“Oh?”
Sigrid… or rather, Kauls, slightly raised an eyebrow at that moment.
These words were not things that could be said lightly.
If one spoke carelessly, a charge of “sacrilege” would be considered a light punishment.
Even if the other party was the eldest daughter of a Marquis household, she would still be expected to suffer dearly.
Of course, that being said… the Red-clothed Bishop had to admit he was becoming somewhat interested in this young lady before him, the one known as the Eastern District Jewel but privately called the Bloodblossom Demon.
“Lady… I don’t quite understand. Did you perhaps misspeak?”
Many thoughts flashed through his mind, but Kauls remained silent for only two seconds before speaking again with a smile.
He was giving the young lady a way out.
If she took the opportunity to step down, he could treat the matter as if it never happened out of gratitude for her help with the Inquisition.
In that case, the thanks she deserved would not be lacking in the slightest.
However… if this young lady truly had an agenda… a fragment of a royal secret suddenly flashed through Kauls’s mind.
“Hehe, of course not… I simply wish to confirm one point with the Bishop,” Ileya spoke slowly, her tone still relaxed and casual, as if she were discussing what they had eaten for dinner. “What is the authority of our Lord, the Supreme God?”
“Our Lord is the world’s only True God. He is all-knowing and all-powerful over all things and all creation, incomparable to so-called Supreme Beings,” Kauls replied immediately.
This was something every believer had to learn; it was the opening of the first volume of the Holy Scripture.
“I am of the same opinion,” Ileya immediately chimed in with a smile, her tone full of piety.
This left Holly and Amisa, who were standing nearby, completely stunned.
‘Could the Lady really be a devout believer in the Supreme God?’
But they had never seen her recite the holy texts before meals, nor had they seen her have any interaction with Church personnel…
“Therefore, death… is also a divine gift bestowed upon us by God, right?”
The moment she spoke those words, the corner of Ileya’s mouth curled up imperceptibly.
When facing an old fox like this, she naturally couldn’t use the blunt approach from earlier. She had to lead him into a conversational trap.
“This…” Kauls instinctively wanted to retort. Our Lord was an existence that brought light and hope. Positive words could be piled onto the title of the Supreme God without issue.
But… death was an entirely evil word. How could it appear in phrases praising the Lord?
Yet, he had just admitted that the Lord was “all-knowing and all-powerful over all things.” Could he then say that death was not among those things? If that were the case, and the Supreme God could not control death, wouldn’t His invincible stature be threatened? Could a Supreme Being who controlled the word “death” even kill the Supreme God?
That was absolutely impossible and could not be allowed to happen! To not acknowledge it would be absolute sacrilege!
“Naturally,” Kauls could only nod, unable to refute her.
However, there was no sign of displeasure at being fooled in his tone. Instead, he became much more solemn.
This young girl… if he remembered correctly, she was only thirteen years old, right? She was actually leading an old man like him by the nose through rhetoric and logic…
He remembered that the Marquis of East County, Grosset, and his wife, Lady Shudrian, were not known for being silver-tongued. Grosset was famous for being cold-faced and silent, while Lady Shudrian was known for being gentle and virtuous. How could their union produce such a… well, she truly did not disgrace her title as the Bloodblossom Demon.
“Then it is simple~ I said we are the Lord’s most devout proxies, and there is nothing wrong with that.” She smiled as she looked at everyone present. “Because the Lord has granted me… the authority of the Proxy of Death.”
“That is impossible.”
Before Ileya could continue, Kauls interrupted her directly.
However, Ileya had worked hard to get the rhythm of the conversation into her own hands. How could she let this fellow interrupt her so easily?
“The Bishop does not need to make a decision so quickly. I have something. Why not take a look first?”
Something?
The reins of initiative returned to Ileya’s hands once more, firmly holding everyone’s curiosity.
‘Could it be… a Divine Gift?’
No… it should be impossible. But… if it wasn’t a Divine Gift, why did this young lady still have such confidence?
Kauls frowned and ultimately did not speak. His dark eyes simply watched Ileya. But that look was completely different from before. At this moment, the Red-clothed Bishop treated the thirteen-year-old girl, who was younger than his own granddaughter, as a peer… an equal no less capable than himself.
“Before that, some preparations are needed…”
Ileya smiled and beckoned to Bellelily and Kauls.
Once the two arrived in front of her, Ileya suddenly drew her blade!
In a flash of cold light, and under their calm gazes… the Lady actually sliced her own palm open! Dark red blood flowed from her palm…
“The prerequisite for seeing this thing is… drinking my blood. Without my blood, which has been blessed by God… you cannot reach the Underworld.”
‘The Underworld…?’
This was a new term that no one had ever heard before.
“Come~” Ileya spread her palm and reached out, like a holy mother spreading her compassion to those below. “The gospel the Lord bestowed upon me, I shall temporarily grant to you.”
“Drink your blood?” Bellelily frowned slightly, but she stepped forward without the slightest hesitation and grabbed Ileya’s hand.
Before the Lady could react, something wet and soft slowly moved from the wound… from top to bottom…
Sss…
Instantly, Ileya felt a wave of numbness travel from her palm directly to the base of her tailbone!
‘I meant for you to take a little sip! Couldn’t you have just used your finger to take a bit? Was it necessary to be so… thorough?!’
Looking at the Captain in front of her, who had raised her head with lips stained dark red and even smacked them twice, Ileya’s forehead was covered in black lines.
‘I really am not suited for dealing with idiots!’
“Mm!” The woman’s behavior gave Holly, who was standing to the side, a sudden impulse to step forward and push her away!
For some reason, the moment the Captain leaned in, Holly instinctively did not want the woman getting close to her Lady… However, her half-formed movement was stopped in time by Amisa. Amisa knew what the Lady was trying to do.
Compared to the honest Captain, the Bishop was clearly much more refined. He simply extended a finger, caught a drop of dark red blood falling through the air, and covered his mouth with his hand as he swallowed the blood.
“Hmm?”
The moment the blood entered their stomachs, both of their expressions changed slightly! This young lady’s blood… was indeed very different from that of an ordinary person. It truly contained an extremely pure power… one that should indeed be called “Death.”
“Now then…”
Before they could have any other reaction, Ileya reached out…
Upon close observation, the gash on her hand had already completely recovered. At the position of her finger… a pitch-black door leading to the Underworld seemed to slowly open in the void, right before everyone’s eyes.
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