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"No need for modesty, Scholar Astrid! Thanks to your suggestion, we successfully secured the assistance of the Ice Dragon Clan!!!"
Ota's eyes gleamed, and he said with a hint of excitement, "Just today, countless superior frost dragons descended upon our border, forming a powerful dragon cavalry force that inflicted devastating damage on the battlefield!!!"
"Now, our borders are completely secure! We even have the potential to advance further!!"
"Scholar Astrid, your contributions are worthy of being recorded in history!"
As she listened to Ota's fantastical words, Astrid's eyes gradually glazed over... A dragon rider? Or a superior dragon?
Are dragons so easy to talk to these days?!
Astrid instinctively wanted to doubt, but the heavy medal in her hand made her realize the reality—this was the highest honor in academia, and in fact, in the hundred years since the founding of the Kingdom of Kur, only she... had received this medal!
Even if scholars in the ordinary kingdom want to access the kingdom's most core ancient documents, they still need to consume the academic contributions they have accumulated over time.
Even though Astrid's reputation in the kingdom has grown over the years, accumulating such academic contributions has been extremely difficult. To date, she has only managed to exchange her contributions for a comprehensive guide to the decadent relationships within the kingdom's aristocratic circles over the years, and she has yet to accumulate enough academic contributions to exchange for the next core document.
Now, with this medal, she can freely access those classified ciphers and ancient texts!
I've... infiltrated directly into the enemy's ranks!
Astrid's eyes widened instantly, but she felt no joy, only a chill run through her body—had she been tested again? Who could withstand such a test?!
No, we can't be exposed! Absolutely not, Astrid!
Astrid stood there dumbfounded. After the awards ceremony, everyone was in high spirits. Ota and Tus congratulated themselves and then chatted happily.
It's clear that after securing the title of hero to stabilize public opinion and obtaining assistance from the Ice Dragon Clan to solidify the battlefront, both master and servant felt significantly more relaxed.
"Prince Ota, we now even have a slight advantage in terms of combat strength on the front lines!"
Tus spoke eloquently: "Although the strength of the hero Shana is far weaker than that of an ordinary hero, and the title of the hero of evil is just a smokescreen, the dragon riders' armor gives us a complete advantage in terms of troop strength."
"I think we might have a chance to continue our attack and put pressure on the demon race's first line of defense."
Beside her, Astrid's expression was already numb... Wait, did I just hear another shocking piece of news? The newly promoted hero is actually very weak?
Forget it, it's probably just another smokescreen from Otto and his minister. Don't take it seriously: Empty your mind, Astrid, just let your brain go blank...
“No, it’s still a little short.” Faced with Tus’s visionary ideas, Ota shook his head firmly.
"We currently lack a pillar of combat power to ensure the absolute stability of the front line. At the same time, boosting morale is also the most important aspect!"
"Perhaps we can consider our next plan: to revive Saint Lena!!!"
"Hey, didn't they just explicitly say... that the next step is to revive Saintess Lena?" Astrid blinked.
"Lady Lena...?" Tus looked troubled. "But she's currently suffering a severe backlash from the Heart of Ice. According to Archbishop Hope, Saintess Lena's body is currently protected by endless layers of ice, while her soul is sealed within a lucid dream..."
“Under normal circumstances, it may take up to a year or even several years for the Holy Maiden to wake up.”
Oh? The Ice Saintess has suffered a backlash and is unlikely to wake up?
However, Otta laughed it off: "Hope is just the archbishop of the Holy Church after all, and can only analyze the situation within his power from his perspective."
"Lena is, after all, our most important fighting force after Mino. To revive her, even using the entire power of the Holy Church is acceptable—"
Raising his confident expression, Otta seemed certain of Saint Lena's awakening:
"So, this time I have brought 'that one' back."
"Oh?" Tus seemed to have a thought, as if he had a vague guess.
intermediate.
Astrid looked at Otta, then at Minister Tus, a huge question mark appearing above her head—
Why do these two insist on telling me these core secrets?
Chapter 136 Living Fossils
"Archbishop Bihope is more familiar with the power mechanics of the relics and artifacts, has the ability to utilize the full power of the Holy Church, and can awaken Saint Lena from her frozen heart..."
As a minister of the kingdom, Tus already knew many of the kingdom's important figures by heart. His eyes lit up, and he spoke with a hint of excitement, almost carried away:
"Could it be that the saint who has been wandering abroad for so many years, the soul of the Holy Church, has returned?!"
Ota smiled and nodded, tacitly agreeing with Tus's guess.
At this point, even Astrid realized who the person Ota and Tus had mentioned was, and she couldn't help but feel a jolt in her heart, muttering to herself: "Even that old codger is back...?"
Tus's gaze gradually changed, revealing a deep respect different from that shown towards Prince Ota, but rather a fervent reverence like that for a deity. His voice trembled with intense reverence as he uttered the saint's name:
"The Holy Pope of the Holy Church, the Saint of Instruments, the God within the Kingdom—Foster Brad!"
"Pope Brad has actually returned to the capital?!"
Tus knew this was big news, considering that the pope, who was nearing the end of humanity's lifespan, hadn't returned to the capital for ten years.
But once he returns to his holy church, the impact he can have will far exceed that of Chief Lark, who resides in the Magician's Round Tower and is the "Kingdom's Morning Star"!
Tus's face lit up with genuine joy:
"—Is the human race about to welcome another pillar of light?!"
……
Wangdu, West District.
St. Church Square.
Archbishop Hope, his face radiant with holy light, greeted the devout believers, presenting them with Lena dolls. The Lena dolls, consecrated by him personally, shone with an exceptionally smooth and lustrous wax sheen, prompting each believer to excitedly call them divine treasures! Hope returned the favor with a friendly smile... however, behind that warm smile, one could vaguely discern the deep-seated worries hidden in his heart, and an unresolved melancholy.
Hope sighed inwardly.
Saintess Lena has been frozen for more than ten days. During this time, she has tried various methods, but none of them have been able to improve the backlash from the Ice Heart.
"His Highness said that the demons have become increasingly rampant lately, while Her Highness the Saintess remains in the same situation. Alas, these are turbulent times—"
Hope looked up at the pure white, holy cross atop the cathedral, silently praying, "I hope the cathedral won't be affected..."
"Heh, Hope, how many times have I told you, don't wear your heart on your sleeve... that's not a good habit."
Just then, an old voice came from nearby.
Hope's body stiffened instantly, and he abruptly turned his head to look at the white-haired old man in a pure white holy robe who appeared in the center of the square.
The old man did not suppress the aura of aging emanating from him; the years had etched deep lines on his face, but his eyes were filled with compassion and an indescribable light. His wide papal robes were slightly out of place with his thin body, revealing a scarlet silk lining. The incongruous attire on the old man exuded a sacred and solemn aura. A jeweled scepter was held in front of him, supporting his body like a cane.
Hope's eyes lit up with unexpected joy, his hands trembling in disbelief: "Your Holiness the Pope..."
The square was already in an uproar. The countless believers present were now in a frenzy, their eyes fixed on the elderly man in front of them, whose body was half-hunched and whose limbs were inlaid with mechanical devices, as if he were a god!
"It's Pope Brad?! It really is His Holiness Pope Brad!!!"
"My God! Ten years! What a day it is today! To actually see Pope Brad!"
"He is a deity within the kingdom! After traveling the kingdom for ten years, he has returned to his holy land! To have met Pope Brad once more, I can die without regret!"
"By the Goddess! By the Pope! Please bless the Kingdom of Kur with peace and stability!!!"
"His Holiness the Pope appears to be in such good health; this is a great blessing for the kingdom!!"
The entire capital gradually erupted in excitement, with countless people pouring into the church square, creating a scene rarely seen even during the selection of the saintess. Gazes of reverence fell upon the old man in the center of the square, as if they were venerating a deity… a true god!
Pope Brad is now over 150 years old!
They have almost reached the limit of human lifespan!
You must understand that although Chief Lark, the kingdom's guiding star, is old, he is only in his seventies, almost half the age of Pope Brad. Even so, the lifespan of mages and priests is much shorter than that of warriors. Now, many people throughout the kingdom are worried about Chief Lark's health, while Pope Brad... is more like a miracle!
A miracle blessed by the goddess!
If fifty years ago, the people of the kingdom only held Pope Brad, who was nearly a hundred years old, in deep respect as an elder, then after fifty years of trials and tribulations in the Kingdom of Kur, Pope Brad had become a god-like figure in everyone's hearts! A god visible to the naked eye, second only to the goddess!
As the atmosphere grew increasingly heated, Archbishop Hope snapped out of his daze and quickly organized the high-ranking clergy who had been alerted and rushed to the scene. The entire force of the Holy Church was mobilized to restore order to the area.
"Fellow believers, please remain calm! Do not disturb Pope Brad!"
"Quiet! Since His Holiness the Pope has returned to the Holy Church, he won't be leaving anytime soon, so there's no need to rush!"
"That's right. Pope Brad has returned to the capital after a long journey and needs some time to recuperate. Please, all citizens, calm down."
The room immediately fell silent. The crowd's loving yet cautious gazes fell on Pope Brad's aged body, their eyes filled with a hint of remorse... Part of the Pope's body, his hands and feet, had been injured in his youth and replaced with prosthetics made of a material similar to sacred artifacts. One of his eyes had also become a prosthetic eye, making it impossible for him to see clearly.
To be revered as a god by all the people in the kingdom is certainly not just a matter of living a long life.
Pope Brad, as the Saint of Artifacts, has a kind appearance but a ruthless title that strikes fear into the hearts of demons. In war after war, he has activated the holy artifacts of the Holy Church, leaving the demons with many painful blows!
The most remarkable event occurred ten years ago, when the previous hero was severely injured, the kingdom's defenses were crumbling, and the saintess had not yet been born... Faced with an unprecedented crisis for humanity, Pope Brad, in his old age, awakened almost all the sacred artifacts at the bottom of the Holy Church!
At that critical moment, Pope Brad descended to the front lines and single-handedly stopped the surging invasion of the demons, bringing unprecedented hope to the people!
Although that brutal war also caused most of the Holy Relics of the Holy Church to perish, a large number of ancient relics, except for the Demon Sword Apophis which had long since defected, were all turned into scrap metal, prompting the Holy Church to hold a large-scale mourning ceremony, and the kingdom was depressed and stagnant for a long time.
But the pillar of the kingdom, the frail Pope Brad, was fortunate enough to escape unharmed, having not exhausted himself in that battle, and to survive—that was already the best possible outcome…
Hope stepped forward and supported Pope Brad's right side, feeling a hard, mechanical touch at her fingertips.
Pope Brad's right side had been replaced with a prosthetic long ago. His eyes and right leg were made entirely of metal, while his arm was fixed with many mechanical parts to relieve joint pressure without affecting his free movement. Hope gently supported Brad's body and relaxed after confirming that there was no pressure on his left side.
"Your Holiness, what brings you back?" Hope asked Brad, half surprised and half reproachful. "You didn't even tell us beforehand! Look how chaotic things are now..."
"Hehe, I'm getting old, and I just love this kind of lively scene. It's really nice."
Pope Brad smiled warmly, took Hope's arm, leaned on his cane, waved to the surrounding crowd, and slowly walked towards the entrance of the cathedral...
Chapter 137 Humanity Wins a Great Victory
"Furthermore, my trip back this time was also to guard against the demons' targeting, and I cannot reveal it before returning to the capital..."
Only after they had distanced themselves from the crowd did Pope Brad slowly explain, "After all, the kingdom has experienced far too much turmoil lately. If Prince Ota hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known such a serious matter had occurred—"
Brad suddenly raised his head, a glint of light appearing in his cloudy eyes, and asked as if to confirm:
"Saintess Lena has already been affected by the backlash from the Heart of Ice, hasn't she?"
There was a snap.
The doors of the cathedral slammed shut, leaving only a quiet space and shielding the public from view. Hope sighed, nodded, and said frankly:
"That's right, Your Holiness, the Holy Maiden's condition is very serious."
"The secret of our most precious relic, the Heart of Ice, has been leaked from somewhere! This has led to the shattering of Saint Lena's Heart of Ice!"