Aldrian was taken aback. From the looks of it, the position of the Saintess did not necessarily guarantee the church mbers’ loyalty to her words. However, he was not too surprised—after all, in any large organization, there were always factions with their own interests. If the Saintess’s words conflicted with those interests, they would hesitate to follow her or even refuse outright.
"You’re close to His Holiness, huh? Then just how close are you, for Cardinal Carsius Vilanix’s faction to doubt the sincerity of your words on this matter? I would think you must be quite close for them to even question the genuineness of your technique." Aldrian asked.
Angelica paused for a mont, the silence lingering for another minute before her blind eyes seed to drift into reminiscence.
"He was the one who found when I was nothing and all alone," she said softly.
"I’m actually not from the Church’s territory. A long ti ago, I was just a normal little girl who aspired to be a cultivator, like many others in a small village in the southern part of the Doria Empire, near the border with Church territory."
"However, since birth, I have been in this condition and could only admire the stories of cultivators from others. How could soone crippled and blind beco a cultivator?
My family was just a humble farming family in the village, and they did not have the wealth to try and heal my condition. So, I had no choice but to bury my dream of becoming a cultivator. All I could do was admire them, knowing I could never be one of them."
"However, one night, I had a strange dream—a dream that gave knowledge about my current cultivation. Of course, I didn’t understand it at the ti. I just thought it was a fever dream or sothing. But from that day on, I kept having strange visions and gaining knowledge I had never known before. And it kept repeating for months."
"My parents never gave up on , even after giving birth to a child in my condition. When I told them about my problem, they tried to find soone who could understand and explain it. Eventually, they ca across soone they believed to be a cultivator who truly knew about my condition."
"However, unbeknownst to them, that man was a fraud—nothing more than a bogus healer. Worse, he was actually a mber of a notorious bandit group known for their cruelty."
"When that man learned about the ’symptoms’ I had, it sealed my fate—and that of my entire family.
At the ti, I didn’t know that things like this shouldn’t be spoken of carelessly. In the cultivation world, extraordinary things sotis happen, but revealing one’s uniqueness can be dangerous. In my case, suddenly gaining vast knowledge from nowhere made a target.
The man from the bandit group believed I had stumbled upon a great opportunity, gaining comprehension through so unknown ans. And the foolish ... I even explained to him what kind of knowledge I had received, only fueling his greed."
"One night, that man’s group ca to our village and began a mindless slaughter, pillaging everything in sight. Our village, made up of re mortals, could do nothing—we were like ants crushed beneath their feet. My parents—" Angelica paused for a mont before continuing.
"My parents, who fought so hard to protect , were also killed by them. Once they were done with their cris, they kidnapped , planning to sell to a slave house." Angelica paused for a mont again, as if trying hard not to rember that past, before she continued.
"Alone, I was consud by an indescribable guilt. I had lost everything, and I was the only one who survived... All of this misfortune happened because of our ignorance.
I fell into despair, letting myself drown in my own guilt. Inside, I felt as if I had already died."
"However, during the journey to the slave house, I was saved by the people of the Church. That was the first ti I t His Holiness, the Pope, and Sir Arthur. At that mont, I felt as if I had been rescued from hell itself, and it was the Pope’s hand that pulled out of that darkness. He protected and brought here."
"From that day on, he personally taught everything about cultivation and how to control my ’symptoms.’ It was then that I finally understood—I was the chosen Saintess, destined by the heavens. The Church had co to my rescue because they had received a divine sign that a new Saintess had erged. However, it had taken them ti to finally find in that desperate condition."
"His Holiness beca like a father figure to after I lost my parents. So, you must know what others might think of that kind of relationship, right?" Angelica said.
Unknowingly, her blind eyes had already turned red, glistening with unshed tears. Realizing this, she quickly wiped them away.
"I’m sorry, young master. I suddenly showed you my unsightly side. It’s just... rembering my past, I couldn’t help but share this story with you."
Aldrian remained silent for a mont before finally speaking.
"My apologies, Angelica, but... may I hold your hand?"
Angelica, still wiping her tears, was stunned. She hesitated for a mont but eventually extended one of her free hands to Aldrian.
The mont he touched her hand, she trembled slightly. This was only the third ti a man had ever touched her directly—besides the Pope and Sir Arthur. Because of her status and position, no other man else dared to touch her, fearing it would be an act of blasphemy.
With her eyes still slightly damp, a soft blush spread across her face, making her look unexpectedly endearing in the eyes of anyone who saw her.
Aldrian, however, did not concern himself with such thoughts. He could feel the softness of her skin, but his focus lay elsewhere.
"I’m truly sorry for unknowingly opening the wounds in your heart. I can’t imagine the pain you’ve been through," Aldrian said, his voice filled with regret. Hearing her story, he didn’t know why, but it made his heart ache deeply, and he regretted that she had to endure such suffering.
"I hope you never have to experience such pain again and that your life will always be filled with happiness," he continued, his words full of sincerity and warmth.
Then, gently, he channeled his golden energy into her, soothing her weary heart. At this mont, he wanted nothing more than to comfort her, to help her forget the pain of her past, and to bring her the serenity and happiness she deserved.
Aldrian’s hope was supported by the heaven and earth, as his domain responded with a subtle sign—bestowing Angelica with the blessings of their lord. The cultivators within his domain sensed sothing unusual, but they couldn’t quite put their finger on it, dismissing it as nothing more than a fleeting feeling.
The golden energy flowed through Angelica’s body, and for the first ti, she felt it directly. It was the sa golden energy she had seen in her visions and dreams—the energy that radiated warmth and an unshakable sense of protection.
In an instant, her sorrow vanished, swept away like ashes in a strong wind. A deep serenity settled within her heart, a peace unlike anything she had ever known. The sensation was so soothing, so comforting, that she felt as if she could drift into sleep, completely enveloped by its warmth.
She could also feel many sensations from this golden energy, making her start to question what Aldrian truly was.
After a minute of channeling his energy, Aldrian finally stopped and offered her a warm, handso smile. The sight made her blush as she shyly retracted her hand.
"Thank you, young master," she murmured in a soft voice.
"No problem. I’m just glad I could help," he replied with a gentle sincerity.
"Young master, my apologies if this question sounds rude, but... what exactly are you?" Angelica asked, her voice filled with wonder. "Your energy is so otherworldly. This is the purest holy energy I have ever felt—it’s so divine that for a mont, I thought you weren’t even human, but higher beings."
"Your energy fills with so many emotions—reverence, obedience, worship, warmth, protection, affection... and others I can’t even describe."
"No wonder the heavens sent signs that you are the prophesized one, the one destined to save the continent from the looming darkness with your golden light. You are truly amazing, young master. And it is no exaggeration to say that you may be the only one who can save the Church from its predicant regarding the dwindling purity of our holy energy."
Aldrian looked confused for a mont, but then he recalled the issue plaguing the Church—their holy energy had been gradually tainted by foreign energy, weakening its purity and power over ti. He had first learned about this from an archbishop he t in the Ivory Empire a few years ago.
"Who was he again? Ah, yes—Archbishop Ravin," he mused to himself.
"I’m just a human with my own unique circumstances and my own journey," he said simply, offering no further explanation.
Angelica chose not to press him for more details, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. Instead, she quietly sipped her tea.
"Angelica, you’re the one who received the visions about the prophesized ti, right? The prophecy that will determine the continent’s fate?" Aldrian suddenly asked.
"Yes," she replied. "I received it without even needing to activate my technique, which ans this is truly a monuntal event. And those visions... they were the most terrifying I have ever seen." Her expression darkened slightly, a flicker of fear crossing her face.
Without hesitation, Aldrian reached out and touched her hand again. She was slightly stunned by the gesture but soon focused on his serious expression.
"What did you see in your vision?" he asked.
Angelica knew that Aldrian truly wanted to understand what she had seen. Knowing that the fate of the continent rested on his shoulders, she wanted to share it with him, but she hesitated, afraid of the possible consequences.
Sensing her hesitation, Aldrian gave a reassuring smile and spoke calmly. "Angelica, I know what you’re thinking. But don’t worry—I’ve already seen the horrors of the prophesized ti with my own eyes. You don’t have to fear that I’ll break down or lose myself."
He t her gaze with a confident look. "I just need to know—are your visions the sa as what I witnessed? Or is there more information that I need to understand?"
Angelica widened her eyes in shock. How could Aldrian have seen the future as well? However, after considering the kind of person he was, she could only sigh. He was soone surrounded by mysteries, so it wasn’t surprising if he possessed a technique that allowed him to glimpse the future, just like her own.
After hesitating for a mont, she finally gave in.
"Alright, I will show you what I saw at that ti."
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