NOVPUB
Chapter 352: Cardinal Carsius’s Plan
In another part of the church, there is a luxurious room designated for the archbishop to work or engage in private activities. Inside this room, a middle-aged man with blonde hair sits at his desk with a dignified posture. A white robe with a dark yellow sash draped over his left shoulder signifies his status as a cardinal of the church.
He is Cardinal Carsius Vilanix, a man with a great reputation within the church. Due to his frequent interactions with other members and his generosity in offering gifts, he is popular among the members, including high-ranking ones.
At this time, he was not alone in the room; two other men, dressed in the same robe and sash as him, accompanied him. They were also cardinals, but they primarily served as his supporters in his bid to lead the next pope.
One of them was a middle-aged man with brown hair, a small beard, and sharp eyes, sitting on a sofa not far from Cardinal Carsius’s desk. The other one was also middle-aged, with black hair and a neatly separated mustache resting above his lips.
"How is it, Cardinal Darius? Is there any movement from the Paladin?" Cardinal Carsius asked the brown-haired man.
"No. According to my spy stationed near the Paladin Knights’ barracks, there has been no movement, especially from Arthur. In my opinion, he seems to be in seclusion, likely preparing to break through to the Emperor stage. I haven’t seen any sign of him for more than two weeks," Cardinal Darius said with a smile.
"Why do you seem so worried about Sir Arthur movement? He can’t do much if the heavens appear to be on our side. With His Holiness suddenly falling ill, your path to becoming the next pope is practically unobstructed," said the black-haired cardinal.
"That is true, Cardinal Will, but we must still consider the voices of the other faction and the Saintess’s decision. We can’t simply force our way forward while ignoring proper procedure. I fear that my sudden rise might attract unnecessary trouble for me or even the church as a whole," Cardinal Carsius said in a firm tone.
"You don’t have to sound so pessimistic. With the support we have, I believe that the other side, or even Her Holiness, will have no choice but to react and decide accordingly. After all, if they go against the trend, it won’t be good for the unity of the church," Cardinal Darius said.
"Yes, I think so too. You need to be more optimistic—your path is already bright ahead," Cardinal Will added.
Cardinal Carsius sighed, closing his eyes as if deep in thought before slowly opening them again.
"Alright. Thank you for your support. I will definitely repay you in the future," he said to the other two.
"You better take care of us when you become the pope in the future. Hahaha," Cardinal Darius said jokingly.
"I will, I will."
After that, the two cardinals excused themselves from the room, leaving Cardinal Carsius alone. Once they were gone, his demeanor changed—he became more relaxed, no longer concerned with maintaining his wise appearance. His expression turned disdainful as he looked toward the door where the cardinals had just left.
"Idiots," he scoffed, his tone full of contempt. But then, a smirk formed on his lips.
"What a life. Before long, I will stand at the very peak of the church, wielding absolute control. To hell with how I obtain it—those devils will merely be stepping stones on my path to glory!" he thought.
"As for the Saintess... well, I’ll use her as much as possible once I take the pope’s seat. Her ability is truly useful for my plans."
He had already prepared something to ensure the Saintess would obey his commands, and he would use it when the time was right.
Cardinal Carsius was lost in his own world, indulging in his happiness, when he suddenly remembered something.
"That prophesized person... where is he right now? I heard that the other faction met with him a few years ago and even built a connection with him. He could become a problem if I don’t address it."
This was the only lingering concern in his heart. That prophesized person was said to be the savior of the church. If he couldn’t be controlled, it would be difficult for Carsius to seize complete power over the church.
For the church’s higher-ups, the arrival of the prophesized messiah was the key to the continent’s future and the church’s survival. They wholeheartedly believed that this chosen one would save them and elevate the church to new heights.
Cardinal Carsius frowned as he thought about it more deeply. From his perspective, the prophesized person did not fully understand the current situation within the church. If he played his cards right, he could take advantage of this ignorance. By manipulating him and gaining his trust, Carsius could seize complete control of the church.
However, if he actually knew about the situation and chose to support the other faction and the pope—
"If he refuses to support me, then—" His eyes flickered wickedly. He would have to take a more extreme approach to force that person onto his side.
"By using him, I can also get rid of those devils who think they already have me in their grasp—killing two birds with one stone."
He smirked at his own plan, feeling a surge of pride in his so-called genius.
Rising from his seat, he walked toward the giant window that overlooked the scenery of the vast garden.
"The heavens are on my side, and I will be the one to lead the church to new heights—no one else."
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Inside the pope’s chamber, Aldrian was already seated on one side of the room, where a set of chairs and a table were arranged. He had just finished explaining his thoughts to the pope and Angelica—detailing what they could do to expose Cardinal Carsius and strip away his mask.
This wasn’t a matter he could simply resolve by barging into Cardinal Carsius’s room and forcing a confession with a slave seal or something like that.
If the other members of the church saw a sudden shift in Cardinal Carsius’s behavior—especially during this delicate time when the pope had fallen ill and his successor had yet to be decided—they might assume it was a scheme orchestrated by the opposing faction. That misunderstanding could lead to detrimental situation to them.
What they needed was to take down Cardinal Carsius through normal and formal means—backed by strong, undeniable proof against him.
To achieve this, Aldrian had to make a formal entrance with the help of the Saintess. With the plan he had just shared with the pope and Angelica, he would ensure that there were no obstacles preventing his official arrival at the church. If Cardinal Carsius attempted to block his entry or hinder his meeting with the "sick" pope, he would face severe backlash instead.
"Your plan is truly brilliant. With this method, you’ll be able to move freely within the church, and we can sack that bas— I mean, Carsius, without giving him a chance to defend himself," Pope Claudius said.
At this moment, his face already showed a healthy hue, no longer pale and weak. His body, too, had regained vitality, brimming with energy.
"To be honest, I still think that dealing with the problem immediately by having you suddenly appear inside the church would be more shocking and impactful. But I understand why you have to take this roundabout approach just to catch that traitor," the pope admitted. "Anyway, let’s commence your plan as soon as possible. I can’t wait to beat that— I mean, to properly punish Carsius and anyone who has been helping him."
Aldrian nodded before standing up.
"Well then, I will excuse myself, Your Holiness. I’ll wait for Arthur to arrive— that will mark the beginning of our operation to catch the traitor," he said.
Hearing Aldrian, the pope nodded, while Angelica remained silent, seemingly dissatisfied about something. Aldrian, who understood her feelings, smiled at her.
"Angelica, we’ll only be apart for a short while. Once I enter the church formally, we can talk as much as we want without anyone disturbing us."
Hearing that, Angelica’s blind eyes seemed to brighten as she smiled and nodded.
The pope, observing their interaction, chuckled and turned his attention to Angelica."Utututu, our Angelica has actually found a new conversation partner and is disappointed because he has to leave so soon. Don’t worry, my dear, he—"
"Father!"
"Ahahaha." The pope burst into laughter, while Aldrian smiled warmly at their interaction. It was a welcome change from the gloomy atmosphere that had filled the room when he first entered.
"Then, see you later, Your Holiness."
"See you later, father."
In the next instant, Aldrian and Angelica suddenly vanished without a trace, leaving the pope shocked. As a peak Emperor-stage cultivator, he couldn’t detect even the slightest sign of their departure! It was as if they had simply ceased to exist, an ability that left him in awe of Aldrian’s mysterious methods.
"Truly an amazing young man!" he thought.
After a moment, he approached the cultivation mat at one side of the room and sat down. He needed to cultivate and replenish the energy he had lost while under the curse!
