Heaven, the Celestial Realm—the place where souls reside after ascending from the Human World upon death.
In Catholic belief, when a good or upright person dies, their soul enters a space where God dwells, living alongside the Lord in eternal life, enjoying a life of happiness and beauty.
According to the records in the Bible, specifically the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament, the Garden of Eden was an eternal paradise created by God Yahweh for the human ancestors, Adam and Eve, representing the most perfect ideal living environment.
Under the enhancement of the System, the concept of the Garden of Eden permeated the past, present, and future of three distinct worlds; consequently, the concept of Heaven rose accordingly.
The moment the souls of all living beings reach Heaven, the gates of the paradise best suited for their residence will swing open.
Any soul that enters the Garden of Eden will never wish to leave.
Because if someone appeared who wanted to go out, or wanted to tell others that the Garden of Eden truly exists, it would mean that the Garden of Eden was not perfect. Otherwise, it would trigger a paradox—
The Garden of Eden is not as happy and beautiful as the legends say, or else the thought of wanting to leave would not occur.
Therefore, Kallen's soul would not take the initiative to leave the Garden of Eden.
If Otto wanted to truly resurrect Kallen, he would have to forcibly pull Kallen's soul out of the Garden of Eden and make her walk once again in the Human World, which is simultaneously beautiful and cruel.
Resurrecting a person was very simple for Lierre. The reason she was somewhat unwilling to do so was merely that she didn't want the souls in Heaven to continue suffering the hardships of the Human World.
Currently, the Garden of Eden was guarded by Michael (Mika Misono), and her true body was also inside. Thus, even if Otto exhausted everything he had, it would be impossible for him to take Kallen's soul out.
At this moment, Otto, who had been silent for a long while, gripped the Cross Necklace on his chest and suddenly laughed. "If Heaven truly exists, I would never use these filthy hands to desecrate that noble soul!"
Then, his tone suddenly shifted, becoming disappointed. "But unfortunately, there is no one in this world who can prove the existence of Heaven."
So, he would continue to search for a way to resurrect Kallen.
Once, because of Kallen's death, he had fallen into deep confusion. He had knelt piously before the Cross many times, praying that God would point the way for a lost believer.
Perhaps it was because he was stained with too much sin, or perhaps because the God he believed in did not exist, but Otto never received any instructions from the Lord.
Time after time, his prayers were met only with disappointment. The Otto of today had long since ceased to believe in the existence of God, and thus, he did not believe in the so-called Heaven.
Regarding the question Lierre had just posed, Otto was merely speaking from his heart.
"Confirming whether Heaven exists is quite simple. Why don't you confirm it for yourself?"
Lierre reached out and took the golden Cross Necklace in her hand, aiming it at Otto across from her. Then, she smiled and whispered softly, "Amen!"
Sacred Holy Light erupted from the Cross, instantly slamming into Otto's Soulium body.
Whoosh!
Otto's translucent soul was separated from the Soulium body.
In this moment, time seemed to stand still.
Otto was startled by the sudden upheaval, but he quickly calmed down, looking down to examine his current state. "...This doesn't seem like the power of Fenghuang Down, the Key of Consciousness. But besides Fenghuang Down, what other power can pull out a person's consciousness or soul?"
He discovered that he had disconnected from all transactions with his other Soulium bodies; he couldn't even manage to switch to a different Soulium vessel.
This meant he was in an extremely dangerous position. One wrong move and he might actually die.
Otto steadied his mind, his gaze thoughtful as he looked at Lierre and the Cross in her hand.
Once again, he felt Lierre's mystery firsthand, and for the first time, he felt a fatal threat.
"Lierre, I'm truly becoming more and more curious. What secrets are you hiding? Can you... really let me see the so-called Heaven?"
Before Otto had time to make his next move, he suddenly felt his body grow light. His feet snapped off the ground, and he flew upward at an incredible speed.
In the blink of an eye, he passed through the Ceiling and shot straight toward the sky.
The massive St. Freya Academy shrank rapidly in Otto's sight. When it had shrunk to the size of an ant, the speed of his ascent finally stopped.
Above the clouds, Otto's feet landed steadily on a platform. He looked straight ahead with a solemn expression, his demeanor no longer as relaxed and natural as before.
Before him were steps that looked as if they were carved from white jade. The stairs extended upward, ending at a white jade gate.
The gate stood open, and inside stood a golden Cross, emitting a comforting Holy Light.
The Holy Light shone down the steps onto Otto's body. While it soothed his soul, it was also scrutinizing his life.
Good and upright people settle in Heaven, while the wicked will be cast into Hell by God!
"Now that there is no turning back, I can only try to barge in. If this place really is Heaven, what role do you play in all this, Lierre—you who so easily sent a wicked man like me up here? A believer? A Divine Messenger? An Angel? Or perhaps..."
Otto guessed at Lierre's true identity in his heart, but as he reached the end of his thoughts, he quickly stopped himself from imagining further.
Lierre couldn't possibly be God.
If she were, the picture would be a bit terrifying.
Theresa had picked up God as a wife—that wasn't something that could be explained by mere ancestral luck.
Otto stopped his wandering thoughts and walked up the steps one by one.
As he stepped into the threshold of Heaven, it was as if he had passed through an endless tunnel of light. All the clamor and exhaustion of the mortal world instantly vanished without a trace.
Unfolding before his eyes was a magnificent picture beyond imagination, refreshing the mind and allowing the soul to find true peace and release.
The sky was an indescribable shade of azure—deep and pure, as if it could wash away all the dust of the world.
The ground beneath his feet was not ordinary soil or stone, but was condensed from fine, soft light. Every step he took felt like walking on warm clouds, free from the constraints of gravity and the coldness of touch, filled only with endless tenderness and harmony.
All around were infinite gardens and seas of flowers. Various blossoms competed in bloom, not only vibrant in color but also emitting a refreshing fragrance.
These flowers seemed unrestricted by seasons, forever maintaining their most vivid appearance, attracting colorful butterflies and bees to dance among them.
Within this Heaven, melodious music echoed—sometimes passionate and surging, sometimes gentle and lingering—like a heavenly melody that struck the softest depths of the human heart.
The music seemed to possess a certain magic, capable of smoothing over all pain and sorrow, allowing the spirit to receive true Purification and sublimation.
"Sinner, stop right there!"
Hearing this, Otto stopped in his tracks and looked up at the scene not far ahead.
In front of an archway woven from various flowers stood a pink-haired girl. She held a Red Cross Sword, a pair of pure white Wings spread behind her, and a halo resembling a star ring floated above her head.
A murderous aura surged toward him like a giant wave. The massive gap in life level and Rank made Otto deeply feel his own insignificance.
In front of this girl, the Second Herrscher—whom he remembered as the strongest—would be nothing more than an insect that could be swatted to death at will.
"Michael..."
Otto's gaze drifted imperceptibly over that Red Cross Sword, and he guessed the pink-haired girl's identity.
The most ferocious Archangel recorded in the Bible, the God-like Being!
At this moment, the last trace of doubt Otto held regarding the reality of Heaven dissipated.
But a new problem arose: how was he supposed to survive in Michael's hands?