The conversation high in the sky was swept away by howling winds before it could reach the ground; Anthelia and the others could only hear muffled roars, yet Lu Li somehow heard every single word they said.
So it was all because of him.
Lu Li’s gaze fell upon the fiery-red figure standing with her sword. He could feel a profound sorrow emanating from her—a sadness that was calm yet vast, like a silent tide rising in an iron-gray sea.
Amore remained silent for a moment before slowly raising her greatsword.
“I won’t let you hurt him,” the girl said, her voice slightly raspy.
She had heard everything Wendelina said, but she didn’t care. Even if God Himself were standing before her today, she wouldn’t take a single step back.
“U—”
As Wendelina opened her mouth again, Amore’s expression changed abruptly. Without time to utter her True Name, she charged forward instantly.
However, she was still a step too late.
“—riel.”
As Wendelina’s voice fell, everything in the world suddenly froze.
Unlike the brief stasis when Amore released her True Name for the third time, it was as if a pause button had been pressed on the entire space. Everything was frozen in place, with only the flames burning wildly on Wendelina’s body remaining active.
Lu Li looked at the figure in shock. Seeing her turn her gaze toward him, his heart betrayed him with a violent thud.
This scene was identical to the time-stop from not long ago. He attempted to pull the pocket watch from his coat, but Wendelina’s voice echoed down from above.
“It’s useless, Your Holiness.”
“This is an authority granted by God to the Seraphim; even the Holy Chalice cannot alter it.”
Lu Li’s hand paused slightly, and he promptly abandoned the idea of taking out the watch.
“Well, that’s certainly troubling.”
He offered a slight smile, his eyes fixing once more on her figure. “So, are you going to kill me? To avenge your daughter?”
Holding her longsword of flame, Wendelina walked toward him step by step, as if descending an invisible staircase.
She arrived before Lu Li. The intense heat nearly distorted the space around her, yet Lu Li couldn't feel any warmth from the flames at all.
It was a strange sensation—like a fierce hound tamely exposing its belly before its master.
“Perhaps,” Wendelina said, her voice indifferent.
Then, she slowly raised her sword and brought it down.
The heatwave whipped up by the blade made space itself groan. She had no doubt that this single strike was enough to turn the frail boy before her into ashes.
Yet he remained standing right where he was, without even blinking an eye.
The longsword halted mere centimeters from the boy's chest. Just a fraction closer and it would have pierced his body, whereupon the “Flames of God” would ruthlessly consume him, causing him to vanish completely from this world in less than half a second.
Yet he did not appear nervous in the least. He even reached out a finger with some curiosity, cautiously touching the tip of the flame-engulfed sword.
“It really isn't hot!” He seemed genuinely surprised.
Wendelina looked at the young Pope with an expressionless face. It wasn't that the fire had no heat; she was suppressing its temperature so she wouldn't accidentally hurt him.
“Are you not afraid?” she asked.
The young Pope blinked, looking genuinely puzzled by the question. “Why should I be afraid?”
“I was going to kill you just now,” Wendelina said.
“But you didn't kill me!” the boy replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Wendelina let out an exasperated laugh and couldn't help emphasizing, “I came here to kill you!”
Seeing Lu Li still poking at her raised sword like a curious child, she simply let go of her grip.
Bereft of her control, the longsword of flame did not fall; instead, it scattered into a flurry of sparks, drifting down until it vanished into nothingness.
“Oh,” Lu Li responded softly, a trace of disappointment flickering in his eyes.
This was his first time examining a weapon forged of supernatural power up close, and he had really wanted to hold it to see what it felt like.
Seemingly incensed by his nonchalant attitude, Wendelina abruptly stepped forward and gripped the boy's throat tightly.
“I said, I am here to kill you! Did you hear me?” She slowly tightened her grip, her eyes brimming with murderous intent.
Lu Li’s eyes rested on her face. Her expression was fierce and distorted, finally bearing a semblance of what an angel should be.
Yet no matter how convincing her act was, a fake remained a fake.
A powerful sense of suffocation washed over him. As if his brain sensed this body was genuinely on the verge of death, tears welled up and spilled uncontrollably down his cheeks.
Even at this moment, all Wendelina could see on his face was pain and endurance—still without a shred of fear or dread.
Tepid tears dripped onto Wendelina’s fingers. As if suddenly realizing what she had done, she abruptly released her grip on his throat.
“Cough—cough, cough—”
Watching him collapse limply to his knees, coughing violently, Wendelina somehow felt a burning sensation pulsing at the spots on her fingertips where the tears had fallen.
She knelt down, reached out a hand, and gently pinched the boy's chin, carefully studying his small face, flushed red from the lack of air.
“If God truly is all-knowing and all-powerful, why doesn't He come to save you?” she asked.
Lu Li panted softly for a moment before the suffocating feeling finally eased up.
Hearing her question, he couldn't help but purse his lips.
God only knew if such a thing as a God actually existed...
Though he thought so in his heart, he said aloud, “Perhaps... God knows you won't actually kill me... Hss—”
Before Lu Li could finish, he gasped in pain. It felt as if his chin were about to be crushed by her.
“Is there another possibility?”
Wendelina narrowed her eyes slightly, gazing at the tearful, fragile-looking boy held in her grip. “That you are actually a demon in human skin, and the Lord doesn't care about your life or death at all?”
Having said that, she let go of him and stood back up.
Lu Li stared blankly at her figure as he heard her continue:
“And you, a demon in human skin, have bewitched me, rendering me unable to strike you down.”
“That's not true... You never intended to kill me from the very start...”
Lu Li whispered softly. The next instant, as if realizing something, his expression paled abruptly, and he shouted out immediately:
“Don't!”
At the same time, another familiar voice rang out from the distance:
“Amore! Kill her!”
The time-stop dissolved at that exact moment, and a figure draped in pale flames plummeted from high above.
A king descending from the heavens!
In a single flash, the greatsword plunged through Wendelina's chest from behind, splashing a drop of warm blood onto the boy's face.
The crimson flames fully receded, revealing an emaciated frame and a tired face.
Lu Li’s eyes widened as he stared at the scene in stunned silence.
“Your Holiness... please... tell me...”
Wendelina spoke softly, a trickle of blood slowly flowing down from the corner of her lips.
Her gaze was pure and clear, like a believer stepping into a church for the very first time, or an infant newly arrived upon the mortal world.
“Do you think... the great... Lord... is He... truly merciful and kind?”
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