April 1, Holy Seat City.

"How is Grandiva? Still in the Falan Royal Capital?" The weak voice of the old pope echoed in the opulently adorned golden room.

"I heard he's met a new lover. He's in the middle of a passionate affair and is unwilling to leave."

"Scoundrel! Unrestrained devil of lust! Libertine!" The pope gasped for breath as he cursed.

Xie Li stood silently by the side, saying nothing.

"Is there any more wine?"

Seemingly exhausted from cursing, Johnny VIII's eyelids drooped repeatedly, and his voice sounded like he was talking in his sleep.

Xie Li shook his head: "The last barrel of wine has been finished; it doesn't keep for long.

The situation in the Thousand River Valley being what it is, the next batch of new wine will probably have to wait until winter."

Blinking forcefully, Johnny VIII shook off his drowsiness: "Very well, then bring over the wine from the Blood and Flesh Royal Court."

Xie Li stood up straight, not immediately executing Johnny VIII's order.

Johnny VIII asked irritably, "What are you hesitating for?"

"Your Grace, the wine from there is too strong. You tolerated it well a few years ago.

But having drunk the Thousand River Valley wine for so long, drinking this one would do too much harm to your body."

"Ah, Xie Li, Xie Li," Johnny VIII sighed. "You need to understand, the upcoming mass will be attended by over a hundred important northern nobles.

I must prove to them that I am still healthy and can bring them benefits. This determines the church's fate.

Otherwise, what meaning would all our efforts in Leia have? Do you understand what I mean?"

Xie Li was silent for a few seconds, then turned around and left the room. About five minutes later, he returned with a small glass of wine.

"Your Grace, you must drink slowly..."

Johnny VIII grabbed the wine from Xie Li's hand and drank it all in one gulp, leaving Xie Li no time to stop him.

"Your Grace!" Xie Li exclaimed in alarm, hurriedly placing his palm on Johnny's heart.

But to Xie Li's surprise, Johnny VIII's heartbeat remained normal, as if unaffected.

"Don't worry, as long as I'm wearing the Triple Crown, even a potent toxin won't have much effect.

Just wait a day and a night to expel the toxins, then I can take off the crown."

Johnny VIII coughed and pushed Xie Li's hand away.

Seeing that Johnny VIII was unharmed, Xie Li sincerely made the sign of the cross on his chest: "Praise be to the greatness of the Lord."

"Alright, take me to change clothes; we must proceed to the mass."

......

Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting colorful light and shadows on the stone floor of the Great Cathedral.

Pope Johnny VIII, the long-reigning pope of 52 years, stood before a flower-laden altar.

He wore a robe woven with golden threads, crowned with the symbol of authority, the Triple Crown, and held the Gospel and a scepter in his hands.

"Oh, our Lord..."

The voice echoed within the vast church as Johnny VIII carefully selected the most impassioned passage.

His voice was loud and clear, more vigorous than that of a young man, solemn and sacred.

Among the audience, the bishops from Falan exchanged glances, with some inwardly cursing, thinking, "If he doesn't die soon, I will."

As for the northern Leia nobility, they either bowed their heads in amazement or devoutly, listening to this mass no different from those in his youth.

"Miseria!"

Having sung the entire hymn in one breath, Johnny VIII silently took two breaths.

Then, with a chanting tone, he fervently shouted again: "Miseria!"

"Miseria!"

Those below echoed in unison, clasping their hands in front of their chests and praying devoutly.

After declaring the end of the mass, two attendant monks quickly stepped forward to take the heavy scepter and Gospel from Johnny VIII's hands.

"Your Grace, do you need to rest for a while?" Xie Li looked at

"No need, go arrange the banquet and casual attire."

"Understood." While assisting Johnny VIII in removing the Holy Robe, Xie Li whispered, "If you feel any discomfort, you must tell me."

Johnny VIII nodded inconspicuously and then managed a kindly and benevolent smile, walking towards the crowd that had risen along the steps.

Xie Li sighed in relief, lifting the Holy Robe, and walked toward the back hall.

Johnny VIII immediately recognized the great noble from Thorn Garden, Grand Duke Omes Oublacks Oslar, among the crowd.

The chin that had been the family heirloom of this great noble was hard to overlook.

Having chosen his target, the Pope didn't have time to rest and headed straight toward Duke Omes.

Hmm?

As Johnny VIII took his second step, he suddenly felt something was wrong, as if he was stepping on cotton candy.

The next second, he heard screams and the sound of wind.

After stepping into air, the body of the Old Pope first leaned forward, he desperately tried to maintain balance, but to no avail.

The multicolored light from the stained glass windows seemed to heavily press on the Pope's back, falling toward the ground with him.

Like a wooden puppet falling apart, Johnny VIII crashed down with a clatter.

Years of complacency gave him no time to extend powerless hands to brace against the ground.

His head hung low, the Triple Crown slipped off, and the Old Pope's forehead hit the marble floor with a dull thud.

"Bang—"

"Thud—"

Xie Li, who was about to reach the door of the back hall, heard a sound that made his blood run cold.

The prayers and conversations of the nobles and Believers halted abruptly, the swift movements of the Attendant Monks seemed exceedingly slow.

They rushed over, but could not catch the Old Pope who fell suddenly.

"Your Holiness, Your Holiness!" Xie Li frantically discarded the Holy Robe and dashed to Johnny VIII.

Kneeling before the Pope, Xie Li took his hand, turning over his body.

Without the Triple Crown on his head, Johnny VIII visibly withered at a rapid pace, his face began to show a faint purple hue.

The face bathed in holy light was now so clear, so old, so fragile.

The nobles surrounded him, looking at the face that seemed unfamiliar, a sense of foreboding rose in their hearts.

Xie Li lifted the back of the Old Pope's head and placed the Triple Crown on him, the froth from Johnny VIII's mouth slightly ceased.

"It's too late..." Johnny VIII stopped Xie Li from calling for a doctor, "Miseria is calling me, I must serve the Most High."

"You only need to rest..."

"Even wearing this hat won't help." Strangely, Johnny VIII, who was ambitious in the morning, suddenly became despondent.

An Falan bishop tightened his mouth: "Your Holiness, don't speak nonsense."

Johnny VIII didn't even glance at him, forcefully arching his back.

Xie Li knew the Pope wanted to speak with him, hurriedly leaning his ear closer.

As for several Falan bishops, they shamelessly leaned in their ears.

"My will is in the second drawer of my desk, you know which desk..."

Before Johnny VIII could finish, several Cardinals leaped up and raced to the Pope's study.

An Falan bishop was even tripped by Bishop Leia.

"Xie Li, good child, quickly get it, don't let them have it." With a cough, Johnny VIII looked toward the glorious dome, "Lord, you did not forgive me after all..."

Pressing his ear to Johnny VIII's chest, with everyone watching tensely, Xie Li listened for a whole minute.

He slowly lifted his head, tears streaming down slowly: "Your Holiness, Your Holiness... has already gone to Paradise Mountain..."

Xie Li's voice was too low for the surrounding nobles to hear.

An Falan Cardinal pinched his thigh, trying hard not to let his "grief" show:

"I have unfortunate news~ to tell everyone—our beloved Pope, Johnny VIII, has been summoned by the Lord..."

"Sob—Sob—"

Sobs immediately echoed through the Great Cathedral, everyone was crying, some well, some poorly.

In the cries, Johnny VIII's robes unfolded as his body fell.

The golden threads shimmered with final light in the sunlight, like a blooming marigold.

The body lay still before the altar, with a trace of a helpless smile on his face.

It seemed like relief or perhaps he had already seen the world after his death.

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