Maxwell put down the assessment report and looked up at Charles.
“Full marks in all three categories?”
“Yes, Your Holiness,” Charles replied.
Maxwell gazed at Charles and said, “Charles, you know that since the establishment of the priest assessment, no priest has ever received full marks in even two categories simultaneously.”
Charles nodded, his expression unchanging. “I am aware. However... this score was the result of a deliberation between all the high priests and bishops present.”
“Every presiding priest unanimously agreed that Leon deserves such a perfect score.”
After a pause, Charles continued, “Furthermore, Your Holiness, this is my nomination for him as a God-Chosen candidate.”
Charles handed over a written recommendation.
Maxwell took the document, his eyes scanning the “Reason for Nomination” section:
【Anyone who has witnessed this person’s talent for divine spells will understand my reason for nominating him.】
Maxwell pinched the bridge of his nose, a look of helplessness on his face. What kind of reason was that?
He knew that after the pope who had “defiled the faith of the Sacred Light” was ousted, the qualifications for God-Chosen candidates had been reformed.
Following the reform, all nominations for God-Chosen status had to be submitted in writing.
These recommendation documents would be preserved in the relic chamber deep within the Holy See for future generations to review.
If the wording of Charles’s recommendation was stored in the relic chamber as it was...
Maxwell could already imagine future generations reading this absurd reason, seeing his signature on it, and likely cursing him as a corrupt pope who took bribes...
However, Maxwell looked up at the serious Charles and sighed again.
He knew well that Charles was always upright and never showed favoritism.
Previously, even when the son of a duke had brought gifts to ask Charles for help with the assessment, Charles had flatly refused.
He had even exposed a cheater on the spot during an assessment and sent them to the Sacred Light Execution Tribunal for trial.
In Charles’s eyes, everything was black and white; there was never a middle ground.
And now, Charles had written such a recommendation and submitted such a reason without hesitation.
This indicated that, in Charles’s view, Leon truly deserved such a reason.
This couldn't help but pique Maxwell’s curiosity about Leon even more.
What kind of performance could make the habitually rigorous Charles offer such heartfelt praise?
“I understand. You may leave now.”
Ultimately, Maxwell did not reject the recommendation but solemnly accepted it.
...
Elsewhere.
The royal palace, the king’s bedchamber.
On the desk in the bedchamber, thousands of reports were piled together, taller than a person.
The Sage King sat at the desk, processing the documents as efficiently and repetitively as a machine.
After the reforms of the previous monarch and the Sage King’s own era, although the Heron Empire formally retained the titles of duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron, the system existed in name only.
Whether one was a duke or the lowest-ranking baron, no one within the empire’s borders could possess their own private territory.
The ownership of all fiefs in the empire belonged solely to the monarch of the Cassius royal bloodline.
Compared to the Nightmare Empire, which practiced a feudal system, the current Heron Empire was highly centralized.
However, centralization had its pros and cons. The benefit was that the Sage King could freely implement his decrees throughout the empire.
The downside, naturally, was that he had to spend a significant amount of time reviewing reports and documents from every city in the empire.
“Your Majesty, the assessment results are out.”
At that moment, a voice came from the shadows of the bedchamber. A figure suddenly emerged, placing the results of the Apprentice and Formal Priest assessments on the desk.
The Sage King stopped processing his documents and reached out. The assessment results at the far end of the desk flew into his hand.
The Sage King’s gaze scanned the results, searching for a specific name.
Within the first second of scanning from top to bottom, he found it.
“Full marks in all three major assessment categories?”
A flash of surprise crossed the Sage King’s eyes.
A moment later, a plan formed in his mind.
“Deliver these assessment results to the dining table of the vampire Grand Duke Grant in the Nightmare Empire.”
“Also, order General Sophia and the mage Blaise to return to the Imperial Capital immediately.”
“Remember, this must be done in secret. No word of this is to leak out.”
“By your command.” The figure in the shadows moved slightly and then silently vanished.
The Sage King stared at Leon’s name on the results, whispering to himself, “The perfect bait...”
...
The Prime Minister’s ducal manor.
Leon watched the president of the Gugu Chamber of Commerce depart.
After explaining the gameplay of 《Hearthstone Spire Slay》 to the president, the man’s eyes had immediately lit up.
He had patted his chest, declaring that once 《Hearthstone Spire Slay》 was produced, its gameplay and strategic depth, combined with the promotion from the Gugu Chamber of Commerce, would surely make it a sensation throughout the Heron Empire.
Leon had no doubt about this. After all, it was a game made by condensing the essence of three top-tier card games from his previous life; it was bound to be a hit.
After seeing off the president, Leon washed up and returned to his room with Alicia.
After asking Alicia to guard him, Leon settled his mind and entered a dual state of Holy Light Meditation and the walking meditation method.
His original plan was that it would take about a week to reach the threshold of the Silver rank, followed by another two or three days to actually advance.
However, after today’s battles, Leon found that his mental energy had grown slightly without him even realizing it.
This seemed to be because repeatedly casting divine spells in combat had accelerated the digestion of the potential effects brought by the rapid increase of mental energy during meditation, thereby further consolidating and expanding his mental energy pool.
And this small increase in mental energy, compounded by the “interest on interest” of the Bitter Meditation trait, would significantly shorten the time needed to increase his strength.
Leon now estimated that it might only take two and a half days to raise his mental energy to its peak and complete his advancement to the Silver rank!
With that thought, Leon calmed his mind and entered a meditative state.
...
Two and a half days later.
Leon was performing his usual Holy Light Meditation when a strange sensation suddenly arose in his heart.
It felt as if there were a thin membrane atop his head; beneath it was his own world, while beyond it lay an entirely new realm.
With a thought, Leon mobilized all the mental energy in his mind and launched an attack against this membrane.
The first time, the mental energy strike veered off course and failed to hit the membrane.
The second time, the strike hit, but it lacked the power to pierce it. Another failure.
Third time, fourth, fifth...
On the ninth attempt, Leon mobilized his mental energy and exerted force once more. Like a finger poking a water-filled balloon, he struck out—
Rrip!
The membrane was punctured by the precise force, and pure, vast mental energy surged from the other side, flooding into Leon’s mental energy pool.
The mental energy pool was nourished by the vast power like parched earth receiving sweet rain. The sheer bliss of this nourishment made Leon’s entire body shudder, as if he had entered a state of pure nirvana.
【Mental Energy Rank: Bronze → Silver】
【You have advanced to the Silver rank and gained “Divine Spell Anchor”】
【You may choose one of the following three traits to enhance yourself:】
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