Muxuan gently patted Mili’s back with one hand, while his other hand softly stroked her head.
Feeling the warmth from Muxuan’s hands, Mili’s trembling body gradually calmed down, and the twisted shadows behind her slowly faded away.
Mili slowly raised her head and looked at Muxuan with those pitch-black eye sockets, the corners of her lips lifting slightly into a smile.
Though it seemed a little eerie, Muxuan could feel Mili’s happiness.
Finally, when all the shadows behind Mili had disappeared, the narrow space returned to normal and became that corridor once more.
“You are Muxuan, right…”
A hint of shyness appeared on Mili’s face, and she understood that the person before her was not the Goddess.
Muxuan was taken aback and, after a moment’s hesitation, said, “Yes, it’s me…”
Upon receiving Muxuan’s affirmation, Mili immediately let out a clear, tinkling laugh, “Hehehe.”
“So Muxuan’s voice is really so pleasant… Why did you hide yourself before?”
Uh, uh, uh…
Muxuan saw the expectation on Mili’s face and didn’t know how to answer, so he replied helplessly, “Because I am the Pope…”
Everyone knows that the Pope of the Church is always a man; a woman could never become the Pope.
“Ah!?” Mili was shocked, her expression stunned, and she hurriedly asked, “What time is it now… You are… which Pope…”
He did not answer immediately. After a brief silence, Muxuan finally spoke slowly, “I am the forty-second Pope, ten Popes after the one you knew. As for what time it is now… I don’t know…”
As soon as these words fell, Mili’s previously expectant expression stiffened, and she spoke with some loneliness, “Has it been that long… I…”
“Should I have died long ago…”
Sensing that Mili’s emotions were about to spiral out of control again, Muxuan hurriedly used his pure white hands to cup Mili’s bloodstained face and said earnestly, “No, your life will always be yours. No one can force you to die! Besides, aren’t you alive and well now?”
“Pfft~” Hearing Muxuan’s words, Mili suddenly burst out laughing.
“Muxuan, you’re so cute when you’re serious~”
Eh!?
This time it was Muxuan’s turn to be surprised.
As if understanding Muxuan’s surprise, Mili replied with a smile, “Hehe, I don’t know what’s going on either. Even though I can’t see, within a small area around me, I can… sense things?”
After thinking for a while, Mili finally squeezed out the word “sense.”
Sigh, what else could it be?
Muxuan basically understood Mili’s current state. There was a Rule Core within Mili.
Originally, the Rule Core controlled Mili, but now, it was Mili who controlled the Rule Core. In other words, the Rule Core had fused with Mili, giving her certain conveniences.
However, Muxuan also recalled what the Shepherd had said.
“It’s not entirely bad for the body to be tainted… It’s just a pity that they… even their souls are tainted…”
Mili’s case was indeed only her body fusing with the Rule Core; her soul was not corrupted, so she could always influence or rather control the Rule Core.
Is this the benefit?
But logically, just having a Rule Core shouldn’t be enough for a soul to live this long…
It was only now that Muxuan realized that, in the entire cathedral, the only truly living person was Mili. The faith power he absorbed in front of the statue in the prayer room that afternoon was almost entirely from Mili…
She truly had a hard life.
He could hardly imagine, in such a dark place, on the brink of collapse, how she had managed to maintain her faith in the Goddess for so long…
“Mili, do you know where this is?” Muxuan asked.
“This… is my… home?” Mili’s answer was tinged with uncertainty.
“Then what does Mili think of this place?”
“It’s… chaotic, dark, painful… It feels like something happened here… Ah… my head hurts…” Suddenly, Mili clutched her head, struggling in pain.
“Why did they kill the believers…”
“Why was Father Ande…”
Seeing Mili about to lose control of her emotions again, Muxuan once more hugged her tightly, four soft mounds pressing closely together.
This strange sensation made Muxuan blush, but he quickly calmed himself and said, “It’s okay… all of that is in the past. Now, I have brought the Goddess’s light with me…”
Hearing Muxuan’s gentle comfort and feeling his warmth, Mili slowly quieted down. However, her tone was weak.
“Thank you…”
“Mili, do you want to leave this place?”
Mili was stunned for a moment and asked doubtfully, “Leave… here?”
“Yes, leave this place and go to where the Goddess’s light truly shines.” Muxuan said.
“But… I can’t leave this place…” Mili was a little moved.
She truly did want to leave, but she could also feel that she couldn’t leave, as if something was binding her tightly here.
“Is it that you can’t leave the cathedral, or can’t leave… this town?” Muxuan had a vague guess in his heart, waiting for Mili to confirm it.
“I can’t leave this town…” Mili sounded a bit lost.
With Mili’s answer, Muxuan’s guess was confirmed.
For someone like Mili, who had fused with the Rule Core, it wasn’t that she couldn’t leave, but that there was a higher force or rule within this town imprisoning them.
“Don’t worry, I will take you out of here. In the name of the Goddess, I promise you!”
“Hehehe~ Muxuan, you really don’t need to make promises to me.” Mili laughed upon hearing Muxuan’s promise.
“You’re really gentle… And your name always reminds me of that flower drifting among the clouds, symbolizing pure white, hope, and the future—the muxuan flower…”
“Hehe, so can I call you Lady Muxuan~”
Hearing Mili’s words, Muxuan couldn’t help but flick Mili’s forehead.
“Ow…”
“Still think I’m gentle?” Muxuan put on a stern face, trying to look fierce.
“Mm, Lady Muxuan is so cute~”
That made Muxuan’s fists itch, but he still said, “I am the Pope!”
Mili still smiled and said, “I know, Your Eminence Muxuan~”
Knowing that Mili was still playing with the pun, Muxuan sighed and gave in.
Let her call him as she pleased; he couldn’t really be harsh with her.
Besides, Mili’s emotions had just stabilized, so it was better not to stimulate her too much.
“All right, your body is still unstable. Get some rest. Listen, stay in the cathedral and don’t go out. I still have things to do.” After chatting for a bit more, Muxuan finally stopped the conversation.
Mili’s return to normal also meant that the cathedral’s rules had been broken, and he was no longer hindered from coming and going. It was time to investigate the town’s problems.
The information obtained from the cathedral had given Muxuan many new directions for his investigation.