“Draw a... line?” At those words, Foreno fell silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. “Hahahahahaha!”

“Lady Saintess, are you joking with me??”

“Lady Saintess, forget me—don’t you think it sounds ridiculous even to yourself? If you really could draw a clean line with the Church, then why have you been hiding all this time—ducking and weaving every day, going to such lengths to bury your identity for so long??”

“Ask yourself properly. Why don’t you want to reveal your identity? If you reveal it, what does it mean for you? I don’t need to spell that out for you.” Foreno leaned closer, still wearing that kindly, gentle smile.

“Then why are you putting on an act?” Vanessa panted. “To you, to the Church, to the Pope—I’m a threat. Even when you thought my bloodline hadn’t awakened, you still decided I was a threat. You still refused to let me go.”

“Sounds like you understand it very clearly.” Foreno lifted his chin. “Then I won’t waste words.”

“Honestly, Lady Saintess, you can only blame yourself. Don’t you get it yet? The way you performed at the Academy—too conspicuous.”

“So conspicuous we had no choice but to pay attention to you. Think about it: if you’d spent your whole life in that stinking maggot nest, living peacefully and happily as some harmless little bug—oh, sorry, I mean, an ordinary person with no Soul—do you think we’d go this far?” Foreno said with a chuckle.

“You wouldn’t even spare someone you saw as a dead-vein ordinary person.”

“Dead-vein ordinary person? Lady Saintess, you still don’t understand. But then again, it makes sense. You weren’t truly acknowledged by the Church, you weren’t officially crowned as a proper Saintess. You’ve never been a real ruler at the top, so you don’t understand this principle.”

“The higher someone stands, the heavier their suspicion becomes—so heavy it’s hard for others to even comprehend.” Foreno continued, explaining to Vanessa. “Do you understand what I mean now?”

“Even if your bloodline never awakened for your entire life, even if you stayed an ordinary person for your entire life, we still wouldn’t loosen our surveillance and attention on you.”

“Just because my last name is Facilis?”

“Yes. Because your last name is Facilis. Isn’t that enough??” Foreno spread his hands.

“I never wanted anything to do with you.” Vanessa clenched her hand slightly. “All along, I’ve hated you sanctimonious people to the bone. I only wanted to draw a line with you—live as myself, live my own life. I never planned to return to the Church and fight you for power, but you kept forcing me—again and again.”

“Hahahahaha! Lady Saintess, how can you still not understand? The point isn’t what you want. The point is that you have the ability, and you have the possibility.”

“Even if it isn’t very likely—if one day your strength reaches that threshold, what if your bloodline suddenly awakens?”

“As the source of the [Saint’s Envoy], at that point, taking back anyone’s [Saint’s Envoy] would be as easy as snapping your fingers. That includes the Pope’s.”

“Just that alone makes everything else irrelevant. No matter what you think, it’s useless. Tell me—who in the entire Church would feel at ease with you? Until the day you die, the name ‘Facilis’ will be wrapped around you like chains.”

“Before you grow up, we either strangle you in the cradle—or we control you, so no matter how much you grow, you won’t dare rebel against your master.” At that point, Foreno stopped pretending and made it plain.

“Just like right now. If your realm weren’t so low, could I even launch an attack on you? You would’ve already confiscated my [Saint’s Envoy]. Heh.”

“Forget the upper ranks of the Church of the Dawn. If it were me, I wouldn’t let you be free either.”

“Foreno! You traitors—this is what you were thinking?!” Fennia gripped her sword and charged straight at Foreno.

“Get away from Lady Saintess!”

“Don’t get so worked up, Fennia, attendant.” Foreno merely moved a finger. Several magic arrays appeared, and vines drilled out from them, binding Vinny tightly.

“Mm!”

“Fennia, attendant—my family has some ties with House of Cassius, so personally I’d really prefer not to hurt a junior like you. But if you force me, I won’t have a choice.” Magical light flickered over Foreno’s palm. “My realm is Junior Master. Do you believe me when I say I can move a finger and slice you into pieces?”

“So you arranged all of this to kill me.”

“Smart. As expected of you. Yes—everything really was planned by my own hand. But now the plan has changed, and I didn’t inform anyone else.” Foreno showed a smile of success.

“At first, I truly was just following orders—quietly removing you in this ‘accident’ without anyone noticing, so afterward there would be no traces, and no one would specially investigate details for your sake. But now I’ve changed my mind.”

“I’m very glad I didn’t tell anyone. After all—capturing a bloodline-awakened Saintess alive and presenting her to the Pope is a tremendous merit.”

At that moment, Amisha finally saw it clearly—the light called greed glowing from within those narrowed eyes.

“But it’s also for your own good. From now on you can live brilliantly and beautifully in the light. After all, a Church is only a Church if it has a Saintess. Of course... you may have to accept a few restrictions from some little enchanted tools.”

“Lady Saintess, don’t blame us. We’re doing this for your own good. It’s all for your personal safety. We’re only doing this so you won’t do anything foolish. Look at it the right way—at least from now on, you have a home. You won’t have to wander outside anymore. You can enjoy the treatment and rites of the Dawn Saintess, enjoy the finest benefits.. Your reputation won’t have to be like a rat crossing the street anymore. You will bathe in the admiration and worship of tens of thousands of believers—just like your ancestors, even surpassing them. History will leave a heavy mark. The Church’s historians will record that you were a Dawn Saintess even greater than your great-grandmother.”

Foreno spread his arms, as if soothing and persuading, painting a bright future for Vanessa.

“Besides, I was only following orders. Please, don’t blame me.”

“You can just say it.” Fragrant dew slid down Vanessa’s temple as her mind kept turning, searching for a way out. “You want me to be a canary in a gilded cage.”

Foreno was a Junior Master, and she was only a Junior Magus. A whole major realm apart—the gap was too enormous. It was almost impossible to turn this around.

Because of the earlier [All-Gods Consecration Flame], her blood and mana had been heavily consumed. She couldn’t use it anymore—and Vinny didn’t think [All-Gods Consecration Flame] would be useful at a time like this anyway.

To be honest, Vanessa had always felt the positioning of [All-Gods Consecration Flame] was awkward.

It could burn so fiercely it could even burn a Demon Pillar to death—let alone a human.

But the problem was... how do you actually hit them??

With her realm too low, only two wings, and limited mana capacity, her [All-Gods Consecration Flame] could only kill at ultra-close range. If the enemy was on guard, it simply wouldn’t land.

If she wanted [All-Gods Consecration Flame] to be released at extreme long range, she would have to reach Selena’s realm. Only then would she become a complete Dawn Saintess.

Right now, she was nowhere close.

At mid-range and long range—even at fairly close range—just about any spell was easier to use than [All-Gods Consecration Flame]. Killing people only took a fireball, a single [Icicle]. It wasn’t as if she were hunting demons or some terrifying monster.

Against humans, [All-Gods Consecration Flame] was overkill—and it was hard to use.

“Tsk, tsk. So this is the power of [All-Gods Consecration Flame]? As expected of holy fire. Truly a dangerous thing. It even burned an ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ ancient sinful [Divine Armament] into this state.” Foreno clicked his tongue in admiration as he paced over to the charred, pitted, dulled [Blood-Debt] lying on the ground without movement.

Those words were also a warning to Vanessa—telling her not to keep trying to use [All-Gods Consecration Flame] against him. He was already on guard. It would be futile.

“As for you two.” Foreno shifted his gaze to Fennia and Amisha, both restrained.

“You’re both rising talents of the Church. I don’t want you to die here either.”

“But I also can’t allow you to ruin the Church’s good work. You two—I hope you’ll think it through. Who really calls the shots in the Church? Not this Saintess who has no real authority and hasn’t even been formally crowned. It’s the Pope. Do you understand?”

“I also don’t want anything to happen to Lady Saintess. But if certain people refuse to behave and insist on stirring trouble inside the Church in the future—spreading rumors with no basis at all—then that will cause Lady Saintess quite a bit of trouble.”

“Lord Foreno, are you really going to pretend you can’t see the Church’s current state?!” Amisha clenched her staff and demanded.

“That’s exactly why the Church can’t be handed to children like you—children whose hair hasn’t even fully grown in.” Foreno shook his head.

“If you were older, you’d know: there’s never any accident. There’s only historical inevitability. That includes the emptiness of the Saintess throne.”

“Now, the Church has gone three generations without a Dawn Saintess. The facts have proven it—without a Saintess, with the Pope and the bishops governing, the Church of the Dawn has still flourished.”

“Do you know that the core of power has already stabilized? At a time like this, if another change happens, how many blood-soaked events will it ignite? How many power wars will it trigger??”

“The Church of the Dawn has made many sacrifices to protect humanity, including the defense a hundred years ago against the Ten-Thousand-Demons Fox King. The Church’s elites went out in full force, and in the end, less than one in ten remained. The Church of the Dawn was gravely weakened. We only finally caught our breath today. If we draw swords again—if we start internal strife—breaking bones and tearing sinew—then who will protect humanity??” Foreno stood with his hands behind his back, speaking with righteous conviction.

“And besides, human society isn’t peaceful either. Every nation is split into factions, facing each other with blades drawn. If the Church of the Dawn is also fighting itself at a time like this—weakening its own power—wouldn’t that just give outsiders an opening??”

“You’ve completely turned the Church of the Dawn into an organization, into a nation.” Vanessa spoke. “Using the Church of the Dawn’s transcendent status, you siphon everything you want from human society, guard against every human nation—and you’re the parasites up there, gnawing bone and drinking marrow.”

“If you keep going like this, when the demon race marches in, humanity will become a heap of loose sand. There will never be a proper allied army again.”

“Lady Saintess, your worldview is far too black-and-white. You’re too easily swayed by ‘the survival of humanity’ when making judgments. But in reality, nothing is more important than one’s own survival. Only after preserving the Church can there be humanity. You simply don’t understand that.” Foreno dismissed it.

“If that’s what you think, then sooner or later, ‘the survival of humanity’ will drop to third priority for you—maybe fourth, fifth.” Vanessa answered coldly. “Group survival. Individual survival. Personal selfish desire. You can come up with endless reasons.”

“Ay, ay, say whatever you like. I can’t argue with you. Dawn Saintesses through the ages have always been good with words—this I know.” As he spoke, Foreno released Fennia’s restraints. After all, Fennia and Amisha had no mana left, and he, a Master, had been watching the fight from the start—rested and waiting, in perfect condition. To him, the two juniors posed no threat at all.

“You two—have you thought it through? Think carefully. If you can’t think it through, I’m sure Lady Saintess will also find it very embarrassing.” As he spoke, Foreno controlled his plant magic and bound Vanessa’s hands and feet, hoisting her into the air.

“Ay, ay. Once upon a time, how imposing the Dawn Saintess was. And now she’s this weak.”

“You—!” Fennia planted her palm on the ground. Watching the cherry-haired girl being controlled—eyes shut, unable to move—while she herself was helpless, able to do nothing, that powerlessness made her realize painfully just how weak she was, how easily crushed.

Yes. She was only a high-tier Sorcerer-class.

Not only could she not protect the Saintess—she had to be protected by the Saintess, becoming the Saintess’s burden.

Fennia pressed her lips together unwillingly. Her clenched hand split the skin until thin lines of blood appeared.

If only she were strong enough. If only she were strong—then this wouldn’t be happening.

“Young Master Caron—he was just too impatient. If he could’ve stopped being impatient, maybe he could’ve picked up his life.” Foreno’s voice was full of regret. “His death brings the Church no benefit.”

What should they do??

Amisha stared at the scene in a daze. Then, all of a sudden, she saw a small golden energy cube appear at Foreno’s side.

That was—??

“Hm?” Foreno noticed it as well. The moment he saw the rotating, flickering little golden cube, his gaze tightened, and he raised a hand on instinct, releasing magic.

[Light Protection]

A curtain of light appeared between his hands. He pressed them together, forming a wall of light.

The next instant, the golden cube erupted with white cross-shaped light.

Under the protection magic, Foreno wasn’t hurt—but Vanessa, who was entangled by his plant magic, vanished. She was rescued by a flashing shadow of light.

When Foreno turned to look, he found his natural-element magic had been burned into ash. A honey-colored, slender figure held the cherry-haired girl in her arms, appearing not far away.

“Lady Luna!” Amisha’s eyes widened. Stunned, she stared at the honey-haired girl with platinum cross-shaped pupils, holding Vanessa in her embrace.

“You’re... Miss Haukekai?” Fennia focused—and recognized the honey-haired girl’s identity, unable to hide her shock.