Chapter 421: The Saintess
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 421: The Saintess
The memorial service soon came to an end.
The formal farewell for that Saintess Candidate would be held after all the follow-up matters in Cantville were resolved.
When the time came, she would carry the glory of having fought the Evil God and honorably return to the Goddess’s embrace amidst her beloved Golden Orchids.
But for now, everyone knew in their hearts that something far more important was about to take place.
*
The cathedral was solemn and grand, and the light of the Goddess continued to shine down with mercy.
Bathed in that radiance, the Saintess lowered her eyes, her gaze softly sweeping over everyone present.
After their brief yet arduous journey through the Lost Homeland, everyone here had changed to some degree.
Some changes were transformations of the heart, while others were increases in strength.
Regardless, these were all firm steps taken by these Saintess Candidates toward that ultimate seat of power.
Unfortunately, no matter what, only one person could ascend to that position.
"I won't waste time with sentimental words; you've likely reached an age where you're tired of hearing my nonsense."
Facing two expectant faces, one crestfallen face, and one that had completely checked out, the Saintess’s lips curled into a faint smile as she spoke softly:
"The Pay Homage to the Sage Ceremony is both a ritual of transformation and a trial of qualification. You have grown and gained much within it. Now, under the gaze of the Goddess, please present your results."
Aside from a certain "salted fish" who had given up halfway and completely stopped trying, three crystals slowly rose into the air in the center of the cathedral.
Two were enveloped in a translucent, shimmering light.
The third, however, was filled with pitch-black filth.
The Saintess’s gaze swept over the two brilliant crystals before quickly settling on the only corrupted one.
Her eyes flickered, her vision lingering there for a long time, as if she were trying to peer through that profound darkness.
Liya lowered her head sheepishly, her small face almost burying itself in her impressive chest.
She didn't quite dare to look at the Saintess’s expression.
Though she didn't regret her choice—and making that choice had been in accordance with the Saintess Teacher’s own instructions—her act of abandoning her duties was still somewhat selfish, whether viewed from the perspective of the Church or her mentor.
Thus, she had completely given up hope. The only reason she was still here was to put a final period on these last ten years of her life.
"Are you okay?"
Beside her, Muen scratched the palm of Liya’s hand with his finger.
Under the Saintess’s watchful eye, he couldn't be too bold, so he could only resort to this sort of secretive intimacy.
"I'm fine."
Liya shook her head gently, offering her usual lovely and charming smile.
"I'm doing great."
"Is that so..."
Muen swallowed the words of comfort that were on the tip of his tongue. At this moment, the girl didn't need such weak words.
She was strong.
So, he would just watch.
Muen’s attention returned to the Saintess. The brilliance of Margarita’s and Annie’s crystals was roughly equal, so he was also quite curious about the final result.
Tap...
Under several tense gazes, the Saintess finally began to walk.
The long hem of her dress, which brushed against the tops of her feet, rose and fell with her steps, mirroring the suddenly accelerating heartbeats of everyone present.
It wasn't just those in this room; outside, in the Holy City, and even across the entire continent, the believers who knew a new Saintess was to be born tonight were wide awake, waiting for the result.
It was as if they were waiting for a new sun to rise.
"How beautiful... It must have been very hard on you."
The Saintess arrived in front of Annie and praised her crystal in a soft voice.
Instantly, everyone saw the loli girl tilt her swan-like neck back with effort, puffing out her flat chest and standing high on her tiptoes.
"It wasn't hard at all! I finished it with ease!"
The arrogant, bratty loli became even more insufferable.
If it weren't for her lack of height, she would likely be looking down her nose at everyone with a triumphant gaze right now.
She stared fervently at the approaching Saintess, thinking to herself that her long-held wish was finally about to be fulfilled!
As long as she could lead the trends as the Saintess, then being small would be considered cute too!
Annie waited expectantly for that moment to arrive!
But...
The Saintess did not announce the result. She merely expressed her admiration.
That was all.
She gave Annie a light hug but did not stop walking. Eventually, she bypassed the arrogant loli—whose toes were starting to tremble from standing on them for so long—and arrived before Margarita.
Margarita was stunned for a fraction of a second, then her lips curled upward. She cast a sidelong glance at Annie, who looked as though she had been turned to stone.
It seems the winner is me after all... Don't worry, I'll carry on your legacy as well.
Compared to the bratty loli, Margarita, as a princess, was much more reserved. She suppressed her inner excitement, though the joy in her eyes was still somewhat uncontrollable.
"Yours is also very beautiful. Just like your heart—pure, flawless, and as brilliant as the stars."
The Saintess praised her with equal sincerity.
But hearing this praise, Margarita’s smile instantly froze.
This was almost the exact same scene...
Sure enough.
The Saintess pulled her into a brief embrace, offering only praise.
Then, without staying a moment longer, she bypassed her as well.
"Eh?"
Both Annie and Margarita let out cries of incomprehension.
Currently, the only suitable candidates for Saintess were the two of them. If she didn't choose them, then...
The two turned back in a daze, only to see the Saintess walking with graceful steps until she stood... right in front of Muen.
"Huh?"
"Hmm?"
"What?"
Several cries of shock rang out. Even Fei, the "salted fish" who had been watching the drama, sprang up from her seat in shock.
Liya was even more stunned, her brain going into overdrive.
"What the hell?"
Looking at the Saintess’s half-smiling expression, Muen’s eyelids began to twitch uncontrollably.
Wait.
Your Highness, you couldn't possibly be... choosing me, right?
Are you kidding me!
Even if I'm handsome as hell, and even if I'd be a peerless beauty in drag, a male Saintess is just...
Muen’s mind filled with images of himself wearing a white gown, draped in a white veil, sitting cross-legged on a hazy sacred carriage as he passed through the Holy City, receiving the worship of countless devout believers...
He might even have to learn the Saintess’s current mannerisms—elegant, holy, demure, and bashful... No, absolutely not!
This was out of the question!
Muen straightened his face, signaling that he would not easily succumb to the Church’s tyranny!
"You really are interesting, Muen Campbell."
Fortunately, the Saintess didn't suddenly make some world-shaking, outrageous declaration.
Her meaningful gaze only lingered on Muen for a short time. Rather than scrutinizing a future Saintess, it was more like she was taking a close look at what kind of pig had the balls to come and root around in the Church’s cabbage patch.
Soon, she turned and looked tenderly at the final candidate, Liya.
"And you, little Liya."
The Saintess sighed softly, remarking with emotion:
"You always do things that even I, your teacher, find unexpected."
"I... I'm sorry."
"Lift your head. I'm not scolding you."
The Saintess reached out her delicate hand, gently tilting Liya’s small head up to meet her gaze tenderly.
In that moment, Liya suddenly realized that deep within the Saintess’s eyes, there was more than just tenderness.
There was reflection.
There was melancholy.
There was a mix of complex thoughts.
But more than anything, there was a sense of relief and gratification.
"Saintess Teacher...?"
As if reading that complex gaze, Liya’s voice trembled slightly.
"Actually, I never expected this scene to happen. In my eyes, it was going to be very difficult for someone as kind and pure as you to make it to this step."
The Saintess stroked Liya’s cheek and asked, "Are you surprised?"
"...Yes."
Liya nodded, still looking completely lost. "My crystal..."
"Yes, your crystal has been stained with filth; it is no longer brilliant. And a girl who has taken sin upon herself is not qualified to be the Saintess... That's what you're thinking, isn't it?"
"...Is that not the case?"
"Do you think it is?"
The Saintess blinked and asked back. In these final moments of playing her role, she finally revealed a hint of playfulness that broke her usual elegance.
"Did I ever say that? Is it recorded in the Church’s Holy Scriptures? Quite the opposite, Liya. How can a girl who lacks even the courage to step into the darkness and be stained by filth ever become the Saintess? The duty of the Saintess is to guide countless believers forward, but the path ahead is always dark. That is why there must be a light brighter than any other."
"A bright light... but I..."
Liya was even more confused. A bright light? But even her crystal was so dim.
"Do you still not understand? It wasn't me who chose you."
The Saintess suddenly reached out and grasped Liya’s crystal.
The crystal, entwined with filth, flickered with only a dim glimmer like a candle flame. It was nowhere near as brilliant or dazzling as Margarita’s or Annie’s.
And yet, it was still lit.
Stubbornly, it remained lit.
The Saintess suddenly applied pressure, and the crystal shattered.
Freed from its constraints, the clinging filth dissipated. And from within those expanding cracks of darkness, what bloomed... was light.
A blinding light.
Brighter than Margarita’s, brighter than Annie’s.
Brighter than anyone’s.
It came from those monsters, from the Prisoner, and from the many people Liya had saved.
More importantly, it came from Liya’s own heart.
That light had never been absent; it had merely been shrouded in darkness.
But even when it existed within the darkness, people could still see that flickering glimmer.
So what if she bore countless sins? That light had never been corrupted by filth or darkness.
"Tch."
Staring at that incredibly dazzling light, Annie pursed her lips and turned her head away in a huff.
Margarita, however, forced Annie’s head back and sighed in admiration:
"Truly incredible..."
*
"So, Liya Angel, I ask you once more, that very first question."
Amidst the light that belonged to Liya, the Saintess looked into her eyes and asked solemnly:
"Even having witnessed the deepest darkness of this world, even while standing amidst heavy sin and filth, will you still... remain kind?"
"I will."
The girl answered.
There was no need for hesitation, for this answer had long been engraved in the depths of her heart.
"Very well."
The Saintess broke into a smile and patted her shoulder.
"Then turn around and look. Go and claim what belongs to you."
The cathedral doors swung open with a boom.
Light from the entire world flooded in with brute force, drowning the cathedral in an instant.
It was already daytime outside. The massive statue of the Goddess stood at the highest point of the Holy City, overlooking all of creation.
The sun was rising, and in the bright morning light, the Pope stood with a solemn expression.
Liya saw many figures behind the Pope, but she couldn't see any of them clearly.
Her legs suddenly felt a bit weak. She knew what she was supposed to do now, and she knew that the thing she had pursued for ten years was within her grasp.
Yet, at this moment, she felt a sense of apprehension. Seeing this dreamlike scene before her eyes, did it mean...
"Go forward, my Saintess."
But then, that familiar, rich, and warm voice sounded by her side.
Liya turned her head blankly and saw that handsome figure who seemed like he would always be by her side, still watching her with a smile.
"You belong in the light."
The words felt familiar, and Liya felt a momentary daze.
But this time, she didn't need anyone to push her. Courage had returned to her heart, which was already filled to the brim.
Liya no longer hesitated. She wore a captivating smile, straightened her back, and walked forward with firm steps.
She walked into the gaze of countless people.
The Pope cast a cold glance at Muen, then withdrew his gaze. He lifted the translucent, crystalline crown in his hands and placed it solemnly upon Liya’s head.
"By the decree of the Goddess."
"Liya Angel, thou... shalt be the Saintess."
A rain of holy light fell from the sky, like a blessing from the Goddess herself.
Countless believers faced their new Saintess, kneeling like a rising tide from near to far.