chsdbacks Page 105
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For example, extragalactic galaxies are celestial systems located outside the Milky Way, consisting of billions to hundreds of billions of stars, nebulae, and interstellar matter. They are called extragalactic galaxies because they all exist outside the Milky Way; that is, all celestial systems outside the Milky Way are called extragalactic galaxies.
The Milky Way and other galaxies together constitute the highest astronomical term for celestial bodies—the universe. The Milky Way itself is just one ordinary galaxy within this universe. Humans estimate that the total number of celestial bodies and systems contained within extragalactic systems exceeds trillions, resembling islands in a vast ocean, hence the term "cosmic islands."
Santa Karina even witnessed a burst of primordial energy in the very first moments of the universe's birth. As the universe expanded and cooled, gravity began to take effect, and then the young universe entered a brief phase known as "inflation."
The tiny fluctuations in the original energy distribution were amplified dramatically from the microscopic scale as the universe expanded, thus forming "grooves," along which galaxy clusters formed.
As inflation passed quickly, the universe returned to its usual rate of expansion, as we see it today. In the very second after the universe's birth, as it continued to expand and cool, large numbers of protons, neutrons, and electrons condensed from the background energy in regions of higher energy density.
One hundred seconds later, protons and neutrons began to combine to form helium nuclei. In less than two minutes, all the components that make up the atoms in nature had been produced.
In about 300,000 years, the universe will have cooled to the point where hydrogen and helium nuclei can capture electrons and form atoms. These atoms will slowly aggregate under the influence of gravity into huge fibrous clouds.
Soon, galaxies formed within them. A billion years after the Big Bang, hydrogen and helium clouds began to coalesce under the influence of gravity. As these clouds grew, nascent galaxies, or protogalaxies, began to form.
The universe was smaller then, and the protogalaxies were closer together, resulting in strong interactions. Consequently, smaller clouds condensed within the larger, thinner clouds, while the rest were absorbed by neighboring clouds. Meanwhile, the protogalaxies gradually grew larger due to the continuous influx of hydrogen and helium.
The greater the mass of a protogalaxy, the more gas it attracts.
The individual movements of each cloud, combined with their interactions, eventually caused the protogalaxy to begin rotating slowly. Under the influence of gravity, these clouds gradually collapsed; some of the faster-rotating clouds formed disks, while the rest became roughly ellipsoidal.
Once these primordial galaxies acquired enough matter, stars began to form within them. The universe at this time was already quite similar to what it is today. Galaxies clustered together, like islands in the Earth's oceans, embedded in the vast gas clouds of space. These galaxy clusters and intergalactic gas stretched into filamentary structures, reaching lengths of hundreds of millions of light-years.
Such a large-scale cluster of galaxies appears spherical in a vast space.
195. Divine Runes
By the next day, it was midday and the sun was high in the sky.
Saint Karina had no complaints about this. She had already lost interest in doing things seriously, and her personality was no longer as stubborn as it had been before she was resurrected, when she only knew how to bury herself in her work.
"Philomena, were you awake already?"
Reaching out, Philomena was gone. Her fingertips felt only the cool warmth of the sheets, a stark contrast to the warmth she'd experienced the night before in some indescribable, deep, dark place.
"call……"
Saint Karina exhaled hot breath; if she could, she really didn't want to go back at all.
Although the evil god's assistance significantly increases her chances of success, her current strength is only at the seventh rank, meaning she's only recovered less than half of her previous power. While the seventh rank is very close to the tenth, the sixth rank is a watershed moment. In essence, at the seventh rank, she could defeat ten of her previous sixth-rank selves.
If there were other factors that could delay things, or at least a suitable reason, that would be fine.
Saint Karina didn't want to return to a subservient position, being led by the nose by Esther Trollope, nor did she want to be further restricted and lose the little freedom she had finally won after the plan failed. Her freedom was extremely limited; she could only go out openly for half a day, during the daytime, and even then, it was only because Philomena, the former mole, was there.
If Saint Karina doesn't have any other means, then she can only continue to be completely controlled by Esther. What a joke! She has absolutely no interest in 1v1 now, and besides, that sister is a yandere.
After being betrayed by Ernest VII, all she wanted was to be a bad woman, to seduce all sorts of beautiful flowers in the sea of blossoms, to have affairs and revel in each other's company.
"Knock down."
Just then, a slow, unhurried, and very polite knocking came from outside.
"Your Holiness, are you awake?"
"Um……"
“Is it okay for me to go home?”
"Please."
In front of outsiders, Philomena maintained her act, still maintaining the facade that she and Saint Karina were merely superior and subordinate, simply a saintess and her personal priestess. Her acting was flawless. She lowered her head slightly and then turned the doorknob.
"Click."
The lock clicked softly as it was turned from the outside.
"Your Holiness, it's not good if others see you looking so lazy right after you've just gotten up."
To open one's mouth is to preach.
"No? What's wrong with it?"
Santa Karina wasn't even ready to get out of bed; she remained buried in the covers, looking like she was resisting getting up.
"Instead of worrying about that, you should worry about these slightly worn sheets. It wouldn't be good if I got up and let someone else, even a hotel waiter, come in to clean them."
Saint Karina seemed to be doing this on purpose. She gently lifted the sheet, revealing the sheets underneath, which had a seductive and strong feminine scent. The smell wasn't unpleasant, but the feminine scent was so overpowering that most people could understand and imagine what had happened on this bed the night before just by looking at it.
Visually, because the sheets are white, the dark water stains on the opaque parts are obvious to anyone who knows what's going on.
The hotel offered the option of choosing either female or male waiters. Since the guests at Santa Karina were all women, they naturally opted for female waiters. However, secrets don't stay hidden forever; such a terrible bed couldn't be seen by anyone other than Philomena and Santa Karina.
"Sigh... I really can't do anything with you, Your Majesty."
Like a mother looking at a wayward child, Philomena sighed softly.
She placed the lunch tray she had brought aside, then sat down next to Saint Karina and gave her a basic grooming and dressing before applying cleaning and odor-eliminating magic to the bed area.
These two spells were ones she used frequently, belonging to the category of assassination magic, but she used them for everyday life magic.
Philomena's original rank was sixth-tier, comparable to some demon generals. Using Esther as a bodyguard for the saintess was a waste of her talent. Before serving Saint Karina, Esther also served the Pope. She was highly skilled in both magic and daily life.
Once the magical glow faded, the entire bed was brand new. Apart from some wrinkles from sleeping on it last night, there wasn't a single extra hair. It was impossible to tell what had happened between the two of them on this bed last night.
Speaking of which, the Church of Order has quite a few clergy members of rank six or above; according to Philomena, there are at least a hundred. This doesn't even include the bishops in charge of the main regions of various human countries. These central figures are at least rank eight, and I've heard that the four archbishops, who hold the highest positions besides the Pope, have even reached rank ten—the same position that Saint Karina once achieved.
However, Saint Karina was only in her early twenties when she died, unlike these monsters who lived for hundreds of years. Humans, upon reaching the tenth rank, transform from a short-lived species into a long-lived one; normally, they won't die unless killed, and living for thousands of years is not a problem. Then, at the demigod level, lifespan becomes a relatively abstract concept, indistinguishable from that of gods.
It can be said that if a demigod is a member of the church, then he is God's agent on earth. The remaining few are people like Saint Karina who have seized the flame left behind by other deceased gods, and there are also demigods like the Demon King who can obtain the inheritance of the Demon God, and the Elf King who can obtain the inheritance of the Elf God. Based on the inheritance, time, and responsibility, they are destined to become gods.
Evil gods are destabilizing factors outside of the righteous gods. Those who go to war against them are members of various churches, usually acting on divine pronouncements.
Saint Karina is just a saintess. Although her status seems extremely noble and high, in the church, a saintess is like a mascot. She can touch the core of power, but she has only just touched the very tip of the iceberg of the church's dark secrets.
Of course, this is also because Saint Karina had only recently become a saintess before she suffered a calamity. She hadn't had time to cultivate her own power and mostly relied on Ernest VII. She was working hard to improve her own strength before, and most of the time she was working for Ernest VII. The only time she had free time was either dating or on the road to having sex.
In short, their lives were so fulfilling that they had no time to play power games or schemes.
"Your Holiness, what are you thinking about now?"
"Some past events."
When Philomena held her hand, Saint Karina realized that her thoughts had started to wander again.
"Lunch is rather simple; this is typical of hotels in small towns. I hope you don't mind."
Philomena, being quite tactful, did not pry into Saint Karina's past as always. Having fulfilled her duty by reminding Saint Karina to eat, she did not pursue the matter further and left it at that.
Santa Karina glanced at the contents of her plate: a steak, a cream soup, and white bread—a Western-style lunch. The bread was filled with tomato, ham, and bacon.
Actually, it wasn't exactly simple. It was more abundant than when Saint Karina led her army on campaigns or went on long journeys. Before she was busy and before she met Ernest VII, this "nobleman," she ate ordinary bread, which was better than black bread but much coarser than the white bread we have now. It probably contained a lot of grain husks and the like.
"It's nothing, I'm used to it. I used to... well, more than 500 years ago, I often ate like this, and the food was even worse than this."
Saint Karina never asked Philomena to give her any special treatment; she ate the same lunch as the other clergy.
In that case, there is naturally no reason to blame Philomena.
Moreover, she was not born into true nobility. She did not have a pampered life as a child and even suffered a lot. She was particular about food, but as long as it was hot, not cold, she would be fine with it.
"Now, do we have to go back?"
“Your Holiness, it’s not too late for you to escape if you wish.”
"Retreat only yields one thing, advance yields two."
Saint Karina shook her head. If she didn't solve the problem and just kept running away, Esther could easily find herself.
A demigod is God's agent on earth. Although God is not omniscient or omnipotent, nor can He do everything, finding someone who has been marked is still quite easy for Him.
Far from the sanctuary of the Lorian Empire, after leaving the Black Forest, Saint Karina attempted to use the young emperor's potion to remove the divinely bestowed "collar," something that had become invisible but was still real. However, after removing it, she discovered she had been tricked.
After removing it, there was a mark on her neck, which was a divine mark.
She had been tricked. The real divine gift was not the collar that could reveal itself and disappear at any time, but the true divine runes hidden beneath it.
In the mirror, under the wicked whims of the evil god Eris, the emblem stood out prominently.
"We've been tricked..."
Fortunately, the collar could be put back on. Unfortunately, Saint Karina had no choice but to continue wearing the useless but humiliating collar.
But none of that matters now, because she's about to return to where her sins began—that "sanctuary"—to settle the score with Esther.
These are all debts of love owed more than 500 years ago. Of course, Saint Karina believes that she has not wronged Esther in any way. Although she felt guilty for not finding her in time, she had fulfilled her duties as an older sister while Esther was alive, just not the duties of a lover.
What you can give and what the other person wants are not the same.
That's why Esther used such extreme methods to restrict Saint Karina's freedom.
Love... Saint Karina couldn't feel it.
Esther, who constantly professed love, did everything to satisfy her own selfish desires.
A yandere...will stop at nothing to achieve what they want. Whether it's someone loved by a yandere or the yandere herself, if she becomes trapped in this world, she will ultimately be destroyed.
As for desire, Esther truly experienced it with her body every single day and night.
"The moment has finally come..."
Even a caged bird yearns for freedom. Saint Karina, being a human being, naturally resisted the confinement of her cage.
She will be treated the same way she was treated.
196. Returning to Esther's side
Time passed, and the week ended.
The capital of the Lorian Empire, the sanctuary remains as grand and sacred as ever. White stone slabs pave the floors, and the building's overall theme is pure white, exuding a sense of pristine elegance.
The architectural style of the Church of Order is very similar to that of the Church of Holy Light, and white is often used in architecture as a substitute for the Kingdom of God.
They use different colors and styles, which are also related to their doctrines. For example, the church of the god of war looks like the ancient Roman Colosseum.
As dusk falls, the clouds in the sky are tinged with a rosy blush, like the blushing cheeks of a shy girl. Wisps of smoke rise from chimneys, signaling the time when every household begins to cook.
It was now the sanctuary's dinner time, but Saint Karina wasn't happy that it was already dinnertime. She remembered how Esther, in her perverse ways, used to torture her while she ate. Esther would mutter something, making Saint Karina feel like she was inside and out, providing her with an indescribable fluid.
The liquid didn't taste good; it was slightly salty and not much better than synthetic nutritional supplements.
And most absurdly, Saint Karina also remembered that the liquid had a strange, strong smell of rust.
In short, they played a very big and elaborate game.
The paladin at the gate saw that it was the saintess returning and let her through immediately.
"Lord Saint..."
The female knight wore a form-fitting silver armor, revealing a very impressive cleavage with ample breasts and a shapely bottom.
She bowed to Saint Karina, lowering her head appropriately.
"It's alright, you can continue working. Don't worry about me."
Once she reached the sleeping quarters, one of the dozen or so side halls of the sanctuary, Saint Karina wouldn't worry about getting lost.
She was quite familiar with this place; strolling through this side hall was like strolling through her own backyard.
Standing before the familiar door, she knew Esther was waiting for her behind it, having been notified in advance by a letter.
“I’m back, Esther… Master…”
She had initially wanted to call her Esther firmly, or by her full name, or even more distantly, "Your Holiness the Pope," believing she hadn't lost. However, considering Esther's imposing presence and her previous methods, Saint Karina decided against it.
Sometimes, it's not so bad to follow your heart. At least, she can suffer less humiliation. Also, by compromising a little before achieving her goal, she can make it easier to get what she wants.
"Huh? Is nobody here...?"
Saint Karina was trying to put on a sweet act, like she was overjoyed to see Esther as her lover had returned and she had been longing for him for so long, but she ended up missing him.
The bedroom was empty. The blackout curtains were drawn, making the room somewhat dim. However, it wasn't pitch black like at night, and Saint Karina could see everything clearly inside.
Of course, she has the ability to see in the dark, even at night.
"Huh? Blood?"
It wasn't a large, obvious pool of blood; it was just some blood left after cleaning and treatment.
The color was so faint that it was almost invisible, especially in the dim indoor lighting, where the bloodstains that had just been spilled blended almost perfectly with the floor.
In modern medicine, what Saint Karina saw using magic can be scientifically explained as the luminol reaction in criminal investigation.
In layman's terms, if blood is spilled at a crime scene and gets on any object, regardless of how it is cleaned up afterwards, if luminol reagent is sprayed on it and observed in the dark, the area where the blood was will fluoresce blue-white due to the fluorescence reaction.