Chapter 35 The Holy See's Secret Techniques Combined
It's recess time now, and there are many students coming and going in the corridor. The portraits on the walls are discussing today's weather.
In the slightly noisy environment, Ancia's world suddenly quieted down, and all she could hear was Verion's calm words.
Her pupils contracted sharply, her heart suddenly felt like it had been struck a heavy blow, and she was a little breathless. "What did you say?"
Verion repeated coldly, "I said, assuming Heligalo is dead, would you reconsider?"
Ancia braced herself against the wall, took a deep breath, and forced herself to calm down. "Heligalo has been missing for several days. Do you know something?"
Verion's light gray eyes swept over her tense and concerned expression. "It seems that the friendship between you two is more significant than I thought. I do know some things, but I have no reason to tell you."
Ancia was so angry she had a headache.
Verion nodded slightly. "I'll ask again after Heligalo's funeral."
He turned and left, his black cloak rippled through the air behind him.
Ancia almost threw the laptop she was holding, but then she remembered her agility stat and realized she wouldn't hit anyone anyway. She managed to control herself, leaned against the wall, and stuffed the laptop back into her system inventory. Only then did she realize her hands were trembling slightly.
Having been in the game for so long, the first male protagonist that Ancia got to know deeply was Heligalo. She descended upon the Monster Mountain Range, and when she thought she was going to die in the jaws of the Gale Serpent, it was Heligalo who came to her rescue.
He was also the first friend Ancia made on the Miracle Continent. No matter when she looked back, she could always see Heligaluo's reliable figure and gentle smile.
It's not just because Heligalo is in danger, even possibly dead—he's Heligalo, after all…
He is the Holy Son of Light, the future Pope, and one of the game's designated male protagonists. The game's storyline is not even halfway through, so how could he be injured so frequently, to the point where he might die?
How could a game allow the male protagonist to die before the ending?
If Heligalo dies before the story ends, how will she get home?
"World Will, why did Heligaluo break free from the protection of the plot?" Ancia questioned directly in her mind.
[Dear player, this is no longer the game world you remember. You can think of it as a 99% real world. Therefore, it's reasonable for Herigalo's fate to change due to the real world's trajectory.]
Ancia almost laughed in anger.
"Okay, very good."
"Since you call me a player, I only know one thing."
"Players are the lifeblood of the game; there's no reason for anything players want to do to fail!"
Ancia's dark eyes held a storm brewing within them, as if capable of crushing all obstacles. She turned and returned to the Tower of Light.
My mentor, Cheryl, is no longer in the Tower of Light; she only comes here when she's teaching.
Ancia took out the teleportation crystal, activated it without hesitation by inputting magic power, and instantly arrived at the mage tower in the Eternal City.
The sun parrot in the foyer tilted its head, as if to say, "My little master is here."
"Abby, is our mentor in the tower?"
"The master is at the top of the tower."
Ancia got her answer and hurried up the spiral staircase. She had never felt that the stairs of the mage tower were so long.
Hearing the noise coming from behind the half-open door, Cheryl looked up and saw her steady and obedient apprentice running in, slightly out of breath.
"What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry? Is something the matter? Sit down and tell me slowly." Cheryl moved a soft chair next to Ancia with a flick of her finger.
Ancia shook her head, walked over, placed her hands on the solid wood desk, and leaned forward unconsciously, seeking confirmation from Cheryl who was sitting there.
"Your mentor knows the Holy See very well, and you also know about Heligaluo, right?"
Cheryl stopped writing, the ink spreading darkly on the paper. "Where did you get that conclusion?"
“Although you are the only archmage among the light mages who is not affiliated with the Church of Light, your usual attitude toward the Church of Light is too distant, as if you are deliberately drawing a line. Moreover, Heli has not hidden his familiarity with you, a familiarity that cannot be detected through intelligence.”
Ancia's hands clenched on the table. "Mentor, Heli is in danger, and I must go to save him. If you know any crucial information, could you tell me?"
Cheryl sighed. "Where are you going to save him? I don't even know where he is now. Over the past thousand years, countless high-ranking priests and nearly a hundred light mages have appeared in the Holy See, and they have all been helpless against this secret technique. How can you possibly save him?"
"What secret technique?" Anxiya's heart tightened, and she quickly asked.
Cheryl hesitated for a moment, but ultimately succumbed to the apprentice's gleaming dark eyes. She couldn't bear to see the pleading and despair within them. "Have you seen the current Pope?"
“I’ve seen him. He was a bald old man.” Ancia recalled Pope Louis XV and only remembered his shiny bald head.
“He is the longest-lived pope in the history of the Holy See of Light, and the reason is that this generation has the extremely talented Holy Son of Light, Heligalo.” Cheryl stood up, took out a copy of “Chronicles of the Miracle Continent” from the bookshelf behind her, and handed it to Ancia.
Page seventeen.
Ancia turned to that page.
Historical records indicate that the human territory was first invaded by the demon race. The demon race's offensive was not only swift, but the pollution contained in their attacks also eroded the human spirit. Only the light-type classes could resist the pollution to some extent, and the human race was almost wiped out.
In a time of crisis, a light mage received instructions under the statue of the God of Light and learned the secret art to resolve evil thoughts. A large number of people gathered behind him, which was the prototype of the Church of Light.
“That mage was Louis I, and the learning threshold for that secret technique is quite high. Not only must one have pure faith in the God of Light, but one must also have an affinity for the light element higher than 95,” Cheryl said calmly.
The magical world is fair; there are no free lunches.
"Did this secret technique really solve the pollution problem? And what was the price it came at?" Ancia immediately noticed the strangeness of it.
"No, to be more precise, the way the secret art resists evil thoughts is not by eliminating them, but by transferring them. Successive popes have transferred the harm suffered by important clergy members of the Papacy onto themselves, including the evil thoughts in their wounds. Therefore, the Papacy advocates asceticism and resists the growth of evil thoughts by suppressing inner emotions."
"Twenty years ago, the demons launched another large-scale invasion. Since then, there have been constant minor skirmishes with the empire. The current pope overused secret arts and was almost on his deathbed. It was Heligaluo who had learned secret arts in advance and fulfilled the duties of the pope in his place for nearly ten years, which is why the pope is still alive today. I participated in the Vatican's research on secret arts, but we tried everything we could but could not break the cost of the secret arts."
"I cannot agree with the Holy See's practices over the past thousand years, raising holy sons and daughters from childhood and letting them step into a predetermined fate while they are still ignorant. It's too cruel. But I also cannot stand on moral high ground to condemn them, because the Holy See is not acting for its own selfish interests, but for the future of humanity."
Cheryl sighed regretfully and looked at her apprentice, "Heligalo has been using arcane arts since he was a teenager, and he should be nearing his limit now. If you can find him, accompany him on his final journey."
Ancia stared blankly, passively receiving a massive amount of information. She had no idea that these things were not mentioned in the game's storyline.
Heligalo was only nine years old ten years ago, right?
What were his feelings as he practiced the secret arts, and how did he accept the fate that the Holy See had planned for him?
Ancia loved Heligalo's gentle and calm demeanor. She never worried about upsetting him when she was with him. It was like the morning sun, warm and gentle on the skin, making her want to close her eyes and take another nap.
But his gentle and calm demeanor was the result of suppressing his inner emotions for more than a decade. His identity and responsibilities as the Holy Son of Light bound him, preventing him from being free.
If she's just being unreasonable, then just make sure Herrigallo explains the inexplicable wounds that appeared on his body to her.
If only she had been more perceptive and had noticed the subtle clues between her mentor and the Church of Light sooner, and learned of the existence of the secret technique.
Many thoughts flashed through Ancia's mind, but in the end, only the one she regretted the most remained—
If only she had been brave enough to invite Heligalo out that night in the Papal Gardens of Red Maple City.
“…I should have invited you sooner.” Ancia’s voice trembled as she spoke softly, her voice so faint that even she could barely hear it.
Her sadness and grief were obvious.
Cheryl placed her hand on Ancia's shoulder and patted her reassuringly. "Herigalo's current whereabouts are a secret. Only the cardinals of the Holy See should know. I can't help you. I'm sorry."
Ansia gently shook her head, "It's alright, I'm very grateful to my mentor for telling me so much."
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them again. The confusion in her eyes vanished, leaving only a determined spark. "I will find a way to find him."
It wasn't until she took a step that Ancia realized her legs were numb and stiff, making it difficult to walk. She leaned against the wall and slowly descended the mage tower to the lobby on the first floor to activate the teleportation array and return to Gracia.
My body was stiff, but my mind became increasingly clear.
She is not a saint, and the Holy See will not tell her about Heligaluo's whereabouts. She would probably be politely asked to leave the Holy See the moment she utters the words "secret art," and would be monitored for a period of time.
Verion might know, but he's waiting for news of Heligalo's death, and even if he did, he wouldn't tell her.
Merri's Dark Night Guild has connections; they can investigate as long as you pay, and you just need to wait a while. But what she needs most right now is time.
Ancia had a premonition that if she couldn't find Heligalo tonight, then hearing his name again would mean she was being notified of a funeral.
As night falls, Moon Lake is bathed in moonlight, with the moon and a few stars reflected in the water, supported by the pagoda's shadow reflected in the lake.
No, she has another option.
Ancia's gaze fell upon the towering structure standing in the lake, where the windows on the top floor were emitting a soft glow.
"If you have any doubts, you can come to me, and Xingchen will unravel your confusion."
The mysterious astrologer whispered these words in her ear.
"Then let me see if astrology is truly all-knowing," Ancia murmured.
Stepping onto the lotus leaves by the lake, the lotus leaves under your feet instantly light up. Following the path that follows, a lotus leaf path connecting to the Moon Tower in the center of the lake lights up, and the last three lotus leaves rise higher and higher to form steps.
Ancia climbed to the last floor, and a door appeared in the completely enclosed tower, opening itself for her. The shell-shaped staircase spiraled upwards, leading all the way to the top of the tower.
"Good night, lost traveler, the stars have been waiting for you for a long time." The dean's voice came from the end of the stairs, elegant and melodious.
Ancia stepped onto the seashell staircase. The walls inside the Moon Tower were a deep blue, rough to the touch, and had a subtle shimmer, as if they were dyed with rare mineral pigments.
As she moved, the wind chimes on the wall tinkled, their swaying bringing with them a damp scent.
The door to the Moon Tower is magical; it doesn't appear fixedly on the wall, but rather emerges according to the tower owner's wishes.
The pearl door opened automatically, and Ancia stepped inside, her eyes widening slightly.
It was as if she had stepped into the Milky Way.
In this room, the boundaries between walls and ceiling are indistinguishable; everything is a flowing galaxy, and all the furniture floats in the air, able to move freely.
The dean sat on a sofa. His mage robe had no star markings and was made of a mysterious and special material, not the common cotton or silk.
"Please sit down." He raised his hand, and a soft, dark green sofa was moved next to Ancia.
Ancia tentatively sat down, and the sofa slowly floated to the side opposite the dean.
Normally, she would be happy to observe this fantastical moon tower, but today she only wanted one answer: "Dean, I've come to have my fortune told."
The dean's face was hidden behind the nebula; only his smiling voice could be heard as he asked, "What do you want to divine? Is it about yourself, or about your...friend?"
He held those last two words on the tip of his tongue, with an inexplicable tenderness.
“Aren’t astrologers supposed to be omniscient? Since the dean knew I was coming, he should also know what I want to have divined.” Anciya’s gaze was sharp, trying to see through the moving nebula to understand the mysterious dean’s purpose.
“Of course.” The dean’s palm was facing upwards, and a wisp of the Milky Way in the sky flowed into his palm like water. In the miniature Milky Way, the stars alternated between light and shadow, and his slender fingers played with them. He lowered his head slightly, looked down at the Milky Way in his hand, and observed the results given by the stars.
The stars drifted and rotated in their orbits, eventually coming to a slow stop.
"The starlight points to the city where you first met," the dean explained.
They met in the Monster Mountains, but if it's a city, only Red Maple City fits the bill.
Ancia's expression hardened, and she was about to stand up from the sofa.
"Don't rush." The dean raised his hand to stop her. "Red Maple City is on the border of the empire. Only the teleportation arrays in the Holy See and the Imperial Palace have teleportation anchor points for the major cities. They obviously won't lend them to you. How are you going to get there?"
“I’ll go find my mentor and ask her for help.” Ancia moved her lips, having no other choice but to place her hopes on Cheryl.
“Cheryl didn’t set up any anchor points in Red Maple City, so she can’t build a teleportation array that leads directly to Red Maple City.” The dean shook his head.
Ancia's breathing became heavy, her face turned pale, and her fingers unconsciously dug into her palms, leaving several curved marks.
“You have a way.” She looked directly at the dean. “You went to great lengths to guide me to the Moon Tower tonight, all for this moment, didn’t you?”
The dean suddenly sighed softly, "Don't look at me like that, Ancia. I'm not your enemy. I just want some compensation."
“Just tell me what you want,” Ancia said calmly. His purpose didn’t matter; all she wanted to do tonight was find Heligalo.
“The Moon Tower’s teleportation array anchor point is a person. I can activate the teleportation array leading to Red Maple City and send you directly to the vicinity of Heligaluo,” the Dean said softly. “As for the reward, I want a promise that I won’t make things difficult for you, is that alright?” “Deal,” Ancia agreed without hesitation.
A huge teleportation array appeared in the very center of the room, with a six-pointed star as its base and countless tiny threads superimposed on it, just like the complexities of fate.
Ancia stood inside, watching the dean take out a handful of magic crystals from his storage space and throw them onto the teleportation array. The precious magic crystals were squandered in his hands like glass beads. The magic crystals tinkled as they fell to the ground and were all absorbed by the teleportation array.
Could it be that such a complex teleportation array could be activated faster with magic crystals than with magic power alone?
Ancia's dazed thoughts didn't last long. Just a few seconds later, the six-pointed star of the teleportation array lit up, and a gentle blue light enveloped her as she disappeared into the Moon Tower.
"I wish you all the best, Ancia." The dean's hand touched Ancia's slowly fading projection, watching the starlight pass through his fingertips, untouchable and uncaptureable.
*
It would take a carriage half a month to travel from the Eternal City to the border town of Red Maple.
The teleportation array only takes three seconds.
The scenery in front of Ancia suddenly changed. Standing outdoors, the familiar scene before her made her immediately realize where she was.
It was the inner court of the Holy See in Red Maple City, but the subtle architectural details were different from the guesthouse where I had stayed.
“If the anchor point is Heligaluo, then he should be nearby, right? This is the sanctuary where the clergy reside?” Ancia stood in front of the tightly closed sanctuary doors, opened the map to check, and her guess was correct.
A string of yellow dots was walking towards her. If she stayed there, they would meet in thirty seconds.
"Damn it, it's the Holy See's patrolling knights." Ancia quickly circled around to the other side of the temple. As she hid in the shadows on the side of the palace, the orderly footsteps of the knights passed by the place where she had just teleported.
The temple was too large. Ancia groped her way along the wall in the darkness. She dared not use light magic to illuminate the way and could only barely make out the path under her feet by the faint moonlight.
In the darkness, her only clue was the system map. This temple seemed to be reserved for high-ranking clergy. Within the area where the fog on the map had dispersed, not a single dot representing a living person appeared.
Ancia walked all the way to the end of the temple, and finally a green dot appeared on the map.
Even though the green dot didn't display any name, Ancia immediately recognized it as representing Heligalo.
Ancia looked up and saw on the 3D map that the green dot was on the second floor of the temple.
The main gate of the temple was already closed, and the entrance was within the knights' patrol route. Since she didn't know any lock-picking magic, entering through the main gate was out of the question.
The second-floor window wasn't closed tightly, and a patch of ivy grew from the balcony to the corner of the wall, its delicate branches and leaves adding a touch of life to the cold, hard stone wall.
"You're the one." Ancia murmured to herself, pouring golden-green magic into the ivy in her hand.
Life is being restored.
The magic once used to revitalize diseased plants is now being used on healthy ivy, its abundant power bringing them to life and even producing miraculous effects.
The slender vines grew thick in a short time, and Ancia tentatively tugged at them, but they didn't break.
Then they hung their whole bodies on it, and the rattan creaked, but it still didn't break.
Ancia pulled herself up the vines, stepping on the rough stone wall, and climbed up to the second floor, then onto the balcony. Behind her, the ivy, which had lost its magical power, gradually returned to its original state.
Standing on the balcony, Ancia realized that it wasn't a window, but a half-open glass door. Through the glass, she saw a person lying on the bed, with only their chest rising and falling slightly.
There was also a strong smell of blood wafting in through the cracks in the door.
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Author's note: Posting a two-part update to celebrate the National Day holiday, see you on Thursday~
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