Chapter 411 (2): Life’s Ultimate, the Ultimate Life
“Ladies, I have an idea about the oracles. I’ve gotten the correct answer and know what I should do.”
Wayne was being intentionally ambiguous, pleased when he heard Corte and Galen groan. He continued, “I came to Palis because...”
“The head office of the Church of Nature hasn’t been occupied by the demons. As for the Sun and Moonlight, you’ve seen how it is. I worked hard to turn Houry and Givenchy into undercover agents, but you two just had to target them and throw a wrench into my plan!”
“Not only have I lost my agents, but there’s also been a big enough ruckus to alert the demons. Cunning and mistrustful as they are, they’ll definitely go into hiding. How am I going to find them now?”
Wayne huffed, displeased with the Holy Maidens’ unwanted intervention. Galen lowered her head and tried her best to be unnoticeable. She knew Corte’s hot temper would drive her to speak her mind, thus making her Wayne’s target.
As expected, Corte said bluntly, “We just arrived in Palis today. Sensing the demons, we immediately began an investigation. Pardon my bluntness. The head office of the Church of Sun is doomed. High Reverend Houry has even turned into an Astral life. High Reverend Givenchy of the Church of Moonlight has also...”
“Sir Knight, we only decided to erase them because we’re worried that the power of Hell and the Void would cause irreversible damage to Palis.”
“That’s not the power of the Void, but Life!”
“...” x3
The two Holy Maidens didn’t believe him. They weren’t blind. Givenchy, too, knew what she actually was.
“I’m three chosen knights in one, embodying the power of Nature, Sun, and Moonlight,” Wayne declared. “I hold the ultimate answer to the Life Alliance. If I say it’s Life, it is.”
The ultimate answer to the Life Alliance was the universe. On the evolution path of elves, the Goddess of Nature had gone the farthest and gotten the closest to the universe. It was a separate path from the Void.
The ultimate answer to the Void—the Astral Plane—was the ancient god. Heaven being a good example, the embodiments of the Void were each more bizarre in appearance than the last.
However, Wayne wasn’t wrong. He had his own understanding of Life and believed the ancient god to be the most optimal answer to all evolution. The ancient god stood above the universe. It was life’s ultimate and the ultimate life!
Wayne’s theory was completely at odds with what Givenchy and the two Holy Maidens had learned. Givenchy wasn’t going to argue with her faith, and Galen didn’t want to attract attention. Both stayed quiet.
Corte alone stubbornly talked back.
Thud!
Her head was perfect for a hand chop. Wayne pulled back. It was almost as satisfying as chopping Vera’s head.
Corte had a better figure, better face, and greater strength, but Wayne would still choose Vera over her. The reason was simple: Vera had entered Wayne’s life earlier. She had been one of the first to walk into his detective agency.
“Whatever I say is law. Got it?”
“Got-got it.”
Wayne said something almost identical to the goddess’s oracle for Corte, making her go pale. She gave up on struggling and decided to follow the oracle. She kept reminding herself that this was the goddess’s mission for her. Once she gave up on resisting, she no longer felt anxious or scared. The world seemed to open up before her.
Rubbing her head, she turned to Givenchy and asked, “Sir Knight, what are the odds of her going undercover successfully?”
“Just call me Wayne. Calling me a knight will attract attention.” Wayne shook his head. “Now that the head offices of the two churches have been wiped out, it’s no longer viable for her to go undercover. We have two options.”
“What are they?”
“Givenchy chose to join the demons, rejecting the Divine Realm in favor of seeking her future in Hell. I’m in no position to judge her personal pursuit, but by giving the demons claim over countless lives, she’s become no different from a demon. I hate her.”
“So the first option is to kill her. Since the two of you are already exposed, you may stay out in the open to draw the demons’ attention. If any demons come to investigate, we may get a chance.”
Givenchy stood before Wayne with her head lowered meekly. She had no complaint even when he said that he would kill her, but it pained her to hear that he hated her.
Her obedience made Galen and Corte shudder, their hearts trembling. They were frightened that they might turn out the same. Thankfully, Wayne wasn’t a demon, or they would meet the same fate as Givenchy after their defeat.
“Second, you two will pursue Givenchy and create a spectacle, luring the demons into coming to her rescue.” Wayne frowned. “The two options are both too passive, though, so I choose the third option.”
“Aren’t there only two options?” Corte huffed.
Thud!
Wayne pulled his hand back, staring at Corte for a long time. He hissed when she turned red, as if she had come to terms with what would happen.
Keep struggling!
Wayne tried to turn things around, pointing at Galen, who had been staying quiet to avoid attention. “Learn from Galen. Don’t just talk back every time I say something. If she ever completes the oracle when you haven’t, it must be because you talk too much.”
Panicked, Galen glared at Corte and said, “Why do you have so many questions? No one would think you’re mute just because you don’t talk!”
She smiled sweetly at Wayne. “So what is the third option?”
“What a nice, sweet voice.” Wayne smiled. “I like you more and more. I promise you that you’ll definitely complete the oracle.”
(는_는)
Galen finally realized that whether she said something nonsensical or stayed silent, Wayne would have her complete the oracle first. That begged the question: what exactly did he like about her? Tell her, and she would change it!
Wayne did feel more attracted to Galen because of her hair color. It was just like Kristen’s. He wondered if he should arrange a meal to introduce them. Perhaps they were related.
Kristen was an orphan who had grown up without parents. She had lived on the streets, then stayed two years in an orphanage. Later, her adoptive mother took her to the Church of Moonlight, but only because she wanted her divine blood.
Kristen and her many siblings had been competing both openly and discreetly, leaving her cautious and timid. She would rather stay in her dorm on campus than return to her loveless family.
Things had only gotten better since two years ago, when she met a man who adored her. He gave her love while allowing her to keep her friendships by taking her besties home. The besties now shared a bed. Kristen had her happy ending in both love and friendship.
Wayne felt like he deserved so much more commendation.
“What are you so happy about, Wayne?” Corte leaned in, wanting in on the fun.
Holy Maiden, you’re giving yourself away at close to the speed of light!
Wayne pushed her head away. “The third option is to wait and see. I’m a professional spy. I have an informant on the Papal State’s side, so I know for certain that the angels have arrived in Palis. They’re experts in banishing demons. With them leading the way, we only have to follow them and finish things off in the end.”
“If they’re experts, why don’t we just leave the problem to them?”
“No, things are different this time.” Wayne narrowed his eyes, thinking of the Headless Knight. “I learned from a reliable source how powerful the demon alliance is. Lord of Envy, one of the Seven Demon Lords, is among them. The angels alone won’t be their match.”
Galen’s expression turned solemn. Putting aside his appalling interests, the man was not only strong but also intelligent. No wonder the goddesses...
Galen reconsidered the oracle she had received and came to a blasphemous conclusion: Wayne had been chosen by three goddesses because he was so talented that they didn’t want the other two goddesses to have him. Thus, they claimed ownership.
There was no telling who would be laughing in the end. It would most likely be Wayne’s choice which Divine Realm he would go to.
That made Galen realize why the goddess had given her the oracle. Given the man’s talent, she was willing to do it for her faith.
“Come on. Come back to the Church of Nature’s head office. I’ve sent people to look for the reincarnated angels. They should have found something.”
Wayne stepped out of the Church of Moonlight’s head office, heading straight to the sewers. Glancing at Givenchy as she fell into step like a loyal servant, he said with a frown, “I was going to let you redeem yourself as an undercover agent. If you succeeded, I would let you live. Now that you’ve lost your worth... What do I do with you?”
“I’m willing to execute the second plan,” Givenchy said. “The two Holy Maidens haven’t been exposed, but the two churches’ doom is a foregone conclusion. The demons will be wary. I could relay the false intel that the Church of Moonlight was wiped out by angels.”
“Might as well.” Wayne nodded. “Can you find the demons?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Head to the underground catacombs, and if you complete your mission and survive, I’ll make you one of my vassals,” Wayne promised.
“I’ll seize the chance to stay with you forever.” Givenchy bowed and stepped back, vanishing in the darkness.
Corte frowned. “She won’t make a difference. You’re just sending her to her death.”
“I want to kill her, but it’ll be difficult to do it now,” said Wayne. “It’s better to let the demons deal with her. If she lives, I’ll consider her having redeemed herself. Then I won’t feel like killing her.”
Corte wasn’t sure what to say. “Now I believe you aren’t a pervert. Isn’t she beautiful?”
You two are beautiful, too, but I beat you up without a problem!
Wayne dove into the sewers. Reaching Mona with his thoughts, he told her to meet him at the head office of the Church of Nature.
***
High Reverend’s office.
Mona opened the door and was immediately assaulted by feminine fragrance. She rolled her eyes at the women filling the office. They had only arrived in Palis last night. Wasn’t Wayne too efficient in his womanizing way?
In her head, Hesione kept nagging Mona to accept reality and break up with Wayne before it was too late.
“It’s already too late. With all the experience you’ve had, purity will still be the last word to describe you even if we break up,” Mona said. “Besides, how are we going to find another person who attracts demons like him?”
Hesione fell silent. Mona was right both in the practical sense and the personal sense.
Seeing all the women in the office annoyed Mona. She stalked toward the desk and sat on Wayne’s lap, putting her arms around his neck. “Boss, I’ve found a reincarnated angel. They’re looking into the situation in Palis, accompanied by two acquaintances of ours.”
“Who?”
“The Princess and her female fiancé.”
“Angels’ descendants...”
Wayne stroked his chin with a smile. “Good. Now I have eyes on the reincarnated angels, too.”
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