Chapter 52
“Do you think he looks like your son?” Astor asked, pointing at Arnold.
Lortheran: "?"
How can someone who's been dead for hundreds of years suddenly become a father?
He squinted and sized up Arnold, thinking to himself that something was wrong. This kid really did look somewhat like this body, and Veris hadn't told him about it!
Lortheran decided to stall these people for a bit and then go find Veris.
How would I know?
He turned to leave.
Allen, who was still stunned by Aster's surprised question, looked at Lortheran who turned and ran away, and sensed that something was wrong. He glanced at Murphy next to him.
Murphy hesitated for a moment, but the white light of a magical incantation still flickered at his fingertips.
The white light transformed into a thin line and flew towards Lortheran.
Having experienced the events in the Ice Town, Murphy no longer limited his studies to offensive magic, but also learned other types of magic, including bloodline magic.
Fifth-tier magic is a rare sight even on the continent.
The white light passed through Arnold's body and headed towards Lortheran. If the white light changed color, then the two people must be related by blood.
Lortheran turned his head and looked at the white light flying towards him, realizing something was wrong. Why were these people still making a move at the High Church?
Veris didn't say what the relationship was between the hero and this body, and whether that relationship could be exposed, Lortheran felt it was better to avoid contact with the hero and his companions to avoid unnecessary trouble.
But why are these people checking his identity without even saying a word?! His physical talent isn't that great; he hasn't trained at all!
Just as the white light was about to pass through Lortheran's body, a cyan magic circle suddenly appeared. The white light struck the cyan magic circle, instantly shattered, and then shattered into dust, disappearing into the air.
Lortheran stopped in his tracks.
Murphy was slightly pale from the backlash of the magic, but it was only a minor injury, and the other party did not intend to retaliate.
Behind Lortheran, a figure slowly walked down the corridor. The figure was tall, dressed in a black and white holy robe, with black hair hanging down and cold eyes.
"Magic is forbidden for outsiders within the Papacy," he said coldly.
Lortheran's eyes widened, and he rushed to Sylvain's side, rubbing his hands together obsequiously, "You've come just in time, Your Highness."
After all, they were once in the same squad. With Sylvain's arrival, Lortheran felt more confident.
Allen stepped forward again, offering a smiling explanation. His words were polished and more diplomatic than during his time with Albion.
Sylvain's gaze remained indifferent as he simply said, "Your personal matters are your own to resolve. Your father has not yet formally accepted you as his student. If you break the law, you will be punished accordingly." He spoke the last sentence while looking at Murphy.
Murphy stared at him and recognized him as the man who was very close to Veris at the Mercury Cathedral.
After Sylvain finished speaking, he glanced at Lortheran and frowned: "He wants you to go to the council chamber."
"He" naturally refers to Veris.
Lortheran quickly responded and turned to run away.
The council chamber wasn't far from the dining room. Having spent so many years wandering around the Grand Vatican, Lortheran was naturally familiar with the route. He even took a shortcut, turning left and right between the staircases connecting the attics, and soon found the back door of the council chamber.
Previously, Sylvain had also received envoys from various factions here.
The archbishops' monthly meetings are also held here.
The council chamber was lit. We walked through the empty rooms until we reached the innermost one, with its door half-closed, clearly reserved for Lortheran.
When Lortheran opened the door, he saw Veris sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, holding a piece of paper and looking at it.
Hearing the noise, he raised his head, a mischievous smile on his face: "How does it feel to be pursued by your great-grandson?"
Lortheran: "..."
"Not good? It's embarrassing." He shrugged, closed the door, and found a seat as far away from Veris as possible.
As soon as he sat down, he asked the question he had been wanting to ask: "What do you want me to do after you've resurrected me?"
Veris raised his hand, and the paper in his hand seemed to be carried by something, flying towards Lortheran. He crossed his hands on his thighs and said, "I originally just wanted you to occupy this body, but now there's a troublesome matter."
When the paper reached Lortheran, he took it, glanced at its contents, and frowned.
At the New Year's Eve party, a banquet was naturally held within the royal family. However, the king suddenly fainted while toasting, and the royal physician said that His Majesty was suffering from a serious illness and that he might not live much longer.
Lortheran looked up and watched as Veris pointed a finger at the air. A point of light appeared, followed by several more points of light floating in the void. He squinted at them for a moment: "This is... a constellation?"
With a flick of his slender fingers, the star chart was fully revealed before Lortheran.
The blond man looked at the star chart, his expression turning serious.
The king's star dimmed, with a blood-red star close by, and he was afflicted by a curse. This was not due to fate, but rather... human intervention.
What's going on?
Veris tilted his head, thought for a moment, and then said, "It's probably because someone has targeted the royal family."
He paused for a moment, then added, "The Third Prince is a strong contender for the crown prince position, but I must remind you that he is not of royal blood."
Lortheran's expression changed, and he cautiously asked, "You mean..."
“Disrupt the royal bloodline and take its place.” Veris said with a smile.
Lortheran sat in his chair, silent for a long time. Over the years, no matter what trouble the royal family caused, he paid little attention, because no matter what those descendants did, their bloodline was still his.
The Kingdom of Lortheran is currently at its zenith, yet someone dares to do such a thing.
He looked up at the stars, examined them repeatedly, and finally figured out the clue.
"Is this Blood Star connected to the Seven Gods' Old Star?" His voice held a hint of astonishment.
Veris hummed in agreement: "I suspect it's the old gods who are behind this. The hero's campaign against the Demon King is just a pretext; the real purpose is to lure out the other awakened gods."
Lortheran, who had also experienced the era of the Seven Gods, snorted coldly, revealing a hint of the majesty he once held as an emperor: "You actually want to interfere in the affairs of the human race?"
“I will have Sylvain go to the palace tomorrow.” Veris picked up the teacup on the table next to him, took a sip, and said calmly, “The envoy from the kingdom requests that His Majesty the Holy Son go to pray for blessings. Usually, Hilda would do these things, but this time he specifically asked for Sylvain.”
“Isn’t Sylvain only recently taken office as the Holy Son? His position is higher than that of the Archbishop, so it’s normal to invite him over, right?” Lortheran asked, puzzled.
Veris raised his hand, and the constellations changed again, and Lortheran looked over as well.
The star chart flickered, and after examining it for a while, Lortheran noticed something was wrong. His expression suddenly turned grim: "This is..."
The teacup was placed back on the table with a "click," and Veris's voice became colder: "Audacious and reckless."
The two men, who had once ruled the entire continent, exchanged a glance.
Lortheran understood Veris's meaning: "Shall I go with you tomorrow?"
"Isn't this body belonging to a nobleman? Will I be alright?"
Veris raised his chin: "That's exactly what I want people to doubt."
Lortheran sat obediently in his chair. After all, these things were caused by his descendants, who even tried to murder Sylvain. He felt guilty and asked, "Then what should I do?"
As soon as he finished asking the question, a light gold magic circle appeared on the table in front of him, and then an identity document quietly lay on the table.
Lortheran picked up the identification document.
“Your new identity is that of a specially appointed astrologer of the Papacy,” Veris said. “That’s quite an impressive title.”
Yes, Lortheran was once an astrologer, but he is better known as a warrior than an astrologer.
Astrologers, a profession even rarer than magicians, are always treated as honored guests wherever they go.
"...Why am I called Lortheran?" Lortheran looked up, wasn't this just asking for a scolding?
Everyone knows that the founding emperor was named Lortheran.
Veris: "What else would you call yourself if not Lortheran? Martin?"
He recalled the scene at the restaurant, coughed a few times, but still couldn't help laughing.
His name was Lortheran, and he looked like royalty, or more accurately, he resembled Lortheran's original body. It was as if he had come to cause trouble.
Lortheran was worried that he would never be able to leave his former home—Lortheran Palace.
The matter was settled, but Lortheran insisted that Veris give him something to protect himself. He was really afraid that those elders would get angry and kill him. If they killed him first and then reported it, wouldn't all his efforts have been in vain?
Veris pointed outside, telling him to go to the treasury and get it himself.
Lortheran muttered under his breath as he walked out with his newly issued ID. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Sylvain, shrank back, and scurried away like a quail, hiding behind the wall.
"Want to go see the fireworks?" Sylvain asked, standing in the doorway.
Veris was still sitting on the sofa looking at the star chart, while fireworks were already going off outside the window, their light flashing and shining on his face.
He looked up and smiled: "Wait a moment."
Sylvain walked over and glanced at the star chart: "Is this the overall chart for this year?"
"Hmm, there's still a part I haven't finished writing down."
Veris's long, slender fingers twirled the floating specks of light, countless stars appearing and disappearing at his fingertips. His heterochromatic eyes were serious, and his movements quickened.
The overall star chart should be recorded on the last day of the year, ideally at night.
Every year as everyone celebrates the arrival of the New Year, Veris records the overall celestial chart for that year.
The astrological observatory also keeps records, but Veris doesn't entirely trust the records of his juniors.
He pointed to the chair next to the sofa: "Sit down."
Sylvain obediently sat there, then leaned closer. Veris didn't look at him, but his other hand landed precisely and gently on Sylvain's head.
They seem more like a tyrannical ruler and a wicked concubine who brought ruin to the country.
Veris was lost in thought, his eyes sparkling with starlight. He had a photographic memory; he could remember the stars that caught his eye, yet he still had the mind to think about other things.
“You and Lortheran will go to the palace tomorrow,” he said.
Sylvain glanced at the stars, understood what it was about, and simply nodded.
“Yannis wants to reveal your identity, but those people won’t believe in the return of the gods. You’ll just be labeled as one of the demons.” Veris tapped the last point of light, and the entire star chart vanished. He looked down at his best friend.
“The power of the divine spark is unstable; he hasn’t fully integrated it yet,” Sylvan said softly.
Veris didn't say anything, just nodded to indicate that he understood, then stood up and took Sylvain's hand: "Let's not talk about this anymore, let's go see the fireworks."
They haven't celebrated a New Year in a long time.
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Author's Note: I'm too busy today. I'll see if I can finish the second half later [done]. Or maybe I can finish it tomorrow.
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