The Temple of Light.
“Lilith.”
A familiar, kindly voice echoed from behind her, carrying a warmth seasoned by time.
Lilith, who was quietly praying before the statue, paused slightly and spun around.
The moment she saw who it was, a look of pure joy washed over her holy face. Her pale-gold eyes lit up, and her crisp voice carried an irrepressible cheer:
“Grandpa Schutard!”
With light steps, she hurried toward him, her eyes filled with a long-lost intimacy and longing.
Schutard looked at the elegant young girl before him. His eyes were full of gentleness as he raised his hand and patted her head.
But the moment his fingertips brushed her hair, his hand froze.
Having lived for nearly a thousand years, possessing angel blood, and having seen a real angel with his own eyes, his perception was incredibly sharp.
The aura of holiness swirling around Lilith now was far more potent and refined than ever before.
The sacred aura hidden deep within her bloodline seemed restrained and unobtrusive, but it could not escape his senses at all.
It was an elemental resonance unique to a Sacred Angel—pure, noble, and transcendent.
Utter shock flooded his mind. Schutard's pupils contracted slightly, and his voice trembled with irrepressible excitement and disbelief:
“Lilith, could you have...”
Lilith seeing his reaction, pursed her lips and then nodded.
“As expected, nothing can be hidden from you,” she said with a smile. Then, her smile faded, and she looked at Schutard with a serious expression. “Yes, Grandpa Schutard. I have received Her Mother Goddess Ladyship's blessing... and become a true angel.”
With a simple thought, a pair of pure white angel wings unfurled from her back.
“An angel... A real angel...”
Schutard murmured softly, his eyes brimming with endless emotion as they grew slightly warm.
In a daze, he thought of his teacher, the previous Pope of the Church of Light.
Teacher, do you see this? Her Goddess Ladyship has returned, and the current Saintess has received her blessing, becoming a true angel.
Rest assured—I will train Lilith well and help her become a worthy successor to the papacy.
Just as you trained me back then.
He made a solemn promise in his heart.
A moment later, he reined in his emotions, his expression turning solemn and grave. He looked straight into Lilith's eyes, his tone carrying a weight that spanned a thousand years:
“Lilith, as the Saintess of the Church of Light, now that you have become an angel, you must shoulder the responsibility of spreading the Light and rebuilding our new home.”
“This is not just an honor, but a heavy burden.”
Lilith did not hesitate for a second. Meeting Schutard's gaze, she nodded solemnly, her voice clear and firm:
“Don't worry, Grandpa Schutard. I will never let everyone down, and I will certainly not disappoint Her Mother Goddess Ladyship's expectations.”
“Good! Good child!”
Deeply relieved, Schutard gently patted her shoulder, a profound peace settling in his heart.
Just as he wanted to advise her further and discuss the future layout and plans for the church, a series of steady, hurried footsteps echoed from outside the hall, interrupting their conversation.
It was West.
He walked quickly into the grand hall, keeping his posture straight, and bowed respectfully to them.
“Lord Schutard, Your Highness Lilith.”
The two of them looked at him simultaneously, waiting for him to continue.
“Miss Loria has woken up,” West reported succinctly as he straightened up.
Lilith nodded. “Alright, I will go over right away. Please wait a moment.”
“Loria?”
Hearing the name, Schutard paused slightly, a trace of doubt flickering in his eyes. He murmured softly:
“Do you mean Miss Loria of the Silver Leaf Chamber of Commerce?”
“Yes,” West confirmed with a nod. “According to her accompanying maid, she indeed comes from the Silver Leaf Chamber of Commerce.”
Hearing this, Lilith looked a bit bewildered.
“The Silver Leaf Chamber of Commerce? Grandpa Schutard, do you know her?”
After a brief moment of confusion, past memories flooded her mind, and everything clicked into place.
Windhaven Town was situated deep within the Starfall Forest, isolated and lacking in resources, with almost all contact with the outside world cut off.
The town's only connection to the outside was a monthly trade with a merchant guild.
Although she was not responsible for managing the trade herself, she often asked the meticulous Shiruya to take advantage of these transactions to purchase food, fabrics, and scarce resources from the outside. The one that traveled here year-round was indeed the Silver Leaf Chamber of Commerce.
“Oh, so it's them,” Lilith realized.
Schutard nodded.
Then, his expression grew a bit more serious than before, a complex look in his eyes.
“Yes. Loria is the daughter of the president of the Silver Leaf Chamber of Commerce. Years ago... I saved her father's life.”
He paused, as if reminiscing about something from a long time ago.
“After that, the Silver Leaf Chamber of Commerce would travel over land and water to the Starfall Forest every month to trade with us in Windhaven Town. They had to cross dangerous forest regions, dodging magical beasts and various unknown threats along the way, but that child never missed a single trip.”
“I also advised him against it, saying it was too much hardship. But he said—”
Schutard smiled faintly. “He said that if it weren't for me, he would have died long ago. What did a little hardship matter compared to that?”
“Alas... that child is still too kind-hearted.”
He sighed, then turned his gaze back to West, his tone filled with concern:
“Calculating the time, it should be close to this month's trading day... Where did you find Miss Loria? What kind of danger did she encounter? How are her injuries?”
West answered respectfully, “Miss Loria's injuries are not severe. She was just a bit weak from excessive blood loss, but she is much better now after receiving treatment.”
“As for what they encountered—” He shook his head. “I do not know. A few God-Chosen Ones brought them back to Castellan. Shall I summon those God-Chosen Ones here?”
Hearing this, the anxiety weighing on Schutard's heart finally lifted.
As long as she was safe, that was all that mattered.
The fact that those God-Chosen Ones had stepped in to save them meant they had done him and the entirety of Windhaven Town a huge favor. This debt of gratitude had to be remembered.
After a moment of thought, he made a decision. “There is no need to summon them in a hurry. We can thank them in person and ask for the details later.”
“For now, let us go and visit Miss Loria first.”
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