Knight: from Apprentice to the Almighty

Chapter 338: Chapter 325: Radiant Blessing

Land of the Sun Crown.

When the orb of light in the hand of the giant statue of Lodestar slowly rotated to a precise angle, a beam of sunlight, so condensed it seemed solid, pierced through the windowpane and fell squarely upon Roland’s resolute profile.

He let out a long breath and opened his eyes, a flicker of imperceptible satisfaction in their depths.

His previous battle with Leonard had accelerated his mastery of the Giant Dragon Bloodline’s Power, but there was still the occasional awkwardness in its use.

But after a month of diligent, secluded training, he had finally tamed the wild, raging Power within his bloodline, making it completely his own—as easy to command as a limb.

In addition, through his continuous training, his experience with [Ascetic Proverbs] had also been steadily accumulating.

However, perhaps because the Skill’s Level was still low, Roland had yet to feel any significant improvement from it. He could only perceive a faint, unfamiliar Energy circulating within him, unlike any Power he had ever sensed before.

He stood motionless, carefully experiencing the new, immense Power within his body.

Hot as molten lava, awakened like a Giant Dragon, it now blended perfectly with his will, with no barrier between them.

Just then, a crisp knock sounded at the door.

Before he could respond, the door was pushed open.

Galvis walked in with his signature, slightly exaggerated smile, while Teresa followed silently behind as usual.

"Aha! I hope we haven’t disturbed a certain hero’s training?"

Galvis gave an exaggerated bow, his fingers casually strumming a few light notes from his instrument.

"How are you feeling, my dear Roland? Feel like you could take down a full-grown mountain giant all by yourself now?"

Roland ignored his banter. His gaze went past the Minstrel as he asked in a low voice,

"What’s the situation outside?"

When it came to serious matters, Galvis reined in his playful mockery, but his tone still carried the unique dramatic flair of a Minstrel.

"Oh! The situation is spectacular enough to be immortalized in an epic! That Duke Anno from the Golden Valley Kingdom has practically elevated the art of ’accusation’ to a whole new level. He’s been spinning one charge after another against the nations of the River Domain, and he’s so convincing you almost believe him."

Teresa’s cool, clear voice added succinctly,

"They are defending themselves."

"Precisely, defending themselves!"

Galvis picked up the thread, tracing circles in the air with his finger.

"The envoys from the nations of the River Domain are exhausting themselves with denials and clarifications. They’ve put on quite a show of superficial diplomacy, successfully delaying things so that the two sides have yet to formally declare war, but..."

His tone shifted. His expression turned subtle, and he lowered his voice as if sharing a secret.

"On the eastern border of the Golden Valley Kingdom, behind the canyons and fortresses, armies are massing like swarms of ants. The reflection from their armor is bright enough to light up the valleys! Anyone can see that verbal defenses are like trying to stop a flood with paper... War is now inevitable."

Then, that smug "go on, praise me for being so well-informed" look reappeared on Galvis’s face. He leaned in closer and said conspiratorially,

"And now for the most interesting part. The Duke, the ’Sands Lion’ of the Western Domain, is personally leading his elite legion east in a grand procession! My dear Roland, it seems your scheme has already taken effect!"

Upon hearing this news, a flash of unconcealed surprise did indeed cross Roland’s eyes.

He knew Gloria had guts, but he never expected her to act so decisively and swiftly. Her ability to execute plans far exceeded his expectations.

Just as the three of them were talking,

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

the knocking sounded again, clear and restrained, breaking the silence in the room.

After Roland called out a response, the door was pushed open. The visitor was none other than High Priest Bordo.

He was dressed in solemn, white ceremonial robes bordered with gold. His expression was grave, but when he looked at Roland, his eyes held an almost fanatical light that he could not suppress.

"Your Excellency, Roland."

Bordo bowed slightly, his tone more fervent and respectful than ever before.

"Today is Crown Day, the perfect time to hold the ’Radiant Blessing’ ceremony. It is one of our Church’s most important holy rites. I wonder if you would be interested in gracing the ceremony with your presence? It would be our supreme honor."

"Radiant Blessing?"

Galvis, at the side, was immediately intrigued. He let out a loud whistle and leaned forward with great interest.

"That sounds fascinating! Esteemed High Priest, I wonder if we might also have the honor of..."

"No!"

Bordo cut him off sharply. The fervor he had shown Roland vanished in an instant, his tone becoming harsh, cold, and tinged with an undeniable rejection.

"This holy rite is exceptionally sacred. Only core members of the Church may observe it. His Excellency, Roland, is the sole exception."

When he turned back to Roland, his expression immediately softened, even showing a hint of careful anticipation.

"Of course, it all depends on your will, Your Excellency."

This past month of interaction had shown Roland that the Fiery Sun Church was not a wicked or treacherous group.

Their faith was firm, and while their actions were sometimes fanatical, they had their own principles and bottom line.

What truly intrigued him, however, was the true meaning of the "Radiant Blessing" Bordo had mentioned.

From what he understood, this was the core ritual for bestowing a "Holy Mark" upon the devout.

This was the source of the mysterious Power that had allowed Gloria, a mere mortal, to briefly stand against three Extraordinary Assassins.

The opportunity was rare, and Roland barely hesitated.

He quietly gave Teresa and Galvis a few instructions, telling them to wait here and remain vigilant.

"Let’s go, High Priest Bordo."

Roland said calmly.

An immensely satisfied smile instantly bloomed on Bordo’s face.

He immediately turned to the side and obsequiously led the way for Roland, his respectful posture making him seem like a completely different person from the one who had been so cold to Galvis moments before.

"Hah! What a strange old man!"

Watching the two of them leave, Galvis grumbled in discontent, recalling Bordo’s harsh attitude from just now.

"Look how eager he is to please, Teresa. Anyone who didn’t know better would think Roland was his long-lost father they’d suddenly been reunited with!"

Teresa, however, paid no mind to the minstrel’s grumbling.

She simply turned and walked away without a word.

Seeing this, Galvis quickly waved and called out,

"Hey! Teresa! Where are you going?"

"It’s time for lunch."

Before his words had faded, the slender, silver-haired woman’s figure had already vanished around the corner of the hallway.

"The both of you! Always like this!"

Galvis sounded a little wronged as he plucked a few sullen notes from his instrument.

"Neither of you pays any attention to me! Maybe we should just break up the band!"

Of course, Roland didn’t hear Galvis’s petulant words.

He was currently following Bordo, passing beneath the feet of the solemn Lodestar statue, past orderly rows of stone houses, and heading toward a deeper part of the Land of the Sun Crown—an area inaccessible to ordinary believers.

Passing through a final archway manned by Guards in white robes with gold patterns, the scene before him opened up, and he couldn’t help but hold his breath.

It was as if they had stepped into a gigantic, naturally formed dome, its scale far exceeding his imagination.

The towering ceiling was not artificially carved but was covered in a layer of strange, translucent crystal.

At that moment, the light from outside was filtering down through this natural prism, where it was refracted and broken into countless flowing bands of golden light. They moved slowly through the space like liquid sunlight, intertwining and illuminating the great hall with a sacred, magnificent glow.

In the center of the hall was an immense, circular stone platform.

Its surface was inscribed with countless complex and ancient geometric patterns, which were currently resonating with the light cascading from the dome, emitting a faint warmth.

Around the platform stood several dozen believers of the Fiery Sun Church, perfectly still and orderly.

They were dressed in uniform, plain white robes, their expressions solemn and grave, and they were softly chanting prayers with an ancient and strange melody.

These low chants merged, creating a rhythmic and magnetic resonance, like the pulse of the deep earth, vibrating in harmony with the rivers of light that filled the space.

Standing at the edge of the platform were seven believers in dazzling golden ceremonial robes, each holding a different ritual object, forming an esoteric formation.

And the focus of everyone’s gaze was gathered on the figure in the very center of the platform.

It was Gloria.

She was not wearing the plain white robes of the believers, but a simple yet exquisitely detailed, pure-white ceremonial dress.

The silk-like fabric draped smoothly, perfectly outlining the graceful curves of her upright figure. The hem of the skirt was embroidered with the Holy Emblem of the Fiery Sun Church in extremely fine gold thread.

Under the flowing radiance, the emblem seemed to have been infused with life, shimmering faintly and appearing and disappearing with her every breath.

This attire added an inviolable sanctity and ethereal beauty to her usual princessly grace, making her seem like the very incarnation of light.

Gloria’s head was tilted slightly back, her eyes closed and her face serene, as if she were preparing with all her being for the ceremony to begin.

However, the moment Roland stepped into this Holy Hall, accompanied by Bordo, she seemed to sense something. Her long eyelashes trembled, and she opened her eyes.

Her gaze passed through the flowing curtain of light and landed precisely on Roland.

In her azure eyes, the previous piety and serenity were replaced by clear confusion.

She clearly had not expected Roland to appear in a ritual site that only core members were allowed to enter.