Stepping out of the teleportation hall, a carriage was already waiting outside.
As the heart of the Church, particularly the temple district, the Holy Land was like a sprawling complex of palaces.
One could walk for half a day without reaching the exit if they didn’t take a carriage.
The carriage stopped outside the Central Temple.
The Holy Land Pilgrimage Officer personally lifted the carriage’s curtain and said respectfully, “Her Eminence Chastity, I can only accompany you this far, as protocol dictates. I hope you understand.”
Aililan stepped down from the carriage and smiled. “It is no matter.”
Only after she had left did the Holy Land Pilgrimage Officer let out a long sigh of relief.
He felt that the Saint of Chastity’s presence was becoming increasingly imposing. Looking back more than half a year ago, she had been a mere green girl.
After a long moment, he sighed again.
Outward Trial Experience truly builds character.
Aililan walked into the Central Temple.
The clergymen standing guard on all sides were meticulous at their posts, not daring to show any negligence beyond their respectful salutes.
In a place like the Holy Land, unlike the outside world, every word and action could be used against a person.
Many statues stood within the temple, mostly of Saintesses who had made outstanding contributions throughout history. At the very center stood the Light God, the focus of the Church’s faith.
Aililan felt a faint, thread-like connection emanating from the statue.
This had never happened before. ‘I haven’t intentionally cultivated my faith, so this change must have appeared after I awakened some of the Authority of the Virtue of Chastity.’
The sound of beautiful and sincere chanting reached her ears.
Aililan saw a figure she had been longing for, standing before the divine statue and praying devoutly.
It was the Saint of Temperance — Lizberu.
She was as captivating as ever.
Aililan opened her mouth slightly to speak.
However, before she could say a word, a series of hurried footsteps echoed from outside the temple.
The newcomer moved with extreme speed, flickering and dodging until she reached Aililan’s back. She threw her arms around Aililan’s soft waist and rested her chin on the girl’s shoulder.
“Well, look at you, Chastity! You’re back and didn’t even come to see me first, did you? If I hadn’t happened to come to the temple, I wouldn’t have even known you were home.”
“Diligence?”
“Hmph.”
“Sister Diligence, please let me go. I was wrong, all right?”
“Chastity, I missed you so much.”
The Diligence Saintess, Yegeerlinai, held her from behind, her cheek affectionately rubbing against Aililan’s face.
The surrounding clergymen felt their scalps tingle at the sight. They all lowered their heads, not daring to look further.
Lizberu, who had been Chanting Holy Hymns, was forced to stop.
“Diligence. Do not be insolent.”
Lizberu’s cold voice rang out.
At the same time, a massive pressure descended, causing Yegeerlinai to click her tongue in secret as she reluctantly released the Saint of Chastity.
Then, the Saint of Temperance looked at the clergymen who had been Chanting Holy Hymns with her. Her tone was gentle yet authoritative.
“Today’s rehearsal for the Chanting Holy Hymns ends here. You may leave.”
Aililan nodded inwardly in approval.
By calling it a “rehearsal,” Lizberu made it clear that their behavior had nothing to do with showing disrespect before the statue, while simultaneously warning everyone not to spread baseless rumors.
“Diligence, you are becoming increasingly presumptuous. I wouldn’t mind having the etiquette teacher give you more lessons.”
Aililan finally broke free from Diligence’s restraint and said with a half-smile, “I don’t know how many people in the Holy Land are walking on thin ice, afraid of their words and actions being scrutinized. You, on the other hand, don’t seem to care at all, Sister Diligence.”
Diligence curled her lip. “It doesn’t matter.”
Lizberu shook her head and said, “While the Church follows the philosophy that human interests are paramount, the Church is, above all, the Church of the Saintesses. A Church without Saintesses has no reason to exist. If those below dare to rebel, then we shall crush them.”
Aililan was speechless.
‘The Saintesses’ status seems a bit too powerful.’
Just as she was thinking this, the Saint of Temperance stared directly at her.
Aililan asked in confusion, “Wh… What is it?”
The Saint of Temperance did not speak but gently waved her hand.
A magnificent radiance suddenly spilled from the divine statue.
Gradually, a thread-like light extended from the statue and connected with Aililan.
Joy appeared in the Saint of Temperance’s eyes.
Yegeerlinai’s eyes also widened.
“Chastity, have you awakened your Authority?” the two of them asked almost in unison.
Aililan scratched her head. “I suppose so.”
Yegeerlinai, being of a cheerful nature, hurried to ask, “What are the characteristics of the Authority you awakened?”
“It can clear some negative statuses, and it is particularly effective against poisons. As for whether it works on plagues, I haven’t tried it yet.”
“How did you awaken it?”
Cold sweat broke out on Aililan’s forehead.
How was she supposed to explain it to them? She certainly couldn’t say she had awakened it while playing around with a Succubus.
Aililan gave a forced laugh. “I came into contact with some poisons and awakened it.”
Yegeerlinai’s face immediately turned cold as she said angrily, “Don’t tell me those people dared to poison you after Sister Temperance and I left? If that’s the case…”
“Then a purge is truly necessary.”
“Let them feel the ‘care’ of a loving mother.”
Aililan’s cold sweat increased, and she quickly waved her hands to explain, “No, no, nothing like that happened. Atester is doing very well right now; everyone is united.”
The Saint of Temperance also stepped in to defuse the situation, her voice shifting from its previous coldness to a warmer tone.
“All right, all right. Diligence, don’t make things difficult for Chastity. Don’t forget, you were a little lazybones yourself before you awakened.”
Diligence immediately shot back, “Sister Temperance, you were a greedy little pudge when you were a child.”
The Saint of Temperance froze. “Diligence!”
“Sister Temperance, I was wrong.”
Aililan wiped her sweat once more.
She felt that every Saintess was quite a character.
The Saint of Temperance was a greedy little pudge as a child, and the Diligence Saintess was once a lazybones. ‘Would the dark history of the most popular Saint of Generosity, Melissa, be that she was a miser?’
Every single one of them had a basket full of dark secrets.
And she herself had once fallen into the Sin of Lust…
Indeed, she was no different.
The three of them played around for a while before the Saint of Temperance, the eldest among them, called for a stop.
Her tone became serious once again.
“All right, no more playing. Let us talk about business.”
“Grace and Nidria have clashed with neighboring countries on the border of the Fourth Wing and the Seventh Wing. Even their Knights of Virtue have suffered losses. In particular, the Grandmaster of the Tolerance Knight Order is deeply afflicted by Curse Magic.”
“It just so happens that your Authority, Chastity, might be able to help. You should go and try to resolve it.”
“Additionally, we must prepare to report to the Seven Regents.”
She paused.
“I have a premonition.”
“Perhaps next year will not be peaceful.”
Aililan’s brow furrowed.
In the Fourth Wing where she was stationed, they had to deal with the Orcs who might move south at any moment.
It wasn’t just “not peaceful.”
A storm was brewing.
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