Priest Rael led Ascal to a small prayer room. The quiet room was enveloped in a solemn atmosphere.

 

After a moment of prayer with closed eyes, Priest Rael looked at Ascal with a gentle gaze.

 

"I had my concerns when you first set foot in the Holy Kingdom. To speak frankly, there were rumors about the arrogance of the nobles from the Empire. But seeing you, Brother, it seems those were just rumors."

 

"Hahaha, the nobility of the Empire does have its share of arrogance."

 

"But you, Brother, have been nothing but earnest and faithful in following the will of the stars. I should take a leaf out of your book."

 

"You flatter me."

 

A lengthy preamble usually hints at a significant matter to follow.

 

Ascal listened intently to Priest Rael, inwardly excited.

 

"Congratulations, Brother. You have passed the priest examination. As of today, you are officially a priest of the Church of the Star."

 

"…!"

 

'Finally!'

 

Ascal suppressed the urge to shout with joy.

 

Now he could live a peaceful life under the legal protection of the Church.

 

It wasn't the best-case scenario of the Kelli Kingdom, but it wasn't bad either.

 

In these times, seeking refuge in religion was akin to a rainbow shield. It spared his family from any harm.

 

"In the guidance of the Star Pireiel."

 

"Pireiel."

 

Ascal, who had been kneeling in prayer, rose to his feet.

 

 

"Oh. It seems the saintess ceremony has started. Let's hurry and attend."

 

It was the first saintess ceremony in a hundred years.

 

Everyone in the Holy Kingdom, whether nearby or afar, would witness it.

 

****

 

'What a lavish display.'

 

As an official observing the ceremony up close, Ascal was the first to make such an assessment.

 

An extravagant orchestra was hired, and priests in ceremonial robes stood in order amidst fluttering, brilliant banners. Ascal was tucked away at the end of the row.

 

And on the marble steps, two bishops whispered beside the Pope, who nodded in response.

 

"This scene seems familiar..."

 

The Pope's sermon soon began.

 

His legs grew numb, and his eyes started to close.

 

Fortunately, due to a tight schedule, the sermon did not exceed an hour. Afterwards, the saintess candidates appeared one by one in the central seat.

Girls in pure white dresses and veils.

 

And among them, a girl with striking white hair, easily ranking among the top in appearance among the saintess candidates. With her mouth closed, she even seemed to radiate a holy aura.

 

"The saintess ceremony will now commence!"

 

The Pope's voice resounded loudly.

 

 

It was definitely morning.

 

But then,

 

It turned to a dark night.

 

In the night sky, stars began to appear, shining down on the saintess candidates.

 

The candidates started to dance lightly and sing hymns. As if illuminated by spotlights, the stars followed them.

 

Then, one by one, the stars began to extinguish.

 

'A sign of elimination.'

 

The unchosen candidates either slumped down or quietly disappeared.

 

Sushia was still there.

 

'But why is she dancing so hard?'

 

'If she didn't want to become a saintess, she could just pretend to dance. I bet she's just not thinking anything at all.'

 

Finally, only two stars remained.

 

The candidate from the Kingdom of Medes and Sushia.

 

Everyone held their breath, watching their dance. Then, the starlight illuminating the candidate from Medes started to move.

 

It passed over the heads of the priests and reached Ascal.

 

'What is this?'

 

- "Would you like to become the saintess?"

 

A voice suddenly speaking in his mind.

 

-"But I'm a man."

 

-"Hmm… shouldn't matter, right? You seem better than that girl there."

 

-"Absolutely not."

 

Become a saint, under constant surveillance?

 

Out of the question.

 

-"That's unfortunate. A rare find in a thousand years."

 

-"What about Sushia?"

 

-"She's a dilemma."

 

And with that, the light spoke one last sentence and vanished.

 

-"Wait for the next hundred years."

 

The starlight went out.

 

And as the darkness lifted, day returned.

 

.

.

.

 

Murmurs filled the air.

 

"Who became the saintess?"

 

"Nobody, nobody did. What happened here?"

 

Everyone was thrown into confusion.

 

No saintess emerged from the ceremony.

 

An outcome no one had anticipated.

"Silence!"

 

The Pope amplified his voice using a marble stone.

 

The sound was almost deafening.

 

"There has been a slight error. The saintess has already been chosen!"

 

Then, striding forward, the Pope pointed his staff towards Sushia, who sat dazed as if under a spell.

 

"Rise, saintess!"

 

The murmurs did not cease. Everyone had seen the lights go out. They instinctively knew the Pope was lying.

 

 

"What happens if no saintess emerges?"

 

"It would be disastrous. The Holy Kingdom has crossed the line. Behind the scenes, they've dabbled in smuggling and illicit trade, raking in huge profits from indulgence sales. But what if they can't produce a saintess to validate their authority?"

 

"The indulgences would become worthless scraps of paper."

 

The crown prince laughed coldly.

 

"The Holy Kingdom planned to immediately pin their corruption and filth on our Empire as soon as a saintess emerged."

 

"Had they succeeded, our Empire would have been stuck in the muck."

 

"Exactly. They would have played the role of noble saints at the expense of our Empire. Bernstein?"

 

"Yes. The airships and papers are ready."

 

If the Holy Kingdom thought to drag the Empire through the mud, the Empire would do the same.

 

Only instead of dragging them through the mud, they would shower them with filth.

 

 

"Airships."

 

Airships floated in the sky.

 

People looked up.

 

From the black-painted airships, loads of papers began to fall.

 

 

Skilled fabrications and propaganda due to the scandal!

 

It rained down indiscriminately on the Holy Kingdom!

 

Even more malicious because it was mixed with truth!

 

The effectiveness of the Empire's propaganda was outstanding!

 

"What is this…"

 

The Pope trembled as he read the propaganda and fabrications on the papers. They skillfully blended truth and lies to condemn the Holy Kingdom.

 

"It's a lie! That, that airship must surely be from the Empire..."

 

But now,

 

Who would believe the Pope's words?

"My… my priesthood."

 

Ascal collapsed to his knees.

 

"I've found you."

 

A woman in black tapped Ascal's shoulder. Her face was hidden behind a mask, but he recognized her immediately.

 

"Se..."

 

"Shh. Here, I'm 'The Princess of the Night'."

 

While the airship dispersed flyers, a group had secretly mixed in and dropped among the chaos.

 

Laika was the first to infiltrate the cathedral and steal confidential documents. Kane sorted out the important papers beside. Jerobe distracted the guards with his large frame.

 

Arthur Debrue single-handedly faced the knights of the Holy Kingdom.

 

Serena Barba had come to rescue Ascal.

 

And Yulia Barba was...

 

In the cathedral's underground.

 

"Not choosing a saintess, what were you thinking?"

 

A starlight, yet to fade, was flickering.

 

-I thought the lesser evil was better than the worst, but I've changed my mind.

 

"…?"

 

-In this world, there's no need for a saintess.

 

"Don't you care what happens to your Church?"

 

-Flip the question. Do you not care what happens to the Empire?

 

Yulia's contemplation was brief.

 

"Yes, if that means it ends."

 

-Vora nevar. Esta kera.

 

The starlight disappeared.

 

 

"That, that person who came then was Carl, you mean?"

 

Eileen's voice trembled uncontrollably.

 

Sirius spoke dryly.

 

"Yes, Director."

 

"Why, why didn't I recognize him?"

 

Eileen fidgeted nervously with her bracelet. It was a gift from 'Carl', the biggest benefactor of the Haven Orphanage, now Haven Training Center. The gold necklace was the same.

 

"Well, they say people only see what they want to see. Maybe what you wanted to see, Director, has just changed a bit?"

 

"No way!"

Eileen abruptly stood up from her seat.

 

She had always thought about it.

 

There was never enough bread to feed the children.

 

When the children fell ill, all she could do was to stay by their side, helpless.

 

Somehow, she managed the orphanage, working side jobs without sleep, but even that had its limits.

 

Desperately, she wished for someone to help.

 

And in that desperation, there was one person who extended a hand.

 

Carl.

 

He asked for nothing in return, simply giving to the orphanage.

 

Thanks to him, the children didn’t go hungry. They could study.

 

‘He must be an official from the Empire.’

 

The astute Sirius quickly realized Carl’s true identity.

 

The Empire.

 

Eileen thought. If she could educate these children to become valuable assets to the Empire, wouldn't that be a way to repay him, even a little?

 

Thus, Haven Orphanage transformed into Haven Training Center.

 

"Director, maybe it’s time for you to let go of some of that burden."

 

She had let go too much.

 

Shocked, Eileen looked in the mirror.

 

‘Is this, really me?’

 

Wearing a necklace and bracelet that didn't suit her, gifts from her benefactor, and her body not as it used to be, having gained weight from lack of movement.

 

But still.

 

It wasn’t too late yet.

 

Just as Eileen was about to take off her jewelry and step outside, a document that had arrived that morning caught her eye.

 

This month’s sponsorship certificate.

 

Carl's name was no longer on it.

 

“Ah…”

 

Where did it all go wrong?

 

Had she lost her original purpose?

 

“Sirius, what should I do?”

 

“The answer to that, Director, you must find on your own. It's not something to seek from others.”

 

“That’s true.”

Eileen bit her lip.

 

"Sirius, take charge of the Training Center. It can manage without me now."

 

"Director, you are...?"

 

"I'm leaving. To where I'm needed."

 

From that day, Eileen wandered the wilderness. To places where people starved, where they were sick.

 

It was hard.

 

There were days she didn’t eat even one meal, times when her life was in danger. Yet, she kept walking. The need for a helping hand was more numerous than the flowers in a garden.

 

Her cheeks became gaunt. Her hair turned dry and brittle. Her nails cracked. Some were shocked at her emaciated appearance, hardly recognizing her as the woman they had first met.

 

But she paid it no mind.

 

The number of people following her path grew.

 

Gradually, she began to be known as the "Saintess of the Wilderness."

 

And finally, the place she reached was Erindale, the land of death.

 

It was around that time when vegetation started to grow wherever she touched.