Chapter 502 329: Concealed Murderous Intent

Inside the Saint Demin Arena, news of the death of His Eminence Rillo of Talisi, a potential successor to the Papacy, spread, plunging everyone into chaos once again.

The envoys from Talisi looked at the body of their Archbishop on the ground, their faces paling as they were overcome with grief.

"You audacious fiend! You inhumane executioner! A demon who belongs in Hell! How could you have the heart to mercilessly kill a helpless, innocent old man!"

The lead envoy from Talisi actually turned his fury on the Lord, indiscriminately unleashing a vicious stream of curses.

It was no wonder he came to such a conclusion—

Though Rillo had been smashed into the floor tiles by Levi's sword, everyone had seen with their own eyes that he hadn't died. At most, he was only severely injured, a far cry from his current state, utterly devoid of any sign of life.

The scene had been too chaotic earlier, and only the Lord had approached Rillo afterward.

Everyone subconsciously assumed that it was hard to say what kind of horrific, inhumane things the Lord might have done during that time.

"Fiend, my ass. I wouldn't stoop to such despicable methods," Levi retorted without missing a beat, crossing his arms. "He was already on death's door when I got to him."

In reality, the Lord was filled with a frustration he couldn't vent.

'That strike of mine was definitely not enough to kill Rillo. At most, it would have just left him in a sorry state, forcing him to recognize the gap between us and surrender. Then, like some impotent husband, he would have had to just stand there and watch me win the Mermaid.'

'Earlier, he'd been puzzled when he saw the man looking like he was about to kick the bucket, but he hadn't thought much of it. He'd just gleefully attributed it to his own power having improved once more, figuring that even a casual strike from him was now at the peak of the Legendary level.'

'But he was completely stunned when the man actually dropped dead right after their exchange.'

'The man had lived for decades and weathered all sorts of storms. The mental fortitude of an expert who reached the Legendary level was supposed to be terrifyingly resilient. How could he have been angered to death by just a few of my words?'

As an adult with no significant deficiencies in his Intelligence, who had been edified by *The Art of War* and spent sleepless nights studying Knightly Novels, Levi naturally realized something was amiss once he had a moment to process it.

'To kill Rillo now, in front of everyone? Given my current status and position, why would I do something that brings me zero benefit? At most, I'd just have given him a few good slaps to let off some steam.'

"Jumping to conclusions now would be unfair to both His Eminence Rillo and Duke Levi," Filo said, stepping forward to prevent the conflict from escalating. "The truth will be revealed to all when Her Holiness, Pope Cariss, arrives!"

Accidents are inevitable in duels; it is even an accepted norm that casualties may occur.

If the deceased had been an ordinary member of the clergy, it would have been settled with some monetary compensation at most, and neither side would have pursued the matter further.

However, the death of a Great Magic Master carried far too much weight. If not handled properly, it could easily spark a conflict between the two nations.

In his heart, Filo believed Levi would never do such a thing. Though Levi often appeared flippant and devil-may-care, he was, in fact, incredibly proud and wouldn't deign to lie about this matter.

Over a hundred fully armed Holy Knights, each carrying a Giant Sword, marched out from a passage in perfect formation.

Each Holy Knight in the squad wore a gilded golden cross emblem on their chest, which shone with a brilliant warmth in the sunlight. These were Knights who had trained in the Holy Word Treasure Manual from a young age, faithful believers of the Holy Light Church, and the armed force under the Pope's direct command.

The person they escorted at the forefront wore the Pope's Crown and was draped in a long, gilded golden robe, her beautiful face calm and composed.

"Your Holiness!" everyone cried, bowing in respect, including the indignant party from Talisi.

It was a title reserved for individuals of the highest status.

The Lord had learned a few things about this Pope from Fatir, so he wasn't surprised.

Her figure was slender and she stood a full 1.9 rens tall, only a little shorter than him. Even shrouded within the voluminous Pope's Robe, her impressive bosom could not be concealed. The color of her flowing hair matched her beautiful eyes—a dazzling, mesmerizing gold. Her face was beautiful, at once solemn and kind, like the big sister next door.

"I am already aware of what has transpired. I will investigate this matter thoroughly and give you all the truth," Cariss said, her lush red lips parting as she spoke, her voice filled with a worldly compassion. "Furthermore, His Eminence Rillo has not been dead for long. It may not be impossible to resurrect him."

"We trust Your Holiness," the envoys from Talisi said, nodding in unison.

They did not question whether Her Holiness would shelter the culprit, even though the prime suspect in this matter had a good relationship with the Holy Light Church.

It could be said that this Pope's reputation was as unquestionable as the power of a Giant Dragon.

Cariss walked over to Rillo's body and waved her Magic Staff, enveloping him in a ball of Holy Light. But to everyone's surprise, as the Holy Light flowed over him, they were shocked to see web-like purple cracks appear on Rillo's forehead. A strange black mist steamed from the cracks into the air.

"This is... the Soul Binding Technique?" A grave expression appeared on Cariss's face. She was all too familiar with this stench of death.

"Her Holiness just performed the Soul Revival Technique," Fatir explained to the Lord of High Cliff Castle, who was all but illiterate when it came to Magic. "It gathers the soul of a person who has only been dead for a short time. While it's not enough to resurrect the Archbishop directly, it can collect a portion of his soul. Once they take the fragmented soul back to Talisi, they might just find a way to reunite it with his body and bring him back to life."