I'm really a serious wizard.

Chapter 233 Grasp it, Mr. Pope!
In response to Ron's inappropriate behavior of flirting with women everywhere, the witch decided to take better control of that young virgin.

What is my relationship with him?
Upon hearing this question, Afra tapped the tip of her tail on the ground and stroked her chin, saying:
A relationship that cannot be known by others.

Yes, this is the self-cultivation of a qualified cult member.

A relationship that can't be known by others!?
Could it be that kind of thing?
Upon hearing this, Elena involuntarily gasped, imagining in her mind a handsome and well-behaved young man being tightly bound by the evil snake woman's tail and then cruelly tormented.

"Since you're his helper, what kind of reward did he offer you to get involved?" the witch asked hastily.

How could her little man do that kind of thing with anyone other than her and Olivia?!
The snake woman struck a thoughtful pose, tapping the rocks with the tip of her tail, and briefly summarized:
"He's trading his body."

Well, a deal involving a naked portrait of the matriarch as collateral—it's really hard to refuse.
what! ?

Use, use your body!!!
I should have used that reason to threaten him!

Elena's eyes were lowered, her heart filled with resentment, and she looked heartbroken by the scumbag.

However, at this critical juncture, it is clearly not a good time for internal strife to break out.

After taking a close look at Afra, the witch secretly resolved that once she had dealt with Cyrus VII, she would definitely tell Olivia about the scumbag's indecent behavior.

And where did this guy come from?
Ron did not elaborate on this point at the time, only saying that he had a reliable and powerful helper.

Given that Afra Sistra had only awakened from her slumber three months prior, and very few people outside knew about her, Elena was unsure of her origins.

However, upon seeing the snake's tail, which was covered in emerald green scales,

The witch's eyes flickered slightly; she felt the scales looked strangely familiar.

At this moment, the snake woman's emerald green eyes flickered twice, and she asked curiously:
"Just you?"

"Hmph, you can try to guess whether I came alone or not."

"You guessed right, but there's no reward."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

clang--

clang--

clang--

Three melodious chimes rang out precisely on time, resounding throughout the entire capital, drawing the attention of the people near the Holy Church to the Bell of Order at the very top.

The sun, unusually bright, pierced through the clouds, as if celebrating the once-every-three-years "eternal day".

Even the most wicked actions of the orthodox Vatican cannot extinguish the people's yearning for its deeply ingrained religious beliefs, which have been cultivated over thousands of years.

Tens of thousands of believers gathered under the oval colonnade in the church square, with the central obelisk and two fountains forming the ceremonial axis.

They gazed into the distance and saw rows of neatly dressed, orderly ceremonial guards.
I heard the melodious music of the choir praising the gods from the high platform.

Ah, whenever they see this solemn and majestic scene, the residents of the capital who are forcibly taxed feel a deep sense of pride and excitement.

On the side platform of the sacred church, Her Majesty the Queen sat at the head of the table, behind her a group of invited ministers, nobles, scholars and other distinguished guests.

It's worth mentioning that there were no members of the Stardust Society on the list of invitees, and even Ron, who sneaked in through his Chosen identity, was not in the specially prepared seat.

Because his affair came to light.

Fortunately, that was just a false identity for Ron, while his real identity had already escaped using shapeshifting magic and was lurking among the crowd near the Holy Church.

This shows how important real-name registration is.

The blinding sunlight grew even more intense, piercing through the clouds and reaching the dome of the sacred church.

As the bells rang three times, Cyrus VII, without his scepter, ascended the high platform.

On either side of him stood archbishops in white robes with gold patterns, while beneath his feet lay a soft, thick red carpet. The Pope wore a triple crown, and his elaborate papal robes, which gave him an unusually heavy and imposing presence, accentuated his solemn and dignified demeanor.

According to the plan, he, now exposed to the public eye, would inevitably be attacked by the Stardust Society.

However, although he orchestrated the entire operation, he had no way of knowing in advance how or when Stardust would launch the attack.

Ah, they wouldn't dare launch a surprise attack in broad daylight, with the kingdom's dignitaries, nobles, and even the king nearby; no one could afford such a risk.
With slightly cloudy eyes, Cyrus VII glanced at Catherine on the high platform to the side and ruled out one option in his mind.

Creating traps or using cursed objects are far from sufficient to kill a "legendary" powerhouse.

After much thought, the Pope could only come up with three solutions.

First, at key moments of the ritual, he disguises himself as a cultist and launches an attack, while Olivia, under the guise of protection, continuously inflicts collateral damage on him.

Secondly, the period after the ceremony ends is when people are most relaxed, and launching a sneak attack during this time will forcefully gain the upper hand.

Third, they could cooperate with the royal family, using their credibility to forcefully break off relations and fabricate false charges against him. This would satisfy the public while allowing them to arrest him with peace of mind.

Once you resist, you'll probably never be able to explain yourself clearly.

Thinking of this, a sarcastic smile unconsciously appeared on Cyrus VII's lips.

These methods, while effective, were useless to him since he was already prepared.

He had already prepared a response for whatever method was used.

The advantage is mine!

buzzing-

Amidst the heavy sound of horns, Cyrus VII stood solemnly and dignified.
Surrounded by countless rays of light, he strode steadily to the high platform where he was giving his speech.

The Pope looked down from his high position at the enthusiastic crowd below, taking in everything, and seemed to find pleasure in power.

In this world, only power reigns supreme.

For this reason, he could live a life of poverty, endure tedious religious rituals, and decipher incredibly tedious scriptures.

But today, everything will be rewritten!
Having supreme power, one must still adhere to one's own principles and follow dogma.

Although this is a rule set by the gods, Cyrus VII still wants to say:
"Why!?"

Does the Pope have to remain a virgin for life?
Cyrus VII's lips moved, then he raised his arms and said:
May the holy light dispel the shadows—

"Today, we hereby swear: wherever the sword points, justice will prevail."
"For those who have lost their way, tears of repentance can turn thorns into a smooth path."

"The weight of your souls will be measured by the scales of judgment, and our mercy will never be extinguished."

In an instant, enthusiastic cheers pierced the sky, and tens of thousands of people in the church square raised their hands at the same time, seemingly moved by everything the Pope had described.

Some jumped up excitedly, some shouted incoherently, and others raised their arms like Cyrus VII.

Upon seeing this, a satisfied smile appeared on Cyrus VII's aged face.
He strode forward, and at the same time, a platform covered with a red curtain slowly rose from the high platform facing tens of thousands of believers.

This time there's even a curtain; who did this? It's quite a ritual.
Cyrus VII smiled kindly and reached into the red curtain.

It feels cool to the touch and has raised bumps.

The moment he touched it, Cyrus VII's kind smile froze on his face.

It doesn’t feel right!

This is not the papal scepter!
Facing tens of thousands of expectant and enthusiastic gazes, the Pope gave a forced smile, then bent down and lifted a corner of the curtain to examine it closely.

But in the next instant, Cyrus VII, who had experienced countless storms in his life, suddenly broke out in a cold sweat and immediately pressed the red curtain tightly under his palm.

You can't take this out like that!!!
(End of this chapter)