Chapter 224 (2): Divine Art x Auditors

Flora’s smile remained unchanged. Pleased by Leno’s reaction, she gracefully tucked her hair behind her ear and said, “I asked you to meet me as a friend. We worked at headquarters together, and during my years as the Holy Maiden, you once protected me as a knight.”

Leno nodded. He became calmer, but also disappointed.

“You were always protecting me. Although it was the church’s mission for you, I believe we’re friends. Now that you’re in Londan, I’ll arrange a pleasant trip for you.”

“That... Lady Flora, that won’t be appropriate. As one of the auditors, I have an important mission to carry out.” Leno was tempted, but his mission came first. When it came to the next Holy Maiden, he couldn’t allow any mistakes.

“I understand. I asked you to meet me here to avoid suspicion.” Flora sighed. “I shouldn't have since the High Reverend will use this against us if she finds out, but if I fail to show up, I worry that our friendship will suffer, and you’ll be heartbroken.”

She cares about me!

Sensing the resignation in her tone, Leno said with a frown, “Does the District High Reverend have a problem with you, Lady Flora? It can’t be. You were the Holy Maiden.”

“Retired Holy Maiden. I’m now nothing...” Flora shook her head with a bitter smile. “Besides, High Reverend Silvia once competed with me to become the Holy Maiden. It’s normal for her to hold a grudge after losing...”

“I explained to her that I came to Londan to serve the church, but she still believes that I’m here to fight her for power.”

What a hateful woman!

Knowing that his dream woman had been hurt, Leno immediately saw Silvia in a negative light, labeling her an unreasonable woman before they even met.

“Let’s not talk about that, or it’ll influence your mission. After all, among the two applicants in Londan, one is her student, and the other is her daughter.” Flora sighed. Despite the abuse of power, she didn’t want to talk behind her superior’s back, so she stopped.

Leno found Silvia even more hateful for being domineering, abusing her power for her own selfish interests, and bullying others.

In his mind, Flora was the perfect Holy Maiden who embodied beauty, wisdom, and all other virtues, deserving everyone’s respect. Flora could do no wrong, so Silvia had to be in the wrong.

“You’ve had it hard, Lady Flora.”

“Please don’t think of it that way. High Reverend is a good person and is highly regarded in the district. It’s I who—”

“The High Reverend may be competent, but she can’t possibly be more extraordinary than you are. Speaking of recommending Holy Maiden candidates, I believe you have a student, too. How is she doing? If she misses this chance, she may not have another.”

On paper, there was no restriction on a Holy Maiden’s age. Flora, for example, would still look beautiful and youthful even if she continued to be the Holy Maiden for another twenty years. Time would not leave much of a mark on her; it would only make her more graceful and charming.

But a Holy Maiden who was sixty years old... she wouldn’t so much be the Holy Maiden but the Holy Granny, far from the pure image she should project. That would undermine the goddess’s perfect image in Her followers’ minds.

A girl around twenty was another story. She would be innocent, flawless, and ethereal, her pure heart as untainted as a clean sheet of paper. Only dreams and freedom were written on that blank space, and she didn’t have to do anything to embody purity.

Moreover, a Holy Maiden able to relay the goddess’s oracles was bound to become tangled with different factions over time, which the higher-ups of the church would like to avoid. It benefited everyone for a new Holy Maiden to be selected every twenty years.

The older Holy Maiden’s retirement and a new Holy Maiden’s selection were what everyone hoped for; the retiring Holy Maiden’s opinions didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.

What could a Holy Maiden do in twenty years? It wasn’t enough to build her own faction, much less resist the higher-ups of the church. She could only do what she was told to do and go on tours like an idol.

“My student is excellent. I believe that if she can participate in the selection, she will become the next Holy Maiden,” Flora said confidently, but then sighed and shook her head. “She’s just unlucky. That’s it.”

“No, luck can be won!” Leno frowned, affected by her plight. “Lady Flora, I’ve seen the list of candidates for the Windsor District. The man doesn’t actually intend to become the Anointed One, does he?”

“I’ve never looked into it, and the High Reverend never explained.”

“That should be the case then.” Leno scoffed. Execution didn’t always match the policies. The Holy Maiden selection was never a simple competition. He wasn’t in a position to comment on the underhanded trickery employed by the higher-ups at headquarters, but he could talk about the actual implementations.

Every district wanted its candidates to become the Holy Maiden. It wasn’t just about the glory, but also career prospects. The support of the higher-ups at headquarters further complicated the issue.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

To ensure victory, each district usually selected its two applicants strategically. One of them was meant to be the true candidate, while the other was the helper, bodyguard, or fixer—whatever one wanted to call it.

The Holy Maiden had always been a

maiden

. The Church of Nature had never selected an Anointed One, nor had the other two churches of the Life Alliance. The goddess’s spokesperson in the human world had always been a pure lady.

There wasn’t anything inherently wrong with having an Anointed One, at least not for the goddess. The problem was how the followers would feel. If they had to call a man ‘goddess’... the dissonance would be too great.

Leno easily figured out that Wayne was supposed to be the bodyguard. He asked, “Lady Flora, what do you know about Wayne?”

“Not much...”

“You may be frank with me. This is my mission as an auditor. You don’t have to worry when you’re cooperating.”

“Alright, but it may be inappropriate for me to tell you these.” Under Leno’s insistence, Flora had no choice but to say honestly, “The High Reverend’s student isn’t very well-received due to his complicated private life. He’s not only the High Reverend’s student, but also her husband’s illegitimate son. He’s a rich young master of high society.”

Leno narrowed his eyes, more or less figuring out the kind of person Wayne was. He said in an annoyed tone, “High Reverend Silvia is crossing a line. Even though he’s only a candidate, she shouldn’t have abused her power. She’s betraying the church’s trust in her!”

“Leno, watch your words. We don’t have the right to say that.”

“Apologies. I’ve allowed my emotions to get the better of me,” Leno said sincerely. “Lady Flora, do not worry. I’ll investigate Wayne thoroughly. If he’s proven to be a wicked man, I’ll eliminate him in the preliminary selection, and your student can take the spot. She deserves the glory more.”

“Leno, I didn’t intend for you to do that. I’ve already contacted my friends at headquarters. They’ll make the arrangement for me,” Flora hurriedly said. She held no grudges against Silvia and would follow the High Reverend’s decision.

“No, headquarters are in a chaotic state. If you seek a spot there, I’m afraid you’ll—”

Leno didn’t want to put his worry into words. He believed that Flora had volunteered to transfer out of headquarters partly to avoid the harassment.

Those bastards, what do they take the Holy Maiden for? Today, I’ll protect the Holy Maiden as Knight Leno!

He was driven by his misguided chivalry, sworn to safeguard Flora’s purity.

Flora was so touched that her eyes reddened. She turned away and said, “I’m sorry for showing you such an unbecoming side.”

“Lady Flora, don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

Leno’s heart ached for her, but he had never been good at talking, and he didn’t know how he should comfort her. He also worried that his attempt would only offend her. In the end, he excused himself and left in a hurry.

He didn’t even dare to share a ride with her!

If Wayne had been in Leno’s place, he would’ve taken one look at the luxury car in the forest and found it his duty to make the Holy Maiden cry. He would have to be worse than an animal to reject her enthusiastic invitation.

The Holy Maiden should take responsibility for inviting him to make cream puffs in the forest. If she didn’t mean it that way, why hadn’t she arranged the meeting at a legitimate restaurant instead?

In the Francan language, profiteroles meant a little treat. As expected of the language of love, making cream puffs was making love with all the overflowing cream[1].

Watching Leno go, Flora turned around and walked out of the forest, her smile sliding off her face. The Darkness Knight and the Death Knight had disappointed her, failing to go after Silvia after all this time. The brand she had left on the Death Knight had disappeared, making it impossible for her to track him and execute the rest of the plan.

“Don’t disappoint me, Leno...”

Flora glanced at the rearview mirror and drove back to Londan. The auditors sent by the headquarters had arrived. She could now proceed.

The target was Wayne. She would take his spot!

1. The raw can be literally translated into “As expected of the romantic language, (she will) become wanton and overflow (like a cream puff).” The word romantic in Mandarin is 浪漫. The first word means waves, but can also mean being shameless/wanton in a derogatory way. The second word means flooding/overflowing. ☜