The goddesses attempted to gain my salvation.

Chapter 175 Tit for Tat

Lavala City?

Ryan thought he had misheard.

After all, he had just planned to go to Lavala when Philin told him that Olina had spent her childhood there.

It's as if there's an invisible thread guiding me somewhere.

Ryan frowned slightly, lost in thought.

As far as he knew, everyone who joined the Vatican underwent a chastity test.

If you don't pass the test, you won't even be able to enter the most remote town churches.

After all, the Vatican has very strict control over this matter.

No carelessness is allowed.

If the rumors are true, then Olina would never have passed the test.

Even the lowest-ranking clergyman can understand this.

The Vatican's high command couldn't possibly be unaware of this matter.

Ryan guessed that the other party's purpose in deliberately amplifying such baseless rumors was to smear Orina and make the believers question her legitimacy as the High Priestess.

Then, under the pretext of an investigation, her rights were temporarily restricted.

If all goes well, they can use the pretext of assisting in the investigation to get her to temporarily leave the Papacy of Basma and go to Lavala.

And it is during this power vacuum that those who spread rumors begin to make their own moves.

In one fell swoop, they dismantled the network of connections that Orina had painstakingly built, and then placed those who opposed Orina in important positions.

Then, the elders stepped forward and announced the establishment of a temporary chief priest to temporarily manage all affairs of the Papacy.

During this temporary period of control, with the help of the council of elders and the opposition forces, this puppet ruler, who has been put in charge, will rapidly integrate his network of contacts and coordinate resources.

It won't be long before we firmly establish ourselves in this position.

Ultimately, the charges against Olina will most likely be acquitted.

But when she returned to the Papacy, the power she had cultivated had long been uprooted, and the entire Papacy was her enemy.

The chief high priest was merely a figurehead.

It's only a matter of time before he's dismissed.

That's truly a ruthless tactic that wins without bloodshed.

Regardless of who spread this rumor, they are certainly a formidable figure.

Ryan had no doubt that if this move was countered, there would be a follow-up move.

However, compared to this, it might become even more bloody and violent, and could even eventually escalate into factional infighting within the Vatican, resulting in bloodshed.

Helping Claire defend the capital of Canosa and securing her position as Speaker relied on overwhelming force and the wisdom accumulated from both worlds.

To help Orina break through these layers of blockades, it would be like playing chess with a master. Ryan would need to anticipate and counter each move, thinking ahead of his opponent at every step.

Not only must we consolidate our own position, but we must also dismantle the opponent's foundation layer by layer.

What they are competing in is their inner strength.

Ryan took a deep breath and then closed his eyes.

My brain is racing, processing countless possibilities...

Finally, he let out a long sigh of relief.

"Thank you for your hard work, Felin."

"Go, go back to Orina."

"What she needs most right now is a strong and reliable partner."

Phil didn't leave; instead, he waited for Ryan's reply.

Ryan saw through her thoughts, and after a moment of contemplation, he gave her the answer she had been waiting for.

"I won't go looking for Orina, you can rest assured about that."

Felin finally breathed a sigh of relief.

After bowing slightly, it disappeared into the gentle breeze.

Thank you for your understanding...

Ryan gazed at the moonlight outside the window, his eyes slightly narrowed.

After a long silence, Ryan finally made his decision.

His form was concealed within the light-attribute magic.

------

The council hall was still brightly lit late at night.

Orina, dressed in a priestess's robe, sat relaxed on a soft chair.

Opposite her was a mature and charming woman.

Like Olina, she was also wearing the priest's robes of the Papacy, though the style was relatively old-fashioned.

She was Trishfa, who had served as the High Priestess before Orina.

Seven magic circuits, rank of elementalist, water-attribute mage.

She possesses physical strength comparable to Orina, but her mastery and understanding of magic far surpasses Orina's.

If the two were to fight to the death, Orina would most likely lose.

However, Orina is, after all, the current High Priestess, and she naturally cannot afford to be outdone by her predecessor.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking intently at Tracy.

“Elder Trishfa, I didn’t know you would grace the Holy See with your presence so late, and that you would invite me to the council chamber.”

"Don't tell me you just want to catch up with me."

Trishfa is not as tall as Orina, but she is just as imposing.

She crossed her fair and slender legs, deliberately letting the slit of her priest's robe slip down to her thighs, revealing large expanses of snow-white skin.

"So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. You look much more mature than you did back then, which is a good thing."

Time has not left any marks on Tracy McGregor; her skin remains firm and elastic.

Slender, long fingers gently supported her chin as she looked at Olina with a playful gaze.

"However, this tone is not appropriate when speaking to a senior."

Orina smiled faintly, and Trishfa responded with a smile in return.

However, there was no hint of a smile in either of their eyes.

There was only cold hostility.

"Elder Trishfa, I am still young and have plenty of time."

"However, time must be a very precious thing for you."

Instead of spending time studying the etiquette between words, let's get straight to the point.

Orina's implication was that you're already old enough to stop acting like a senior citizen, and that you should just shut up and go back to sleep.

Trishfa naturally understood Orina's implied meaning, and his eyebrows twitched a few times in displeasure.

What an arrogant woman!

However, Trish Fa did not intend to have too much of an argument with her here.

This is not wise.

"Youth is not a license for arrogance, Olina."

"Although you are now the High Priest of the Holy See, the Holy See of Bysma is not something you can manipulate at will."

"Sometimes, being too radical can backfire and cause you to shoot yourself in the foot."

Trish Fa smiled coldly, her eyes revealing a murderous intent.

"If I remember correctly, there was once a chief priest who did many overly radical things during his tenure, which eventually violated the doctrine and led to his arrest by the Knights of the Sun."

"Finally, he was sentenced to death directly in the trial council, and even in front of the entire members of the Basmah Church, he was beheaded."

"I think you should know about this."

Orina yawned.

He stretched casually.

"Thank you for Elder Trishfa's advice. I will keep it in mind."

"However, it's getting late, and I have things to do tomorrow, so I'm sorry I can't continue chatting with you. Besides, you should also go to bed early to maintain healthy skin."

"Isn't it?"

After bowing slightly, Orina, wearing crystal high heels, left the council chamber with a crisp knocking sound.

Trish Fa took a deep breath and squinted slightly.

hehe......

What a stubborn woman.

They won't listen to any advice.

But it's alright, I've already done everything I could.

In the near future, when he and Olina completely break off their relationship, at least he won't feel guilty.

Chapter 176 Call Me, Olivena