Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 5] Chapter 158

[Vol. 5] Chapter 158: A Gift from the Holy Court

Having finally completed the mission assigned to him, Archbishop Ian, the Holy Church’s envoy, visibly relaxed. The forced smile on his face became noticeably more genuine.

As if eager to leave, he quickly gathered his belongings, intending to bid farewell to Yuna and the other high-ranking leaders of the Western forces.

Of course, due to the earlier unpleasantness, the high-ranking bishops and clergy under the Saintess showed no courtesy to the envoy from the Holy Court. Without acknowledging him, they simply stood up, brushed off their sleeves, and left, leaving the envoy awkwardly standing alone.

However, after hesitating for a moment, Ian approached Miss White Fox, who was preparing to leave with Yuna, and bowed slightly with his hand over his chest.

“Excuse me, Miss Dawn. I hope I’m not intruding, but I was wondering if you might have some free time in the near future?”

“Hmm?”

Violet raised her head and gave the middle-aged bishop, with his neatly trimmed golden hair, characteristic of the Holy Empire, a quick glance. She couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised.

Although he had shown great admiration and respect toward her since their first meeting, even going so far as to glance at her occasionally during the meeting, seemingly concerned that something might offend her, Violet had guessed that Ian was looking for a chance to talk to her…

But for him to make such a bold move, especially in front of the Saintess, and openly do something that felt like “poaching,” was indeed unexpected.

With a quick side glance at the blonde girl beside her, Yuna still maintained her calm and gentle demeanor. At least on the surface, she didn’t appear angered by Ian’s sudden move. She simply stood there with Miss White Fox, patiently waiting to hear what would come next.

Since Yuna didn’t seem upset, Violet, though feeling a bit awkward, couldn’t just ignore the situation any further.

“I’m just an idle person, not like you important figures who have so many things to handle every day. I have plenty of free time, but with all the movement and instability right now, how about we wait until the army is settled, and then we can find an opportunity to talk more leisurely once we enter the Angel City?”

“Uh…”

This was a polite rejection, without completely closing the door, allowing the Saintess beside her to maintain her dignity while not entirely severing ties with Ian’s faction.

Just as the Holy Court seemed interested in fostering good relations with “Dawn,” Violet herself was somewhat curious about the last remaining branch of the divine lineage that governed the Angel City.

Sooner or later, she would visit the Holy Court herself.

As expected, Ian initially appeared a bit stunned upon hearing this. Then, he glanced at the expressionless Saintess standing beside Miss White Fox, and it was as if he suddenly realized something. A flash of regret and embarrassment crossed his face before he quickly tried to recover.

“Ah, yes, of course! I was too hasty and didn’t consider things carefully. My sincerest apologies! Oh, and… as a token of my apology, please accept this gift as a sign of my sincerity.”

With that, Ian carefully took something from his pocket and, in front of Yuna, cautiously handed it over to Violet.

“?”

Although she was a bit confused, under the current circumstances, it would have been hard to justify rejecting the offer. Miss White Fox, after briefly examining the item, accepted it from Ian’s hand.

Seeing this, the archbishop visibly relaxed, nodding with satisfaction and bowing again.

“Thank you for your understanding. Though it may sound a bit… ahem, presumptuous, I truly want to welcome you all to the Holy City and wish you great success in the upcoming Holy War, ensuring peace and safety for all the citizens of our Holy Empire.

“Praise the God… well then, Your Highness, Miss Dawn, I must return to report back, so I won’t take up any more of your time.”

After bowing three times, Ian finally lifted the tent flap and turned to leave.

It wasn’t until a long time had passed, and Ian’s footsteps had faded completely, that Miss White Fox, still pondering his earlier behavior and curiously examining the item he had given her, heard Yuna’s voice beside her, carrying a hint of amusement.

“Quite surprising. I didn’t expect the Holy Court to value you so much, Miss Dawn. They even gave you that item. It seems the Lambert family realizes how serious the situation is… they’re leaving themselves a way out.”

“A way out?”

Holding the small metal badge in her fingers, only as thick as a coin, with an image of a girl holding a scepter bathed in light engraved on the front and strange circular patterns on the back. Miss White Fox raised her head in surprise, looking at the Saintess, who was also examining the object.

“Is this thing really that important? But honestly, Yuna, you didn’t seem all that surprised. Even during the negotiation, you started off so hostile but then easily backed down. I’m guessing you already knew the Lambert family would pull something like this?”

The blonde girl smiled and nodded.

“Exactly. If it were me, I wouldn’t just let a rival army roam freely through a city under my control either. While we may be united in our fight against the demons, as leaders of our respective families, we naturally have to consider all the potential issues that could arise after the war. If August hadn’t pulled these little tricks, *that* would have been truly surprising.”

Since the topic had come up, Yuna seemed inclined to explain more clearly.

“Honestly, I don’t really care whether the army enters the city or not, or whether there’s a parade. While Ian’s reasons may have seemed like he was nitpicking, there’s no denying that such issues could arise, just like we never expected something like the ?Blood of the Inverted Cross? to be showed up in the St. Bergen Mountains.”

“With the Holy War about to begin, if any real trouble breaks out, it benefits neither of us, right? So it’s better to make a compromise for now and focus on securing greater advantages elsewhere. Of course, we still need to apply pressure.”

“And besides, does reputation really come from just having troops march around the streets and shouting a few slogans? Even if we make a grand display, if we fail on the battlefield, it will only have a greater negative effect.”

At this, the Saintess smiled again, offering her final conclusion.

“The most important thing is to produce real results when it comes to the demons, just like 300 years ago.”

“Why does it feel like everything is going according to your plan…”

Without digging further, Violet simply waved the ornate half-palm-sized badge she had received from Ian in front of the Saintess, asking bluntly.

“So, what exactly is this? What does the ring on the back represent?”

“Of course, it’s a good thing~.”

After a brief pause, the blonde girl didn’t answer immediately, but instead asked a question of her own.

“Miss Dawn, do you know how the three Saintesses of our Holy Empire are selected?”

“…Hey, don’t answer a question with another question.”

“Hehe~ The answer is quite simple.”

As she spoke, the Saintess lightly placed her fingers on the six-winged holy emblem resting on her chest. With a faint flash of light, a golden badge, almost identical to the one Violet held, appeared in her hand.

To allow the white fox girl a clear view, she turned her wrist, showing both sides of the badge to Violet.

The front of Yuna’s badge was identical to the one Violet held, depicting the figure of a girl bathed in light. However, the back was completely different.

It displayed a radiant and ornate crown.

At the same time, the crown atop the Saintess’s head, modeled after the real ?Crownless Crown?, glowed faintly with a similar light.