“What? Say that again?!”

In the lush green mountains and clear waters, by a small waterfall and tranquil pool, a young girl clad in pristine white Holy Knight armor, with a holy sword at her waist and a golden shield on her back, turned in shock. Her crystal-clear golden hair swept dramatically with her movement.

Though she did not show anger, the intense pressure and divine aura emanating from her stirred an involuntary impulse in the maid to revere and worship.

The maid, who had been amazed at the dramatic change in the young lady she hadn’t seen for a long time, took a deep breath and repeated the brief message from the family head as instructed.

“Miss, the Holy Council has conducted a public vote and decided to initiate the ritual to summon the 【Judgment Holy Sword】. Due to the special circumstances, the review process has been waived, and the divine descendant Edwina Cecilia will directly succeed as the new 【Judgment Saintess】. The succession ceremony… will be held one month from now on the day of Saintess’ Arrival.”

As she spoke, the young maid from the Cecilia family, who had grown up alongside the two young ladies, carefully took out a scroll sealed with a golden emblem.

This scroll represented the Holy Council’s decree, second only to the goddess’s oracle within the Holy Empire, and delicately handed it to the golden-haired Holy Knight girl.

“……”

Edwina took the scroll, broke the unsealed emblem, and quickly read through the text on the golden letterhead. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Got it. You can go back now.”

“Miss… you…”

“I said, go back.”

“… Yes.”

Unable to resist the divine pressure emanating from the golden-haired girl, the maid respectfully nodded and hurriedly turned to leave.

After a long while, once the maid’s figure had completely vanished from sight and no more sounds were heard from that direction,

“The Holy Council, what a Holy Council! August Lambert! You’re a disgrace to be a member of the divine lineage!!!”

“Smash!”

The girl forcefully threw the golden decree onto the ground, and her pure white steel-clad foot stomped on it several times until it was twisted and crumpled. She then angrily stepped back a few paces and sat on a large rock by the pool, panting heavily.

“Being angry… is just a meaningless outburst of emotions and does nothing to help the reality. Little Edwina, I thought that after three years of training, you would have understood this truth, but why are you still so quick to anger?”

A calm, aged voice emerged slowly from behind a particularly large, ancient tree. An elderly woman, clad in a simple white clerical robe but without any holy symbols or seals, walked out, leaning on a cane.

The elderly woman’s long hair, simply gathered with a wooden pin, was white—not the naturally lustrous white of certain races but the true pale color that comes with the aging of a living being. Her back was visibly hunched, and she walked with a shaky, cane-supported gait, giving the impression that she might collapse at any moment.

“Teacher?”

Seeing her appear, Edwina was startled and quickly stood up, rushing to help the elderly woman to the rock where she had been sitting.

She then bent down to pick up the crumpled, dirty golden paper, which, due to its special material, had not actually been damaged, and showed a look of indignation.

“But teacher, what the Holy Council is doing is too extreme. My sister is risking her life to fight demons, and instead of providing immediate support, they’re engaging in these disgusting tricks behind the scenes? I know what August is thinking—he’s just afraid that the Cecilia family might threaten his position as Pope because I awakened the divine bloodline without obtaining the sacred artifact. So he’s eager to make me succeed as the Saintess.”

“I understand that once someone becomes a Saintess, they can no longer participate in the papal election or hold a seat in the Holy Council. But isn’t it also stipulated in the doctrine that unless the previous Saintess’ death is confirmed or she voluntarily steps down, the Saintess cannot be replaced at will? Not to mention the ritual to forcibly summon the artifact, which is almost equivalent to declaring the Saintess as a heretic! How is what August is doing not an abuse of power?”

Watching the indignant young Holy Knight, the elderly woman simply smiled with a calm, detached demeanor.

“Ah, so you still haven’t fully grasped the top-level structure of the Holy Empire and some things. You just keep mentioning August. Firstly… this decision was made through a vote by the Holy Council. On the surface, the Pope does not have the unilateral authority to replace the Saintess, so where does the accusation of abusing power come from?”

“But, the Holy Council clearly…”

“Yes, many are from August’s faction, but what evidence do you have? Besides, there are also people from the Cecilia and Summerfield families involved. The three divine bloodlines are separated by powers, and it’s impossible for the Pope and just one Lambert family to monopolize all the authority.”

Upon hearing this, Edwina was momentarily startled.

“So, teacher, are you saying…”

The elderly woman rested her hands on her cane and turned to look at the deep pool nearby, her ancient, aged eyes remaining unusually calm.

“Yes, it seems your rapid growth and encounters have made many hidden figures restless. They have joined forces to suppress the Cecilia family… Haha, the situation with little Faye (Frederica) might have worsened not just because of the fierce demons but also due to some people’s behind-the-scenes manipulation.”

Edwina’s fingers on the sword hilt slightly retracted, and she said solemnly.

“Is it… the Summerfield family?”

“It’s hard to say. It could be, or it might not be. The three divine bloodlines restrain each other. Despite being the strongest, the Holy Empire’s system means that this isn’t a place where we can simply dictate everything. But don’t worry, Little Edwina. Always remember what the true foundation of the Holy Empire is. The position of the Pope is important, but compared to Her Divineness, it is still merely one among countless beings.”

“Her Divineness…”

After a long period of contemplation, the Holy Knight girl finally lifted her head.

“After all this talking, teacher, you actually want to know how I awakened the divine bloodline, don’t you?”

The elderly woman did not deny it but simply smiled calmly.

“I have asked you this question many times before. Could it be that even now, Little Edwina is still unwilling to reveal the truth? Or perhaps…”

A flicker of sharpness appeared in the elderly woman’s dim eyes, and she spoke startling words.

“Or perhaps, did Her Divineness personally instruct you not to disclose the matter to anyone?”

“……”

The expected panic and shock from the young girl did not appear. After a brief moment of astonishment, Edwina gradually calmed down, her gaze steady and distant, looking far into the horizon as if hinting at something.

“As the true pillar of the Cecilia family, I naturally fully believe you. However… there are indeed things I cannot say, and I am sure you have already guessed some of it.”

“That divine being is not a distant, indifferent deity residing in the heavens. They are the first ray of light illuminating the world. They are the embodiment of all dawn and hope. They has bestowed Their holy light upon me, dispelling malevolence and clearing my heart. They… are right beside us.”

“I see… No wonder, even though little Faye’s fate outside is unknown, you, Little Edwina, always seem so confident.”

Hearing this ambiguous hint, the elderly woman finally showed a look of satisfaction and chose not to speak further.

“Since the light has once again descended, then it is time for the Cecilia family, with its thousand-year legacy, to… take action.”