This was according to the itinerary that had long been finalized and repeatedly confirmed by both the church officials and the royal protocol officers.
The Prophecy ceremony had now concluded.
The Guardian Knight was supposed to represent the King in warmly inviting the Saintess and all her retinue.
They were to attend a grand celebratory banquet held in the Golden Hall.
However, when the Guardian Knight stepped forward to extend the invitation according to protocol, things did not go as expected.
The Saintess, who had remained silent, gently shook her head.
“Thank you for your kind offer, Your Majesty, but there is no need for a banquet.”
Her voice remained ethereal and calm.
Yet it left the King on his throne and all the nobles present completely stunned.
This completely disrupted the established arrangements.
Many puzzled glances were directed at Daniel, one of the Disciplinary Knights leading the church retinue.
He was the Disciplinary Knight responsible for finalizing the itinerary.
They hoped he could interpret the meaning behind Her Holiness's actions.
Knight Daniel's face was resolute; facing everyone's confusion, he merely bowed slightly, his tone completely flat.
“The will of Her Holiness is our command.”
“All itineraries are decided entirely by Her Holiness.”
Left with no choice, the Guardian Knight spoke on behalf of the King, who was unable to express himself clearly.
“In that case, esteemed Saintess, what is your next wish...?”
The Saintess smiled faintly.
Her closed eyes opened ever so slightly.
A mysterious, captivating purple shimmer gleamed within them.
Her gaze bypassed everyone with absolute precision.
It landed squarely on Elvia in the royal seats.
“I have heard that there is a Holy Saint in the Carter Royal Capital.”
Her voice was soft, yet it reached everyone's ears with crystal clarity.
“I am going to find him.”
“Looking for the Holy Saint?”
The King and many of the elders and nobles, who paid little attention to recent gossip, looked at one another in utter bewilderment.
However, those who had attended Charles's engagement banquet—
or rather, Elvia's chaotic wedding banquet—
almost instantly recalled the black-haired young man who had slept in the corner, radiating a clear aura of “do not bother me.”
In unison, everyone's gazes snapped directly onto Elvia.
Before Elvia could even fully process what was happening, the Saintess had already glided gracefully over, stopping right in front of her.
She extended a pale, jade-like finger and pointed gently at her.
“This lady, Miss Elvia...”
The Saintess's voice carried an unquestionable authority.
“shall lead the way for me.”
Having said that, she paid no further attention to the crowd in the hall, turning to walk out.
Disciplinary Knight Daniel immediately followed in silence.
The other nuns, priests, and clerics did not move.
Feeling the sudden cold and pressuring gazes of the surrounding nobles, Elvia cursed inwardly.
But at this moment, she had absolutely no room to refuse.
Under the King's piercing glare, she quickly caught up with the Saintess and Daniel.
A deeply uneasy premonition welled up in Elvia's heart.
She seemed to guess why the Saintess had suddenly wanted to look for Lin Gui.
She sincerely hoped that Lin Gui was currently in some remote corner, searching for the so-called Tomb of Catriona.
She prayed the Saintess would not find him.
The other nobles, including the King, instinctively wanted to follow.
However, the other Disciplinary Knight took a step sideways with an expressionless face.
He precisely blocked everyone's path.
He uttered only two words, yet they carried a mountain-like pressure:
“Stop.”
...
Outside the palace, the news of the Saintess's auspicious prophecy and the King's order to open the treasury for a three-day city-wide celebration spread quickly.
It was as if it had grown wings, rapidly reaching every corner of the Royal Capital.
The nobles in the Upper District celebrated gleefully.
They hosted various small gatherings as if they could already see a bright future.
The merchants in the commercial district keenly sensed a business opportunity.
They started to hoard large quantities of alcohol and celebration supplies to make a fortune.
The residents of the commoner district flooded the streets.
They celebrated spontaneously, the air filled with the joy of survival and a fleeting hope for the future.
Meanwhile, in the sewage-drenched refugee district, things were different.
A rare ripple of excitement stirred within the numb crowd.
The city-wide celebration had nothing to do with most of them.
However, opening the treasury might mean they could receive some meager alms.
At the very least, the whips of the Defense Force would strike a little lighter over the next few days.
This would allow them a brief respite.
...
Meanwhile, deep beneath the Fifth Ring's commercial district, they were in the depths of the Dice and Blood casino.
Caesar, the rebel leader, stood with ten adventurers of condensed aura and sharp gazes.
These individuals were all elite assassins he had personally handpicked.
Each of them had reached the High-tier Transcendent rank.
They were the core strength for his Saintess Assassination Plan.
A detailed map of the Royal Capital was spread out before them.
With a prominent red dot marked upon it.
“The original plan was to strike on the Saintess's way to the Saint Carol Cathedral for her blessing.”
An assassin with a scarred face said in a deep voice.
“There is a narrow covered bridge that she must cross.”
“The surrounding buildings are complex, making it perfect for an ambush and escape.”
However, a subordinate who had just returned with news from outside rushed in.
He reported that the Saintess had temporarily changed her itinerary and refused to attend the banquet.
And she had specifically requested to see the Holy Saint.
“The Saintess changed her plans at the last minute! All our arrangements have been disrupted!”
Another assassin said, his tone heavy.
Caesar, however, did not seem to mind.
He tapped his rough finger unconsciously on the map, a wild yet calm light flashing in his eyes.
“It does not matter,” he said in a raspy voice. “The plan remains unchanged.”
“But Chief,” the scarred assassin hesitated.
“The target is not at the scheduled location. Our original ambush and backup will...”
Caesar cut him off, his tone carrying an almost devout conviction.
“As long as we have it, it does not matter where we strike.”
His gaze fell upon an inconspicuous black wooden box beside him.
He reached out and carefully opened the lid.
Inside, cushioned on dark red velvet, lay a dagger.
The dagger had an ancient design, its entire body a dark, dull blood-red.
There were no ornate decorations on the blade, only countless fine, twisted black runes that squirmed as if they were alive.
Merely lying there, it exuded a freezing aura that made the soul tremble.
It felt as if it could swallow all light and vitality around it.
—The divine artifact, 【Soul-Slaying Blade】.
If there was anything that could enable an ordinary person to kill a warrior, it would be this.
And that was a divine artifact.
Just looking at it, the battle-hardened Transcendent assassins felt their hearts skip a beat.
They instinctively took half a step back, their eyes filled with awe and dread.
Looking at the dagger, Caesar wore a savage and resolute smile.
“I really want to see how those high-and-mighty people will react when they hear the news that the Legendary pillar who protected the Royal Capital and stopped the bloodthirsty demons has been crippled.”
Rate on N.U.
