Villain Retirement

Chapter 1025 Chapter 1025: Lost Soul

"I truly did not expect for you to still be alive, Pope."

"Why would I not be? My time has also stopped like everyone else."

"Because I thought you were already dead even before everything happened, Pope."

"...But for us to meet here, fate truly has its way to bring people together."

"Not fate, but Miss Pepondosovich."

The Pope and his Paladins were actually already in the city, they were about to leave, but the Pope suddenly felt faint and so they decided to rest a bit in the local inn — but lo and behold, Riley Ross.

"We should go, Father."

"Angela, can't you see I am talking to an old friend here? Go with the other paladins."

Angela, the Crimson Paladin, interrupted Riley and the Pope's conversation; grabbing the Pope's hand and trying to pull him away. The Pope, however, stayed completely still in his seat and even waved Angela away. And even though Angela was wearing his helmet, the small harrumph that seeped from the cracks of her headgear was enough to know what she was feeling.

"But—"

"If you are going to insist on not joining the other Paladins," the Pope let out a long and very deep sigh as he glanced at the table where the other paladins were gathered; all of them, already had their helmets off and relaxing, "Then just join us here."

And without even waiting for Angela to reply, Riley floated a seat behind her and let Angela fall onto it before sliding it onto the table.

"I do not like being manhandled, Darkday! I am sure I have told you that several times already in the past!" Angela then finally removed her helmet, revealing… a head that was even shinier than her crimson helmet; shaved beyond perfection. Her eyes, however, were once again sewn shut.

"Oh…" Riley blinked a couple of times, "...You are a bald variant."

"No," Angela crossed her arms, "I just shaved my head because after 600 years, it gets kind of tiring inside my helmet."

"I suppose you are just lazy to take care of your hair, Miss Angela," Riley slightly flicked his head, and as he did so, his white hair suddenly grew longer; extremely long to the point it almost reached the ground as it slid on the back of the chair, "Unlike me."

"He has a point, he also used to have a helmet," the Pope nodded as he casually pointed at Riley.

"You and I know that's not fair at all," Angela clicked her tongue before placing her large slab of a sword on top of the table; it was, however, immediately grabbed by Riley and placed to the side.

"You—I told you not to hold my sword too!"

"That was a very long time ago for you, Miss Angela," Riley squinted his eyes.

"It has been," Angela scoffed as she crossed her arms and looked away, "The last time I saw you was during the issue of the House of Super."

"Your memory is really great, Miss Angela."

"That is the curse of not being able to forget everything I see," Angela shook her head, "And where even were you the entire time? When half the population suddenly died, I thought it was your doing — but then those people claiming themselves to be gods suddenly came and started wreaking havoc everywhere, killing anyone who was left. And then I found out multiverse exists and the havoc also happened there, and now life is almost practically extinct…

…and then we suddenly found ourselves here, in this… weird world."

"And when were you suddenly sent to this place, Miss Angela?" Riley asked.

"296 years ago, while the war between those megalomaniacs was still happening."

"W—"

"But you know what? I'm tired of being asked the questions," Angela then raised a finger before leaning closer to Riley, practically pushing the Pope to the side as she faced him, "Where were you the entire time? I thought for sure you would be at the center and killing those heretics."

"Well, since the Pope is here — I might as well the story as per our routine."

Riley then started telling Angela and the Pope about everything that had happened, and as a matter of course, Karina and the others who were seated at another table were intently and intensely listening to them, especially Viel, who still had not left even though he said he was leaving moments ago.

And it wasn't just them, the other patrons of the inn had their ears enlarged and pointed at Riley's table. After all, all of them knew the Pope, as he was practically a political figure, with a percent of the population being their followers — and a percent with their already low numbers was already a huge deal.

Unfortunately for them, Riley was making sure that only their tables were able to hear his story.

"All of that really… happened? And you are saying that…" Angela then turned to look at Karina's table, or more specifically, towards Death, "...That we are in the presence of one of God's first children? The personification of Death itself?"

"I knew you were destined for greater and divine things," the Pope let out a small and withering hum, "But never would I expect you to go as deep as communicating with the instruments of our Creator, it would seem I would never have a story to beat yours, Mr. Darkday."

"I am certain you will still have stories, Pope," Riley shook his head, "You are still alive despite being biologically more than a hundred years old and a normal human—no. I am certain that you are a Super."

"No," the Pope let out a hearty chuckle as he grasped his slightly bulging stomach, "I am as normal as a mortal can be. I just eat well, Mr. Darkday — steak, greens, chicken, and rice. That is all."

"You're not allowed to eat steaks anymore," Angel clicked her tongue.

"I believe you have no say in the matter," the Pope shook his head, "Look at you, young but already bald. You should eat healthier."

"I'm bald by choice! I'm a woman!"

"Baldness in women is actually quite—"

"Can we stop talking about my head!?" Angel could no longer take it as she quickly grabbed her helmet and wore it, "And Pope, we should go — we still have a lot to do, these people need the word of our Lord."

"Perhaps we can help you then, Pope?" Riley tilted his head before glancing at Death, "We have Death — your claim would be much more authentic."

"As much as I would love to know the stories of Death, my words actually come straight from the source, Mr. Darkday," the Pope let out a small hum as he clasped his palms together.

"Hm…?"

"That's right, Darkday," Angela once again scoffed, "Father hears the world of our Lord now."

"I am aware that your Lord speaks to you, Miss Angela."

"No, not like that — the Lord truly spoke to him, speaks to him," Angela shook her head as she stood up, "The other paladins heard our Lord too."

"Interesting," Riley placed his hand on his chin, "And when was the first time your god spoke to you, Pope?"

"When we arrived in this place," the Pope closed his eyes, "The Lord told me to continue my mission, to spread his word. He has shown himself when he is needed the most, when the souls are lost and needs guidance after everything that has happened."

"Shown himself? You saw him, Pope?"

"Yes, in the form of a woman," the Pope nodded, "My paladins can attest to this."

"What about you, Miss Angela?" Riley squinted his eyes.

"He… refuses to show Himself to me," Angela turned her head down, "Perhaps because I am a product of sin. But I sense doubt in you, do not — as He has showed Father and the others the creation of life, right in front of them."

"Or perhaps because you can see through what he…she really is," Riley shook his head as he stood up, "Whoever showed herself to you is not your Lord, Pope — I apologize. And I might know who she is."

"Are you saying it might be Paige Pearson?" Death then approached their table, causing both the Pope and Angela to bow their heads to her.

"No," Riley shook his head, "Paige Pearson would never treat herself as a god, even if she is fully capable of it."

"You do not know that," Death shook her head, "Humans can change in a very short amount of time, and that is exactly what Paige has made herself to be — or if anything, the Other Paige might be responsible for the trickery."

"The Other Paige also would not do it," Riley once again shook his head.

"Why can't you just admit that it is our Lord, Darkday?"

"Ask her if your lord exists, Angela," Riley glanced at Death, causing Angela to almost stutter and just look away.

"Only you can answer that, Ms. Angela," Death just smiled before turning her attention back to Riley, "But if it is not Paige Pearson, then…

…are you saying that it is one of my siblings?"