Silence, a long silence.
Gray was silent, and Bruto was silent too.
The whole world seemed to be silent.
"What did you hear? Hurry and relay it to us!"
The Liches beside him urged.
"Are they really going to crusade against us?" Lucy asked.
"No, it’s worse than a crusade. I think I heard something terrible." Bruto answered softly, stretching out a finger bone. He recited a spell, relaying everything he heard to the other Liches.
A gentle sea breeze blew by, brushing past Gray.
Gray quietly stared into Jeremy’s eyes.
"Father, is he saying something to you?" Richie gently tugged on Gray’s hand.
"And you have a wife and children," Jeremy continued softly, "This is the most appropriate solution, isn’t it? No one will suffer any losses. The Holy Spirit will order the church to ensure the safety of your wife and children, as well as all who support you. You don’t need to worry about them. But if you refuse this offer, it will be a disaster for them."
"What the hell is this? Is this a threat?" The Liches began to gnash their teeth.
"I think it is; it’s a blatant threat! A shameful threat!"
"Ha, a threat from Heaven—Liches have never feared that!"
Morca interrupted, "What are they saying? Could you relay it to me too?"
All the Liches shouted in unison, "Shh! Shut up!"
Helpless, Morca could only obediently cover his mouth with his four hands.
Meanwhile, the observing civilians fell into confusion.
"What’s going on? They’re just standing there, doing nothing?"
"Maybe we should do something, like prepare for a counterattack."
"But they haven’t attacked yet..."
Completely unaware of the content of Jeremy and Gray’s conversation, the civilians began to discuss fervently.
In the distance, the human allied forces were also in turmoil.
"Why haven’t they attacked yet?"
"Because there hasn’t been an order." Julian answered expressionlessly.
"Why hasn’t the order been given yet?" Levi was furious, "A certain victory, why wait? We’ve been waiting here for three months. Will we keep dragging this out? It’s just one Lich, what’s there to hesitate about!"
Julian quietly stared at Levi without answering.
Frustrated, Levi could only sigh, suppressing his anger, continuing to watch from afar.
All around, the cardinals, even the new pope, had slight twitches at the corners of their eyes.
For them, it was an agonizingly long wait.
After a long silence, Gray asked softly, "Alboiseld, did you offer him the same terms?"
"I mean the Holy Sect member who was burned to death, the one whose portrait graces every bishop’s residence. Did you offer him the same terms?" Gray repeated his question.
"I didn’t handle Alboiseld’s situation; I don’t know. Maybe." Jeremy answered.
*"I want to know what ultimately happened to him, the real outcome, because I feel you may have been deceiving everyone, including me. Although I don’t want to believe it, you indeed have made me doubt."* Gray continued questioning.
Jeremy furrowed his brow helplessly, sighed, and said, "He was burned to death; he truly died. His soul was not accepted by the divine. We didn’t refuse to accept him; he refused to be accepted. But those who supported him didn’t suffer direct harm."
"Indirectly?" Gray asked.
*"Indirectly..."* Jeremy answered stiffly, "*some were branded as heretics and persecuted. It’s regrettable."*
*"Just regrettable?"*
Jeremy continuously dry swallowed; he was no longer as confident as before.
*Looking at Jeremy, Gray continued asking,* "Did you do anything besides express regret?"
"I... I had duties to fulfill."
*"So you did nothing, just expressed regret? Should ’regret’ uphold justice?"*
Jeremy did not answer.
*"What is divine? What faith does the Holy Spirit give us? Can you answer me?"*
Jeremy still did not answer, but his gaze revealed a hint of wariness.
*"In the Bible, the Holy Spirit delineates a beautiful blueprint for us; but in the end, even that blueprint is false, right?"* Gray continued pressing on, *"Everything we pursue never existed. All of it is just deception, like what you intend to do now..."*
"Not entirely, Gray!" Jeremy interrupted Gray loudly, saying, "Even if it’s deception, it’s a benevolent one. We seek the welfare of more people. We’ve always sought a compromise, benefiting more people. Isn’t there a saying among humans? When sacrificing one can save a hundred, we must choose to let that one die. This is justice for the majority. We bear guilt, but we also guard justice. Justice is not as simple as you think. Get my point, Gray!"
Jeremy widened his eyes.
Gray still quietly stared at him.
The whole world was utterly silent.
"What exactly is happening? Are they negotiating?"