521 Paradox (1/2)

Lucien, who knew a thing or two about Sard, speculated his intention with the newspaper in his hands. ”He is trying to influence the clergy and the night watchers of the Holm parish and build them into his own subordinates? The communication of personnel must be for the same purpose. He will also be able to send spies to other parishes…”

When he thought that Vera Amelton had mastered the inquisition in the Holm parish, Lucien felt quite reverential for Sard, who had made such great use of the incident where a few radical night watchers lynched a liberal noble.

”Chances are that Sard is behind the few night watchers… But what does he want exactly by doing so? Divide the Church after he grows powerful? However, both the new church that he creates in the future and the South Church will no longer be the best in the world. Even their own territory will be invaded by the Congress, the North Church, or the Court of Elves. Sard can't be that stupid, can he?”

”On the other hand, if the Lord of Hell is behind him, it would be understandable that his goal is to weaken the Church. However, for people like him, unless the benefits overwhelm his sanity, he will never degenerate into a servant of devils from a saint.”

”Is Sard trying to replace Benedict II after the pope is summoned by the Lord?”

”It's been almost thirty years since Benedict II's coronation. According to history, he has no more than thirty years before he ascends to Mountain Paradise like the previous popes. Sard, whose longevity is still huge, can definitely afford the wait.”

The phenomenon that popes in history always had a short time had been noticed by the Congress of Magic and other forces, but it never had a reasonable explanation. It was suspected that they were too close to the God of Truth and used the god's strength too often, and therefore their body and soul couldn't take it anymore.

Lucien shook his head and browsed through the newspaper, thinking to himself, ”I hope Natasha learns a thing or two about Sard. If he intends to divide the Church, he will have the full support of the Highest Council. However, what I fear is that he is ambitious enough to instigate the Church to fight the Congress so that he can eliminate his opposition in the five parishes, before he ascends to the throne of pope with the secrets from the World of Souls.

”By then, he may very well break the limits of longevity for other popes, which will be a nightmare for any force.”

While thinking, Lucien went to the top floor on the royal magic tower of Holm, ready to return to Allyn by way of the Element Paradise.

During the gap of the 'second battle', Natasha reminded Lucien that the Church paid even more attention to him after the new alternate dimension was discovered because a man who was likely to be at the peak of legendary must be suffocated in the cradle!

Therefore, she asked Lucien not to meet her too often, and she would contain herself, too. She also suggested that he jump via the demiplanes when he went to Allyn.

Strolling in the corridor, Lucien encountered many members of the Will of Elements. He greeted them in with a constant smile.

Those sorcerers, however, looked equally weird, which made Lucien rub his face and smell it in confusion. He had taken a hot bath before he left. There shouldn't be any scent of love on him anymore. What could be the problem?

”K, what's the look on your face?” By the time Lucien encountered the tall and frank K, who also had the weird expression, he finally couldn't help but ask.

Since Larry, K's teacher, was on a quest, K had been studying the 'new alchemy' independently for a while and met many problems that he would like to discuss with Lucien. At this moment, he tried to hold back his smile and scratched his head, ”Lucien, you are like a man who just had his wedding. You have this foolish smile on your face, and you emit a weird sense of satisfaction. You are also walking unsteadily. Anyone with the preliminary experience can tell what happened.”

His meaning between the lines was obvious.

Lucien rubbed his forehead in embarrassment. Did he show his cockiness so patently?

So, he hurried to hide his smile and tried to make himself not look so happy.

After talking to K for a while, Lucien stepped into the Element Paradise. After the change of time and space, he saw a pair of silver-grey eyes before he was adapted to the dizziness.

”Your Excellency Hathaway…” Having just slept with her junior, Lucien couldn't help but feel that she was some sort of 'mother-in-law' standing before him.

Not having any expression, Hathaway said very seriously, ”She is a girl that is very serious about love. I hope you are not as a playboy as Oliver.”

Grand Arcanist Oliver had always been used as a negative example by the rational ladies.

”Your Excellency Hathaway should know very well my love life in the past years. Commitment is the gentlest but most powerful strength in this world, and that is my attitude towards both magic studies and my love.” Faced with his 'mother-in-law', Lucien was naturally both sincere and solemn.

After a brief silence, Hathaway nodded her head slowly, with slight delight on her face as if she was comforted by the fact that Natasha and Lucien were finally together. ”I've been watching you. If you were otherwise, I would've stopped you. If you contradict yourself, we will be enemies.”

Her words were always concise and sometimes subtly ambiguous.

Lucien secretly wiped his cold sweat. Thankfully, he had always been strict about himself. Except for his illusions, he abode by his principles even when he was alone, or it would've been hard for him to pass the test of his 'mother-in-law'. ”I will cherish her, respect, comfort her, and accompany her from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health as long as we both shall live.”

Under the pressure of his 'mother-in-law', it was hard for Lucien to organize his speech, so he simply modified the wedding vow from Earth.

Hathaway did not pursue any further but nodded, ”He who honors his words is a qualified man. I have some questions regarding the new alchemy to discuss with you.”

Hu. Finally passed. Lucien took a long breath in his heart. Discussing arcana questions was much easier than facing the interrogation of such an intimidating 'mother-in-law'.

Lucien and Hathaway did not stop the discussion until more than half a day later. Then, Lucien returned to Allyn, planning to ask for the files about the clergy in the Holm parish. The files specified which of them were radicals, which were reactionists, and which were appeasers who wished to live in peace with the Congress of Magic. The list could be given to Natasha for her reference.

It was the beginning of the operation that Lucien had come up during his 'philosophical state', partly based on the British Reformation.