CA – Chapter 79
Chapter 79
There were several dozen knights in the training hall, all around Karen's age. They all looked very green. Tang Qiu scanned the room and was surprised to find that Karen was the only female knight.
But that was normal. Across the entire continent, the vast majority of knights were men.
The Holy See selected only talented children when training Holy Knights, so although the knights standing before Tang Qiu looked young, they had all actually reached the level of Swordsman.
To put it in perspective, some knights could go their entire lives without ever reaching the rank of Swordsman, yet these ones were still so young.
A bishop could select eighteen Holy Knights. After careful observation, Tang Qiu chose those with more composed temperaments.
Karen, who had been rejected for being too impulsive, stood resentfully, watching the blonde priest's back and biting her hand. When Lisa wasn't looking, she ran to Tang Qiu's side again. "Pick me. I'm really strong."
While signaling for a knight to stand behind her, Tang Qiu absentmindedly placated Karen. "I'll think about it."
Karen was hopeful at first, but after waiting a while, she saw the blonde priest had moved to the other side to select more knights. Frustrated, she ran over again. "I can duel them. I'm really, really strong."
As she spoke, she drew the longsword from her waist and slashed downward. A white blade of energy sliced a distant training dummy in half. The sword energy exploded, sending the wreckage flying.
Satisfied, Karen sheathed her sword and turned to look at Tang Qiu expectantly.
Tang Qiu glanced at the dummy's remains, a flash of surprise in her eyes. At this level, her strength was truly impressive, especially considering Karen had just turned eighteen.
"So? What do you think?"
Tang Qiu nodded. "Not bad. An intermediate Swordsman?"
Karen wagged a finger, her face full of pride. "Nope, I'm already a Great Swordsman." Although I just broke through and I'm still unstable, I'm not going to tell the blonde priest that.
Tang Qiu praised her a few times, then turned to continue selecting knights.
Karen: "..."
The commotion they were making was not small. Lisa came over, wanting to restrain Karen, but Karen angrily pushed her away and ran after the blonde priest again.
"What will it take for you to pick me?"
Tang Qiu looked at the unusually persistent Karen and said with amusement, "Why must I pick you?" If Karen had been as quiet as the other knights, she might have actually chosen her, given her outstanding strength.
Karen thought seriously for a moment. Catching sight of Lisa walking toward them out of the corner of her eye, she quickly leaned close to Tang Qiu's ear and whispered, "I can tell you a secret. Where are you staying? I'll find you tonight."
A secret... Tang Qiu's interest was piqued, and she told Karen where she was staying.
After hearing it, Karen looked astonished. "Why are you staying there?"
Tang Qiu gave her an impassive look. Just as she was about to ask what was wrong with her lodgings, Lisa was nearly upon them. Seeing this, Karen leaned in and said to Tang Qiu, "Wait for me tonight." With that, she turned and ran to the other side.
Lisa watched Karen's retreating back and asked with a frown, "What did she say to you?"
"She said she's a Great Swordsman, so I should pick her." After speaking, Tang Qiu nonchalantly turned to continue her selection.
Lisa was silent for a moment, then said coolly to Tang Qiu's back, "She is to be Archbishop Cambecus's Holy Knight. Do not choose her."
With her back to Lisa, the corners of Tang Qiu's mouth lifted slightly. She raised her eyes, glanced at Karen who was peeking at them from a corner, and gave her a wink. Karen froze for a second, then her eyes lit up.
Archbishop Cambecus's Holy Knight... She was starting to get curious.
Karen had said she would come find her that night, so Tang Qiu simply opened the window, waiting while she practiced light magic. The night breeze, thick with the fragrance of flowers, drifted in from outside, making Tang Qiu feel a bit dazed.
She stopped turning the pages of her book, frowning as she rubbed her nose. The aura of light in Eden was certainly dense, but it also caused too many flowers and plants to grow. Sometimes the floral scent was so strong it made it hard for her to sleep soundly.
Closing the window didn't help much either.
A sound came from outside the window. Tang Qiu put her hands down, walked over, and looked down. In the darkness, Karen's brilliant golden curls were incredibly conspicuous. She waved at Tang Qiu, gesturing for her to jump down. "I'll catch you."
Tang Qiu: "..." She chose to use the door.
After passing through the corridor and going outside, she found Karen waiting at the entrance. Seeing her, Karen said with some disappointment, "I could have caught you. You have to trust me."
Tang Qiu smiled. "I don't like jumping out of windows."
Karen sighed and gestured for Tang Qiu to follow her. "Why are you staying here?"
"What's wrong with this place?"
Karen scratched her head. "It's not a good place. The people who live here are always sent on very dangerous missions." Thinking of something, she turned to glance at Tang Qiu and offered some comfort. "But that probably won't happen to you."
"You'll be a bishop once you leave."
Tang Qiu glanced at her. "None of the people sent on missions came back?"
"That's what I heard from some of the other knights." Karen wanted to leave the Central Church with Tang Qiu, and this was likely her only chance, so she was eager to tell Tang Qiu everything she knew to earn her trust. "You're one of Archbishop Reese's people, so you must remember to stay far away from Lisa."
Karen seemed very familiar with Eden, leading Tang Qiu along secluded paths and maintaining a knightly posture half a step in front of her. "Lisa used to be Archbishop Cambecus's attendant priest, and she later became the bishop of the Kendi Duchy. She's extremely hostile toward Archbishop Reese."
Lisa used to be a bishop? Tang Qiu was genuinely surprised this time. "Then why did she come back here?"
Karen shrugged. "I don't know either, but she's always recruiting people for Archbishop Cambecus here." Thinking of something, her tone turned sullen. "She's always trying to make me become a Holy Knight for Archbishop Cambecus."
To leave Eden and immediately become a Holy Knight for a Cardinal was something many people would envy. Seeing that the frustration in Karen's eyes was genuine, Tang Qiu asked quizzically, "Is it bad to be a Cardinal's Holy Knight?"
Karen frowned. "I don't like Archbishop Cambecus. The Holy See has become corrupt because of him." The atmosphere in the Central Church was strange now. Some people who had joined the Church out of true faith had noticed it and were hoping someone could set things right.
Not everyone who yearned for the Holy See was willing to submit to power; their faith was still very devout. This sentiment came mostly from the Church's new blood.
Cambecus and Reese were polar opposites in both age and style, and they practically represented the two factions, old and new, that were now secretly vying for power within the Holy See.
"If it were Archbishop Reese, I'd be more than willing." Karen paused after speaking, stealing a glance at the blonde priest. "If it were you, I'd be willing too."
Tang Qiu just smiled and said nothing.
Seeing that the blonde priest still hadn't committed after she'd said so much, Karen couldn't help but feel a little discouraged.
Eden was vast, and there were some remote places Tang Qiu had yet to visit. The further Karen led her, the more unfamiliar the surroundings became. The sound of trickling water suddenly reached her ears. Tang Qiu paused slightly, looking around. Through the darkness, she could vaguely make out a white bridge in the distance.
Karen pushed aside the messy branches in front of them, her voice excited. "Found it." She carefully held down the branches, creating an opening just large enough for one person to pass through for Tang Qiu.
Tang Qiu glanced at Karen, pondered for a few seconds, then bent down slightly to pass under the branches. When she looked up, the first thing that met her eyes was a clear, trickling stream.
Moonlight spilled down, reflecting off the stream in a silver glow. Multicolored flower petals were piled on the bank. A green plant stood in the middle of the water, its long, thin leaves waving freely. A few small green flowers dotted it, and some had already borne fruit—fist-sized, oval-shaped, and greenish-blue, radiating an extremely strong aura of life.
Tang Qiu stared at the plant in the stream, a flicker of doubt in her eyes. She tentatively approached and reached out to touch one of its leaves. The long, thin foliage gently curled around her finger, and Tang Qiu could feel the leaf drawing the Power of Light from her body.
Karen grabbed Tang Qiu's arm and pulled her away from the plant, warning, "Stay away from it. It likes the aura of light."
Tang Qiu looked thoughtfully at her finger, then asked, "What is this?" She gently pushed Karen away and walked to the edge of the stream. Staring at the oval fruit, she asked, "Can I pick one?"
Karen walked over, picked a fruit, and handed it to Tang Qiu. Then she said in a serious tone, "This is the Tree of Life that nurtures the Elves. I've read about it in a book."
Tang Qiu froze. "Isn't the Tree of Life supposed to be with the Elf Race?" She looked down at the fruit in her hand. An incredibly vibrant aura filled the space around her, even pushing away the aura of light.
The aura was gentle, yet domineering.
"Exactly." Karen nodded, saying seriously, "So there must be a conspiracy here."
Tang Qiu: "..."
"Without the essence blood of an Elf, these fruits can't nurture new Elves." A thought occurred to Tang Qiu, and her brow furrowed slightly. What if this fruit could be used for more than just nurturing Elves?
Her heart skipped a beat. She silently placed the fruit into her Space Gem, then raised her eyes to stare at the Tree of Life in the stream, lost in thought.
Seeing Tang Qiu's pensive expression, Karen couldn't help but speak up to claim credit. "So, what do you think of my secret?"
Tang Qiu snapped back to her senses and said with a smile, "It's very good."
Karen's eyes lit up. "Then let me be your Holy Knight." Fearing Tang Qiu would still refuse, she described her situation pitifully. "If I enter the Central Church, I'll definitely die of depression from the oppressive atmosphere."
Faced with Karen's persistence, Tang Qiu gave a helpless smile. "If you can be a little quieter, I'll save a spot for you."
Karen opened her mouth, then quietly nodded.
Tang Qiu chuckled softly and turned back to observe the Tree of Life. After watching for a moment, a thought struck her, and she turned around to ask, "How did you know the Tree of Life was here?"
Karen answered succinctly, "I saw it when I was following Lisa." Fearing Tang Qiu didn't understand her grudge with Lisa, she added, "She always likes to control me and plan my future, but I don't want that. I hate her."
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