Why had Linuor come, after all?
Aililan no longer wanted to inquire.
Because, in her eyes, people who sat on the fence like this were always the most disgusting.
Aililan couldn’t bring herself to trust her.
All she could do was marginalize her.
Aililan knew all too well that the low-ranking knights were not Linuor’s personal belongings, nor would they waver along with her; they would only question her and eventually abandon her.
Linuor opened her mouth, let out a sigh, but still said, “Saintess Aililan, Knight Morphete asked me to pass along his regards to you.”
Aililan nodded coolly. “I understand.”
And then, without another word, she walked away.
Her words contained plenty of underlying meaning.
Linuor not only sensed Aililan’s discontent, but also realized that if she wanted to return to the Saintess’s side, she hadn’t done enough—not nearly enough!
After leaving the residence—
Renata suddenly asked, a little curious, “Saintess, I think Knight Linuor seemed quite sincere. And right now you’re in need of people…”
She hadn’t even finished speaking when Aililan interrupted her: “Knight Renata, if I so easily accepted her, then what would that mean for you, the knights who chose me from the very beginning?”
Renata: “Huh?”
Aililan stepped forward and gently wiped the crest of the Chastity Knight from Renata’s breastplate, speaking earnestly: “You are the ones I should truly cherish. If I had a piece of gold in my hand, I’d rather share it with you, not use it to bribe someone else.”
“And you!”
Aililan pointed at the rest of the knights.
“And all of you, my loyal and lovely knights—please, uphold my vow from this moment!”
All the knights responded with loud voices.
They became even more loyal.
Soon, Aililan sought out Florala.
The Investigation Office was making swift progress, but the Civil Code compilation on Florala’s side was excruciatingly slow. Because of this, when the Investigation Office handled cases, there were no relevant codes to refer to, making much of their work nearly impossible to proceed.
According to Florala, every word of the code impacting commoners had to be carefully considered, as if peering into an abyss.
It was said they changed a penalty for thieves from finger amputation to flogging.
Florala argued endlessly with her colleagues and classmates who’d been brought in to help revise the Civil Code, even holding five meetings to discuss it.
Some thought the punishments were too harsh and needed to be revised.
Some thought the punishments weren’t harsh enough to deter criminals.
After hearing Florala’s worries, Aililan rubbed her head.
“What a headache!”
In the end, there was simply no other way.
All they could do was compromise.
At the very least, they could take the regulations for everyday matters like brawling, fighting, and verbal disputes and put them to use first, annotating them for future review and improvement.
Aililan gathered Florala and the others, and gave heartfelt instructions: “Everyone, the Civil Code does not represent absolute truth. Nor does it become an unchanging classic once it’s finished.”
“The Code must be tailored to the times.”
“And should flow with the current of the age.”
“A thousand years ago, the great sage Philoktetes compiled a Civil Code that was revered as a classic. But from today’s perspective, that code is outdated.”
“Two hundred years ago, the Qibila Empire’s Garcia High Judge drafted their final Civil Code, bringing the empire to unprecedented heights. Yet only seventy years later, the very code that made the empire strong became the cause of its downfall because they clung to it blindly.”
Aililan took a deep breath and went on: “I know all of you wish to craft a perfect code. You all know better than anyone—once the code is put into practice, the resistance to any modification will be immense.”
“But what I want to say is—”
“The tide of the times is unstoppable.”
“A code that serves its era is the true, advanced Civil Code.”
“I swear to you all, as long as I, Aililan, am here, progress on advanced codes and laws will not come to a halt due to any obstacle.”
All those working on the Civil Code were stirred to the core and felt a deep respect.
Aililan had given them ample respect, and her guidance greatly affirmed their efforts. She truly was a wise Saintess!
Each of the Seven Virtues Saints had their own radiance, but this newly emerging Saint of Chastity might not be inferior to her Six Sisters of the Seven Virtues.
In fact, in these people’s eyes—
Aililan was even better than the other Saintesses.
After all, this was ‘in their interests’: Aililan supported their work, so their interests were now tied to her. How could they not prefer her?
Afterward—
x The usually indifferent Florala, having calmed down, said, “Saintess Aililan, your words just now were truly… ah, truly a revelation!”
Aililan smiled. “Lady Florala, there’s no need. We are simply each fulfilling our roles, shining in the places we excel. Besides, if not for you all, there’s nothing I could accomplish alone.”
Even with Florala’s cool temperament, she couldn’t help but choke up a bit. “Saintess Aililan, you truly…”
Aililan comforted and encouraged her: “Lady Florala, I look forward to the day you all complete the Civil Code for the ages. By then, you will all be great heroes.”
“No, Saintess, you are the real hero. Without your support, we wouldn’t even have the chance to compile the Code.”
“Lady Florala, you are mistaken. Should glory ever fall upon me, I would tell the world that you are the greatest among the ordinary. As for so-called glory… this honor, I will never keep for myself alone.”
Florala felt her scalp tingling after hearing that. The charisma of this great Saintess was even stronger than that of a wretched succubus.
O gods!
O great Saintess!
Let us dedicate ourselves to you!
After the excitement, Florala quickly regained her composure and said, “While compiling the Code, we often get stuck due to disagreements. So I’ve been thinking, maybe we could start with a pilot program somewhere. If it works well, then promote it further.”
Aililan’s eyes lit up, and she praised, “That’s an excellent idea. If we recklessly implement the Code, who knows if the people would even accept it. And if there are any mistakes, it could trigger huge backlash. We can do as you say and pick a place for a pilot program.”
“Saintess, where do you think is best?”
“How about starting with the Slums?”
“Everything will follow your instructions. I’ll arrange for people to implement some code articles in the Slums; I only ask that you do your utmost to ensure their safety.”
“I will.”
“Then I’ll take my leave now.”
“Alright.”
Aililan accepted the matter.
She just felt a little sorry for the people in the Slums; these days, it seemed that whenever something needed doing, the Slums were the first place everyone looked to.
But there was no helping it. After all, in this vast Atester City, the only place truly under Aililan’s control was the Slums.
Aililan gazed at the azure sky and let out a long sigh, saying, “Another matter settled! But… why do I feel more and more like a charlatan?”
But she was a Saintess.
Calling herself a charlatan was a bit much.
She must drop the ‘-latan’—for she was the living embodiment of the divine: the Saint of Chastity!
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.