Granted

The words of praise in the 《Imperial Truth》—terms like "hero" and "distinguished merit"—seemed distant and blurry in the face of this real crowd.

Those accolades felt like nothing more than a puppet stamped with the word "hero" that the Sage King had pushed forward to soothe the people's hearts, something Leon couldn't help but despise.

But at this moment, the bright eyes of the Solainem residents, their enthusiastic waving, and their unreserved trust and gratitude were what finally allowed Leon’s restless heart to settle.

Leon never thought of himself as special; he was just an ordinary person who felt pain, fatigue, anxiety, and fear.

When he discovered he had been handpicked by the Sage King as the "Hero of Solainem," the feeling that flashed through his heart wasn't pride, but unease.

Was that Sage King plotting something while elevating him to the status of a hero? Did he want to use this identity to do something to him?

This unease filled Leon with a sense of urgency, driving him to practice Holy Light Meditation desperately, hoping to rapidly increase his mental energy in a short time.

However, this urgency was affecting the results of his Holy Light Meditation. Although he had indeed raised Holy Light Meditation from Lv1 to Lv2, every Divine Spell Performance Rating he received was 【Poor】.

It wasn't just his meditation practice; even Leon's own psychological state was affected.

This impact was something even Alicia could see.

But now, the grateful and eager faces on both sides of the street carried a grounding power. They acted like an anchor, pulling Leon out of the unease that was dragging him into the depths of a whirlpool.

“Priest Leon! Thank you, thank you for saving my daughter!”

Just then, a middle-aged man squeezed through the crowd with a young girl.

His eyes were filled with profound gratitude as he rushed toward the ox-steed carriage. Leon ordered the driver to stop and stepped out of the carriage.

Leon looked at the girl. She was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with blonde hair and a few small freckles on her face.

She looked very much like Juliet.

Leon recognized her; she was one of the girls rescued from the vampire’s den.

The middle-aged man gripped Leon's hand tightly and said excitedly, “Priest Leon! Thank you! If you hadn't saved little Nico, she might have already...”

“Nico, come here and thank Priest Leon properly.”

The girl named Nico blushed slightly, lowering her head as she whispered, “Th-thank you, Priest Leon!”

Leon accepted the thanks graciously.

“Also...” Nico looked up, her clear eyes stealing a glance at Leon, the tips of her ears turning red. “After you reach the Imperial Capital... can I write to you?”

Leon put on a stern face. “No.”

The expectation on Nico's face froze instantly.

In the next second, Leon suddenly smiled. “Just kidding. You can write.”

Nico's eyes lit up.

“But I might not read it.”

The light in her eyes dimmed again.

“Actually, I probably will read it.”

Expectation reappeared on Nico's face.

“However, even if I read it, I might not reply.”

Nico opened her mouth, unsure of what expression to make, until she saw the faint smile on Leon's face and realized he was teasing her. With a soft cry of embarrassment, she buried her face behind her father's back.

The middle-aged man laughed heartily. After thanking Leon repeatedly, he led Nico back into the crowd.

“Priest Leon, your tactics for teasing girls leave me in awe.” Ryan, who had watched the whole thing, leaned in next to Leon and winked.

“If you went to the pavilion with those moves, you'd have those busty girls laughing so hard they'd probably waive your bill.”

Leon glanced at him sideways and said nonchalantly, “The tactic is simple, but... it depends on the face.”

Ryan froze for a moment before suddenly realizing the meaning behind the words. He immediately shouted in agitation, “Priest Leon, what do you mean by that?! Is my appearance not handsome enough?”

He first looked at Leon's deep black eyes, his dark hair, and the elegant, noble aura that permeated his every movement.

Then, he hurriedly borrowed a mirror from someone nearby to carefully examine his own face, muttering under his breath, “Actually... it doesn't look that different...”

His voice grew quieter and quieter as he spoke.

“Leon, Priest, you, went, to tease, a girl?”

Back by the ox-steed carriage, Alicia asked Leon.

“Uh...” Leon paused for a moment and explained:

“Don't listen to Ryan's nonsense. That wasn't teasing a girl, that sort of thing was...”

“Just a joke for a friendly interaction.”

“A, joke?” Alicia looked at the faint smile on Leon's face and asked, “Leon, Priest, you, heart, are very, happy?”

“A little happy,” Leon said with a smile.

Facing these sincere and vivid faces, a wave of complex emotions rose in Leon's heart.

Perhaps, he hadn't failed to change anything after all.

At least, he had rescued a girl who looked so much like Juliet from the shadows.

At least, this city called Solainem had not been crushed by the gray mist. People could still smile and wave as they saw him off.

Someone in the crowd started it, and then the people began to sing the 《Hymn of the Sacred Light's Send-off》 to bid farewell to the convoy.

“May the Sacred Light protect the path ahead, may every step of your journey be under the shelter of brilliance...”

“May the shadows retreat wherever your footsteps lead, may peace reside at the end of your journey...”

“Thank you for descending like light, dispelling the suffering and mist of this land...”

“Though we part now, may the Sacred Light forever illuminate your way home...”

The singing began as a few scattered voices, gradually merging into a warm and devout harmony. The sound wasn't loud, but it was clear and firm.

Leon became immersed in this wonderful atmosphere. He raised his priest's scepter and also began to chant:

“God of Sacred Light above, Your humblest servant calls to You from the depths of this darkness.”

“May Your radiance pierce the shroud of the abyss.”

“May Your will descend upon this tainted land...”

“...May my prayer turn into true light, spilling over the streets and hearts of Solainem. May the Sacred Light long protect the people of this land; they are so kind and passionate, so resilient and unyielding. They deserve to be watched over gently by the Sacred Light, and they deserve to have a peaceful and beautiful life.”

Leon understood that with his current mental energy, it was not enough to realize the grand vision of this 【Wish】. It was difficult to truly bring such a magnificent protection down upon Solainem.

But he still prayed, hoping this divine spell could carry a glimmer of possible light to guard the people of this land, even if its effect was weak.

However, as the last word of his prayer fell—a will descended.

That indescribable, great will, carrying a power as vast and boundless as a falling galaxy, was the very source of the Sacred Light's power.

Miles, who was at the back of the convoy gently waving to the crowd, suddenly snapped his head around, looking toward Leon's carriage in disbelief.

“This is...” His pupils constricted, and a rare look of astonishment and horror flashed across his face.

As for Leon at this moment, everything around him no longer mattered.

In his vision, only that massive, vast existence representing the Sacred Light itself remained.

Then, he heard Him speak, His voice calm and magnificent:

“Granted.”

The moment that word fell, all of Solainem felt as if it were being gently brushed by an invisible hand.

Along both sides of the street, all the flower buds woke up at the same instant, blooming in layers.

The petals unfurled, and a rich fragrance diffused through the streets of the west gate, lingering in everyone's breath.

Among the crowd, changes were also quietly occurring.

An old man suddenly let go of the cane he had been clutching; his fingers, which had been curled for years due to an old injury, could actually slowly straighten now.

Several children who were running and laughing stopped in their tracks, looking down at the scars on their knees from past falls, which were now replaced by smooth skin.

There was no ceremony of ten thousand lights, no world-shaking roar. There was only a gentle and holy power, soaking into everything like morning mist, changing everything.

The people gradually noticed this gift-like change.

Their whispers turned to amazement, and their amazement turned into cheers.

Some knelt in prayer, some pressed their hands together, and more looked toward the sky, grateful for the blessing sent down by the God of Sacred Light.

Only Miles stood quietly within the convoy.

As a devout believer in the Sacred Light, as a Bishop of the God of Sacred Light, and as a Gold rank priest, he perceived where this gentle and powerful force had come from.

Thus, Miles's gaze pierced through the crowd, landing on the black-haired, black-eyed youth standing before the ox-steed carriage.

His eyes held an indescribable shock and realization:

“God of Sacred Light above... Your God-Chosen, I shall surely guard him by his side.”