063: The True Failure of the First Century
"Eh, he's already left?"
"Yes, but I don't know where he went either."
The time returns to the day after Novia was flown to Armageddon by Melusine.
Outside Rome, at the Praetorian Guard encampment. Lucius, who had recently become the Praetorian Prefect, was reforming these men according to Novia's wishes, turning them into soldiers with faith rather than ones addicted to in the decadent life brought by their high treatment.
Due to Novia's current prestige and Lucius's announcement that anyone who disliked him could challenge him to a duel, over time, most of the Praetorians were naturally subdued and obedient to him.
However, Novia also deeply understood that even if the Roman Empire later relied on Christianity to form an effective management system, using the doctrines he preached to stabilize the Romans' spiritual faith, it would only delay the steps of an inevitable demise. No matter how much it expanded, the fundamental problems would still exist and cause Rome's fall. This was unable to do anything about it.
"Lady Shirley, you can look around the city and see the sights. Once Novia—ah, I mean, the Pope—returns, I'll let you know."
Lucius moved his feet, walking to the entrance of the Praetorian encampment, addressing Shirley who had come here.
For the purple-haired girl who had long resided within the interior of the Atlas Institute, what happened within the Roman Empire was basically unknown. After all, their Atlas Institute didn't pay much attention to such things, being busy with their own research.
Shirley was naturally no exception. If the director, her adoptive father, hadn't personally come to tell her that Novia had established an organization called the Holy Church, she would probably still be at the Atlas Institute. Although she was initially puzzled about why the director told her such unexplainable things, which were useless for her research.
But thinking that Novia was a friend she had finally gained, she decided to show her support and came. And yet, she missed him.
"No need. In that case, I'll have to leave, as I'm busy with research..."
Upon hearing this news, Shirley felt her head go a bit empty. She stared blankly at the unchanged sky, feeling quite uncomfortable. Probably it was the feeling of having spent precious time and not meeting him.
However, it might also actually be the anxious torment of wanting to see someone and failing to do so.
"Then do you have any message for him before you leave? I'll pass it on."
"No, I don't—"
"Really?"
Lucius grinned.
He was, after all, someone who had once been in a relationship with a nearly hundred-year-old Druid priestess. Though on the battlefield, they were actually using each other, the Druid left a scar on his face before her execution. This scar eventually caused Lucius to suddenly go blind during an operation, leading to its failure.
Until he met Jesus, he lingered in darkness, living a life like a walking corpse, until he was redeemed and regained his sight.
Then, over a decade later, he met Novia, witnessing firsthand how he step by step built Christianity to its current state, even renaming it the Holy Church.
As for Shirley, whom Novia had invited to Britain to research the Albion Dragon, Lucius had seen it long ago. Although this purple-haired girl appeared indifferent on the surface, she actually held good impression for Novia. She just wasn't good at expressing emotions; it was as if something was suppressing it.
Therefore, Lucius thought he could play matchmaker a bit for the two. After all, he hadn't seen any other women around Novia. If not for Novia's refusal, he would have introduced him to some female Druids back in Britain long ago.
"..."
To Shirley, Lucius was forcing her to say something to Novia who wasn't here. Even though she said she had nothing, he still wanted her to speak.
The girl didn't understand what this meant. She only felt that people were really strange. Countless people had countless strange points. If not for her resolve after meeting Novia to no longer use etherlite to steal others' perceptions and to rely on her own feelings, with her previous personality, she would have used etherlite on Lucius.
"Novia, I..."
Shirley looked up again, gazing at the sky. The warm sunlight fell on her cheeks—this light, containing an inorganic quality, shimmered with a golden glow, much like the day she first met that person. Novia had also been facing such light, saying strange things.
The image of their first meeting in Alexandria surfaced in the girl's mind. Now that she thought about it, today was just like that day, unchanged...
She mused idly.
"Sorry, Lucuis, could you please go back inside for a moment? I'll give it to you later."
"Alright."
Lucuis didn't think much of it and nodded before returning.
Afterward, Shirley took out the gift she had originally intended to give Novia—a stone. It was something she had thought about for a long time before deciding to give—a device she had developed to engrave sound onto.
Although Atlas Institute's rules strictly forbade disclosing one's research, the old dean had turned a blind eye to Shirley taking it out to give as a gift.
While she could have asked Lucuis to convey her message, the purple-haired girl felt it would be better for Novia to hear it directly.
A sudden cold breeze swept by, sending an inexplicable shiver down her spine. In that moment, she remembered the well-preserved, uneaten food she had saved, which she had originally planned to return to him this time...
Her cold fingers rubbed the stone as Shirley couldn't help but complain inwardly. If only Novia were here.
How long does he plan to be away? She really couldn't understand. Ever since meeting him, the girl felt her mind was constantly filled with question marks.
Now that she thought about it, it wasn't just now—she wished Novia were with her every single moment.
So, all along, her feelings had been about wanting him to join the Atlas Institute. Indeed, his design philosophy and such suited her tastes perfectly. But sadly, it was impossible now, as he had already joined another organization.
"Should I really say it...?"
The girl placed the stone near her lips, murmuring brief, seemingly self-directed words.
The words she wanted to say had already leaped to her throat, only to be swallowed back down along with her saliva due to some inexplicable emotion.
But the purple-haired girl took a deep breath, ignoring the heat spreading through her body, and engraved the words in her heart onto the stone.
"Novia, there's something I want to tell you. Even if you might say it's unnecessary, I still want to say it... Congratulations on achieving your goal. You're amazing. And... I truly look forward to meeting you again."
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
Please support the original author: 式模式
Raw: 型月,小开也算开?