Volume 1 Chapter 173

Volume 1 + Chapter 173: Not Stupid, But Evil

“Do you have any objections? This token was personally bestowed upon me by the Supreme Pope of the Holy See himself. It symbolizes the highest divine authority, allowing me to command those uncivilized beasts in the wild, transforming them into the Church’s sharp blade, fighting for our cause, and eradicating that rotten scourge with thunderous force!”

“Those heretics not only dare to disregard the Church’s majesty but are also openly expanding their influence, spreading bewitching fallacies everywhere. Their very existence is already the most severe provocation and threat to the Church’s authority!”

“Therefore, utilizing the power of these magical beasts to annihilate them completely is only right and proper. It neither wastes our own strength nor demonstrates the true power of our Church to the world, forcing all those foolish enough to question the Church to shut their mouths for good!”

“Even these uncivilized beasts harbor hostility towards those vile heretics, tearing their flesh without hesitation. Is this not the will of God? Is this not divine punishment? Is this not the best proof that our Church stands above all?”

Listening to the Pope’s twisted and fanatical words, Vivian felt as if her heart was gripped by an invisible hand, making it momentarily hard to breathe.

Her gaze swept slowly across the hall. She saw the Church’s high-ranking officials around her, all stirred with fervor, their faces alight with excitement and zeal, eagerly echoing the Pope’s near-delusional statements without hesitation.

Their voices intertwined, merging into a near-frenzied roar that echoed within this grand yet oppressive hall.

And she herself stood there like an out-of-place outsider, alone, bewildered, and stunned.

In the past, she had believed she was one of them. She too had once trusted the Pope’s every word implicitly, even becoming exhilarated by them. Yet now, hearing these familiar words again, her heart could no longer ignite the old fervor. Instead, it was replaced by an unprecedented shock and confusion.

She saw the Church’s dictatorship, saw the deep-seated arrogance and cruelty rooted in their hearts, and saw the desperation and unscrupulous tactics they were resorting to, forced into a corner by the rise of the heretics.

They shouted about God’s will, but was this truly divine intention?

The Church, which had once seemed as lofty and unattainable as the sacred heavens in Vivian’s eyes, now appeared so hypocritical, so despicable.

She had once believed this place was a symbol of radiance, the highest embodiment of order in the world, the ideal land she sought all her life. But now, seeing these people’s true faces and understanding the essence of their actions, she finally realized it was all just a self-deceiving fantasy.

Their ideals, their methods of operation, ran completely counter to everything Eve had taught her since childhood, even to the point of being laughably nauseating.

Vivian didn’t understand, truly didn’t understand, why she had once placed such profound hope in an organization like this, or why she had been willing to betray those who truly cared for and loved her just to join it.

She had once been so obsessed with becoming one of them, even to the point of betraying…

“Saintess, we’re counting on you for this matter! You are our most important pillar. Please give it your all. Of course, if there’s any area where you need help, I will do my utmost to assist!”

A crisp voice sounded in her ear. A young female Cardinal Deacon in Church attire eagerly grabbed her arm, her tone earnest, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration and worship.

For a moment, Vivian was stunned. She looked into those clear eyes and felt a sudden sense of deja vu.

This gaze… why did it feel so familiar?

It was as if she had seen the same look somewhere, at some time.

Suddenly… it hit her.

Hadn’t she herself been exactly like this once?

She too had once looked up to someone like this, had once so devoutly followed in that person’s footsteps, had once believed that simply by becoming a part of her, she could touch her radiance and become as powerful and awe-inspiring as she was.

That person was Eve.

Back then, Eve was also a Cardinal Deacon in the Church. Because of her exemplary conduct, she had contributed greatly to both the Church and the Empire, even wielding significant influence within the Church. Even the Pope seated high above had to show her some respect.

And back then, Vivian, just like the young girl before her now, had harbored ardent admiration, clutching Eve’s arm, gazing at her with envy as she commanded respect within the Church, seemingly capable of anything.

Perhaps the seed of her desire to join the Church was planted right then.

But why had she joined in that way? When had she become so fanatical? When had her faith twisted into zealotry?

Everything began because of Eve, and ultimately ended because of Eve as well. She had achieved her ideal, but reality was completely different from what she had imagined.

Today’s Church, without Eve, was gradually decaying. The Empire, having lost Eve, saw its development increasingly stagnate.

Even the Empire’s once most proud and advanced field, Magical Studies, saw the pace of textbook updates suddenly slow to a crawl.

In the past, Magical Studies textbooks were revised and innovated every six months. Now, two whole years after Eve’s departure, the only changes amounted to adjusting a few punctuation marks. The core text remained untouched, with no one daring to revise it, or even to study it.

Those scholars and professors who had once prided themselves on their erudition fell silent before the theories Eve left behind, not daring to make rash changes, only muddling along under the Church’s protection.

Was this the place she had once yearned for? Was this the Church she had once been willing to pay any price to join?

It was truly laughable. Vivian felt this place was even worse than a circus, at least a circus could elicit laughter…

But everyone here wore clown masks for disguise. Beneath those seemingly harmless masks hid sharp fangs, as if ready to tear everything apart at any moment.

“Well then, this meeting is adjourned. Everyone, please return to your duties and ensure the plan is implemented as soon as possible. Upon success, I will be generous with rewards. Whatever you desire, I shall satisfy!”

The Pope’s tone was mild yet carried undeniable authority. He slowly raised his hand, gesturing slightly to dismiss those present.

People in the conference room rose one after another, their eyes filled with barely concealed excitement and anticipation. Clearly, they were immersed in dreams of future benefits, eager to take action. Vivian, however, was the only one who hadn’t moved. She stood there, staring blankly at the Pope, her heart filled with bewilderment, seeming utterly out of place amidst the room’s fervor.

Just as her thoughts were churning, the Pope’s voice sounded again.

“Vivian, stay. Come with me.”

His brief words drew envious glances from the others present. Being summoned alone by the Pope was no ordinary honor.

However, Vivian felt no joy in her heart, not even having the time to sort through her confusion before she could only obediently follow.

The two entered a side hall. The Pope slowly took his seat in the master’s chair, his gaze calm as he looked at her, then spoke in a meaningful tone, “Vivian, you seem somewhat distracted lately.”

He paused, as if carefully observing her expression, then continued, “Not only did you request a long leave from the Church, neglecting your official duties, but you even… used all your savings to rent a luxurious apartment for a month?”

The Pope’s tone was unhurried, not sounding reproachful but more like an elder admonishing a junior. However, this very tone made Vivian feel profoundly uncomfortable.

“Do you know how difficult it is to earn money?”

The Pope sighed slightly, his tone tinged with what seemed like regret. “That money of yours, rather than being wasted on meaningless luxury and indulgence, would be better donated to the Church. At least the Church could use those donations for something more valuable and meaningful, for instance, aiding disaster victims, helping those truly in need.”

Upon hearing this, Vivian’s expression immediately turned peculiar. She blinked, her face full of question marks, her mind blank.

She had just been wondering why the Pope had summoned her, and after listening for a while, it seemed that the long string of seemingly concerned and admonishing words at the beginning were all just formalities. The real point was probably in the latter part, right?

“Aiding disaster victims”? “More meaningful things”?

This old bastard probably just thought her money was wasted and might as well be donated to the Church, right?

“Ahem, let’s set that matter aside for now.”

The Pope cleared his throat, raising a hand to indicate the topic should end there. Then his tone lowered, carrying an air of unquestionable authority. “Let’s first look at the task I am assigning you now.”

His gaze fell on the token in Vivian’s hand, the corner of his mouth curling into an inscrutable smile as his voice flowed out slowly. “Regarding this token in your hand, you must have sensed its power by now. This is the Holy See’s most prized magical artifact, bearing the will and blessing of God, a symbol of the Church’s millennia-old heritage.”

Here, he paused, standing with hands clasped behind his back before a tall statue of a deity. Gazing up at the solemn, imposing statue, his expression was pious and profound, as if awaiting some divine guidance or giving Vivian time to digest his words.

“As the Saintess, you are usually gentle and amiable in dealing with others and can maintain good relations with the Imperial Royal Family.”

His voice was measured yet carried a subtle pressure. “Precisely because of this, I have decided to entrust the execution of this plan to you personally.”

“Your task is simple, find a way to breach the Empire’s border defenses and let the magical beasts enter Imperial territory.”

Listening to his words, Vivian’s brows knitted slightly. Her fingers unconsciously tightened, a flicker of doubt and unease in her eyes. She looked down at the token in her hand, her gaze darkening, a trace of wariness rising within.

“Your Holiness, you must be well aware that once these magical beasts are let into Imperial territory, the consequences would be incalculable…”

Her voice was slightly tense, her words carrying restrained skepticism.

She didn’t believe the token in her hand was as powerful as the Pope claimed. In fact, she had doubted from the start that it was merely a prop for show, perhaps carrying some magical aura but not truly possessing the power to control magical beasts.

Vivian wasn’t someone easily deceived. She was, after all, a genius taught by Eve, her ability to discern magical artifacts far surpassing that of ordinary people.

Having been by Eve’s side for years, even if she had been unwilling to learn, constant exposure had instilled in her an almost instinctive judgment.

Whether this token truly possessed the so-called power to control magical beasts, she only needed a glance to have a rough idea.

Instinct told Vivian that this so-called “magical artifact” was likely just a piece of scrap metal wrapped in a magical aura, with minuscule chances of holding any real power.

She narrowed her eyes, her fingertips lightly brushing the token’s cold surface, a sense of unease surfacing in her heart.

This feeling wasn’t unfounded, it stemmed from years of accumulated experience.

Moreover, she had once heard Eve mention that one key method of forging high-level magical artifacts was to deliberately release a strong magical aura to deceive those with insufficient knowledge of such items.

In fact, truly powerful magical artifacts often didn’t casually release their magical aura. On the contrary, the more low-key and restrained they were, the more terrifying the power they concealed.

They usually appeared utterly ordinary, even indistinguishable from common objects at first glance, only revealing their earth-shattering might when truly activated.

This token, however, was the complete opposite. Its magical aura was emitted far too conspicuously, as if it were terrified that others might not realize it was a “treasure.”

The more something is emphasized, the more it is often lacking. Vivian understood this principle better than anyone.

She sighed softly, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes.

Perhaps even that old geezer Pope hadn’t realized that what he held was essentially an elaborately forged counterfeit.

And now, the Pope actually fantasized about using such a fake token to control those unruly, slaughter-driven magical beasts… It was sheer delusion!

If anyone actually believed his nonsense and boldly walked up to magical beasts with this fake token, they’d likely be treated as an intruder the next moment, not even their bones left behind.

Vivian sneered inwardly. Whoever wanted to go on this suicide mission could do so, she had no interest.

Usually doing the Pope’s dirty work, running errands, that was, in the end, just stupidity. But now, he actually wanted her to personally sabotage the Empire’s border defenses and create a tragedy of magical beast invasion?

This was no longer stupidity, it was utter, unadulterated evil!

A century ago, an empire had fallen due to a magical beast invasion.

That wasn’t caused by sabotage but because the city walls, long neglected and lacking maintenance, eventually developed fatal breaches.

The magical beasts keenly detected this vulnerability and swarmed in.

By the time people truly realized the severity of the situation, the beasts had gathered in hordes, completely out of control.

As for that once-glorious empire, it had long since vanished from the map, leaving only brief mentions in history books.

The handful of survivors were merely refugees who fled to other nations, becoming cautionary tales that made the world more acutely aware of the threat of magical beasts.

And now, the Pope actually wanted to deliberately create such a disaster?

Vivian narrowed her eyes, a chill rising in her heart. This wasn’t just madness, it was insanity that knew no bounds.

“In short, this matter is entrusted to you. It is the highest honor. I hope you can successfully complete the Church’s mission.”

“…”

Listening to the Pope’s words, Vivian, this time, did not confidently accept. Instead, she chose silence.

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