Chapter 002: Farewell in Death

Alfred shook his head slightly. “I’m already on my deathbed. What more excessive demands could I have? I dare not ask for anything else—only that you spare Nicholas’s life, considering he knows nothing.”
Du Fan smiled and said, “Even if I spare his life, do you think he can survive and get out of this place in his current state?”
Alfred’s face turned pale. He wanted to plead with Du Fan but didn’t know how to begin.
Du Fan closed his eyes for a moment before saying, “But I can give you a chance. Tell me everything you know—about this divine palace, about what your Roland Academy plans to do in the Holy Church, and how many of your people there are. If you do that, I promise I’ll bring Lord Nicholas out alive.”
Alfred’s face was deathly pale. He struggled internally—his lover on one side, his academy on the other. He couldn’t decide which to choose.
Du Fan looked at him and sighed. “Nicholas would sacrifice his own life for you, but will you refuse to say a few words for him?”
Alfred replied in a hoarse voice, “Du Fan… you don’t understand… there are things that must never be spoken… If I do, not only will I… but you too will suffer terrible consequences…”
Du Fan snorted. “It’s unclear what will happen to me, but if you stay silent, I can guarantee you’ll suffer greatly. Though I’m not a necromancer, with her methods, extracting your soul and forcing you to answer questions shouldn’t be difficult.”
Alfred followed Du Fan’s gaze and saw Chenchen standing there with a smile, accompanied by a dejected little green dragon.
Alfred shuddered. Du Fan was right—that woman might truly be capable of anything…
He closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, tears streamed down his face.
Nicholas… if my soul is taken away, all traces of me in this world will be erased. Will you still remember me then?
As he thought this, his gaze fell on Nicholas’s pale, unconscious face. These two lovers truly shared a deep affection.

At such a moment, Du Fan could easily guess what Alfred was thinking just by using his toes. With a cold sneer, he said, “Lord Alfred, whether you’re willing to speak or not, I’ll eventually find out everything I want to know. But if you cooperate, you can save Nicholas’s life. If not, I swear I’ll make him suffer before killing him! Is Nicholas not even as important to you as your false beliefs? Or do you expect me to erase all traces of you two from this world before you’ll be satisfied? Nicholas has always cared for you—can’t you show him some care at the very end?”

Alfred was struck like by lightning. Trembling, he reached out to touch Nicholas’s face. After a long while, he finally sighed in defeat and said, “Why… why can’t I let go… Lord… forgive me… I’ve ultimately betrayed my own beliefs…”

He raised his head to look at Du Fan, his eyes lifeless. “Swear it… Swear that after I tell you everything, you’ll take Nicholas back safely… Then I’ll reveal everything to you…”

Even without his words, Du Fan wouldn’t have abandoned Nicholas in such a place. After all, he still wanted to stay in the Holy Church for a few more days. Even if the archbishop’s adopted son was a rebel, Du Fan couldn’t ignore his life. With this premise, Du Fan swore without hesitation. A few vicious oaths would probably convince even the most suspicious miser. But whether he would keep his promises was beyond ordinary people’s understanding.

The entire cave fell silent, with only Alfred’s soft sighs remaining. After a long time, he finally spoke, slowly recounting everything.

To be cautious, Du Fan cast a soundproofing spell around them and used his mental power to delve into Alfred’s consciousness. At this moment, Alfred’s consciousness had turned gray. He simply spoke everything instinctively, without any concealment. Those around him saw Alfred’s face appear grotesque and evil under the light, covered in an eerie glow.

By the time he finished speaking, Alfred’s face had turned a deathly gray. His eyes lacked any vitality, and he no longer had the strength to move them.

Du Fan looked at him and sighed softly. He never expected Alfred to end his own life in such a way. His Light Combat Qi had shattered everything inside his body; even if the God of Light descended, it was unlikely he could bring him back to life. Du Fan slowly raised his hand to close Alfred’s eyelids. In that final moment, it seemed as though Alfred’s gaze flickered briefly. In Alfred’s vision, Nicholas’s figure grew increasingly distant. He called out softly, repeatedly: “Dear Nicholas… if I’m not by your side… you must take good care of yourself… If there’s an afterlife… I will definitely come to find you again… Nicholas… actually… what I most want to do is find a place where no one is around and grow old with you slowly…” He felt blood and flesh fragments rising from the depths of his throat. He didn’t know if he had made any sound, nor if his dear Nicholas could hear his words of comfort. All he knew was that after this last glance, another thousand years of reincarnation would begin. But would I still be able to meet you after a thousand years? Du Fan slowly stood up. He never imagined Alfred to be so resolute. If it weren’t for Nicholas, even if his soul were truly taken, it was uncertain whether anything could be obtained. Moreover, from the information Alfred had revealed, both he and the Holy Church, even the Gavin Empire, would face many troubles in the future. Although he was used to acting selfishly, after learning these things, it was crucial to consider how much benefit he could reap for himself. But these were matters for later. The immediate concern was: if Nicholas woke up, would he seek death out of love? Just thinking about it gave Du Fan a terrible headache. The love between two men could often be countless times stronger than that between a man and a woman. If Nicholas committed suicide out of grief over Alfred’s death, how could he explain himself to that old fox, Anthony? So many Temple Knights had died, another Alfred had died, and if Nicholas died too, that old fox would surely skin him alive. The more Du Fan thought about it, the more headaches he got. Helplessly, he waved to call Ferre over. Ferre came over with a bitter expression and asked, “Lord Du Fan… what orders do you have?”

Du Fan thought for a moment and said, “Lord Nicholas is in your care… If even one of his hairs is missing… you’ll have to explain it to Lord Anthony yourself later…”
Fei Lei’s expression changed drastically upon hearing this. He said, “Lord Du Fan, what merits or abilities do I have to handle such a task? It would be better to leave it to Lady Tasia…”
Before he could finish speaking, there was a whooshing sound as an ice shard flew past his forehead. Tasia stood there coldly, as if nothing had happened.
Fei Lei was stunned for a moment before forcing a bitter smile. His mind raced through countless thoughts before he finally sighed softly and said, “Yes… Lord Du Fan… I’ll take care of Lord Nicholas.”
At this moment, Fei Lei clearly understood that Du Fan’s greatest concern was that Nicholas might try to end his own life over Alfred’s death. He resolved in his heart, “As soon as Lord Nicholas wakes up, I’ll punch him so hard that he stays unconscious from here all the way to the capital!”
Even if he were punished for hitting a saint, it would still be far better than dying at his own hands!
Seeing him nod, Du Fan breathed a sigh of relief. This Fei Lei was smart when it mattered and foolish when it didn’t—truthfully, he suited Du Fan’s tastes well. As long as the person was in his hands, nothing serious should happen, allowing Du Fan to focus on his own tasks.
He gave Fei Lei an encouraging smile, then clapped his hands and said, “Alright… this side is taken care of… Now it’s time to deal with the other side… Lord Aldas… please don’t disappoint me too much…”
With a light laugh, Du Fan slowly walked toward Aldas. Chenchen, worried about his safety, hurriedly followed behind with Isella.
Before long, Du Fan arrived at Aldas’s side.
At this point, Aldas no longer had his usual composure. He held Kris tightly in his arms, but he had already fallen unconscious—likely due to the powerful strike from Isella.
“Is he dead?” Du Fan sighed softly and kicked Aldas’s head a few times.