Chapter 892 (1/2)

Chapter 892: Appreciated

Translator: TransN Editor: TransN

There must be someone lying, the church or the nuns.

Isabella could not think of any reasons for the nuns to make up an order, since they were abandoned and discarded. Judging from their pale, emaciated look, she estimated that probably one more fortnight of starvation would kill them all.

But if the church was lying, what were they going to do by recalling all the formal members to Hermes and leaving the Cloud Ladder and the Old Holy City unguarded?

Trying to set aside her speculation, Isabella looked at the leading nun and asked, “What should I call you?”

“I am called Qiu, Your Holiness.”

“Haven’t you you ever thought of getting out of here?”

“What, why?” The nun seemed surprised.

“Granted that the walls are high and the gate is thick, they’re not impassable. Six weeks should have been long enough for all of you to make a wooden ladder or stack the firewood at the bottom of the gate to burn the planks and melt the chain. You’re free to do anything that could get yourself out of here,” Isabella said confused whilst trying to ascertain the validity of the situation. “Since you could send a representative to report to Hermes, why didn’t you get out of here together? With the food supplies severed, you’re facing a certain death even without the army of the Kingdom of Dawn’s invasion.”

It took Qiu a long moment to come back from silence. She muttered, “Where… Where could we possibly go if we leave here?”

All the residents of the cloister lowered their heads at the question.

“I’ve never left the cloister…”

“Nor have I.”

“Although there’s not much, at least we have something to eat. I don’t think the outside world would be better.” Some orphans joined in.

“If we start to beg for food, then our lives will revert back to the one we used to have.”

“The book told us that we shouldn’t take begging for granted.”

“I don’t… want to live like that anymore.”

Looking at their bewildered looks, Isabella finally realized that it was not the church’s order that bound them. They knew nothing else but their sheltered life. The situation seemed neither good nor bad. It would be easy to cope with the nuns. Just kill the ones who were still loyal to the Holy City and be done with it. But if all the orphans here had become obstinately loyal, that would become a thorn to His Majesty.

“I have one more question.” Isabella drew a deep breath and asked in a low voice, “Why do you address me as the Supreme Pontiff?”

“Well…” Qiu looked intimidated. She hesitated for a while before saying, “Pope Mayne was dead, and so were the three archbishops. There’s no new nomination declared in Hermes, so according to the institution. We have to promote all the subordinates to fill in the gaps, you’re the one closest to the holy temple.”

“Pope Isabella! Please help us!”

“Please don’t leave us behind. We’ll bear whatever punishment you’ll give us!”

“Please take us back to Hermes!”

Again, the nuns started to plead.

“It appears that they did not call me Her Holiness for anything particular, but for the chance to regain the church’s attention,” Isabella thought. The institution was not suitable for the top-level executives in the church as they were already at the top. However the ones who were drowning at the bottom of the hierarchy could not care less. They would clutch anything that could save their lives as tight as they could, even it was a fragile straw.

As Isabella thought of this, she weaved an idea in her head. “I’m here to tell you an important thing. Listen carefully!”

All of them held their breaths.

“The church has changed,” Isabella said loudly. “Mayne was no real pope. He not only betrayed Lord O’Brien but also stole the throne! In fact, there was another successor to whom Lord O’Brien meant to pass his power.”

The words were like a stone that created numerous ripples as it was tossed into the water. The listeners burst into an uproar.