A priestess in a brand-new uniform stood in the open space in front of the team. The cold autumn wind blew through the square, lifting the nun's pale blonde hair and black lace skirt. She focused on the target in the distance and listened to the instructions of her superior.
"Ready —"
Following the instructions of her superior, the nun in charge of the demonstration raised the magic 'staff' in her hand and laid it flat beside her. She held the middle of the staff tightly with one hand and grabbed the handguard wrapped with scripture cloth at the front with the other. A low and pleasant buzzing sound came from the two ends of the staff. A faint holy white light began to flow between the gaps of the mechanical structure and the runes.
"Fire!"
The seemingly slender finger pulled the trigger, and the body of the priestess trembled slightly. A ball of white light gushed out from the opening at the front of the wand. This ball of hot holy light energy quickly flew into the distance and exploded on the enchanted purple steel column as a target.
After a beautiful shot, the priestess extinguished the flame in the focusing crystal as instructed. She then placed the 'Angel of Gospel' beside her and turned back to the team.
"This is the weapon that the Institute of Magical Engineering and the Design Bureau have modified according to the needs of the priestess." Wright nodded to Veronica. "Although it looks like an all-metal staff, it is much lighter than it looks because of the weak weight-reducing runes inside. The attack style is essentially the White Knight's Holy Light Cannon, but it has been changed from a double shot to a single shot, so the weight has been reduced by half. The reason why it was designed in the form of a wand was because it was also designed with close combat in mind. You were right earlier. Priestesses are not suited to wield the White Knight's mechanical warhammer. A protective wand is a more suitable weapon. "
"I … actually think you may have misunderstood … No, it's nothing." Veronica felt a little tired for some reason. She swallowed her words halfway through her explanation. She had not had such a feeling for a long time in the past few hundred years. At this time, she could not help but sigh. "Grand Patriarch, it seems that these nuns have also undergone melee training?"
"Yes, they have. Although it is only a preliminary training, it is very effective," Wright said. "Her Highness Rebecca and Madam Heti have provided some guidance."
"They provided guidance?" Veronica was stunned. She couldn't understand. "Why would they teach you this?"
"The Cecil family has always valued martial arts. They have many quick martial arts skills, especially Madam Heti, who is quite proficient in the Staff Protection Technique," Wright explained. "Of course, they only guide a few instructors. The rest of the training is done by the instructors."
Veronica thought for a while and decided not to probe further. However, she still had a lot of questions that she couldn't help but ask, "Then what's up with their boxing gloves? Why do nuns need gloves? "
"Lighter and more flexible melee weapons can further improve their survivability in close-range encounters. Combat has always been the strength of the new church's clergy, regardless of gender. In addition, their gauntlets aren't just weapons. There's also a single dose of the Redemption concoction inside. It can save lives on the battlefield. "
"… It sounds like a weapon tailor-made for the battlefield," Veronica said, trying to maintain a smile. "But … isn't it a bit too much?"
Upon hearing this, Wright's expression suddenly became serious. He looked into Veronica's eyes and said very seriously, "We were born in an era of insecurity. The clergy should be prepared to go to the battlefield."
At this point, he paused for a moment and shook his head slightly. "I know, in the past many years, the Church of Holy Light has enjoyed wealth and power. The powerful Knight of the Vatican and the convenient power of theurgy have made the clergy forget how the preachers survived the Dark Age.
"The first preachers trekked in the wilderness, accompanied by beasts, hardship, and death. They did not have the improved convenient theurgy, nor did they have the help of the Knight and the nobles. It was in such a difficult situation that the preachers tempered themselves and used the immature Holy Light to protect everyone they met on the road. Only then did they spread the original Holy Light concepts of light, redemption, and protection.
"Today, we are lucky. We don't have to wear ragged equipment to explore the wilderness, and we don't have to face the shadow of hunger and beasts. But His Majesty once said that if a man does not think far ahead, he will have immediate worries. In the long future, in such a vast world, there will always be dangers waiting for us. Since we have chosen the Holy Light, we must fulfill the responsibility brought by the Holy Light."
Looking at the solemn and serious Grand Patriarch, Veronica felt a little emotional. As a rebel, she was being taught by a "young" ordinary person today. She thought it was a little funny. But when she saw the faint Holy Light lingering around Wright, she still smiled.
He was qualified. He had broken the Soul Steel Seal with his own will. With this achievement alone, he was qualified to be on equal footing with any rebel.
Wright also realized that he had accidentally entered the professional preaching mode. Before the awkwardness spread, he quickly changed the topic. "Of course, not all clergy have been incorporated into the White Knight Legion or the War Sisters. We also keep clergy clergy. Even these armed nuns will do the normal church work in the church when they are not in combat. Receiving believers, listening to confessions, and comforting the wounded are their daily jobs. The White Knight also has a similar daily job, but it is more manual labor.
"In addition, both the armed nuns and the White Knight must study the classics of the Holy Light and learn a variety of new knowledge. This is their right and their duty. They can neither deviate from the path of the Holy Light because they are busy with secular things, nor can they become conservative because they only study the classics and become resistant to advanced knowledge and rigid thinking.
"The whole South Church does not raise mediocre idlers."
"It's not just the South Church." Veronica smiled. "The North will also carry out this transformation. And legally, there is no difference between the so-called 'South Church' and the 'North Church'. We only have the New Church of the Holy Light."
"I know, but this is only legal. The real gap still exists," Wright said rather seriously. "We have carried out a very thorough reconstruction of the church in the South, but a similar 'reconstruction' method is not suitable in the North. I have received reports from many areas that the old school clergy have been trying to obstruct and delay the reform process, especially in the West. On the surface, they obey the new center of the church, but in fact, they have been doing a lot of dirty tricks. "
"… Leave this part of the work to me," Veronica nodded after a short pause. "Cooperate with you to carry out the reform of the New Church. This is me and Gwen? Cecil's contract. "
Wright stared at Veronica. After a moment of silence, he said, "I'm very curious. You are doing this for us now, is it really just because of the deal with His Majesty?"
"… In many cases, a 'deal' is the most stable way of cooperation." Veronica stared deeply at Wright with her gentle eyes that lacked warmth. After leaving this sentence, she picked up the platinum scepter that never left her side, turned around, and slowly walked away.
…
A few days later, in the eastern area of the Holy Spirit Plain.
The dry and cold wind blew on their faces, and there was a slight burnt smell in the air. The once lush green fertile land had turned into a wasteland in the war zone, spreading out into the distance as far as the eye could see. On both sides of the road, the ruins of the villages and the burnt remains of the trees kept retreating. During the long journey, similar scenes kept appearing, repeating over and over again.
Bard? Wendell closed the window somewhat awkwardly, isolating the dry and cold air outside the magic car. An old and somewhat frivolous voice came from beside him. "How is it? How do you feel when you see the plain that you have turned into ruins with your own eyes? "
Bard turned his head and saw the old Druil named Pitman looking at him with a faint smile. For a moment, he did not know how to respond.
This unattractive and sloppy old man was actually a big shot. Under the title of the Chief Druil of the Empire and the person in charge of the alchemy project, he had a respectable status and power in this huge and young empire. However, after ignoring this dazzling halo and personally interacting with him for a period of time, Bard realized that this old man's character was actually so bad that it was almost asking for a beating. He seemed to be able to say a lot of choking words to provoke the mood of the victims at any moment. Unlike Princess Rebecca who had a similar talent, this old man did it on purpose …
The biggest problem Bard faced was that he still could not fight with this old man. It was not because there were soldiers watching or following the virtue of "respecting the old", but because he was 100% sure that if he accidentally touched this old man, this old man would immediately lie on the ground and cheat him of his last copper coin.
Why is this Pitman always picking on me?
Bard could not figure it out. After a moment of awkward silence, he shook his head and said, "I don't want to explain myself. But when they started the plan in the Divine Plains, I was not in Ansu. At that time, I was sent to the eastern part of the continent to contact the Children of the Storm."
"Hah, you just changed a place to do bad things." Pitman laughed. "Children of the Storm … So you know what those guys are doing? Are they still planning to return to the continent? "
"… I don't know about them. They have put almost all their energy into the deep sea. Even the Dark Cult and the Eternal Sleepers find it difficult to communicate with them now," Bard said frankly. "I spent a long time on an offshore island in the Eastern Continent, but it was basically a waste of time. I helped them collect some materials, but most of the time I was dealing with their mutated limbs affected by the deep sea. I worked like a doctor …"
"Mutated limbs affected by the deep sea?" Pitman raised his eyebrows. "That's interesting … I'm interested. What's the specific situation?"
"They have been obsessed with occupying several sea areas controlled by the sirens, but they did not allow other members of the Dark Cult to participate in their frontline battle. I don't know what they have done and what they have experienced. I only know that some of the Children of the Storm have grown fish scales and fins, and they always murmur 'Eva is calling' when the tide rises …" Bard shook his head. "To be honest, the mutation on their bodies is even more terrible than many of the dark rituals of the End Cult. The deep sea … There are too many things hidden in the deep sea that are hard to understand. I don't know what attracted the Children of the Storm and why they are so obsessed with it."
"… That's right. Keeping a cultist like you can still be of some use."
Pitman grumbled. He then ignored Bard, whose expression had changed slightly. Instead, he looked into the distance, at another vehicle driving ahead.
In the arcanotech vehicle, Gwen ended the routine communication with the government office. After turning off the magic network terminal in the vehicle, he could not help but sigh. "The engineering team sent by Walter has built two additional magic obelisks between Thorin Fortress and the Fertile Woodlands. The communication problem between the southeast of the Divine Plains and the south is finally solved."
"Recently, the Firmrock Fortress has been sending engineering teams to the north. They are either rebuilding the Kingdom Avenue, building infrastructure in the Divine Plains, or assisting in the joint reconstruction team. Some say that the Second Corps under Walter is almost becoming a road and bridge construction team." Amber leaned on the back of the front seat and muttered. "Thinking back to two years ago, the Firmrock Fortress was still a gateway fortress. It's like a dream …"
As she muttered to herself, she turned her head and glanced at Gawain. "Speaking of which, it's quite surprising that you decided to check on the situation yourself … I can't believe you're willing to come out without worry."
"The existence of the consul system and the government office is to ensure that the entire empire can still function normally when I leave Cecil City," Gwen said casually, but his eyes could not help but look in the direction of Thorin Fortress. "And … what's happening here really concerns me. After all, this is the lair of the Everything-End-All. Almost all the great changes and twists in the country in the past two years were brewed by this lair. How can I not come and see for myself?"
"Hah, I admire your ability to make up a bunch of excuses when you sneak out to slack off." Amber said in a tone as if she was not afraid of being slapped on the wall (because there was no wall here). Then, before Gwen knocked her on the head, she suddenly sat up and looked into the distance in surprise.
"Oh my …" She exclaimed, her eyes wide open. "The report called that thing … 'tree'?"
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