The Temple's Envoys

The interval between "see you again someday" is really very short.

Just as Li Lin arrived at the gates of the royal city, he saw those three familiar figures once again.

"Mr. Li Lin?"

Upon seeing Li Lin's appearance, Geligao Li could not hide his surprise.

How did you get here?

"That's what I want to ask."

Upon seeing the three, Li Lin also feigned surprise.

"I never expected to see you two again so soon."

It was said to be quick, but in reality, there wasn't much time difference at all; it had only been about twenty minutes since they parted ways at the tavern.

Are you Mr. Li Lin?

Just then, a guard waiting by the city gate stepped forward and asked, and after receiving an affirmative answer from Li Lin, he extended his right hand in an inviting gesture.

"Please follow me. Her Highness Catherine is waiting for you. I suppose you'll be here soon."

Upon hearing this, Geligao Li and the young priestess behind him exchanged a glance, seemingly wanting to say something, but remained silent. Li Lin also said nothing more, but politely nodded to them before following the guards into the royal city.

"I never expected that Her Highness Catherine would anticipate my arrival. I had only intended to check on the situation."

"Her Highness foresaw your arrival here, Mr. Li Lin."

The guard responded to Li Lin in a tone that was far too friendly for his position.

"Furthermore, we have already heard from Her Highness Catherine about your heroic rescue of her from those thugs."

"I was just helping out and did a little work, that's all."

Li Lin wasn't surprised by the guards' explanation. He had already devised a Catherine when he released Catherine. After all, no matter how powerful the Holy Maiden was, her escape from the paladins' captivity alone seemed odd upon closer inspection. Therefore, to make things seem plausible, and also to facilitate Li Lin's possible future appearance, he arranged another version for Catherine —that during her escape from the paladins, Catherine encountered a wandering swordsman who helped the Holy Maiden fend off the fallen knights and then escorted her back to the capital. However, because the wandering swordsman had urgent business, he turned and left after confirming Catherine's safe arrival in the capital, promising to meet the Holy Maiden again someday.

What Catherine told her parents was exactly what Li Lin had said, and it could be considered a more acceptable explanation. After all, while Catherine possessed great divine power, she wasn't skilled in physical attacks. Moreover, claiming that she had personally killed the paladin would inevitably tarnish her image with a hint of bloodshed. Although, strictly speaking, Catherine was also a victim in this matter, no one wanted their revered saintess to have killed someone with her own hands. The only problem was whether a passing wandering swordsman possessed the strength to kill a paladin.

Thanks to Catherine's meticulous planning, the people of the royal city developed a favorable impression of this wandering swordsman, especially her parents, who were completely unaware that their daughter was weaving a conspiracy they could never have imagined.

This is why, when Catherine invited Li Lin to the royal city, there was no resistance. Firstly, since returning to the royal city, the Holy Maiden had remained secluded for a long time, and everyone understood what this meant for a young girl. Now that someone had finally appeared who could make her happy, naturally no one would be so foolish as to stop her. Secondly, they also wanted to see what kind of person this swordsman, who had rescued the Holy Maiden from the Holy Knights, was.

"By the way, those people I saw at the entrance earlier... what were they doing here?"

Li Lin recalled that when he appeared, the atmosphere between the guard and Geligao Li seemed a bit stiff, and couldn't help but ask curiously.

"They claim to represent the Temple, here to inquire about some matters concerning Her Highness the Holy Maiden... Humph! The Temple has caused our princess such suffering, and for the past few months they haven't said a single kind word, constantly interrogating her. What do they take our Holy Maiden for?"

It was clear that these guards did not have much affection for the Temple.

Li Lin raised an eyebrow.

It seems that Catherine has done a very good job.

"This is it, Mr. Li Lin."

Just then, the guard stopped, stood at the door, and gently knocked. Soon, Catherine's voice came from inside.

"Mr. Li Lin, please come in."

Pushing open the door and stepping into the pristine, sacred drawing room, Li Lin quickly saw Catherine standing in the center to greet him. As always, she wore a holy and serene smile as she looked at her guest. Seeing Li Lin enter the room, she first smiled and nodded at Li Lin, then shifted her gaze to the guards behind Li Lin.

"Thank you for your hard work, you may leave now."

"Yes, Your Highness! And..."

The guard saluted Catherine, then his expression turned strange.

"There are three men outside claiming to be messengers of the Temple who want to see you, saying they have something to ask you..."

Temple?

Hearing this, Catherine pretended to be thoughtful, while secretly glancing at Li Lin. Only after seeing an affirmative response in Li Lin's eyes did she speak and give her reply.

"Please let them in."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The guard saluted again, then left the room and closed the door.

As soon as the guards left, Catherine's smile turned lewd and alluring. She walked lightly to Li Lin's side and took Li Lin arm.

"Master, you've finally arrived. I really don't know what to do."

"Have you been hiding in the Temple for the past few months?"

Li Lin walked to the sofa next to him and sat down, gazing at Catherine, who stood cautiously and respectfully before him. She was no longer the saintly figure she had been moments before; instead, she resembled a lowly female slave.

"Yes, Master."

Catherine lowered her head, not daring to look Li Lin in the eye.

"As I mentioned before, the priests of the Temple possess some peculiar divine arts that can be used for detection. I cannot guarantee that I, having now lost these arts, will be able to withstand such detection. That is why I have taken the liberty of hoping that you can help me..."

"I already have a solution for this. However... I think you should also understand that there's no such thing as a free lunch."

"Of course, I understand what you mean, Master..."

As Catherine spoke, she knelt before Li Lin, gazing at him like a loyal dog.

"I will always be your most loyal servant, your great master. Whatever you want me to do, I will do my best to fulfill it for you."

"I'm very satisfied with your answer, and in fact, you've been doing a good job all along."

As Li Lin spoke, he reached out and stroked Catherine's cheek. Catherine closed her eyes, excitedly feeling Li Lin's touch. Her chest began to heave rapidly, and even her breathing became somewhat disordered.

"However... I think we should continue at a different time and place."

With that, Li Lin withdrew his hand. Just as Catherine opened her eyes and looked at her master with confusion, the knocking sounded again.

"Your Highness, the Temple's messenger has arrived."

"... Please let them in."

Catherine immediately stood up and straightened her clothes. Then she took two steps back and sat down in a seat not far from Li Lin. Her voice was no longer as alluring as before, but was clearer, more solemn, and sacred.

Soon, Geligao Li and the other two entered the reception room. Upon seeing Li Lin, the three of them looked visibly embarrassed.

"Saintess Catherine."

The young priestess bowed to Catherine before speaking softly.

"On behalf of His Excellency the Bishop of the Holy Autonomous Territory, I extend my greetings to you. The Temple expresses its deepest regret and sorrow over what has happened to you..."

"I do not seek comfort from the Temple, my sister."

Catherine's expression at that moment found a perfect balance between sadness and pity.

"I am a woman who serves the gods; my body and soul belong to them. For the great and glorious God of Justice, I am willing to give everything. But, my sister, you are also a woman. Please put yourself in my shoes. How can I calmly face the Temple and those devout knights in such a situation?"

"... Your Excellency, this..."

Hearing this, the young priestess also looked troubled. As Catherine had said, she was also a girl. Although she had only vaguely heard about Catherine's plight from other priests, as a woman herself, she naturally sympathized with Catherine's situation. At the same time, she was extremely angry at those fallen knights who had broken their vows. However, this couldn't go on like this. Moreover, this was not something that should be discussed in front of outsiders.

"I think we should discuss this privately..."

"I know why you've come, everyone."

Catherine gestured for the three of them to sit down before giving her answer in a leisurely manner.

"You've come on behalf of the Temple to inquire about the details of that incident, haven't you... In that case, I think Mr. Li Lin's presence will be very helpful. After all, it was he who rescued me from those fallen knights and escorted me safely back to Dideyasi. He has the same authority to speak on this matter as I do."

Hearing this, the three of them turned their attention back to Li Lin. Clearly, although they had also heard about this matter, they had not expected that the young swordsman in front of them was the other mysterious protagonist in the rumors.

"This..."

Faced with Catherine's answer, the young priestess was visibly nervous, as this was unexpected and she hadn't anticipated the presence of another party involved. However, at that moment, Geligao Li took over the conversation.

"Indeed, that is why we have come, Your Highness. However, you are currently receiving distinguished guests, and now is not the right time to discuss such matters. I think... perhaps we should talk about this at another time."

"Who are you..."

Catherine stared at Geligao Li, clearly unfamiliar with the man. Under Catherine's gaze, Geligao Li blushed slightly, but quickly stood up and performed a proper aristocratic curtsy.

"I am a mercenary, Your Highness Catherine. You may call me Geligao Li."

"Lord Geligao Li is a hero personally appointed by the Bishop."

The young priestess seized the opportunity to add her own explanation.

"The Temple also considered the implications of this matter... therefore, it ordered Mr. Geligao Li and me to come and investigate the truth."

"I see. I didn't realize Mr. Geligao Li, so young, possessed such talent."

Upon hearing the word "hero," Catherine frowned slightly, but quickly regained her composure.

"Well then, I imagine you must all be quite tired after your long journey. I'll have someone prepare guest rooms for you, so we can discuss the rest of the matter after you've washed away your travel fatigue."

"Brave?"

After the three left, Li Lin looked at Catherine and asked her a question. He hadn't missed the serious look on Catherine; clearly, this wasn't a good thing.

"Is that a very noble status?"

"No, Master."

This time, Catherine didn't approach as she had before. Instead, she frowned, clearly realizing the thorny nature of the situation.

"Hero is an honorary title bestowed by the Temple. Those who hold it receive considerable privileges at various Temple; for example, they can request the priests' assistance with tasks or receive additional help from the Temple. The title of Hero is a reward bestowed by the Temple upon heroes who uphold justice and protect the people. Although they do not have actual command authority and cannot command paladins... the Temple has not bestowed this title for several hundred years."

"It can't be because no heroes have appeared for hundreds of years, can it?"

"That's right."

Catherine nodded slightly.

"Moreover, that man possessed a powerful divine force; I could feel the surging light within him. He's definitely not an ordinary mercenary. What worries me is that this man might become a pawn used by the Temple against Dideyasi. After all, the Temple's military strength is generally quite small, and due to the Five-Nation Alliance Treaty, it cannot recruit soldiers on a large scale. However, a hero is different. Now, the entire continent is somewhat in crisis because of everything you've done, Master. If a hero appears at this time, rallying everyone to fight against evil, and also receives the Temple's support, then... this could be considered another way to strengthen our forces."

"The Temple's sending of people this time is clearly not with good intentions. Although we don't yet know exactly what they want to do, it's obvious they have their own ideas and plans."

Li Lin shifted his posture, leisurely gazing at the murals around him.

"It's obvious that if that hero wants to do something, he'll need your support as the saintess. Therefore, the Temple has to make a clear statement on this matter... However, seeing them, I suddenly have a new idea."

"Owner?"

Hearing the smugness in Li Lin's words, Catherine looked up in surprise, waiting for him to continue, but Li Lin clearly didn't intend to explain immediately. He reached into his robes and took out a bottle of potion.

"Catherine, you've had a tough time these past few days, but things have changed... I hope you'll find a different approach and stop spreading hostility towards the Temple behind people's backs."

At this point, Li Lin's smile grew even colder.

"From now on, I require you to get as close to the Temple as possible... and I have a way to ensure that the Temple will never doubt your identity again."

As he spoke, Li Lin placed the medicine in his hand on the table.

"I must explain that the reason you can become a saint is because you possess divine qualities. It's simply a matter of whether or not you are being watched over by the gods."

He looked at Catherine and continued speaking.

"This 'Seed of Holiness' potion was created by Nia a long time ago. She used it to impersonate a saintess for a period of time without being exposed. This potion can maximize the divine power within you, making it impossible for anyone, even a god, to see through your true nature. Because you inherently possess a powerful divine essence, after you drink this potion, you will be reborn as a higher-level divine being, not a human."

You mean...?

Upon hearing this, Catherine's expression changed slightly.

"That's right, you will become an angel, and you will never be able to turn back into a human. Similarly, I think there's no better way to dispel the Temple's doubts. Of course, because of your current state, you can't use some divine magic. However, you still possess the basic abilities of an angel. Even those bishops in their robes probably wouldn't insist on verifying an angel's true strength."

"..."

Catherine stared at the vial of potion in silence. Then, she reached out and was about to take it when Li Lin spoke again.

"Remember this: you will never be able to become human again, and you will never become a messenger of the heavens. You will forever be an exile, understand?"

"Everything I have belongs to you, Master, body and soul. Whatever you desire from me, I will give it to you. And -books"

Without the slightest hesitation, Catherine reached out and took the bottle of potion.

"You only have one chance to be reborn; you should know how to seize it."

"Of course, Master."

Looking at Li Lin, Catherine once again revealed her alluring smile.

"Tomorrow is the Holy Light Feast, I know what I should do."