On the surface, within the Temple of Light...
Iluvia's incarnation had long since vanished.
At this moment, Lilith, West, and Selby were kneeling reverently before the statue of the Goddess of Light.
Heads bowed, their expressions were filled with boundless joy and hope.
The vigilant watch of generation after generation, the disappointment following prayer after prayer—at long last, it had yielded true hope!
This was especially true for Lilith.
As the Saintess of Light, the Goddess was the faith she had held all her life. Since childhood, she had listened to her elders recount the glory of the past, even as she watched the ruin of the present.
And now, hope had returned!
“Lady Mother Goddess...”
Lilith choked out as she kowtowed, her forehead gently touching the ground, her voice trembling with tearful emotion and fervent faith.
“Your devout servant, Saintess of Light Lilith, has finally lived to witness Your divine glory return today!”
“Lady Mother Goddess, humanity cannot exist without You. Over this past millennium, stripped of Your protection, humanity has constantly struggled in the dark...”
As she spoke, her fingertips tightly clutched the Pendant of Light passed down by the previous Saintess of Light. Tears soaked her skirt.
“I still remember...”
“...the yearning in my elders' eyes as they spoke of Your glory, and the steadfast devotion of the believers as the temple crumbled...”
“In these thousand years, humanity has never forgotten You.”
“Generation after generation of believers kept watch here, offering up fervent prayers time after time, all just to awaken You.”
“And my whole life has been dedicated to awakening You as well.”
“But now! Lady Mother Goddess! This long night has finally reached dawn! The faith our priest lineage held fast for generations, the hope we never abandoned—it has finally received Your answer!”
“The light of hope has truly illuminated this sacred hall once more! Humanity will surely regain its glory from a thousand years ago! Humanity... will be great once again!”
Lilith took a deep breath, her gaze solemn and her voice abruptly becoming resolute:
“I swear in the name of the Saintess of Light to remain Your faithful believer for the rest of my life, to spread Your holy light, and to lead our people in rebuilding our home. I will not allow Your glory to be tarnished, nor let the watch of our ancestors be in vain! I only ask that Your Grace, Mother Goddess, never leave us again, and let the holy light shine upon this suffering land forever.”
With that, she traced a wing-shaped symbol of an angel across her chest.
West straightened his back. Hearing Lilith's oath, he clenched his fists, fiery passion burning in his eyes:
“Lady Goddess! Thank You for Your salvation!”
His voice rang loud, though still choked with emotion, carrying the impetuous zeal and awe of youth.
“When facing the trolls earlier, I could only watch helplessly as my companions fell into danger—I hate how weak I am!”
He kowtowed sharply, his forehead bumping against the floor with a soft sound.
“Your holy light not only healed my injuries, but also ignited my determination to grow stronger!”
“May Your Grace bear witness! I, West, am willing to become the sharpest sword in Your hand—to trample all monsters that invade humanity, to protect the Saintess, and to guard every kin who believes in You! Even if I am ground to dust, I will never back down!”
Selby kowtowed slowly with solemn, deliberate movements, his voice bearing the weathered weight of time and profound awe:
“Your Grace, I, Selby, offer You my highest respects.”
He raised his head, tears glistening in his eyes, yet radiating the steadfast composure of one who had weathered many storms.
“I am willing to follow Saintess Lilith to rebuild the Church of Light, to spread Your doctrine far and wide, and to let this land reclaim its past peace and prosperity.”
“I only ask for Your Grace to guide our path, and I shall follow unto death.”
With those words, he pressed his right hand against his chest, his expression solemn.
Looking at their earnest gazes and solemn expressions, Iluvia felt a sudden pang of guilt welling up in her heart for some reason. But she quickly suppressed the feeling.
Well... bluffing them was still necessary.
Ahem... doing it to gather faith and restore her strength wasn't shameful at all.
Iluvia then began to channel the divine power within her body.
A deep, drawn-out sigh echoed through the temple.
Immediately after, a holy light suddenly burst forth, tearing through the murky dust that had accumulated inside the temple over a thousand years.
Countless specks of light—as warm as dawn and pure as fresh snow—drifted down gracefully from thin air like living spirits...
Instantly, the entire hall was flooded with radiance once more.
“Lady Mother Goddess... / Lady Goddess...”
Lilith and the others raised their heads in excitement.
They watched as the specks of light surged into their bodies, competing with one another just as before.
However, unlike before, when the light was meant to heal their injuries, as it flooded into their bodies this time, their auras began to surge upward.
Bronze Rank mid-stage—Bronze Rank high-stage—Bronze Rank peak—Silver Rank early-stage—Silver Rank mid-stage—Silver Rank high-stage!
Lilith rose a full five sub-ranks before stopping, while West and Selby ended up slightly lower, though they still reached Silver Rank mid-stage.
After all, as a Priestess of Light, Lilith was not only the Saintess of Light but also a Half-Angel possessing a dense angelic bloodline. It was only natural for her strength to be one tier higher than theirs.
Simultaneously, wherever the light touched, cracked stone pillars quietly mended, weathered murals regained their vibrant colors, and rotten wooden beams burst with renewed vitality...
It was as if time were reversing, the glory of the past rebirthed atop these ruins in the blink of an eye.
Finally, the damaged angel statue at the center of the altar began to radiate a sacred brilliance.
Under the awestruck gazes of the trio, the statue was enveloped in light.
In the next instant, a breathtakingly holy statue of an angelic goddess reappeared on the altar.
The twelve wings behind the angelic statue shimmered with holy light.
Unlike before, this statue bore the exact likeness of Iluvia.
Draped in a solemn, sacred, and magnificent divine dress, it displayed the distinct style of humanity in the world of Aenoria.
The statue's face resembled that of a teenage girl—possessing countless graces, elegant and noble, holy and solemn, yet brimming with love and warmth.
Sensing the growth in their strength, the three believers looked up at the fully restored statue.
An indescribable wave of emotion surged in their hearts—a mixture of excitement and thrill.
Tears blurred their eyes and soaked their clothes.
They fell reverently to their knees, their voices trembling with excitement:
“Praise the Light!”
“Believers Lilith, West, and Selby respectfully welcome Your Grace's return!”
Deep down, Iluvia felt somewhat at a loss.
Especially when seeing the devout, fanatical, and hopeful expressions on their faces.
Though her inherited memories had prepared her for this, Iluvia still felt an inexplicable sensation.
Rate on N.U.
