The Saintess

Two days later, just before departure.

Selina sat on the edge of the little dragon girl’s bed, her hand stroking the girl’s forehead to measure a temperature that felt like a raging fever.

As expected, even after two days and nights of waiting, the Red Dragon Norin had not returned. On the contrary, several suspicious figures had appeared around the tavern over the past few days.

She could feel the demonic forces hidden within the Imperial City becoming increasingly restless.

[She should be at the most critical moment of her advancement. You were right; even with the assistance of the Dragon Marrow Saint Crystal, this breakthrough will not be as easy as imagined due to the number of times she suppressed it.]

Hestia’s phantom floated beside Selina.

Selina took off the necklace from her own neck. At the same time, she removed the Elemental Crystal Sword, leaving only the crystal sword symbolizing Hestia’s authority on the chain.

She gently propped up the girl’s head with one hand and looped the necklace around her neck with the other, fastening it securely.

“Hestia, I’m leaving the little dragon girl to you…”

Selina placed the miniaturized Elemental Crystal Sword into her skirt pocket. Simultaneously, the bracelet on her wrist erupted in light, and her appearance shifted into that of Aurelia.

Watching the retreating back of the girl as she pushed open the door, Hestia silently raised her lantern and whispered softly.

[May you achieve what you seek on this journey.]

The moment Selina stepped outside the tavern’s barrier, her sharp perception immediately captured several monitoring gazes.

Sure enough, the outside was crawling with the eyes and ears of Roniel and the demons. She wondered how the Dragon King’s preparations were coming along.

Of course, that wasn’t her concern right now.

She had changed into the golden Saintess attire from Aurelia’s luggage. The exquisite and holy garment, paired with the little dragon girl’s face, instantly drew the gazes of the numerous suspicious individuals on the street.

“The Saintess.”

“Look, it’s actually Her Eminence the Saintess!”

“Is the Saintess going to the cathedral to pray?”

“Are you stupid? Haven’t you heard? The Archbishop of the Dragon God Cult is joining forces with eight nobles to carry out a Dragon God’s Trial on the Saintess. She’s going to accept the trial!”

“This… this can’t be…”

The crowd of onlookers grew larger, eventually forming an unmanageable congestion. Looking at the mountain of people and sea of pedestrians who had stopped to stare, “Aurelia” walked forward step by step with a decent, clean smile on her face.

There was no need to worry about the crowd blocking the way, for those setting the stage in the shadows would naturally clear the obstacles on her path to judgment.

Sure enough, before she could walk many steps, a large number of Dragon Tribe guards and clergy surged out from the crowd. They directed or forcefully dispersed the people to maintain order.

A straight path was cleared before her. “Aurelia” strode forward, her expression showing not a hint of the fear or tension one might expect before a trial.

The surrounding clamor was noisy and chaotic, but it did not affect her mood.

As for showing cowardice, that was hardly possible. After all, even if she was disguised as this Saintess, she herself was indeed a Saintess. One served the Dragon God Cult and the other the Reincarnation Cult, but from the perspective of status, she was a Saintess nonetheless, wasn’t she?

As for being stared at by so many eyes, that was nothing.

The grand scene during her fourth birthday in Emerald City, with the gathered Elven subjects and foreign guests, was no less crowded than this street.

She passed smoothly all the way to the Dragon God Cathedral.

Looking at the towering building, the girl merely gave it a cold, indifferent glance. Then, she elegantly lifted the hem of her Saintess dress and climbed the steps of the path to judgment, one by one.

In this area of the stairs, most commoners and passersby were blocked.

Due to the activation of the Dragon God’s Trial, the layout and atmosphere inside the cathedral were solemn; the commoners could only wait anxiously outside for the results.

This trial would determine whether the old Saintess would fall and a new one would succeed. It would also decide whether Aurelia’s reputation among the Dragon people could endure.

If she were truly found guilty during the trial, the trust and image the little dragon girl had built in the hearts of her people over the years would come crashing down.

As her soles hit the final step, “Aurelia” looked at the battle-ready posture inside the cathedral without any fear. She entered, and the cathedral doors slammed shut behind her.

In the enclosed environment, a gust of cold wind brushed past her face. Pairs of golden pupils—some venomous, some mocking, some contemptuous—concentrated on her.

Among the faces, she recognized several familiar people.

The Duchess Elizabeth, the young Lady Delphina, and “Archbishop Hodmogh,” who stood in the center looking peaceful on the surface but was actually impossible to see through.

“Hmph, you actually dare to show your face. I thought the dignified Saintess would be too afraid to even attend Lord Dragon God’s trial, knowing her reputation was about to be dragged through the mud.”

The moment she entered the cathedral, a piercing voice rang out.

“Aurelia” followed the sound and saw that the speaker was, as expected, her “dearly beloved” cousin, Lady Elizabeth.

“I am the Saintess personally designated by the Dragon God. Since it is the Dragon God’s descent, what would I not dare to attend?”

The girl smiled brilliantly. Her sparkling golden pupils showed none of the arrogance or fear of being outnumbered. That nonchalant aura caused Lady Elizabeth, who had been so arrogant just a moment ago, to suddenly darken her expression.

“Hmph, keep being stubborn. We’ll see how long you can stay tough once you face the Dragon God!”

Sitting beside Lady Elizabeth was her daughter.

Looking further, there was a group of richly dressed, serious, and dignified Dragon Tribe nobles. If she wasn’t mistaken, these were the eight great nobles who had joined forces with Elizabeth to accuse her.

The expressions of the eight nobles varied, but looking at their eyes, each seemed to be harboring their own schemes.

What surprised her, however, was her cousin’s daughter.

This Lady Delphina, who was about the same age as her, also possessed the Glazed family bloodline and was currently her strongest competitor for the title. Reasonably speaking, given Lady Elizabeth’s personality, Miss Delphina should also be an arrogant and overbearing young lady.

However, in the moment “Aurelia’s” gaze swept past, she captured a trace of indiscernible complexity in the eyes of this exquisite and beautiful girl.

“Enough, enough. Since this is a trial, there is no need for idle chatter.”

The “Archbishop” was draped in the red robes representing his status. He slapped the table with one hand to signal for silence. Instantly, the entire cathedral went quiet. Countless clergy members qualified to face the Saintess focused their gazes on this powerful elder.

“Aurelia, as the current Saintess, you now face three major charges jointly brought by Lady Elizabeth and the eight great nobles: dereliction of duty, and blasphemy. Do you plead guilty?”

The Archbishop’s majestic voice made the entire cathedral turn solemn. Those golden pupils, bright as day, were even more bone-chilling.

“I do not admit to them.”

The girl shook her head without hesitation.

“Very well. In that case, let the Dragon God’s Trial begin. We call upon the omniscient and omnipotent Dragon God Radon to descend the Dragon God’s Eye, which can pierce through all evil! Before the Dragon God’s Eye, all sin and lies shall have nowhere to hide!”

As the words fell, the altar placed in the center of the cathedral—prepared in advance—suddenly shook.

The six jewels set around the hexagonal altar suddenly erupted with different hues of light, shooting directly toward the statue of the Dragon God.

The Dragon God statue seemed to be activated by this power.

The stone dragon eyes suddenly burst forth with dazzling divine light. Divinity was stripped from the stone statue, gradually forming vertical dragon pupils that resembled suns.

The “Dragon God’s Eye” hovered at the top of the cathedral. That eye was like a star in the sky, looking down upon every single person within the cathedral.