Chapter 520: Act 268 – The Knight of the Sanctuary’s Promotion (Part 2)
In the corridor, a row of gold-red columns stood, their spiraled patterns resembling flames. The nun princess hurriedly walked between the columns, needing to lift the hem of her white nun’s robe, appearing almost angelic. Passing through the inner corridor of the Great Cathedral of Andfell, Margadale met the long-waited Sir Begninen in a small courtyard.
Whether she admitted it or not, she felt some affection for this young man. A man who could abandon his noble birth to stand by his chosen love and justice is likely to win favor wherever he goes, especially since Begninen fit perfectly into her vision of someone who challenges fate without daring to fantasize about it.
Seeing the young man made her somewhat nervous, and with a hint of youthful shyness, she softly asked, “Sir Begninen, why are you here to see me at this time?”
“Your Highness wishes to know the Sanctuary’s stance.”
Though she knew this was a matter of course, Margadale couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed. “It’s still the same; High Priest Wood hopes the Sanctuary can maintain a neutral stance. Though Lord Ikan has some favorable feelings towards you, he will certainly uphold the decision of High Priest Wood.”
“The Sanctuary not leaning towards either side is the best news for us,” Begninen replied. Only in front of the princess did he show his accommodating side; in front of others, this young man was a shrewd noble.
“What’s wrong?”
“The Toquinin Lionmen are stirring at the border, and the princess is worried that the Sanctuary might want to quickly end this civil war.”
The nun princess frowned, her beautiful brows knitting together, and gently replied, “That won’t happen; High Priest Wood would never support such a course of action. However… there might be some changes back at the main sanctuary. I received some news today.”
“Hmm?”
“High Priest Wood’s term is almost up, and the Sanctuary has sent a successor. Along with the successor, there’s also a special envoy from the Sanctuary. I have a bad feeling about this, Mr. Begninen.”
“What is the name of the successor?” Begninen asked, his expression revealing neither joy nor concern, just a simple question.
“I don’t know, Mr. Begninen. This is the highest secret of the Sanctuary. I really shouldn’t be discussing this with you,” Margadale said, glancing at the young man with some worry. She added softly, “You and Grifian are both outstanding individuals, but the world is too unfair. I’m sorry… even I can’t help you in any way.”
As Margadale ran over, a flush crept onto her face, making her stunningly beautiful; even Begninen couldn’t help but glance at her again. The young man smiled and shook his head, saying, “It’s nothing. I am still very grateful to you, Princess Margadale. By the way, you seem to be in a rush; did something happen over there?”
The young man was referring to the inner chamber, a section only accessible to those in the Sanctuary’s ranks. Though he came from noble birth and held the position of the princess’s envoy, he still could not tread there. Hearing his question, Margadale turned red and nodded, saying, “A noble scion is coming to be ordained as a knight of the sanctuary. As the goddess officer within the Sanctuary, I theoretically should just observe.”
“Oh?” Begninen raised an eyebrow; he sensed that the nun princess’s implication was that she had slightly broken the Sanctuary’s rules because of him—this was quite an extraordinary thing for a princess known for her calm demeanor and quiet obedience. Any man would find pride in such a comment, but the young noble did not show any arrogance. Instead, he asked, “Which noble family’s heir is being ordained at this season?”
“I’m not sure. I heard that a prominent figure recommended him to come, originally intending for High Priest Wood to preside over the ceremony—”
“High Priest?” Begninen’s expression changed; he couldn’t help but interrupt, “But isn’t that High Priest Wood?”
“Unfortunately, High Priest Wood is not here. However, that young man is impressive; he rejected Lord Troganya’s proposal. I can tell he truly doesn’t care about this honor. It’s rare to see nobles think like that, especially in Erluin,” the nun princess said with a hint of lament.
“I think he probably doesn’t realize what a great honor he missed,” Begninen said, in disbelief. A tinge of jealousy surfaced in his heart—rejecting the high priest’s ceremony was a significant honor. Naturally, he preferred to believe that Brendel was just a bumpkin, completely unaware of what the honor from the high priest meant. Taking a deep breath, the young noble quickly realized his rudeness and shook his head, saying, “Then I shall take my leave, Your Highness.”
In Margadale’s eyes, Begninen’s slip did not leave a bad impression; what young person could remain calm upon hearing such news? Even this nun princess herself found it hard to believe, especially after her feelings of affection for him grew, making even small flaws seem like virtues.
However, she suddenly recalled something and could not help but ask, “Mr. Begninen, I heard that you came with someone else?”
Begninen was about to take his leave when Margadale’s question made him pause. “Yes, I came with Marquis Julian. I ran into him on the road, and unexpectedly, he recognized me at a glance. He is nominally Your Highness’s uncle, so I couldn’t decline him.”
“Hmm,” Margadale gently nodded, hesitatingly advising, “Marquis Julian… his reputation is somewhat unfavorable, and he is closely associated with Prince Liukao… If possible, Mr. Begninen, it would be best to keep your distance from him to avoid being maliciously harmed behind your back.”
Marquis Julian was nominally a cousin of King Obergo VII but was actually the illegitimate son of the previous king and had no right to inherit the throne. Perhaps to resist this fate, this marquis lived a libertine life, and his reputation among the nobles was very poor. He even had ill intentions towards his only niece, and recently he had been mingling with Prince Liukao, the brother of the princess, leading people to know of his undisclosed relationship with the young lady of the Siphai family.
Margadale, naturally gentle in nature, held a deep disdain for such people. It was because she heard that Sir Begninen was associating with such a person that she felt compelled to remind him.
“I understand,” the young man smiled at her. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
“No need,” the nun princess shook her head, watching the young noble take his leave as he disappeared into the side hall. She couldn’t help but sigh. She had secretly left her post and didn’t yet know if she should feel joy or worry. To the world, she was always regarded as a quiet and obedient princess. Starting this, the old fogies of the Sanctuary might scold her severely.
Yet Margadale felt both disappointment and a subtle excitement in her heart. This was her first time fighting against her duties, and though it was just a small step, it stirred her heart to flutter with a thrilling sensation.
The nun princess turned around, walking back with a determined air, as if facing a death sentence. Meanwhile, on the other side, young Sir Begninen stepped out and couldn’t help but ask his waiting servant, “Where is Marquis Julian?”
The servant nervously replied, “I don’t know, sir. Marquis Julian said he had never been to the Great Cathedral of Andfell, so he went in alone to explore.”
“That damn libertine!” Begninen’s face darkened, clenching his teeth in anger.
“Sir, should we wait for him?” the servant asked cautiously.
“Why wait for him?” Begninen retorted, “Let him do as he pleases. Let’s hope he doesn’t cause too much trouble. We need to return to the estate; Princess Margadale is still waiting for our news.”
“Understood, sir.”
The servant quickly bowed and responded.
……
In the quiet room of Andfell—
The promotion ceremony for the knight of the sanctuary was much simpler than most people anticipated. The Temple of Fire, inheriting the style of the Flame King Gilt, valued simplicity and practicality as virtues. The ceremony for the knight of the sanctuary typically begins with the officiant asking the candidate a series of questions. These questions can pertain to the reasons why the candidate wishes to join the ranks of the knights or some knowledge related to doctrine. Brendel had prepared thoroughly, having raised his religious knowledge (Erluin) to level 10 well in advance. Thus, when the old priest asked a question, the answers naturally surfaced in his mind, and he responded smoothly.
The elder priest grew increasingly satisfied with his questions. Since the end of the First Holy War and the years following the Great Beast, the respect of nobles toward the Golden Flame had become increasingly superficial. Although the Sanctuary still held authority, the ancient virtues no longer existed in the hearts of people. The struggle for power and wealth intensified, and the nobles pursued means more than faith. A young man with such insight into the doctrine of the Temple of Fire was a rarity, not only in Erluin but even among the Crusian.
He couldn’t help but nod at Brendel, saying, “If it weren’t for your reluctance, I would genuinely wish to see you join the Sanctuary. I believe you would undoubtedly become a true paladin. You have a clear mind and maintain integrity. I have traveled through many regions, and you are the finest young person I have encountered.”
Brendel couldn’t help but blush a little, surprised by the high praise. A paladin in the Temple of Fire held a higher title than the knights of the shrine, almost equivalent to the position of a regional high priest. Brendel knew that if he nodded in agreement, the elder priest might very well recommend him for that step. The rights and status enjoyed by a paladin in Erluin were unimaginable to ordinary people and were on par with those of High Priest Wood, practically of transcendent status, equal to that of kings.
It would be impossible for Brendel to say he felt no moment of temptation, yet it was not his intent in this regard. If he joined the Temple of Fire, he would have to accept the main sanctuary’s arrangements and could no longer intervene in the affairs of Erluin. Moreover, he was acutely aware that the Temple of Fire was not as clean as it appeared. Thus, he shook his head to refuse.
“It’s a pity,” the elder priest sighed but only felt pleased to see such an excellent young man. He picked up a pebble soaked in holy water, placed it on Brendel, and pressed one hand over the doctrine of the Temple of Fire, preparing to swear him in.
At that moment, someone suddenly stepped out from the inner chamber, interrupting the elder priest.
“Wait.”
Brendel and the priest turned to see that the newcomer was none other than High Priest Wood.
……(To Be Continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your votes for recommendation and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
