Chapter 364. Contract
Carefully holding Lily up in his palm, Charles said, "This is one of my crew members. She used to be a human but was turned into a mouse. Does the Divine Light Order have a way to restore her to her original form?"
However, the Pope was clearly reluctant to address Charles' question.
"Is this the reason for your indefinite postponement of your next voyage? All because of a mouse?" The Pope sank into the couch and let out an amused laugh, but his eyes were devoid of any pleasant emotions.
Charles gently stroked Lily's head as traces of sorrow appeared in his gaze. He shook his head and retorted, "Lily is not just any mouse. Someone or something has turned her into a mouse. Technically, she's human, but she's not from our world."
"Enough!" The Pope suddenly rose to his feet. A hint of rage laced his voice as he continued, "Stop telling me all that! Don't you want to return home?"
"I do. But my crew member's life is at stake now. I need to find a way to save her first before I go searching for the surface's exit. You still haven't answered my question. Does the Order have any solutions?"
"Which is more important? Returning to the surface, or that mouse in your hands?" the Pope questioned as he leaned in closer to Charles.
"The surface world isn't going anywhere; it's not like it can disappear. I've already waited twelve years, so one more year won't make much difference to me. However, my crew member here only has four months left. Her situation is urgent."
Charles then gently lifted Lily and tenderly kissed her cheek. Lily's reaction to the kiss was one of pure joy. Her face broke into a wide smile to reveal her tiny teeth, and her tail wagged back and forth enthusiastically, much like a joyful little puppy.
The Pope's face showed clear disappointment as he shook his head slightly. "You've changed, child. You've lost the boldness and fearlessness you once had. The exit to the surface is right in front of you, yet you are wasting your time on all these trivialities."
"People change, and I embrace this change," Charles responded with a hint of cold edge in his voice.
"When your island was in danger, I intervened and saved you. When you lost your sight, I helped you to regain it. Is this how you intend to repay my kindness? Have I been too kind toward you all these while? To the extent that you have forgotten my... true nature?"
White light radiated from the Pope's skin and enshrouded him in an almost divine glow. A powerful aura emanated from the Pope, pressing against Charles with such force that it caused him to step back involuntarily.
Despite the sudden hostility from the Pope, Charles was unfazed. A cold smile played on his lips. He placed Lily into his pocket before taking confident steps toward the elderly man.
The Dark Blade sprung out of Charles' prosthetic palm, and he directly pushed the weapon into the Pope's hand.
He then stretched out his neck toward the Pope and tilted it at an angle. With a hint of madness in his eyes, he taunted, "Come. My neck is right here. If you have the guts, kill me now."
The Pope froze. He was taken aback by Charles' unexpected response. He regarded the man before him with a hint of hesitation as the aura surrounding him gradually dissipated.
"Can you see it right here? This is the carotid artery. Slash it open. No matter how strong my healing ability is, I'll be dead in less than a minute. Quick, do it!" Charles pressured the Pope even further.
The Pope was being thrown into a dilemma. Holding the dagger in his hand, he wasn't sure about his next course of action.
"You are not going to do it? Fine. I'll do it myself!" Charles' prosthetic hand then transformed into a chainsaw, and he swung it toward his own neck.
For the first time ever, panic flickered across the Pope's wrinkled face.
As the rapidly spinning chainsaw neared Charles' neck and was mere inches from dealing irreversible damage, a black dagger intercepted its path. Sparks flew as the two metallic weapons clashed.
The chainsaw gradually came to a halt, and Charles regarded the Pope with a smile.
"Why did you stop the act? Haven't you always been a skilled actor, Your Holiness?"
"I'm not sure what you're talking about. We've known each other for so long, I simply cannot stand by and watch you die," the Pope said with a hint of sorrow in his gaze.
"Enough with the pretense! What's your plan, and why am I so crucial to it? Why were you so anxious when you heard that I became blind? Why did you only want me to explore the islands?
"More importantly, now that you have the map to the surface exit, why this urgency for me to set sail? In a normal situation, with the goal of liberating the Light God, wouldn't it make more sense for you to mobilize a fleet immediately? Or perhaps... the surface was never your true goal?"
The Pope tossed the Dark Blade onto the ground, his expression darkened, and he remained silent in response to Charles' outburst.
Charles willed a transparent tentacle to retrieve the fallen blade and placed it back into his prosthetic limb.
"I don't care what's your plot or the role that I have in it. My answer is still the same. I won't set sail unless Lily has recovered."
Charles took Lily out of his pocket and stepped out onto the balcony once more. Bathing in the sun's warm glow, he gently stroked her fur.
After a couple of minutes, he turned around to see that the Pope was gone.
A corner of his lips curved up into a sneer. He had long harbored his suspicions of the Pope but it had been just mere speculations. However, the lack of any follow-up actions when the Pope acquired the nautical chart further solidified Charles' guess.
Clearly, there was a deeper scheme involved, and all previous claims of secrecy were mere deceit; the old man had been far from truthful.
But soon enough, the Pope appeared before Charles again. This time, he was accompanied by a group of over a dozen people.
The Pope noticeably adopted a softer tone than before. "Yes, I admit that I schemed against you. However, it doesn't conflict with our mutual interests. The Light God has informed me that only the Chosen One of Edikth can unlock that door.
"I've told you before that you are unique and different from the rest. The reason I didn't reveal this sooner is because—"
Before the Pope could complete his sentence, Charles interrupted him. "Your Holiness, have you ever heard the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf?"
"Huh?" the Pope asked, confused.
"Never mind if you haven't heard it. I don't want to listen to your explanations because I don't trust a single word you say. Let's stop beating around the bush and get straight to the point.
"What's your real name?"
"Lylejay. Why are you asking this?"
Charles pulled out a black marker from his inner coat pocket and began writing on the large wooden table.
Terms: Pope Lylejay of the Divine Light Order will mobilize all of the Order's resources for the next four months to find a cure for Lily.
Compensation: Charles will do his best to assist Pope Lylejay in locating the surface's exit. He will focus solely on this task and will not be involved in other irrelevant matters.
[Agree? Disagree?]
"This marker is a powerful relic. Any party that breaks the contract will vanish immediately. Do you dare to sign it?" Charles tossed the marker to the Pope.
Charles's addition of the clause regarding his own commitment was a calculated move. It appeared to restrict him, but in reality, it served to bind the Pope to their mutual goal of finding the surface's exit.
If the Pope's true aim were to reach the surface world, he would see the benefit in signing a contract that aligned with his objectives. If he refused to sign, it would cast serious doubt on his motives.
"Fine, since you wouldn't trust anything I said, I'll sign it!" the Pope said and swiftly signed his name with the marker on the table.
Instantly, red flames ignited and engulfed the text on the table; the agreement between them was sealed.
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