Knight: from Apprentice to the Almighty

Chapter 336: Chapter 323: The Fuse of Internal Strife

"The Holy Son?"

Gloria’s slender figure paused almost imperceptibly, and a rare trace of confusion flashed through her azure eyes.

As the Saintess of the Fiery Sun Church, she knew better than anyone the heavy crown and sacred duties that came with that title.

It was one of the two wings that embodied the radiance of Lodestar on earth, complementing the Saintess and shouldering the great responsibility of guiding the faithful, presiding over holy rites, and even delivering divine oracles in times of crisis.

For this very reason, the selection process was so rigorous as to be almost cruel.

She couldn’t help but recall when she was confirmed as a candidate for Saintess.

Months of fasting and prayer, tempering her will between ice caves and raging flames, and facing the trials of the Illusion Realm alone to confront her deepest fears...

Every stage felt like teetering on the edge of life and death.

Back then, High Priest Bordo, while acknowledging her potential, had always regarded her with a scrutinizing and measuring gaze. He never showed an ounce of extra warmth, let alone the near-frenzied zeal he was displaying now.

And yet now, this old High Priest, known for being strict and even stuffy, was urgently extending an invitation to become the "Holy Son" to a young man he had just met—and who wasn’t even a believer?

This subversive contrast was like a tiny thorn that pricked gently at Gloria’s heart.

A mix of astonishment, a touch of indignation, and even a hint of a petulant pique—one she was unwilling to admit to herself, but was natural for a girl her age—quietly surfaced in her heart.

She was, after all, the Princess of the Golden Valley Kingdom, and her upbringing had taught her to be adept at hiding her emotions. But the slight tightening of her fingertips and the subtle downturn of her lips at that moment were a true reflection of her inner turmoil.

Fortunately, she quickly lowered her gaze, perfectly concealing the swirling emotions beneath her thick lashes, unnoticed by anyone.

As for Roland, faced with this sudden and utterly absurd request, he was completely stunned.

When he came to his senses, he couldn’t help but ask,

"Mr. Bordo, why would you suddenly make such a request? I am not a follower of the Fiery Sun Church."

"The reason?"

Bordo’s voice trembled with excitement, his gaze burning as he stared at Roland, as if trying to see right through him.

"It is because of your body itself, Your Excellency! I have never felt such a pure and powerful Fire Elemental Affinity! It surrounds you, draws close to you, as naturally as breathing!"

"Even... even deep within your aura, I can sense an ancient and noble, fiery mark of an Ifrid! This is no ordinary thing! It is a divine revelation, clear proof of a grace bestowed by Lodestar, the Lord of Billions of Radiance!"

Just then, Gloria spoke again.

Her voice still sounded calm and proper, carrying the gentleness befitting a Saintess and the reserve of a Princess.

"Mr. Bordo, Mr. Roland and his companions have endured many hardships to get here. They are exhausted in body and mind."

"I believe any important matters can be postponed for now. It would be best to let them rest and recover their strength before we discuss anything further."

She was trying to steer the conversation back on track and maintain the proper order of things.

However, Bordo merely gave a perfunctory nod in her direction, politely but firmly refusing.

"What you say is reasonable, Lady Saintess, but this matter concerns a divine grace. A moment of clarity now is worth more than a long wait."

His gaze immediately locked back onto Roland, his fervent eyes filled with boundless hope.

"Your Excellency, you..."

Roland felt genuinely awkward under his stare. He cleared his throat and took the opportunity to say,

"Her Highness Princess Gloria is right, Mr. Bordo. We do need some time to rest and gather our thoughts."

Before he could even finish, High Priest Bordo, who had been exceptionally stubborn just moments ago, instantly changed his attitude. He bowed without hesitation and replied,

"Of course! We shall abide by your wishes, Your Excellency. I will immediately arrange the most comfortable quarters for you and your friends!"

Seeing the night-and-day difference in Bordo’s attitude toward her versus Roland, Gloria felt as if something was caught in her chest. An indescribable sense of grievance and a spark of annoyance at being ignored finally broke through her usual composure.

"Mr. Bor... Bordo?"

She couldn’t help but call out softly, trying to reclaim a bit of the attention she was due.

However, Bordo just grunted "Mm," in response without even turning his head, his wrinkled face still beaming with an eager smile for Roland.

Gloria pressed her lips together. Then, without another word, she helped the still-injured Mel to her feet and straightened her back slightly.

As if in silent protest, she turned and led the way toward the residential area deeper in the Land of the Sun Crown, leaving the noise and enthusiasm behind her.

Roland took in the entire scene and exchanged a helpless glance with Teresa and Galvis beside him.

The Minstrel gave an exaggerated shrug, while the Female Swordsman remained silent.

Roland sighed softly and said to Bordo,

"Mr. Bordo, let’s head over as well."

"Of course, of course! Your Excellency, please follow me. This way!"

Bordo immediately began to lead the way obsequiously.

They were led to a row of stone houses carved into the rock face.

Like the overall style of the Land of the Sun Crown, the dwellings were simply furnished but exceptionally sturdy and clean.

The stone walls were polished smooth. A wide stone bed was covered with a thick layer of dry straw and clean linen, and a wooden table, two chairs, and a clay pot filled with fresh water made up the entirety of the furnishings.

The only decoration was a small yet exquisite Fiery Sun Holy Emblem carved above the lintel.

After settling in, Roland almost immediately collapsed onto the bed.

The dry, soft bedding beneath him provided a long-forgotten, almost luxurious sense of comfort.

The fatigue accumulated from over a month on the run washed over him like a tidal wave, threatening to swallow him whole.

But he forced back the drowsiness, propped his hands behind his head, and stared at the rough stone ceiling above, beginning to quietly review the recent battles he had fought.

First was the duel with Leonard.

Both of them were of the [Knight] Profession, so it should have been an evenly matched fight. However, the awakened [Giant Dragon Bloodline] in his body gave him an overwhelming advantage, allowing him to utterly dominate in pure Power and defense, which was how he was able to end the fight so quickly.

As for slaying the Abyssal Creatures...

Undoubtedly, his own strength was the foundation for resisting them, but the key to his ultimate victory was the pure Holy Energy contained within [Supreme Slash], which naturally countered that Dark Power.

And then there was the life-and-death struggle with the Assassins he had just finished...

Recalling their ghostly speed, Roland unconsciously clenched his fists.

That battle made him clearly realize the vast differences between various Extraordinary Professions.

Although his overall physical constitution was far beyond that of an ordinary person, in terms of pure Agility Attribute, he still couldn’t compare to an [Assassin] who specialized in it.

It was this slight difference that gave them the room to maneuver and launch surprise attacks.

If his [Shadow Perception] Trait hadn’t perfectly countered their greatest advantage, he never would have been able to eliminate them all so efficiently.

The final result would likely have been him watching helplessly as they slipped into the Shadows and retreated at their leisure.

’Looks like with my current strength, handling two or three ordinary [Knights] at once shouldn’t be a problem.’

He assessed calmly.

’But this world has more than one kind of threat. The Traits of different Professions are worlds apart. This encounter with the [Assassins] has exposed my shortcomings in dealing with extreme speed and unpredictable tactics.’

’Still not strong enough...’

With a flicker of thought, the Professional Panel unfolded before his eyes.

’Aside from the Professions that might be triggered by [Negotiation] and [Gambling Skill], the only clear and significant paths to improve my strength right now are taking up the [Wanderer] Profession and increasing my [Faith Resonance]...’

His gaze swept over the transparent panel as he fell into thought.

’The requirements for the [Wanderer] Profession aren’t too complex, and [Faith Resonance] is a secondary gain from improving my strength. As for... right, there’s also [Spiritual Master]!’

Looking at this hidden Profession that he had triggered long ago but still couldn’t take up, Roland shook his head helplessly.

’Successfully channel and release pure Spiritual Energy five times, and use Spiritual Energy to interfere with physical matter once...’

As he silently recited these requirements he had no clue how to fulfill, the image of Witch Vanessa and her playful words couldn’t help but surface in his mind.

’A reasonable Heartstealer? Hah...’

Just as he was lost in thought, the door was gently knocked and then pushed open. Standing in the doorway was none other than Gloria.

She still maintained the proper bearing of a Princess and a Saintess, but upon closer inspection, the refreshing warmth she usually exuded seemed to have been reined in a little.

Though her lips were still curved in a polite smile, it wasn’t as natural or genuine as usual. When her gaze met Roland’s, she looked away faster than normal, as if inadvertently revealing an indescribable awkwardness.

"Mr. Roland."

She began, her voice still clear and proper, but it seemed to have lost some of its usual warmth, replaced by a businesslike brevity.

"We need to discuss our next plan. Waging war against the River Domain is the direction many nobles in Golden Valley currently support. As the mastermind, Anno will undoubtedly gain a great deal of backing. I would like to know, who do you think are the potential allies we can still win over?"

Her wording was still precise, her logic clear.

But the subtle, almost imperceptible stiffness and the slightly more distant attitude compared to before faintly betrayed the small, unsettled emotion in her heart, stirred up by Bordo’s preferential treatment.

It wasn’t anger, but more of a peculiar awkwardness unique to a young woman—something she was unwilling to voice but couldn’t completely hide.

Roland sat up, keenly aware of the extremely subtle shift in her tone, but he just nodded calmly, paying no mind to the slight abnormality.

"Not necessarily all the nobles, Your Highness Princess Gloria."

he analyzed calmly, his gaze peaceful and focused.

"For the nobility, the core of their actions is always the flow of interests. Following Duke Anno to wage an external war is certainly one way to acquire military achievements and resources, but it is not the only way."

He leaned forward slightly and continued,

"To contend for interests, one doesn’t necessarily have to look outward. Looking inward... can also achieve the same goal."