After Rod's departure, the Vatican's gendarmerie and Church's security corps quickly arrived at the scene. They rescued the nuns and discovered Diadora's corpse, prompting an immediate lockdown of the surrounding area.
Even a dead camel is bigger than a horse.
Though lifeless, Diadora's remains still radiated the lingering aura of a high-class demon, enough for any seasoned exorcist to recognize.
A high-ranking demon infiltrating the sacred grounds of the Vatican was no small matter. The incident had to be reported to higher authorities immediately.
Rod watched from a distance, then turned to leave.
But instead of returning to Heaven to report in, he took a short detour to Saint Peter's Basilica.
There, he unlocked a new teleport anchor point.
He also tried to catch a glimpse of Asia, but likely due to operational confidentiality, she wasn't visible from outside.
With nothing else to do, Rod returned to Heaven.
.....
Griselda was once again buried in paperwork when she noticed a familiar head peeking in from the side.
"Still studying Sacred Gears, huh?"
Rod's voice caught her off guard.
She visibly jumped, the voluminous curls hidden beneath her nun's habit jiggling in surprise.
Rod, looking very pleased with himself, dropped lazily into a nearby seat.
Griselda gave him a mildly reproachful glare. She still had no idea how he managed to sneak into her office so silently every time.
And from the look in his eyes, he definitely wasn't innocent.
She was starting to suspect he did it on purpose.
Still, she didn't scold him. Instead, she asked, "Any trouble during the mission?"
"Nope. It's done."
Rod stretched back into the ergonomic chair with a yawn.
Even with his enhanced physique, using ClockUp, a raw acceleration technique, still taxed the body.
Right now, his lower back was killing him.
"Wait, already?"
Griselda's reaction was mild at first, until she realized what he'd said. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"It's been less than twenty-four hours. You've already completed it?"
"You doubting my abilities?"
Rod raised a brow at her.
"No, I just thought… maybe you had insider intel or something. Otherwise how could you finish so fast?"
Griselda was genuinely stunned.
The Church had been investigating this case for months with no progress.
Rod? One day.
If she hadn't seen the suspect's photo with her own eyes, she might've suspected he was the culprit.
Or maybe… he was hacking?
To verify the situation, Griselda made a call to the Vatican.
Rod, meanwhile, was genuinely curious:
How exactly did Heaven get a phone connection to the mortal world?
A few minutes later, Griselda confirmed that just recently, near the Vatican's borders, an assault had occurred.
The victim was a high-class demon.
The missing nuns had been located and were being cared for within the Church.
"…Was that a coincidence, or what?"
Griselda was stunned.
A high-class demon had dared to appear within Vatican territory?
And what about the sacred barrier? How had a demon slipped in undetected?
She knew the Church was short on personnel, but this…
"Those nuns were deliberately lured into sin by that demon and then punished by the Church," Rod added.
Griselda nodded. "I understand. I'll arrange for their return."
"One more thing," Rod continued. "Asia Argento, the Saint from Saint Peter's, was caught up in this too. What happens to her?"
He was curious.
Now that he'd foiled Diadora's plan, how would the narrative unfold?
"If she was framed, she won't be punished. But… this case has significant political weight. It's beyond my authority."
Griselda sighed.
"I'll report it to my superiors. If a decision is made, I'll let you know."
"Cool."
Rod stood and made for the door.
"Don't forget to wire the payment."
"Relax. At the very least, Heaven never delays payroll."
Griselda gave him a look of exasperation.
...
Shortly after Rod left Heaven, Griselda contacted her direct superior,
Gabriel.
Six golden wings unfurled behind her. A golden pendant hung at her brow, and a pristine white lily adorned her ear. A soft halo hovered above her head, casting a gentle glow.
But what truly stood out, despite her modest robes, was a beauty impossible to conceal.
"I've already heard about Asia. Follow the standard procedure. Expel her from the Church."
"What? But… Lady Gabriel, she was deceived by a high-class demon, "
Griselda's voice faltered in shock.
That decision came down far too quickly.
"This was a unanimous decision among the Four Great Seraphs," Gabriel said quietly. "Her Sacred Gear is too controversial. If the world learns that a Saint of the Church can heal demons, it will shake the very foundations of faith."
"I'm sorry. Asia is a good child."
Griselda said nothing.
But she knew there was no alternative.
She was among the few in Heaven who knew the truth:
God was gone.
Without His support to maintain the Tree of Life system, cracks were already forming across the world.
"…What about that young man? What do you think of him?"
Gabriel's tone softened.
Griselda understood immediately: she meant Rod.
After a moment of thought, she answered, "He's… frivolous. I can't speak to his personal life, but for someone who's only sixteen, he's far more mature than his peers. He's strong, dependable. Every mission I've given him in the past year and a half, he's completed flawlessly."
"Then do you think he'd be a good fit for Heaven?"
Gabriel's question hung in the air.
"You want to recruit him?" Griselda asked, then shook her head.
"To be honest, it's unlikely. I've hinted at it several times, each time he gave the same reply. He doesn't like being tied down."
"And frankly, if he ever did join Heaven… I wouldn't be surprised if he caused half our angels to fall."
Gabriel chuckled lightly. "In that case, let's not push it."
She, too, understood.
Someone like Rod was never meant to be bound to a system, especially not one like Heaven's.
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