HTLCCBFT Chapter 227

Has The Lord’s Career Chart Been Filled Today? – Chapter 227

In truth, after hearing this earnest wish voiced by his little partner, the tall and handsome deity nearly revealed his cat ears in sheer delight.

Thus Oliver clearly witnessed how those golden, fluffy ear tips trembled with effortless joy.

Though failing to capture the rare shyness of this “beautiful yet cunning human,” the deity quickly grasped the most crucial information in those words and interpreted it in the way he understood best.

Being alone together, walking among strangers who wouldn’t recognize them—this was the kind of date he had grown fond of and gradually familiar with.

“Alright,” he responded eagerly, secretly embracing his little partner while pressing close, his tone betraying unmistakable impatience: “Shall we go now?”

Faced with his eagerness, the golden-haired lord felt both surprised and amused: “… okay.”

—

Royal City.

Nighttime was when people’s hearts suffered most: although their lives had plunged into perpetual darkness since the merciless disease struck the city, at least daylight could offer some false hope to a few.

When pitch darkness fell, aside from scattered households that could afford oil lamps, other dwellings were only bathed in pale silver moonlight. The chaotically cast shadows resembled man-eating beasts.

More beastly than those shadows were the incessant, inhuman wails of agony emanating from every household—whether from despairing relatives of the afflicted or the suffering patients themselves. Merely hearing them from afar was enough to fill gloomy hearts with terror and despair.

Yet these terrifying cries that made the living tremble seemed unable to penetrate the thick city walls, let alone reach the innermost palace.

Many wealthy residents living outside the third wall had frequently sent money to the divine temple, begging for the blessing of the gods.

So why—when they needed divine protection most—had both God and Priest heartlessly abandoned them?

As despair and fury fermented in the darkness, some chose to leave the temple during this most dangerous time, coming to stand outside the homes of the dying or before newly erected tombstones.

“I see you again, my dear companion.”

A figure thoroughly wrapped in a plain gray cloak suddenly spoke.

“Lady Edir.”

The Grand High Priest turned, his striking white hair concealed beneath a black cloak, his expression calm: “You’re here too.”

For the first time unaccompanied by maids or guards, devoid of any ornaments, wearing even her clothes old and worn like a servant’s—yet this Countess, who ought to reside beyond the first city gate, carried herself with composure and joy.

He showed no surprise at Edir leaving the “noble district” all Royal City residents dreamed of inhabiting, appearing instead in this plague-ridden area, merely nodding naturally: “Pleased to see you again.”

“I am indeed overjoyed. I even wondered why I felt surprised earlier? I knew all along I’d eventually meet you here.”

She had been struggling to carry a large wooden bucket freshly filled with water, but as she spoke, she simply set it down on the ground before her toes. Lifting her head, her moon-reflecting eyes seemed to sparkle: “How does it feel to be cast out?”

The white-haired, red-eyed Grand High Priest tilted his head slightly, as if pondering for a moment, then nodded earnestly.

“Quite good.”

Of course it was good—this seemed to be the first time he could truly act upon his own will.

He had once witnessed a commoner child sent to study in the divine temple, who, merely for excelling, was subjected to bullying by noble children who ordered their servants to torment him until he died in agony.

What had he done back then?

Having never seen so much vile sin, the thirteen-year-old boy had panicked and run to the Grand High Priest at the time, pleading for help for that pitiful child.

“Oh no, my dear child.”

The benevolent-faced Grand High Priest bent down, placing his hands on his shoulders with a warning pressure: “That is merely the punishment for a lowly commoner daring to offend a noble… He is still alive. If he truly didn’t want it, he could always leave, right?”

But that child’s parents had desperately hoped their only son could complete his studies and secure a minor steward position. To send him to the temple, they had nearly exhausted all the resources of their impoverished family.

And the child himself was clever and sensible: aware of his family’s hardships, even as the bullying worsened and the teachers silently condoned it, he never complained to his family and continued to study diligently.

Then, after achieving yet another excellent result, the “deeply humiliated” second young master of the Viscount family ordered his servants to seize him and cruelly threw him into the most hidden well in the temple cemetery.

By the time Abino found the child, he had been so disfigured by the cold water, his limbs swollen beyond recognition, that it was impossible to tell if he had been terrified before death.

He thought then that he would never grow callous as others wished, and he would never forget that face.

If God truly existed, if the revered Grand High Priest was truly compassionate, then why would they turn a blind eye to such brazen evil committed within the divine temple?

“I never thought they’d give up on you so easily,” Edir said, feeling for the first time so free and relaxed to converse with her companion—yes, in this Royal City, Abino was the only companion in her eyes—even joking: “Can you tell me how you managed it?”

The Grand High Priest said lightly, “During the initial inspection, I put on the clothes of a deceased illness victim in front of them.”

That was his last chance to leave the temple before the great disaster ended.

If he missed it, he would remain under the temple’s control, forced to watch more people die while he hid in a safe refuge.

Edir sighed genuinely: “You’re truly remarkable. To still be standing here unharmed—it must be God’s protection.”

The other offered no comment.

Edir thought, even she couldn’t do that—and she had believed she was clever by feigning a fever to force her cowardly father to drive her out.

Emerging had already required considerable courage, yet Abino proved even more resolute.

But perhaps it didn’t matter anymore?

Edir thought, after witnessing and truly living in such hellish conditions, she no longer cared how long she might live.

Rather than the suffering she endured, what she found even more unbearable was the spiritual numbness.

She had once pinned those faint hopes on her former fiancé – beautiful as a true angel, yet cruelly mocked by fate.

She thought she had tried hard enough to break free from destiny.

But only after witnessing such brilliant light did she realize she hadn’t truly given her all, merely timidly extending her toes toward the blazing fire.

And got burned.

Long before the flames could even singe her clothes, she had already withdrawn her foot with terrified screams, as if that level of heat alone could scorch her.

Heavens, she had been pathetically cowardly, yet still believed herself brave enough.

Only after truly understanding the appearance of real light through books and countless rumors did she realize how foolish and ridiculous she had been.

This also meant that with her restless heart stirring, she could no longer lie peacefully in the darkness.

Thinking this, Edir couldn’t help but smile: “Well, I have much to do, my dear friend. You must have your own affairs to attend to as well?”

After their brief conversation, though their surroundings differed greatly from before, both found themselves in better spirits, quickly choosing to go their separate ways with mutual understanding.

However, as they walked back-to-back in opposite directions, she suddenly thought of something and asked without turning around:

“By the way, when you pray for the departed, which deity’s protection do you seek for them?”

Abino paused mid-step and quietly turned around.

Almost exactly as he turned, the former noble young lady happened to look back as well.

The moment their eyes met, the former Grand High Priest – who appeared carved from ice and snow, aloof and expressionless – suddenly revealed a faint but genuine smile.

“Of course, to the truly compassionate father willing to shelter the suffering, the noble and selfless divine messenger, Duke Oliver Musta.” After uttering words that would surely enrage his former companions in the divine temple, he continued calmly: “And to the great God he painstakingly depicted – that deity existing only in beautiful ideals, bringing hope to countless people… the Cat God.”

Whether deities truly existed didn’t really matter – even though he had been the Grand High Priest and grown up in the divine temple.

Precisely because he grew up in the divine temple meant he had witnessed countless evils firsthand – occurring repeatedly beneath the perfectly carved marble robes of the divine statues.

Even if gods did exist, he believed they had likely departed long ago, no longer willing to protect selfish, ignorant, greedy, and cruel humanity.

But through everything that happened in Laina, Albury, and Gregor’s territories, he saw another kind of hope he had never imagined before.

While reciting prayers for another newly departed soul, he found himself unusually distracted.

There might no longer be divine radiance in this world, but there existed a being with an exceptionally noble and beautiful soul.

He had depicted a benevolent God, created an ideal kingdom, and was making great contributions that no deity would ever deign to make.

The grieving relatives continuously wiped away their tears, which were mingled with fear for the unknown tomorrow, the agony of losing their dearest ones, and also gratitude toward the Grand High Priest who had ventured into such a dangerous place.

What they did not know was that the Grand High Priest had already finished his usual prayers. What he was reciting now were some thoughts that had sprouted in his mind while he was openly lost in thought.

“Benevolent Father, Glorious Lord.”

“If tranquility, holiness, strength, light, sacrifice, compassion, and hope have all fallen into slumber, then the existence that awakens these precious qualities, even if not a god, will inevitably be desperately yearned for by humanity—who has no other salvation—and revered as the true god.”

He piously closed his eyes, his snow-white eyelashes resting against his thin lower eyelids, his lips pressed into a straight line.

“If I am fortunate enough to dream of him, Oliver Musta, I shall become the most devout believer, prostrating myself upon the pure white Temple Keystone, worshiping the god with utmost reverence.”

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