As an NPC, having a lot of skills is quite reasonable, right?

Gray's arrival caused quite a stir. Both Erwin and Lily had witnessed the old man leaping off the airship and taking control of the situation, and they felt a sense of fear towards Gray.

The commotion only subsided after Moen explained that this was Arya's master and his relationship with Arya, turning into curious inquiries.

Gray, on the other hand, was very open and didn't try to hide anything.

He sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, holding the fine wine that Moen had bought for him, his gaze drifting between the flowers in the courtyard and the snow-capped mountains in the distance.

Now that he has accepted the order to come to Nohanville, there is no need to guard against the spies in the dark corners of the church anymore.

I'm coming clean. I'm rooting for this kid named Moen. What are you going to do about it?

Gray's gaze deepened as he watched Moen engaging in friendly conversation with Erwin.

In fact, he understood this after receiving the report about the Nohanville incident.

The sudden beast tide was not an accident at all, but a deadly trap set for Arya.

Among the three highest-ranking members of the church, some wanted to destroy Arya, this flawed product, so that the throne could choose the next, more perfect vessel.

The young man in front of us, by sheer chance, broke the deadlock and saved the girl's life.

The other two seats tacitly approved once, and it's unlikely they'll give that person a second chance.

Therefore, Gray's treatment of Moen was not only based on his apparent liking for Moen, but also on his gratitude for saving Arya.

"Container..." Gray tilted his head back and took a swig of strong liquor, the bitterness spreading in his mouth.

That is the church's highest secret, the so-called ring of judgment, the vessel of God, requiring absolute justice and absolute rationality, without the slightest trace of human joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness.

More than a decade ago, when the church handed that timid little girl over to him, the secret order contained only one sentence: "The divine judge needs no humanity."

If it were the young Gray, he might have carried it out without hesitation.

But by then, Gray was far removed from his former high spirits.

Looking at that little girl with vacant eyes, he couldn't help but recall that snowy night forty years ago.

Remembering her sister who, dissatisfied with the family's ways, resolutely decided to escape from the family, she shielded herself from the pursuers.

"Grey, go see the worlds I've never seen."

So he made a decision.

On the surface, he was the strictest instructor, training Arya until she was covered in bruises and turning a blind eye to the injustice she suffered.

But secretly, he would use the pretext of going on a mission to take Arya away from the Holy City.

Take her to see the markets of ordinary people, to eat monster meat skewers from the roadside, and to listen to the stories of bards.

He taught her how to wield a sword, and even more so, how to laugh, how to cry, and how to feel pain.

Gray didn't believe the church hadn't discovered his underhanded dealings. Surprisingly, the church didn't remove him from his position as Arya's mentor, leaving Gray free to do as he pleased.

So what exactly are they trying to do?

"Hoo..." Gray exhaled a breath of alcohol, watching Moen's retreating figure.

Recently, the church has been making frequent moves against Arya, and Grey has a feeling that perhaps the time is approaching.

He didn't know how much longer his old bones could hold on, but on that snowy night when he had a long talk with Moen, he made a decision.

Just like that snowy night when he left home, his sister blocked all the pursuers from the house for him. This time, he also had to leave something behind, for himself and for Arya.

It was dinnertime.

The atmosphere at dinner was much better than Moen had expected. Gray's easygoing personality meant he didn't mind Alvin's impulsive choice of words. At the same time, Alvin seemed to get along well with Gray's straightforward personality, and their conversation was strangely harmonious.

As for Lily, she sat obediently to the side. Gray looked at her with admiration, saying that this little girl had a bright future, but unfortunately he knew nothing about magic and could not teach her anything.

As the sun set, Moen saw Grey off from the manor.

Walking on the snow-covered mountain path, Moen hesitated for a long time before finally asking the question that had been bothering him for so long.

"Grandpa, what do you think of my abilities?" Moen asked tentatively.

Gray stopped and gave him a strange look.

He had intended to say it was alright, but then he remembered that the kid had specifically asked, so he changed his mind and said, "Not bad, among the younger generation, he's one of the best."

Moen took a deep breath and lowered his voice: "As you can see, I have a lot of, well, how should I put it, strange skills."

"For example, the ability to summon mirrors, or to emit light and restore stamina, or something like that."

"If the Church discovers that I possess such power, will they issue a nationwide warrant for my arrest and send experts like you to capture me and conduct research?"

This is not only Moen's worry, but also his long-standing inner demon.

As a transmigrator, he always felt that he was so different from others because he had a cheat code. He thought that if he were exposed, he would be captured by the natives of this world and dissected for research.

Therefore, he was always cautious, not daring to cause trouble or take the initiative, for fear of making a mistake.

However, he had been holding this question in for too long, and it was only after much thought that he decided to ask Gray about it.

Gray was stunned after hearing these words.

Then he burst into laughter, patting Moen on the shoulder as he laughed, and it seemed he couldn't stop.

"Hahahaha! Wanted for you? The whole continent?"

Moen was a little confused by the laughter: "Uh..."

It took Gray a while to suppress his smile, and he asked seriously, "Tell me, in your current state, can you beat me?"

Moen thought about it seriously.

If we disregard all the props, in a one-on-one fight, Gray would have to stand still and let him slash him, and even then, it would be a gamble that Gray doesn't have any trump cards to save his life.

"I can't beat them." Moen honestly shook his head.

"Does this even need to be thought about?" Gray was somewhat speechless.

"Looks like I've been too nice to you."

But Gray didn't discuss the issue of strength much. He turned around, looked at the distant sky, and sighed softly.

What do you think the church is?

Moen hadn't expected Gray to throw out a question in return, so he gave a standard reply: "Yes, it's a legacy passed down from the Age of Divine Revelation, and it's the master of this world."

"Looks like you're not stupid after all, why would you ask that question?"

"I think you also know that the seven major churches have stood for a thousand years, although their rules were only established when the Holy Calendar was first implemented."

"But in these hundreds of years, how many brilliant geniuses have emerged? And how many resistance organizations have stirred up storms? Some of them have mastered forbidden magic, and some have even unearthed the legacy of the era when the gods were still active."

"But what was the result? Either they were recruited into the government, or they were crushed like ants."

Gray pointed at Moen's nose: "In the eyes of the church, those few unseen skills you possess are like a wooden sword in a child's hand—novel, but not threatening."

"The most you can meet is someone of Cecio's level. You won't even have the chance to see the higher-ups in the church."

"The Noxian region alone has herds of beasts and barbarians from the north, cults that seem to appear out of nowhere, and monsters that occasionally escape from the Shadow Rifts. There's enough to keep them busy; who has time to care about a country bumpkin adventurer like you who hasn't killed anyone or set any fires?"

Gray paused, then said in a drawn-out tone, "Kid, remember this: the world doesn't revolve around you."

"Your petty tricks are nothing special."

Perhaps Moen had comforted himself in this way on several nights, but the next day he would begin to hesitate and waver again.

And now, Gray's words are the sharp blade that cuts through the clouds of doubt.

The anxiety that had been weighing on Moen's mind vanished at that moment.

"Thank you, sir." Moen looked up, his smile now carrying a hint of youthful sharpness.

"I think I know what to do."

Gray looked at the young man whose demeanor had suddenly changed and nodded in satisfaction.

"It's good that you've figured it out."

"If you want to do great things, don't be afraid of this or that. Just wait until the day you're wanted by the church..."

Gray grinned, revealing a set of white teeth: "That just proves you've really become someone important."

"As for now, you should think about how to get through tomorrow's special training."