12 1.11

"Michael, did you fall in love with a vampire?" the Saintess asked.

Michael was stunned on the spot. He stared at the Saintess blankly. He never had that thought in his head, because love was already a very foreign term for Michael. Now, the Saintess actually confronted him with a ridiculous question.

Fell in love with a vampire? How could that be?!

"I will never—" Michael paused when he saw the Saintess' solemn face fell upon him. As if she had guessed what was in his heart better than himself.

"Do not be hasty when replying to a question about love, love is a sacred feeling," Saintess said. "Find the truth deep in your heart, Michael. I don't want you to regret it later."

"Saintess…" Michael lowered his head, he bit his lips because of the conflicting feeling in his heart. He was unaware of it before, but the Saintess confronted him about it, he slowly realized it himself, "I'm not sure about my feelings either. But… I don't want him to die."

"Even after you know about his true identity as a vampire?"

"… yes."

Saintess nodded, and she caressed Michael's head gently, "You will admit it later. But I will reply to your question before, the answer is, not all demons are evil, including vampires. God has given me the eyes of the past, I've seen demons who protected humans, and I saw those who killed humans for sport. Although very rare, some demons are not born to be a demon. Vampires were humans who died, but got cursed, or bitten by the fellow vampires."

"Some of them retained their past memory. Maybe that Vampire Duke is one of them," the Saintess said, "He could've killed you last night, but he didn't. Instead, he protected you although risking his identity to be revealed," Saintess reasoned clearly.

"But he is still a vampire, what if… he wants to trick me? Maybe he just wants to use me for something," Michael still didn't let his guard down.

"You are the next Saint, you are immune to his mind manipulation."

"But, if… if I do fall in love with him, what should I do? Saintess, I will not be able to inherit the title of Saint if I fall in love with someone, and that person is a man."

Saintess smiled mysteriously, "God knows what is good and what not."

Then, the Saintess opened her holy book and started reading again, it was the sign that she was not up for another minute of discussion. Michael zipped his mouth and excused himself. He walked aimlessly around the grand church, he was conflicted.

'If I really fall in love with that man, I'll be invalid to be a Saint, right?'

'But… do I still have the face to be a Saint? After all the blood that had been spilled…'

***

[Pupa: Ding! Breakmeter increases to 80%, Fatemeter 60%. Congratulations, host.]

[Wait, what? Why?]

Yunyu was surprised. He was on his way back to the carriage. He was busy helping the people in the slum, he didn't know what happened with Michael in the grand church.

[Pupa: Not sure, but you are close to completing this world, unexpectedly.]

[What do you mean 'unexpectedly'?! I am a great actor!]

Yunyu still couldn't let go of his grievance against the system. He felt that the system didn't expect much from him. He was undoubtedly qualified for the job! Yunyu stomped his feet when he entered the carriage back to his mansion.

[Pupa: I expected less.]

[Please expect more!]

Yunyu was busy bickering with the system that he didn't realize that someone tailed him from behind. When Yunyu arrived at the mansion, he was greeted with the sight of a very peculiar carriage, a white carriage with a golden cross as decoration.

[Oh? Whose carriage is this?]

[Pupa: The Head Priest.]

Yunyu stepped down from his carriage, and his step was blocked by the holy guard from the church. The Head Priest stepped down from his carriage and looked at the Duke with obvious contempt. He sneered, "So this is the evil faithless duke who dared to derail Prince Michael."

��Pardon, but what is the Head Priest doing in my mansion?" Yunyu asked, neither arrogant or humble. He didn't lower his head, because Yunyu felt that the Head Priest was his own kind.

[Wow! His aura is really dark! I feel like I've found my fellow demon friend!]

[Pupa: He is a human, but he had committed sins bigger than any demon could ever do. Be careful.]

[Why should I be careful? He is a fellow demon like me! I doubt that his holy magic will have any effect on me.]

[Pupa: Well, he doesn't have magic, unlike Michael. But he can still kill you with a silver stake. Don't lose your vigilance.]

"I come here to see a faithless who dared to manipulate Prince Michael's mind," the Head Priest said. He walked steadily towards Yunyu, somehow, his dark aura around him began overpowering Yunyu.

Yunyu gulped subconsciously. He didn't know that a human could be the bigger evil than a demon in this world, "Why would I manipulate Prince Michael's mind? I'm currently minding my own business, he is the one that came uninvited and pestered me all day long."

"I will be damned if I believed in your nonsense," the Head Priest sneered, "Did you pretend to be a faithless with a good heart to confuse my son? He is still green, easy to confuse with good deeds."

Yunyu was silent.

[HOLY SHIT! System, how could this old man know about my trick?!]

[Pupa: Maybe because he knows the trick well. He must've used the same trick to fool the masses. He is bigger evil than demons afterall.]

The Head Priest scoffed when he saw that the Duke was silent. His guess was correct, "Just you know, I am the Head Priest of Holy Kingdom Rianel. I am the real king in this country, although you are protected by your status, I will find a way to kill you, faithless bastard."

"If the Head Priest comes here only to threaten me, please leave," Yunyu said. His expression was solemn, "I have no intention to be courteous with you. I know how crooked you are."

Yunyu raised his chin arrogantly, "If I am a faithless bastard, then you are a devil priest. Because I've never seen a priest that would kill thousands of people who dared to defy the church. I've never seen someone so twisted, that he would slaughter the innocents in the name of god."

The Head Priest's calm mask was blown away immediately, he cursed at Yunyu on his face, "You fucking faithless bastard! I will execute you now in the name of—"

"STOP!"

Both Yunyu and the Head Priest looked at the source of the interruption. Michael entered the courtyard with only his horse. He didn't wear his usual white robe from the church, but he wore his red suit designed for a Prince in Holy Kingdom Rianel.

Prince Michael rode his horse and stopped in front of them. He didn't get off his horse, instead he ordered, "Under the name of Prince Michael of Holy Kingdom Rianel, I order all of you to disperse now."

"Michael, how could you order your father like this?!" The Head Priest got even angrier. Michael actually replaced his church robe with that prince attire.

Michael didn't budge, he continued, "Those who defy my order will face the court sentence."

The Head Priest gritted his teeth. Although he was the de facto ruler of this kingdom, going against the court because of this matter was simply not worth it. He turned his back and said to his people, "Return to the church now."

After the Head Priest's carriage left, Michael got off from the horse and held Yunyu's hand, "Are you alright?"

Yunyu still had his cold face, "Why is your highness here?"

"I—" Michael was lost. He tailed the Duke carriage from behind and stopped near the gate when he saw the Head Priest's carriage. He wanted to confront him, but he still had suspicion in his heart. He wanted to see what Yunyu would do when confronted by the Head Priest.

He thought that Yunyu would be submissive in front of the Head Priest, but he boldly denounced the Head Priest. He didn't want Yunyu to be harmed, so he had to interfere.

"If you have nothing to do, please leave," Yunyu said.

"No, I have one question," Michael gulped. He had this suspicion from the start, and when the Head Priest confronted the Duke with his question, he couldn't help but have some grievance in his heart. Michael subconsciously tightened his grip on Yunyu's bloodless palm, "Is it true, that you helped people in order to confuse me?"