The Red Dragon Lord is OP, but Insists on a Pop Culture Invasion!

Chapter 259: Chapter 215: The Saintess Wants to See the Monster Girl (2)

It wasn’t like writing the gospel songs required by her superiors. That was incredibly difficult; she couldn’t squeeze out a single melody until the final deadline.

Astrid wrote swiftly on the paper, and soon she had a rough draft of the entire song.

Then came the lyrics. This part was a little difficult. Her native language wasn’t the common tongue, but for the show, she would have to sing in a language everyone could understand.

Trying to make the words rhyme was a real struggle.

The final lyrics were barely passable, with some parts sounding a little awkward. But it would have to do; her proficiency in the common tongue was only good enough for this level of writing.

’It’s true that when you’re writing lyrics, you’ll write all sorts of strange things just for the sake of a rhyme.’

’If worse comes to worst, I’ll just say it’s artistic. Anything that can’t be explained can be justified as being for the sake of art.’

’Then, even the parts that don’t make sense will seem profound.’

When she was done, she stood up and tried singing it through once. The melody was very difficult, which was a deliberate choice on her part.

’Since it’s a competition, a more difficult song is more likely to win over the audience.’

In the past, when she traveled with the choir to spread the gospel, she noticed that during her solos, even if the audience didn’t understand the finer points of the performance, they would always applaud as long as there was an impressive high note.

Finishing the song was draining, but she still managed to perform it beautifully.

Yet, her expression was not one of happiness.

In her excitement while writing, she hadn’t noticed, but now that she had sung it through, she realized both the lyrics and the melody were rather downbeat.

And songs for the Church were supposed to be positive and uplifting.

’I was probably influenced by that one anime episode.’

She adored the song she had just created, but it was destined to be one she could never perform on stage.

If the Church saw it via the Magic Vision Device, punishment was virtually certain.

CLAP. CLAP. CLAP. A sudden burst of applause came from behind her.

Astrid whipped her head around, panicking. ’Don’t tell me I’ve been found out before I even got to perform!’

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw who it was.

"Grandma Lindsey, you frightened me."

"Sorry, I saw your door was open," Grandma Lindsey said apologetically.

She was one of the Saintesses from two generations ago. Retired Saintesses would remain in the Church to take on the task of training the younger generation.

Grandma Lindsey had raised Astrid herself, and their bond was as close as that of any grandmother and granddaughter. She was also the only person who knew about Astrid’s secret little compositions.

Creativity always needs an audience. If Astrid couldn’t sing those songs for her grandmother, she would eventually get so bottled up that she’d lose her passion for composing. Thankfully, even an audience of one still counts as an audience.

"I thought it was someone else."

"That’s a beautiful song," Grandma Lindsey praised wholeheartedly.

"What good is it being beautiful if I can’t perform it on stage?"

Looking utterly dejected, Astrid tossed her violin onto the bed and slumped into her chair.

"Oh, so my little songbird finally wants to return to the stage. I’m so happy for you. With your talent, you could be the lead singer in any choir. Your voice is a true treasure from the Goddess."

Grandma Lindsey had always regretted Astrid’s withdrawal from the choir.

A vocal tone is purely a matter of natural talent. To have one that is both beautiful and distinctive is something many people can only dream of.

Many singers with exceptional technique are unable to become soloists simply because their vocal tone isn’t distinct enough, leaving them to sing harmony.

Technique can be practiced, but one’s vocal tone cannot be changed.

"It’s not for a choir. It’s for a show on Demon Vision," Astrid said.

’She’d probably only be able to sing the gospel songs she wasn’t as fond of on the show.’

"Oh, so that’s how it is," Grandma Lindsey immediately understood. She then said, "Why not ask for Her opinion, then? If She grants permission, no one can fault you."

Astrid looked at her grandmother, who didn’t seem to be joking.

"Grandma, you know I don’t have the gift for hearing the Goddess’s Holy Word."

’Even though the Goddess had been missing for a century, answering no one’s prayers until she popped up twice recently, the problem was clearly on Her end.’

’But as a member of the Church, she couldn’t be insubordinate. She could only claim that she lacked the gift.’

"Why not go and try?" Grandma Lindsey said encouragingly. "She’s awake again, isn’t She? A Goddess who answers Her followers is a good Goddess."

"Grandma!" Startled by her grandmother’s comment, Astrid shot up from her chair, clamped a hand over the older woman’s mouth, and frantically glanced around to see if anyone else had heard.

’Daring to question whether the Goddess was a *good* Goddess... get caught saying that and the Judgment Court wouldn’t even bother with a trial. They’d sentence you on the spot.’

"Relax, She won’t get angry over something so small." Grandma Lindsey gently removed Astrid’s hand.

"It’s not Her I’m afraid of."

"Go to the prayer room and give it a try. You might just get a response." Her grandmother looked earnestly at the girl who, while not her granddaughter by blood, was just as precious to her.

"Alright."

Astrid mustered her courage. Years of unanswered prayers had left her with a deep-seated anxiety about praying.

But now, for the chance to sing a song she loved on a grand stage, she returned to the prayer room.

’So what if there’s no response? It’s not a big deal. I’ve been ignored more than enough times. I should be used to it by now.’

She pushed open the door to the prayer room. The furnishings inside were very simple.

The booths for confession to a Priest were just small, dark cubicles.

But the place for praying to the Goddess contained only a Holy Image and a kneeling cushion. Nothing more.

One was supposed to pray with a tranquil mind, but Astrid couldn’t manage that right now. She knelt uneasily on the cushion and laid out her predicament.

The seconds ticked by, one by one. Just like the thousands of times before, there was no response.

Astrid stared at the Holy Image, a sacrilegious urge to smash it welling up inside her.

’The Goddess was like an irresponsible mother,’ she thought, ’one who had abandoned her helpless children.’

Just as she was about to rise and leave in disappointment, several Runes suddenly materialized before the Holy Image.

Astrid’s eyes widened in shock. Though she had never witnessed such a sight herself, she had read about it in countless Church texts—this was a Holy Word, the Goddess’s response to a prayer.

A Holy Word was essentially a message spell. It would attach itself to the person who prayed, allowing them to display it at will.

In the entire Church, only a few Old Elves still bore such a spell.

There had been no shortage of people with ill intentions who tried to imitate this Magic, hoping to seize absolute power within the Church.

However, every attempt at imitation had ended in failure. This small message was a Tenth Ring spell.

Astrid read the content of the message.

"Allowed."

Just that one word.

She quickly realized that she was about to become an important figure in the Church.

All Holy Words were recorded in the scriptures, typically in the format of "The Goddess says..." followed by a long, detailed passage.

The contents were always meticulous, so as to avoid misinterpretation.

But leaving just a single word, "Allowed," had never happened before.

Astrid tried to puzzle it out. Did this mean that the final right of interpretation for *what* was "Allowed" now rested with her, the bearer of the Holy Word?

Although it could only be interpreted once, as long as she never used it, it would remain a powerful deterrent.

A Saintess was allowed to keep the content of her prayers secret.

In a daze, she left the prayer room and saw Grandma Lindsey waiting for her outside.

"Well?" her grandmother asked with concern, sounding a little breathless, perhaps from being just as nervous as Astrid.

Astrid didn’t answer. Instead, she simply displayed the Holy Word.

Grandma Lindsey was stunned as well. After a moment of silence, she said, "Well, wow. At the very least, you can go be on the show now, right?"

***

In the courtyard of the Twin Tower City cathedral, the Teleportation Array flared with a dazzling light.

Two columns of Holy Knights marched out and formed a defensive perimeter. Only then did Astrid emerge, with Grandma Lindsey in tow.

The Vice Priest of Twin Tower City immediately led an entourage to welcome the newly invested Head Saintess.

If the Bishop of Twin Tower City weren’t still studying in the Holy City, he would have been the one to greet her.

"There’s no need for a welcoming ceremony," Astrid said, taking the lead.

’She still wasn’t quite used to her new status.’

"Very well," the Vice Priest replied. "Your carriage to the concert has been prepared."

"Thank you."

Astrid nodded. There was still some time before the program began. She had come to Twin Tower City early not only because she wanted to show her grandmother a good time, but also because she had seen a concert preview on Demon Vision.

It was a performance put on by all the mentors from *Feilin’s Best Songs*.

It was meant to be both a warm-up for the show and a showcase of the mentors’ abilities.

She was quite curious, especially about the Spider Elf, who had never appeared on Demon Vision before.

’After all, who wouldn’t be interested in the performance of a terrifying, legendary creature?’