CHAPTER 71: RESURRECTION

"Where is he now?"

Sylvia asked, staring at the boy in the picture for a long time. Bianca, hearing this, only felt the Holy See’s attitude become unusually gentle.

"Lily Estate," Bianca replied respectfully.

Sylvia heard this and found the place unusually familiar.

After a moment’s thought, she couldn’t help but frown and ask, "Is that the Lily of the Valley Count’s territory?"

"That’s right." Bianca suddenly hesitated here, unsure if some things should be said or not.

"Why would he be there?" Sylvia, naturally unaware of Julian’s experiences, said with confusion.

Or rather, after Leni left, she happened to settle there; it was just a coincidence.

Bianca frowned and remained silent, still hesitating whether or not to tell Sylvia the truth about Julian being taken in by that Count.

And... thatLeni had actually died from illness.

"I’m not sure. Would you like to see for yourself?"

In the end, she decided to conceal this matter for now. After all, it was the time of the Holy City festival. If her report caused the Holy See to have a mood swing leading to an error, then she would be beyond redemption.

"I’ll go this afternoon. I will see for myself." Sylvia said.

After saying this, even she didn’t realize that her heart was becoming increasingly fervent.

Never mind the child for now, at least... she could see Leni again.

"I understand," Bianca finally said.

After the insignia’s magic faded, Sylvia sat at her desk, ignoring the impending multinational drill, and instead took out a blank sheet of paper.

Recalling the drawing board Bianca had shown her, Sylvia silently picked up a charcoal pen and began quietly sketching curves on it.

The rustling sound of pen on paper continuously echoed in the room. Sylvia seemed to forget time as she attempted to reproduce Julian’s appearance from earlier on the white paper.

Hardly anyone knew that the current Pope actually possessed extremely superb artistry, something even the nuns closest to her had never realized.

Mainly because the person who once inspired her love for painting was no longer there, and after so many years, she hadn’t much interest.

But now, Sylvia seemed to rediscover her past focus and seriousness. For her, simple sketching required no practice to quickly pick up.

Form, facial features, lines, shading...

The familiar process continued step by step, and a vivid black-and-white sketch thus appeared.

And she added quite a bit of artistic license to Julian’s portrait.

For example, the Julian under Bianca’s hand was a very ordinary frontal shot, while the Julian under Sylvia’s hand was a profile portrait, with curved features, charming and endearing like a crescent moon, smiling at her with an air of intimacy.

Looking at Julian in the painting, Sylvia’s hand involuntarily caressed his handsome face. Even someone as aloof as she was showed unusual tenderness at this moment.

Logically speaking, she should despise Leni’s child.

However, upon truly seeing his appearance, all that remained was an unencountered affection.

Who made him look so much like Leni? Sylvia thought with full admiration.

But when her hand reached Julian’s right eye, her movement paused slightly.

She clearly remembered that Leni’s Holy Mark was an advanced ’Rebirth’ that could reattach severed limbs, revive corpses, and even heal a shattered heart later on. Essentially, as long as there was still a breath left, Leni could bring them back from the brink of death.

The flower in Julian’s right eye was called the ’Flower of Life’ in the Goddess’s Codex, representing the purest form of life.

This forced Sylvia to draw many connections.

With emotions churning in her heart, Sylvia slowly stood up. After putting away the sketch, she quietly rehearsed in her mind what she should say when they met.

If Julian truly was the Saint indicated by the goddess, should she really take him away?

Lost in thought, Sylvia’s mind stirred. The next second, she instantly arrived at the assembly hall. The nuns on both sides immediately bowed to her.

"Holy See."

Nodding slightly, Sylvia walked to the highest seat. The moment she sat down, the military drill ceremony officially began.

But Sylvia paid no attention to the soldiers from various nations below her throughout the entire event. Her mind had long since drifted a thousand miles away.

A thousand miles away, in the Lily of the Valley territory, the manor was still as harmonious and peaceful as ever.

In the manor’s backyard, Julian had a potted plant that was about to wither and die in front of him. He closed his eyes, placing both hands over the pot.

The emerald-green magic swirling around the potted plant became increasingly浓郁.

"Meow meow~"

Cake’s little paws poked the edge of the pot, watching the withered leaves and dry branches inside regain vitality because of Julian. It couldn’t help but wag its tail excitedly and meow.

Before long, the originally shriveled and withered potted plant quickly recovered its vitality with Julian’s help. Its branches grew, and its leaves became plump and full of green. It even grew more lush as Julian continued.

"Good child, you can stop now."

A moment later, Catherine’s gentle voice sounded from the side. Julian immediately opened his eyes and stopped channeling his magic.

"Ah..." Julian blinked, looking at the lush ’forest’ now taller than him, utterly baffled.

Cake, on the other hand, joyfully pounced on it, jumping up and down. It accidentally slipped and fell right into Julian’s arms.

Julian surveyed the ’potted plant’ in front of him while stroking Cake’s little head to comfort it.

"Meow~" Cake tiredly rubbed against him, its tail wagging near Julian’s chin. Its snow-white fur directly curled into a ball of snow in Julian’s arms.

"Now you know how powerful you are, right?" Catherine slowly walked closer, smiling as she caressed a leaf on a branch.

Helping Cake heal was actually a more advanced feat than the current scene, but the visual impact of the current spectacle was definitely greater.

"Your abilities, in most situations, are meant to save people. However, everything must have its limits, otherwise it will lead to unimaginable consequences," Madam Catherine reminded him.

"Could ’Life’ possibly have negative effects?" Julian, holding Cake, asked politely, looking ready to listen.

"Of course."

Catherine smiled and held Julian’s hand, carefully explaining to him, "Except for transcendents, most mortal bodies are like jars with a limited capacity."

"When you fill the jar with liquid, it can serve its purpose. But when you pour too much into it, and it can’t be contained..."

"That’s when it shatters."