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A ray of sunlight filtered through the stained glass.

The colorful windows blended with the dark atmosphere of the cathedral, creating a strangely sacred vibe.

In the quiet, static atmosphere.

A woman dressed in pure white nun’s robes knelt before the statue of the Lord, offering her prayers.

She remained motionless, eyes closed, praying for a long time.

Her prayers were not for herself but for the peace and stability of the world, the salvation of those suffering, and the well-being of others.

After a long prayer, the woman finally thanked the Lord for watching over everything and concluded her prayer. When she opened her tightly closed eyes, they sparkled like they held starlight, revealing clear, bright pupils.

“Your Holiness.”

After finishing her long prayer, Saintess Veronica turned to the Holy Knight Commander who had been waiting for her.

Even though she had informed him that there was no need to guard her during prayer time, he always stood in the corner of the prayer room, prepared for any unforeseen danger. To show her gratitude, she slightly bowed her head and smiled at him.

“Commander Johan. I told you, you could rest a bit during prayer time.”

“My duty is to protect you, Your Holiness. There can be no exceptions to that.”

“Haha. I always feel sorry about that.”

“There’s no need for you to feel that way. I’m simply fulfilling my responsibilities.”

As expected, his response was predictable.

It was precisely why he could serve as the commander of the Holy Knights, but the Saintess couldn’t help but think he was a bit too rigid.

Of course, it wasn’t that his character was bad. She just thought he could afford to be a bit more relaxed.

“By the way, I have a report regarding Gilbert Lion Heart, as you mentioned earlier.”

“Shall we move to another location?”

Veronica, eager for news about Gilbert, immediately left the prayer room and headed to her office. She was not only the Saintess of the Divine Empire but also a key figure handling numerous petitions.

The role of the Saintess, once valuable simply by existing, had clearly changed in modern times. With the disappearance of the Demon King and the Hero, the Saintess was no longer chosen by divine revelation but was artificially selected by the Divine Empire.

Naturally, her actions had to differ from those of the past, when she was considered the embodiment of the divine. The meaning of the title “Saintess” had changed, and so had her position.

Now, with the role of the Saintess remaining symbolic, she had become a petition handler for the empire’s citizens. It was unreasonable for her, untrained in politics, to discuss major imperial affairs, but failing to act as a Saintess also posed problems.

After much deliberation, it was decided that she would handle numerous petitions to care for the citizens of the Divine Empire.

Some mocked this decision, but Saintess Veronica accepted the role with joy. She believed that helping those in suffering was the true essence of a Saintess.

Now, she considered it natural.

Because she had truly become a Saintess.

Upon entering her office, Veronica brewed some herbal tea for the commander and placed it before him. Though the commander wasn’t particularly fond of tea, he couldn’t refuse a gift from the Saintess, so he bowed slightly and took a sip.

Perhaps because her tea-making skills were top-notch, even the commander, who didn’t usually appreciate tea, found it pleasant.

“May I now hear about him?”

“You must be well aware that the Infractus Empire has been in turmoil recently.”

“It was because of the Great Sage Horizon.”

The rebellion of the Great Sage Horizon.

Under the pretext of continuing the Lion King’s legacy, the Great Sage rose against the empire, leading an army of thousands of colossal mechs and starting a war.

This rebellion, occurring at a time when the continent was leaning towards peace, put neighboring countries on edge.

The Infractus Empire, always considered the strongest military power on the continent, provided a perfect opportunity to gauge its strength, and the potential impact of a successful rebellion on the continent’s political landscape was significant.

However, Horizon’s rebellion was crushed surprisingly quickly, rendering the preparations of various countries meaningless.

Though a prolonged civil war was expected, the rebellion was quelled in just two battles on the Obitus Plains, with the rebel leader Horizon killed. It was baffling how an army of thousands of colossal mechs could be defeated so easily.

Historians would later describe it as the most disastrous battle in the continent’s history, given the pitiful outcome compared to the scale of the rebellion.

“Still, it’s a relief. Innocent people didn’t suffer.”

“Though he was called the Great Sage, Horizon seemed to lack the ability to command troops effectively. Or perhaps the empire’s strength was simply overwhelming.”

The commander sipped his tea.

Delivering so much information had left his throat dry.

“From my personal perspective, both points are valid, but I think the latter carries more weight.”

“So, you’re saying the empire’s strength was greater than expected?”

“Exactly. Among them, Gilbert Lion Heart, known as the sword of the First Princess Seraphina, stood out.”

“Please elaborate.”

The commander began detailing Gilbert’s exploits during the rebellion suppression.

He described how Gilbert utilized special forces in the initial battle and how he charged into enemy lines to save Ian, presenting the facts as objectively as possible.

After listening to the commander’s report in silence, Veronica reached a conclusion. Gilbert, whom she had only suspected until now, was indeed the person she had been searching for.

“Commander. The Infractus Empire is holding Princess Seraphina’s Heir Designation Ceremony in a month, correct?”

“Yes. A letter inviting us to the ceremony arrived a few days ago.”

“I see. Then, I must meet with the Pope.”

“Your Holiness. Are you planning to attend?”

“Yes. I must go.”

Despite the commander’s grave expression, Veronica simply smiled.

No matter the opposition, Veronica was determined to go to the Infractus Empire.

To meet the protagonist of the prophecy.

***

As promised, Gilbert converted Fressia into a spirit core and went to see Ian early in the morning.

Currently, Ian was under house arrest.

During the battle at Obitus, Ian’s solo actions had put him in a difficult situation, but he didn’t receive severe punishment.

Normally, he would have faced a court-martial and heavy discipline, but his past achievements and his status as the heir of the Line Barrel family were taken into account.

Moreover, Seraphina, who had secured her position as the heir, had specially pardoned him, reducing his punishment to a month of house arrest.

However, being under house arrest meant he couldn’t move freely, so even days after the battle, Ian couldn’t come to Gilbert to retrieve Fressia.

[It’s a bit disappointing to be in this state.]

“Don’t forget your promise.”

[Don’t worry. Though I’m now an artificial spirit, I was once a princess. And the words of royalty should never be taken lightly.]

Gilbert nodded slightly and entered the lodging where Ian was under house arrest.

As soon as he entered, servants attending to Ian approached him.

“Lord Gilbert, may I ask why you’ve come here?”

A man who seemed to be the head servant politely inquired about his visit. Though Gilbert belonged to the opposing faction, he was a high-ranking noble from the Lion Heart Count Family and a rising star in the empire, making it impossible to turn him away rudely.

“I’ve come to see Ian. I have something to deliver to him.”

“If you give it to me, I’ll deliver it to Lord Ian.”

“I must deliver it personally. Lead the way.”

Gilbert deliberately used a commanding tone. Few knew of Fressia’s existence.

Increasing the number of people who knew about her wasn’t a good idea.

“Understood. Please follow me.”

The head servant didn’t argue. Whether it was because of Gilbert’s notorious reputation or his rising status, it wasn’t clear.

The head servant led Gilbert up the stairs to the top floor.

Upon reaching the top, they arrived at the largest room, where the servant knocked politely and announced Gilbert’s visit.

“Lord Ian. Lord Gilbert has come to deliver something to you.”

*Bang!*

Ian opened the door hurriedly.

Seeing Ian rush out of the room, Gilbert frowned slightly.

By no stretch of the imagination did Ian look normal.

His bloodshot eyes, unwashed hair, and wrinkled clothes made him appear disheveled.

“Gilbert!”

“Head servant. Please leave us.”

“Understood.”

The head servant bowed deeply and descended the stairs, deciding it was best not to interfere further.

“Give it to me!”

“You’ve lost your manners since I last saw you.”

“Manners? You dare talk about manners after stealing my property?!”

Ian growled.

It seemed there was a serious misunderstanding, but Gilbert saw no need to correct it.

It was clear that Ian was in no state to have a rational conversation. Anyone’s words would be twisted to fit his narrative.

Instead of speaking, Gilbert took out Fressia’s spirit core and handed it to him.

“Fressia!”

“My business here is done.”

Gilbert turned away, suppressing his lingering reluctance. He had to keep his promise to Fressia.

Ignoring Ian’s shouts from behind, he returned to his lodging.

Having spent the past few days with Fressia, the place felt a bit empty.

*Knock knock*

“Lord Gilbert. It’s Layla.”

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Layla entered. She had just finished attending the funerals of Johnson and Roel before leading the Golden Mane unit members back to Gilbert.

This was with the permission of the Count of Lithuania, the head of the Lion Heart Count Family, under the pretext of eliminating Horizon, who had rebelled against the imperial family.

As the border count guarding the empire’s borders, the Count of Lithuania was a staunch supporter of the emperor.

Despite being a prestigious noble family, they restrained even their external activities to avoid any potential threat to the imperial family.

It was only natural that such a loyal family would act when a force rebelling against the empire emerged.

Thus, Layla led the Golden Mane unit to participate in the battle at Obitus.

However, even after the war ended, she didn’t return because she was investigating the remnants of the New Resistance and the mysterious death of Horizon.

If she had come to see Gilbert amidst her busy schedule, it likely meant she had found something related to one of those two reasons.

“Unit Leader Layla. Have you found something?”

“As expected of you, Lord Gilbert. Yes. We’ve found the chairman of the New Resistance.”

“The chairman?”

Gilbert recalled Brecht, who led the Resistance in tactical combat, but then remembered the name Bandike.

During the initial suppression of the Resistance, it was Bandike, not Brecht, who led them, making the name memorable.

“Where is he?”

“We’ve captured him and are holding him in the basement of this mansion.”

“Is he resisting?”

“No. He’s surprisingly obedient. Almost relieved, which is strange.”

“Then let’s go. Interrogating him is the priority.”

Gilbert and Layla descended to the basement. Originally a storage area, it had been converted to hold prisoners.

As they went down, they saw a man restrained behind iron bars. He was smaller than Gilbert but larger than an average adult male.

Gilbert sat on a chair provided by Layla and faced him.

“Are you Bandike, the chairman of the New Resistance?”

“Yes! I am Bandike. Please, spare my life!”

What is this?

Gilbert was speechless at the unexpected reaction.

 

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