novelraw Chapter 724 403: As Much as You Need, I'll Give
Chapter 724 403: As Much as You Need, I'll Give
This conclusion made Alina feel utterly humiliated, as she didn't want to admit that her strength was inferior to Sofia's, but it was the truth.
Should I seek Sofia?
If he had any choice, Roland really didn't want to find her. But Alina was right; in the Netherworld, Sofia could unleash her full combat potential, and unless a god intervened, she was invincible.
After bidding farewell to Alina, Roland headed to the Saint Rurik Palace again.
Upon returning to the Summer Palace, Sofia looked at Roland's noticeably agitated expression with some surprise.
"You rarely come to see me in such short intervals, so tell me, what's the matter?"
"I need your help, and I'm willing to pay any price!" Roland straightforwardly made his request.
He introduced Sif's situation using the simplest language, then looked at Sofia boldly.
Honestly speaking, his relationship with Sofia was more akin to that of allies and partners.
If the benefits weren't enough, Sofia could very well refuse.
After all, venturing to the Sea of Annihilation meant experiencing triple death, and there was no certainty of return. Sofia had no reason to take such risks.
Sofia clearly didn't expect Roland to make such a request.
She very much wanted to flatly refuse; after all, she only enjoyed combat, not death, and she wouldn't take meaningless risks.
After a simple consideration, she slowly said, "I'll go with you. Remember, you owe me a favor."
Roland looked at Sofia with surprise and promptly nodded; in such a situation, how could he dare to bargain?
Is any favor greater than Sif's life? As long as Sofia was willing to help, he would give her anything she wanted.
Sofia hadn't been involved in domestic affairs for years, so she could leave at any time, which made it convenient.
However, she refused to have her body placed in Eden.
"I will enter the Netherworld in physical form."
"You'll be discovered," Roland softly reminded her.
"Anyone who stops me, I'll kill," Sofia declared with an unquestionable tone.
Despite how reckless this was, Roland knew this was Sofia's bottom line and said no more, quickly falling silent.
The Vladimir Empire's political arena now belonged to the young. Not only had Sofia distanced herself from politics, but even Angelina and Sahalin had retired and gone into seclusion.
Roland, on the other hand, had many things to arrange.
Even though he was no longer serving as the Prime Minister of the Six-Nation Alliance, he still had to worry about its development.
Apart from these worldly duties, he had to meet Christine.
Except when facing disagreements with the Goddess of Light, they could always stay united on other matters.
It would be inappropriate not to discuss such an important matter with her.
When Roland appeared in the Holy City, Christine didn't seem surprised by his arrival, only quietly watching him.
"Roland, you're unsettled; come and pray for peace of mind first."
Roland really wanted to say he wasn't in the mood but found it hard to refuse Christine's enthusiasm, so he sat beside her, closed his eyes casually, but his thoughts had already drifted to the Sea of Annihilation.
Perhaps because of the heavy burden or sheer exhaustion, Roland unexpectedly fell asleep while praying.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a mat, resting his head on Christine's lap.
This pose was quite suitable for a couple in love, but it was a bit disrespectful for a Pope who guarded her purity.
Just as Roland was about to get up, Christine's hand pressed against his cheek.
"Sleep a bit longer; you look very tired."
Since Christine didn't mind, Roland naturally had no reason to refuse. He inhaled a faint fragrance from the Pope, uncertain if it was her body's scent or her bath.
In this slightly peculiar atmosphere, he quickly fell asleep again.
There were no nightmares, no disturbances; he slept soundly.
It wasn't until the next noon that he slowly woke up.
After thanking Christine, he finally seized the chance to explain the reason for his impending departure.
Hearing the name of the Netherworld, Christine's expression remained unchanged; upon hearing about the Netherworld prison, she frowned slightly; when Roland mentioned the Sea of Annihilation, her color changed, and her voice trembled a bit.
"Don't go!"
Perhaps thinking this sounded too authoritative, she softened her tone, "Roland, there's nothing in the Sea of Annihilation; it's an empty desolate space. It has countless entrances but no fixed exit. Anything entering the Sea of Annihilation will be eroded by time, becoming the most primitive fragments."
"Rather than calling it Hell, it's more like a garbage disposal site."
Unable to help herself, Christine advised, "Roland, you still have Lisa, Alina, and... and many others worth cherishing. If you get lost in the Sea of Annihilation, what will they do?"
"They all support me," Roland said resolutely.
"You!"
Christine was at a loss for words, biting her lip, her eyes slightly reddening, "Must you go?"
"I must go. With Sif trapped, I have to go; if Lisa and Alina were trapped, I would go too."
Roland paused slightly, his gaze drifting to the distance, "If you encountered danger, I would have no hesitation."
Christine had never expected Roland to say such a thing; her body trembled slightly. She never dreamed that Roland would place her in such high regard, hesitant to say thank you, as it felt a bit ambiguous, yet she couldn't voice any further persuasion.
She really wanted to ask if Sofia were trapped, would Roland rescue her, but such low emotional quotient words would never leave her lips.
Silence made the atmosphere increasingly odd, and Christine's slender fingertips brushed through her hair, she lightly laughed, "Save those words for fooling young girls. If I hadn't been selected as Saintess, maybe I'd be moved, but I'm already an old woman."
Roland dared not respond to this; his original intent was to convey that he and Christine were allies, longtime friends who had faced life and death together. If she were in danger, he wouldn't back down, let alone when it concerned his wife?