Chapter 153: The Saintess’s Wrath | Annihilate Them
After all Luke had somehow married five princesses.
Meanwhile most of them had only one wife.
Still none of them truly regarded Luke as a rival.
Even though an old saying claimed that the last summoned Hero would always become the strongest.
Most of the current Heroes had already reached the peak of the Silver Knight realm.
Many were preparing to break through into the Golden Knight stage.
Compared to them. Luke still seemed far behind.
Even the surviving Heroes from previous generations heard the news.
They merely acknowledged it before returning to their own affairs.
To beings who had lived for centuries. One talented young Hero wasn’t particularly remarkable.
Thus Luke’s achievements became one of the hottest topics across the world.
Every kingdom discussed them. Merchants gossiped about them. Spies investigated them.
Demons quietly took notice. And countless young men became inexplicably jealous.
Fortunately Luke knew none of this.
Otherwise he would probably look at every one of them with complete confusion before asking,
"Did I run away with your wife? Then why the f**k all of you so jealous?"
***
Holy Light Church...
High above the clouds floated a colossal sacred island.
Its sheer size dwarfed many small continents, while hundreds of temples, cathedrals, and holy sanctuaries stood upon its surface.
Normally the Holy Light Church was a place of absolute tranquility.
The only sounds were hymns, prayers, and the ringing of holy bells.
Yet today a completely different atmosphere had formed.
Whispers spread throughout every corridor. Groups of clerics quietly exchanged glances.
Even the usually expressionless Holy Knights couldn’t hide their curiosity.
"Have you heard about the Hero?" One young cleric asked while carrying several ancient scriptures through a marble hallway.
His companion slowly nodded. "I have."
After this his face filled with disbelief and after making sure nobody was close enough to overhear them, he lowered his voice.
"...Did the Saintess truly make a mistake?"
The first cleric’s expression stiffened. When earliler he heard the rumor.
His immediate reaction had been denial. ’The Saintess...? Impossible.’
’She would never lie.’ Surely someone had fabricated the story.
However after verifying it through several official reports.
He discovered that Luke had indeed reached the Early Bronze Knight realm.
Not only that he had even slain a Mid-Golden Knight.
Everything was true. Which left him conflicted.
Should he rejoice? That the Hero chosen by the Goddess possessed extraordinary talent after all.
Or...
Should he mourn? Because the Saintess’s judgment appeared to have been wrong.
Unable to answer even himself. He merely shook his head.
On this the two clerics silently continued toward their destination.
Yet...
They were hardly the only ones. Throughout the Holy Light Church, Clerics. Holy Knights. Priests.
Even Bishops quietly discussed the matter.
No one could organize their thoughts. To every believer. The order of reverence had always been simple.
The Goddess.
The Saintess.
Then... The Hero.
Deep within the grand cathedral. A sacred silence remained.
Towering white pillars stretched toward an high ceiling.
Sunlight poured through huge stained-glass windows depicting the Goddess of Light.
At the center. The Saintess knelt before the divine statue.
Her white holy robes spread elegantly across the polished floor.
Her golden hair flowed gracefully behind her.
Her eyes remained peacefully closed.
She seemed completely detached from the world’s unrest.
Click.
A side door quietly opened. From which a female cleric entered before carefully approaching.
Without making unnecessary noise. She knelt beside the Saintess and whispered several words into her ear.
The Saintess’s eyes suddenly opened. For the first time in days. Genuine surprise appeared upon her beautiful face.
"Luke Voidheart..." and his name unconsciously escaped her lips.
Only fourteen days had passed since he had left.
Yet his entire life had seemingly changed.
"You’ve become strong..." She softly murmured. Which brings a faint smile on her lips.
Moments later that smile gradually faded.
And confusion replaced it.
’But... The Spirit Crystal wasn’t damaged.’
’So Luke should truly have been talentless.’
’Then... how?’
She replayed every detail of that day within her mind.
Every conversation, ritual and examination. Nothing seemed out of place.
No matter how much she thought. She found no answer.
The female cleric quietly observed the changing expressions upon the Saintess’s face.
She wisely remained silent.
Until The Saintess gently raised her eyes toward the enormous statue of the Goddess.
"It seems... this too was the Goddess’s will."
Her expression once again became filled with unwavering faith.
Perhaps The Goddess herself had secretly blessed Luke.
Perhaps this miracle had always been part of the divine plan.
Standing beside her the female cleric also bowed her head toward the goddess staute. "I believe so as well, My Lady."
If the System had been present, It would have exploded with outrage.
[This is fraud!]
[Why does my every contribution always go to some goddess.]
[First the Goddess of Luck, by Luke, and now even his talent goes to the goddess of light.]
The system would definitely argue with them for days.
Though if someone said this to him, "don’t worry about this."
"Maybe those goddesses will end up becoming his wives as well." then the system would gladly accept this.
Because of a hidden feature, which Luke didn’t know.
"My Lady." The female cleric finally spoke again.
"What should we do regarding the Hidden Hand?"
Upon this, the peaceful smile disappeared from the Saintess’s face. And a terrifying coldness silently emerged.
Only a handful of people within the Church had ever witnessed this expression.
Even the female cleric instinctively straightened her posture.
Then one word left the Saintess’s lips.
"Annihilation."
Her calm voice echoed throughout the cathedral.
The female cleric wasn’t surprised. As she had expected exactly this answer.
Attempting to assassinate the Hero personally chosen by the Goddess. Was no different from declaring war upon the Holy Light Church itself.
"Dispatch the Templar Knights." The Saintess slowly closed her eyes once more, after leaving those words.
And returned to prayer as though nothing had happened.
The female cleric respectfully bowed. "As you command."
After that she quietly left the cathedral.
The moment she stepped outside. She faced the waiting Holy Knights.
’It seems it’s time we show the world what happens if they touch their hero.’
Then her expression turned incomparably stern.
"Go."
"Erase the Hidden Hand from existence."
"Leave... not a single member alive."
The assembled Templar Knights struck their chests in salute.
"Yes!"
Brilliant holy auras erupted throughout the plaza.
Within moments the Church’s elite forces began mobilizing.
The Holy Light Church had officially entered the hunt.
Unfortunately Luke had no idea any of this was happening.
Otherwise he would probably be moved to tears.
"Finally someone actually stood up for me."
Of course his vampire wife had already done exactly that.
The only difference was. She preferred doing it from the shadows.