Chapter 57: Is Augustus the Mastermind?
Qin Chu hadn’t fled.
He and Angelica enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, then headed to the Holy See.
This time, he didn’t sneak in. He entered openly, sending a Holy Knight to announce his arrival. Augustus, eager to please, rushed out to greet him personally.
It had been the same in his previous life.
Though the Hero’s position was significant, and both Wadsworth and Saint Monique desired his allegiance, they wouldn’t stoop to such blatant flattery. They were too proud, too conscious of their status.
Augustus, however, was different. His enthusiasm was… unsettling.
Augustus’s eyes gleamed as he saw Qin Chu.
The Hero’s power had increased significantly.
The aura of the first layer of Star Flame Battle Qi, still unstable, flickered around him, sparks occasionally dancing among his hair.
Augustus estimated Qin Chu’s level to be around ten, a weakling compared to him, a mere toad he could crush with a single finger.
But considering that Qin Chu had only arrived a few days ago and had begun his Battle Qi training yesterday afternoon, his progress was astonishing.
He was indeed the Hero.
Even Augustus, a prodigy in his own right, hadn’t progressed so rapidly. Even the First Hero’s talent paled in comparison.
Qin Chu’s talent and power filled Augustus with both excitement and apprehension.
If he could control this Hero, he would gain a significant advantage in his struggle against the gods.
But such talent, such power… controlling him wouldn’t be easy.
If Augustus knew that Qin Chu was only revealing a fraction of his true power, his excitement and apprehension would be replaced by terror.
Augustus suppressed his thoughts, his face a mask of welcoming warmth. He invited Qin Chu inside, offering him tea served by a beautiful nun.
“Hero-sama, what brings you to the Holy See today?” he asked, his voice gentle.
Qin Chu considered his words carefully. “Pope Augustus, I request that you remove the restriction on Angelica’s neck.”
As expected.
Augustus, seemingly unsurprised, nodded slowly.
“Hero-sama, I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
The voice came from the doorway.
It was Loseweisse.
Someone had informed her of Qin Chu’s arrival. Her influence within the Holy See was considerable.
She didn’t want Angelica’s restriction removed. It would complicate her plans.
“Angelica is a convicted criminal,” Loseweisse said, her voice smooth and controlled. “It’s only through the Hero’s generosity that she remains by his side…”
In reality, it was because the Hero had a maid fetish, but that wasn’t a suitable explanation. She had to maintain a semblance of decorum.
“She cursed the other Holy Maiden candidates. She’s dangerous. If her restriction is removed, I fear she might harm the Hero.”
Angelica listened silently.
She didn’t bother refuting Loseweisse’s accusations.
As long as her master trusted her, the opinions of others were irrelevant. She only cared about his approval, his affection.
She glanced at Loseweisse, a hint of mockery in her gaze. This beautiful woman, this Holy Maiden, was a clown in her eyes.
Loseweisse shuddered, her anger flaring.
That bitch! She was mocking her? Who did she think she was?
A woman she had once controlled, tormented, humiliated… now dared to look down on her?
Their gazes locked, two pairs of golden eyes clashing.
The air crackled with tension, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.
The surrounding nuns exchanged nervous glances, their silence thick with apprehension.
Augustus, however, observed the scene with amusement. The more tension between Angelica and Loseweisse, the better.
He didn’t want Loseweisse getting close to Qin Chu. Her bloodline was… tainted.
Qin Chu, seemingly oblivious to the tense atmosphere, tapped his fingers against the armrest. “I don’t know the details of what happened in the past, and I’m not particularly interested.”
“But Angelica is my woman. Understand?”
Angelica is my woman!
Augustus’s eyes widened slightly, a knowing smile spreading across his lips.
He understood.
After all this time, if Qin Chu hadn’t touched Angelica… well, he would have questioned the Hero’s virility. For a man with a maid fetish, Angelica was undeniably alluring.
In reality, Qin Chu hadn’t touched her…
Angelica blushed, her gaze softening, her previous defiance melting away.
Loseweisse, though victorious in their silent confrontation, felt no joy. She had lost, and she knew it.
That bastard, Qin Chu… he had claimed to be attracted to her, even intimidated by her beauty, but he had turned around and… defiled Angelica.
Hah… Men…
Except for Jie Luo, they were all the same.
Qin Chu smiled, his mind occupied with another matter.
Ekaterina should be waking up soon…
It was a pity he couldn’t witness her breakdown. It would have been… satisfying.
He had chosen to visit the Holy See today for two reasons: to remove Angelica’s restriction and to seek refuge.
He knew Ekaterina’s temper. When she woke up, naked, in his room, the evidence of their encounter undeniable… she would explode.
The Stunning Love potion might have induced some affection for him, but such a powerful emotional shock would negate its effects. She would storm the Hero’s residence, her greatsword in hand, ready to kill.
She wouldn’t listen to his explanations. She would attack without hesitation.
Though his power was growing, he wasn’t a match for her, not yet. And revealing his full strength wasn’t an option. That was his trump card, to be used only when absolutely necessary.
He needed someone to restrain Ekaterina. Augustus, with his eagerness to please, was the perfect… tool.
Surely Augustus wouldn’t allow the Hero to be killed within the Holy See?
He didn’t know why Augustus was so eager to gain his favor, but it was likely for his own selfish reasons. Qin Chu didn’t mind using him in return.
If it wasn’t part of his plan, he wouldn’t have touched Ekaterina.
Augustus, unaware of Qin Chu’s thoughts, pondered for a moment.
“Hero-sama, it’s not that I’m unwilling to help, but Angelica’s case was judged by the Inquisition. Their verdicts are rarely overturned. To remove her restriction, we need a review, and that’s… difficult.”
Though he was the Pope, he didn’t have absolute authority within the Holy See.
Others shared his power.
The Inquisition’s leader was Douglas, the Cardinal, the Holy See’s second most powerful figure. He was ruthless and ambitious, a former rival for the papacy.
Even if Augustus requested it, Douglas would likely refuse.
This wasn’t a matter of unwillingness but of political complexities.
“Without a valid reason, I can’t remove her restriction.”
The old fox!
Qin Chu understood. Augustus needed a justification, a reason to bypass the Inquisition.
He had prepared for this.
“Yesterday afternoon, my beloved maid was kidnapped.”
“The kidnappers were two women dressed in crimson nun’s habits, identical to the Holy See’s, except for the color…” He deliberately changed the color from black to red.
“That’s impossible…” Loseweisse blurted out before she could stop herself.
“Why is it impossible?” Qin Chu asked, feigning confusion.
Loseweisse realized her mistake, her teeth biting into her lip as she scrambled for an explanation. “Crimson is the color worn by the Inquisition’s nuns. They rarely leave the Holy See…”
She hadn’t considered the possibility of the kidnapping itself. Her focus was on the red habits.
Though Qin Chu knew she was behind it, her words had betrayed her.
“Lady Loseweisse, can you guarantee that every single nun remains within the Holy See?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Loseweisse fell silent. She was certain the Inquisition wasn’t involved. Maggie and Sana were her and Douglas’s personal assassins.
But she couldn’t reveal that.
Augustus glanced at her, his suspicions growing. But he didn’t press the matter. “Is that so? What happened?”
“They tried to force Angelica to poison me with a pink potion. They wanted to control my mind.”
“Despite their torture, she refused. Then they produced a scroll containing a mental magic spell, Mind Control, attempting to turn her into their puppet.”
Loseweisse remained silent, her gaze lowered.
“Angelica, unwilling to betray me, attempted suicide…”
“Then how did she survive?” Augustus asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
“A mysterious person intervened, rescuing her.”
“A mysterious person?” Loseweisse’s eyes narrowed. “We must thank this individual. Without them, the Hero’s maid would be dead.”
Qin Chu shrugged. “Angelica didn’t see their face. They were wearing a hooded robe. But their voice sounded like an elderly man. A warrior, judging by their fighting style. They killed the two nuns with their bare hands.”
He offered vague, misleading clues, hoping to sow discord between Loseweisse and Augustus.
He was certain Loseweisse would connect the dots, drawing her own conclusions.
As expected, Loseweisse fell silent, her brow furrowed in thought.
The person who had killed the nuns wasn’t Qin Chu. He hadn’t left the residence, and he wasn’t strong enough to defeat Maggie and Sana.
The hooded robe indicated a desire to conceal their identity.
An elderly man… with a deep voice?
Augustus fit the description.
Though he was only fifty, his obsession with magic had taken a toll on his body, making him appear much older.
But Augustus was a mage. The killer had used physical force…
But with Augustus’s power, even his staff could easily crush Maggie and Sana.
He must have been disguising his true abilities!
It was human nature to seek confirmation of their suspicions, to interpret information in a way that reinforced their beliefs.
Augustus was behind it.
The Pope had not only stolen the treasures from his room, but he had also killed Maggie and Sana.
His motive was clear: he wanted to prevent her from controlling Qin Chu.
He was even trying to replace her as the Holy Maiden with Angelica.
Angelica’s claim about the red habits must have been Augustus’s doing. He would likely use the need for secrecy as an excuse to remove Angelica’s restriction…
Augustus’s expression turned serious. “Hero-sama, I apologize, but those two nuns might not be from the Holy See. It’s possible they were impostors. However, I urge you to keep this matter confidential…”
After all, revealing this incident would damage the Holy See’s reputation. Qin Chu readily agreed.
“Angelica’s willingness to sacrifice herself rather than betray you proves her loyalty. Therefore, I will remove her restriction,” Augustus declared.
See, I was right!
Loseweisse smiled inwardly. Her suspicions were confirmed.
Augustus’s next move would be to restore Angelica’s reputation, to expose her past misdeeds, to remove her from her position as the Holy Maiden. She wouldn’t allow it.
She was convinced: Augustus was the mastermind!
The poor Pope had no idea that he had been framed.
Augustus approached Angelica, who stood up, her face flushed with anticipation.
This restriction had bound her for years.
Finally, she would be free, able to assist her master in more ways than just serving him.
Augustus reached for the black collar, his withered fingers outstretched.
A thunderous boom, like an earthquake, shook the Holy See.
Even within the cathedral, the tremors were palpable.
A wave of fiery energy, like a tsunami, swept through the building, cracks spreading across the walls.
The Crimson Valkyrie had arrived!
…
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