45. Paris’s Advice
This had been happening since the day before yesterday.
There were three different voices in her head.
This voice didn’t seem to be able to observe the world from Pesa’s own perspective, but it could observe the outside world through a light attribute magic, a light attribute eye.
This “eye” had always been on Pesa’s hairpin.
Their negotiations with Pesa often ended in failure, so they began to torment her endlessly.
“I will tell the Goddess about this.”
Pesa said sternly.
“Before that, we will destroy your consciousness. Give up. You know, you have many ways to get the goddess. Our cooperation is definitely the best choice.”
“…”
“You were the first to recover your body. You are luckier than the other three of us. Use our abilities well, understand?”
The three voices disappeared.
Pesa’s whole body was numb. This made her crash into a tree and almost fall to the ground.
“What a bunch of self-righteous people, damn it…”
Returning to the church, she happened to find someone waiting for her.
It was an old man with graying temples, who had been pacing here for a long time.
“Your Holiness! You’re finally back!”
“Duke Robert?”
“It’s me.”
Pesa had an impression of this person.
His family’s property was spread throughout the southwest. After the previous Pope died, he had made a fortune from the national disaster and had risen to become the largest food supplier using magic technology. Now his influence was second only to Elena’s. He was very respectful to both of them and belonged to the type who was good at socializing and being glib.
It was said that his private property was a full three mountains. After the demonification reversal incident, his status in the theocratic nation became even more important.
“Let’s go inside and talk.”
“No, right here,” the Duke said with a wry smile. “There are too many people outside.”
Saying that, he handed a photo to Pesa. The latter gently opened it and discovered…
It was a portrait of a dragon, Reina, Calysia, and Celes.
It was not colored, but was a line drawing made with a pen, yet one could see the skill of the drawing.
“Elena is a very talented person, right? She can do anything well, except for magic… Now, my patience with her has reached its limit, Your Holiness.”
“You want me to deal with her.”
“Yes, as the Pope, you must know what the consequences of beautifying the dragon race are.”
Robert’s eyes were sharp.
After he finished speaking, he left without saying goodbye, as if he were giving Pesa a choice.
She looked at the painting in her hand for a long time, staring at Reina’s face in a daze. She seemed to recall past events and was lost in them. And soon, a voice swept through her mind.
“Do as he says.”
“Your authority should be restored at this time. Look at you, you pitiful Pope. You should have had a great country, but you obeyed the goddess’s command and had so much of your power taken away by Elena.”
“Use this opportunity to frame her, and by the way, deal with her. Show her the way of the strong.”
“You are the strongest human. Including our power, according to the Goddess of Light’s level algorithm, you are already level 164. Do you know that there are only a handful of people in this world who can kill you!”
“I will not betray the goddess!”
Pesa said fiercely. Saying that, she punched her own head.
Her brain was shaken by the strong impact, and she almost fainted. But the other three souls in her body were not harmed by this method.
“You are a hero, of course you won’t betray the goddess. Now you just need to follow my steps, and you can get the goddess. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Damn it…”
Wasn’t it a betrayal?
Violating a command was already a kind of betrayal.
But…
They were right about some things.
Elena was more important than her. The Goddess was using her.
So what if she was being used?
She was not a very close existence to the Goddess in the first place. Compared to the Saintess, she was insignificant.
But…
Was she really so useless?
Pesa endured the torment of the voices, walked into the church, went to the second floor, and entered an empty room.
A beautiful woman was closing her eyes. As if sensing a presence, she opened her passionate eyes and called her name.
“Pesa~ you’re back.”
She sat up, but her previous injuries forced her to be bedridden. She was taken care of by the nuns in the church in turn. After resigning from her duties as a Cardinal, she planned to retire.
“Cardinal Paris, how have you been lately?”
Pesa’s lips twitched.
“You’re very dirty. You don’t look like a Pope at all. Your hair is also a mess. I’ve said it before, whether as a girl or a public figure, image is very important.”
“Lady Paris… I.”
She hadn’t changed at all.
“Do you think you’re very wronged now?”
Although Paris smiled gently, her voice was a little stern. She also noticed the problem with Pesa, and her voice also became heavy.
“What happened?”
“I…”
Pesa stammered and looked around, not saying anything.
If she said it, she would be killed by those three parasites.
She was quite afraid of death…
Pesa sat on the edge of Paris’s bed, her head lowered, saying nothing.
Paris said, “You’re really good at making cakes, Pesa. Why were you chosen by the guardians?”
“…Lady Paris, I want to control my own destiny. Only if I’m strong enough can I…” be appreciated by the Goddess, surpass them, and be noticed by her.
She didn’t say the rest, because Paris was just a human.
“So you think you’re not strong enough.”
“Yes…”
“Yes, you’re not strong enough. I originally thought you would surpass Elena, but you didn’t. You’re restricted everywhere, first by the Pope, then by me, then by the Pope again, and now who, I don’t know. You’re very kind, but you’re not suitable to be the Pope,” Paris said reprimandingly.
“Perhaps…”
After all, she was being threatened now.
She had been obeying others’ commands, from the past to the present, never changing.
“Then become the person you want to be, Pesa.”
“The person I want to be?”
“That’s right,” Paris showed her signature smile. “I’m all for humanity, so I’m a Cardinal. I fought my way out of the puppets for several days and nights. I’ve experienced it countless times with the demons.”
“You all think I’m crazy, that I have no feelings, that I’m a cold pervert, and my smile is also terrible. Oh… you’re one of the few who understand me, because you’re very naive.”
Paris struggled to get up. She placed her hands on Pesa’s shoulders.
“I’m also human. Every time I fight my way out of an encirclement, my legs will shake. When no one is around, I’ll go to the bathroom and cry. Hehe, I’ve only told you this.”
“I’m very weak, but that doesn’t conflict with being brave, Pesa. When you truly confirm your faith, you will truly know what true [fearlessness] is.”
“You’re not suitable to be the Pope.”
