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Chapter 766: Sigrid Makes a Grand Entrance
Chapter 766: Sigrid Makes a Grand Entrance
Let's imagine a timeline where this is the true historical narrative.
After a miraculous stroke of luck in battle, the Pholant Empire flourished and reached its golden age.
A peaceful and prosperous era had arrived.
All promises were fulfilled.
However, Black Sun Lancarus's heart seemed to shatter.
No one knew what irreplaceable treasure he had lost during those years.
Or perhaps he knew his life was coming to an end and didn't want those around him to endure the same punishment in the name of love.
So he distanced himself from Sigrid.
Despite the distance of several leagues, he hadn't visited her in years.
He intended to die alone, letting time bury him.
In the Audience Chamber of the Holy Pholant Pope's Palace.
Cardinal Lanchi breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Grand Justice Elm's response.
As mentioned in Kaliella's letter, Sigrid had indeed been brought back to the Pholant Empire.
Knowing that she was safe was all that mattered.
"I want to see her."
Cardinal Lanchi said to Elm.
"Your Holiness, please follow me."
Grand Justice Elm's voice trembled with suppressed excitement and eagerness.
Although he was aware of the Pope's deteriorating health, the change in his spirit lifted his spirits.
It was better to die without regrets than to live in pain.
Elm sincerely felt this way.
After concluding his duties in the Audience Chamber, Pope Lanchi followed Grand Justice Elm out.
His gaze finally swept across the grand hall, and then he strode past the ebony doors of the Audience Chamber, as the clerics promptly opened the heavy doors along the corridor for him.
Outside the distant gates of the Holy Pholant Pope's Palace, the members of the Temple Knights remained vigilant, their silver armor gleaming with holy radiance in the slanting sun.
Pope Lanchi descended the pristine steps with steady strides, followed closely by Grand Justice Elm.
Once again, Pope Lanchi boarded the vehicle adorned with holy emblem sculptures reserved for the Pope's use.
The vehicle slowly made its way through the bustling streets of the imperial capital, Helshirem, heading towards the outskirts of the city.
Several minutes passed.
The scenery outside the window gradually transformed from the bustling city to the tranquil countryside.
Endless verdant fields stretched out under the setting sun, and white mountain ranges undulated in the distance, like a long road connecting the horizon. Occasionally, pastures, herds of cattle and sheep, and fields of flowers flitted by, exuding an air of serene tranquility.
Pope Lanchi quietly gazed at the scenery on the outskirts of Helshirem, his thoughts drifting back to a summer many years ago when the city-state was still shrouded in the gray haze of war.
It was nothing like the vibrant colors of the present.
Inside the vehicle, Pope Lanchi gently stroked the little black cat, his touch gradually lightening.
"Master Lanchi, aren't you worried that Tata, with her strong personality, and the unruly Sigrid won't get along?"
To express his dissatisfaction with Pope Lanchi calling him 'Little Black Coal Ball', the Cat Boss had decided that in this shadow world, he would refer to Lanchi as 'Master Lanchi'.
He was concerned that the peaceful shadow world would bore Lanchi.
As his ace mount, ensuring safety always came first.
"It doesn't matter, I'll intervene if necessary."
Lanchi asserted confidently.
"..."
The Cat Boss didn't know where Lanchi's confidence came from.
But if you asked if he had ever completely lost control, he always managed to salvage the situation.
Before long, the vehicle came to a gentle stop in front of a church in a suburban town.
The church was nestled by a stream, surrounded by lush forests, and filled with the melodious chirping of birds and the fragrant blooms of vibrant flowers.
The entrance to the church compound was a white wooden door, simpler and more welcoming than the buildings in the city, with ivy and flowers adorning the walls. Several standalone houses extended from the compound, undoubtedly housing the orphanage and a small school.
Upon disembarking, Pope Lanchi was greeted by a plain yet neatly dressed elderly female cleric.
"Your Holiness, we are honored by your presence in our humble abode. Please forgive us for not being adequately prepared."
The woman seemed astonished by the Pope's visit.
When Grand Justice Elm had informed her earlier, she had found it hard to believe.
But now, the Pope had truly arrived.
"It's quite all right. I decided to come here on a whim."
Pope Lanchi nodded amicably in response and then, guided by the elderly cleric, entered the church.
"I'm looking for Sister Sigrid. Could you please take me to her?"
He inquired.
"Sigrid is here. She has always been a good child. Even at the age of ten, she braved the harsh winters to work and earn money for the impoverished church and orphanage."
The elderly cleric replied, quickening her pace slightly as she led Pope Lanchi towards the interior of the church building.
The corridors on both sides were adorned with paintings created by the children's immature yet charming brushstrokes.
Among them hung several letters, the crooked handwriting ugly yet cherished and carefully preserved.
At the end of the corridor was an arched door.
"I shall take my leave here, Your Holiness."
The elderly cleric bowed respectfully.
"Very well, until later."
Pope Lanchi nodded in acknowledgment and watched as the elderly cleric departed.
He pushed open the arched door, and the faint scent of candles wafted through the air within the sanctuary.
At the back of the chapel stood a tall altar, and beneath the rose window, the statue of the Goddess of Fate gazed down with a benevolent yet steadfast expression.
On either side were rows of neat benches, and in the center, a red carpet led to the pulpit at the far end of the chapel.
Before the statue, Pope Lanchi saw a nun with light-colored hair, praying devoutly to the goddess.
She had smooth, flowing hair that fell over her shoulders, and she wore a form-fitting white nun's robe, adorned with silver embroidery, and a purple sash with the Trinity Holy Emblem around her waist.
Pope Lanchi approached the nun with measured steps.
She seemed to sense his presence and slowly lifted her head from her prayers, turning to face him in the warm glow of the setting sun within the chapel.
Her eyes, beneath the mask, met his emerald gaze.
A hint of surprise and joy flashed across her face.
Even though Sigrid had transformed into a dignified nun, her amethyst eyes sparkled with a mischievous light, sharp as a wolf yet retaining the vivacity of a young girl.
"It's been a while," she said.
Lanchi gazed at Sigrid, now dressed as a nun.
Her eyes, shimmering like amethyst, always bright and clear, could make one believe she was the queen of this land.
"Rocky!"
The nun rushed forward and hugged Lanchi.
Many years had passed, and her body had undergone a complete transformation. The loose-fitting nun's robe could not hide her full curves.
In an instant, she had recognized the familiar scent of the masked man—a scent she knew better than her own.
"You're not a little girl anymore; you shouldn't just rush over and hug me like this," Lanchi said helplessly to Sigrid, trying to push her away.
However, she was stronger than he imagined, and his efforts were futile. He could only resort to communication.
The petite Sigrid from back then always liked to snuggle up to him as she fell asleep peacefully. And during that time, he had always called her by the nickname Rocky.
Even after she learned of her other names, she still preferred to call him by that first nickname.
"It's been a while..." she murmured softly in Lanchi's ear.
"Yes, it has..." Lanchi replied. The last time he saw her, she was just an eleven-year-old girl, but now she had grown into a mature woman.
From Sigrid's perspective, it must have felt like they hadn't seen each other for many years.
In the blink of an eye, twelve years had passed.
"..."
Sigrid fell silent for a long time.
She felt that her Saint might not have recognized her.
After all, when she left the Northern Continent, she had used an entirely new disguise, one created based on the image of the young Sigrid from her dreams.
This had inadvertently transformed her into the Sigrid from the shadow world, and naturally, the Saint assumed she was the same Sigrid he knew.
However, it was indeed unexpected that an original inhabitant of the shadow world would suddenly become someone he knew from the real world in the next shadow world, and that person would also possess the memories of the original inhabitant.
Just as Sigrid was hesitating about whether to give Lanchi a kiss to remind him of her identity...
"Why are you two still hugging?" Talia finally spoke up, manifesting herself.
Sigrid's closeness and the way she pressed her softness against Lanchi made Talia certain that even if Sigrid was a projection from the shadow world, she was still a very real woman to Lanchi.
"..."
Sigrid turned her head and noticed a gray-haired figure appearing not far from them.
Although Sigrid's hand was still on Lanchi's back, her attention was now fully captured by the demon.
That familiar aura remained unchanged.
Sigrid's eyes stung with unshed tears, and she didn't know why she felt like crying.
She released Lanchi and threw her arms around the gray-haired demon instead.
"??"
Talia was taken aback as she found herself being hugged by the nun.
Her first instinct was to push the other woman away.
"Hmm?" Talia was surprised.
Why couldn't she push this girl away either?
"You... You're still alive. I'm so glad!" the nun with light purple eyes said, her voice thick with unshed tears.
In her last dream, she had seen Cardinal Kaliella seemingly meeting with some misfortune, which had startled her awake.
Early that morning, shortly after arriving at the South Continent's South Ventina Port, she had been pulled into a shadow world through a temporarily manifested void gate. Before she knew it, she found herself in this church.
Although she had initially been unhappy about being involuntarily pulled into an eighth-tier shadow world, when she realized it was the same world from her dreams over the past few months, her interest was piqued.
She had even hoped to encounter the Saint here and had hurriedly thanked the Goddess of Fate statue.
And indeed, he had appeared.
What surprised Sigrid even more was that she had also met Kaliella.
Every time she dreamed of being in the Demon Realm, it was Kaliella who took care of her.
After that nightmare on the ferry, Kaliella had disappeared from her dreams as if she had vanished into thin air.
"You were the kindest demon to me in the Demon Realm, like a mother. I've always wanted to tell you this," Sigrid continued, her voice thick with emotion.
The scariest part of reuniting with old friends was not the mix of emotions that came with it but the fear of losing them again.
"You..."
Just as Talia was about to show the nun a glimpse of her true power and teach her what an eighth-tier being was capable of, she noticed the other woman's lack of guard, her sadness, and her trust.
Talia's heart softened a little.
From the outcome, it seemed that the nun had let go of Lanchi, and that was a good thing.
"Why did she hug me?" Talia asked Lanchi, confused, using her telepathic connection with him.
If the nun let go of her, she would probably go and hug Lanchi instead, so Talia would rather endure the hug.
"She probably mistook you for Kaliella. Kaliella's appearance is ever-changing, and after you inherited Kaliella's power, your aura may have become similar to hers," Lanchi replied internally.
Kaliella's magic easily blended with Talia's, as it had when they created the [Overflowing Land of Gentleness]. And earlier, when the letter's magical blessing reached him, Talia, who was soul-linked to him, had also been affected by it.
Talia examined herself.
"Hmm?"
Talia realized that she now had a new status.
[Veil of Fallen Heaven]
[Category: Passive Magic]
[Grade: Epic]
[Attribute: Spiritual]
[Tier: 1]
[Kaliella's innate ability, blocking all probing spells and concealing her true appearance.]
Kaliella's blessing had transformed into one of Talia's innate traits.
Lanchi wouldn't have noticed it, nor would she herself.
But to others, her face was indiscernible.
"So, in this shadow world, I'm playing the role of Kaliella, right?"
Talia questioned Lanchi.
After arriving in this shadow world, as a challenger, she could also access the same shadow world information as Lanchi, but she felt more like a ghost accompanying him rather than a physical entity.
"Most likely, in the true historical narrative, this is the soul origin of Kaliella that was left for Lancalos. With her 'Overflowing Land of Gentleness' power, Lancalos could occasionally see her phantom and use the spells she gave him, a downgraded version of ['The Falling Land of Gentleness']."
Ever since the second shadow world, Lanchi had realized that with each fallen comrade, Black Sun Lancalos acquired more and more of their belongings.
In the original history, at the age of 49, Pope Lancalos, the leader of the Holy Pholant religion, had likely already gained the power of faith and broken through to the ninth tier.
The eighth-tier Black Sun Lancalos was already capable of defeating the tenth patriarch, Marquis Ulysses, with one hand.
A ninth-tier Pope Lancalos would probably be unmatched by any living being.
The overwhelming strength of Black Sun Lancalos came not only from his unwavering will and tempered body but also from the extraordinary power accumulated from his fallen comrades, who willingly offered their possessions to him.
"Sigrid, this child, probably thought Kaliella was dead as well. For many years, she stayed in the Demon King's City under Kaliella's protection, but six years ago, Kaliella nearly met her end in a change of fate. After witnessing that incident, Sigrid was brought back to the Pholant Empire and never saw Kaliella again. Her feelings for Kaliella..."
Lanchi paused, leaving the rest unsaid.
Some emotions were too complex to be put into words and could only be understood through empathy. He believed Talia would understand now; she might not comprehend love, but she surely understood familial bonds.
All of this was what he had just witnessed in his illusion in the Audience Chamber.
"..."
Talia looked down at Sigrid in her arms once more.
She found it hard to voice her thoughts, to tell Sigrid the truth about Kaliella's demise.
Talia didn't bother refuting Lanchi's comment about her not understanding love. She merely hypothesized that if, after being severely injured in South Ventina and separated from Suphriel for six years, she had suddenly reappeared before him safe and sound, the situation would probably be similar to this.
Just imagining such a scene made Talia's heart ache.
"It's alright now."
Talia comforted Sigrid.
In this shadow world, she was probably similar to Kaliella, albeit a weakened version.
But in terms of abilities, she was quite comparable to Kaliella.
She, too, could now cast ['The Overflowing Land of Gentleness'].
So she was the "beautiful, dignified, mature, and useful" Kaliella.
She ought to continue weaving the 'Land of Gentleness' to protect the beings Kaliella cherished, repaying the trans-generational gratitude she felt toward Kaliella.
"I'm right here."
Talia gently patted Sigrid's back, whispering softly like a mother soothing her child to sleep.
After a long while, Sigrid finally felt reassured and slowly loosened her tight embrace around the gray-haired demon.
"I'm sorry, Kaliella. I accidentally spoke my heart out loud."
Sigrid wiped her eyes with one hand and apologized to the blurry-faced demoness.
"You're still young, unmarried, so beautiful, loved, and welcomed. I shouldn't have treated you like a mother."
She had thought she would never see Kaliella again, but now, in this shadow world, they had reunited, and she felt as if she were truly dreaming.
It felt so real, like meeting a friend from another era.
"Do you really think so?"
Talia's lips curved slightly, a hint of playfulness in her eyes.
Hearing Sigrid's sincere words, she realized that every word the girl spoke was true.
"Of course! Kaliella, you're the best woman in the world."
Sigrid hugged her tighter, afraid that this warm and gentle Kaliella would disappear like a dream once again.
This time, she was so lucid that it couldn't be a dream.
"Go ahead and hug if you want."
Talia gave in, her voice soft.
It had been a long time since someone had complimented her like this.
After being with Lanchi, who had the least respect for her, Talia found Sigrid's voice as sweet as music.
She had heard Suphriel talk about the adorable Sigrid, and now, even though Sigrid had grown up quite a bit, Talia couldn't help but agree with Suphriel's words—Sigrid was exceedingly endearing.
Moreover, according to Lanchi, Sigrid's feelings for him were pure.
Like now, her embrace conveyed closeness and longing.
There was no need to worry about this child having any ulterior motives toward Lanchi; Talia had overthought it.
At the side of the chapel.
"I knew they would get along."
Lanchi exhaled, a relieved smile on his face, as he addressed the shadow beneath him.
Talia's overflowing maternal instincts, honed over the years, stood no chance against the candid Sigrid.
This journey would undoubtedly be smooth sailing.
"Meow."
Cat Boss poked his head out of the shadow.
He recalled Lanchi saying that if Sigrid and Suphriel ever got into a fight, he would eat the sofa.
Now that it was clear that "Sigrid and Suphriel got along well," and based on the fact that "Talia and Suphriel got along well," it could be deduced that "Sigrid and Talia would also get along."
Lanchi's formula seemed to be spot on.
But why did Cat Boss feel like Lanchi was already sprouting death flags?
(End of Chapter)
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