Chapter 124: A Grand Deception and Death - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

Chapter 124: A Grand Deception and Death Outside Lucius's estate. Squad after squad of fully armed personnel stood in neat formation at the entrance. Their robust bodies were sheathed in shimmering silver-white armor, each clutching a matching silver-white spear. The spearheads glinted with a cold and piercing light, emblazoned with a cross—the unique insignia of the Inquisition Army. This silver-white armor was extraordinarily valuable, providing excellent insulation and immunity against the majority of magical attacks. Simply put, it was an anti-magic artifact. Coupled with the formidable physiques of the Inquisition Army, they were often invincible when vanquishing those powerful heretics. This invulnerability was a key factor in the Church's sustained authoritative position. Leading the Inquisition Army was none other than Cardinal Seco Boden. Beside him stood another priestly figure, accompanied by four other cardinals of equal rank. They hovered in the air, hands clasped behind their backs, silently gazing at the estate ahead. The estate lay cloaked in tranquility, with only a few flickering lights under the shroud of night. This purge had drawn in the Church's most powerful forces, a lineup unparalleled in its scope, highlighting the Church's wariness and respect for Lucius. No one knew the mysterious powers or sinister tactics this young priest concealed behind his defiance against the Church. Confronting the Church head-on was reckless—most likely, he had some hidden card up his sleeve. After a while, the highest-ranking priest present, Father Mise, slowly spoke with a tone of regret. "What a pity. Lucius was once a proud gem of our Church. Who would have thought he'd be bewitched by a witch and commit such a grave betrayal?" Seco replied coldly, "Father Mise, there's no need to pity such a heretic. The Church gave him plenty of chances." "The Pontiff was too lenient. I say we should have seized Lucius long ago, along with those two little witches hiding in his estate, and sent them to the stake!" Seco's righteous indignation quickly garnered agreement from the other four cardinals. When the Church initially decided to reckon with Lucius, few dared to voice their opinions. But now, with Lucius's fall inevitable, unity in condemnation was the prevailing sentiment. He would forever be branded a heretic, damned beyond redemption, and there'd be no fear of any future retribution from Lucius. For this night-enshrouded estate would be not only his dwelling but also his grave. Nevertheless... Recalling the rumors surrounding Lucius and the display of prowess he'd showcased, Seco hesitated and asked, "Father Mise, the Pontiff..." Mise's white robe flapped in the wind as he cast a glance at Seco. "What status does the Pontiff hold? If he needs to intervene, it would be overestimating Lucius." Seco paused, offering a reminder, "That heretic is also shielding two witches. A witch's methods are notoriously unpredictable and should not be underestimated..." Mise smirked, knowing far more secrets than Lucius, given his rank. No witches had come of age; their machinations, however crafty, couldn't pose a real threat. He waved his hand dismissively, "Just two ants, easily crushed." Noticing Seco's unease, Mise coldly huffed and continued, "Go ahead and set the Inquisition Army in motion. The Pontiff's gaze will be upon us." At these words, a gleam of joy appeared on Seco's face. He dispelled the levitation spell and landed steadily on the ground. With a grand gesture, his voice boomed across the ranks, "Raise shields, ready spears!" "Prepare to charge!" ... The chilling night breeze brought an ominous sense of dread. "Between you and me... there's no need for pretense." Eileen's recent peculiar behavior had not only caught the eye of her close friend Selena but was also palpable to Lucius. The secrets of a maiden's heart were always hard to fathom. As Lucius had been preoccupied with other concerns, he hadn't had time to address it. But with the mounting malevolence surrounding the estate, he feared if he didn't speak now, the chance might vanish forever. Eileen seemed to sense this urgency too. She raised her gaze slightly before lowering it again. Softly, she asked, "That phrase." "What does it mean?" The question seemed random. Lucius furrowed his brow, puzzled. Beside him, Selena was even more bewildered, missing the connection entirely. Do you really not know, or are you just pretending...? Eileen pondered, then slightly parted her lips to whisper a sentence, "Becoming a deity doesn’t require a grandiose sacrifice or any complicated rituals." Her black dress fluttered in the night breeze. She looked intently at him, yearning for an explanation. The atmosphere grew tense. Lucius, taken aback, scratched his head, looking somewhat surprised. He chuckled softly. "...Ah, you're talking about that." "I wondered why you've been acting so strangely; you found the diary." "But it's not exactly a diary, just a few notes scribbled while pondering on that chair..." He showed no alarm at being found out, speaking with calm composure—he never intended to hide it. But Eileen saw it differently. Her hand instinctively moved to her chest, her heart pounding rapidly, fearing this was leading to something heart-wrenching. She stared at him, pressing on, "So what does it mean? Was it a joke, or do you really intend to use us as sacrificial offerings?" Her demeanor, and even her voice, carried an unusual pleading tone. She, who usually spoke of disgust and disdain, rarely showed any warmth towards him. Eileen had only previously shown such vulnerability once—for Selena. Yet today, her black dress fluttered like a rootless weed, swaying as if it might collapse at any moment. Lucius had spent the past two years researching the divine ascension ritual, something both Eileen and Selena were aware of. But it seemed too distant and inconsequential, so they hardly paid it any mind. Now, hearing this, Selena's head shot up, disbelief flickering in her eyes as she clenched her hands tightly. Lucius continued to smile, his tone unchanging. "Yes, as you see." "To become a deity is simple." "A grand deception and a death are all it takes."