44
The Dark God and Asa didn’t pursue us, allowing us to leave.
I have to admit, this journey exceeded all my expectations. I never thought there would come a day when my status panel would actually update, and not just that—it went from single-digit stats straight to the peak, especially in the defense category, which even broke through five digits thanks to the additional ten-level boost.
I should find an opportunity to test these new stats…
The dragon had long fled and was nowhere to be seen. It was impossible for us to rent a carriage in Layton City, so our only options to return were either using a teleportation scroll or walking. After estimating Luke’s walking speed, I realized it would take us at least a full day and night to reach the nearest town outside of Layton City.
Considering the time, Hilier should have already received my letter. Even if he hadn’t, his Holy Spirit had just witnessed Luke’s battle with the Dark God. I was really worried that he might recklessly rush to Layton City for a rescue mission.
I suggested to Luke, “Could you please use a teleportation scroll to return to Kairya City and inform Hilier of what happened, as well as your next steps?”
Luke nodded and asked, “Aren’t you coming back?”
“Teleportation scrolls are expensive, and we shouldn’t waste them unless it’s an emergency,” I calculated the time and promised, “I’ll use the Church of Light’s teleportation array and return in about three days.”
Luke turned around and pulled out a handful of scrolls from his small pouch—at least seven or eight of them. He stuffed all the scrolls into my hands, saying, “I have plenty.”
Me: “…”
So, this is the power of a paying player.
45
Ten minutes later, I stepped out of the teleportation anchor point and was greeted by the sight of the Sacred Stone Pillar Plaza. At that moment, squads of Holy Knights were assembling in an orderly manner, looking as though they were preparing for battle. Before the magic even fully dissipated, at least three Holy Knight guards surrounded us. Luke, who had arrived a step ahead of me, stood there blankly. A Holy Knight with red hair, blue eyes, and a pair of serious scars on his brow, who looked slightly older, sternly demanded, “State your identities!”
“Miller, it’s me.” I answered.
It seemed like more of my memory had returned. Seeing him triggered some recollections—Miller was a captain I personally promoted, calm and steady, though a bit too rigid. While not skilled in battlefield command, he was very reliable in management.
“…Captain?” Miller was taken aback, then his brows furrowed even more deeply. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he pressed his lips together and swallowed it down, only managing to utter a stiff word, “Seize him!”
The two other Holy Knights hesitated, glancing between us in confusion.
I understood Miller’s actions. I voluntarily placed my sword on the ground, extending my hands to let the Holy Knights cuff me, and said to him, “I need to see the Pope.”
Miller nodded. “I’ll inform His Holiness, but please cooperate and wait in the… audience chamber first.”
I thought he was going to say “the dungeon” and gave him an extra glance.
His gaze swept over the still-burning white flames of [Dawn], and the corners of his stern mouth twitched slightly upward as he softly said, “Welcome back, Captain.”
“…”
His brief smile quickly vanished, replaced by his usual solemnity. Turning to Luke, he asked, “Please state your identity.”
Luke’s cowlick swayed, as if he was deep in thought.
I was afraid he might say something like, “I’m the God of Light,” so I hurriedly said, “He’s with me.”
Miller remained unmoved, merely shifting his questioning to me. “And his specific identity?”
—This was what I both admired and found frustrating about Miller.
Luke hadn’t undergone baptism and wasn’t officially part of the Church of Light, so he naturally didn’t have an identity that could pass scrutiny.
I could only shake my head. “The situation is urgent. Inform the Pope directly. He knows who Luke is.”
Miller pondered for a few seconds and then nodded slightly to the Holy Knight beside him. The knight immediately turned and ran toward the cathedral, while Miller said to me, “Given the current circumstances, I’m afraid I can’t allow someone whose identity hasn’t been verified to enter the Cathedral of Light.” He paused and then asked, “Would you prefer to wait here, or proceed alone to the audience chamber?”
“I’ll wait here.”
I originally wanted to ask him why the Holy Knights were assembling, but knowing his personality, he wouldn’t have answered, so I didn’t bother.
The Holy Knight tasked with cuffing me struggled for quite some time but couldn’t get them on. In the end, Miller decided that since I wasn’t entering the cathedral, there was no need for the cuffs. The knight breathed a sigh of relief, stashing the cuffs away three times faster than he had taken them out.
Miller watched him for a moment, his brow still tightly furrowed. I guessed he was mentally planning extra training for the Holy Knights, with a focus on the scenario: “If Captain Alvin is ever proven to have truly betrayed the Church, you should immediately apprehend him instead of hesitating and clinging to old sentiments.”
Luke suddenly took a step closer to Miller, and his cowlick started wagging happily, for some unknown reason.
After a moment, I saw a white figure rushing out of the cathedral doors. He was using a floating spell, moving faster than the Holy Knight running desperately after him. In the blink of an eye, he reached me—it was Hilier. He anxiously examined me several times before finally floating down, his face like a mask of ice. “You’re still alive?”
“Yeah.”
Hilier gripped his staff tightly, his jaw tensing and relaxing repeatedly. After a few moments, he suddenly kicked me hard in the leg.
Then he stumbled backward from the force.
Me: “…”
Miller, who had been standing slightly behind him, instinctively reached out to help when Hilier staggered. But seeing that I was also reaching out, he abruptly withdrew his hand at lightning speed. This odd movement made me look at him again—his face was still stern, his expression unchanged.
I steadied Hilier, expecting him to be angry, but instead, he grabbed my wrist, looking both surprised and trying to hide it. He opened his mouth slightly and asked in a soft voice, “…How much have you recovered?”
“All of it,” I replied, giving him a gentle hug. “Sorry for making you worry.”
Hilier clung to the back of my clothes for a long time without saying a word. Finally, he managed to squeeze out a trembling, “Mm.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luke quietly moving a step closer to Miller, his cowlick wagging even more energetically.
After a few seconds, Hilier let go of me, his eyes slightly red, but his voice had calmed. He glanced at Miller, who very tactfully stepped back a bit. Only then did Hilier ask, “What exactly did you do in Layton City?”
I quickly recounted the events.
Hilier was shocked. “So, you… just the two of you went up against the Dark God?!”
I sheepishly looked at Luke. “There were also a lot of Holy Spirits…”
“You—! You’re really—!” Hilier’s chest heaved, and his usually serene expression cracked. With a wave of his hand, an opaque white barrier shot up from the ground, enclosing just the two of us. Before I could react, he angrily raised his staff and swung it down on my head, roaring, “Al! You idiot!”
“What—hey?” I quickly dodged to the side, letting the staff hit my shoulder instead.
“Don’t dodge!” Hilier roared again, swinging the staff down without any dignity, shouting, “I’m going to knock the nonsense out of your head!”
I resisted the urge to dodge, feeling a long-lost sensation of dizziness as the staff made contact with my head—though it only lasted less than half a second.
Hilier jumped in fright, quickly lowering his staff and covering my head with his hands. “Are you okay?!”
“I’m fine,” I reassured him. “You can keep hitting me, I won’t dodge.”
“You—You… you’re just trying to make me mad…” Hilier collapsed, clutching his head, his eyes reddened with anger. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm down, but couldn’t help questioning me, “Did it never occur to you what would happen if you died?!”
“Before we set out, I confirmed that Luke had a teleportation scroll,” I assured him. “Don’t worry, even in the worst-case scenario, I could hold them off for a few seconds, long enough for him to return safely.”
Hilier: “…”
Expressionless, he raised his staff again. “Al! Vin!!!”
46
I don’t know when Hilier dispelled the magic barrier. I held my head for quite a while before my vision finally stopped spinning, and the two Millers merged into one.
“Where’s Hili… the Pope?” I asked him.
“His Holiness left with that young man who was with you about three minutes ago.” Miller replied.
If Hilier took Luke away, it was probably to discuss the plan to attack the demon lord. Luke’s urgency earlier gave me an uneasy feeling, and I wasn’t sure how things were going in the Eastern Canyon. The demon lord might have already broken free from the seal. Before the official battle begins, there’s a lot to be done…
I nodded, still feeling a bit dizzy. “…Did he say anything else?”
Miller replied solemnly, “His Holiness ordered me to lock you in the dungeon.”
“…What?!”
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