1.13

Michael listened to everything that the Duke had to say, and Duke's last words stunned him even more. He didn't know how to react.

He didn't know that the Saintess already knew about his future as a saint when they first met, but did nothing to stop him when he ordered the massacre of three hundred faithless.

On top of the shocking reveal about the rosary, the past life of the Vampire duke gave him a complicated emotion, anger, disgust, pity, and… guilt. Everything was too much for Michael to handle. If the truth was this painful, he would rather have the Duke said that he was only pretending to help people in order to confuse Michael.

Because then, Michael would know what to do. He would leave the Duke forever and followed the Head Priest's teaching of becoming the new head priest. If the Duke lied to him, he would kill this growing feeling inside his heart.

But when the Duke told him about his past life, the feeling inside Michael's heart not only grew, but also bloomed into something Michael dreaded since he first went to the church to study.

He had never felt this thing in his life, up until now. Because he thought that it was a useless feeling used by sinful people to tie each other, now he also had the same feeling and the same desire to tie the Duke with him.

He fell in love with the Vampire Duke.

[Pupa: Ding! Breakmeter increases to 85%, Fatemeter increases to 80%!]

[Haha… okay…]

Yunyu was not excited at all with the prospect of Michael falling in love deeply with him. He didn't have any love towards this man at all. He stayed in this world to complete the mission, not to fall in love.

"Your highness, I just hope that you'll not turn into someone like me. Because I live my life in agony, thinking about all my past sins, and wishing that someday, god will give me forgiveness and I can return back to his side," Yunyu said.

After the Duke said that, Michael clenched his fist and hugged the Duke again, this time, it was a tight hug with a hint of possessiveness and paranoia. Yunyu felt uncomfortable, because he could clearly hear the speeding heartbeat of Michael. Yunyu also felt the warm breath that tickled his nape.

"Your highness, this is inappropriate, let go," Yunyu struggled.

"Duke, I will… I will never let go," Michael said. When the Duke said that he lived his life in agony, fervently wishing that he would be redeemed someday, Michael also felt the same pain the Duke had felt throughout his life, "I will never… let go…"

[System, maybe I shouldn't have unlocked the hidden plot.]

[Pupa: Why? Unlocking the hidden plot gives you a lot of advantages in each world. There is also guaranteed 20% Fatemeter increase, I see no logical reason for you to state that.]

[Because when I see Michael right now. He clearly fell in love with the Duke. I still don't know how his Fatemeter increases so much, so easily. I am not a heartless bastard that would toy with someone's love.]

[Pupa: Michael is someone who has lived his life as a puppet brainwashed by Head Priest. You are the only one that dares to contradict him and freed him from the chain created by the Head Priest, it is natural that he would cling on you. Maybe he already worships your 'generosity' at some point.]

[I still don't see that as a reason to fall in love deeply…]

"Your highness, you are going to be the next saint, this kind of feeling you have is forbidden. I don't want you to follow the same sinful path like me," Yunyu tried to slap some logic into Michael.

Michael finally hesitated and let go of the Duke slowly, but he didn't let the Duke escape his eyes, "It is not your right to judge whether my feeling is forbidden or not. As long as I don't hurt anyone…"

Michael took a few steps back and bowed his head slightly, he made a sincere promise to himself, "I will prove to you that I will be a good saint, so you can rest assured. When it is time for me to die, I will beg for our god to forgive you, so we can stay…"

Michael didn't have the courage to say more, he already made a promise to himself. The Duke might not believe him now, but he wanted the Duke to stay with him. Michael turned his back and scurried to leave the garden.

Yunyu gazed at Michael's back who got farther and farther, he clenched his fist, "I'm sorry, Michael."

***

Michael soon returned back to the church. It was already evening when he returned to the church, he headed straight to Saintess' room, but met an unexpected figure in the corridor. The Head Priest left the Saintess' room just now with a grim expression on his face.

"You—" Michael paused when the Head Priest glared at him.

Those eyes were full of hostility, it was the same hostile glare that the Head Priest had given to the faithless. The Head Priest was old, but he was not decrepit. He still held an amazing amount of power in his hands.

The Head Priest glared at him, but said nothing and only scoffed before leaving the corridor. Michael rushed towards the Saintess' room, fearing that the Head Priest did something unspeakable to the Saintess.

"Saintess!" Michael slammed the door open. He thought that Saintess was hurt, but he saw the Saintess sitting while reading the holy book as always. She was not surprised with Michael's sudden door slam. She only glanced at him and continued reading the holy book.

"Since you've found out that you're going to be the next saint, have you found out your true feeling with the Vampire Duke?" Saintess asked lightly.

Michael gulped, "Yes, I… I love him." Michael walked slowly and kneeled in front of the Saintess, "It happens so fast, but I've found out about his past life. He has revealed everything, and wants me to leave him or kill him. Saintess, t—this is the first time I fall in love, I don't know whether this love is forbidden by god or not… can you tell me?"

The Saintess closed her holy book and stared deeply at Michael, "I can't give you the answer. Because whether something is sinful or not, can only be judged by God himself, especially something sacred like love."

Saintess pointed at the white rosary in Michael's pocket, "That rosary was owned by the Duke, me, and it is now with you. I entrusted you to be the next saint. I hope that you've learned from the past mistake the Duke made."

Michael took out his rosary again, he clenched it and asked, "Saintess, if you already know about my future as a saint, why did you let me command the massacre of those faithless…"

The Saintess paused, she sighed and replied, "Because I'm not allowed to tell anyone about the future, I can see the foresight, but I should be silent. Michael, everything is by God's will."

"Including the Duke's fate and mine?"

"Yes. I've seen everything, and you will see the future when you become the next saint. But you can change the future, although it is hard. Michael, when you met the Duke, the future has changed, but it is not a pretty one, especially the Duke."

Michael got tense immediately when Saintess said that the Duke would not have a good future, "S—Something will happen to him?! Saintess, please tell me!"

"Don't be so agitated," Saintess smiled, "You will know it yourself when you become the new saint after my death."

"S—Saintess, don't say that! I don't want you to die, I will protect you, even from the Head Priest!"

Saintess shook her head, "Head Priest came and threatened me before you came to my room. But he is only playing god, while my fate and my age has been predetermined by the real god. Hence, I do not take his threat seriously."

Saintess stood from the sofa. She walked to the balcony, staring at the sunset. She spoke solemnly, "Michael, when it is time for me to leave, I hope you can be a good saint for everyone, for the Duke."