Chapter 349: The Saintess Candidates
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 349: The Saintess Candidates
"In the early days, the Church never actually intended for the selection of a Saintess to trigger a war. After all, destroying peace in the name of maintaining it is a folly so profound that even someone kicked in the head by a donkey wouldn't commit it.
"However, their actions inevitably steered the great ship of history in that direction."
"Back then, there weren't just a handful of Saintess Candidates like there are now. There were hundreds. Those children were raised from infancy to be Saintesses, existing solely so they could be tossed into a jar like venomous insects, forced to cull one another until only the final, most exceptional Saintess remained.
"In those days, they didn't hide their identities as they do now. They traveled the continent openly as Saintess Candidates, constantly tempering themselves for that slim hope of success, enduring trials from all sides—and from their fellow competitors.
"And that," Pink Bear said, "created a problem."
He instinctively reached for a cigarette, but after a sharp glare from the nun beside him, he sheepishly pulled his hand back.
"What problem?" Muen asked.
"The seat of the Saintess is simply too tempting."
Pink Bear continued, "For the various powers across the continent, the position of Saintess—someone who can guide the Goddess's countless believers—is like a piece of forbidden fruit. Everyone wanted a bite.
"And for those Saintess Candidates, the 'help' offered by these factions was a blade forged specifically to stab their rivals.
"So, they struck a deal.
"And thus... the Saintess Candidates made their grand entrance, no longer representing just themselves, but backed by the authority and might of various global powers.
"And then..." Pink Bear looked at Muen. "The war began."
"..."
Muen’s breath hitched.
He hadn't expected that this ceremony, which currently seemed somewhat lacking in solemnity, was once a synonym for chaos and terror.
Even without seeing it firsthand, he could imagine how cold and fierce the struggle must have been—hundreds of Saintesses and countless nations fighting over that single, solitary throne.
"Of course, as the Church stabilized, they eventually called a halt to the senseless slaughter and devised a new method for selection.
"That is the Pay Homage to the Sage Ceremony we see today."
Pink Bear paused before continuing. "The Church still uses its vast intelligence network and its believers to scout for suitable candidates. Then, the reigning Saintess selects the most promising among them.
"These chosen few become the new Saintess Candidates. They are personally tutored by the current Saintess for a time before being sent out on a Mortal World Trial, either under their original identities or ones fabricated by the Church.
"The catch is that they aren't allowed to reveal their true identities during the trial.
"And to compensate for the fact that Saintesses usually aren't combat-oriented, the Church specifically permits them to have assistants known as God-Attendant Knights.
"Recruiting a sufficiently powerful God-Attendant Knight is, in itself, a part of the candidate's test. After all... charm is an indispensable quality for a true Saintess, isn't it?"
Pink Bear’s voice took on a profound tone.
"I see."
Everything clicked for Muen. He stroked his chin, looking at the Saintess on the stage with a puzzled expression.
"I understand the role of a God-Attendant Knight, but I’ve heard that after a Saintess successfully ascends, her knight usually stays by her side to assist her... So why have I never heard of this Saintess’s God-Attendant Knight?"
Pink Bear’s body stiffened slightly. He let out a faint, imperceptible sigh and didn't answer, instead changing the subject.
"To address your earlier doubt: although this process looks much more like a game now, the cruel essence of the selection—whether it's the Holy Ceremony or the old Saintess War—hasn't changed one bit.
"In fact, to ensure the results align with the Church's original intent, they don't hesitate to invite the most famous geniuses and elites of the continent to participate in this ceremony.
"...That’s right, that's the scene you're looking at now.
"Though it's called a ceremony, it is essentially a trial. A final trial for the Saintess Candidates. The winner sits upon that radiant throne. As for the losers... throughout history, many have ended as nothing more than withered bones. Not to mention, this particular ceremony is..."
"Still like raising gu?" Muen mused.
"Yes, it's still raising gu. But one has to admit, the Saintesses chosen through this method are indeed exceptional."
Pink Bear sighed with emotion. "Whether it was the Saintess before the previous one—who abandoned her duties to pursue true love and met the end you're familiar with—or the previous Saintess, who sacrificed herself after only a short time in office...
"The former's statue still stands in the city she once saved, and the latter... she saved many lives during that Demon Beast Tide. Both were worthy of the title of Saintess."
As Pink Bear fell silent, Muen grew quiet as well.
The way he looked at the figure standing in the light began to change.
As expected, beneath that radiant exterior lay responsibilities and burdens unimaginable to ordinary people.
Then...
Muen searched the crowd for that delicate young girl.
But he found nothing.
She really didn't need to separate from them at a time like this...
*
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Margarita’s God-Attendant Knight stepped into the light.
He was a man with a frivolous expression and a scruffy beard, looking somewhat unkempt. However, his appearance caused the tension in the room to spike. Muen heard gasps from Senior Sister Fanny and the others behind him.
"You know him?"
"Of course." Fanny nodded, her expression grim. "He’s constantly in the newspapers. That’s Paul Marvin, the direct successor of the Northern Divine Will Style!"
"Divine Will Style?"
"A school founded by the Sword King of the North," Pink Bear added from the side. "As for that Sword King... let’s put it this way: the Indra King, that old-timer Crown Bearer I easily defeated by borrowing a bit of outside power, would have to bow and greet him as a junior."
"Tsk, tsk. Even that old guy sent someone. It seems everyone is pulling out their trump cards for this one because of that."
"I see..."
Muen ignored Pink Bear’s self-aggrandizement and fell into thought.
Something’s not right...
The name Paul Marvin did ring a bell. He wasn't some random extra who appeared for a few lines only to be forgotten or serve as a face-slapping target for the protagonist.
But in Muen’s memory, he wasn't supposed to appear at this time.
Had he remembered incorrectly?
*
"Annie."
At the Saintess’s call, the second Saintess Candidate stepped forward.
Her appearance also drew the gaze of the entire hall, prompting Muen to instinctively elbow Pink Bear.
"Look, the white-stocking loli you wanted."
Pink Bear rolled his eyes and ignored him.
In the center of the hall, the girl with the petite, loli-like frame walked toward the Saintess with firm, powerful strides.
"You... haven't changed at all," the Saintess said with a smile, before asking the same question. "So, will you—"
"I will become the Saintess!"
Before the Saintess could finish, the white-stocking loli raised her head haughtily.
"Very well. I look forward to your performance."
The Saintess placed a crystal into her palm. "Bring forth your knight."
"Reta, come here!"
At the girl's command, a tall, burly figure moved through the crowd, casting a massive shadow over the floor.
Everyone’s breath hitched.
That figure was less like a man and more like... a monster.
He was at least three meters tall, his muscular body covered in stitches and seams. Metallic constructs replaced nearly half of his torso, giving him a sort of gruesome, mechanical beauty.
Yet, despite being such a conspicuous "monster," no one had noticed him until he stood before them.
"An artificial weapon created by the Iron Stone Faction of the Stone Cauldron Association?" Pink Bear muttered in shock. "They really went all out..."
*
The third Saintess Candidate.
"Fei'er."
"Coming~"
Following the call, a sophisticated beauty wearing a mage’s robe instead of a formal dress walked toward the Saintess, yawning.
Following closely behind her was a woman with short, neat hair. She remained expressionless under the crowd's gaze, but the spear on her back—taller than a person—was exceptionally striking.
"Thunder Spear, a very famous adventurer," Senior Sister Fanny whispered into Muen’s ear. It seemed they had done their homework on intelligence.
The Saintess’s gaze swept over Fei'er’s mage robes. "In the end, you chose this path over magic?"
"Yep~" Fei'er looked like she was suffering from sleep deprivation. "I realized that the path of a mage has its limits, so I chose this side."
"Hehe, you're far from being in a position to say something like that," the Saintess smiled, handing over the crystal.
"Who knows?" Fei'er took it, continuing to yawn. "Maybe the moment I become the Saintess, I'll regret it."
*
The fourth Saintess Candidate.
"Freya, it’s your turn."
As the figure in the simple dress stepped out, the hall fell into a rare silence. Everyone stared at the girl, momentarily speechless.
"She looks so much like her. Too much," Muen remarked, his gaze darting back and forth between the Saintess and the girl named Freya. "It’s like they were cast from the same mold."
But the resemblance wasn't in their facial features.
It was their aura.
Freya’s long hair flowed freely, and her hands were folded elegantly over her stomach. Her movements were graceful and serene, and she seemed enveloped in a faint layer of holy light.
Her face, though distinct from the Saintess’s, bore an identical, sacred smile. Anyone who looked upon that smile felt as if a gentle breeze were brushing past them, or as if they were being warmed by the morning sun.
It didn't look like a calculated act or an imitation. That natural, effortless quality was exactly like the Saintess currently on the stage.
"Long time no see, Saintess Teacher," Freya said as she knelt gracefully. "You are as lovely as ever."
"And you are as charming as ever, Freya," the Saintess replied with a smile.
"And yet, Saintess Teacher, you don't seem to like me very much," Freya countered, her smile unchanging.
"That must be your imagination." The Saintess placed the crystal in her palm. "And your knight?"
"He’s been here the whole time."
Within Freya’s shadow, a figure had appeared at some point, standing silently. Dressed in black with a calm expression, he seemed to be one with the darkness.
"Say hello, Brian."
*
"It really is her!"
Muen heard Fanny’s gasp again.
"Elaine Robel of the Southern Blair Kingdom! She once stopped a plague and saved countless people. Some of the populace already call her the Future Saintess. She really is a candidate! And the one behind her... that’s the famous genius of the Blair Kingdom, the Shadow Ghost Brian, who could kill across tiers at the age of thirteen!"
"They all sound like big shots?"
"Mhm!" Fanny nodded vigorously, looking extremely excited.
Before coming here, she had expected to meet some exceptional people, but she hadn't expected to see so many!
Even Pink Bear remarked from the side, "The quality of this year's ceremony is terrifyingly high."
"Is that so?"
Muen looked away, staring at the four figures kneeling respectfully before the Saintess and the God-Attendant Knights behind them. He remained silent.
Having spent his time obsessed with cultivation and staying alive, he wasn't overly familiar with the famous geniuses of the continent, nor did he have the time to care.
Fortunately, he had some knowledge of the original plot.
But that was the problem.
In his memory, these God-Attendant Knights—while certainly capable—were mostly just fodder meant to serve as foils for the protagonist, Ariel, to show off.
You know, the typical, cliché power-fantasy tropes that most readers enjoy.
But...
Looking at the guys appearing now...
Which one of them looked like a minor character?
Every single one of them had "powerful" and "badass" written all over their faces. It felt like any one of them could be the protagonist of their own story, slaughtering their way through the world.
Did something go wrong again? But this is my first time in the Holy City, and my first time meeting these people. It can't be my fault, can it?
Muen frowned, lost in thought.
Or is it just that my memory is too fuzzy, and these people just have scary reputations and appearances?
Muen didn't have long to think.
Because next was the entrance of the final Saintess Candidate.
"Liya, it’s your turn."
At the Saintess’s call, the girl who had been waiting on the sidelines clenched her fists. Summoning her courage, she stepped into the light, the focus of everyone's attention.
The girl was cute, with an impressive figure.
In terms of pure appearance, she was a step above the previous candidates.
However, she seemed overly restrained and shy, keeping her head down and walking with quick steps.
After she knelt before the Saintess, she gave her chest—which was large enough to make Margarita turn pale—a cute little pat and let out a small sigh of relief.
"How is it? Have you rested well lately?" the Saintess asked.
"Very well. Thank you for your concern, Saintess Teacher."
"Then, regarding the question I asked before..."
"No," the girl answered firmly.
"I see..."
The Saintess gazed into the girl's eyes. After a moment, she offered a smile that seemed slightly more tender than before.
"It seems you’ve made up your mind."
She raised her hand, and a crystal condensed within it.
However.
The crystal, which should have been placed in Liya’s waiting palms, remained suspended above her hands, refusing to fall.
Liya looked up, confused, tilting her head cutely.
And then.
"One last question."
The Saintess looked at her, her smile fading into a serious expression.
"Liya... where is your knight?"