blogombal Page 49
Page 49
The flow of people was constant, and the clergy were busy until late at night. Only when the flow of people gradually decreased did they pack up their stall, wipe the sweat from their brows, and smile with satisfaction.
"Finally, the important work at the Holy Church is complete today—"
At that moment, inside the church, a priest dressed in white walked over and patted the clergyman on the shoulder: "You've worked hard today too, Hein."
"I never expected that after only five years in the Holy Church, you would already be able to stand on your own and be in charge of the Holy Church's most important business: awarding the Lena dolls."
“I think that in a few years, you will be able to become a priest.”
“No, you’re joking!” Cleric Hein said somewhat nervously, “I’m far from enough. I haven’t even personally awarded 1000 saintly dolls yet!”
The priest smiled and shook his head: "Don't be modest, Hein. I personally witnessed you submit your 'Lena for life' pledge, and watched you start from the bottom business of 'passing the fire from house to house with Saint Lena,' then to promotional businesses like 'Saint Lena vlog video crystal cropping,' and finally to core businesses like 'Saint Lena figure design.'"
"Your execution ability has already surpassed 99% of your peers."
"Even at your age, you can already interpret 'Saint Lena's Higher Aesthetics' just like us. Your recent submission on 'Saint Lena's past life's sense of defeat is also a kind of XP' has received deep recognition from the higher-ups of the Holy Church."
The priest smiled and said, "I have already nominated you to the higher-ups as this year's 'Top 100 Saintesses' single-person recommendation. Keep up the good work and seize more opportunities."
"This...you?!" Hain's eyes welled up with tears, overwhelmed with emotion. "Thank you, Father!"
"Everything for Lady Lena." The priest smiled and made the sign of the cross.
Hein immediately returned the courtesy, pounding his chest with his right hand: "I offer my heart to Lady Lena!!!"
Watching the priest's figure disappear into the distance, Hein's face was filled with a smile as he looked down at the Saint Lena doll he had put away, his gaze sincere.
To know……
Ninety percent of the church's revenue comes from donations from believers attracted by the Saintess series of figurines.
The clergy of the entire Holy Church are like intricately working screws, dedicating their lives to the cause of Saint Lena, the one who passed on the torch! This is the primary responsibility and mission of the Holy Church.
The resulting cash flow was largely used by the church to fund charitable causes for ordinary people.
Under this positive cycle, the popularity of the Holy Church and the Saintess increased day by day, reaching its peak after the appearance of the Ice Saintess.
"Lady Lena, the Ice Saintess, is simply the most perfect being—" Hein gazed at the Lena doll he had made himself, his eyes brimming with the pride of a model maker:
"This is like a goddess, with a cold, beautiful, noble and sacred temperament, further enhanced by the aura of the Ice Heart relic."
"Ah, it's as pure as an unyielding, pristine white ice peak." Hein murmured, looking up in rapture.
"I simply cannot imagine what it would be like if this ice were broken... I doubt anyone in this world could remove the frost from that saintess!"
The voice just fell.
Dong—the deep tolling of the bells rang out from the top of the cathedral.
Hein was startled and looked up in disbelief at the top of the cathedral.
The deep, resonant sound of the bells, imbued with sacred power, spread like invisible ripples throughout the entire capital, culminating in the cross at the very top.
A burst of pure white light suddenly erupted!
Chapter 67 The Royal Flush of the Lent Card
Boom-!
Boom-!
Boom-!
The continuous tolling of bells broke the silence of the long night, waking all the sleeping residents of the capital. Countless people came out of their homes and looked in horror toward the direction of the Holy Church, where the pure white light of the cross shimmered quietly in the darkness.
As the ninth bell rang, Hein's body trembled violently, and he said in disbelief:
"Nine chimes, pure white light—this, this is...this is impossible!"
His lips moved, but Hein could no longer speak. Even the most ordinary residents knew what such a great phenomenon meant, so how could he, as a senior clergyman, not know...
"The Holy Maiden has been severely injured. Could it be because of the Heart of Ice?! Lady Lena, what... could have caused the Ice Saintess to lose her purity?!"
With a thud, as if all the strength had been drained from his body, Hein slumped against the wall, muttering:
"Is the 'Three No-Things of the Ice Saintess' theory about to be overturned?!"
……
Inside the Holy Church.
In recent days, the interior of the Holy Church has been closed late at night, with only a few priests allowed to enter and exit accompanied by paladins. Paladins are also on high alert at the central chapel.
For tonight, a young girl has come to the church.
The only people who can be protected by the kingdom's sharpest blade are the pillars of the kingdom and members of the royal family with noble blood.
Moonlight streamed through the stained glass windows at the top of the church, casting a soft, pure glow that passed over the statue of the goddess in the center of the church and gently fell upon the young girl kneeling beneath it, praying devoutly.
The girl's delicate hands, encased in a pair of transparent silk gloves, were clasped together. The jeweled crown on her head shimmered gently. When she raised her head, her bright and pure eyes seemed to reflect a sky full of stars, bringing peace and tranquility to the soul.
That is the jewel of the kingdom, the second princess, Her Highness Princess Kalia.
"My Goddess," the pure-hearted girl prayed under the moonlight.
"Please bless Mino, so he won't suffer cruel torture in the Demon King's castle, and bless Shana so she can become a strong and capable hero..."
The girl murmured softly, her voice as gentle as a blown dandelion seed, echoing quietly within the church.
Not far behind, the head maid sighed. Since Princess Kalia had recovered somewhat, she had come to the Holy Church almost every day to offer sincere prayers.
The Holy Church is said to be built on the site of a remnant of the goddess's power. In addition to the heroes who have been favored by the goddess, it is also rumored that the location of the Holy Church is connected to the world where the goddess resides.
Due to her frail health, Princess Kalia did not visit the church very often...
But after undergoing a healing process that felt like a divine blessing, her body finally allowed her more freedom of movement.
But Princess Kalia devoted all her time to prayers in the church... without missing a single day.
After a while, Kalia, kneeling before the statue, lifted her skirt and ended her prayer.
"Even inside the church, it is rare to see such sincere and selfless prayer as Her Highness the Princess."
Archbishop Hope, dressed in a white robe, stepped forward, bowed, and remarked with emotion.
He looked at Princess Kalia's endearing face and said with a hint of regret:
"But rumors are just rumors after all. Even the Mino Warrior, who was most favored by the goddess, has lost his luster. The Holy Church seems to have been forgotten by the goddess long ago..."
He turned his head slightly and looked at the goddess statue in the center of the church, the surface of which seemed to exude a touch of spirituality.
This statue is said to truly embody the power of the goddess, but it received no response to Kalia's prayers, and the result... is quite obvious.
“I know, Your Grace, much of what I’m doing now is probably in vain,” Kalia said with a polite smile. “But this is all I can do for Brother Mino.”
"Besides, Sister Lena is currently engaged in a fierce battle with the demons at the border, which makes the Holy Church more vulnerable... As a member of the royal family, I naturally cannot allow myself to remain in a comfortable canary cage."
“I see the glory of royalty in you.” Hope nodded gently in thanks, then glanced around at the paladins with a hint of realization, noticing that Princess Kalia’s arrival also reflected her political acumen.
This jewel of the kingdom seems to be only hampered by her poor health.
“However, Your Highness, you can rest assured.” Archbishop Hope quickly revealed a relaxed smile: “With the protection of the holy relic, the Heart of Ice, Saintess Lena will be even more at ease than the Mino Warrior at the border.”
He raised his head with a hint of pride, revealing a strong confidence in the core strength of the Holy Church.
That's the combination of "Ice Heart + Ice Saintess", which is a top-tier deck even in the Lent deck!
Unless the Nine Demons and the Mino Warrior deck join forces, who can break through this invincible defense?
"Even if the world were turned upside down, it would be the same." Hope pointed to the dome of the cathedral and smiled calmly, "No one can make Saintess Lena break..."
Boom-!
The heavy tolling of bells echoed from the dome, as if the heavens were collapsing... Suddenly, a dazzling white light shone down!
Hope's smile froze on her face.
Boom, boom, boom——
The bells were still echoing. Unlike Hein, who had to wait for nine chimes, the archbishop realized what had happened simply from the solid white light that enveloped the entire dome, like the end of the world…
Hope's expression instantly broke down, utterly shocked:
"They've got a royal flush?!"
Deep underground, violent energy fluctuations surged continuously, followed by a faint chill that began to spread.
"W-What's going on..." Kalia looked around anxiously, but soon seemed to remember something, and her expression gradually turned to surprise.
"Protect the princess!!!"
The surrounding paladins immediately formed a circular formation, protecting Princess Kalia in the center with utmost vigilance.
The well-trained knights reacted correctly at the first moment, but only three people present clearly realized what had happened.
"Princess Kalia, we must go." The commander, Erwin, who had been secretly in charge, stepped forward solemnly and stood before Kalia. "Soon, a large number of people from the capital will surround the Holy Church. It's no longer appropriate for us to stay here!"
“It’s too late.” Kalia shook her head, her worried gaze turning to Archbishop Hope.
After a long period of trembling, the other person's eyes widened and their voice suddenly became distorted:
"Bu-Buhao!"
He quickly turned and ran towards the basement of the Holy Church, the most secret place in the church and the location of the true ruins. Unless a major event occurred, even the archbishop, the chief administrator of the Holy Church, could not enter.
The deep chill of the air condensed into frost on the basement floor.
The bell tolled like a proclamation of doom, its ninth chime echoing. The archbishop stared wide-eyed as the teleportation array, its icy mist gradually dissipating, began to tremble.
The frozen saintess, like Sleeping Beauty, was encased in a thick, crystalline ice sphere, her pure heart, frozen along with it, emitting an incomparably dim light.
This not only signifies that the Heart of Ice has suffered a backlash, but it has even become so severe that it will freeze both the wearer and the artifact itself... undergoing an extremely long period of cooling and repair.
Within the ice, the pure heart, with its final flicker, managed to squeeze out a weak voice:
"It's already frozen solid..."
The next instant, the Ice Heart dripped and completely lost its luster.
boom--
With a thud, Hope knelt on the ground, her voice trembling as if her icy heart had broken down:
"Heaven, earth..."
"It's really turned upside down?!"