Chapter 142: Just One Year?

“Mm.”

Ophelia spoke softly.

“Life can be endless, but the spirit gradually crumbles under the erosion of long years.”

“I eventually forgot the difference between day and night, couldn’t tell what day it was, and my periods of sleep grew longer and longer.”

“When I confirmed that Fara could never return, I abandoned my body, sealed my spirit into my sword, and used deep slumber to delay the wear.”

“Your spirit level must have long surpassed the Sanctuary, right?”

Luo Xiya asked cautiously.

Ophelia silently glanced at Luo Xiya, thought for a moment, then said, “If compared to you, the pure difference in quality is at least a hundred times.”

“……”

“What kind of expression is that?”

“Nothing…”

Luo Xiya smiled awkwardly.

Her spirit was already at the Sanctuary level, and this was a hundred times stronger?

This was completely beyond anything she could comprehend.

After a while, Ophelia spoke first.

“You said your partner is Fara’s Holy Child?”

When speaking of the Holy Child, Ophelia’s tone was filled with doubt and confusion.

“Mm. Roman’s Sacred Seal is the Goddess’s life.”

“What kind of madness is she up to?”

Clearly, Ophelia was very concerned about the term Holy Child from Luo Xiya’s mouth, unable to understand why Fara would choose a boy to receive her ‘life’.

“Forget it… Since you helped me awaken again, I’ll help you as well and let you reunite with your partner.”

“You’re willing to help me?”

“Otherwise?”

Ophelia asked in confusion.

It seemed this girl hadn’t realized yet that it was her own ‘Mental Construction’ that, being similar to Ophelia’s, helped Ophelia escape the seal of the blade.

“But before that, let me ask first, how did that Pope make things difficult for you?”

“She asked me to make a pact, to reach the Sanctuary within three years…”

Luo Xiya said weakly.

“Three years?”

Ophelia frowned, silent.

Luo Xiya thought Ophelia also felt she couldn’t achieve that goal, and felt even more discouraged.

“This time.”

“Is it not enough…?”

“Isn’t it a bit too much?”

Ophelia said.

At first, Luo Xiya didn’t react to her words. It took her about five seconds before she understood.

“Too much?”

“Mm.”

Ophelia replied matter-of-factly.

“In less than a year, I can help you advance to the Sanctuary.”

***

“Is being the Holy Child of the Cathedral stressful?”

Sylvia stood in front of Roman, asking gently.

Roman shook his head.

Sylvia sensed that Roman didn’t want to talk to her anymore.

So she smiled slightly and continued, “It seems you really misunderstand me now…”

“You’re overthinking.”

Roman stubbornly avoided her gaze.

The reason was simple—he felt he’d been deceived by Sylvia.

Those gentle promises now seemed laughable after everything that happened earlier.

Of course, the most laughable thing was himself, for believing her so easily.

“No matter.”

“I’ll speak. You just have to listen. Whether you believe it or not is still your choice.”

Sylvia stepped forward, standing before Roman.

Roman frowned, retreating half a step, trying to maintain what he considered a safe distance.

Honestly, Sylvia gave him a feeling very similar to Lady Catherine, especially when she spoke softly to him.

The sweet breath, every word captivating, made it easy for him to fall into confusion.

However, there was still a great difference between her and Lady Catherine.

Compared to Sylvia, Lady Catherine was far purer.

When with her, he never needed to think twice, because she would never deceive him.

As for Sylvia, the nature of an upper-class ruler was her norm, and those gentle sweet words were merely her disguise.

So, even if her relationship with his ‘mother’ was significant, Lady Catherine was actually more distant, yet Roman still preferred to trust Lady Catherine over this cunning Saintess.

“I said I would grant you absolute freedom, but today I personally severed your relationship with the Lily Countess. So now you feel deceived and are unwilling to trust me anymore?”

Roman’s gentle nature made him remain silent, not directly calling her false.

“Including the Three-Year Pact that followed, you just saw it as a delaying tactic, not wanting her to take you away.”

“In truth, you weren’t wrong. It was a delaying tactic.”

This time, Roman was truly stunned.

He had thought Sylvia must have some reason or excuse, but he never expected her to admit it so plainly.

“Oh.”

Pressing his lips together, Roman, already feeling out of control in his current situation, felt both disappointed and a little cold inside.

His instincts, which originally belonged to Lin Xuan, slowly returned after leaving the Lily Territory.

He looked down at his feet, silently considering how to use the identity of Holy Child to gather followers who would truly be loyal to him.

Since he was here, he couldn’t just be a puppet with no respect.

This was not the Lily Territory, not the place where everyone loved and cared for him, where he could relax and stay away from strife.

The master here was also not someone as pure as Luo Xiya.

Maybe she did care for him, but he was definitely not the most important person to Sylvia.

To put it bluntly, he was nothing more than a special plaything.

If Sylvia felt any guilt towards Lainie, perhaps she would treat him well, but if that leftover feeling in her heart ran dry, Roman couldn’t even imagine what his future would become.

He even thought of a terrifying possibility.

Without doubt, he resembled his mother Lainie greatly, almost as if carved from the same mold.

Thinking of this, Roman felt a chill all over.

As he silently considered who was worth his trust, his first reaction was actually to recall the Rosetta Captain.

“But the one I was delaying wasn’t that little girl, but the mouths of the people.”

Sylvia suddenly said.

Roman didn’t immediately believe Sylvia’s words, only nodded.

“The tongue of the people is more dangerous than a river. You’re still young, and don’t understand how much harm those accumulating voices can bring to a person.”

“That’s why I had to rule with both kindness and severity, making them fear me, respect me, yet not so much as to drive them to desperate resistance.”

“Controlling this group through their needs is the best royal way.”

“Child, think carefully—if I had really matched you with her before the whole continent, would that have helped you, or harmed you?”