Chapter 1248

Chapter 1248

A god would not interfere with the affairs of humans. Kahlua, the newly appointed Athenae Religion’s church’s pope, believed this.

‘If God involves herself in the affairs of humans, then there will be no war and no epidemic.’

Kahlua was praised as the pope closest to Pope Kronad, who became one of the Eight Pillars. Once a paladin, Pope Kahlua was one of the few people who could read some books that Pope Kronad had left behind.

‘A Saintess who possesses holy power that goes beyond even that of a god will walk an absolute path and will no longer receive any punishment from God.’

Kronad had such a saintess by his side. She was revered and respected by all saintesses. According to the records, she had become a new god.

‘It is also said that she could heal everything in the world.’

Whenever the word “saintess” was mentioned, one thing quickly came to mind: their ability to heal. The saintess in the records was said to be a pure, noble, and unblemished woman who possessed healing abilities that even gods could not rival.

Regardless, every saintess in Athenae was different. In their religions, they were usually symbolic figures. In the beginning, the gods even mocked and laughed at them.

‘Even the gods dared not mess with the fates of human beings, yet a mere human wants to twist and change that fate?’

Saints and saintesses could have healing abilities. However, it was only at an ordinary level. At most, they could only rival an outstanding priest in terms of power.

As for the healing ability that ordinary humans imagined they would have? It was impossible. They could not heal a disease or even regenerate an amputated body part. However, the saintess, who had walked free from the gods, was different. She had already basically become a saintess who possessed the power to achieve the impossible.

‘Kronad escaped countless near-death experiences with such a saintess by his side.’

Kahlua wanted to become the second Kronad. This dream would be possible if he had a saintess like that by his side.

“Today, you will become the saintess who walks the absolute path,” Kahlua declared as he stared at Eyah, the woman who was surprisingly Kahlua’s hidden sister, prostrating in front of him.

He had been doing everything to increase her holy power for this day. Kahlua knew that he would receive a huge backlash if he killed Saintess Loyna. Regardless, Kahlua still dared to do this. After all, he wanted to become like Kronad, who was not influenced by the gods, and become an authoritative pope.

Another reason why Kahlua dared to do this was because he possessed an extraordinary power.

‘Once Loyna dies and I take away her holy power, I can give it to Eyah. It will be enough to make her into the Absolute Saintess.’

Not only could Pope Kahlua take away someone else’s holy power, but he could also give it to others. This was the biggest reason why he wanted to kill Loyna.

Kahlua and Eyah stepped out to attend Loyna’s execution ceremony.

***

Before Minhyuk left, Haze had asked him a question that she was very curious about.

–

Your Majesty, how much holy power do you have?

From what she knew, Minhyuk’s holy power was extremely high. He also possessed artifacts that doubled his holy power. In the past, he had “corrupted” the priests of the Athenae Religion with food and sea honey and received many blessings that increased his holy power.

Minhyuk also often ate dishes that increased his holy power. Of course, ingredients that increased holy power were primarily vegetables. Even so, Minhyuk continued to eat them. As for the reason why he continued to eat?

The vegetables are fresh and crisp, but the added benefits make them feel... doubly fresh.

–...

When Haze heard his reasoning, she was speechless for a long time. She could not bring herself to say anything after realizing that Minhyuk only continued to eat those ingredients because it made him feel that the vegetables that could increase holy power were extra fresh.

On top of that, Minhyuk’s holy power also increased after countless achievements, items, and rewards he had acquired and created.

“I think His Majesty’s holy power is around 43,345? Is it high? How does it compare to others, Sir Corr?”

“...That’s already equivalent to the holy power of two pope-level priests. No, wait. How was he able to increase his holy power to that monstrous level?” Corr answered.

“It’s because he deliberately ate vegetables that can increase holy power. He said that they tasted extra fresh.”

Corr was rendered speechless when he heard the reasoning.

Haze burst out in tears when she saw Corr’s reaction. She cried, “It’s normal to be speechless when you hear such a thing, right? I’m not strange, right? Ah. Do you want to know one of the dreams that His Majesty currently has? Do you want to know why he wants to ask for Loyna’s help?”

“What dream is it?”

“He wants to ask for Loyna’s help to grow his own garden. Because only by growing that garden will he be able to eat extra fresh fruits and vegetables daily...”

“That’s a straightforward and honest dream, though... achieving it is as easy as pie, no?”

“The word ‘pie’ is taboo in front of His Majesty. The next thing you know, he will say he wants to eat cake.”

Anyway!

“It’s surprising that he built your holy power to that level even though he is not a priest or a paladin. As for His Majesty... I’m very sorry to say this, but...” Corr still pointed out the facts. “Even though he has a high holy power, it’s not very useful to him. It’s quite a pity.”

A high level of holy power would be beneficial if his class were holy power-based. His healing and buff abilities would increase dramatically if he were a priest. If he were a paladin, his attack and defensive power would also increase by a considerable margin.

However, for someone like Minhyuk, who did not need high holy power, the only benefit he could get was an increase in his attack and defensive power when fighting against the undead or those with demonic energy. Furthermore, once his holy power reached a certain level, the attack and defensive power would no longer increase. Right now, Minhyuk’s holy power was just an astronomical amount with no benefits. It was no longer of use to him.

“As expected.” Haze chuckled bitterly. Aside from the fact that she heard from Corr, there was also another thing she was curious about. She asked, “What is the level of our Beyond the Heavens’ priests?”

Corr was a paladin of the Athenae Religion and the guardian knight of Saintess Loyna. When discussing the priests' level, Corr usually considered the entire empire.

“With a place this size? The standard and level are too low to the point that I don’t know if having this many priests is correct.”

Haze smiled bitterly at the harrowing words.

Then, at that moment, Genie hurriedly approached Haze.

“What’s the matter?”

“Minhyuk wants me to gather everything that can increase holy power in the empire. It doesn’t matter if it’s scrolls, elixirs, cooking ingredients, or others. He wants me to bring everything.”

“Everything related to holy power?” Haze blurted.

Haze knew Minhyuk would make the most ideal and rational judgment and not call for such a strange order without reason. Hence, Prime Minister Haze immediately relayed his orders. Once her command was given, everything related to holy power in the empire was gathered.

Then, they collected everything and put it on the back of Luna, who had now grown considerably more prominent than before.

“Kihyeeeeeeeeck!”

Warping was not allowed in the vicinity of the Athenae Religion’s church. That was why they needed to travel through the sky and deliver it like this.

Beanie, riding on Luna’s back, gave Haze a thumbs up after he checked all the items related to holy power they had packed behind them.

‘I’ll deliver it safely! Oink!’

Haze watched as Luna flew into the sky with a worried look.

‘What in the world is happening, Your Majesty?’

***

When someone was given the death penalty in the church, the term that they called the process of execution was the Flower’s Execution Ceremony. This has been passed down and spread in all of the churches and religions in existence.

When a pure person who had served and prayed to God faithfully was deprived of their holy power, it was said that flowers would bloom. Once the Flower’s Execution Ceremony was over, the petals scattered and fell to the ground.

At Ibrahim, the largest and most magnificent church of the Athenae Religion, Loyna was not far from Kahlua. She sat on the ground quietly, dressed in pure white clothes.

“Look. They are the reason for your death.”

The church believers were allowed to witness the Flower’s Execution Ceremony. Anyone attending the ceremony would have to wear black. However, countless believers of the Athenae Religion wore white clothes, just like Loyna. It was as if they were saying that killing Loyna was like killing them.

The church looked like a

Go

board filled with white stones.

Go

is a game played with black and white stones, but there were just too many white

stones for the black to

be seen.

“Begin.”

[The Flower’s Execution Ceremony is starting.]

[The sacred flames have started to take away the holy power.]

Crackle–!

White flames appeared and devoured Loyna’s body. The moment it made contact with her flesh, flowers bloomed and burned her holy power.

However, it did not take long for a commotion to break out among the spectators. They all gasped in shock at the sight of Loyna, who, up until the last moment, had her hands clasped in prayer and was covered with dozens of beautifully blooming white lilies.

In the language of flowers, the white lily symbolized purity and commitment. Lilies usually had six-part flowers.

Most of the Flower’s Execution Ceremonies that had been held in the past had created lilies with six-part flowers. Shockingly enough, the petals on the lilies extending from Loyna’s body were around thirty.

At this moment, Kahlua realized something. He thought,

‘She’s an Absolute Saintess candidate?’

No flower had bloomed more than ten petals among the saintesses in the past who had undergone this ceremony.

‘If I hadn’t intervened then...’

Kahlua realized that Loyna would have walked the path of the Absolute Saintess if he had not made a move.

‘No. Eyah is the one who will become the Absolute Saintess.’

Kahlua stretched his finger and pointed at Loyna, the flames devouring her growing stronger and burning more intensely. Nonetheless, Loyna remained undisturbed despite the cloying and tormenting heat of the burning flames.

“...?!”

The sight of Loyna being unbothered even though her holy power was being burned and devoured by Kahlua’s power left him in disbelief.

‘Are you saying that’s how pure and noble she is?’

Good could not be judged. If there were a tiny bit of evil in her body, Loyna would be tormented with pain. Regardless, she felt no pain, leaving Kahlua flustered and frustrated.

Kahlua increased his power. This was not because Loyna was evil; it was purely because he wanted to make her feel pain.

Crackle–!

Yet even after the pain appeared and troubled her, Loyna continued to pray to God Athenae’s kind and benevolent statue.

The petals began to fall. At this time, most sinners would have already started to blurt out their sins so that they could feel a bit of comfort. Loyna was different. She recited her last prayer and said, “I was not conceived but was created. I have no past, no present, and no future. However...”

She looked up at Athenae’s statue. She, who had already seen Athenae in her dreams, knew that God Athenae would not respond to her.

“Please look after the future of those conceived and born to this world. Mother. Let me go alone. I wish to walk this path leading to your arms alone.”

All of the petals from Loyna, except for one, had already fallen and circled and fluttered around Eyah. Kahlua was delighted to see this.

‘Finally! My sister will now rise to the position of the Absolute Saintess!’

Loyna smiled bitterly, her expression complex. She mumbled, “I will go alone...”

Even in her final moments, she prayed for the sake of the people and the believers of the Athenae Religion.

“...so please punish the evil.”

The final petal slowly began to fall.

[Saintess Loyna, the most beautiful flower in the world, starts to fall into her eternal rest.]

[With only the slightest bit of holy power left, her body begins to fade away.]

[Her final prayer will be recorded in the Athenae Religion’s church and handed down for future generations.]

Loyna was lonely.

She was created by Athenae and was just like a statue created by a sculptor. Her purpose was to stand there and live a life for the sake of one being and one being alone. And she had lived a life that was no different from a statue.

Loyna did not have a past, a present, or a future. Was there a moment when she had fun?

‘Did I have such a moment? Ah! Aaaaah. There is one. That time with Bender and the Attention Seekers.’

She could laugh and smile for a bit when she was with them.

Fwoosh–

As the last petal slowly fell, a shocking and incredulous sound rang worldwide. It was a sound that should not have rang there, yet it could not be stopped.

[Someone has met the conditions to become the Absolute Saintess.]

[Her holy power is so high that no other god can compare.]

[The noblest...]

Just then, a very familiar voice rang in Loyna’s ears. It said, “I am transferring all the 85,898 holy power that I possess to Saintess Loyna.”

[Correcting.]

[Someone has met the conditions to become the Absolute Saintess.]

[Her holy power is so high that no other god can compare.]

The notification was repeated, but the essence and the target completely differed.

[The noblest and most honorable epitome of “good.”]

[Saintess Loyna has started to walk down the path of the Absolute Saintess.]