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Reese reached before the altar. Cardinal Jun called her, who was trying to climb the altar.
“Young Lady Biss.”
“…”
Reese did not answer. Cardinal Jun did not force an answer because he understood how she felt.
“I’m so sorry. And thank you.”
“…”
“You will be revered as a saint after death, and mankind will not forget your sacrifice.”
“…”
“Do you have any last word to say?”
Was it because she felt she would burst into tears when she opened her mouth? Or was it because she might beg that she didn’t want to die? Reese Biss climbed the altar without saying a word. With a deep sigh, Cardinal Jun recited the ceremony oration.
“You can’t go in!”
“Everyone, get out of the way!”
At that time, the entrance to the Temple seemed to be noisy, and the holy knights were thrown in all directions. Along with the rough horse cry, someone drove a horse to the ceremonial hall. Those who blocked the road fell sideways or were driven far away by an invisible force. Who else would dare to do such a thing in a sacred temple? Who else would show such a strong divine power?
It was Pope Yohan who insisted on becoming a sacrifice until the end.
“Jun! Stop!”
“Young Lady Biss! Thank you so much!”
Cardinal Jun didn’t recite the oration until the end and lit up the Holy Fire. Crackle. The blue flame of the Holy Fire moved to the tree under the altar. Yohan stepped down from his horse and tried to disturb the firewood with his divine power, but the fire had already crept on the ceremonial dress.
Nothing could extinguish the Holy Fire once it was lit. Even a pope couldn’t do it. The sacrifice would be made to God as it was. Yohan cried in despair.
“I don’t love Young Lady Biss! Now, we are offering a false sacrifi…!”
Yohan, who was running as if to hit Cardinal Jun, was appealed. It was an appearance anyone had never seen before. Yohan couldn’t continue his words, covered his mouth, and jumped onto the altar. Jun managed to stop Yohan.
“Holy Father! No!”
“Let go! Let go! That’s not Young Lady Biss! That person!”
People were astonished at Yohan’s words. If the figure on the altar is not Young Lady Biss, who is it? If someone impersonates Young Lady Biss as a false offering, how will we repay the crime of making a fake offering to God?
“Take the false offering off the altar!”
“The Holy Fire is already lit! We can’t approach it!”
The Holy Fire was the only means of offering sacrifices to God. The blue flame that burned with God’s power never went out until all the offerings were burned. Everyone knew about it and couldn’t do anything about it, but the Pope struggled to go to the altar alone.
“No! No!”
“Holy Father! There’s nothing we can do about it! Even if it is a false offering, the Holy Fire was already lit!”
A powerful spell pressed Cardinal Jun. Cardinal Jun desperately resisted Yohan’s divine power.
“That’s not Young Lady Biss! That person is!”
The blue flame grew in size and ate the lower half of the sacrifice. The sacrifice screamed painfully and faltered. The rising air current caused by the blazing fire took off the thin veils that the sacrifice was wearing one by one. The veils burned up in the air, turned into ashes, and fell like rain.
There was no one who did not know who appeared under the veil.
She had sparkling blonde hair, ruby-like red eyes, and a beautiful appearance more than anyone else, but she was crazy because she was deeply in love.
Tite Rivero, a crazy girl of the Rivero family.
Tite did not endure the pain she felt from burning. She vomited it out as if it was praisable of her that she had endured so far.
“It hurts! It hurrtss! It hurts! It hurts so much!”
Tite’s lower body collapsed. Tite rolled over the altar, but the Holy Fire did not go out. When he met Tite’s wet eyes, Cardinal Jun dazed as if he had been hit on the head by a hammer. He didn’t expect her to cause such an accident when he forgot about her because she seemed like she had changed her mind.
Tite. Tite Rivero. The crazy girl from the Rivero family. She gasped and said.
“Just, ugh, just because of this, you deny love?”
Tite’s resentment was not directed to Cardinal Jun, who lit up the fire. It was poured out on Yohan, whom he was holding. Yohan’s body was frighteningly trembling. It was only natural. Yohan does not love Tite. There was a possibility for all the young ladies in the capital, but it was not for Tite.
“No, it’s not.”
“Coward! Scaredy-cat! Awful man!”
“Young Lady Rivero! You must not be sacrificed! You! At least you!”
“A lousy liar!”
Yohan succeeded in shaking off Cardinal Jun. Jun managed to pull Yohan, who was about to go up to the altar, with the help of the holy knights. As three more people were attached to him, Yohan couldn’t move at all. As the rough movement continued, the chain of Yohan’s necklace broke and something fell on the floor. The situation was urgent and no one noticed it.
Was it because of the shock of the false offering stepping on the altar? He acted as if he hadn’t even thought of using divine power. As if he had become the most incompetent person in the world, he repeatedly said no.
“Yes!”
Tite continued, giggling, and squealing.
“Your love is! It was an excuse that isn’t enough to be called love! But yes! Alright! The name of that emotion is eventually love! Look, Holy Father! How much your eyes are shaking right now.”
Tite raised her finger and pointed to Yohan’s face. She was burning black in the blue flames.
“Young Lady Rivero! I!”
Tite Rivero. The crazy girl of the Rivero family laughed. She, who threw her head back and screamed, took her finger to her mouth when Yohan opened his mouth and tried to speak. Her mouth and face were quiet for once, when she had honestly represented the burning pain throughout.
“Don’t say it. I know everything.”
The word that Tite Rivero, the crazy girl of the Rivero family, muttered to everyone’s ears. The delusion of a madman that no one ever believed. Tite was confident that was the words Yohan was going to say this time as well.
That was the last time given to Tite Rivero. The blue flame finally covered her whole body. Tite floundered her arms in a rigid motion on the altar, then collapsed into ashes.