become the Holy Son of the Church directly because of this?"
Lant answered easily and naturally, as if what he said was not a terrible epidemic that swept across several empires, but just an ordinary task that delayed him for several months.
All the difficulties and hardships were casually brushed aside with just one smiling remark.
But Wavelin couldn't laugh.
Wavelin finally felt firsthand the days and nights he had missed that belonged to Rand.
When they were in St. Dove's, they were classmates, roommates, and the closest of friends.
They took the same classes, stayed together from morning till night, and he could save a seat for Rand, buy him food, and help him with homework for the classes he hated. He, Weverlin, was Rand's best friend in everyone's eyes.
But it only takes a few months for close friends who were once inseparable to become distant.
He could only learn about this distance through scattered information passed down by word of mouth from outsiders.
——Rant performed outstandingly in the subsequent selection of Holy Sons.
——Rant went to Pauillac and resolutely chose to stay when the epidemic broke out.
——Lant was favored by the God of Light and possessed the power to cure the plague.
——Lant was conferred the title of Son of God by His Holiness the Pope in Rosay.
——Rant traveled to various places to solve the epidemic for all those who were suffering.
——……
No one would ever mention Rand as their inseparable friend, Wavelin.
There will never be another one.
Wavelin silently touched the cold scabbard at his waist, trying to calm himself down.
Lu Yi obviously had no intention of continuing the topic, and asked instead: "Waverlin, didn't you go to participate in the selection of the Knights of Judgment? Why did you just say that you became the captain of the Holy Son's Guard?"
Lu Yi absolutely did not believe that Waverin would not pass the selection of the Knights of Judgment.
As expected, Wavelin was distracted by him and replied, "This is the order of His Holiness the Pope. He has granted me the privilege of serving as both the captain of the Holy Son's personal guard and the Knight of Judgement."
Lu Yi narrowed his eyes slightly, "It was arranged by His Majesty..."
It's Callisto again.
"I think His Majesty may have taken our friendship into consideration, so he transferred me to the Royal Guards."
Lu Yi raised his eyes and corrected: "No, I think it's because your strength is more outstanding."
Wavelin shook his head and said, "No, Rand, I am very self-aware. In terms of ability, I definitely cannot be ranked as the captain of the guard. It is only because of this connection that His Majesty chose me.
"There are many powerful Templar Knights in the Royal Guards, and some of them were even transferred from His Majesty's Royal Guards. Lante, His Majesty values you very much."
Lu Yi raised his eyebrows in disapproval.
"But no matter what, I am really happy to be transferred into your personal guard, Rand."
Just like the grand wish he had made in his heart in the past.
To become the most loyal knight under Rand.
And I am moving forward slowly but steadily on the right path, Weverlin thought.
Lu Yi smiled slightly when he heard this, "I'm happy too, Wavelin."
Rather than letting other Templar Knights of unknown origin become the captain of his personal guard, Lu Yi would rather fight alongside Wavelin, who he knows well and has a certain friendship with.
This road is difficult, but at least I have a companion now, Lu Yi thought.
…
A few days later.
Lu Yi knelt in the prayer hall in the inner hall for morning prayer.
Because he already knew the truth about the God of Light, his prayers now were just pretense.
He appears to be extremely holy and pious, but in reality his soul is wandering and he is drowsy.
[“Next time I meet Ares, I must ask him to change the time of morning prayer…”] Lu Yi said unconsciously due to his sleepiness.
[“I’m so sleepy. Don’t the people in the Vatican understand spring sleepiness? Who would get up at five or six in the morning to pray?”]
[Spring sleepiness, autumn fatigue, summer naps, winter hibernation, right? I understand, I understand...] 857 echoed.
Lu Yi remained silent again. Relying on the fact that he had a hall to himself for the morning prayer of the Son of God, he began to wander in the void.
"Didn't you get enough rest last night?"
A clear, elegant and noble voice suddenly sounded, waking Lu Yi up from his sleepiness.
Lu Yi remained motionless, slowly opened his clear eyes, and said calmly: "I had a good rest last night, thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."
Callisto chuckled, with no intention of exposing him.
"How have you been doing in the Vatican these past few days? Are you able to adapt?"
"Thanks to Your Majesty, I feel more comfortable in the Vatican than at home." Lu Yi also smiled.
Isn’t it true? Callisto’s people are everywhere. I’m afraid Callisto knows exactly how many apples he eats in a day.
"But I remember that you were not having a good time at home." Callisto said softly.
【“Here we go.”】 Lu Yi perked up. 【“Are you trying to play the emotional card?”】
"No matter what happened in the past, I only know that I am happy in the Holy See now."
"That would be great."
Callisto stood up and invited, "Would you like to go out for a walk together, Lanter?"
"With pleasure."
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