Chapter 178: Status Upgrade
On that day, the entire royal city witnessed the enormous sound and light that erupted from the Holy Temple of Light.
A blinding white light nearly covered half the city, fading the blue sky to pure white.
The once grand, towering temple, spanning a vast area, was half-destroyed in this explosion.
If it hadn’t been for the protective magic circles throughout the temple, this explosion might have leveled the entire area.
It wasn’t until half a day after the explosion that everyone knew what had happened.
—His Holiness the Pope had passed away.
The Grand Archbishop of Light, who had lived for over two hundred years, had finally returned to the sun, and before his death, a lack of control over his power triggered a massive explosion.
At the very least, this was the news received by the general populace and nobility at the temple.
The entire papal tower was burned to rubble by the Pope’s explosive force, and all the priests who had guarded the tower perished.
Although Cardinal Croft reacted instantly when the explosion happened and rushed to the base of the tower, it was in vain.
This reckless action only left him with injuries from the blast.
The Pope’s death, an event of such magnitude, left everyone in the temple in a state of unease.
At this time, another cardinal of the temple, Peruth, returned.
He remained calm and gentle, soothing the priests within the temple, and diligently organized efforts to clear the temple’s ruins and rebuild it.
“Where were you when His Holiness the Pope was attacked and injured?”
Cardinal Croft, bearing wounds from the explosion, burst into the half-collapsed chapel and demanded answers from Peruth.
In such a short time, only Peruth could have managed to enter the Pope’s tower unnoticed, break through the protective magic, and kill His Holiness.
But the real reason Cardinal Croft clung to Peruth without letting go was because of something His Holiness the Pope had said to him before he fell into a coma.
“Get rid of Peruth.”
No one else had heard this, and Croft had no authority to act against a cardinal while the Pope was unconscious. He could only wait for His Holiness to awaken, but then His Holiness had been murdered!
The two cardinals had long been at odds, but the Pope’s authority had kept a fragile peace between them. Now, with the Pope’s sudden death and Croft’s open and intense suspicion of the other cardinal, the atmosphere became dangerously tense.
“I was handling the outbreak on the northern border and came back as soon as I sensed something was wrong,” Peruth replied calmly, sighing with feigned difficulty.
Thanks to Peruth’s usually friendly and approachable demeanor, most of the ten bishops and the hundred priests present sided with him, speaking up in his favor.
Listening to their words of support, Peruth suddenly remarked, “There’s no need for Cardinal Croft to target me so hastily. I’m much younger than you, and in terms of seniority and experience, the position of the next Pope should naturally be yours. I wouldn’t compete with you for it.”
With this maliciously calculated statement, Croft was immediately cast into the shadows of political scheming.
The priests who had initially looked at Peruth with suspicion because of Croft’s accusations now turned their uneasy gazes toward Croft.
One bishop spoke up suddenly, “Since His Holiness returned injured, it’s been Cardinal Croft who has been solely in charge of his care, refusing to let any of us visit. Why was Cardinal Croft, of all people, not present at the time of the incident?”
A young priest couldn’t hold back and indignantly said, “It’s well-known that Cardinal Croft has never liked Cardinal Peruth, but to accuse him of involvement in His Holiness’s death without any evidence is truly going too far!”
“Lord Peruth just rushed back from the teleportation array. If anyone had a better chance to harm His Holiness, wouldn’t it be Cardinal Croft himself?”
“I was raised by His Holiness! How could I ever harm him? What nonsense are you spouting?”
Croft was enraged, his robe vibrating with magical energy beneath it.
In contrast, Peruth remained calm, his expression a mix of resignation and sorrow, which only made him look more innocent.
Bishop Heller, a neutral figure among the two, could no longer stay silent. He had recently argued with Cardinal Croft over the dark magic fluctuations in Makin just before the papal tower exploded. With a cold scoff, he asked:
“Who’s to say it’s impossible? You’re highly suspicious yourself! Why weren’t you by His Holiness’s side at such a crucial moment? Instead, you were arguing with me over a trivial matter!”
“Maybe you orchestrated all of this, waiting for His Holiness to pass so you could become the next Pope, conveniently using this incident to accuse Cardinal Peruth.”
“I do not support Cardinal Croft succeeding as Pope!”
Croft’s supporters reacted immediately, standing up in outrage. “Cardinal Croft was His Holiness’s most trusted cardinal, and everyone recognizes him as the rightful successor! You’re only siding with Peruth because he’s bribed you!”
Croft had come to confront Peruth about the Pope’s death, but somehow the argument shifted toward the matter of succession.
Both sides argued fiercely, and even Croft struggled to rein in the escalating tensions.
Suddenly, across the crowd, Croft’s gaze locked with Peruth’s. In that fleeting moment, he clearly saw a look of mocking arrogance in Peruth’s eyes.
Just after the Pope’s passing, the temple erupted into a fierce confrontation, with even magic used, and the already half-collapsed temple finally crumbled completely.
The temple was in chaos. Charli, pale-faced, hurriedly pulled Makin along to leave.
Due to the Pope’s death, no one was monitoring them, and Charli and Makin waited for half a day in a small chapel before being informed they could go.
At the temple entrance, a crowd of confused civilians had gathered.
Makin shielded her as they pushed through the throng, suddenly realizing they had forgotten the carriage.
Everything had happened so suddenly. One of them had been flustered, the other anxious, and neither had thought about the carriage.
“Charli.” At the street corner, a carriage waited, and Charli saw her brother sitting inside.
Her brother had come to pick her up.
Charli had many questions to ask and lifted her skirts as she ran over, noticing that her brother was dressed quite formally today.
“Get in the carriage; we need to go to the royal palace now.”
The carriage turned from the direction of the temple onto the wide road leading to the palace. This road was quiet, with only the sharp sound of hoofbeats echoing like a drumbeat—matching Charli’s quickening heartbeat.
Once she was seated, she saw her brother’s calm expression, and all her questions seemed to vanish.
Finally, she exhaled slowly and asked, “Brother, why are we going to the palace?”
“To heal His Majesty,” Yu Mo reassured his sister. “Don’t worry, I’ve taken care of everything.”
Taken care of everything? Charli looked uneasily at the palace drawing nearer.
The grand palace exuded a strange, somber twilight, just like its master.
Emperor Horsley XVI had long relied on the Pope’s healing and specially crafted magical potions to sustain his life.
Sickly for many years, he could not endure even the slightest disturbance.
After news of the Pope’s death reached the royal city, His Majesty’s condition took another critical turn.
By the time Yu Mo and Charli arrived at the palace, many nobles had already gathered.
The Second Prince, Alden, was also present, waiting outside with a bored expression. When he saw Charli, he openly let his gaze sweep over her.
Charli ignored his leering look and followed her brother into His Majesty’s bedroom.
“Count Cecil, you say you have a way to treat His Majesty—is this true?” asked the two dukes in the room.
“Yes,” Yu Mo replied. “My sister Charli has developed a bloodline healing magic. If it succeeds, it can not only wake His Majesty but restore some of his vitality.”
He paused. “However, this magic requires a catalyst—specifically, the fresh blood of His Majesty’s own child.”
Duke Hammond spoke up immediately. “Then what are we waiting for? The Second Prince is right outside; call him in.”
“The blood must be healthy. Otherwise, it would only harm His Majesty further.”
At this, the dukes fell silent. Everyone knew of the Second Prince Alden’s affliction—he regularly needed potions due to his… excessive lifestyle. His health was already failing.
As for the Third Prince, Derrick, he had been sent to his lands years ago due to a lame leg and couldn’t return in time. And the princesses were married far away; in His Majesty’s current state, he would not last until they arrived.
After a brief silence, Yu Mo said, “There’s only one option left—to use Charli’s blood… She, too, is of His Majesty’s bloodline.”
Standing quietly behind him, Charli’s head shot up, shock written on her face.
Not long ago, her brother had indeed taught her a special magic that used a portion of one’s blood, imbued with magical energy, to sustain a dying body.
She had learned it earnestly but never expected it would be used in such a situation.
While she was still stunned, Yu Mo had already finished speaking with the dukes.
“Charli, come. It’s time to save your father.” He turned to her, his expression icily calm.
Almost instinctively, Charli cast the healing magic. When she finished, she felt a slight weakness from blood loss and couldn’t resist glancing at her brother, her lips parting as if to speak.
Her brother gave her a slight smile.
“Well done.”
His Majesty awoke, looking as though he had taken one of the Pope’s magical potions, even feeling a bit better than usual.
With tears welling up in his eyes, the aged Emperor clasped Charli’s hand.
…
By the next day, news had spread through noble circles that His Majesty had found a lost bloodline—Charli, who had been taken in by the Cecil family, was actually a princess.
The Emperor had been known to have his share of youthful romances, so few were surprised, although the Second Prince, who had shown an interest in Charli, was clearly displeased.
However, his discontent mattered little. The Emperor quickly made it official, formally acknowledging Charli as his daughter and bestowing upon her the title and privileges of a princess.
Even Count Cecil, Charli’s brother, gained from this announcement. His title was elevated, making him the youngest marquis in the empire, granted a northern territory—a part of the lands that once belonged to the late Marquis Morton.
Though the region was currently plagued by disease, the Emperor’s generosity toward Marquis Cecil was envied by many.
Charli was finally able to return to the Cecil estate by the third day.
Yet from now on, she would no longer be staying at the Cecil residence—she would live in the palace.
Everything had changed so quickly. At last, with a chance to speak privately with her brother, Charli voiced the questions that had been building over the past two days. “Brother, am I truly His Majesty’s child?”
“Whether you were before or not, you are now.”
“But… how could that be?”
“Why not? You are Cardinal Croft’s student; you possess rare magical talents, and you have me as your brother. Your place is secure.”
Yu Mo had already established connections with many nobles, successfully enabling Charli to take the stage and complete the “performance” three days ago.
Even if His Majesty had doubts about Charli’s identity, her ability to heal him would only make him more eager to recognize her as his daughter.
Moreover, with the Pope’s passing and turmoil in the Holy Temple, it would inevitably affect the empire. His Majesty would grant even more favor to Yu Mo and his sister, thereby strengthening the bond between the Holy Temple and the royal family.
“I don’t understand… What exactly does Brother intend to do?”
“I want Charli to become queen,” Yu Mo revealed his goal to his sister for the first time.
“Charli, not just this country, but the entire world is teetering. I hope you can make it better.”
