Ella thought to herself, Do you even understand what publicity is?
Publicity needs to be simple, easy to understand, and down-to-earth.
Back in the day, when I was giving speeches at the Demon Tribe tavern, you were just a little brat who hadn’t even been born yet.
But the feeling in her arm was so big and soft that Demon King Aio couldn’t bring herself to say all that.
So she gave a sweet smile, “Leah~, there’s just not enough time. I can’t make it perfect.”
“Don’t squeeze—talk properly!”
***
What a wicked little brat.
If I’d known, I would’ve dealt with you last night.
That’s right—even though I lost again last night, Demon King Aio felt she hadn’t gone all out yet.
If she really put in her best effort, there was still a chance of winning.
No matter how unrefined Saintess thinks it is, the publicity has already gone out, and it’s attracted a lot of people anyway.
“Can we really get money?”
An uncle passing by came over to ask, still holding half a piece of bread in his hand.
“All we have to do is recite a few lines?”
A single Pearl Oyster wasn’t much, but it wasn’t nothing either, and the requirements were so simple, it was basically free money.
It was morning now, so most people had breakfast in their hands, eating as they walked.
“Yes.”
Leah’s beautiful, lovely face revealed a holy smile.
“There’s only one requirement—sincerity.”
As for what prayer to recite, there was a sheet of paper stuck to the table; everything was written on it.
The passerby lowered his head to look and scratched his head awkwardly, then pulled over a familiar face nearby.
“Hey, Old Charlie, help me read what’s written here. There’s a few words I don’t know.”
“Really just a few words you don’t know?”
“You… just mind your own business.”
Many people nearby were illiterate, but a lot of them knew each other, so they all gathered around to listen to Old Charlie read out the prayer.
There were only a few lines in total, very simple.
After listening a few times, several people immediately said they’d memorized it.
Leah had them close their eyes and recite it over their breakfast.
“Light, shining upon all beneath the heavens and dwelling within my heart, please bestow Your grace upon us, grant us… grant us… us…”
The first person forgot the words—failed.
“Grant us fine wine and delicious food, grant us warmth and health, I shall praise You forever, day and night unceasing…”
The second person got the words wrong—failed.
“I didn’t get it wrong, Old Charlie, did you teach me wrong?”
“Nonsense! I read it several times, always ‘day and night unceasing’!”
In the first round, a dozen or so people participated, and in the end five succeeded.
Leah nodded in approval at them, and Ella handed out the Pearl Oysters on the side.
“Here you go, first come first served~”
When people saw they could really get money, and a cute girl was handing it out herself, the area around the Preaching Platform immediately became lively.
“Let me try!”
“I’ll give it a shot too.”
“I was listening just now—I’ve already memorized it.”
Since the venue was limited and there was only one reviewer—Saintess herself—only a dozen or so people could participate in each round of prayers.
Leah didn’t really have to listen; she just needed to sense if there was any change in the food in their hands.
Beginner-level believers’ prayers were weak, basically just warming the food for an extra half a minute, with a bit of sterilization effect.
But as long as they succeeded in giving the blessing, they’d become believers of the Goddess of Light, and that was very important.
The people in front were praying, those behind were listening, and the pass rate gradually increased.
During this time, Ella even spotted a familiar face—Ami, the little apprentice from the Workshop.
Because he was short, he was at the very back of the line, but that wasn’t without its perks.
“Big sis, I listened to the people in front recite it so many times—I’ve memorized it all!”
He wasn’t lying. He was very fluent, and also very sincere, smoothly becoming the youngest believer in Harbor City.
Seeing more and more people joining, breakfast time had long passed, and it was nearly lunchtime, yet people were still coming with bread in hand.
That wicked little brat’s sneaky idea is actually pretty effective, Leah thought quietly to herself.
She was very happy, but on the other hand, a bit worried.
“Hey, Ella, aren’t we making too much of a scene? Could this cause trouble?”
“Emmmm, it shouldn’t, right?”
Ella really didn’t know, but in theory, the Harbor City administrators, that is, the Market Administration Office, usually just glossed over even murder cases—they surely wouldn’t care about their preaching.
As expected, no one from the Market Administration Office showed up, but what neither of them expected was that not long after noon, some other things arrived.
“Ribbit ribbit! Heretics! Ribbit ribbit!”
“He will punish such disrespectful behavior, blub blub!”
Hearing this, Leah’s chest heaved with anger.
Good grief!
As the Saintess of Light, for over ten years since she was born, she was always the one calling others heretic—she never imagined someone would call her that one day.
The world’s turned upside down!
The newcomers were a group of Sirens, mostly Fishmen and Frogmen, making up over seventy percent, with the rest being Naga—human-headed, snake-bodied.
They weren’t carrying weapons, but they all held little Siren Idols and Shrines made in the Workshop, as if those could give them strength.
These guys moved roughly, knocking over several people in line.
Leah grabbed Ella’s arm and pulled the girl behind her.
“Careful, stay behind me.”
Silly girl, you think I’d avoid them?
“Okay~”
Ella replied sweetly and obediently.
The leading Fishman approached the Preaching Platform and slammed his Shrine down on the table, croaking in a bubbly voice, “What are you doing? What do you think you’re doing? Stop your heretical acts at once!”
Leah raised her elegant eyebrows, her anger rising.
Don’t rush, don’t get angry.
As the Saintess of Light, representing the Goddess when outside, she had to show the gentle side of the Goddess of Light.
“We are not heretics. Everyone knows that in the Human Kingdom, the Church of Light is—”
“Leave now! Leave now!”
The Sirens wouldn’t let her speak, stomping their feet and chanting slogans, acting just like a bunch of hooligans.
Leah struggled to keep a straight face, until a voice came from behind—
“Shut up!”
The pink-haired thunder-girl shouted cutely, “This is a Human city—if anyone should leave, it’s you lot!”
This stirred up the crowd.
A hot-tempered man couldn’t hold back and punched the Fishman in front of him.
“Damn it! I waited in line for half an hour, and now you lot show up to chase us off—who’s going to pay me?”
That punch made the whole scene tense, people and Sirens shoving each other, just one step away from a brawl.
At this moment, Ella stepped forward again and shouted:
“Fight! Go ahead and fight! If you get hurt, we’ll heal you right here! No one will get hurt!”
Bang!
Several people started fighting!
At that moment, Leah’s heart surged with emotion, just like last month in the Capital, when she faced thousands of troops alone.
She pulled the girl back behind her, then slapped the table:
“Followers of Light! Fight for the Goddess! The Goddess and I will not let a single one of you be harmed!”
With that, she clasped her hands and began to pray.
A warm beam of Light descended from the sky, falling upon everyone present.