NOVPUB
Chapter 355: The Calling
Aldrian was stunned by the unexpectedly specific question. He had just revealed who his parents were, yet the Pope immediately inquired about his place of birth—and he was correct.
"Yes, my mother gave birth to me in the Everlasting Silent Forest," Aldrian answered truthfully.
The Pope nodded and sighed.
"As I thought. That was the only time Aldrey and Irene went missing—and it happened in that forbidden zone. It seems they did something without their family’s knowledge," the Pope said, looking at Aldrian. "Which, in the end, resulted in your birth."
He sighed again, leaning back in his chair.
"Truly, this is fate—a destiny arranged by the heavens. For you to be born on this continent at that precise time... all because of that accident."
Aldrian narrowed his eyes.
"What do you mean, Your Holiness? What incident?"
"Hmm? Have your parents never told you the reason they were trapped inside the Everlasting Silent Forest?" the Pope asked in wonder.
"What I know is that they were trapped inside the Everlasting Silent Forest because of the devils. My parents seemed to be escaping from them, which led to them being swallowed by a crack in a secret realm within the forest," Aldrian replied.
The Pope nodded.
"Correct. At that time, your parents were within this very territory when, all of a sudden, the devils launched a surprise attack."
Aldrian frowned. "A surprise attack? Inside the main Heavenly Direction Church territory?" he asked.
"Correct. At that time, I summoned many nobles and members of the imperial family from across the continent to gather at the main church. The purpose was to inform them about the prophecy and to make them aware of the difficult times ahead."
"The prophecy from the Saintess regarding the fate of the continent is not something that can be ignored. After all, everyone knew of the Saintess’s abilities, so they took this gathering very seriously."
"However, it seems the devils took advantage of that moment, knowing that many prominent figures were gathered here. They launched an attack on some of the envoy families, specifically targeting the heirs of the big families."
"At that time, your parents personally came here as representative from their families... and you know what happened next."
Aldrian was stunned, but then he pieced the puzzle together on his own.
"I see... So because of the devils’ surprise attack—something no one expected—my parents were forced to escape south to the Everlasting Silent Forest."
"Yes. Many believed that Aldrey and Irene had died inside the Everlasting Silent Forest. You know how dangerous that place is, don’t you? Well... at least, that was the belief until the recent changes in the forest."
The Pope suddenly chuckled.
"Don’t you think this is actually funny? Because of the devils’ surprise attack back then, your parents ended up uniting and becoming one in the secret realm. They had the time to give birth to you and raise you."
"That’s why it’s truly fate that you were born at that exact moment—right as the prophecy draws near. If the devils hadn’t launched their surprise attack back then, maybe the story would have been different. Maybe you would have been born much later... or perhaps, not at all."
"The heavens are truly helping us with your presence. I suppose the dragon and phoenix phenomenon back then was also a sign of your arrival in this world, as it coincided with the second prophecy—the one about the golden light illuminating the land, which was revealed to Angelica."
The Pope gazed at Aldrian, but this time, his joking demeanor faded, replaced by a warm expression.
"The heavens have not abandoned us... The heavens have not abandoned us."
For a long time, he had feared otherwise. Ever since the purity of holy energy began to decline due to an unknown factor, he wondered if the heavens were turning their backs on them. Added to the bleak future of the continent, his doubts had shaken his faith, causing his Dao heart to crack at one point.
This was not surprising for him to experience. Having lived for tens of thousands of years, he had always felt the slow decline of the power and purity of holy energy, as if the heavens were abandoning them. The dark prophecy only made it harder for him to keep his faith steady.
However, when the dragon and phoenix phenomenon occurred and Angelica’s prophecy about the golden light was revealed, it reignited his faith—making it stronger than ever. He was truly grateful that the heavens had not forsaken them or left him to live in misery.
Aldrian smiled at the Pope.
"Yes, the heavens did not abandon you, and they never will," he said with sincerity, as if he personally knew the heavens themselves. He simply felt it—an unshakable certainty that the heavens had never turned their backs on their believers or those who placed their faith in them.
Suddenly, he felt a stronger calling from a certain part of the church. It was the same sensation he had experienced when he first arrived in Heavenly City.
The church grounds were vast, spanning over 10 square kilometers, and his domain did not extend to the area where the calling originated. Because of this, he had no way of knowing what was summoning him. But at this moment, his curiosity burned stronger than ever—he needed to see what was trying so hard to draw him in.
"Your Holiness, if I may ask, what is located more than seven kilometers from here in that direction? It seems to be underground," Aldrian suddenly asked while pointing north.
The Pope tilted his head in confusion.
"Seven kilometers in that direction and underground—" The Pope was stunned before his eyes widened in shock. "You—how do you know about that place?" he asked in astonishment.
"I can feel a calling from there, and it seems to be growing stronger as we speak," Aldrian replied.
The Pope was visibly shaken and turned to look at Angelica.
"Aldrian is talking about the First Pope’s Altar of Faith. It seems the heavens are showing us another sign," he said.
Angelica’s eyes widened before she quickly responded,
"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go to the altar. If the heavens are showing another sign, we can’t afford to delay."
The Pope nodded before shifting his gaze back to Aldrian.
"Let’s end this act for now. I’ll take you there after this."
Aldrian knew that he was referring to the act of deceiving others. Although the "healing process" hadn’t lasted long, matters concerning the heavens had to take priority.
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Outside the Pope’s chamber, all the church members who had been following Aldrian were still waiting for him to emerge. Their expressions were filled with worry and curiosity—they wanted to see inside or check on the healing process, but they knew better than to disturb him.
BANG!
Suddenly, the double doors of the chamber slammed open, startling everyone. Moments later, the Pope stepped out with hurried steps, followed by the Saintess in her wheelchair with Aldrian pushing it.Seeing their leader walking so suddenly, looking completely healthy, shocked them to the core. Just earlier, he had seemed like a dying fish, but now, he appeared as strong as a healthy elder.
"Your Holiness! I’m glad—"
"Not now, gentlemen. I’m in a rush. I have to take the prophesized one somewhere. You are all dismissed! Go about your own duties—I am already well," the Pope said, cutting off one of the archbishops mid-sentence.
Everyone who had wanted to congratulate the Pope froze, their steps halting as they watched him, the Saintess, and Aldrian walk away. The sudden recovery of the Pope was undeniable proof that the treatment by the prophesized one had been successful.
Joy spread among them as they processed this miraculous event, and soon, gratitude filled their hearts. They began thanking the heavens and sharing their excitement with their peers.
However, there was one person who watched the Pope with a dark expression. The bulging vein on his forehead and his bloodshot eyes revealed his fury, but he held it in.
"How did he break the curse?! How is that possible?!" Cardinal Carsius screamed in his mind. "Did the Devil Lord lie to me?"
That was the only explanation that made sense. The Pope, who had been on the brink of death, now looked as if he had merely suffered a mild fever and recovered without issue.
Cardinal Carsius gritted his teeth, his body trembling as he clenched his fists. After watching the Pope disappear from sight, he turned and walked in the opposite direction.
"This won’t do! I have to act before misfortune befalls me!"
With the Pope’s recovery, his own position had once again become meaningless. Worse, his safety was now threatened by the pope’s suspicion.
Not long after Carsius left, Cardinal Darius, still caught up in joyful conversation with other cardinals and archbishops, looked around, hoping to speak with cardinal Carsius.
"Where did he go?" he wondered.
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The Pope then led Aldrian and Angelica outside the building. All the way from the chamber, he seemed unconcerned with anything around him, rushing past many people who gazed at him with pious reverence.
Once they stepped outside, Pope Claudius looked up at the sky. With a mere act of will, his energy enveloped Aldrian and Angelica, shielding them as he propelled himself into the air, flying at great speed.
Aldrian and Angelica were lifted alongside him, safely carried by his energy, protected from the strong winds caused by their rapid ascent.
The flight lasted only a second before they descended, landing in front of another building situated in a secluded area, surrounded by a small forest area with towering trees. The building shared the same architectural style as the main church, but Aldrian sensed it, this place held the densest concentration of holy energy he had ever encountered.
And from within this building, the source of the calling was waiting.
