Ethereal Ascendance: A Journey of Transformation(Vol 4)

Vol 4/Chapter 25: The Mysterious Pope

"Let's leave the other questions for later..." Cyra paused her conversation with Bishop Rister.

Upon entering the front hall, they saw a six-winged angel standing with his back to them. His shape looked very familiar.

"Teacher Aetina!" Cyra happily rushed over as soon as she saw him.

"So the angel Elara sent was you?" I was also quite happy to unexpectedly meet an old friend in this place.

"It's all because of Cyra! Elara scolded me badly, saying I didn't teach you all well enough on how to protect yourselves, resulting in Cyra leaving Edenmere for just a few days and nearly being taken advantage of by a human male..."

Seeing the smiles on our faces, Aetina glanced reproachfully at Cyra and complained, "I remember teaching you these basics back then, and you always insisted you understood and didn't need more lessons. If I had known it would turn out like this, I would never have believed you!"

"I was drunk! Otherwise I wouldn't have let him take advantage so easily..." Cyra immediately defended herself.

But just then, a voice spoke up, "Didn't you already publicly forgive that guy? Why keep bringing it up?"

It was Nicola, emerging alone from a corridor beside the grand hall.

"Nicola!" Aetina smiled slightly and joked, "Here in this place, do I still have to address you as Inheritor?"

Although unaware of Nicola's true identity, she was quite familiar with us and didn't stand on ceremony.

"Of course not, just call me as before!" Nicola nodded, glancing over everyone present before directly asking, "Seems Feliciana contacted Edenmere already? Elara sending you specially must be for something important, right? Speaking of which, we're leaving here tomorrow..."

"Of course it's important! Cyra wants to go to the Holy City regarding that pope. I have to explain clearly to you all, or she won't give up..."

"The Holy City? The pope?" At these words, Nicola's face darkened. She immediately turned to Cyra and asked, "What other nonsense are you trying to stir up? Still not caused enough trouble today?"

"It's normal she wants to visit the Holy See, never having gone before. And that pope is also suspicious..." I quickly spoke up to help.

But Aetina cut me off, reminding us, "Since you're all here, let's find another place to discuss properly! Don't forget this is Church territory. Too many ears here. Bringing up this topic so openly isn't wise."

"What's wrong with the pope?" Nicola looked at me, perplexed. But she agreed fully with Aetina's suggestion. "You're right, let's take a spin outside the city, enjoy the scenery!"

Without waiting for an answer, she headed out of the church first.

"Those guys didn't give you too hard a time, I hope?" Glancing back at the knights as we took off from the church, I asked. But once we left the city outskirts, they stopped following.

"Of course not. The old Astralrealm Kingdom might have been different, but this king is quite influenced by the Church and is friendly to our angel kind. Not like some other countries that would stop and interrogate any angel accidentally straying into their airspace."

Shaking her head, Aetina gazed thoughtfully at the open fields and villages below us outside the city. "It's been several hundred years since I last visited the mortal world. Not as comfortable as Edenmere of course, but many of the landscapes here can't be seen back home..."

"Then come out more often! I think it's way better out here than Edenmere!" Cyra naturally seized the chance to suggest, having earned so many silvers. Naturally she was reluctant to return to that relatively "impoverished" life.