Chapter 128: Eilene, You Are My Goddess - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

## Chapter 128: Eilene, You Are My Goddess Mise still didn't want to die. Given that this was a battle to the death, the Church had certainly anticipated Lucius's final desperate act. Or to put it another way, Mise's task was inherently to explore all of Lucius's hidden measures. It was clear that his task was now complete. The subsequent matters could be left to His Holiness the Pope. This leader of the Church was also the true top mage of the entire Maya Empire. He was the only demigod in the world! No matter how much Lucius struggled, he could never cross the vast chasm to possess the power to resist a demigod. This was the confidence His Holiness brought to Mise. A true legend, how could Lucius possibly defeat him? Undeniably, what Lucius had achieved was perhaps something even His Holiness could not have attained at his age. But Lucius was still too young. Perhaps decades later, he might have the capital to contest His Holiness, but it was far from enough now. As Mise shouted, Lucius gradually came to a halt. Because not far away, an elderly man with a hunched back was approaching step by step. His hair and beard were all white, and his aura was indistinguishable from that of an ordinary person on the street. Yet, upon seeing him, Mise's eyes burned with intense fervor. The old man's pace was unhurried, but each step was steady. His cloudy eyes revealed little emotion. An unmatched domain quietly unfolded, enveloping the entire manor. In stark contrast to the chaos Lucius had caused, the old man's every move seemed to bring about no change at all. He gazed at Lucius, raising a silver-white staff as if to judge a heretic. The old man muttered, "Lucius, do you confess your sins?" The moment the words fell, an invisible pressure surged from all directions toward Lucius. That pressure sought to make him kneel, but Lucius straightened his body, his bones responding with a resounding crack. He inexplicably smiled. "Confess my sins?" "My faith in the goddess is unshakable, what sin is there?" Lucius's reaction was calm, devoid of the mania of one at the end of his life. Instead, he seemed content. This made it difficult for the Pope to appraise him. Facing death, what on earth was he thinking? Clearly, by simply remaining a loyal priest, his future could have been extremely bright. Yet he chose to oppose the Church, leading to such a dire outcome. The Pope furrowed his brows, deep in confusion. Or rather, he had been perplexed ever since Lucius forcibly took the witch from the Church two years ago. Over these two years, he had secretly observed all of Lucius's actions. Apart from his constant fraternization with those two little witches, he found nothing suspicious. As for the notion that deep affection for the two little witches could be legitimate, the Pope had long dismissed it. In this world, nothing is more fragile than so-called feelings. So, why did he do it? The Pope contemplated briefly and then chose to ask directly. "Why?" In this moment, he stood with the demeanor of a victor before Lucius, showing no impatience at all. Lucius was doomed, and the two little witches were naturally within his grasp. The game was set. This was the Pope's sentiment. He paused, continuing, "Lucius, you claim your faith in the goddess is unshakable, yet your actions, are they not descending into degradation?" Lucius remained silent, only continuing to smile. It seemed that, since the Pope's appearance, his smile had never faded. Almost like the joy of a long-prepared plan finally coming to fruition, a fish finally taking the bait. He could hardly suppress the upward curl of his lips. The Pope grew increasingly confused. He truly didn't understand, which caused a twinge of impatience. "Lucius, don't think you have concealed things well. Your obsessive research into the ritual of deification, you think I was unaware?" The Pope spoke, releasing a disdainful chuckle. "What a hopeless fool, daring to dream of godhood without even reaching the level of a demigod?" "No matter how many ancient texts you scour, what good would it do?" "Relying on those two little witches you took?" At the mention of deification, the Pope's emotions flared. Each word seemed wrapped in unending fury. But Lucius ignored him, not even bothering to glance his way. Lucius turned and swiftly rushed toward the two little witches surrounded by the Inquisition troops. His speed was so swift, leaving trails behind him in the air. An inquisitor instinctively tried to obstruct him, only to be swatted away by Lucius. Seeing this, the Pope squinted his eyes but refrained from stopping him. He was keen on discovering what Lucius was truly plotting. ... The events unfolding in the sky had nothing to do with the struggling Selina below. Her long hair was drenched in sweat, messily clinging to her forehead. Maintaining the black flame had drained much of her strength. Now, seeing Lucius return, the young girl finally smiled. She wished to say something but felt her body weaken, nearly collapsing to the ground. Luckily, Lucius reached out just in time, pulling her into his embrace. Noticing her exhaustion, a pang of tenderness filled Lucius's heart. Selina reached out, gently caressing his cheek. In a soft voice, she asked, "Lord Lucius, have you won?" Above them, it was a battle of the greatest mages. Lucius was momentarily stunned before shaking his head. "The old Pope, even with forbidden techniques, I can't defeat him." "The gap between a demigod and me is just too vast." Lucius spoke calmly, merely stating the facts. Selina looked at him, her expression unexpectedly tender. Even after discovering his deceit, she ought to be furious. Yet the young girl's eyes remained filled with undeniable affection. She collapsed in his arms, speaking in a soft tone. "Lord Lucius, you saved me, you gave me a second life." No sadness, no anguish. Once more, Selina grasped Lucius's hand. "Lord Lucius, please ascend to godhood." As she finished speaking, her eyelashes fluttered, and her eyes closed. Overexerted, she was too tired and fell into a deep slumber. Lucius was silent, cradling Selina's slender form, and turned to glance at Eilene, who had been silent all along. The young girl's black dress trailed on the ground, picking up bits of dust. Seeing Lucius looking her way, her vacant stare finally focused. She said nothing, merely following Selina's lead and closed her eyes. Both young girls shared a remarkably consistent attitude. Neither possessed any intention of resistance. Even knowing it was a meticulously orchestrated deceit, they still accepted it willingly. Yet after waiting for so long, the anticipated pain never arrived. Eilene couldn't help but open her eyes. In the next instant, her pupils constricted sharply. Before her lay a bloody gash on Lucius's chest. The spot where a heart should be was now empty. The girl looked up to see him presenting her with his still-beating heart. Eilene was utterly stunned. And as she stood there in shock, Lucius mercilessly clenched it with force. Blood spattered, soaking the girl's long hair and drenching her black dress. An eternal and untouchable aura began to blossom between the two girls. That was the innate majesty of a deity! The ritual was complete. This was indeed a deception from start to finish. But it was not their death that was offered, but Lucius's. Watching the unreachable radiance surrounding the girl, Lucius's lips curled into a slightly strained smile. "Miss Eilene, you are my goddess." He whispered softly.