The waiting room of the Cathedral of Clement is very well-lit, and the afternoon sun illuminates the white and smooth statues in the room, and the gilt-like light rolls on the luminous floor. The breeze from the window seemed to be champagne gold, warm and soft. From a human point of view, the aesthetics of Laddism are good—I don’t know if it was the Pope’s instigation, this waiting room does not reveal much money or a sense of religious peculiar coercion, but it can be called warm and comfortable.

Jessie tilted her neck back, her long soft blond hair brushing against the back cushion of the armchair. He raised his eyebrows high, looking directly at the dark brown eyes above.

Adrian Cross seldom smiled, except for the occasional frown, he rarely showed other expressions. If he insisted on finding normal human emotions from him, he could only chisel a little from the depths of those eyes.

But Jesse knew that this time he was serious.

So he also accepted the meaning of teasing and made a "please talk" expression: "Huh?"

Adrian Cross was not happy. Dylan has always been absurd, and he himself has no reputation to speak of, and to be honest, Adrian doesn't really care about reputation - so he can acquiesce to Dylan's mischief in front of the trial knight.

But the Pope is different.

Even if you look at it from your own eyes, Pope Dwayne Quinn is a very respectable elder. Lord Quinn is very old, and Dylan occasionally makes a few blasphemous words, saying that there is no worry is false. If this thing in delicate human skin makes the Pope angry, he really has no face to face his beliefs.

He is determined to talk to the other party. After all, from another perspective...

"I don't hate you, Mr. Dylan."

The frozen lake-like blue eyes widened slightly, Jesse Dillon kept his head up, half polite questioning on his face, half "overdue". "To be honest, I'm a little surprised—"

"Although I don't know why you behave like that." Adrian ignored the other's sticky tone and continued bluntly. "But since we first met you, you have been secretly assisting Mr. Ramon and the others, haven't you?"

"If you hadn't forcibly involved Mr. Ramon into Vincent Town, they probably wouldn't have been able to save those bluebirds and the townspeople in time. Including guiding them to the forbidden land... If I didn't guess No, you planned everything in advance."

"Caleb Village is also your message, and if we're even a day late, the horizon will kill Lady Nadine. It's you who brought the dihylan back into bloom, isn't it?"

"While at the Church of Silent, you deliberately dropped the offering in the wrong line, causing Lord Discipline to detour Kenyatta - so they were unable to pursue Mr. Fergil and Coles in time Toro, and we just happened to hear about Mr. Ramon's whereabouts. Isn't that a bit of a coincidence?"

Adrian's articulated hands pressed against the sides of the armchair, wheat-colored skin and red velvet didn't match well. There was still no expression on his face, his eyes were equally calm, and his tone was calm as if he was praying.

"…and this time, you've done it very clearly. Your plan allowed Mr. Wright to leave in time, and even took the blame for him—if that counts, of course."

"You could be more friendly with other people, why would you act like that on purpose?"

The blond young man grinned, and his tone was creepy and gentle: "Mr. Ramon and Miss Savage are both simple and straightforward types, I just don't want them to be confused, is it difficult to understand? "

Another confusing answer, Adrian couldn't help frowning again - Jesse Dillon shrank slightly in the armchair, looking almost innocent of. "...you don't deny the helping part."

"You are praising me, how can I deny it?"

"Then change the question." Adrian stared at the overly beautiful face, trying to find traces of lies. "Why do you want my beliefs to be shaken so much? How my beliefs should be none of your business."

"What you said is too heavy." The clear blue eyes narrowed suddenly, "How can the shaking be so serious, I just want you to think about it a little."

"Why?" Adrian lowered his body and drew closer.

"Do you care about the need for a reason?" Jesse leaned forward in coordination, and the nose tips of the two almost collided. He deliberately sighed, and the breaths of the two were ambiguously intertwined. "After all, I've never seen someone like you, it's interesting."

"If everything you do is to shake me," said Adrian softly, "I suggest you stop. As I said, my love for Chenni is not so superficial. - and you don't 'love' me, I know that too."

The curvature of Jesse's mouth instantly widened, he raised his hand and put it directly on the neck of the former knight commander: "Oh, your stubbornness is really cute... Then you say, What exactly is 'love'?"

"I don't think you want to hear me recite dogma." Adrian snorted, "In short, I think it's one of the most precious feelings in the world. I don't understand the love of others, But from what I've felt - I believe God does exist. Yes, I don't think he's obligated to save anyone."

Adrian only felt his throat dry a little: "But there are moments when the world is like some snow-covered swamp. It's destined to be muddy and messy, but in the snow The moment it stopped, it was so clean. I...love the world like that."

The moment the snow stopped, a miraculous moment in chaos. In that piece of pure white, after a series of coincidences, there are always people who could not be saved. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on his part. But these coincidences and the devotion to the light did support him, so that his heart did not dry up so quickly. From the bottom of his heart, he wanted to believe that the miraculous creature existed in the world and stared at the world. Although indifferent, at least watching.

And occasionally reach out.

Adrian didn't know if he was the beneficiary of this hand. Maybe he shouldn't see too clearly, the helplessness and anger towards the world have long since turned numb, and he can't do anything other than keep moving forward. This little faith and perseverance may be his last treasure.

He likes to call it love.

And his only audience was silent for a moment, with a blank expression for a few seconds.

"Since you understand... not long ago, you said to me 'not exclusive of being in love'." After a few minutes of silence, the pretty face came closer, the cheeks of the two almost rubbed together. Adrian remained motionless, while the blond young man rubbed forward, his mouth pressed to the other's ear, and he exhaled a hot and humid breath. "You're a better liar than I am."

He then let go and leaned back into the soft and comfortable armchair.

"Thank you for your attention, I'm flattered—and I'm watching you." Jesse Dillon played with his long blonde hair, "Never eat much. Eat, and will not eat less, no matter what the taste of the food is. All decisions should be rational first, without showing any weakness...or, without showing any human nature. Even if it takes his own life, even if the object is a companion who gets along day and night. Wright You should thank you for your brains, sir, if you were a little more stupid, you would probably have sent him to the stake long ago."

"On this point, I'm more human than you." The blond young man in the chair chuckled a few times, "You, you actually say 'love people' like this Jokes. Oh my God, that's hilarious... have you ever thought about it?"

"What?" Adrian's expression didn't show emotion, he just frowned, his dark brown eyes like two deep wells.

"Love passionately, feel the passion, the sweetness and the satisfaction...as well as the inferiority complex, the jealousy, the monopoly. Love is not such a pure thing, Sweetheart Ed. Don't be superstitious about books." Jesse again Come closer, blue eyes sparkling. "For me, interest is enough to be called 'love.' For you, 'love' is nothing but awe."

"I don't want to pick words with you here, I want to say-"

"Have you ever wanted to spend your life with someone? Have you ever experienced what it's like to be skin-to-skin? ...even in a dream, in the least awake moment?"

Adrian fell silent.

"You have no intention of falling in love with anyone, I recognize those eyes—you just want to atone for your sins." Jesse held out his hands and cupped the knight commander's cheeks. "When did this idea start, let me think... Dear Lord Knight, was it when you executed the first old man? Or when you executed the first child?"

"Enough." Adrian lowered his voice, with a bit of anger in his tone for the first time.

"Okay, okay." Jesse rubbed his face. "I know what you're trying to say, just be nice to the Pope... well, the Pope, and act like a naive law-abiding citizen. I can do it, of course I can—and then, what reward will you give me? "

Adrian was stopped for a moment, he never thought that the other party would agree so readily.

Jesse laughed outright this time.

"I changed my mind," he said in a soft, nasal tone. "You don't have to worry, since we're all a little bit interested in each other, I'll be a good gentleman - and I'll go after you with dignity, what do you think? I really want to see something human in this face, please."

"Your freedom." Adrian sighed long.

"Then let's start with being friendly—"

"...If you insist on 'friendship', I think we'd better make an agreement first, Mr. Gentleman." The former knight commander added abruptly.

"Tell me." Jesse retracted her hands and coughed.

"First, don't ask me anything about faith again." Adrian stared at each other calmly, "Second, at least when we communicate, I hope you have something to say Say it straight, not cover it up. Third..."

He hesitated for a few seconds. "...Please stop calling me 'Sweetheart Ed'."

"Pfft." Jesse laughed awkwardly, "Okay, no problem. I promise you...but it's not fair that you're the only one making the request, is it? Don't you have three chances?"

Adrian narrowed his eyes - he felt that the other party was not at ease, but to be fair, he nodded hesitantly.

"I know that our knight commander sometimes lies." Jesse's expression was rarely serious. "Don't lie to me, how?"

"Yes."

"I didn't think about the third one, but I thought about the second one - first, you don't have to. I don't like doing hard things in this regard."

"Please speak."

"Would you like to come with me for one night?" Jesse stretched out his finger, sliding his fingertips from the other's lower lip, brushed his chin, and then stopped at the throat wrapped by the high collar of the teaching uniform. "I'm really curious about you being so contemptuous of human desires..." He lengthened his voice meaningfully. "Look, we're all grown ups. We just happen to pay attention to each other again, if you love me—"

"I'm not interested in you." The knight commander's expression remained unchanged.

"...You are really hurtful, try it. Would you like to withdraw a request from your side? I think the third item is quite unnecessary-"

"I accept it though."

The smile on Jesse's face froze for a moment, and then it didn't deepen, but faded a little. He stared into each other's eyes, his eyebrows raised higher and higher. "I'll take it seriously."

"I just promised you that I won't break my promise so soon."

"Oh." Jesse got up from the armchair, this time without the slightest smirk on his face. As the other party stood up suddenly, Adrian subconsciously took a few steps back. Jesse was very similar in size to him, and this time, looking down became head-up.

"If this is one of your self-destructive manifestations." Jesse's voice was soft, "You'll definitely regret it...very, very sorry."

(m..=)