Succubus cannot be a saint

But it was precisely this inexplicable mess that made the neither male nor female Pope look gloomy and fall into deep thought.

You know, the will of the gods has always been "unpredictable". Not only Zephyr III, but even the previous popes, when they received the goddess's revelation in their dreams, all they received were a mess. Without holding the holy book and pondering it for months or years, they dared not make a final conclusion about the goddess's will.

At this moment, Sharlele's messy mouth was actually the consistent style of the gods' revelations in dreams.

But putting aside the inexplicable "revelation" part, when Zephir III heard this little girl lead the people in a rally, first rebelling against Derek and then against Baron Volo, he couldn't help but smile and nodded involuntarily.

Putting the people first, in this respect, this little girl deserves the title of "saint".

As for the matter of the catapult magic crossbow, the news that Field used magic weapons to repel the rebels would sooner or later reach the Holy Flame Castle, so Sharlelei no longer hid it and told everyone about Felannia's bracelet and Velie's affairs.

She has always been aboveboard when it comes to magical weapons, and there is nothing shameful about it. Whoever wants the technology can just spend money to buy it. After all, the most critical part of these things is not the technology at all, but the magic craftsmen who can mass-produce it.

However, she did not tell the Pope about her "unified arcane energy system".

"I see. I didn't expect there's an Elven wizard from Albery there. But that's no wonder..." Zephiel III pondered. Seeing the Pope's indifferent expression, Sharlelei grew bolder. "May I ask, Your Majesty, the origin of the magical beasts is related to the black membrane of the Mother of Monsters. But why are the things of the Mother of Monsters in the Black Forest?"

After that, she pursed her lips and added, "What on earth is that across from the Black Forest?"

This time, the cross-dressing man's smile faded. Sharlene shuddered, and a thought immediately crossed her mind: "The thing across from the Black Forest" might be a very important secret.

"It's best if you don't know about this," Zephiel III said calmly, his tone gentle but with a hint of warning. "Just build a high wall to keep out the things in the Black Forest. Don't try to spy on it, don't try to pass through it. Tell the little elven wizard not to think about her missing mother."

This was the most serious thing the Pope had said to her since they met.

Hearing this statement in a tone that left no room for rebuttal, doubt, or even questioning, Sharlene lowered her head. If she were in her physical body now, her heart would surely be pounding.

"As you command, take a seat."

"I'm glad you understand." Zephir III nodded, then pondered for a moment before speaking gently, "I've completed my questions. Sharlele Dravi, you are truly a saint blessed by the Goddess. I will send your canonization documents to the Western Territory shortly."

Sharlelei was stunned when she heard this, and for a moment she couldn't believe her ears. After a few seconds of silence, she looked at the smiling face of Zephir III and quickly stood up and knelt on one knee.

"Praise the Goddess. Thank you, Your Holiness."

Zephir III reached out and helped her up. "You don't need to thank me. This is the path the goddess has shown you. But as a saint, the burden on your shoulders is even heavier. You must pray often, and constantly question whether you have strayed from the goddess's teachings and whether you have fulfilled your responsibilities to your followers..."

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and drew a holy symbol on his chest, "Praise the goddess, may her light shine upon the earth."

"Praise the goddess." Shalelei also whispered, but there was an indescribable feeling in her heart, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise slightly.

A succubus in the kingdom of the Goddess of Light was canonized as a saint by the contemporary Pope. Is there anything more ironic and amusing than this?

But then, Zephir III's eyes flashed, and he suddenly put his hand on Sharlene's shoulder.

Her heart tightened, but she heard the Pope's gentle words: "Whether it's governing a territory or leading believers, it's a heavy burden. In this position, you will encounter many people, many things, and many tangled interests. When you want to do the right thing, many people will come to obstruct you and force you to compromise."

Was he... giving me advice? This thought surfaced in Sharlene's mind as she heard Zephiel III sigh, "Admittedly, compromise is inevitable. But you must understand what is and isn't acceptable. You must always remember the Goddess's truest teachings—to bring light and hope to mankind."

"But the 'people' here don't refer to you, me, or those affluent nobles. Rather, they refer to the countless people busy working on earth. It's their lives that the goddess wishes to illuminate."

Sharlelei was shocked and silently chewed over these words in her mind. She raised her head and looked at the handsome face of the young man. "Thank you for your teachings. I will keep them in mind." Her voice was filled with a hint of respect from the bottom of her heart, and Zephir III also smiled at her.

"Well, it's time for you to go back. Staying in the goddess's kingdom for too long is quite a burden on your spirit."

Zephyr III smiled and nodded at her. With a flash of golden light, the girl disappeared from the scene. And so, on the vast expanse of cloud, only the Pope was left, all alone.

He raised his head and looked at the motionless vortex of clouds above the golden sky and the glowing holy light within it.

"My Lord..." Zephir III stared at the ceiling in a daze, and suddenly he let out a faint sigh. His golden eyes were slightly moist, and with the help of this watery light, a rare human touch appeared on his androgynous face that was difficult to distinguish between male and female.

"You haven't given any oracles in dreams for over a hundred years. Why would you not let your faithful servant share your worries, but instead appoint another saint? My Lord..."

The young man's soft and sad voice spread softly among the clouds, but there was silence among the solemn and sacred clouds. Only the broken walls hanging in the sky looked down at him silently.

...........................

When Salares withdrew from the divine ceremony, the priests waiting on the side, such as Whitham, realized that this saint had been recognized by the Pope.

However, Archbishop Raymond was not in Field City at the time. He was leading his troops with Berea to eliminate the old rebels. Therefore, the priests came to congratulate with a tired look on their faces. No one clamored for a large banquet, which saved Sharlelei the trouble of attending banquets.

Soon, the news of "the Saint of the Western Territory being canonized" spread like wildfire throughout Field City. While the entire city was in jubilation, no one, whether it was the upper class, the extraordinary powerful, or the common people, was surprised.

If this saint who saved Field from danger cannot be canonized as a saint, then the Pope must be blind.

As the news of the canonization spread, rumors in the city intensified. If before it was just "the Saint's army descended from the sky and defeated the rebels," now it was "the Saint raised her hand to perform the Nine Ring Divine Judgment," "the Saint ascended to heaven," "the Saint is an angel on earth"...

Even when people go to church to pray on a daily basis, they often add the phrase "May the Saint protect us." Some people even write a petition in the hope of meeting the Saint and having this living saint hold a parade around the city to fulfill the people's pilgrimage wishes.

No one remembered the saint's original nickname "Crazy Daughter", and no one dared to mention it.

In the end, the Saint Lady even surpassed the Holy Archer Knight in fame, becoming a household name within Field City. When discussing Field City, residents would proudly and respectfully mention the Saint Lady first, rather than the Archbishop of the Cathedral or the renowned Holy Archer Knight.

There were even some wealthy businessmen and nobles who often donated to the cathedral and were secretly asking where they could buy... oh no, "please" get the "holy object" blessed by this chosen saint. Upon hearing this, Salleigh couldn't help but laugh and cry.

In this way, this "Saint Frenzy" lasted for two weeks, until Archbishop Raymond and Berea liberated Baron Miles's territory, rescued the captured daughter of Duke Iharion, and returned triumphantly with their army.

Moreover, they brought a letter from the Duke of Dravid.

In this document, which bears the seal of the Duke of Dravida's family, there are only two serious matters besides a bunch of polite words of thanks to the goddess.

First, in the name of the Duke, the Volo family was sentenced to treason, and all those who were involved with the cult in the territory were sentenced to death, and the Volo family was deprived of their right to rule and ownership of Graystone Town and its surrounding lands.

Second, the Saint Charlene De Lave was officially canonized as the Baroness of Greystone.

........................

Salarei was not at all surprised by the actions of her cheap father.

No fewer than ten aristocratic territories, large and small, in the Western Territory were quietly infiltrated by the Nightmare Cult. After this incident was resolved, Duke Dravi, as the Duke of the Western Territory, had to carry out a major reshuffle.

The "saint" Sharlelei happened to start her army in Greystone Town, so granting her this territory was legitimate and also set a precedent. From then on, when the Duke handed over those territories to his relatives or confidants, there would be much less resistance.

Moreover, while Greystone Town couldn't compare to those large cities, it was still a prosperous place. Conferring the title of Baroness of Greystone Town was also a gesture of goodwill towards this "chosen saint."

Although Duke De Lavie was also puzzled at this time, why a crazy daughter who caused a huge scandal would suddenly become a saint who raised an army to rescue Field.

Even without the Duke of Dravi's reward, Greystone Town had essentially become Sharlelei's territory... No, it would be more accurate to say that any territory Sharlelei touched would slowly be corrupted by her...

After all, this is a succubus.

The war had just ended, and Duke Dravi was naturally extremely busy. Once his chores were completed, the Western Territory would naturally be experiencing a new wave of unrest.

And that was the day when Shalelei met the Duke of the West.

------

Hi, the second volume is about to be finished.jpg

(Lie down)

Volume 2: The Silver Lily of the West: Chapter 204: Angeldale

The girl slowly woke up.

The soft, slightly curly brown hair spread out on the white sheets. In the dim light, it looked like blocks of light and dark colors painted by a painter, as if holding the girl in an oil painting.

There was an indelible cloud between her brows, and even her sleeping face was filled with sadness. She looked like a dying rose, withered from the most tender petals.

However, when she opened her eyes, the painting of Sleeping Beauty seemed to be torn into pieces, and all the tender and affectionate painting ideas could not hide her dark gray eyes.

Those eyes were too inorganic, without highlights or bright colors, as if the painter had forgotten to add the final touch of light to her eyes after finishing the painting. A painting of a beautiful woman sleeping in spring was suddenly tinged with a ghostly aura.

The figure flashed by and the girl sat up and reached out to touch the pillow. This set of movements was smooth and flowing, and she had no idea how many times she had practiced it, but she touched nothing.

The white fingers were clenched under the pillow, looking a little confused and dazed.

With a creak, the door opened and a maid came in with a towel in her hand. She called out softly, "Miss Iharin, you're awake!"

The girl shuddered and turned to look at the maid. The maid shuddered at the sight of those gray eyes, lifeless and dull like puppets. But the next second, a polite, gentle smile appeared on the girl's face.

"Excuse me, where is this place...?"

The smile appeared without any warning, as if someone had splashed paint on it. The eyelids curved into a friendly crescent, hiding the pupils that did not show any smile.

Her voice was soft, thin, and pleasant to the ear. The maid blinked, as if thinking, "Oh, how could such a gentle and polite noble lady have such cold eyes? I must have seen it wrong." Then she calmed down.

"This is Field City Cathedral, Miss Iharion. It was Archbishop Raymond and the Holy Bow Knights who drove away the rebels and rescued you."

"I see." The girl nodded, her smile unchanged, as if carved with a knife. "Where's my ring?"

"Here, we haven't touched any of your things, look." The maid picked up a storage ring from the table and handed it over. The girl politely wrapped her hands with the bed sheet and took it without touching the maid's skin.

"Thank you. I'd like to rest for a while."

After the maid left, the girl's smile vanished like a smudge of water in the sun, returning to her expressionless face. She stroked the ring, then with a flick of her wrist, a small dagger appeared in her hand. The hilt of the dagger was engraved with the emblem of House Iharin.

Then there was a small porcelain vase. It didn't have any decorations, but as the girl stared at it, a strange blush appeared on her fair cheeks.

Only now did the fragmented memories connect. I was a guest at Baron Miles's house... Yes, I had originally gone to visit a distant aunt, but the baron invited me, and I couldn't refuse his kindness, so I went.

After drinking a cup of tea, she felt something was wrong. The guards around her realized that something was wrong, but a group of monsters appeared, chopped them into pieces, and took her away...

Now we are finally out of danger.

Anjedel Iharion, the only daughter of Duke Iharion of the North, lightly pressed her forehead with her slender white fingers.

What was this? Rebels? A cult? Thanks to these guys, all my plans for coming to the Western Territory had been disrupted. I finally managed to escape my father's surveillance. Now that I was safe, my father would definitely send someone to take me back. I didn't know when I would be able to come to the Western Territory again.

I originally wanted to meet "her", and then, and then...

She gripped the hilt of the dagger tightly. The tip of the blade was facing inward, cutting through the lapel and resting against her chest, but she didn't care about the cold, and her knuckles began to turn white as she gripped the hilt.

By the way, what happened in the West? How is “her”?

But just at this moment, a loud noise outside interrupted her thoughts. The girl raised her body, and a hint of annoyance finally ignited on her expressionless face.

She went to the window and opened the curtains. It was clearly evening, but the dazzling light came in through the window, bringing with it unparalleled prosperity and noise into her eyes.

The blazing firelight illuminated the curves of her body. Even the thin nightgown could not hide her curvy and graceful figure. The light cast a bright yellow tint on the skin at the neckline, and then disappeared into the deep black ravines.

Outside the window, there was a long queue on the street in Field City.

People walked along the streets, holding torches. Priests in ceremonial robes led the way, holding oil lamps in their hands. Behind them was a huge float decorated with the Holy Symbol of Light. Residents on both sides of the street cheered and threw bouquets of flowers onto the float.

Behind the floats are believers holding torches, hundreds or even thousands of torches shining brightly in the dark night.

Members of the Magicians' Association also seemed to be participating in the parade. Many of them held high the Holy Emblem of Light that had been cast with the Light Spell. Magical sparks of various colors bloomed in the air, turning the quiet night into a noisy scene.

The devout believers followed the procession, kneeling and kowtowing every few steps. They hung long scriptures on their bodies and chanted hymns with extreme fanaticism.

As if blinded by the bustling atmosphere of fireworks, Angeldale drew the curtains and frowned.

At this time, the door opened again, and the maid came in, a little talkative, "Oh, Miss Iharin, please stay away from the window, be careful not to catch a cold!"

When Angeldale turned around, that gentle and kind smile appeared on her face again.

"What's going on out there? Is this some kind of festival? What day is it today?"

"Tomorrow is the new year," the maid said quickly. "They're celebrating the canonization of a saint. Although the documents from Holy Flame Castle haven't arrived yet, the news has already spread. Hey, that's the chosen saint who saved Field. It's said that with a wave of his hand, all the evil creatures and rebels at the city gate will be burned to ashes by the holy light!"

Oh? The Living Saint of the West?

Angeldel's smile remained unchanged, a smile that was a bit unsettling after a while. She wondered if her father, upon receiving the news, would allow her to pay a visit to this living saint.

"Then may I ask the name of this saint?"

The maid said happily, "Oh, I heard that this is the daughter of the Duke of Delavie, Miss Sharlelei de la... Iharien from Moon Spring Town?"

Halfway through her speech, she realized that the smile on Miss Iharin's face had disappeared at some point.

Her face was like a freshly painted wall, frighteningly white. The corners of her mouth, which had just been raised, were pressed into a straight, thin line. Her eyes were slightly widened, and there was no light in her gray pupils.

The firelight from the window shone on her face, but it didn't carry the warmth of a living being. What kind of expression was that? It looked like surprise, but not quite. It was more like the pale snow in the dark night being slightly pried open, revealing half of an open eye.

The maid was so frightened that she froze. She could never imagine that a living person could have such a dead expression on his face.

Then she heard the young lady's whisper, like a broken knife cutting through ice, splashing out a few pieces of unexpected despair.

"Sallelei Delavé...?"

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The second volume is finally finished!

I’ll post some miscellaneous talks at the end of the volume in the evening, and then there will be a new volume!

Then please give me some razor blade money~ (rolling)

Volume 2: The Silver Lily of the West: Postscript to Volume 2 (500,000 words, subscribe now!)

It’s been so long - dear readers who have read this far, long time no see.

I've been so overwhelmed these past few days that I realized I hadn't written the afterword for Volume 2 until a few days into Volume 3. Thank you all for reading these random thoughts that are fine if you don't.