"Light gathers around the body…”
At these words, Violanda immediately straightened, her expression turning grave with focused intensity.
The first Archbishop of the Holy Light Church was said to have possessed this same rare light.
In those days, the Church of the Holy Light was at its zenith! Through countless ages and dynasties, it stood as an unassailable force, capable of toppling emperors with a single word.
But now?
While still a formidable power, the Church had subtly bent its knee to the royal family’s influence. But with this golden talent, could Eirik truly rise to become the next Archbishop? His potential exceeded even her expectations!
“I never imagined Eirik would find himself in such a position… the legend of the first Archbishop is well-known in these lands,” Violanda mused, impressed.
“Oh, how I wish I could compete for Eirik himself, the golden card! But being born in the heartlands, it seems we stand no chance at all!”
Many female players in the central lands, just beginning their journeys, couldn’t help but feel a sense of frustration.
There were other golden talents in their region, but Eirik’s Elemental Absorption ability was truly one of a kind. Only he could help others ascend to the Archmage realm!
Who wouldn’t covet such a power?
Yet, the formidable barrier of the Reincarnation Sea blocked their path, dashing their hopes. It felt as though the game world was split into multiple servers, with the central land’s server being a lonely, impoverished one compared to the wealth of opportunities available in others.
It was truly disheartening.
“Maybe it's for the best,” mused Fennec, the fox-girl. “With the Reincarnation Sea in the way, we can’t get distracted by golden cards. Instead, we’ll strive for self-sufficiency…”
With that, she closed the world chat, focusing on her own ambitions. She would become self-reliant, aim for the Mythic Being status, and perhaps even rise to become one of the universe’s strongest.
"Ha! Who would've thought the heartlands would one day envy us?”
Players from the Dawnstar Dynasty couldn’t help but laugh at the irony.
For years, it had been their aspiration to gain the elemental powers that flowed abundantly in the central lands. But now, thanks to Eirik, it was the central lands that envied them.
And that felt strangely satisfying.
【On this day, you triggered a great event: deep within the palace of the Dawnstar Dynasty, a golden figure appeared, gazing at the altar. Seconds later, another figure appeared, then two, three—soon nearly ten golden figures manifested.】
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
【The Holy Light Church, sensing this disturbance, revealed its own ethereal figure, standing opposite the royal one.】
【A clash of terrifying auras filled the air, creating a pressure so intense that it silenced all life within the city for a moment…】
【Your actions concerning the Light have caught the attention of the royal family, significantly raising the likelihood of assassins targeting you.】
【The Holy Light Church has also taken notice of you, opening nearly unlimited access to cultivation resources.】
Eirik sighed as he read the notifications. “The royal family’s trying to kill me, and now it seems the pressure’s doubled,” he muttered. But upon reflection, the threat didn’t feel quite as insurmountable as it had before!
Because…
【That night, under a moonlit sky, as you enjoyed a glass of wine and prepared for sleep, a blood-curdling scream pierced the quiet... A cold blade rushed toward you like lightning.】
【In the blink of an eye, you recognized your attacker: a maid, clearly bribed by the royal family to take your life.】
【With Practitioner Level 9 strength and an unshakable determination, she was far beyond your current capabilities…】
【But just as the blade neared, a crystalline hand emerged from the void, shielding your heart.】
【It was Violanda, bathed in holy light, appearing like an angel descended from the heavens. The tidal wave of danger vanished in an instant.】
Incidents like this had become routine. Initially, Eirik had been tense at the sight of an assassin, but after so many attempts, he had grown used to the royal family’s failed schemes.
Violanda had essentially become his guardian, always watching over him like a vigilant ornament.
Eventually, she invited Eirik to stay in her quarters at the Episcopal Palace. Their bond deepened quickly, growing warmer by the day.
“Shameless! They’re just master and disciple, but they eat, sleep, and live together—what is this? Even couples don’t share that kind of intimacy!” Pixie fumed in the world chat.
She, too, had made her way to the capital and successfully joined the Church of the Holy Light as a nun. Her plan was clear: it wouldn’t be long before she could be chosen as Eirik’s new maid.
If she became his maid, the royal family’s plot would be doomed from the start!
But Violanda’s interference had completely crushed her plans. Eirik now lived with Violanda, so the maid scheme was pointless.
“I told you, once you join the Holy Light Church, Violanda does as she pleases. How could you ever compete with her?” Elvynna said, shaking her head in exasperation.
“But… I still have one last card to play!” Pixie gritted her teeth, unwilling to give up.
That card was the Forgotten Grimoire.
Few were capable of mastering the ancient tome, but if she succeeded, her standing within the Church of the Holy Light would rival even Violanda’s—she might even become the new Archbishop.
After all, there were many factions within the Church.
Yet mastering the Forgotten Grimoire was no easy task. Pixie had not yet found the divine artifact, the Ocean Mirror, needed to complete the ritual.
"Honestly, Pixie, are you being too paranoid? I see their relationship is nothing more than master and disciple," someone chimed in.
Many nodded in agreement, thinking Pixie was making a mountain out of a molehill.
She seemed the most love-struck of them all.
Why couldn’t they just be an ordinary master and disciple? Why insist they’re involved romantically?
“Ha! See, Pixie? Stop overthinking! I’m perfectly content with our master-disciple relationship! I don’t need romance to ascend to Grandmaster or even the universe’s strongest! Do I?”
Violanda’s voice rang out with righteous conviction, earning her applause from the others.
"Wow, she’s amazing!"
But Pixie remained unconvinced. “But what if you change your mind later?!”
“Ridiculous! Would I ever change my mind?” Violanda scoffed. “If I were to marry him, I’d hand over the position of Archbishop of the Holy Light Church to you without hesitation!”
Her confident words left Pixie momentarily speechless.
Could it be that she had genuinely misjudged Violanda?
No… that couldn’t be it. Even if Violanda had no romantic interest in Eirik, she wouldn’t let their bond be trivialized.
After all, reaching the Grandmaster level—or even the Archmage realm—was incredibly difficult. Even someone as talented as Eirik could only choose one person to assist in achieving that goal.
If Eirik rekindled something with Pixie or Elvynna, when the time came to choose, would he choose his wife—or his master?
Violanda wasn’t willing to take that risk.