Chapter 732: Succession to the Throne

In response to Armand’s suggestion of visiting her siblings, Joanna politely but firmly declined.

It was a decision that was hard to understand.

Even though they weren’t related by blood, the children of the Ark Orphanage were probably the most precious siblings to Joanna.

You could tell from the fact that the reason she became a Holy Knight was not faith, but ensuring the children could live stable lives.

Armand knew this well, too.

But despite this, Joanna refused to meet her siblings.

However, ironically, the reason Joanna made this decision was because she loved her siblings more than anyone.

The thing was, now Joanna was a Child of Angels. Officially, at least.

For someone like that to meet her siblings? No matter how you looked at it, it was nothing but dangerous.

It might sound strange, but it was the truth.

It was similar to how sunlight, when too strong, can kill.

As rumors about the end of the world spread, and as Holy Power started disappearing, diminishing the authority of the Holy Capital, all eyes turned to Joanna, rising as a substitute.

If Joanna met her siblings, then naturally, attention would turn to them as well.

And whether that attention was friendly or hostile, it would hardly be welcome for those innocent children.

Just look at how much pressure Joanna felt from the eyes of so many people.

Even Armand, who suggested the meeting, seemed to realize this belatedly, as he awkwardly apologized for his mistake.

“Ah… I made a foolish suggestion. I apologize.”

“No, it’s fine, Your Holiness.”

“I’ll come up with something to tell the children. I’ll say that Dame Joanna is too busy to come.”

“Yes, thank you… And—”

“—I’ll make sure to protect them carefully and keep them out of sight. Given the unrest, no one will pay attention to them, so it won’t be too difficult.”

Armand’s skillful handling reassured Joanna, and she once again expressed her gratitude.

Armand checked the time after receiving her thanks.

“Oh, time has flown. Is there anything else you’d like to say?”

“No, there’s nothing.”

“That’s good. I’ve finished what I needed, so I’ll take my leave. If it’s alright, I’ll tell the attendants waiting outside to go away.”

Understanding Joanna’s wish for solitude, Armand kindly offered.

Though she didn’t show it, Joanna was pleased.

“…Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it. Please rest well.”

Armand bowed in respect and left the room, and Joanna returned the courtesy. Alone in the room, she looked out the window.

The temple that served as her residence was located high enough to give a view over the Holy Capital.

Watching the scenery had recently become a new hobby of Joanna’s.

A hobby she could only indulge in while alone.

It was a hobby she had adopted with no other choice.

Ever since she became a Child of Angels, outside activities had become nearly impossible, leaving her with little else to do but gaze at the outside.

‘The more I think about it, the more ridiculous that term seems.’

Looking down at the Holy Capital through the window, Joanna thought about the term ‘Child of Angels.’

The more she thought about it, the more laughable it seemed.

After all, it was a term with no real foundation, crafted by deciphering old books and expanding upon ancient texts.

It wasn’t even mentioned in any apocalyptic prophecies, and yet it was now being used officially.

She knew how much effort the Dark Priests, the Priests, and Kevin put into coming up with it after surviving the Devil’s hand, but even so, Joanna couldn’t help but laugh at the term whenever she was alone.

It was as if it perfectly mirrored her.

‘A word with no roots or merit, yet imbued with power. It is exactly like me.’

Joanna shifted her gaze from the window to her hand.

Specifically, the hand that had absorbed Holy Blood.

Thanks to that Holy Blood, Joanna was able to fight against the Devils that descended upon the Holy Capital. As chaos spread across the world, she became known as the Child of Angels, an undeserving title, and was hailed as a savior.

Yet, none of this made her happy. It was all a lie.

As evidence, she had failed to defeat the Woman on the Camel, and even now, the people in the Holy Capital with twisted and deformed skin remained untreated.

No matter how many times she secretly tried, she always failed.

She hadn’t even been able to revert Headmaster Amelin, who had turned into a tree.

And yet people called her the Child of Angels and praised her as a savior.

Because, no matter what, she was the one who had absorbed Holy Blood.

But Joanna believed that even her absorbing the Holy Blood was a lie.

Rather than feeling that this vast power had taken root in her, it felt more like it was just temporarily residing in her.

As if it had chosen her of its own will to get closer to its rightful owner.

Though Joanna felt she knew who the rightful owner was, she tried not to dwell on it.

At a time when the Devil had officially declared the apocalypse, she was probably the most needed person. Still, Joanna ignored this and pretended to be a false savior.

‘I am scared too. I want to run away right now… so please, stop telling me to leave or to return.’

‘Then, would you pray just once for me? Pray that I might have courage and strength.’

‘No…! Stop it!!!’

‘Aaaaah… Aaarrgghhhh!!’

‘Take me away. I… I am the Prince of Hell.’

Because he had already suffered too much. For that reason, Joanna averted her eyes from her own suspicions.

Even as the world neared its end, even knowing that she might be standing by while the apocalypse took place, Joanna ignored it. She just didn’t want him to suffer anymore.

Perhaps that was the real reason Joanna was avoiding her siblings.

On a small scale, it was for her siblings, but on a larger scale, it was because her selfishness prioritized one person above the rest of the world.

-Knock. Knock.-

Just as she was sinking deeper into those dark thoughts, there was a knock at the door.

Joanna turned toward the sound, looking at the door to see who was there.

“Come in, Regimond, Alexander.”

Once permission was given, the two men, Regimond and Alexander, entered.

They were sons of noble families who had become Joanna’s attendants. Originally, they’d come to the Holy Capital to become high-ranking Priests.

But ironically, after the Devil descended, they temporarily postponed becoming Priests and volunteered to serve Joanna as attendants, even using their family’s power to do so.

These two suddenly approached Joanna and spoke to her in carefully measured tones, like true noblemen, calculating everything carefully.

“Excuse us, oh Savior.”

“…”

Savior.

Joanna wanted to ask them to stop calling her that, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Officially, she was indeed the Child of Angels, and the Savior.

For the sake of the fragile stability of the Pater Church and the world, and for Oliver’s peace, she decided to accept the title, despite her dislike of it.

The title of Savior, which she did not deserve.

“Oh Savior? Did we make some mistake…”

“No. More importantly, what brings you here? You are free to rest today.”

“His Holiness already told us as much. However, we dared to come here to ask you something. Please forgive us for the intrusion.”

The nobles bowed deeply to Joanna, almost as if they were addressing royalty.

Joanna forced a smile.

“It’s nothing. What do you want to know?”

“Our homeland, the United Kingdom, is about to hold a royal succession ceremony. Have you been invited?”

As expected of nobles, they received news quickly.

Joanna did not deny it.

“Yes, I have been invited. His Holiness also came to inform me of it just now.”

“Please take us with you!”

Like fish biting at bait, Regimond and Alexander immediately shouted their request.

Even though Joanna hadn’t said she would go, they seemed to presume it would be the case.

As Joanna showed a hesitant expression, they quickly became alarmed.

“A… Are you not going after all?”

“No, I plan to accept the invitation.”

“Ah, that’s a relief… Well then, we know this is a presumptuous request, but please, allow us and our families to accompany you as your retinue.”

“…”

“Our families have deep roots in the United Kingdom, so we can definitely be of help to you, Savior. Of course…”

“We can also faithfully serve you. It’s just…”

Seeing Joanna’s silence, the two men, who had come to the Holy Capital intending to become Priests, rapidly poured out words to convince her.

They wanted to escape from the Holy Capital, which was rumored to be cursed due to the Devil’s descent.

It wasn’t hard to understand.

Having been around the Holy Capital to prove she was a Child of Angels, Joanna also knew how the rest of the world viewed the place.

A forsaken land, a hotbed of disease, a place cursed by God. Far from friendly.

It was similar to Zone Z in Randa.

Strangely, the twisted skin plaguing the Holy Capital resembled what had happened with the Z-District’s Anti-Development Committee.

Joanna knew this because she had seen the information and photos related to them while stationed in Randa.

In that sense, the two were quite clever.

“If nothing else, then at least allow us to go…”

They wanted to leave as soon as possible, before the Holy Capital became another Zone Z.

Of course, their cleverness aside, their willingness to flee without hesitation was selfish, but Joanna decided not to mind.

She was not that different from them, after all.

“…I can’t give you an immediate answer, but I’ll speak to His Holiness for you.”

“That’s more than enough. Thank you, Savior.”

Having heard the reply they wanted, the two attendants sincerely expressed their gratitude and left the room.

Once again alone, Joanna looked out the window like before.

Only this time, she looked in a different direction.

Instead of the restored streets of the Holy Capital, rebuilt through Kevin’s new Archive, Joanna gazed out beyond the city, in the direction Oliver had left.

Though she had no idea where or what he was doing, Joanna could only wish for his safety and peace.

In a world filled with selfish people like herself.

***

“The alliance between Puppet and the Royal Family is real. And it’s true that the end is in sight.”

In the heart of Randa’s political and administrative Zone A.

At the very center of it all—City Hall.

Oliver suddenly burst through the conference room door without permission, casually taking a seat and throwing out his words.

Hearing this, the City Councilors and the Minister of Internal Affairs could only stare blankly at Oliver with indescribable expressions.

After all, in the middle of their busy schedules, he had shown up out of nowhere and dropped a bombshell.

But that reaction implied they still had not grasped who Oliver truly was. And Oliver made sure to demonstrate it.

“Oh, and one more thing. I am the Prince of Hell. Do you have any questions?”