Chapter 46: Chapter 46: How Come I Have a Senior?
As soon as the ceremony ended, the Chief Judge floated away. The others, however, remained. Acquaintances and strangers alike, they all came up to congratulate Lloyd one by one.
The only exception was the Drunkard. She neither left nor came over to chat, but simply lay slumped on a long bench as if she were blackout drunk.
The first to approach was, naturally, the gorgeous Weiya. Her words were still the same business-like pleasantries:
"Congratulations, Lloyd. Your achievements have already surpassed everyone’s expectations. May the Radiant light continue to guide your path."
Since it was a serious occasion with outsiders present, there was nothing wrong with her formal tone. Lloyd replied just as formally:
"Thank you. It’s all thanks to you saving me on the street back then. I wouldn’t be here today otherwise."
A rare, faint smile appeared on Weiya’s face, making the distance between them feel familiar again. She said,
"I never expected that small act back then would lead to such an amazing prodigy. Let’s work hard together from now on. If you have any questions about the work of an Executioner, you can discuss them with me. Or perhaps you could ask Meditis."
Lloyd froze for a moment.
"Who?"
Weiya froze, too.
"Eh? You don’t know her? She was the Executioner for Tower Nine before you."
As she spoke, she turned her head to look at the Drunkard slumped on the bench.
"Huh? Isn’t she a librarian?"
Lloyd hadn’t expected this turn of events at all. He was about to press for more details, but Weiya spoke first.
"I’ll explain later when I have time. I won’t keep you any longer."
With that, she stepped aside, leaving him to the other Judges who had come to offer their congratulations.
He was meeting these Judges for the first time; they were in charge of the other towers. They were mainly here to get acquainted.
After a series of pleasantries, only Lloyd and the unconscious Drunkard were left in the prayer room. Weiya had left at some point without him noticing.
Lloyd walked over to the Drunkard and said with a sense of resignation,
"To think you’re actually my predecessor."
"Hee hee, surprised? Didn’t expect me to show up, did you?"
The Drunkard suddenly spoke and shot to her feet, continuing in that strangely sardonic tone of hers,
"I came here today mainly to thank you for your hard work. It’s given me a lot of free time. I don’t even have to deal with those disgusting Demons anymore..."
After saying her piece, she took out her flask and started chugging—GLUG, GLUG, GLUG. Then, she staggered toward the main entrance.
Just as she was about to leave, she seemed to remember something. She stopped, tilted her head back slightly, and added,
"Ah! Right, I haven’t congratulated you on officially becoming an Executioner. You look quite handsome in your new uniform... Anyway, work hard. Don’t let those Demons drive you crazy. If you do, you’ll fall right into my hands..."
"Hee hee~ That’s all. A bad woman like me can’t think of any pretty pleasantries."
With that, she sauntered off, not even giving Lloyd a chance to retort. He could only mutter to himself in frustration,
’This woman... She’s completely ruined my wonderful image of my future job... I have to find a chance to ask Weiya properly: why is my "predecessor" hiding in the library pretending to be a librarian?’
...........
After returning to his office, Lloyd first took the little kitten out of his pocket and placed it on his desk. Then, he drew the long, narrow Straight Blade he had just received and began to admire it.
The blade was exquisitely crafted. Its pale black edge gleamed with a sophisticated, cold light, and it was adorned with a gorgeous, feather-like pattern along the hamon.
The purplish-black wooden hilt felt good in his hand, and his name, Lloyd, was engraved on it in an ornate, decorative script. The pale Gold handguard, seemingly carved from solid Gold, featured intricate filigree patterns.
Even the scabbard had undergone all sorts of artistic processing. Bold, ostentatious Gold patterns wound into an ’X’ shape. Even sheathed, the weapon was high-end and classy, the very picture of understated luxury and sophistication.
In short, this was clearly a decorative Command Saber or ceremonial blade. Although one could infuse it with Spiritual Power and wield it as a Spiritual Blade, who besides someone like Weiya would be willing to use such a sword in actual combat?
Lloyd certainly wasn’t willing. He felt more like buying a display case to enshrine it. The rough work of killing monsters should be left to a Short Sword-style Spiritual Blade.
Speaking of killing monsters, Lloyd just remembered he hadn’t completed his ’dailies’ yet. He left the little kitten to guard the office, planning to be back soon.
Before heading out, he even made a point to change into a white lab coat to avoid getting his new uniform dirty. He wanted to show it off to his sister tonight.
But as soon as he put on the lab coat, he was suddenly reminded of his Drunkard predecessor’s attire. She also wore a white lab coat, but hers was filthy—yellowing, covered in wine stains, and utterly slovenly.
’As a sophisticated young man who enjoys the finer things in life, I will never let myself become as unkempt as my "predecessor"!’
Lloyd reminded himself.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was afternoon. Lloyd was engrossed in a book when Weiya came to find him, carrying two small boxes and a notebook.
"This is the Chief Judge’s personal journal. It contains all sorts of notes and experiences regarding the Extraordinary Enlightenment and the subsequent Audience with the Saint. It’s extremely valuable, so be careful not to get it dirty."
"This is the Spiritual Object for Divination that you wanted. It’s the type best suited for beginners..."
"And this is the Saint Statue you’ll need for your cultivation system later. The Chief Judge hopes you’ll keep it with you to establish a connection with it in advance. It will make the Enlightenment process much smoother."
Weiya patiently introduced each item to Lloyd. The way she did it, she looked like a caring girlfriend packing a suitcase for her boyfriend.
Lloyd, however, didn’t have any improper thoughts. He listened intently, carefully put away the journal, and then picked up an old-fashioned pocket watch. It had a classic color and had been handled so much it had developed a smooth patina.
The moment he picked it up, Lloyd felt a dense aura of Mysticism emanating from it. It wasn’t dangerous; on the contrary, it felt reassuring and had a unique sense of familiarity, making him want to hold it and turn it over in his hands.
According to the books, a Spiritual Object with these characteristics was the most suitable for Divination. Carrying it for a long time would significantly increase the accuracy of one’s Divination, making it far more reliable than something like matchsticks.
Just these first two items were enough for Lloyd to feel the Chief Judge’s high regard for him.
’I’ll never call him unearthly again!’
