Atop the watchtower, a lone knight stood guard on the castle wall. As the sun began to rise, its gentle rays touched his gleaming white armor. However, this serene scene did not match the turmoil within him. After a long night of vigilance, his tired body yearned for rest. A small yawn escaped his lips, accompanied by a tear in his eye. “Finally, my watch is over… I need sleep…”

Thud! Thud! clang! clang! the sound of footsteps and clanging armor. Another knight hurriedly made his way to the watchtower. The watchtower knight placed a hand on his own chest to greet the newcomer and said, “Ah, my friend you finally come.”

Gasping for breath, the new knight grabbed his knee and replied, “Huff, huff, yes, yes.”

The watchtower knight reassured him, “There is no need to rush like this. The sun has only just begun to rise. In winter, it is important to conserve your stamina. I can wait.”

The new knight placed a hand on the watchtower knight’s shoulder and replied, “No! My friend, this… huff, huff… cannot wait.”

Impressed by the new knight’s determination, the watchtower knight smiled and tapped his shoulder twice. “Thank you. May good fortune come your way. I shall go and rest now,” he stated as he began to walk away.

However, the new knight grabbed hold of the watchtower knight’s arm. “No! No, my friend. We must go now. It is of utmost importance.”

Surprised, the watchtower knight asked, “What? What has happened?”

Taking a deep breath, the new knight hurriedly explained, “Saint Ella is about to begin her vow of followers. She has received a new follower.”

—§—

Creek! The sound of a chair moved echoed through the center hall of the castle, causing the old man to swiftly stand up. His cape fluttered as he tried to make sense of what he had just heard. “What did you say, holy priest?”

A priest, dressed in a long white holy robe, stood in front of the old man and replied, “As Saint Holy Rey be heard, Lady Ella, Saint Sky Piercer, will be performing her follower’s vow ceremony at the east church.”

The old man, Saint Rexton, was eager for more information. “Priest, do you know who will be receiving this holy way?”

The priest shook his head. “I do not know, sir. We don’t have any glimpse of light.”

In the control room, all the members of the Holy order were taken aback, their faces showing various reactions.

Deep in thought, Saint Rexton grabbed his chin and muttered to himself, “Why now?… No, no, I shouldn’t think that way. Ho-ho, this little one is smart. She chose the best time…” Behind him, one of his followers, the tallest man named Calder, softly touched his sword and whispered, “I can see Miss Raccoon again.”

—§—

There was a white brick church located on the farthest east side of the city. This church had been built for the ordinary citizens and did not have any statues or idols. Instead, there was a circle stand at the center of the hall where the priests and priestesses usually delivered their sermons. However, that day was different. One of the highest members of the holy order had arrived. Many citizens and townspeople had already gathered in the church, filling half of the benches.

Ella was dressed in a high priestess robe adorned with the holy church insignia, symbolizing the sacred tower. Due to her royal blood, she was also wearing a lightweight monarch regalia. Her long, golden hair was braided and decorated with crystals, cascading in front of her body, perfectly matching her attire. She held an ivory scepter in her hand, adorned with luxurious jewels and gorgeous gems.

In front of Ella, Rave wore a white holy robe with a golden stripe line on his shawl. His red hair was styled in a slicked-back manner, with short sides. He wore a necklace with a diamond plate at the center and sat with one knee on the ground.

“Wah… She is so beautiful, even more so than last time,” one of the townspeople said.

“Yes, that time, she was so far that I could clearly see her face. She looked incredibly elegant. It was a blessing that she had come to our church. I could feel the holiness in my heart,” another townsfolk said.

“Why had she chosen to come to our humble place instead of the grand church?” one man asked.

“Haven’t you noticed the young man with red hair in front? She was here to perform a ceremony and receive a follower title,” another townsman answered.

“So, she was performing the ceremony here?… Don’t tell me, she was receiving a peasant,” the man became excited.

Thud, thud, thud, a priest wearing a basic robe walked towards Ella. His body trembled, and his legs shook as he held a paper in his hand.

Ella noticed him and placed her hand over her heart. “May the holy bless you, Priest of the White Rey,” she said.

“Y-Yes, S-Saint E-Ella, may the Holy Tower s-shine upon you,” the priest said.

“Do not worry so much, holy priest. This is not a difficult task. Just proceed as usual,” Ella reassured him, waving her hand.

“But I was only a minor priest. I was not worthy of this honor,” the priest said.

“Be faith. We saw you before sunrise, and our time was aligned as if light had connecting us. You would be fine. Just record as you always did, okay?” Ella touched the paper, causing it to emit a faint glow. Particles of light floated up and slowly combined into a string of light that reached the ceiling of the church. She raised her hand and said, “Thank you, Holy Priest. May the light shine upon you.”

The priest nodded and took a step back, then moved to stood on a nearby bench.

Ella took out her holy book, the God Whisperer, it started to shine. The pages of the book flipped automatically until it reached the destined page. At the same time, a scepter emitted golden particles.

Ella said, “I am Ella, the Saint of the Holy Tower. I wish to bless this domain and turn this land into a golden era. I wish for elation to be created in every heart…”

lines of light connected to the ceiling and spread like a web throughout the entire hall.

A group of new people walked into the church, all wearing holy robes. One of them wore a Saint’s robe, and the people at the back stumbled, wanting to step away. But the old saint raised his hand and said, “Do not be afraid. I am here to listen as well.” He walked and sat on the last row bench, with a group of crusaders and holy knights standing behind him. People nearby still stepped away and did not dare to sit next to him or get close to his group.

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“We have lost many souls in this holy ground. People struggle and suffer, with fathers, mothers, and children crying for their lost ones. Red and black stains their hands and feet, with no hope or light to call upon… Even the rain cries and reversed back into the night sky…”

Light on the floor slowly emitted and formed into tiny droplets of light that softly lingered left and right. People were taken aback when they saw it, but one man touched it and felt warmth and purity rush into his body. Another person did the same.

Saint Rexton also touched it and said, “Warmth… Who taught her this? Saint Aria?… What did she find in her last journey?”

“But rays of light still remain, our lives still beating, and our spirits still remember all the lovely names… In the joy of children and the smiles of people, in us, in them, in all of our hearts, we still remember the warmth of the sun. Cure for pure spirits.”

A small tear dropped from Ella’s eye and fell to the floor. All the light particles faded away, and there was no magical miracle or blast of light. Only silence filled the air, and the warmth of the sun coming through the window touched their bodies.

People held their breath, struck by various emotions. Some cried, some were thrilled, as they released all the tension they had been holding.

Rexton was amazed. He barely noticed, but he could sense the mana inside the church starting to move. Instinctively, he crossed his hands and leaned his body forward, his eyes locked on the center scene.

“But hope still remains,” a bright and hopeful sound echoed from the shining youth with red hair for the first time.

All eyes turned to the man with red hair.

“Yes… Hope still remains,” Ella said, lifting her scepter slightly and rotating towards the horizon.

“Grandfather, are they going to do that? But she can only do it once in her life. Why did she choose him?” a woman follower behind Saint Rexton asked.

“Yes, little Willna. They will fulfill the full obligation of the royal pledge. This red-haired kid is a precious gem,” Saint Rexton smiled. The nearby knight was shocked to see his master smile, something he hadn’t done in a long time.

Follower Calder, the oldest grandson, murmured, “Why him… I thought it should be her…” lost in his own thoughts.

Rave slowly touched his heart with one hand and raised the other beside his body, making a vow. “I, Ravie, son of the sun and light, will make a vow!” all rays of light swiftly blended and shone into him.

Saint Rexton’s eyes widened. “The sun has accepted him.”

“I will be your loyal follower and ascend the grand staircase of the holy tower, never straying until we complete the grand quest,” Rave continued, as the rays of light blended into a rings shape. It pulsated as if it were breathing.

Rexton swiftly stood up and looked at the man with red hair. goosebumps erupted on his skin as he mumbled, “No, this is not right. No one uses this old cryptic vow anymore… our grand quest is already complete…”

“I will follow you faithfully and never bring harm upon you, regardless of the circumstances. If the thread of fate is broken, the iron blade shall cut my soul and heart in half,” Rave said, as the rings of light combined into one and floated above Rave’s head.

Ella smiled, the tip of her robe rising and her hair fluttering. She raised her scepter, touching Rave’s left and right shoulder, then raised her hand and extended it out of her scepter, fascinatingly still held up in the sky. She walked close to Rave, touching the light ring above his head, and then said with a clear voice, “Accepted,” the sound resonating throughout the entire hall.

“I, Elmyra Rinaca Lestria, a saint, a god’s whisperer, a light of the Lestria kingdom, shall grant the title lord to Ravie Sunfeather and accept the vow from the son of sun and light. He will be one on the path of the holy tower and the one who will follow me to the end of the grand quest,” Ella said.

Swoosh! Suddenly, sunlight and particles of light burst forth. They swiftly flew to everyone in the hall, filling them with warmth and joy. The lights touched the walls, floor, and ceiling, creating a bright glow everywhere. The hope and happiness touched the hearts of the people.

Scepter slowly descended. Rave stood up, and Ella grabbed her scepter, rotating it back to a vertical position. The rays of light returned to their original places, bringing back the silence. But it didn’t last long.

“Wow, what is that? Saint Ella, you’ve blessed us all,” one man exclaimed. “My heart is blooming,” a woman nearby spoke. “This is so beautiful,” another townsman added. People continued to talk, cheering and expressing their joy.

A priest, who was holding a paper record, approached Ella. His hands and body were still shaking, but not as much as before. He handed her a paper and said, “S-saint Ella, t-thank you for giving me this task. My eyes have light, my heart has hope. Thank you so much.” His voice trembled as he spoke.

Ella touched the paper with her holy book, causing it to turn into particles of light that flew into the book. She then placed the book back in its holder and said, “Thank you, holy priest. You see, it wasn’t that hard. My speech wasn’t that long. If Raccoon had done the preaching, your head would have hurt and your eyes would have cried blood.” She smiled at the holy priest.

The holy priest’s face turned red, and he swiftly nodded. “I hope the light of the saint stays with us,” he said.

Ella smiled and replied, “I hope so.” She bowed slightly.

The holy priest quickly returned the bow and stepped back to his bench.

Rave walked up to Ella and bowed. “Miss Ella, thank you,” he said.

“You too, Sir Ravie... Thank you.” Ella replied with a bow.

Thud! Thud! clang! clang! Saint Rexton walked to the center of the hall, followed by all the holy knights. The people divided, creating a path on the left and right.

Saint Rexton placed his hand on his heart, Cleck! the sound of his gauntlet resonated with his iron chest plate. “Congratulations, Saint Ella, for completing the ceremony with such ease. My eyes are now open, and my heart soars to the bright sky. I am truly moved to see the hope of the new generation,” he said.

“Thank you, Saint Rexton. Your words flatter me too much,” Ella said.

“Saint Ella, you should have sent invitations before this event. I feel sorry for the other saints and holy orders who couldn’t attend and witness this phenomenon,” Saint Rexton said.

“Ah, I apologize for the inconvenience. Initially, we only intended to have a small and quiet ceremony. We never expected it to attract so much attention.”

Saint Rexton nodded in agreement as people now occupied all the seats, a mix of townsfolk, knights, and the elite. Some stood at the border ring stand. “May I ask something, Saint Ella.”

Ella paused for a moment before responding, “Yes, Saint Rexton, we still have time for your question.”

“Where did you find this Sunfeather child? He is the finest prominent of the new generation that I have had the pleasure of meeting. Even the Sun has accepted him as a child. Is he the one you are looking for?” Saint Rexton asked, looking at Rave.

Rave bowed in gratitude for Saint Rexton’s kind words.

Ella touched her lips and giggled a little, “Hehe, I agree with you that Sir Ravie is a prominent individual with exceptional manners. If it were Raccoon, he would not participate in this type of ceremony at all. He would protest and demand more flowers and a rocky field, along with free homie cooking for everyone, especially a counter with unlimited sweets for the children.”

Rave also smiled slightly.

Saint Rexton was confused by Ella’s response, wondering who this Raccoon was. However, he could catch some meaning from her words. “So… he is not the one you are looking for?”

“Ah, sorry, my thoughts wandered. Yes, he is not the one we are looking for. Sir Ravie is his brother. Raccoon is with Saint Aria.”

Saint Rexton nodded, understanding what Ella said. “By the way, I haven’t seen Saint Aria nearby.”

Ella smiled and replied, “Her ceremonial dress is a bit complicated. She is also helping Raccoon with his attire. But don’t worry, she will come soon, Saint Rexton. Please have a seat and enjoy the show.”

Flop! Flop! Flop! The curtains fell down, blocking all sources of sunlight. Fortunately, the light bulbs from the follower ceremony still illuminated the church with a dim light.

Patter! Patter! Something was happening at the entrance of the church. People fell silent and turned their attention to the newcomer. Their hearts skipped a beat as they saw who it was, instinctively stepping back and dividing into two sides.

Saint Rexton looked in that direction, shocked and unable to find the words to speak.

Follower Calder touched his heart, furrowing his eyebrows and locking his eyes onto the newcomer. “Huk, my heart, stay calm.”

Rave placed his finger on his forehead, closed his eyes, and said, “I will pray for you.”

Ella smiled widely and said, “You are truly beautiful.”