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Chapter 73: The Transformation of the Holy Knight and Choices

After slaying the Vengeful Spirit, that sudden surge of power pushing Edwina beyond her limits began to gradually fade. Her level dropped steadily, eventually stabilizing at…

“Eh?”

The Holy Knight Miss Edwina exclaimed in disbelief.

Even with the power bestowed by the Light Goddess dissipating, her strength did not plummet back to its previous Sky Level. Instead, it firmly anchored at a level that any girl would have once dreamt of.

Is this… divine power?

Incredible.

Edwina instinctively reached for a strand of hair at her temple, suddenly noticing that her originally pure gold hair, a standard of the Holy Empire’s humans, had changed to a translucent light gold similar to what she displayed when using holy power.

Like clear crystal, akin to… light.

The light elements danced around her, expressing pure admiration and affection that would willingly surge into her body with just a little guidance.

The light had grown closer to her—or rather, did she herself become closer to the light?

The blessing of the gods.

That supreme honor, which existed only in the historical records of the Saint Country, bestowed upon the founders of the three divine lineage family clans by the Goddess herself a thousand years ago, emerged in Edwina’s mind.

She had truly received divine grace, becoming, like her ancestral forebears, one of the original divine messengers.

But…

As a descendant of a divine lineage family, why could she receive such a blessing again? And why had the Goddess chosen her? Clearly, this Holy Knight named Edwina was still weak and immature…

Just as the Holy Knight Miss Edwina found herself at a loss, a clear and melodious voice suddenly drifted into her ears.

“Surprised, huh? You’re quite interesting, in every sense. Here’s a little gift for you. Don’t forget your original intention, and use it well. See you later~”

That voice was…

“Miss Vilyric?!”

Edwina hurriedly turned her gaze to the source of the voice, but there was nothing there, as if a divine decree had descended from the heavens.

And the voice of the Priestess girl never rang out again.

“So… that’s how it is…”

The Goddess had not abandoned her. Just as the divine revelation indicated, she had quietly watched over every devout believer from the very beginning.

When she had been deceived and full of herself, She appeared to give her a wake-up call;

When she had wandered into a nest of the undead, like a deity, She descended with unimaginable great power, ruthlessly cleansing the dead;

And now, in this moment of crisis, She manifested once more, bestowing the divine blessing and power…

This time, Edwina hadn’t even seen the figure of the other party, as if She stood on the far side of the sky, casting a gaze upon the beings on earth.

Miss Vilyric… is actually the Goddess Aurora?

“Light Goddess, God of Radiance, so this is truly Your real name. What an honor…”

The Holy Knight knelt devoutly on the ground, bowing down in the direction where the Goddess had vanished, offering the most complex and exalted tribute.

Even she, who had never cried even on the brink of death, could not suppress the tears rolling down her cheeks at this moment, her lively and cheerful voice becoming a bit choked.

“Thank you, thank you for guiding the confused believer time and time again… Your Highness, your radiance illuminates the earth, your will is the direction we must advance toward. You are the light of all things in the world, you are the supreme Lord…”

“Edwina, even if it takes my entire life, I will not fail the glory You have bestowed, and I will uphold the duties and beliefs of a divine messenger!”

So foolish, she was truly foolish to feel jealousy and foolishly compare herself to the hidden identity of the Goddess and her guardian, causing her to become dejected and think little of herself.

She would no longer be lost.

Edwina wiped her tears, stood up, and the sadness in her eyes vanished completely, filling her with vitality and a renewed spirit.

Mr. Nickles, who was closest, looked at the Holy Knight with a somewhat peculiar gaze.

The sheer breakthrough of that unprecedented power was already mind-blowing, but after the battle ended, this Miss Edwina didn’t cheer or faint due to some side effects of secret techniques; instead, she had knelt down to pray?

It couldn’t possibly… mean that her explosive combat strength was indeed a gift from the divine?

Are six-winged divine messengers really this absurd?

Should I also try believing in a god?

But while thinking that, Mr. Fierce Wolf still acted with restraint, refraining from commenting on Edwina’s peculiar religious behavior. He simply nodded at her as she rose and returned to participate in the aftermath of the battle.

On the other side.

Princess Liliya and the legendary adventurer Miss Fiery Blossom had also approached the remarkable girl Edwina, having achieved great feats. They did not disturb the Holy Knight’s prayer and began speaking only after she regained her calm.

“Thank you so much, Miss Edwina. If it weren’t for you, our country would probably have to pay a heavy price to slay that legendary Vengeful Spirit.”

The Princess made a slight bow towards Edwina, a gesture that was quite formal for a member of a powerful royal family.

But Edwina was a direct descendant of one of the three divine lineage families of the Holy Empire, essentially half-royalty herself. Given her recent contribution, this gesture wasn’t excessive.

Though both understood a certain Miss Priestess had been pulling the strings behind the scenes, it was indeed Edwina who had acted decisively.

Moreover…

Miss Fiery Blossom exchanged glances with Liliya, glancing curiously at the changes happening with the Holy Knight… and boldly probed.

“Miss Edwina, if I may be so bold, have you already… witnessed the legendary?”

“Uh…”

Edwina hurriedly bowed her head in return to the Princess before turning to address Miss Fiery Blossom.

“It seems so, but I’m sorry, as it involves some important secrets, I can’t disclose the details…”

The Holy Knight wasn’t one to spill every thought without reservation.

She admitted it because she believed it wasn’t something worth withholding, but regarding truly important matters—like the details about the Forgotten Land, which Miss Vilyric had instructed her to keep secret—she had kept her mouth shut tight.

Especially since this matter pertained to the true form of the Goddess, it could be considered one of the temple’s most crucial and core secrets.

Thus, Edwina’s vagueness didn’t bother the Princess; rather, it made her quite pleased that this silly Holy Knight knew to keep Vilyric’s secrets.

What the two women were concerned with was another matter.

“To think it actually turned out to be legendary…”

Undoubtedly, such an astonishing occurrence could only be the work of that Miss Priestess.

Princess Liliya and Miss Fiery Blossom hadn’t expected that Vilyric could directly and instantly elevate a person’s power limit permanently.

But Liliya herself served as an even more unbelievable example; it seemed everything was starting to make sense.

After confirming Edwina’s situation, Liliya stepped forward and casually asked.

“This matter here is also coming to a conclusion. So, Miss Edwina, what are your plans next?”

“My plans, huh…”

The Holy Knight, whose head perhaps hadn’t become clearer due to the blessing, thought for a moment and revealed her thoughts openly.

“To be honest, I came to the City of Courage to handle a few matters, planning to rent a griffon here and return to the Holy Capital, the City of Angels.”

“But now, I’m not in a hurry to go back. I should stay in the royal city for a while longer to see how things develop here and continue to travel… or something like that.”

The Princess chuckled lightly, quickly grasping the essence of the girl’s words.

“So, you don’t have detailed plans then?”

“Uh… Well, I suppose you could say that, haha.”

Edwina laughed foolishly.

Thus, Liliya took the opportunity to lay her cards on the table with this newly legendary Holy Knight.

“To be honest, I believe Miss Edwina is a trustworthy and reliable person, so… would you like to accept my employment? The remuneration is negotiable, of course. This would be in your personal capacity, not as a member of the Cecelia Family.”

“Eh? The Princess’s employment? Do you mean…?”

With the words laid out, the Holy Knight immediately grasped the implied meaning behind the Princess’s suggestion, clearly understanding the current situation of the United Kingdom.

Helping her compete for the throne.

“Yes, it’s just as you think.”

The Princess pointed in the direction of the royal palace, speaking frankly.

She understood well that when dealing with genuine strong individuals like Flora, Vilyric, or Edwina, one must be truthful and lay out all conditions and purposes openly. Deceitful words may work temporarily, but they will eventually backfire.

Edwina hesitated a bit.

She knew this was not the usual bickering but a genuine engagement in the power struggles within the royal family, where one careless move could truly cost a life.

Even now, Princess Liliya publicly held a decisive advantage, yet nothing could be said to be absolutely certain.

But…

The Goddess’s teachings echoed once more in her ears.

“Don’t forget your original intention…? I think I understand your meaning now.”

Who was it, clad in silver armor, risked dangers to rescue people like her who were in dire straits?

Who was it, during the collapse of the last king, tried hard as a daughter to maintain stability in the grand royal city?

Who was it that journeyed to the western borders, blocking the invasion of the million-strong Beastman army, fighting valiantly on the battlefield?

Then it dawned on her, recalling the various deeds and actions of this fifth princess, along with the acclaim she received from the public.

“Alright, I accept. In the name of the Holy Knight.”

The blonde girl knelt on one knee, offering the knight’s salute of loyalty to the Princess.

Unrelated to status, unrelated to power, for the Holy Knight believed this was indeed the right choice. Her original intention—to do her utmost to bring about peace and justice.

The Princess smiled, quietly accepting the loyalty and expectations from this girl and extended her hand, shaking hands with the golden-haired Holy Knight, her armor ragged but her gaze sincere and pure.

“Pleasure to cooperate.”

“Hehe, pleasure to cooperate!”