Chapter 129
After the Black Death gradually subsided, Orville and Archibald also needed to return to their respective territories to check on the situation, so only His Holiness the Pope accompanied them on this trip to the Yami Kingdom.
Cyrus couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you going back to the Saint Airo Empire to check on the current situation of the Saint Church?"
During the Black Death, although the Saint Church was promptly isolated and sealed off, many clergy members were still negligent in their precautions and contracted the disease. Now that the Black Death is over, the Saint Church is not in chaos, but there are some things that do need to be properly arranged.
His Holiness the Pope replied that he would not return, as his business was not yet finished and that two cardinals in the Saint Church were handling all matters on his behalf, so there were no problems.
He was very relieved.
Cyrus wondered – what could be taking so long and still no progress?
Moreover, judging from His Holiness the Pope's demeanor, he seemed neither in a hurry nor did he appear to disregard the matter.
Cyrus then said, "Your Majesty, please don't hesitate to ask if there's anything I can do to help with this matter..."
He became somewhat curious.
Upon hearing this, Segalot's gaze towards Cyrus became meaningful. "Will you help me?"
Cyrus nodded matter-of-factly. "You also helped me a lot during the Black Death outbreak."
Segalot smiled, his golden eyes holding a deep meaning. He reached out and gently picked up a strand of hair that was blowing against Cyrus's cheek, and whispered, "Alright, then remember... don't refuse me when the time comes."
He didn't say what he needed help with.
Today is the day with the typical overcast and rainy weather of the southernmost region. The sky is covered in dark clouds, the wind is light, but there is a chill that can seep into your bones. This is probably the last rain before the arrival of warmth.
Cyrus donned the cloak after a long time, feeling warm all over.
He stood with His Holiness the Pope by the window inside the room. A breeze blew in through the open window, causing a few strands of hair to flutter slightly and tickle his cheek. At that moment, the Pope picked up a stray strand of hair with his own hand, then slowly let it slip through his fingers, leaving only the end of the strand twirled under his fingertips. That slight movement seemed to travel along the Pope's fingers, gradually reaching his cheek and the tip of his ear...
Cyrus looked intently into the Pope's eyes and said, "I remember, I won't refuse."
He felt that after he said that, His Holiness the Pope seemed to laugh even more... happily?
Something felt off, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why.
The Yami Kingdom is in dire need of reconstruction.
The drastic population decline has dealt a heavy blow to the country in many ways, especially in addressing the urgent need to solve the basic needs of food and clothing.
Prince Kuntat, the eldest prince of the Yami Kingdom, caused immense harm to his country. His sins included the brutal killing of every potentially infected person, and later, when he contracted the Black Death, his insane and futile actions in his quest for a cure—Prince Kuntat ordered the burning of nearly half the houses in the royal city, destroying most of the shops and property...
Fortunately, the eldest prince died before he could do anything even more outrageous.
In the city of the Yami Kingdom, many houses are now in ruins. Although the people have escaped the torment of the disease, their expressions remain numb. Even though the fear and pain brought by the Black Death are gradually fading, the hopeless life must continue...
There was no way back, and no hope ahead.
The people of the Yami Kingdom hope that the Lord of Desinia will be able to make some changes.
Because the situation in the Yami Kingdom was quite serious, after gifting Yami Kingdom to Cyrus, the second prince Nitaya, did not rush to leave. He hoped to contribute to the recovery of the Yami Kingdom.
Cyrus was happy to stay in Nitaya, as he could ask him many questions about the Yami Kingdom.
As the second prince of the Yami Kingdom and the last member of the royal family, Nitaya is probably the one who understands better than anyone else which direction the Yami Kingdom should take.
He answered all of Cyrus's questions in great detail.
After arriving in the Yami Kingdom, Cyrus was so busy that she was often nowhere to be seen.
Later, Segalot found someone and said, "You can ask me too."
"Before assuming the papacy, I traveled to every place in the south. What you now need to do is not only restore the lives of the people of the Yami Kingdom, but also integrate the territories surrounding Yami Kingdom, those lands that have submitted to you..."
His Holiness the Pope's insights can indeed be very enlightening for Cyrus.
So, Cyrus started asking him frequently.
During his time in the Yami Kingdom, Cyrus did not forget to keep an eye on the situation in the Saint Airo Empire —he learned that the Saint Airo Empire's request for aid had not been very successful, and the worst situation had occurred.
The Bia Kingdom wanted to break away from its status as a vassal state of the Saint Airo Empire. King Asa Derick had already written to Gena Kozmo, hoping to reach a cooperation agreement with the Bovell Kingdom.
Gena agreed.
The alliance between the Bovell Kingdom and the Bia Kingdom gradually forced the Saint Airo Empire to relinquish some border territories, while the peripheral territories occupied by bandits were wiped out by the cavalry personally led by the eldest prince Warner.
These matters were reported by Ferdinand.
Cyrus found it strange. "Is the Saint Airo Empire going to make concessions to the Bia Kingdom?"
After all, compared to eradicating bandits, preventing the Bia Kingdom from breaking away from the Empire and the Bovell Kingdom from interfering shouldn't be as important...
Ferdinand said, "The eldest prince thinks so too."
"But His Majesty the King of the Saint Airo Empire rejected his suggestion, ordering him to personally lead the cavalry to first wipe out the bandits, and then to prevent the Bia Kingdom from breaking away from the Empire..."
At that time, the Bia Kingdom had not yet officially allied with the Bovell Kingdom.
However, Warner had anticipated this possibility, so he proposed to the king that he would personally lead the cavalry to the Bia Kingdom.
But in the end...
After Warner led his cavalry to wipe out the bandits, he missed the best opportunity to stop the Bia Kingdom and the Bovell Kingdom.
Cyrus nodded thoughtfully.
He recalled that in the original book, the male protagonist rushed back from the border when the pandemic was about to end, and happened to meet the female protagonist on the street who was helping the people in the royal city. After they got to know each other, the male protagonist continued to the royal palace.
Even before the pandemic, His Majesty the King of the Saint Airo Empire had already died from the disease.
With no one in charge in the palace, the third prince Kashu, wanted to bypass everyone and ascend the throne, but he was thwarted by the joint efforts of the second prince Kien, and Princess Lennar.
--This farcical succession drama only came to an end when the protagonist Warner, returned to the palace unharmed...
Cyrus thought that because of him, the old king, who should have died in the pandemic, successfully survived, but seemed to have become a burden to the male protagonist.
As for Shamir Phoebe, the female protagonist in the original book.
--She stayed home obediently during the pandemic, only joining the city's relief efforts when Dr. Birdbeak appeared.
Like the Thorn Merchant Guild, they distribute food and other necessities to families in need.
Shamir Phoebe's actions earned her a good reputation even in the capital city of the empire.
Cyrus no longer pays much attention to his reputation.
He opened the system interface and looked at the Plot Deviation Value in the upper right corner—the plot had deviated by 82%.
The end of the pandemic directly increased his Plot Deviation Value by about thirty.
Cyrus felt slightly relieved.
He believed that once the reconstruction of the Yami Kingdom and its surrounding territories progressed smoothly and was completed, the Plot Deviation Value would likely increase significantly again.
After things began to improve in the Yami Kingdom, the second prince Nitaya, came to bid farewell to Cyrus.
He planned to take Yotun and Light Green with him on a journey across the continent.
After seeing the scenery at the southernmost point, they were going to the west to see how the tribes lived.
That's also where the black panther lives.
Cyrus gave them a simple send-off.
Before leaving, His Holiness the Pope called Light Green aside for a private talk.
As she was leaving, Cyrus noticed that Light Green looked strange after the conversation, as if he had been frightened...
[Honestly, I've been using this app to follow my favorite books lately. It has multiple reading sources, various voice options, and works on both Android Apple.]
Moreover, Cyrus noticed that Light glanced at her strangely, then quickly looked away, pretending nothing had happened.
Cyrus tilted her head in confusion. "...?"
What did His Holiness the Pope say to him?!
After they left, Cyrus subtly inquired of the Pope.
Segalot: "I asked Green about some things he's more experienced with... it was very helpful."
Upon hearing this, Cyrus became even more curious. "What are some things he's experienced in?"
His Holiness the Pope smiled, tapped Cyrus's nose with a finger, and shushed her. "It's a secret for now."
Cyrus understood the implication in his words: "I'll find out later?"
"Certainly."
His Holiness the Pope lowered his voice, bent down, and whispered in Cyrus's ear, "From now on, I'll only let you know this secret, okay?"
Warm breath sprayed on my ears and cheeks...
Cyrus felt a surge of heat rising rapidly from his chest, instantly turning his ears red.
He resisted the urge to rub it, his caramel-colored eyes looking at the Pope: "Alright, then remember to tell me."
Segalot nodded. "I promise."
After His Holiness the Pope left, Cyrus frowned, clutched her chest, and pressed down on her heart, which had started to beat faster. She murmured softly, "No, I can't be in a relationship..."
"You better behave yourself... don't jump anymore."
Cyrus rubbed her cheeks again, then strolled away with her hands behind her back.
098 returned from his trip one early morning.
Cyrus had just gotten up and was getting dressed when he received a message from 098 in the system interface that 098 wanted to give him a gift and that he needed to find a secluded place. Cyrus was used to this and told Judas without changing his expression that he had something to do and needed to take the beasts out for a while, and that no one else needed to come.
Judas headed.
Afterwards, in a deserted spot outside the Yami Kingdom, Cyrus stared blankly at the gift 098 had given her—a chubby black and white ball.
Cyrus clutched her rapidly beating heart, her voice trembling slightly at the end. "... Rollie?!"