Coronation

Looking back across the nearly thousand-year history of the Holy State, there were precedents for a Holy Son or Holy Daughter being crowned Pope. After all, the Holy Son and Holy Daughter were essentially raised by the Pope to be the next successor.

However, crowning a Holy Son who had not yet learned how to be a qualified successor was equally against the rules.

After all, no matter how vast the Pope's power was, a successor still had to gain the approval of the College of Cardinals.

And the fastest way to earn the approval of the Cardinals was to prove to them that one was worthy of being crowned Pope.

In Lu Li's eyes, it was abundantly clear that Lucrezio had not yet truly earned that qualification.

That being the case, Julia's words carried ulterior motives.

Lu Li did not reply, though his breathing faltered for a fraction of a second. Thoughts raced through his mind, yet no matter how hard he tried, he could not fathom Julia's true purpose.

At present, the seat of the Pope was well within her grasp. She had absolutely no need to use him as a puppet ruler to command the realm.

After all, he had just witnessed her immense influence over the College of Cardinals.

Julia could sense the youth's ragged breathing and how his steps had grown slightly heavier.

She glanced sideways at the boy, who seemed to radiate like a tiny sun wherever he went. His skin was fair and delicate, his facial features soft and exquisite, resembling a porcelain doll carved by the hands of a god.

His eyes in particular—clear and magnificent like sapphires—seemed to reflect the boundless sky and sea, making it impossible for anyone to look away.

Julia experienced a fleeting moment of distraction before quickly regaining her composure, her gaze turning calm and unruffled once more.

Lu Li felt he could still push back a little. He pressed his lips together, then slowly spoke, “Um... I think there must be people in the College of Cardinals who are more qualified than I am...”

“Your Highness, Holy Son,” Julia interrupted him. Her tone remained gentle, yet it carried an unmistakable, invisible weight of pressure. “Whether it is myself or everyone in the College of Cardinals, we all believe you are qualified to succeed as Pope.”

Hearing this, Lu Li looked at her and opened his mouth, as if wanting to argue further, but ultimately gave up in resignation.

No, he had no control over his own destiny right now. Disobeying this woman at this moment brought him no benefit whatsoever.

“I understand...” the youth murmured, lowering his voice.

The two walked very slowly. As they approached the crystal coffin, the surroundings grew increasingly quiet. Lu Li could even hear the faint rustle of their soles against the red carpet.

Finally, they arrived before the crystal coffin.

Lu Li slowly lowered his gaze to look at the elder inside the coffin. Lying there was once one of the most powerful people in the world, yet now, clad in a white robe, she lay motionless within.

To Lu Li, the person lying there was merely a stranger, but to the original owner of this body, she was the family member who had raised him for years.

Tears slid silently from the corners of his eyes once more. Lu Li did not raise a hand to wipe them away; he simply stared blankly at that face, both familiar and strange, letting the grief surge endlessly in his chest.

Cry, Lucrezio, cry it all out. Once you're done, pull yourself together and face tomorrow's unknown!

Standing by his side, Julia watched him shed tears silently with an expressionless face, suddenly feeling that the youth seemed somewhat different now.

After bidding his final farewell to the Pope, a moment passed before Lu Li finally gathered his emotions once more.

“Are you ready?” Julia asked softly, looking at the youth whose eyes were slightly red.

Lu Li did not speak, only nodding in silence.

“Then let us prepare for the coronation ceremony,” she continued.

“So soon?” Lu Li was stunned. He looked past the vast temple toward the outside. The dusk was still deep, and night had not yet departed.

“There is no rush; the night is still long,” Julia smiled, her tone laden with deeper meaning.

Yet in an instant, Lu Li picked up on the deeper implication in her words. His face returned to a calm expression, though a touch of confusion lingered in his eyes.

The papal coronation ceremony was not overly complex, but the initial step required the successor to cleanse their body in the Sacred Spring to purge mortal impurities and elevate both flesh and soul. Most crucial of all, this process of purification and ascension had to be personally attended by the most authoritative Cardinal throughout its entirety.

Attending this ritual and witnessing the ascension of flesh and soul was also part of preparing the next Pope.

Clearly, this was what Julia was referring to.

If anyone was most qualified to attend his purification and ascension, that candidate was undeniably none other than Julia.

This was precisely what puzzled Lu Li the most. If Julia was truly merely coveting his good looks, wouldn't it be far more convenient for her to be crowned herself and keep him at her side to serve her?

The Sacred Spring was located in the core area of the Holy Court. Although it was an open-air spring, it differed little from a royal garden, except that the surrounding architecture and vegetation were arranged entirely around the Sacred Spring, like guards defending an imperial citadel.

After leading Lu Li to the location, Julia dismissed the guarding knights. At this moment, only the two of them remained near the Sacred Spring.

Before the coronation ceremony began, Lu Li maintained a calm expression, while Julia looked at him with a somewhat strange gaze.

However, once the ceremony commenced, the situation reversed completely.

Lu Li was now submerged in the center of the spring completely unclad, while Julia stood on the shore with her back turned to him.

Recollecting how the woman had undressed him moments ago—blushing bright red with embarrassment yet forcing herself to maintain a composed demeanor—his expression grew rather strange.

Did she really think he couldn't tell just because it was dark out? Thinking this, Lu Li accidentally let out a chuckle.

“Hee...”

The splash of water and the light giggle escaping from the youth's lips reached Julia's ears at the same time. The shoulders of this usually high-and-mighty Cardinal—who appeared to outsiders as serious to the point of being stern—trembled involuntarily.

As expected, this world was no different. No woman could resist the temptation of beauty.

Lu Li kept his gaze fixed on her figure under the moonlight, suddenly feeling a bit fortunate that the body he had transmigrated into possessed a breathtakingly beautiful appearance so strikingly similar to his former self.

Indeed, aside from the different hair and eye colors, everything else was practically identical.

He lowered his eyes slightly, gazing into the Sacred Spring reflecting his image in the moonlight, as if to confirm it once more.

He was different from Lucrezio. Lucrezio was pure and kind, like a carefree elf. But he... he was dark-hearted. As long as he could survive and thrive, he would resort to any means necessary!

At that moment, the moonlight seemed to come alive, surging into the Sacred Spring like a waterfall and dyeing the water in a matching silver glow.

Lu Li stared blankly at what was unfolding before him. He knew very well that the Sacred Spring served to elevate flesh and soul, yet he had never witnessed the process with his own eyes.

So... was this the true face of extraordinary power in this world?

He marveled inwardly as he felt the changes occurring within his body.

At the same time, Julia turned around, her unblinking eyes fixed on the youth at the center of the spring, who radiated a divine light.

Even though the youth was still bare-chested at this moment, all traces of romantic nuance vanished from Julia's heart, replaced by a surge of terrifying intent to kill.

The Holy State had always possessed a legend that was more than just a myth:

Whenever a Pope passed away, her body, along with her crystal coffin, had to be placed in the center of the temple. Twelve hours later, an angel would descend upon the temple, whispering her name in her ear. If there was no response, the angel would carry her remains back to the heavenly realm.

And right now, the angel who was supposed to descend several hours later had not only arrived early, but had also lost its way and ended up in the wrong place.