Su Shi was stunned, but it was a pity that it was too late to regret it, and before he recovered his senses, his body had already been pulled back.
Falling into the familiar warm embrace, I realized that the heartbeat of the other party was actually faster than that day. Su Shi was a little worried. He raised his head and was about to speak, but bumped into those dark and deep eyes.
Esmond hugged him and kissed him seriously.
Unlike the paladin who dealt with it in a hurry, the soft kiss fell down meticulously, tracing the shape of the slightly thin lips, and the scalding temperature of the palm penetrated through the thin clothes, which became more and more tightened.
Su Shi was stunned for a long while, and his brows and eyes finally softened inch by inch.
The kiss was delicate and long, and Esmond finally let him go. The breathing of each other was a little short, but there were still dazzling stars in their eyes.
"Okay, don't waste time, the sun is gone outside..."
It took so long for the kiss to come back, Su Shi's chest heaved and he was hugged in his arms dizzily, panting and muttering in a low voice.
His breathing was still uncertain, with a nasal voice that hadn't slowed down, and he leaned against the other party's arms and muttered in detail, without showing the slightest reproach at all.
Finally couldn't help the smile in his eyes, Esmond chuckled and rubbed his short hair: "Okay, don't waste it. Close your eyes first, you can't just run out like this..."
He had been curious about his disguise technique for a long time, Su Shi blinked his eyes, and wanted to take a look at the opponent's movements, but his eyes were already lightly covered by a hand.
Esmond raised his hand, and his fingertips touched the paladin's handsome face delicately.
The golden light turned into broken stars and fell down, and soon his facial features became ordinary, and his face was slightly pale. He looked like an ordinary young man.
To go out to do things, such a disguise is undoubtedly the safest. But for the first time, the cardinal had some doubts about his own work. He folded his arms and looked at it for a while, and couldn't help but adjust a few lines.
"Will it take this long?"
Not knowing what he was busy with, Su Shi stood there holding his breath for a while before he couldn't help asking softly.
Waking up from his contemplation, Esmond coughed lightly, retracted his outstretched hand, and the golden light in his palm flashed away: "Okay."
Su Shi immediately opened his eyes, and excitedly approached the mirror, and sure enough, a rather strange face was reflected.
There is no special feeling on the face, and the expressions are free and smooth. Su Shi raised his eyebrows with great interest, put on his black robe in satisfaction, turned around, and dragged Esmond to the door quickly.
"Okay, okay, let's go out and have a look, at least find out what's going on first."
Before the cardinal could shake off his deep self-doubt, he was dragged out of the door, sighed regretfully, and followed quickly in a good-natured manner.
I still think that the lip shape should be thinner...
The two went out and rushed all the way to the market, and the number of talents gradually increased.
The civilians still have to run around for a day's rations, and the nobles also need to move around. Although people panic, they still have no choice but to hide at home all the time.
The street lamps were faithfully on, and pedestrians hurried past under the cold light, with uneasy faces on their faces, but there were no more turmoil and changes.
Unable to figure out what medicine was sold in the pope's gourd, Su Shi frowned slightly, looking at the peaceful situation around him.
"Perhaps—not necessarily that's what the Pope does."
Esmond was by his side, lowering his voice to comfort him: "If he really has this kind of power, it would be easy to seize this continent, and we wouldn't be able to live until now."
What he said is not unreasonable, but if this is the case, it will be even more unreasonable.
Su Shi still couldn't let go, turned around and was about to speak, when suddenly there was a loud commotion not far away.
People rushed towards the central square in front of the palace spontaneously, their footsteps were urgent, and their eyes were full of tension and anticipation.
The two looked at each other and followed the crowd.
In the center of the square, there was a stone statue at some point.
It is not surprising that stone statues are erected on the square. Whether it is the pope or the bishops, there are corresponding stone statues on the square. With the joint efforts of earth-type and gold-type supernatural beings, those stone statues were carved so lifelike that they accepted people's beliefs and worship day after day.
But this time, what was erected was a stone statue of a paladin.
I don't know if it's to save energy and time, but the stone statue is still wearing a heavy armor helmet, and its face can't be seen clearly at all. It can almost be identified as any nameless paladin.
People still surrounded the stone statue, knelt down one after another, prayed devoutly and repented of their mistakes.
Su Shi suddenly felt something was wrong.
Esmond raised his eyebrows, as if he had a premonition, but he was still not in a hurry to solve the doubts of the paladin beside him, but just dragged him to continue walking into the crowd.
"The judgment of the Holy See was rejected for the first time in thousands of years. It must be because the trial made a mistake and wrongly blamed the innocent person..."
"The oracle has already been issued, so what's the point?"
"It can be said that there have been people who were wrongly judged before, but the oracle did not interfere, because everyone is not completely innocent. I didn't expect that someone would be pardoned under the judgment of the God of Light. What a great and pure god this is. soul… "
"So this eternal night must be God's punishment. Only when we sincerely repent and the Holy See admits our mistakes, will the sun rise again!"
"But the Holy See's verdict on him is to degenerate, demonize and assassinate the pope. I heard that he also pleaded guilty. What kind of truth will this verdict be wrong?"
…
Su Shi's stomach started to hurt again.
Looking at the darkened face of the paladin beside him, Esmond lowered his gaze, with a smile in his eyes, and couldn't help but raised his hand to rub his hair: "Isn't it very good, why are you unhappy? ?”
"Of course I'm happy, I'm so happy that I'm going to explode."
Su Shi took a deep breath, looked at the crowd who were chatting in low voices with a headache, and comforted himself silently.
The pope is unquestionable, and the people now just believe in his innocence, and have not had time to touch the real truth. The misunderstanding is still there, and the experience point may not be impossible to keep.
—The last time he thought this way, the experience point collapsed within a few days.
Self-comfort completely failed, Su Shi lowered his gaze, and had already planned an action plan to rush into the Holy See right now, dragging the Pope to die together.
"Get out, no one is allowed to come in at will!"
Suddenly there was an angry scream in the square, and the guards in heavy armor quickly surrounded the square, expelled the people without explanation, and smashed the stone statue mercilessly.
The spear with a cold light slammed heavily on the stone statue's chest, and the shattered stones splashed in all directions, hitting the chaotic crowd, and there was a cry of pain immediately.
"It's Sarri, who has also become the pope's minion."
Seeing the gloomy expression of the person coming, Esmond's eyes were slightly cold, and he whispered something, and protected the paladin beside him without a trace.
Esmond is the cardinal in charge of prison trials, and Sarri is under him. During the time he accompanied Ivan to escape from prison, it was obvious that the other party was in charge of all affairs.
He didn't even doubt that if those men in black robes managed to get rid of him in the foggy forest, the position of the cardinal would definitely belong to Sarri.
"The Holy See is clearly wrong, why dare not admit it!"
The young man in shabby clothes flushed with anger, squeezed into the crowd and said sharply: "Everyone has heard the oracle of pardon, do you still want to say that Ivan is guilty?"
As if they were suddenly completely ignited, the crowd no longer just avoided in a panic, and roared one after another.
"It must be because you are unwilling to admit your mistakes, that God will send down eternal night as punishment!"
"Esmond is the cardinal. Where did he go? We will ask him for orders and ask the Holy See to change the verdict!"
"I see, Ivan didn't assassinate the Pope at all, maybe you did it, and then planted it on his head!"
Listening to the roar of the crowd, Sarri's complexion became paler, and the blackness in his eyes became more intense, and he almost seemed to be demonized.
Su Shi's heart sank.
The clergy of the Holy See have fallen into demons. Once such news is spread, it will definitely cause a strong panic. Rumors can't be stopped. As long as they continue to develop, sooner or later someone will guess the truth about the pope's demonization.
The experience point was shaky, and he couldn't help but take a step forward, but Esmond suddenly grabbed his wrist tightly.
A figure in a white robe walked out slowly from the palace.
The square suddenly fell into silence, the guards suddenly knelt on one knee, the people fell silent, and their eyes fell eagerly on the person who came.
Surrey's eyes fell on the person who came, his eyes narrowed slightly, and extreme panic suddenly appeared in his eyes: "God, His Majesty the Pope—"
"Faith is innocent. People gather here according to the guidance of the oracle. No one has the right to disperse them, let alone a servant of God."
The Pope spoke slowly, his eyes scanning the crowd.
His voice is not too high, but it can be heard clearly in everyone's ears.
"We must admit that this was undoubtedly a mistake made by the Holy See, which almost cost a loyal paladin his life. It was not a single individual who caused this mistake, but a choice of misunderstanding and choice. Gullible us all."
There was shame in everyone's eyes, and the originally intense emotions gradually calmed down.
The Pope seemed very satisfied, he nodded slightly and paused for a moment before continuing.
"We regret to inform the public that Bishop Esmond disappeared not long ago. And the one who disappeared with him is the paladin who we are also eager to see, who has just been pardoned by the oracle."
"We swear at the feet of God that we will continue to investigate the truth. No matter how complicated the mystery is, we will do something that can convince the people. The sun will rise again."
After speaking, he turned around and slowly returned to the palace.
Sari looked awkward, and hurriedly followed in a desperate manner, and the guard also retreated silently.
The gate of the imperial palace was slowly closed, and golden flames suddenly fell from the sky, landing on most of the shattered stone statues.
When the flames were gradually extinguished, the stone statue had recovered and stood quietly in the center of the square.
Different from the original slightly sloppy carvings, the lines of each piece of armor have become smooth and fine. The helmet is held in the right hand of the stone statue, revealing a handsome and delicate face.
It's not like the brave and powerful paladins people imagined, but it reveals a clear and heroic spirit.
The crowd suddenly fell silent.
The stone statue smiled faintly, with an awe-inspiring expression, and calmly looked ahead. Obviously unable to see the eyes of a stone statue, but everyone seemed to see the firmness and loyalty in those eyes.
Suddenly someone began to chant the hymn aloud, and everyone's eyes shone with excitement.
No one thought that the pope would have such a clear impression of an ordinary paladin, and those golden flames were infinitely close to the luster of the sun.
Su Shi became angry, and turned to look at the calm-looking cardinal.
"That stone statue is ugly."
Esmond had good reasons, looked at him calmly, and rubbed the top of the paladin's head comfortingly: "You have changed your face, don't worry."
It's not that I'm worried, it's just that looking at the proficient beauty skills of the protagonist, I somehow feel that they overlap with some unreliable god.
Su Shi sighed softly, and pulled him into a secluded corner: "Aren't you worried about the Pope? He made this announcement on purpose, maybe he wanted to push everything on you..."
"He's going to do it sooner or later, whether I worry about it or not, it's the same."
Responding softly, Esmond looked at the time and led him to leave the square and walk towards a restaurant on the corner of the street.
"Shall we still eat?"
Su Shi was dragged forward by him, following in his footsteps in disbelief.
It's outrageous!
How can the protagonist go to have a meal in the middle of saving the world!
The paladin beside him was already breathing a little short of breath, but he didn't even realize it. His eyes were still clear and anxious, and the hand holding him was already slightly cold.
His eyes dimmed for a moment, and Esmond held his hand patiently, letting the temperature of his palm pass to the other's hand.
"You continue your life because of the gift of the Sun God. There is no sun now, so you need to eat more, or use some other method, so as not to be too weak."
Sun Yang Su Shi raised his head in astonishment, and blinked at him: "What method?"
The cardinal lowered his head slightly and looked at him with dark eyes. He held his breath for a moment before leading him into the restaurant: "It's not the time yet."
Being firmly held by his wrist, Su Shi didn't believe in evil, and after trying twice but failed to break free, he finally realized that what the other party said might be true.
Looks like he's going to fry the pope with a barbecue in his mouth.
Finally discovering the true state of his body, the paladin was so sad that he lay down on the table and couldn't keep up his spirits.
After looking at him for a long while, Esmond suddenly stood up and patted the young man's short hair, which felt very good to the touch: "Wait for me, I'll be right back."
Su Shi nodded listlessly, and continued to contact the system without giving up. But I found that even the communication icon has dimmed, and apart from the basic stand-alone offline function, even the message can no longer be sent.
It seems that the God of Light is right. The flow of time in his body has indeed stopped. Before returning to the main world, he may have to rely on his intuition to operate.
Just as he was seriously worried, the aroma of cocoa in the air suddenly drew his attention back.
Su Shi was slightly surprised, raised his eyebrows and sat up. Esmond had already returned with two cups, and handed one of them to him with a smile: "Drink a little, be careful not to burn it."
"I really can't help but wonder now, if there was one time in ancient times, how would you bring this thing to me..."
After receiving the cup of hot cocoa, Su Shi chuckled dumbly, took a sip from the cup, and his eyes gradually softened in the steaming heat.
It's just a world, if only your own time is suspended, as long as there is a way to go back, it's okay to stay for a while longer.
Esmond obviously couldn't understand what he said, and he couldn't help showing some quiet curiosity in his eyes, but he still didn't ask.
There are actually many mysteries about the other party, why he knew the secrets in the treasure, why he was able to discover the truth about the demonization of the Pope, and why the God of Light, who has never interfered with human beings, would suddenly make an exception for one person.
Everyone has their own secrets, and since Ivan doesn't intend to tell them, he will never ask rashly.
The young paladin held the cup in both hands, and slowly sipped the hot cocoa. His eyes hidden under the hood were peaceful and moist, and he could not see the determination and coldness of the death at that time.
Esmond looked at him quietly, and after a long time, he suddenly raised his hand and held his wrist lightly: "Ivan, I'm very powerful now."
Su Shi heard the sound and raised his eyes, nodded confidently: "I know."
The highest level in the treasure is the magic circle, he forcefully gave it to the protagonist, so it's strange that his strength doesn't improve.
Esmond seemed to have something to say, and looked at him quietly for a while before speaking softly.
"I'm already very good..."
He said something in a low voice, he exerted more force on his hands, and fixed his eyes deeply on the young man: "So - don't do dangerous things to protect me in the future, okay?"
Su Shi held his breath and looked up, meeting the pain and self-blame in those eyes.
The other party never really let go of the choice between life and death that day.
He will not die, Esmond does not know.
Su Shi's chest suddenly felt a little sore, Su Shi's voice became hoarse, and it took him a long time to raise his head, meeting the other party's gaze without dodging.
"… it is good."
The watery color in those eyes was fleeting, and they quietly fell on him, holding their breath for a long time, before finally bending their warm arcs.
The two rested in the restaurant for a while before going out again to continue investigating the situation outside.
The long darkness blurred the perception of time. It wasn't until Su Shi suddenly realized that he couldn't move anymore, and fell into Esmond's arms weakly, that he realized that a long time had passed.
"It's okay, don't be afraid..."
Esmond spoke softly, hugged the cold and stiff Paladin into a corner, pulled him firmly into his arms, and kissed him softly.
The warm power filled the body again, and finally broke free from the involuntary predicament, and the instinctive chill in my heart was slightly relieved.
Su Shi leaned in his arms, slowly moved his body, and suddenly heaved a sigh of relief: "So it's easy to use..."
"Only I can."
Esmond suddenly added a sentence, met the other party's slightly narrow eyes, pursed his lips, his eyes flickered slightly, and explained in a low voice: "I have received a gift from the God of Light, and only I have this ability..."
"Okay, I won't grab someone casually and kiss them."
Unaware that what he did at the beginning seemed to be almost the same as what he said, Su Shi chuckled dumbly, and with his support, he propped up his body again.
They didn't find any useful clues, and the two were about to find a new road, but there was a sudden noise at the intersection.
It was the Pope who was calling the people.
They were all expecting the Holy See to respond as soon as possible, and people rushed to the square immediately, whispering the rumors they heard on the road.
"It seems that Sarri finally admitted that it was Esmond's envoy..."
"It's terrible, I still believed in him!"
"I've heard that too! It turned out that the law enforcement bishop seized the Pope's position, secretly ordered someone to assassinate the Pope, and then put the crime on Ivan's head—"
"Shut up! You don't want to live anymore?"
The few people who were talking in low voices immediately shut their mouths tightly, but the content of the conversation has quickly spread among the crowd.
Su Shi's expression darkened, and some extremely ominous premonitions suddenly appeared in his heart.
The normally empty square was already crowded with people who had heard the news.
The Pope, who was supposed to have been seriously injured due to the assassination, was standing at the highest point in the white coat with the logo, delivering a heavy and lengthy speech to the people.
"...we regret this incident, but in any case, this is the truth that we must admit and face."
"I must announce with great sorrow: Bishop Esmond betrayed the faith he swore to be loyal to. For his own ambition, he tried to disturb the peace of the Holy See, and even put the entire continent in the darkness of eternal night..."
The pope was absolutely right, and the people in the square were filled with righteous indignation, and many even cursed angrily.
Esmond hid behind the crowd, his eyes darkened, but he still tightly held the paladin beside him, saying nothing to make him change.
The pope was standing on a high platform in the open air. Although there were guards all around, it was not really that tight.
Already deeply shadowed by his previous experience, the cardinal who was accused of treason was worried, fearing that if he couldn't hold back, the other party would rush forward and drag the pope to his death.
"Ace!"
Seeing that his pot was being overturned in an inexplicable way, Su Shi was so anxious that he couldn't help turning around and looking at the silent protagonist: "Don't we do something?"
After the cardinal revealed his identity, it was the first time he called out the other party's name.
Esmond's breathing was slightly stagnant, and he turned his eyes subconsciously. Those eyes were full of clear worry and anxiety, and he was staring at him, eagerly waiting for his decision.
His gaze gradually became firm.
The pope is the cohesive core of the faith. No matter what, the pope's demonization must not be known to everyone, otherwise it will only cause the collapse of faith in the entire continent and become a real land abandoned by gods.
The secret cannot be revealed, and Ivan's charges must also be cleared. It seems that it is indeed the best choice to place all the charges on himself.
"Hide and don't be seen..."
Esmond shook his hand vigorously, then suddenly removed his disguise, changed back to the cardinal's attire, and walked slowly towards the center of the square.
The bloody red teaching robes shrank people's eyes, but the civilians on the sidelines gradually calmed down timidly.
Seeing him appear, the Pope's eyes narrowed slightly, and the black air in his eyes silently diffused: "Esmond, are you here to defend yourself?"
"I have nothing to defend."
Esmond looked calm, looked up at him, his voice was calm and firm, and fell into everyone's ears clearly.
"I plead guilty. Your Majesty the Pope, are you going to execute me yourself?"
The crowd erupted into an uproar, and finally couldn't help but uttered angrily, scolding the cardinal in the arena loudly.
Su Shi's eyes suddenly went dark.
After the experience of three worlds, his protagonist finally learned to fight with him after taking all the blame from him.
The author has something to say:
Su Shi: Put it down! ! You let me down! ! ! o(*≧dish≦)o
#I can't go on#