"Damn it!"
Lucia's expression darkened instantly. She had to hide Kurose Akira and get dressed before the Frost Saintess walked in—no matter what!
If the Frost Saintess were to witness her in this state, the consequences would be… unthinkable.
Worse still, Bingqin's sudden arrival meant she could no longer keep her identity hidden from Kurose Akira.
"There's no time!"
Below the steps, snow began to swirl, gathering into the elegant figure of a woman in an ice-blue gown—the Frost Saintess herself.
"Your Holiness…"
The moment Bingqin entered the Temple of Light, a flicker of surprise crossed her face.
Normally, the golden throne faced the entrance of the hall. But now… why was it turned around?
The answer, of course, was simple—Lucia and Kurose Akira were currently hiding behind it.
"It's over! What do I do now?!"
Lucia's thoughts spiraled into chaos. She couldn't even begin to imagine the uproar if the other saintesses saw her in such a disgraceful state!
The sheer humiliation alone might make her wish she'd never been born… or perhaps—
—she should just drag Kurose Akira down with her!
"Shh~"
Unexpectedly, Kurose Akira remained calm. He reached out, placing a steadying hand on Lucia's waist, soothing her nerves.
Then, in a composed whisper, he offered a solution.
"You can hide behind the backrest. Just stick your head out. That way, she won't see that you're not dressed."
"…!"
Lucia froze for a moment, then fell into thought.
Her golden throne did indeed have a wide, high backrest—more than enough to conceal her body. There was no need to worry about Bingqin's line of sight.
And as the Pope of the Holy Church, her status was absolute. Even the Frost Saintess wouldn't dare use spiritual perception on her without permission.
As long as she remained composed… as long as she showed no signs of abnormality… she could get through this.
"…Haa…"
Lucia let out a quiet sigh, shooting Kurose Akira a sharp glare before quickly adjusting herself.
Then, kneeling atop the throne, she used its back as cover, cautiously peeking her head out.
"Your Holiness?"
Bingqin's voice was filled with confusion.
When she saw Lucia's head emerging from behind the throne, her eyes widened in disbelief.
Why… was the Pope hiding behind the throne?
And why did she look… nervous?
"Ahem."
Lucia gave a light cough.
Instantly, Bingqin suppressed her curiosity, not daring to speculate further.
"Frost Saintess," Lucia said coolly, her tone steady, "have you forgotten my instructions? Before requesting an audience, you are to inform Winneshan first."
Bingqin immediately dropped to her knees.
"Your Holiness, please forgive my rudeness. Winneshan was not outside the hall, and as the matter was urgent, I entered without permission."
"Winneshan wasn't outside?"
Lucia's brows lifted slightly, a trace of surprise flickering across her face.
But she didn't dwell on it.
"What is it?"
"Your Holiness, I have obtained intelligence regarding the Icefield Witch from the Frost Plains," Bingqin reported solemnly. "According to the information, the Icefield Witch may not be dead… but instead waiting for rebirth in some form."
While the report continued, Kurose Akira could only remain silent.
Yet his gaze… inevitably drifted.
Lucia was kneeling on the throne, her back facing him.
That smooth, rounded curve was completely exposed before his eyes, subtly swaying with each word she spoke—almost as if inviting him.
Gulp.
His throat went dry as he swallowed.
Desire surged within him like a wild beast breaking free of its cage.
Wasn't this… pure temptation?
How was he supposed to resist?
And yet—this was a delicate moment. If the Frost Saintess discovered him desecrating the Pope of the Holy Church…
—wouldn't that just make it even more thrilling?
"You're saying… the Icefield Witch is not dead, but awaiting rebirth?"
Lucia, completely unaware of the growing danger behind her, focused entirely on Bingqin's report.
If this intelligence was true…
Then it confirmed that Xue'er was the incarnation of the Icefield Witch.
In other words—
her guild leader had truly brought the Icefield Witch into their guild.
"Yes."
Bingqin nodded.
"Though the intelligence is incomplete, numerous clues suggest she is not dead. She may return to this world at some point in the future."
"A witch who once plunged nations into chaos… if she revives, it will undoubtedly bring panic and unrest once more."
Lucia's tone turned grave.
"We must locate her at all costs and either control or seal her power. We cannot allow history to repeat itself."
Of course, those words weren't just meant for Bingqin.
They were also meant for Kurose Akira.
The identity of the Icefield Witch loomed like a shadow over the entire magical continent, instilling fear in all living beings.
If her power couldn't be controlled, she would become a ticking catastrophe—one that no faction could afford to ignore.
"Your Holiness speaks the truth! Witches have always been the root of calamity!" Bingqin agreed fervently. "As servants of the Holy Church, it is our duty to eradicate such threats!"
"Mmm~"
Lucia smiled faintly and nodded.
"I, as Po—ah~!"
Her words abruptly cut off.
A soft gasp escaped her lips as her body trembled, her golden-red eyes widening in shock.
Kurose Akira!
That bastard—he was…!!
"So beautiful…"
Kurose Akira murmured softly, his hand gently resting on the Pope's shapely curves as his gaze lingered on her captivating figure.
Her slender waist could be grasped with both hands…
But that soft, full whiteness—impossible to hold with just one!
And then—
His eyes locked onto his true target.
At that moment, the holy light shimmered faintly… as if proclaiming its fervent devotion.
"So, you're the Pope, huh?"
"You like hiding your identity, huh?"
"Deceiving your guild master, huh?"
"Then accept your punishment."
Kurose Akira raised the holy light—
—and brought down a merciless judgment upon Lucia.
"You—!?"
Lucia bit her lip, her pupils trembling violently in disbelief.
She never imagined he would do something like this at a time like this—
Are you a beast?!
An animal?!
Wait—
Why does the holy light feel… even more intense than before?
"Your Holiness?"
Bingqin noticed something was off and asked with concern.
"I-It's nothing!"
Lucia forced herself to remain composed.
Unable to stop Kurose Akira, and unable to dismiss Bingqin, she could only endure it—silently.
Suppressing her anger, she turned back to Bingqin.
"Bingqin, do you have anything else to report? If not, you may take your leave."
"Your Holiness, there is one more matter."
"Y-There's more…?"
Lucia's heart trembled.
She was reaching her limit!
Kurose Akira!
Stop already!
But she had no way to stop him… and no excuse to send Bingqin away.
"What is it?" she asked through clenched teeth.
"Recently, the Moon God Empire has been conducting a mysterious ritual, rumored to be connected to the Moon Goddess…"
As Bingqin continued her report, Lucia tried to listen—
—but her focus kept being dragged away by the relentless holy light behind her.
Her mind wavered between the two, unable to fully concentrate.
That bastard… always causing trouble…
And yet, she was powerless to stop him.
All she could do… was endure.
"…That concludes my report. Please give your judgment, Your Holiness."
Finally, Bingqin finished.
Lucia exhaled in relief.
"I will monitor the situation closely. You may withdraw."
"Yes, Your Holiness."
Bingqin bowed respectfully.
Her figure dissolved into countless snowflakes, scattering into the air before vanishing completely.
The moment she was gone—
Lucia spun around, glaring at Kurose Akira, her eyes filled with grievance and anger.
But—
At that exact moment, the holy light surged to its peak, bursting forth like a sky full of stars.
"Y-you…?"
Her body trembled as she collapsed weakly onto the throne.
Golden radiance flowed across her pale skin, enhancing her already breathtaking beauty with an indescribable allure.
"Shall we change locations… and continue?"
Kurose Akira smiled, lifting her chin with a playful glint in his eyes.
Lucia, though still filled with irritation, knew—
this was far from over.
No.
She would make sure this shameless guild master learned his lesson.
"Right here," she declared, her voice firm despite everything. "This ends today!"
"???"
(What follows is the Pope's revenge arc—100,000 words omitted…)
...
Night fell in the blink of an eye.
As promised, Idess arrived at the Elven Kingdom for a secret meeting with the Elf Queen.
To ensure absolute secrecy, the queen had dismissed all nearby elves.
As rose petals drifted gently from the sky, she sensed Idess's arrival.
Lifting her gaze, she looked through the falling petals—
—and saw a woman descending gracefully from above.
Idess wore a striking crimson gown, its hem swaying elegantly with her movements—dazzling beyond words.
After landing lightly, her eyes immediately settled on the Elf Queen.
She studied the queen's breathtaking beauty, a hint of admiration flashing through her gaze.
Then, with a faint smile, she spoke.
"Your Majesty, I wish to make a deal."
"A deal?"
The Elf Queen's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Let's hear it."
...
"Ready to admit defeat, Your Holiness?"
Kurose Akira lounged upon the golden throne of the Holy Church, a teasing smile on his lips as he looked down at Lucia in his arms.
"You… I…"
Her eyes were unfocused, her voice broken and unsteady.
She had believed that with the throne's power, she could match him—
—but reality had proven otherwise.
"Hmm?"
Kurose Akira's attention shifted to the throne itself.
He examined the intricate carvings, noticing they recorded Lucia's achievements.
"Is this throne custom-made for each Pope?"
"Mmm…"
Lucia leaned weakly against him.
"When a Pope falls, their golden throne shatters as well. Each one is unique—crafted specifically for its owner."
"I see…"
He nodded thoughtfully.
After a brief rest, Lucia regained some strength.
She cupped his face, her expression serious.
"When did you discover my identity? Did Winneshan tell you?"
Kurose Akira chuckled and shook his head, gently ruffling her hair.
"That's not important."
"Then it must have been her!"
Lucia immediately concluded.
"Ahem…"
He coughed awkwardly.
He definitely hadn't sold Winneshan out!
"By the way, Lucia…"
"Yes?"
"Do you usually handle your work here?"
"Yes."
She nodded.
"When someone requests an audience, Winneshan informs me… but today…"
"Hmph. That girl… disappearing at a time like this!"
"She probably had something to deal with. Don't blame her," Kurose Akira tried to defend.
But his words only made things worse.
"You don't need to defend her. I know exactly what to think."
"…I wasn't—"
Before he could finish, Lucia pressed a finger to his lips.
Her voice turned cold.
"Winneshan is my saintess. I will handle her mistakes. You need not interfere."
"…?"
Kurose Akira blinked.
Yeah… that was too late.
Winneshan, good luck.
"Oh, right."
Lucia turned back to him.
"You heard everything the Frost Saintess said earlier, didn't you?"
"Yeah."
He nodded.
Even though his attention had been… elsewhere, he hadn't missed a word.
Lucia's expression turned serious.
"The matter of Xue'er possibly being the Icefield Witch… you must take it seriously. This cannot be ignored."