Rhode, naturally, had no idea how Griselda was evaluating him. But even if he did, it wouldn't change the fact that he was a bit of a lecher in her eyes.
After leaving Heaven, Rhode used the photo Griselda gave him to teleport to the vicinity of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Unlike the exorcist gear he wore for missions, he was now dressed in a simple hoodie. With a camera hanging around his neck, he looked no different from any other tourist.
According to Griselda, to avoid further controversy, Asia Argento would be leaving the Church tonight.After all, there were too many tourists during the day, and Asia was a girl who had shown her face in public.
Dressed in her nun's habit and clutching a suitcase with a tear-streaked face, she was a walking magnet for attention. If tourists were to swarm her with questions only to find out she had been excommunicated, it wouldn't be long before a horde of bored netizens started a crusade against St. Peter's Basilica online.
Since it was still early, Rhode wandered around the Vatican, blending in as a genuine tourist. He took photos at various landmarks and even picked up some local snacks along the way.
Perhaps because Diodora had been pushed to his limit by Rhode a few days ago, the number of Gendarmerie and undercover exorcists on the streets had increased significantly. However, they were just like the police in Hong Kong dramas—always arriving just after the protagonist had finished off the criminals.
After such a major incident, even if security weren't tightened, the Vatican would likely be the safest place on Earth for a while. No one would be stupid enough to try something now.
Rhode spent the morning wandering, took a nap at a hotel at noon, and dawdled until around five or six in the evening. After grabbing dinner, he leisurely made his way to the vicinity of the back gate of St. Peter's Basilica to wait.
According to the dinner schedule for the clergy, even if the Church were heartless, they would at least let Asia eat a final meal before sending her on her way.
Sure enough.
After Rhode had been lounging there for about half an hour, the back gate creaked open. A blonde girl wearing a black habit and a nun's veil—the same girl from the photo—stepped out alone. Her small hands gripped an old-fashioned leather suitcase that looked quite heavy.
No one was there to see her off. After stepping outside, she even closed the heavy door herself. She stood there for a long time, rooted to the spot. Since her back was toward Rhode, he couldn't see the tears glimmering in her eyes.
To Asia Argento, the Church was everything.
She knew her origins; her biological parents had abandoned her as an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes. She had been discovered by a nun and raised in an orphanage. Growing up under the Church's education, she had always aspired to be as kind and gentle as the nuns who had cared for her.
Roughly six months ago, she had accidentally awakened a Sacred Gear, which was discovered by a priest. Upon learning that she possessed the power to heal wounds and restore vitality, she was immediately hailed by everyone as a "Holy Maiden," a gift from the heavens. Her Sacred Gear was given the grand title of Twilight Healing—The Holy Mother's Smile.
From then on, she spent her days healing people. Whether it was devout believers or the priests and nuns who had once raised her, everyone's respect for her grew. Though this life was more exhausting than before, Asia found joy in it. Long ago, she had decided to dedicate her short life to the Lord's work. The appearance of Twilight Healing only served to solidify her resolve.
God... was watching over her.
However, all of that had crumbled after the events of two nights ago. Because her ability could heal Devils, her existence was called into question. After a day of deliberation, her title of Holy Maiden was stripped away, and she was excommunicated, banished from the Church forever.
It was a devastating blow to Asia. Yet, her voice was so small that it changed nothing. Once the procedures were completed, her name was struck from the Church's records. What saddened Asia even more was that not a single colleague who had once cared for her came to say goodbye. Before all of this... they had been such good people.
The thought of her uncertain future caused tears to spill over uncontrollably. Yet, she harbored no hatred toward anyone. Whether it was the Church that banished her or the colleagues who now treated her as a stranger, Asia didn't have a single thought of resentment.
"...I'm sorry. If it weren't for me, the Church wouldn't be in such a difficult position. But... but I'm not a witch..." she whispered to herself, her crying growing more sorrowful.
Involuntarily, Asia clasped her hands together and knelt on the ground, sobbing through a prayer: "This... this must be a trial sent by God. It must be... it must be..."
Her desolate weeping drifted away on the light breeze. Rhode watched from a distance, choosing not to interrupt her. If he were in her shoes, he would likely be thinking, "Who would want to stay in this dump anyway? I'm out."
But Asia could only take all the blame upon herself. In all honesty, Rhode couldn't do that. Besides, she hadn't actually done anything wrong. The fact that Twilight Healing could heal Devils was actually a glitch in the System caused by the disappearance of God.
"My turn," Rhode muttered, letting out a yawn.
Despite all his thoughts, he didn't actually have a strong opinion on the matter. And besides, as someone who knew the plot, he didn't need to overthink it. Skip the drama!
Rhode walked up behind the kneeling Asia. If one listened closely, they could hear various prayers being whispered from the girl's mouth. He didn't care about the words. He simply reached out and tapped her on the shoulder.
Startled by the unexpected touch, Asia jumped like a frightened rabbit, her slender frame shivering slightly. She turned to see a handsome, black-haired man standing behind her.
The man held a photograph and stared at her face.
"Is the person in this photo you?" Rhode asked, confirming one last time.
"Yes... it's me." Asia looked up, peering timidly at the person in the photo. It was a clear shot of her; she seemed to be doing chores at the time, though she had no idea when or why it had been taken.
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My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
High School DxD : Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD (53 Chapters – Ongoing)
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