Pastor's Tantra

The Eternal Theocracy, the twenty-second circle.

Aiwass opened his eyes after a long absence and returned to the material world.

His pupils were filled with golden and red brilliance, and the divine radiance made his calm face look compassionate.

"Matilda..."

Aiwass said softly.

At this moment, the blue-haired cardinal on the thirteenth floor immediately responded: "I'm here, Your Majesty. The ceremony has been prepared for you, you just need to change your clothes and lie on the bed.

"...But are you sure you really don't need an escort? We can match you with at least three promoters to ensure your promotion is successful..."

"It's enough to have Aleister with me."

Aiwass's voice was gentle and calm.

His lowered eyes were filled with radiance that could not be blocked even with his eyes closed.

The pope, wearing a black and red robe, replied seriously: "This is a new moon ceremony. Strictly speaking, there are no so-called 'teammates'. Even if we enter the promotion ceremony together, we may receive conflicting tasks or have to be in the same position." Hostile state.

"At that time, how should I face these helpers? This is a four-to-five promotion ceremony. It would be okay if it fails, but if it dies... it will most likely bring death in reality. How can I watch it? Are they going to die like this?"

"...Your Majesty," Cardinal Matilda looked serious at this moment, "you must know that their mission should be like this. Dedicating yourself to something greater is our lifelong pursuit. If their death can replace your Rising to a higher position, they must be happy to witness this scene.

"The position of the Pope cannot be lost, Your Majesty. No matter what, nothing can happen to you here, otherwise problems will follow for the entire Theocracy - even if you think about it this way. Just think of it for everyone in the Theocracy. , can’t we let those people contribute to their sacred mission?”

Dedicating others to others is itself a choice on the path of dedication.

The core of the path of dedication is "benefiting others", but it does not necessarily require "harming oneself". This is also the reason why there are so many crazy people on the path of devotion.

"If you even resort to such tricks during the New Moon Ceremony, you might be considered cheating."

Aiwass smiled nonchalantly: "Besides, you also said it. Dedicating yourself to others is the pursuit of devotees... If you send someone to be promoted with me, how can you be sure that I won't How about dedicating myself to help him advance? I am much deeper on the path of dedication than he is."

Cardinal Matilda rubbed her forehead with a headache: "Then why don't you just wait for the full moon ceremony next month? Isn't that good? Even if you include Aleister, who must win, we can give you another match Four elites. Even I can go there myself..."

"Yeah, I've thought about it too."

Aiwass replied: "I did the math, and the winning rate will indeed be much higher in that case."

Cardinal Matilda suddenly became energetic: "So——"

"——That's why I refuse."

Aiwass said without hesitation: "Because that would be equivalent to us depriving the remaining three people of the possibility of victory. This is unfair and even more unjust."

"You are the greatest justice in the world, Your Majesty."

"But what if there is one person there who is more talented and has a better future than me? Even if we remove one person, what if we meet two? Just before the ceremony begins, erase their futures. Even their lives?

"According to the rules of devotees, I should dedicate those close to me for others, that is, let you make way for others... But I don't want to do that, because it would also hurt my heart to give up my friends. I don't want to lose anyone. ”

Having said this, Aiwass opened his eyes again, and two rays of light illuminated the entire space the moment he opened his eyes: "Before I separated from Aleister, I might agree with this idea. For the sake of 'the greatest The sum of good, sacrifice is necessary. At that time, I even specially found some teammates, just to achieve a greater winning rate at this time..."

"But now, I refuse this behavior. I was promoted together with Aleister because I was accompanying her, not her to help me. If a sacrifice is needed, it should only be me.

"So I will only be promoted together with Aleister and choose the New Moon Ceremony... At least this way, we will not encounter too many people gathering in the New Moon Ceremony. And if we encounter one, we must sacrifice one person situation, I can also give up myself to let Aleister rise to a higher level.

"-Don't worry, Matilda. I'll come back alive at least.

"In other words, even if I die... it will never affect the Theocracy. I have made complete preparations..."

Aiwass said this, removed his papal robes, and put on the red archbishop's robes.

Promotion to the fourth level... No one would believe him even if he was wearing a priest's robe. It would be better to just wear the clothes of an archbishop, but it would make others believe in his calmness.

He slowly lay down on the soft bed, and the surrounding area of ​​the bed was already covered by the ritual formation. No trace of uncleanness can be seen from here. All the ritual requirements are completed by Cardinal Cyril below, and the ritual array here is only for connection.

This is not just for etiquette, but also to protect the Eternal Pope and the entire Eternal Theocracy - any object may constitute a ritual by coincidence, and ritual items make it easier to do this. Therefore, except for absolutely necessary things, anything unnecessary will not be sent to the twenty-second circle.

Anyway, the Eternal Pope is basically in a deep sleep all the time... There is no need to eat, drink or excrete.

The Pope is a tower, a link, a symbol, a scepter, a power center... and a coat rack holding the Holy Crown. But it is impossible to be a mortal with independent personality.

"All nine are included..."

Aiwass lay on the bed, closed his eyes and chanted in a low voice: "I am in it."

At this moment, Cardinal Cyril was presiding over this simplest and most universal ceremony with utmost seriousness.

In Leipzig, far away, Aleister also closed his eyes and leaned sideways on a soft sofa chair, supporting his chin with one hand. Under her body is a ritual circle composed of blood, and ritual sacrifices are scattered around -

Dead seabirds, broken mirrors, deer hearts pierced by nails.

Melting wax figures of philosophers, bitter black salt soaked in blood, flying squirrels tied to crosses.

A horse's penis, knotted into an "8" with nails pierced through it, and an oyster with a black pearl that was not his own stuffed inside.

Finally, there was a venomous snake coiled at Aleister's feet.

The windows and lights were covered with a layer of red cloth, and the room was filled with dark red light.

Accompanied by strong sleepiness, she whispered like a dream: "Except for me...

"——All eight will die."

As eight black-red flames ignited with a roar, the blood circle under her feet suddenly lit up with a strange brilliance.

Then, she was dragged deeper into the dream world.

Aleister opened his eyes and saw that the nine chairs were empty.

Above the dark red sky hung a dark waning moon.

Beneath him was a sea of ​​black blood that ebbed and flowed with a large amount of white foam.

However, the light source here is not the dark red sky or the waning moon...

In the middle of the nine chairs, a bright and warm light is shining. The sea of ​​blood at His feet, which appeared black due to the dim light, was illuminated into true red.

It was a sacred deer made of pure ruby.

He has a pure and dazzling red color, and his body is covered with black thorns. Those thorns pierced His skin, and the blood continued to flow downward, sinking into the sea of ​​blood.

His huge crystal red antlers are like candlesticks, burning with white and pure flames.

——That’s Si Zhu.

"Great Zhuzhu...is this a promotion ceremony presided over by you?"

Aleister quickly said hello politely.

"I just came to see you, Aleister."

A warm and steady voice like a loving father sounded in the space: "Behave well...this ceremony may be very important to you."

When Si Zhu's voice fell, the shining red stag disappeared without a trace.

Only a stone statue of a young deer shorter than a man was left in place.

It has slender four legs and a very cute two-headed body. It has a small sharp horn on its head, its body is slender and strong, its pupils look as clear as a teddy bear, and behind it there is a pair of huge flame butterfly wings like flame butterflies, and at this moment the flames on the butterfly wings have solidified. , forming a beautiful and dynamic posture.

Aleister recognized it immediately...it was Winged Fire. It likes to rescue those who are lost and in desperate situations, such as those who are lost in the snowy mountains or stranded on an isolated island due to a shipwreck. Like an invisible "V" flame, it picks them up and sends them to Safe place.

It was also the candle-wielding apostle that Aiwass often summoned when he was in the Theocracy. Whenever Aiwass brought something to Isabel, he always asked him to help send it there.

Aleister suddenly felt a little ironic.

Because this will be the most cruel ceremony presided over by the most compassionate Pillar God...