Xingyue, is Xiaokai also considered Kai?

The salvation of the new gods has not come to earth, and the old gods have long since disappeared.

The earth was still filled with death and suffering; the people were exhausted, the children were crying out, and all who had life were suffering.

It's easy to talk about looking to the future, but it's incredibly difficult to actually teach it.

Some call it a curse, while others lament that the age of humanity is the true hell.

Lucius could only move forward aimlessly. If nothing unexpected happened, he would die abruptly on some meaningless day, but—

“I promise you, Lucius Longinus—follow me, and I will give you all the glory that will cleanse you of your sins…that is all.”

His tone carried a sincere prayer and a hint of uncertainty, but he truly did it, not only for Lucius, but for many others whose names were unknown, even though the world was always cruel, people suffered and shed tears, and the rain of blood brought by war and greed never stopped, and all living beings on earth were still troubled by death and suffering.

But despite the countless evildoers who have appeared in the world he left behind, there are still people walking the path he hoped for, doing their utmost to protect this 'small hope'.

People have also been saying—

The path he treads is recognizable to anyone.

Lucius had read some later assessments of Novia—

"One of the biggest reasons why the church stands tall in the world today is that it is so outstanding. Its life is like that of the church's savior. It is not adorned with extravagant gold, but it shines with infinite light on the poor. Eight points is my personal evaluation, but it is the evaluation of those who come after. In that distant era, it had already done its best."

Turning the pages of world history, one can clearly see the fate of Novia.

After elevating the Church to its zenith in Rome and establishing a system that extended to various regions, it suddenly disappeared. This led to the rare case of the Roman Empire and the Church of Christ being united under one person's authority. Even more remarkably, for the next two hundred years, despite their disagreements, the two sides were unable to engage in internal strife and united against external threats. Neither the Dead Apostles nor the Imaginary Species could resist the united Church and Empire, and even the Clock Tower declined significantly.

However, after 300 AD, the power of the Church and the royal family was locked in a fierce confrontation for sixty years. The friends who once marched together toward the Basilica of San Novia not only forgot the pointless justice, but also repeatedly staged bloody battles, and the ugly assassinations continued into their children and grandchildren. As a result, the Roman Empire, which was proud of its vast territory that was outstanding in human history, began to split.

Is there a more cruel outcome than this, the end of the dream of showing kindness to one another?

That light was so dazzling.

How intense are the emotions in people's hearts!

Has the passion in everyone's heart disappeared after just one hundred years?

That's why, after bursting into laughter, Lucius, with his suit jacket folded and draped over his arm, looked apologetically at Novia:

"I'm sorry, but the church still ended up like that."

The next instant, Novia's voice came from beside Lucius.

"Everyone should have doubts about their own conscience. If one blindly believes in one's own justice, no matter how cruel the thing, people are capable of doing it; one should also constantly worry, think, and be confused. The moment we think we are right, we have already lost our rightness. Sometimes, that kind of justice is uglier than anything else."

Those were the words he had once said to Lucius.

For Lucius now, he had no way of knowing how the Church had spiraled out of control under the supervision of the Holy Scriptures. However, regarding the Hunnic king who had destroyed the Western Roman Empire, despite knowing it shouldn't have happened, such feelings still lingered. Therefore, even though Novia's words now seemed to suggest that 'such a Church no longer had any reason to exist,' he still believed in his heart—

Even if Novia agrees, he himself cannot agree.

Even if Novia forgives him, he cannot forgive himself.

That was a whine.

That is weeping.

It is an incurable mark etched on a soul capable of becoming a heroic spirit.

When Novia learns of this ending, will she secretly sigh deeply behind our backs?

"I will never forget what I did in Rome. That bittersweet feeling will still linger in my heart. Who can say they have never fallen? So, leave everything to me back then. Listen attentively. Listen to people's voices, listen to the ideals that someone prayed for long ago. I should be very good at this."

And—I almost died! The Holy Scripture you were involved in was indeed very powerful, hmm, quite impressive, but even so, Terrence is a good boy.”

"……Eh?!"

With just one sentence, Lucius couldn't help but sigh.

Lucius wasn't a fool. After Novia said those words, he naturally understood who the Hunnic king, the one who destroyed the Western Roman Empire and the Church, really was.

If that's the case, was the last scene he saw after disappearing from Rome the past or the present?

Lucius didn't ask any further questions, but after sighing, he whispered to the calm Novia:

"...Then, tell me something—"

"Um, what is it? I don't lie."

"You had a child with someone back then?"

So, unusually, Novia gave a cold laugh: "No such thing, absolutely not, it's impossible."

Of course, the Armenian sea goddess is an exception.

Sigh, you still say I'm lying? You can't lie, but now you're telling the truth, aren't you? Oh well, let's call it even.

Lucius touched the cross-shaped scar on his face and answered righteously:

"You're right, no, I should say—"

"you're right."

Chapter 541 Jesus: I'm always the one who gets hurt.

"How did you two suddenly become so harmonious?"

Eri looked at Lucius, who was wearing a white suit, in the ward and frowned.

After all, Lucius was one of the men Eri respected and admired, so she found it hard to imagine that the Holy Lance, with his unwavering conviction, would associate with scoundrels.

"We've known each other for a long time, we're the best of brothers."

Lucius answered truthfully. On his way back, he learned from Novia that Eri was still unaware of the Demon King's identity. He was both shocked and horrified. He hadn't expected Novia to like this kind of thing. He was worried that he might be cornered in bed one day... Although he had the power to resist, he was in the wrong, especially when it came to emotions. As a master of emotions, he knew this all too well.

Eri was somewhat surprised. Could it be that the two of them had already been in contact when Chitose, that tyrant, participated in the Holy Grail War more than ten years ago?

Is this another kind of honeymoon, or a global dating trip?

It's unbelievable that someone like Lucius wouldn't even check on the Emperor. He should at least find someone worthy of the Emperor. Is it possible that for a tyrant, what he can't have is the best?

"Now that you're awake, it looks like it's time to go back to Akihabara."

Novia asked, "Want to come along?"

"I go?"

Little M'Gol sneered, "Unless you kill me right now and drag my corpse away."

"They're having a tiff."

Lucius muttered to himself, then deliberately coughed twice—

After all, everyone present was connected to Novia, so he felt a lot of pressure. And how should he put it... Lucius didn't dare to say it outright, only feeling a mental rant.

“I saw a dancing cat outside the hospital, so I went to take a look.”

“Luce, I want to go too.”

Luce's eyes were resolute. "Lord Lucius, please tell me something..."

Tiamat's gaze lingered between Little Mugel and Novia for a dozen seconds before she leaned close to Novia's ear and whispered, "Um... could you please not kill the children? They're all good kids," before running off. As for Eri, it was simple. Once only the three of them were left, she sighed at Little Mugel, shook her head, and silently walked away.

With no one else around, the atmosphere was slightly better, but Novia didn't feel comfortable speaking up for the time being.

After all, he really didn't have any impression or memory of it.

So, unsurprisingly, they ended up staring at each other.

As the lights gradually illuminated Tokyo, the original scenery unfolded outside the window. The gaunt girl seemed like something from a distant, bygone era. The chains on her limbs gave the impression of remote, deep mountains, rugged valleys untouched by human hands, and crystal-clear waterfalls—seemingly incongruous with this little girl, yet strangely fitting.

"Anyway, I've been waiting for a long time, and this was just an accident, so say whatever you want to say."

Novia responded immediately after he finished speaking, as if she had been waiting for this moment.

"...Yes, that should be me."

The words uttered were like a prayer.

The literal meaning could be interpreted as arrogance, an either/or statement, so why would it include "should"...? Yet, despite this common sense of perfunctoriness, the speaker is incredibly sincere, sounding as if they are entrusting an irreplaceable wish to someone.

Little Muggle felt like he was going crazy for thinking such a thing.

Then he continued:

"In fact, I'm also confused. Did I know you before? But since you're so angry with me, it can't be fake. If I really did hurt you like this, even if I don't remember you now, I will never deny your anger towards me."

This was perhaps the first time in Little Muge's life that he had encountered such a straightforward god.

She remembered that God sat on his throne as usual and easily pronounced her fate.

Now he is dressed casually, with the sunlight streaming in at an angle from outside the glass behind him. His backlit expression is serious. He should be an invincible god, but he looks somewhat like a human.

"never mind……"

Little Muggle spoke up.

"Since you've really forgotten now... let's wait until you remember before we talk about it..."

For the last Sassoon, this was a rather rare instance of friendliness toward a false god.

Even she didn't know why, but it was precisely because of this thought that it could be seen as another kind of test.

"If you did it, you did it; if you didn't, you didn't."

Novia's voice was full of sighs and regrets, which didn't quite match the speech that little Muggle had imagined.

“Back in Rome, I met the god I mentioned at the beginning.”

Novia continued, "I gave everything I had to achieve this result, and I can only call it luck. But it was what I truly wanted to do and say. If I had changed now, I think I would have preferred to have died on that day."

Rome? Another god? A result that could only be described as lucky, achieved only after exhausting everything?

Is it really that powerful...? But I've never heard of it when I was alive.

Although little Mugel was completely confused, she understood that there was no falsehood in Novia's words.

"According to the concept of the Trinity, that should be me."

"...If that's what you said, then it should be."

Little Mugel stammered in rebuttal.

By the way, what is the Trinity? She didn't know.

"That's right, you're right. It should be me."

The conversation always revolved around the same issue, and even when he talked a lot, it wasn't because he was eloquent; he was simply too honest in pursuing a question to the end. This seems to be God's style now.

"But if it were me, would everything I did truly change me? Am I just a child at heart? Is it something I was born with...?"

Novia's tone was both joking and stubbornly refuting.

Who exactly is he talking to right now?

Little Mugel's whereabouts are unknown.

“If it were me, I wouldn’t be myself, but in the face of your anger, I have to admit that it is me.”

These words were bleeding, Little Muggle realized.

It was as if I were standing at my parents' graves on the Wolong Cliff and hearing those words made me feel the same way.

Why would someone as respected and loved as you say such a thing? Why would you say that doing so would make you unlike yourself? There is no reason.

……disgust.

Little Mugel thought to himself.

That was an emotion she was extremely familiar with, something that filled the depths of her being like mud.

"you shut up!"

Perhaps due to feelings of hatred or rage, Little Mugel's face flushed red, and he unleashed a torrent of pent-up frustration:

"No way, I only know you! I don't know anything else, like Rome or any other gods! I don't really understand what you're saying! I, I'm definitely not arguing with you because I think you should just kill me back then instead of changing like this."

Little Mugel gritted his teeth, his eyes reddening.

"..."

Novia was taken aback.

It seems I've gone a bit too far with my sadness.

If it's the Trinity, why doesn't he simply refuse to ascend to the throne of the Holy Spirit? Yahweh can't force him to.