The goddesses attempted to gain my salvation.

Ta-da, ta-da, ta-da...

The sound of high heels clicking on the floor echoed in the long corridor.

Elsa, the leader of the Star Knights, strode through the corridor, followed by more than a dozen researchers dressed in white.

Since the attack on the Church of Bysma, the Star Knights have been operating at full speed for the past two weeks. Most of the members have not slept for three days and three nights.

Among them, the leader Elsa and her assistant Bulma had already said goodbye to sleep completely a week ago.

Of course, thanks to their efforts, research on outer realms has also made groundbreaking progress. On the Holy Script side, with Freya's assistance, a preliminary plan to sever communication has been formulated.

If... the Vatican had not been attacked, the Holy Scriptures might have entered the practical application stage much faster.

However, at the moment, neither the Holy Scriptures nor the Outer Realms seem so important.

At this moment, Elsa's expression was very serious, and her steps were very unsteady.

The researchers behind him were sweating profusely with anxiety, their expressions tense, and they remained silent to each other. However, a sense of almost desperate helplessness could be seen in their eyes.

Not long ago, the Knights of the Shining Moon brought back news of what had happened in the Empire.

The statue, the torrential rain, and the enormous deep-sea creature overturned their understanding. And this series of events led them to discover an even more chilling truth.

Yes, it's horror.

If this is confirmed, then the beliefs that have sustained them until now, even the origin of the continent and the foundation of the entire world, will be shaken.

Finally, the group arrived at a closed room.

Inside, a young man dressed in a black robe was imprisoned. Unlike Ars, this young man's face showed no emotion, only calmness and tranquility.

Elsa walked into the room, sat down in front of the young man, and adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses.

"Was everything you said before true?"

Elsa cut to the chase, while the young man smiled gently: "Captain Elsa, the fact that you're standing before me proves that what I said before was true, doesn't it?"

The young man was a member of the secret order, codenamed Blasphemer.

"Answer my question directly!"

Elsa slammed her hand on the table.

She's not in the mood to joke around with blasphemers right now.

The blasphemer naturally noticed Elsa's anxiety, but remained calm and composed. He fiddled with his nails, like an elegant lady, his fingers delicately raised, his tone even.

"Talent is the greatest shackle in this world."

"And magic is just a lie told by God to imprison humanity here."

"You and I, or rather all of humanity, are pitiful beings abandoned by God. And the continent where we have lived for thousands of years is nothing more than a lonely island in an endless sea."

"To prevent us from leaving this land of exile smoothly, God has placed countless gatekeepers around us. As long as they are there, we will never be able to leave this continent."

The young man did not answer Elsa's question directly, but instead looked into the distance.

"What do you think lies beyond that endless sea?"

"Is this the end of the world?"

"Or...the original world?"

"We humans have always believed that we are the masters of this world. Magic, what a great power! We even thought it was a divine power bestowed upon us by the heavens! How arrogant and naive we are!"

"We were too arrogant and too confident. So much so that we overlooked something important."

"Perhaps, there are other races in this world besides us?"

"The reason why we have lived on this continent for thousands of years without seeing other races is simply because we are the ones who have been exiled and abandoned."

Elsa flew into a rage, lightning and wind surging wildly around her: "What exactly do you want to say!"

The blasphemer sneered, "Captain Elsa, don't be in such a hurry. Let me tell you an interesting story first."

"Once upon a time, there was a family."

"Father, Mother, and seven children."

"The father and mother shared their love equally with their seven children without reservation, and the seven children loved each other dearly. But as the seven children grew up, their differences began to emerge."

"Some are handsome, some are strong and healthy. Some have awakened magical talents, some possess ancient wisdom. Some can soar through the sky, some can dive into the deep sea."

"Six of the seven children have advantages that far surpass those of the other children. Only the youngest child is ordinary and has no special characteristics."

"As the gap between the children widened, a voice began to circulate in the family."

"Ah! I am so outstanding, so beautiful, I am the only one who is the best child for my parents!"

"Why should someone as outstanding as me share my parents' love with others?"

"No...it shouldn't be like this. Only I am my parents' favorite child. Only I can enjoy their love all to myself."

"Finally, one day."

"The seven children in the family had their first and most intense dispute."

"Seven children fought each other for their parents' love, leaving them covered in bruises and their families in disarray."

"The parents couldn't bear to see the family fall apart, so... guess what happened?"

The blasphemer grinned and let out a piercing scream.

"These parents actually killed their youngest child! Hahahaha!"

"To prevent him from being resurrected, his parents cut him into seven pieces! Then, they threw him into a deep basement and sealed him away forever!"

"Although the youngest child is of average appearance and has no special talents, he has the best thirst for knowledge and adaptability among all of them."

"The parents felt that this was still not safe, so they made the strongest child squat at the basement door every day to guard him and never let him come back to life."

"Hahahahahaha!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"The youngest child died, and the parents divided the love that originally belonged to him into six parts and gave them to the six surviving children."

"And those six children, because they received more care, stopped the fight."

"The family has become warm and harmonious again."

"But who remembers that in the deepest part of that basement, there was a child... cut into seven pieces?"

The blasphemer leaned back in his chair, humming a nursery rhyme-like tune with gusto.

"One, two, three children are dancing..."

"Four, five, six children are singing..."

"The seventh child was crying in the basement."

"Waaaaah, waaaah, crying in the basement."

"They danced, they sang, on his corpse."

"They sang of happiness and peace over his long-decaying corpse."

Chapter 280 Aurora Passage

The Papacy of Basil, the Presbyterian Church.

Since Tracy was expelled from the Papacy, the Presbyterian Council has maintained a low profile.

Although, Tracy's actions were ultimately aimed at the Presbyterian Council.

However, Trish was ultimately just a pawn pushed onto the stage. In a game of chess, when the situation becomes unfavorable, sacrificing one or two pieces to save the overall game is perfectly normal.

Tracy was nothing more than a discarded pawn.

No one cares whether she lives or dies.

Not only her, but according to the original plan of the Presbyterian Church, all the leaders of the Church from top to bottom—the High Priest, the High Priests, and even the priests of the church—should serve the Presbyterian Church.

In name only, the Presbyterian Council has no real power.

But in reality, no one would willingly give up the power and wealth they already possess.

The so-called lack of real power precisely demonstrates that their power has already transcended the rules of the Papacy.

Previously, Trishfa had been defeated by Olina, and all the high-ranking leaders, from the Vatican to the magic academy, had become Olina's people.

The power tentacles of the Elders' Council have been almost cut in half.

However, the tentacles of interest that have been woven since the day the Elders' Council was established have already extended to every corner, even to the smallest details that the Papacy cannot reach.

Orina's massive cleanup only removed the surface.

But the undercurrents hidden beneath the surface continue to flow slowly...

Despite fighting on home ground, the confrontation with the Secret Order resulted in heavy losses.

This matter will become the sharpest blade the Elders use against Orina.

------

"what?!"

"Lady Olina, she's leaving the Holy See?!"

"Not the kind of vacation I had with Ryan before, but... a complete departure?!"

"Why!"

Inside the cathedral, several high-ranking priests paced anxiously, like ants on a hot plate.

Charlotte, who brought the news, also looked very worried.

"Speaking of which, where are the Ryans?"

"Lady Olina trusted him so much, and even openly declared their relationship as lovers, so why didn't he show up at such a crucial moment!"

"You know, our Holy See lost so many people in this conflict with the Secret Order!"

"If Ryan were here, there wouldn't have been such extensive damage! Lady Orina wouldn't have been so severely weakened by forcibly activating the magic circle!"

"Where are the Ryans?!"