[Notre Dame de Paris] Papal Way

Ace once had the idea of ​​competing with Claude, but after he really determined the opponent's purpose, this idea became dispensable instead.Watching him climb all the way to that position knowing that the other party will fail, and even reaching out to "kindly" help a little or two, the closer Claude is to the Pope's throne, the weirder Ace's mood becomes.

He didn't know, if Claude's reason for wanting to become Pope was really as he knew... Then what would Claude's reaction be when he came into contact with the "truth|truth"?

Ace will not regard anyone in this world as his opponent, because their perspectives are different from the beginning.His purpose of becoming Pope has been simple from beginning to end, resources.

The God of Wealth on the continent of Maris once said: "War may be the fastest way to earn money, but it is also the fastest way to consume money. If you want to accumulate the most money with the least cost, it is best to There is no better way than religion.”

A king may need to conquer all directions and work hard to govern the country in order to accumulate enough wealth, but as a religious leader, the pope's influence transcends national boundaries and races.The king can't demand more obligations from the people, but the people of the gods can't wait to dedicate everything they have to the gods.In comparison, although Ace is fully capable of making himself the king of a certain country in Europe, becoming the pope is his best choice now.

On the other hand, since his original body is likely to have disappeared forever in the Forbidden Sea, "Glory of Water" is likely to return to the Maris Continent with the current body of the light system. To continue his path of proving God, Ace must join the Holy See of Light and start from the God of Light.If he can gain enough faith and experience in this world, it will also be good for the future Godhead cohesion.

The most essential difference between him and Claude is that Claude wants the Pope's throne only because the Pope is "the person closest to God"... However, in this world where the gods have long since died, no matter how hard Claude tries, , and the result is nothing more than pushing himself further into the cage arranged by Ace.Ace, who was barely able to step into the realm of the Holy Spirit, is equivalent to a god in this world... So, no matter how hard Claude is now, it is just in vain.

Ace watched Claude's back, and slowly lowered his eyelashes.He knew that before the final result came, Claude would never give up no matter what... If only collapse can make him completely surrender to himself, then let him collapse.

After briefly describing the requirements, the unexpected meeting was dissolved.Among the bishops, there are many people who have doubts, but the forbidden curse sealed in the staff of Moses is not for nothing, and Ace's spiritual hint is enough to make most people put aside their scruples; The big cake painted by King Tus IV was confused. After all, anyone with a brain can easily find that although the plague is a disaster, in the hands of those who have the solution, it is a great opportunity to develop power and gather wealth.They don’t even need to risk themselves, as long as they climb up in times of crisis and spread the grace of God, after the plague is dispersed by the “messenger of God”, the believers will willingly serve them wine, gold coins and beautiful women... Such a great opportunity, how can we not firmly grasp it?

Even Rovere began to calculate the benefits he could obtain in this incident, and the change of tone of the bishops can be imagined.So when leaving this hall, even the most stupid bishop had a look of compassion on his face, wishing to make his noble sacrifice known to the world, and started packing his luggage as soon as he got home, and ordered the coachman to go to the epidemic area The preparations... A demonic wind blew up in the city of Rome.

Claude walked alone on the road.The cardinal's cloak on his shoulders was still brand new, the jewels inlaid on the power ring still reflected brilliant light in the sunlight, his ice-like face was still handsome, but no one approached him proactively.

The news that Rovere was replaced by a vassal who didn't know where it came from has spread throughout the city of Rome. Even though Rovere didn't say anything, everyone in Rome seems to know about the former cardinal. Attitude, keep a respectful distance from Claude in silence.

Claude easily got the seat he had planned for a long time, and he seemed to be one step closer to the Pope's throne, but he knew that he had been pushed further away.Ten years of dormant planning is for the final glory three years later, not for the meteor-like light at this moment...

The heels of his boots stepped into puddles, and specks of mud splashed beneath his cloak.Claude stopped in his tracks, watching the gatekeeper of Cardinal Xibo throw out his luggage one by one - two suitcases, several wooden boxes, and even the bedding he used in Xibo's mansion...

The unknown Romans were very surprised by this scene, and those who knew the reason cast strange glances at Claude.So what if Claude is a nobleman and a cardinal?A cardinal is also different from a cardinal, just as the pope is also different from the pope...

Claude did not feel humiliated.He had long since lost the ability to feel humiliated.It seems that only on Ace can he feel the long-lost heartbeat...the blood is boiling in the veins...the hot emotions are burning in the eyes...

As if he was born to fight against himself, no matter how he tried to push him away or even kill him, this man named after the emerald would always appear in front of him with a ghost, and even achieved higher and higher levels every time. status.If this continues, he will lose sooner or later... But whether he wins or loses, it's just fate.

"Fate has already arranged everything for me." Claude murmured in a low voice, ignoring his luggage that fell into the muddy water, turned and walked in another direction.However, a strange voice suddenly sounded behind him: "Wait a minute, Cardinal Frollo!"

Claude stopped in his tracks.A man wearing an ordinary priest's uniform chased after him out of breath, and bowed to him with strange eyes: "My lord, there is a lord waiting for you in the Pope's palace... He asked me to bring this letter Letter, I hope you can take a good look."

Claude was silent, and it took a long time before he reached out to take the letter.The strange priest even thoughtfully took out a paper knife from his arms and handed it to him. Claude cut the seal, but the letter seemed to be stuck by something, so he had to cut it with the paper knife.But during this process, because of the inconvenient posture, the wooden thorn on the paper cutter pierced Claude's finger, and a drop of bright|red blood fell down.The messenger almost couldn't help showing a smile, but soon, he restrained his smile and left politely.

Claude stared down at the paper knife, clasping his hands on the blade.A moment later, the wooden hilt fell to the ground, and the tip of the dagger turned into a ring with a barbed hook, and the thin and sharp hook blade was tinted red.He walked back to the door of Cardinal Sibo's mansion, handed the gatekeeper a few gold coins, and asked him to pass this thing on to Rovere.

The person dressed as a priest just now didn't come from the direction of the Pope's Palace at all, but slipped out from the back door of Xibo's house.And after losing his cardinal position, Rovere once again got together with Xibo, and he used his usual means to regain control of Xibo, hoping to seek more benefits in this matter ... It is understandable that he wants to get rid of Claude, but Claude has never been a character who likes to be bullied.

Not only that, but he wanted Rovere to stand on his side again... The punctured wound on his finger disappeared without a trace, and Claude turned and walked towards the Pope's Palace.Although things have come to this point...but as long as Xibo dies, he still has a chance to turn things around.

When Claude returned to the Pope's Palace, Ace was standing in front of a tapestry.Craftsmen skillfully wove exquisite patterns on it, revealing the entire land of Europe, half of Africa and the surrounding mountains and seas.

He didn't seem to notice Claude's arrival, and stood there quietly staring at the tapestry.The servants of the Pope's Palace retreated after leading Claude to this room. Claude stared at his back, and after a while he heard him talking to himself: "With Paris as the center, I sent four hundred Knights... Now centering on Rome, I have sent four hundred bishops. Claude... How many cities do you think I can save?"

Claude didn't answer, his fingers stretched out to his neck, and the heavy cloak fell to the ground.Ace turned around suddenly, walked in front of him with strides, held his shoulders and fell heavily to the ground, his fiery lips covered him furiously, biting his cold lips|tongue.

Claude closed his eyes, stretched out his arms from under his armpits, and clasped the nape of his neck tightly.The black hair fell from the sideburns, blocking the dim light, but the ardent water and hot panting could not be blocked, and the sound was astonishing in the hollow wall.

Ace arched his back and cursed irritably.His eyes could easily catch the blond hair strewn across the scarlet carpet, the sunlit fountains more dazzling than the golden threads in the dim candlelight.He reached out and grabbed a strand of blond hair, put it on the tip of his nose, sniffed it lightly, and raised his eyebrows lightly: "It smells like a corpse."

Claude's voice was hoarse, and he said coldly: "It's better than the stones thrown in the open-air stables."

Ace suddenly laughed.He grabbed Claude's hair, forced him to sit up, squeezed his knees maliciously, and poked in through the gap in the robe: "You've never done this before, Claude... ...did my actions show you your own incompetence, huh?"

Staring at him with ice-blue eyes, Claude said expressionlessly, "I sent a ring to Cardinal Xibo."

Ace's eyes became dangerous.He raised the corners of his lips slightly, and couldn't tell whether it was a smile or a sarcasm: "You seem to want to prove that I underestimated you? Claude, didn't you realize that you underestimated me from the beginning? ?”

Claude's expression finally changed.He clenched his fists in disgust, and said softly: "You proved to me that you don't need to be underestimated... But even so, do you think you can really get this position?"

"At this time, I don't want to bring up too many spoiling topics, Claude." Ace sneered, and lazily raised a hand to pat Claude's side face, "I'm curious, why you keep insisting on Call me Emerald... If I'm right, my poor mother who died in the river seems to have named me Adonis. Wouldn't that be a better name for me?"

Claude didn't answer, and Ace didn't pursue it.He let go, stood up from the ground, and walked towards the map again: "Let's go, Claude. Before regaining the friendship of Bishop Rovere, you can live in the Pope's Palace. But... I seem to I have to remind you that all the efforts you have made for your pursuit are nothing but useless efforts.”

"Perhaps you can repeat that sentence when I sit on the Pope's throne."

Claude replied softly, picked up his cloak from the ground, and walked out.