CHAPTER 369: MAGIC OF SILVER-GREY EYES

The back garden looked nothing like the church itself. It wasn’t noisy, nor did it feel cramped.

The air carried the faint scent of snow and freshly brewed coffee, set on a small circular table.

For a fleeting moment, Xion wondered why these people from the church were so obsessed with their drinks.

Luckily, it wasn’t jasmine, or he might’ve turned right back.

At the paladin’s polite gesture, Xion took a seat on one of the two chairs.

The arrangement alone made it clear: only the holy priest and his personally invited guest were to sit.

But did the knight care? Of course not.

Under the paladin’s incredulous gaze, Ray dragged the chair next to Xion and dropped into it without a shred of ceremony.

"I’m afraid we might need another chair," Xion said to the paladin, pulling back his hood.

It was pointless to hide his face now.

"...I understand."

Was it just Xion’s imagination, or did he catch a hint of resentment in the paladin’s eyes? It was definitely aimed at Ray.

He couldn’t help but smile at Ray. "You’ve made him hate you."

"The feeling’s mutual."

Before Xion could dwell on the knight and paladin’s silent war, the air seemed to shift.

He felt his presence before he saw the high priest.

"I apologize for calling this meeting on such short notice, Your Grace."

The words that tumbled out of his lips were like a chant. As if the high priest wasn’t merely greeting but singing prayers.

When Xion finally turned, his breath caught. For a moment, he couldn’t tell if the world had stopped, or just him alone.

The priest had lowered his hood, and though the robe was the same ceremonial white with gold embroidery, it no longer looked humble.

White hair framed a caramel-toned face, its symmetry so precise it didn’t seem human. Warm silver-grey eyes, impossibly soft and bright, locked onto his.

The high priest looked radiant. Benevolent. Dare Xion say... ethereal.

His beauty wasn’t the kind that merely mesmerized you. No, this was the kind of face that made you believe, if there was a god, this is what he must look like.

Before he even realized it, Xion was on his feet, reaching for the priest.

A larger, warmer hand caught his and shook it in a greeting.

"Nice to meet you." His lips curled up in a breathtaking smile as he said, "I have been very curious to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too... Father Michael."

The words nearly got stuck in Xion’s throat, not because of the greeting, but because of the name.

Why do I know him?

Perhaps sensing his turmoil, Michael sighed.

"Sit. We have much to discuss."

Following the words, Xion sank back into his chair. All his actions were rather mechanical as his gaze lingered on that perfect face.

"How have you been?"

"Not good. Lost my eyes."

The answer tumbled out of his mouth rather abruptly.

Startled, Xion blinked his eyes, and as if finally coming out of some trance, he dropped his gaze to his clenched palms.

The nails had dug into his skin, leaving bloody crescents. A sharp, painful reminder of how close he’d come to falling for something dangerous.

The fleeting warmth he’d felt moments ago evaporated. All that remained was the feeling of being stripped bare and examined like a prey.

How could I be so stupid?

That one eye contact had been enough to put him in this trance. How absurd.

"Ah... your eyes," Michael said gently. "There is a way to treat them. Would you like to hear it?"

Feigning calm, Xion nodded. "Yes. That would be helpful."

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Ray.

The knight’s expression hadn’t changed, though a faint furrow creased his brow as he listened intently.

Maybe Michael didn’t think of the knight as a hindrance, but Ray didn’t seem under any spell.

Xion let out a breath. Nonetheless, the relief didn’t last long.

"A sacrifice should suffice," Michael continued. "After all, the goddess is very benevolent to her faithful."

"A sacrifice of what?"

"A young life, of course. A child of four, perhaps younger. Actually, the younger, the better. With your connections, I suppose it won’t be difficult to secure a few."

Ray’s jaw tightened, a vein standing out as he clenched it shut. Only his duty as his lord’s guard kept him silent. Just one glance and Xion could tell that much.

"How many?" Xion asked in the same mild tone as if they weren’t talking about lives but about something as trivial as sand.

Ray’s head snapped toward him so fast, Xion felt phantom pain in his own neck. Yet he remained calm — or at least, tried to do so.

The shaking in his fingers had increased, and even as he clenched his hands, it didn’t stop.

Michael’s smile, on the other hand, widened. Warmth spilled from his eyes and wrapped around Xion like an embrace.

"Not many. Given how precious your eyes are... ten should suffice. Five for each eye."

Xion laughed. A hollow, mirthless laugh that rang in the otherwise silent little garden.

"Murder is a sin, Father Michael. Is it not?"

"But this is a sacrifice."

The genuine surprise on that flawless face pressed heavily on Xion’s chest. It was as if Father was saying, ’how could you say something so outrageous?’

"And," Michael continued, "the goddess is perfect, and so are those blessed by her. How could her messengers ever do wrong?"

Xion couldn’t mask his disgust anymore. Even without looking, he knew his reflection in the coffee’s surface must look wretched.

Michael seemed only more intrigued by the disgust clouding Xion’s eyes. His soft chuckle was as graceful as his posture.

"I’m merely cleansing the world, one evil soul at a time. You’re new, so I don’t expect you to understand just yet. But I do hope you’ll try."

Xion’s eyes lingered on the priest one last time. Why did he seem... almost perfect? Almost because now Xion saw the small scar cutting across his left brow.

Whoever had struck him had failed to mar those impossibly warm eyes. It almost made Xion envy this monster.

"I’ve lived as a human," Xion said. "And I intend to die as one. Not as a monster."

Rising to his feet, he took one last look at the priest. "Goodbye, Father Michael. I hope I never see you again."

For the first time, Michael’s expression shifted. A faint frown darkened his divine features.

"Why? Are we not to discuss restoring your sight?"

It was baffling how utterly innocent he looked while saying such vile things.

Xion couldn’t help but scoff. "If I ever see you again, I’ll kill you."

With that, he turned on his heel. Ray stared at the priest and then at his lord before hastily catching up with Xion.

Michael looked at the retreating figure and sighed.

"You look sad," the paladin said, noticing even the priest’s favorite coffee sat untouched.

"I thought I could make Xion my friend," Michael murmured. "Ah. What a shame."

The priest truly did look sad at the notion of not getting close to the divine healer.