Chapter 938: 130. A Weapon Meant for Slaying - The Yellow-Haired Villain in Soaring Phoenix's Novels Also Desires Happiness

“owlively.t’sbeenaverylongtimesincethiscitywasthislively.”

Archbishopsionliftedacornerofthecurtainandlookedoutatthenoisy,crowdedmassesonbothsidesoftheroad,sighingwithemotion.

Magnificentcarriages,solemnceremonialescorts,andagreatpalanquinveiledingauzepassedslowlydownthecenterofthestreet.hechantofhymnsdrownedoutthebelltollinginthedistance,butitcouldnotdrownouttheexcitedcheersoftheroyalcapital’sresidentsliningbothsides.

heSaintesshadnotyetarrived.hiswasonlytheprocessiongoingtoreceiveher.

Andyet,oncewordspreadthroughoutthecitythattheSaintessherselfwouldsoonpassthroughinprocession,believersgatheredoftheirownaccordallalongthisroute—fromthefrontsquareoftheolyMistPalacetoeverystreetandalleyofSainticAvenue,fromthestepsofSaintBlancfazesiyaCathedraltonamelessslumsnoonecaredtoremember.verydevoteeoftheoddesscamehere.heraincouldnotdampentheirfervor.heymurmuredthescriptureundertheirbreath,praisedtheoddess,andwaitedfortheSaintess,theoddess’srepresentativeinthisworld,tobringdownamiracleuponthecityandshowthewayforwardtotheoddess’smostdevoutflock.

Foramoment,thedarkcloudsofwarhadbeensweptentirelyoutofthiscity.

twasasthoughthepeoplehadalreadyforgottenthefrontlines,wherevictoryhadbeenadvancingstepbystep;forgottenthe⊛оvеlιght⊛(Readthefullstory)hatefulmpire;forgottenevenmoretheevenmorehatefulsinnerwhohadstartedthewar.

Alltheywantedwastofeeltheolyight.

oreceiveitscleansing.

“venifthehigher-upsintheKingdomonlyletthemheargoodnews,theyhavestilllivedthroughwar.heystillworryforfamilymembersatthefront,andforsuppliesgrowingtighterbytheday.Atatimelikethis,onlytheradianceoftheoddesscanmakethemforgettheirtroubles.”

heyoungnunstandingbehindArchbishopsionfoldedherhandsbeforeherchest.ShetoowaslookingforwardtoseeingtheSaintesswithherowneyes.Accordingtorumor,thenewSaintesstrulyliveduptohertitleofthePureSaintess—agentle,holybeautybeyondcompare.

“Sothisiswhytheoddessexists...”Archbishopsionstrokedhisbeardandsuddenlysmiledinawaythatcarriedadeepermeaning.“veniftheoddesscannotstopwar,aslongasshecanmakepeoplebelievetheywillentererembraceafterdeath,thatisenough.”

“Arch...Archbishopsion?”

heyoungnun’svoiceshookatonce.Whathehadjustsaidwasalittletooirreverent.

“Ah,it’snothing.hinkofitasabitofgrumbling.”

Archbishopsionshookhishead,returningtohisusualgentlebenevolence.

“Bytheway,Fubeka,hasanythingcomeinfromtheolyMistPalace?”

“Yes,yes!”

heyoungnunnamedFubekahurriedlypulledalittlebookletfromthevalleybetweenbreastsfarmoreamplethanheragesuggested,thenflippedthroughitinafluster.

“etmesee...someonesentwordfromisMajestyjustnowthatheisalsogreatlyanticipatingthearrivaloftheSaintess,sohehopestheeveningbanquetcanbeheldintheRitualalloftheolyMistPalace.Atthattime,allthenoblesoftheroyalcapitalwillbeinattendance.”

“heRitualall...”

Archbishopsion’spalebrowslifted.

“hatisnotexactlyaconvenientplaceforabanquet.Wasthatwomanbehindthisagain?”

“hat...’mnotsure.Shouldweagree?”

“isMajestyhasspokenpersonally,sothereisnaturallynoreasontorefuse.nanycase...”

“nanycase?”

“evermind.sthereanythingelse?”

“Yes.hefficeofPublicrderhopesthatArchbishopsionwillnotgopersonallytoreceivetheSaintess.heroadsarealreadycongestedenoughastheyare.oensuretheSaintesscanenterthecitysmoothly,theyhaveevendispatchedalargenumberofpeopletoclearouttheareawithinfivehundredmetersofthecitygate.Butifyoualsoleadthecathedralstaffouttoreceiveher,allofthatwillbecomemeaningless.Andwiththeweatherthisbad,theprocessionlikelywouldnotreachtheolyMistPalaceuntildusk.”

“hatdoesmakethingsabittroublesome.hadoriginallywantedtogoinperson...afterall,itwillbemyfirsttimemeetingthenewSaintess.”

“henshallaskthefficeofPublicrdertomakeanexception?ftheyoptimizetheentryroutealittlemore,don’tthinkitwouldreallybeblockedallday.”

“oneed.Whateverelsethisplacemaybe,itisstilltheKingdom’sroyalcapital,nottheolyCity.eterighnessenterthecityfirst,andwillgoreceiveherafterward.imaginetheSaintess,whosereputationsincetakingofficehasbeenoneofgentlenessandtolerance,willnotmindsuchasmalldiscourtesyfromme.”

ArchbishopsionturnedandlookedatFubekaseriously.

“Rememberthis.Donotcasuallybreaktheruleshere.”

“Yes!U-understood.”

Fubekahastilywrotedownthewarninginherlittlebooklet,thenfumbledforthevoice-transmissionstoneandcontactedthefficeofPublicrderintheroyalcapital.

Archbishopsionwaitedwithgreatpatience.nlyafterFubekafinishedtheworkinherhandsdidhespeakagain.

“Bytheway,havethethingstoldyoutoprepareallbeenmadeready?”

“-notquiteyet...”

“henhurry.hatmatterisevenmoreimportantthanreceivingtheSaintessherself.heremustnotbetheslightestmistake.”

“U-understood!”

Fubekagrewevenmoreflustered.Sheseemedtoforgetshewasanunatallandgaveastrangelittlemilitarysalutebeforespinningaroundandhurryingoff.

Archbishopsionwatchedheruntilshedisappearedfromsight.

ooneelseremainedaroundhim.

ittlebylittle,thatgentlenessandbenevolencefadedfromhisfaceoncemore.

“heSaintess...no,moreprecisely,theChurchbehindher,hasarrivedmuchtooquickly.”

sionmurmuredinagravetone.

“Wasthisthatone’sdecision?ronlytheJudgmentSanctuary’s?”

“Butwhicheveritwas,itprovesthey’vealreadydiscoveredsomething—oratleastsensedthatsomethingiswrong.therwisetheywouldn’thavesentthoseearlierinquiries.”

“nthatcase...”

eloweredhisgazeandstaredattheolyightcrossringonhisfinger,glowingwithsacredradiance.

“canonlyactonestepahead...”

...

“Wow...it’ssolively!”

noneoftheupperfloorsofanupscalerestaurantalongthestreet—

AsaprimevantagepointfromwhichonecoulddirectlywatchtheSaintessenterthecity,theprivateroomsherehadbeendriventoabsurdpricesinonlyafewshorthours.SomebelieverswereevenwillingtoselleverythingtheyownedjustforthechancetogetalittleclosertoSaintessiya.

Butnomatterhowfiercelyordinarypeoplefoughtoverit,theverybestlocationhadlongsincebecomesomethingmoneyalonecouldnotbuy.Rumorhaditthattheroomwiththefinestviewhadbeenreservedbythenow-famousBeastofPosiesinthewesterndistrict.Quiteafewpeopleopenlyandsecretlyresentedthat“upstart,”butinlightoftheBeast’srecentexploits—andthegreatfigurestandingbehindhim—almostnoonedaredchallengehimatatimelikethis.

Sotheroomwasquiet.

nlytwopeopleoccupiedit.

“haven’tseenthiscitythislivelyinalongtime.”

Perostoodonthebalcony,bracinghimselfontherailingandleaninghalfhisbodyoutoverit.

“hisisthefirsttime’vethoughtraincouldfeelthispleasant.”

“nalongtime?”

Muentoyedwiththeteacupinhishand.

“Youmeanyou’veseenitjustaslivelybefore?”

“fcourse.Butthatwas...”

Ashespoke,Pero’svoicecaught,asthoughsomebadmemoryhadbeenstirredup.isexpressiondimmedslightlyaswell.

“Forgetit.hatwasn’tagoodscene.opointbringingitup.”

“Wouldn’thaveguessed.”

Withahalf-smile,MuenswepthisgazeoverPero’schildishface.

“Soatyourage,youalreadyhavedeep,complicatedstoriesthatoutdogrownmen’s?”

“mph.Whodoesn’thaveapasttheydon’twanttolookbackon?hathasnothingtodowithage.”

Apparentlydonestaringoutside,Perohoppeddownfromtherailingandcamebacktothetable.Fromwhoknewwhere,heproducedabagandstartedrapidlystuffingtheplatesofpastriesfromthetableintoit.

emovedwithastonishingspeed.BythetimeMuenreacted,theplateswerealreadysocleantheypracticallyshonelikemirrors.

“ey.”

Muen’smouthtwitched.

“aven’tyougottenmoreandmoreshamelesslately?”

“What’sthebigdeal?hey’rejustpastries.”Perocurledhislip.

“Doyouhaveanyideawhatpastriesherecost?hepricewouldbeenoughtobuyyououtrightandmakeyoumyservant.”

“You’rewrong!”

Perodeclareditwithtotalconfidence.

“Pricesintheroyalcapitalhavegonecrazylately.venifyousoldme,itstillwouldn’tbeenoughtopayforthesepastries!”

“Andyoustilldare—”

“So,doyouwanttoreconsidermysister’sproposal?”

Blinkingwideeyes,Perosaidshyly,

“thinkyou’readecentenoughperson.couldreluctantlyagreetoletyoubecomemybrother-in-law...”

“etlost,getlost,getlost!Sothisiswhyyou’vebeenstickingtome?Keepdreaming.”

Muensnapped,“Doyouknowthatifthosewordsofyoursgotout,yoursister’scorpsewouldbefishedoutofsomenamelesslittlerivertomorrow?”

“Bleeh.’mnotscared.Youcan’tscareme!”

Perostuckouthistongue.

“Mysisterisgreat.’mtellingyou,you’dbetterthinkaboutitcarefully,oryou’llregretit!”

“—”

Muenhadjustbeenabouttolosehistemperandthrowthislittlebratwithnofilterstraightoutoftheplace,butPeroapparentlyhadrichexperienceinrunningaway.esimplyjumpedoutthewindowonhisowninitiative.

Afterlandingontheeavesofthenextfloordown,heturnedandmadeanotherfaceatMuen.

“hinkaboutitproperly!Mysisteriswaitingforyouranswer!”

Withthat,heboundedleftandrightacrosstherooftopsandvanishedintothealleyinnotimeatall,nimbleasawildcat.

“Whatamenace.Bratsareaheadachenomatterwheretheyare.”

Muensighed.ookingattheemptyplates—exceptforthesinglepastryPerohaddeliberatelyleftbehind—heshookhisheadhelplessly.

“But...comparedtodyingpitifullyinthefire,thisisagoodthing,isn’tit?”

venifthisonewasfalse,therealhimhadlongsince...

Knockknock.

AsuddenrapatthedoorinterruptedMuen’sthoughts.

“Comein.”

Creak...

hedooropenedgently,andafiguresteppedintotheroom.

twasaman.Averyordinaryman,onewithnodistinguishingfeaturesatall,thekindwhowoulddisappearintoacrowdandneverbenoticedagain.

“amMom,amemberofScouteamhirty-Five.”

hemangaveMuenasomewhatstiffnodofgreeting.

“oodmorning...ordBruce.”

“hefactthatyoufoundthisplacemeans...there’saresponse?”

Muenlightlybitintothepastryinhishand.Asexpectedofafamoushigh-endrestaurant,evenatatimewhensuppliesforthelowerclassesweregraduallygrowingscarce,thequalityofthepastrieshadnotsufferedintheslightest.

Muendidnotlikethem,though.

heyweretoosweet.

“Yes.”

MomtookoutanexquisitesquareboxandsetitinfrontofMuen.

“hiswaspersonallyentrustedtomebytheJudgmentArchbishop...herresponse.”

“...”

SeeingthegravelookonMom’sface,Muen’sownexpressiongrewseriousaswell.eswallowedthepastryinonebite,straightenedup,andslowlyopenedthebox.

Sacredradiancespilledout,onlytobeswiftlyconfinedwithinaverysmallspace,withouttheslightesttraceescaping.

nsidetheboxlayagoldendagger.

twassoexquisitelymadethatitresembledaworkofart,yetforsomereasonitimmediatelymadeMuen’sheartpoundwithalarm.

“hisis...”

“tissimilartoyourweapon.twasforgedfromafragmentoftheolySwordandpossessesapowerfulandhighlyunusualeffect.”

“Anunusualeffect?”

“Yes.”

Momansweredcarefully,onewordatatime.

“houghitonlygrantsasinglechance,itwillallowyou...tokillaCrownedoneacrossranks.”