Chapter 56: Cass (Part I)

"Stop! You idiot!" Samael’s voice rang out again, ruining the moment. "He will kill you!" He shouted at me while simultaneously fighting off dozens of white-robed elders.

"How could he? He's Cass..." I was bewildered. "How could Cass kill his own Aurora?"

He was a man who had willingly been nailed to a cross for the sake of a girl with unknown origins picked out of a trash heap. How could a man like that kill the very girl he had risked his life to protect?

Yes, how could Cass possibly kill his Aurora?

Even if the whole world despised me, even if the whole world feared me, even if I were an unpardonable monster in the eyes of everyone on Earth, he would never kill me...

It was impossible.

It wouldn't happen even if the sky fell.

It wouldn't happen even if it were the end of the world.

"You idiot, look closely—he isn't Cass!" Samael glared at me with pure disdain. "Did reincarnation lower your IQ?"

Not Cass?

I let out a hollow laugh. To think he could tell such a lie.

If he isn't Cass, then who else could he be?

Cass had already begun walking slowly toward me. He was enveloped in white light. The white-robed elders, who had been ferocious just moments ago, were suddenly all prostrate on the ground, their faces filled with awe and devotion as they murmured prayers.

Taking advantage of the elders letting go, Samael stepped forward and grabbed me as I walked toward Cass.

The demons and exorcists present were all stunned by the sudden turn of events, watching this scene without knowing what kind of play was unfolding.

"He isn't Cass; Cass is already dead!" Samael was driven to madness by my behavior, cranking up his intensity and ravaging my poor ears.

"What are you saying? You're not allowed to curse him!" I grew angry.

If Cass were dead, then who was this standing right in front of me?

"An emissary of God, a commander of the Divine Race, the legendary six-winged angel," Samael knitted his brows slightly, looking at Cass with an expression of loathing. "Michael, does an angel who claims to be the incarnation of light also use such despicable methods?"

I blinked, unable to grasp his meaning for a moment. Michael? An angel? This was getting increasingly bizarre and surreal.

"Angels are spiritual entities without physical forms. Instances of them manifesting physically are extremely rare and consume massive amounts of spiritual power. Therefore... if they want to appear in a physical state without consuming power, they can only resort to possession," Samael glanced at me, his lips curling into a wicked smirk. "It's quite obvious. The Cass you’re so obsessed with has become a vessel. He’s been possessed."

My head was buzzing; I still couldn't digest the meaning of his words.

"However, because angels are 'pure entities,' they can't just use any creature's body as a vessel. Since they claim to be incarnations of 'pure goodness,' they absolutely cannot tolerate the presence of 'evil.' Therefore, the possessed body must be a body of pure goodness, free of original sin," Samael spoke with great interest.

I watched his lips move, yet I still couldn't understand what he was saying.

"What are you dazing off for?" Samael’s lips curled coldly. "There’s one more thing: the one being possessed must be a soulless creature. In other words, the person before you is nothing but Cass's shell. His soul... died a long time ago."

My whole body shuddered violently; I only understood that last sentence.

Already dead?

I started to laugh. The person standing right in front of me was clearly Cass; if it wasn't Cass, who else could it be?

Slowly turning my head, I looked at Cass. He was also looking at me, his deep gray eyes filled with a compassionate, gentle light.

It wasn't a Cass-style gentleness; it was a god-like gentleness.

It was the merciful gentleness of a deity looking down upon all living beings.

In my memories, Cass always wore white pullovers and grayish-brown casual pants, with a pair of rimless glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. He was so refined and elegant, his smile always pure and warm.

The Cass before me had a compassionate gentleness in his deep gray eyes, and his silver-white Holy Cross uniform carried a beauty that brooked no profanation.

The Cass before me and the Cass in my memory—were they still the same person?

I stared at him blankly, lost in thought.

"Believe me now?" Samael snorted coldly.

I rubbed my ear and scoffed. "You're a Great Demon King who loves to lie—a Pinocchio with a long nose."

Look, Cass is clearly standing right there, and he's smiling at me!

I jerked my arm, trying to break free from Samael’s grip. I wanted to walk to Cass’s side.

"What are you doing?! Have you gone mad!" Samael barked a sharp reprimand. "He will kill you!"

I struggled.

I struggled violently, struggling as if I had gone insane. How could I believe that Cass was dead? How could Cass possibly be dead? He was clearly standing right in front of me, clearly standing there smiling at me!

"Cass! Cass! Cass!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, my voice hoarse and strained, yet not a single tear fell.

I won't cry. I won't cry. I won't cry...

If I cry, it means I believe Samael’s words.

But I don't believe them, so I won't cry.

"Cass! Cass!" I struggled, my entire body igniting with black flames. Even Samael couldn't hold onto me. I tore myself away from his embrace and ran toward Cass with reckless abandon.

It was such a short distance; he was clearly standing right in front of me.

Cass was standing right in front of me.

I threw my arms around him tightly, refusing to let go.

"Good child." A pair of warm hands lightly brushed the top of my head.

He pulled me into his embrace.

I leaned against his chest, closed my eyes, and pressed my ear to his torso, listening to the sound of his heartbeat.

Thump, thump, thump...

"Did you know..." Leaning in his arms, my ear pressed to his chest, I murmured.

"Hmm?" Cass replied softly.

"I hear... Cass's heart... weeping..." I said in a low voice, slowly reaching out my hand and placing it over his chest.

Cass stiffened slightly.

I opened my eyes, and large tears fell from them. My sharp fingers suddenly pierced into that familiar, warm chest, and I brutally gouged out a heart.

It was Cass's heart.

A heart as transparent as crystal—a heart of pure goodness.