Chapter 534 (2): Bite the Bullet and Let Elian and Elohim Take the Blame

Wayne and Veronica stared at each other. Auston knew the whole truth, but he chose to stay silent, already foreseeing what would happen next. He rose and stepped out of the study.

Today’s happy hours ended here. If he didn’t leave right now, he would be brooding later. He had experienced wild blood pressure fluctuations thanks to Wayne’s provocation, so, learning from his experience, he developed an evasive maneuver and fled as soon as he saw the signs.

Whatever he didn't see couldn't be a successful boast!

Megan followed Auston quickly, leaving behind the juicy gossip.

“So you know nothing, High Reverend Silvia,” Senna said with a pointed smile.

“Shut up and call me Mother.” Silvia couldn’t stand Senna’s arrogance. She slid her teacup forward and said, “Fill this up for me. Then you’ll tell me the truth.”

Senna picked up the teacup with a dark look on her face. When she opened the door to the corridor, a maid was already waiting with a fresh pot. She took it back to the study and humbly filled Silvia’s cup under her pleased gaze.

“Watch the temperature. How long has the tea been brewing... Where’s the milk? Why didn’t you add any sugar... Don’t let the teaspoon touch the cup when you stir... You’re clumsy. Aside from your beauty, what good traits do you have?”

“What a useless woman. I don’t know why Wayne would have you as a lover. You’re the worst one I’ve ever taught!”

While Silvia nagged on and on, Senna calmly made a cup of barely drinkable tea. She hadn’t done it on purpose, but had simply followed Silvia’s instructions to a T, resulting in a wasted cup.

Seeing her obediently taking the abuse for Wayne, Silvia took a sip and felt her past grievances wash away—or not! She had barely gotten started. She still remembered vividly how Senna had spanked her and punished her since her youth. She would settle the account one thing at a time.

“You make terrible tea,” Silvia commented. “Now, tell me. What’s... the deal with the Goddess of Nature?”

“It’s the God of Nature.”

Rather than using words, Senna pointed at her forehead and compiled the divine battle that had taken place above the headquarters of the Church of Nature, asking Silvia to open her mind.

Silvia didn’t hesitate. In this new meta, their identities and hierarchy had been renewed, and Senna wouldn’t dare do anything reckless. She readily accepted the compilation.

Her expression shifted in quick succession in the span of ten seconds, from confusion to disbelief and then to shock and numbness. She almost lost control of her face entirely.

“So, have you gone through everything?”

“I-I have...” Silvia took a deep breath and gulped down the tea.

Then she spat it all out. “Terrible!”

Having anticipated the reaction, Senna had conjured a spatial glass in front of her at some point, blocking the imported black tea from splattering her way.

The tea failed to calm Silvia down. She suspected that she was still dreaming, so she watched the fight again. Then she looked up, appearing thoroughly lost. “Is my student the reincarnation of the God of Nature?”

“Oh, isn’t he your son?” Senna asked with an arched eyebrow.

You damn hag!

“What are you watching?” Veronica couldn’t help but speak up. “Hurry. Let me see.”

After some hesitation, Silvia copied the zip file and sent it to Veronica. Half a minute later...

(°?°〃)

Veronica remembered how Wayne had boasted about being the God of Nature, his shameless expression compelling her to punch him. Then he had boasted to Kristen and Vera, too. She was suddenly drenched in sweat.

Seriously? You are the God of Nature, and you’ve put the Goddess of Sun and the Goddess of Moonlight on their knees?

Cute! Wayne’s eyes lit up. When he waved at Veronica and she remained frozen and unresponsive, he poked her in the face.

It was so bouncy.

Meanwhile, Silvia checked the footage once more at the desk, still unconvinced. She shifted her suspicious gaze from Senna’s mysterious smile to the audience seat, seeing Wayne poking at Veronica’s face childishly. She shook her head in denial.

He’s too human! That’s not my god!

“Impossible. Absolutely impossible. You’re lying to me.”

“I may lie to you, but I never lie about my faith.”

True!

Silvia took several deep breaths and stood up unsteadily, whispering, “Is Wayne really the God of Nature... our faith?”

Sweating now, aren’t you?

“What else? Are you not going to accept reality?” Senna smothered a smile. “The Goddess of Nature is Wayne’s incarnation. He made it a woman to project a more approachable image, and that’s the goddess we know. Later, he walked the human world and overturned the church completely...”

“That’s why he’s so talented. He’s a god. Once he came into contact with magic, he was able to quickly reclaim his divine power...”

“You know what happened next. The Goddess of Nature he had created by dividing himself, Elian, ended up being corrupted by Death. Blindly pursuing the divinity of the Goddess of Life and failing, the incarnation became evil thoughts and swore to spread Death across the mortal realm for the destruction of the world.”

It was a logical explanation backed up by evidence, and Silvia couldn’t identify any flaw. She had to believe it no matter how unbelievable she found it. She turned to Wayne and suddenly felt a distance between them. He was her faith rather than her son, and he definitely wasn’t her student.

Wayne was pinching Veronica’s stiff face when he sensed the shift in atmosphere. He stood and came up to the desk. “Master, you didn’t react like this when you were told that I was the Anointed One. Is it difficult to accept that I’m the God of Nature?”

“Um...” Silvia spoke stiffly, flustered. “The Anointed One is a heretic to me, while the God of Nature... well...”

She couldn’t continue.

If that was how she reacted when she thought he was the God of Nature, her reaction would be even more intense if he admitted that he had replaced the goddess by force.

Wayne raised an eyebrow. The same was true of Heaven. When Mikhael learned about Elohim’s true nature, he had almost had a mental breakdown. He even denied reality by calling his enemy ‘Father’.

To prevent Hesione and the other angels from undergoing the same thing and to protect all followers and their faith, Wayne made a decision that went against his principles: he would bite the bullet and let Elian and Elohim take the blame.

Then, Elohim wouldn’t be the mastermind, and Elian wouldn’t be an accomplice. They were just Wayne’s evil thoughts, who called themselves Elohim and Elian. One of them had become the Horseman of Pestilence, and the other, the Horseman of Death.

Oh, right. There are two others, the Horseman of War and the Horseman of Famine.

In the Chosen Land, every follower worshipped one true, benevolent god. Their gods were righteous, merciful, and compassionate. Wayne would make it so that they could continue to worship their gods without worries, and they wouldn’t fall into confusion and despair because of their crumbling faith.

He would take the suffering and make the effort to lead the charge against his own evil thoughts. Elohim and Elian, as his good-for-nothing evil thoughts, would take on all the blame and play the antagonists of faith.

Then, everyone would have a bright future ahead of them, and everything would make sense. The Revelation would turn out accurate, too!

Of course, there were caveats. For example, he would need to make up a reasonable explanation for the relationship between the Heavenly Father and the Anointed One, or Hesione would become an unfilial daughter who made a move on her own father, and Heaven’s reputation would hit rock bottom.

Thinking of that further cemented Wayne’s determination to make Elohim and Elian take the blame, especially Elohim. He had no one to blame for losing his house to an illegal occupant since He had been sleeping all this time!

Wayne smiled at Silvia like nothing had changed, bowing slightly. “My name is Wayne. You led me down the path of magic, providing me with knowledge that changed my life. You even gave me the surname Lando. You are my master and mother.”

Moved, Silvia wanted to respond with some gesture, but worried that it would be seen as sacrilegious.

Wayne took her hand and bent down slightly to place it on the top of his head, showing his respect for his mother and master. Silvia covered her mouth and pulled him into her embrace, forgetting that she had a daughter named Veronica altogether.

Veronica was childish and quick-tempered, always launching her fiancé into the grove. She wasn’t good enough for Silvia’s son—the Anointed One and the God of Nature. It was best to replace her before they got married, or it would be too late.

Unlike his usual self, Wayne didn’t resist when he found himself pressed against a warm bosom. He was thankful for noble families’ complex etiquette at this moment, requiring a change of clothes after a meal. Otherwise, if Silvia hadn’t changed out of her evening gown when she came to her study, Senna would be having inappropriate thoughts again.

Actually, Senna was already thinking hard. She was confused. Given Wayne’s talent, Silvia didn’t actually make a difference. She didn’t understand what was so good about her simple-minded student that Wayne would be so obedient to her. Even if it was because genuine feelings begot genuine feelings, she still shouldn’t hold such a special place in Wayne’s heart.

It was absurd.

After ten minutes of heart-to-heart, Silvia was still a little ill at ease. It felt like there was a barrier between her and Wayne, and she could no longer treat him like she usually did. Still, thinking about how she had become the mother and master of the God of Nature filled her with pride. She also felt mountainous stress weighing her down. She decided to take it out on the trashcan later.

Then she would launch him. Surely that would help her recover her mood.

Poor Auston.

At this point, it was difficult for the District High Reverend to keep briefing Pope Senna. She needed time to cool her head. Veronica also needed time. She had thought that Wayne was boasting, but he was telling the truth.

What about his marriage with the Goddess of Darkness? Was that real, too?

What’s the deal with the Goddess of Darkness? When did all these women come in? Do they not know what first come, first served means?!

Since both women needed time, Wayne sent them back to their rooms and took Senna away with a snap of his fingers. He drove her out of the estate.

As soon as the car left the gate, Senna crossed her arms and huffed, “Look at your mother’s hateful face. I’m too soft-hearted, or I would’ve beaten her to death twenty years ago.”

“Stop feeling bad. You’ll be the God of Nature in the future.”

“What?!”

Senna was caught off guard. She didn’t understand.

“I’m not the real God of Nature after all...” Wayne shook his head. If they won this war and secured world peace, he would make Senna the new Goddess of Nature.

“What about you? What will you be doing?”

“I’ll be the goddess’s knight.”

He was still hashing out the framework of his divine system. Since it only existed on paper at this moment, and he couldn’t guarantee that it would work, he decided against telling Senna. He went for a lie that fit his usual character.

Senna was no longer the ambitious ruler she had been. She had little desire to become the Goddess of Nature. Looking at the thin layer of mist permeating the street, she tucked her hair behind her ear and said, “Where are we going? Aren’t you having me stay the night at the Lando Estate?”

“No, I’m picking up someone. Then I’ll introduce you to a good sister. I’m sure the three of you will get along.” Wayne raised an eyebrow. He had been waiting a long time to drive all three of his luxury cars together.

Senna made a derisive face. The moment he opened his mouth, she knew he was up to no good. She took out a compact mirror from her personal storage and touched up her makeup, making sure that she would make the other two harpies pale in comparison. She would not stand for being inferior.

“Who are you picking up?”

“Ana.”

“Pull over first.”

“Why?”

Wayne pulled over. He watched in exasperation as Senna took an assortment of cosmetics out of her personal storage, like a soldier carrying a whole arsenal before marching into war.

“You’re already beautiful, Senna.”

“I know, but Anastasia is different. I cannot lose to her!”

“Alright, whatever makes you happy...”

Wayne shrugged. Filomina, who was no less than either of them in appearance or temperament, would be joining, so Senna should be ready.

“Are you done?”

“Give me another five—no, twenty minutes.”

“You weren’t like this, Senna. I remember you being quite confident. Why are you even using makeup now? Do you feel old?”

“No, I’ve become more childish.” Senna glanced at him and grumbled resentfully, “Didn’t you hear your mother? I’m an old woman now. If I don’t make myself pretty, how am I going to tie you down?”

“Ahahaha—”