Chapter 344: God’s name.

‎Aurelia was staring at the mirror, looking at herself in an all-white robe and accessories that decorated her ears, neck, and hands. She found herself staring into her own eyes with a cold gaze, slowly feeling like she was staring at someone else rather than herself. However, she snapped back to reality when she heard a knock on the door.

‎She watched the priestesses bring in her dinner since she had been spending her time dealing with the issues that had been happening. She didn’t even have time alone in the past weeks, and wanted nothing but solitude in the quiet night.

‎”Your Holiness, Saint Serena and Saint Mother wished to see you,” the priestess said with her head lowered.

‎”I see. If Saint Seren or my mother wished to see me in the future, please let them come. They don’t need my permission to see me, and I want all of you to remember that,” Aurelia said with a soft smile on her face.

‎”Yes, Your Holiness. We will inform the others, and we will excuse ourselves…” The priestesses bowed their heads before they left the room.

‎Not long after the priestesses left the room, Serena and Astrea came into the office. Serena was making sure Astrea wouldn’t trip and fall. It had been weeks since Divine Physician Sima treated Astrea’s wounds, and her condition was starting to get better.

‎”Mother…” Aurelia smiled softly at Astrea as she helped her walk by holding her hand. “You look way healthier…” Her smile widened as she looked at the bandages all over Astrea’s arms that were no longer covered in blood since the wounds had begun to dry up.

‎Astrea put on a gentle smile as she allowed Aurelia to guide her to the couch. However, Aurelia could see in Astrea’s smile that something was off about that smile.

‎”What is it, mother?” Aurelia asked as she sat beside Astrea, still holding her hand.

‎Astrea placed her other hand on top of Aurelia’s and held it tightly. She slowly looked at Aurelia, staring at her eyes back and forth.

‎”Divine Physician Sima is leaving tomorrow,” Astrea answered as she caressed Aurelia’s hand.

‎”What?! Why?! You’re not fully healed yet, mother. Why did he decide to leave?!” Aurelia asked, shocked by the news.

‎Serena chuckled as she placed her finger on her lips, staring into Aurelia’s eyes. Aurelia glanced at Serena, knowing what that gesture meant. She closed her eyes, controlling her breathing, and began to think. That gesture was a code that Serena taught her, a gesture to ask her to stop talking and start thinking.

‎Aurelia slowly opened her eyes and stared into Astrea’s eyes. She thought the reason for the Divine Physician Sima would leave even before her mother got treated until she fully recovered. She then looked at the dried wounds underneath the bandages on her mother’s arms and neck. She began to see it, the answer that she hoped it wasn’t the right one.

‎”He couldn’t treat your wounds anymore, mother?” Aurelia asked in a quiet and calm voice.

‎”Yes, he tried everything he knew. However, he couldn’t heal the wounds, only made them dry up. He said that every time it showed a sign of recovery with the medicine he made, the next morning it wouldn’t work anymore,” Astrea answered as she nodded her head and began to caress Aurelia’s cheek. “He said that he had never seen anything like this. He said that it was as if the universe didn’t want me to recover these wounds,” she chuckled softly as she averted her gaze.

‎Aurelia, Serena, and Astrea knew that the wounds were from Astrea’s plea to God. She was willing to sacrifice herself in exchange for protecting the lives of the people of South Neva during the final battle against the demons. Her plea got answered, and she had to live the rest of her life with such a condition.

‎”If God was cruel, your mother wouldn’t be here right now,” Astrea said as she cupped Aurelia’s cheeks.

‎”Or perhaps it’s a punishment from God…” Aurelia pulled away, averting her gaze. “It’s a reminder for the lies that this family has kept hidden from the world. The very thing that we wanted to erase from this world…” she muttered, her gaze filled with disgust and anger.

‎Serena looked at the two of them and it hadn’t been the first time those two had acted like that. They were close like mother and daughter, and then they suddenly became distant like strangers.

‎”Does it matter? Why are you two always talking about God in this matter as if you understand God’s intention?” Serena asked, staring at them both with a cold gaze.

‎Aurelia and Astrea looked at Serena, surprised by what she said. They could see the annoyance in her eyes and a hint of hatred. They had no idea the soul inside Serena was the first woman, the first wife of Adam, Lilith, who was used as an example of greed, arrogance, and disobedience by God to humankind.

‎”Stop talking about God when to justify everything,” Serena said with a serious expression.

‎Aurelia and Astrea finally realized what they had been saying, and it made them a bit embarrassed. However, they were still shocked that Serena seemed irritated by it, and they didn’t expect her to react that way. They began to notice that Serena had never praised God ever since they met her, but she showed compassion and kindness to the people around her.

‎”You don’t like to speak about God, Saint Serena?” Astrea asked, staring Serena in the eyes.

“It’s not about I don’t like speaking about God, but the question is what for?” Serena asked back as she leaned back and stared at both of them. “Speaking God’s name as if I know better or assuming what God likes or doesn’t like. If I want to oversimplified things because I said God forbid this and that, what do people learn other than fear?” She added with her arms crossed.

“Don’t mention God in front of me when you’re using it just to simplify things,” Serena said with a stern look on her face.

Aurelia and Astrea were baffled when Serena boldly said something like that. Anyone would call her words blasphemous, a controversy that would be enough to put her on a trial, to be punished severely by believers. Of course, those two could say a few words that would warn Serena, however, they chose not to because the very reason she died a long time ago was no other than because of the Holy Nation who eliminated her out of fear of the end of time’s prophecy.

Aurelia looked at her food that had turned cold, and she had lost her appetite. The room was heavy with tension and unspoken words, but then she cleared her throat as she stood up. She walked toward her desk and reached out to the documents in the drawer.

“I’m planning to reveal everything to the world…” Aurelia said as she put the documents on the table. “I’m going to bring out all the things that our family has kept hidden for a hundred years…” She continued with her eyes on the documents.

“I want the world to see how the most holy and sacred place that people believed in hides something so vile and corrupted that it can turn their belief upside-down,” Aurelia sighed with her eyes closed. “I’m ready, and there’s no better time than now when the world is questioning the Holy Nation,” she continued.

Astrea closed her eyes, knowing that it would be the end for the Angelis family and the Holy Nation. She couldn’t imagine the faces of the believers, the feeling of betrayal, disgust, anger, and hatred. She had nothing to say, and would steel her heart for what was about to come.

“When are you going to announce it to the world, Aurelia?” Serena asked, staring at Aurelia with a soft gaze. “You know that the moment you reveal everything, you will have nobody to support you, and the demons will gather to take what’s theirs,” she continued.

Aurelia nodded her head with understanding, knowing exactly the risk and the consequences of revealing everything. She didn’t even want to go back down to that secret chamber, to see the evil that the Angelis family had kept hidden. She didn’t want to believe that she was born and raised in the Angelis family. She felt nothing but disgrace, shame, and disgust that lingered on her body like a second skin.

“In three weeks…” Aurelia answered as she clenched her fists. “I’m going to invite the world, the nobles, and the royal families to enter this sacred place. I want them to see it with their own eyes. I want them all to be present and three weeks are enough to bring all of them here because I already sent the invitation to them,” she continued.

“In that case…” Serena said as she stood up. “I’ll prepare on my side,” she continued as she walked toward the door.

“Prepare yourself, Saint Serena?” Aurelia furrowed her brows, confused and anxious.

“You’ll see,” Serene looked over her shoulder with a smile on her face before she left the room.

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