Chapter 593: 593:Another Royal Invitation
A sombre atmosphere prevailed inside the grand Church of the Goddess of Light, and the faint sound of prayers echoed softly through the massive hall while rows of candles flickered gently beneath the golden statues.
The church itself looked magnificent.
Tall white pillars stretched upward toward the dome ceiling while countless glowing crystals illuminated the surroundings with a soft holy radiance, and beautiful carvings covered the walls showing scenes of angels, saints, and believers praying beneath the light of the Goddess.
The air felt calm.
Sacred.
And strangely peaceful.
Ever since arriving at the Imperial Capital, Ethan and Rathlos had decided to visit the church quietly before leaving the city again.
After all, among the many gods worshiped throughout the world, the Goddess of Light remained one of the most respected deities inside Arcadia alongside the Goddess of Nature, who oversaw fertility, harvest, and love.
Many people came daily to seek blessings.
Some prayed for wealth.
Some prayed for peace.
And many prayed for survival during the war.
Ethan and Rathlos sat quietly beside each other on the long wooden chairs while clasping their hands lightly.
Neither of them spoke for several moments.
The solemn atmosphere naturally made people lower their voices.
Soft hymns echoed from the front of the church while priests dressed in white robes slowly moved among the believers.
Rathlos looked visibly uncomfortable sitting there for so long, and his brows occasionally twitched while glancing around the church awkwardly.
"This place feels too quiet," he muttered softly.
Ethan glanced sideways at him.
"Then keep quiet and endure it," he replied calmly.
Rathlos clicked his tongue lightly but did not argue further.
After some time, an elderly priest slowly approached them while carrying a silver bowl filled with glowing water.
The priest’s face carried a warm smile while faint holy energy flowed gently around his body.
Without saying much, the priest lightly waved his hand and sprinkled several drops of water over their heads.
Rathlos instantly frowned deeply.
"The hell is that?" he muttered while instinctively trying to brush the water away.
He looked ready to lash out immediately, but Ethan quickly stopped him by grabbing his arm lightly.
"Relax," Ethan whispered quietly.
"This is not normal water."
Rathlos looked confused.
Ethan lowered his voice slightly.
"It is blessed water," he explained.
"It helps heal diseases and impurities."
Only then did Rathlos pause slightly before reluctantly lowering his hand.
"...You religious people sure like weird things," he muttered under his breath.
The priest naturally heard that, but instead of becoming angry, he simply laughed warmly.
"Haha..."
"Not everyone appreciates the Goddess’ blessings immediately," he said kindly.
Then his gaze shifted toward Ethan carefully, and a faint look of surprise appeared in his eyes as if he sensed something unusual from him.
Still, the priest did not ask questions.
Instead, he gently nodded toward them.
"It is not every day we receive such important guests who come personally to pray," he said politely.
Ethan gave a small respectful nod.
"Thank you for the blessing, Priest," he replied calmly.
The priest smiled warmly again before raising his hand slightly in blessing.
"May the blessings of the Goddess be with you, Knight of Light " he said softly.
Those words made Ethan pause for a brief moment.An old memories flashed in his mind.
Then he simply smiled faintly and lowered his head slightly once more.
Beside him, Rathlos looked confused again.
"Knight of Light?" he whispered quietly after the priest walked away.
Ethan calmly looked ahead toward the giant statue of the Goddess of Light standing at the front of the church.
"An old holy title," he replied casually.
Rathlos stared at him suspiciously for a moment before snorting softly.
"You really hide too many strange things," he muttered.
Ethan did not answer this time.
Instead, his eyes quietly rested upon the glowing statue while deep thoughts moved inside his mind.
*******
The next morning, Ethan received an official invitation from the Imperial Palace, and unlike the previous audience with the Emperor, this invitation felt much lighter and more relaxed.
It was from the Crown Princess.
After briefly preparing himself, Ethan followed the palace attendants toward the inner royal gardens where the Crown Princess usually spent her free time.
Compared to the heavy and oppressive atmosphere surrounding the Emperor and Crown Prince, this side of the palace felt far gentler.
Beautiful flowers bloomed across the gardens while clear streams flowed quietly through white stone paths, and countless butterflies fluttered beneath the warm sunlight while soft music echoed faintly from somewhere nearby.
Even the guards stationed here looked less tense.
Soon, Ethan arrived before a beautiful open pavilion built beside a lake filled with silver lotus flowers.
Several maids stood nearby quietly, and at the center sat a graceful young woman dressed in elegant pale golden robes.
The moment Ethan saw her, he immediately understood why people praised the Crown Princess so highly.
She was beautiful.
But more than beauty, there was a gentle warmth around her that made people naturally feel comfortable.
Her long silver-blonde hair flowed softly behind her while her clear blue eyes carried a calm and kind feeling, and unlike many nobles Ethan had met, there was no arrogance in her expression.
This was Crown Princess Elena Aurelius Arcadia.
The future Empress of Arcadia.
The moment Ethan approached, Elena immediately stood up with a soft smile.
"Marquise Ethan Blanks," she greeted warmly.
"I finally get to meet the famous person behind those wonderful designs."
Her tone sounded genuinely pleased rather than formal.
Ethan bowed respectfully.
"This noble greets the Crown Princess," he said calmly.
Elena lightly waved her hand.
"There is no need to be too formal here," she replied gently.
"You are a guest today."
Those simple words immediately eased the atmosphere slightly.
Then Elena gestured toward the seat across from her.
"Please sit," she said.
Ethan nodded politely before taking his seat.
Almost immediately, several maids stepped forward and carefully served tea along with small desserts.
Even the tea smelled expensive.
Rathlos who stood farther away quietly stared at the snacks with twitching eyes.
Ethan ignored him completely.
Elena looked toward Ethan curiously while resting her hands lightly together.
"I heard from Haster that you personally design many of the famous clothes spreading throughout the Empire," she said.
"To be honest, I was quite surprised."
Ethan gave a faint helpless smile.
"It was merely a hobby at first," he replied calmly.
Elena laughed softly after hearing that.
"A hobby capable of making countless noble ladies go crazy?" she asked playfully.
"Then your hobbies are quite dangerous, Marquise."
Ethan coughed lightly.
"I will take that as praise."
The maids nearby covered their mouths while smiling quietly, and even Elena’s expression became slightly brighter.
The atmosphere felt unexpectedly relaxed.
After some casual conversation, Elena finally leaned slightly forward while speaking more seriously.
"So," she said gently.
"What kind of dress do you think would suit me?"
