The Future

“How could this be Your Holiness's fault?”

“To die for the Holy State is their honor.”

“Indeed! If anyone is to blame, it is simply their own poor luck.”

The audience in the gallery chimed in one after another. After all, compared to those who had died, the young Pope standing before them was the true future of the Holy State!

Even the Presiding Judge, who had always been completely just and selfless, found herself agreeing with them at this moment. If it were she, she too would feel immense pride in dying for the great Holy See!

Lu Li had clearly underestimated the influence of his divine traits on them. Seeing how cooperative they were being, he let out a sigh of relief in his heart.

Just then, Mekal spoke up once more.

“Your Holiness, I am also quite interested in Lady Amore. I wonder if Your Holiness might part with your treasure and let me borrow her for a few days of research?”

To anyone else, this would have been an incredibly rude request, but Lu Li understood her personality.

Her love for research transcended even her own life; otherwise, she wouldn't have fled the Northland border front during a battle to willingly throw herself into the arms of the Holy State.

Lu Li also did not doubt for a moment that if Mekal ever thoroughly demystified the Holy Relics, and the Holy State no longer held anything of interest to her, she would leave without the slightest hesitation.

“You must ask Amore yourself regarding this matter. Even if I am her Holy Father, I have no right to make decisions on her behalf.” Lu Li did not agree, but he did not refuse either.

After all, he had even allowed Mekal to study himself. As for Amore, if she agreed, he had no objections.

At those words, Mekal turned her gaze to the silver-haired girl beside Lu Li. The girl's eyes were locked onto the young Pope's profile, seemingly oblivious to the conversation that had just occurred.

However, Mekal remained entirely unperturbed. Before coming, she had done her research on Amore and knew exactly what would move her most.

“Don't you want to become one of the Twelve Sacred Knights?”

The Twelve Sacred Knights were the twelve most outstanding, talented knights of each era. They were eternally selfless, righteous, kind, and fearless, possessing power strong enough to rival the gods, as well as hearts of absolute piety and loyalty.

If one wished to become one of the Twelve Sacred Knights, then power was an indispensable requirement.

Even though Amore possessed extraordinary talent with Holy Relic armaments, there was still a significant gap between her current strength and that of a Sacred Knight.

What Mekal intended to do was tempt her with the very thing she desired most.

“You must have felt it as well, right? You possess a very special talent. For normal people, having their bodies taken over by a Holy Relic ultimately results in completely losing consciousness, turning them into nothing more than incubation beds for an angel's resurrection.”

“But you are different. After your mind was eroded, you were actually able to regain stability. This might mean you possess the potential to completely master a Holy Relic.”

As Mekal spoke, she flashed a smile, her words brimming with confidence. “And in this world, only I can help you fully unlock this potential!”

“Only I—Mekal, alone!”

When her voice fell, even Lu Li couldn't help but look over in surprise.

Being a Holy Relic Knight was not simply about possessing power; it also represented an endless path of corruption and darkness. For a Holy Relic Knight, the more powerful they became, the easier it was to fall and lose themselves.

Therefore, only knights with absolutely indomitable willpower were qualified to become Holy Relic Knights.

As for the Sacred Knights, their immense power was unquestionable, but the conditions to become one were also exceptionally harsh.

First, they had to possess the ability to completely release a Holy Relic's True Name. Second, their mental state had to remain stable for at least ten years, and they had to have achieved significant merits.

What qualified as a significant merit?

Lu Li had once flipped through the biographies of past Sacred Knights. Rather than calling them significant merits, “monumental achievements” would be far more appropriate. Almost every single one of them had left a brilliant mark in the annals of history.

One had to understand that the operational lifespan for a Holy Relic Knight's use of Holy Relic armaments was typically only five to seven years. Those who used them relatively rarely might reach over seven years.

Yet for a knight, the best way to earn merits was on the battlefield. Without using Holy Relic armaments, it was virtually impossible for them to become a Sacred Knight, but using them too frequently meant premature retirement.

This was precisely why there were only twelve seats for the Sacred Knights, and the Holy State had not even been able to fill all twelve for hundreds of years.

Today, there were only eight living Sacred Knights in total, and the youngest among them was already over thirty years old.

Thus, once Mekal finished speaking, Lu Li was certain Amore would agree. After all, he knew her obsession with becoming one of the Twelve Sacred Knights better than anyone.

Sure enough, for the first time, Amore's gaze drifted away from the youth's cheek and settled on Mekal.

“Is what you said true?” The girl's expression was incredibly serious.

“Of course it's true!” Mekal announced loudly, spreading her arms wide and making her declaration in an almost arrogant manner. “In this world, no one understands Holy Relic Knights better than me!”

Though those words sounded boastful, they were true to a certain extent.

Holy Relic armaments and Resurrection Armor essentially operated on the same principles, and today, the entire world was imitating the Resurrection Armor she had developed.

Even the professors at the Logos Foundry had to admire her various brilliant and eccentric ideas in the extraordinary field.

Hearing this, Amore pondered solemnly for a moment, then nodded. “Very well! If it's true, I agree!”

Compared to clinging to the youth's side and refusing to let go right now, she wished even more that one day in the future, she would be able to stand by his side with absolute right, shielding him from all storms.

As the trial drew to a close, the crowd inside the Tribunal gradually dispersed.

Amore followed closely behind Mekal, looking back at Lu Li with every few steps she took, her eyes filled with deep reluctance to part. Yet, parting was only for a better reunion.

The day she returned to the Holy See's side, all rebellious subjects must step aside!

“Finally gone.”

Anthelia watched the figure disappear, finally breathing a sigh of relief in her heart.

It was hard to imagine that a mere former schoolmate of the Holy See from the academy could bring her such immense pressure.

Soon, only the two of them were left inside the Tribunal. Just as Anthelia was preparing to help Lu Li up, a figure in red strode inside with large, sweeping steps.

“Anthelia, leave us.”

The newcomer spoke in a commanding tone that brooked no refusal.

Anthelia cast a glance at her, then turned her eyes to the youth on the seat.

“Go ahead,” Lu Li nodded to her, signaling that she did not need to worry about him.

Only then did Anthelia reply with a “Yes.” She walked toward the exit of the Tribunal, not forgetting to thoughtfully close the doors behind her.