“This holy relic is named 【Silver Comet】. It was forged specifically for you, Priest Leon, by Archbishop Coleman.”
Leon fiddled with the ring he had just received. It was made entirely of silver, its surface speckled with shimmering, starlike dots. On the inner wall of the band, a line of small, gilded characters was engraved:
“To the hero who saved Solainem—Leon Douglas.”
The priest who handed the ring to Leon explained:
“The 【Silver Comet】 symbolizes that you, Priest Leon, are like a comet streaking across the firmament, your body radiating the brilliant glow of the Sacred Light, dispersing the gray mist of Solainem and bringing the light back to its people.”
“When you inject a small amount of mental energy into the 【Silver Comet】, it will deploy a field of Sacred Light.”
“When casting divine spells within this field, the surrounding Sacred Light energy will actively gather toward you. This not only reduces the mental energy consumption required for casting but also slightly enhances the power of your divine spells.”
It can reduce mental energy consumption?
That’s good stuff!
Leon’s eyes brightened instantly at the news.
Seeing Leon’s reaction, the priest smiled and said, “Archbishop Coleman heard of your deeds in Solainem and felt that while your mastery of divine spells is extraordinary, your time as a priest has been short, and your mental energy might be insufficient. To address this, the Archbishop specifically forged this 【Silver Comet】.”
Leon smiled in return. “Please thank Archbishop Coleman on my behalf.”
...
After collecting the holy relic, Leon turned and headed toward the Great Sacred Light Square of the Holy See.
The Priest Assessment hadn't started yet, so Leon wasn't in a hurry. He declined Old Hunter's suggestion to wait in the carriage and instead found a prominent spot in the middle of the Great Square to sit cross-legged on the ground.
He then pulled a potion from his waist that enhanced meditation effects. After downing it in one gulp, he cast Light Prayer to assist his Holy Light Meditation.
Soon, he was fully immersed in his meditation.
As time passed, many priests began to arrive at the Great Sacred Light Square. They were Apprentice Priests and Formal Priests who had come to participate in the assessment.
The vast majority were from various churches in the Imperial Capital or from the Imperial Priest Academy.
Only a few had come from other regions for special reasons, much like the Formal Priests of Solainem.
As the priests walked into the square from outside the Holy See, the first thing they saw was Leon in the middle of his Holy Light Meditation.
Naturally, they began to whisper among themselves.
“Holy Light Meditation? At a time like this?”
“Which priest is that? Do any of you recognize him? To be able to meditate right before the Priest Assessment begins... is his mind really that steady?”
“Steady? I think he just lacks confidence and is trying to cram at the last minute!”
“Hmph! He looks like those students at the academy who just learned a single spell and then, while the teacher is explaining its finer points, suddenly speak up and say, ‘Wait, didn't you already cover this? Oh, you didn't? My bad, I guess I just taught it to myself early.’”
If the term 'humble-bragger' existed in this world, Leon would have been branded with it a thousand times over.
Leon heard the surrounding whispers, but he remained deaf to them, continuing his meditation.
Just then, a loud shout rang out from the entrance of the Great Sacred Light Square.
“Sylvia, I have come to cheer for you!”
A young man dressed in magnificent noble attire entered the square with a flamboyant, casual gait. He completely ignored the stares of everyone around him as he led his retinue straight toward a female priest with cold, elegant features and an extraordinary aura.
As he walked, he casually gestured with his hand, and the attendants behind him immediately brought forward two padded chairs.
One was placed behind him, and the other was set beside the female priest.
“Don't worry, sit down, my dear Sylvia. I brought this specifically for you,” the flamboyant youth said, waving his hand with an air of self-satisfaction.
The female priest named Sylvia felt the strange gazes of the crowd. Her eyes twitched slightly, her cold face flushing with annoyance.
How was this behavior any different from defecating in public?
Being quite thin-skinned, she clenched her fists, desperately wanting to punch the handsome but punchable face of the arrogant youth.
“Who is that? He dares to bother the daughter of Duchess Sophia? Does he have a death wish?!”
“Shh! Look at his eyes! Golden Pupils! That’s the mark of the royal family—he’s a prince!”
Hearing this, the chattering crowd immediately fell silent. They turned their gazes away, looking at the sky, the ground, or the imaginary lions hidden in their companions' eyes.
“Prince Aaron, what are you doing here?” Sylvia asked, suppressing her anger.
Aaron sat on the padded chair, crossed his legs, and said nonchalantly, “Don't you have your Priest Assessment today? I naturally came to cheer you on.”
“I don't need you here!” Sylvia said coldly.
Aaron shrugged and said matter-of-factly, “But I wanted to come.”
Sylvia was choked by his words. She took a deep breath, turned away, and ignored him, reciting a hymn of the Sacred Light in her heart to suppress her rage.
This Priest Assessment was no small matter. The Archbishops were watching, His Holiness the Pope was watching, and His Majesty the Sage King was watching.
Her mother... was also watching.
A flash of determination crossed Sylvia's face.
She had to give it her all. She could not bring shame to the name Sophia!
Seeing that Sylvia was ignoring him, Aaron began to look for amusement elsewhere.
“Hmm?”
Suddenly, he spotted a figure sitting in front of the divine statue in the Great Sacred Light Square.
The priest stood out exceptionally in the crowd. He wasn't standing but sitting, surrounded by shimmering particles of light—clearly in the middle of Holy Light Meditation.
“Interesting! To be meditating at a time like this, he’s clearly no ordinary person. Sylvia, you might have met your match.”
Aaron called out to Sylvia, “If you keep ignoring me, I might just go help your competitor and tell him all your divine spell data!”
Sylvia shot Aaron a cold glance before scanning Leon in the distance. She didn't say a word.
Beside her, a male priest from the same Bemis Priest Academy reached his limit and interjected coldly:
“Your Highness, Lady Sylvia does not wish to speak with you. Please remain quiet.”
“Furthermore, Lady Sylvia is the top student of our Bemis Academy. Please do not compare her to some flamboyant attention-seeker.”
“That is undoubtedly an insult and an affront to Lady Sylvia!”
Hearing her classmate's words, Sylvia’s brow furrowed, and she was about to speak.
But Aaron’s laughter burst out first.
“Hahaha! An insult and an affront?” Aaron’s face was filled with pure amusement and mischief. He looked at the male priest and pointed at Leon, who was still meditating. “Do you even know who he is?”
The male priest felt a pang of panic under the prince's gaze, but he forced himself to remain calm. “I don't care who he is—”
“His name is Leon. Leon Douglas,” Aaron interrupted, a smirk playing on his lips.
“He is the second son of Grand Duke William, the Prime Minister.”
“And he has another title: the ‘Hero of Solainem.’”
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