The Holy Fire went out. Only then Cardinal Jun, who was suppressing the Pope with the holy knights, let go of the Pope. The Pope, who could not prevent the sacrifice from being made, could not look away from the altar. Cardinal Jun turned his head because he was ashamed to see the Pope. He justified all the emotions the Pope showed because the Pope volunteered to be an offering himself.
The priests who watched everything said in despair.
āHow can we deal with Godās wrath because we gave him a false sacrifice?ā
āWhere is Young Lady Biss? If we donāt hurry up and offer the real sacrifice!ā
Pope Yohan slowly pulled himself up from the crowd smeared with fear of a madman who couldnāt give up her obsession with the pope until the end, despair of the failed burnt offering, and fear of Godās punishment.
He looked at the altar with only ashes remaining for a long time and heavily twisted his head.
āWe have already made an offering. The offer is over. Everyone, please go back.ā
āBut that was a false sacrifice!ā
āIt was not false!ā
Pope Yohan scolded the people.
āIt was not a false sacrifice! The right offering, the one I love, has been sacrificed! But are you saying to make more sacrifices?!ā
From the beginning, the Pope volunteered to be the sacrifice. Was it because the wrong person was sacrificed while he was forced to take a medicine because people were against it? Pope Yohan gritted his teeth with rage.
āI love Young Lady Tite Rivero!ā
It was a confession that Tite would have liked more than anyone else if she were alive. She would have forgotten her dignity, jumped around and bragged with an attitude, I knew it. The one, who was supposed to hear the confession, became ashes, scattered little by little in the wind, and the sky was scarily clear as if God was watching.
People gave up the new ritual because the Pope said there would be no more sacrifices.
***
To peopleās surprise, the Demon Lord accepted the offering. Any priests who participated in the ceremony could know. Those who were wondering why he had accepted the false offering soon realized. Pope Yohan loved all mankind equally. So the sacrifice could be anyone from the beginning.
Some sobbed and cried at the mercy of the Pope, who even embraced the malicious stalker.
When Reese, who had been trapped naked in a closet and fainted, was rescued by the holy knights and got dressed and reached the ceremony, it was after everything was over.
āā¦ā
The wind crept past Reeseās body. Reese, who had a night of nightmares, trembled in fear. She stared at the altar, unable to completely shake off her fear.
That was where Tite Rivero died. The woman who suddenly appeared, attacked and bound Reese, cut off her hair and clothes and made Reese cry died on her behalf up there.
How should she accept this?
Truthfully, she didnāt appreciate it at all. She didnāt even though in a sense Tite was Reeseās lifesaver. What happened to Reeseās determination to die, and what should she do after surviving like this?
āHa.ā
At the same time, Reese laughed. In any case, Tite Rivero achieved her goal. This would be how mankind remembered her.
Pope Yohan loved Tite Rivero.
If that was Titeās goal, she had achieved it. She had love in which she was ready to be sacrificed, so Reeseās heart was not behind Tite, but she would never win against her. Reese couldnāt have tied others up even if she threw her life for love.
The ceremony hall was neatly cleared because of the popeās anger. The altar was especially clean. The ashes that used to be Tite were nowhere to be found. Reese was the only one wandering around the ceremony hall because everyone was afraid of incurring the Popeās wrath.
Once again the wind brushed past Reese. Reese turned her head several times because she regretted the absence of her hair. Looking around like that, Reese found a shiny object.
āIs it an accessory that fell before the Holy Fire was lit?ā
If so, it was Reeseās. Reese bent down and picked up the shiny thing. The accessory was an accessory, but it wasnāt Reeseās. An unexpected item came into Reeseās hands.
āLocket.ā
It was an old and ordinary locket, but Reese knew the owner of the locket right away. Every woman in the capital would know. It was a locket that the Holy Father, who didnāt have a special person, always wore around his neck and never let go. The same locket that appeared in Titeās story.
āHe must have dropped it while scuffling. I have to give it back.ā
Reese wrapped the locket preciously in a handkerchief. Itās something that the Pope cherishes, so heāll definitely like it when itās returned. He might be looking for this because he doesnāt know where he dropped this.
Suddenly, a curiosity of a girl in love captivated Reese. The locket would surely contain the hair of the person Pope truly loved.
āCanāt I just take a peek?ā
Just a little bit.
If it was the usual Reese, she wouldnāt have thought so boldly. Even if she had been persuaded, she would have followed the sound of her conscience. However, todayās Reese endured a night of nightmares and was out of danger of death. Reese had to listen to Tite Riveroās delusions, whether she liked it or not, and she was intrigued by the locket mentioned in her delusion.
About the inside of the locket that even Tite Rivero, who stalked Pope Yohan like that, didnāt see.
Click.
Reese couldnāt resist her curiosity and opened the locket. Inside the locket were a hand-drawn portrait and some faded blond strands. Blonde hair didnāt sparkle as if it had been long since it was cut. It would have been difficult to tell who the portrait was if not for its color because the drawing was poor.
Reese was convinced that faded blonde hair was one of the most brilliant in the capital. The girl with her red eyes twinkling in a small portrait was smiling as if she was telling that Reeseās conviction was right.
Reese brushed away the falling tears, sobbing.
The crazy girl of the Rivero family, Tite Rivero, had never lied.