The crisp sound of a silver fork lightly tapping a porcelain plate broke the afternoon silence of the church. Hero gracefully put down her knife and fork, gently wiped her rosy lips with a napkin, and then looked up seriously.

Although the church's meals were only half-filling, it was clearly not the time to consider having another meal.

Across the long table, under Hero's gaze, a young man dressed in a dark blue priest's robe sat upright, and the long bench emitted a slight groan with his tense back.

This young cleric in front of her was the priest of this small country church. Hero had met him several times before becoming a nun, and in the past month, there had been quite a bit of interaction between the two.

But for the priest, this brief time was obviously not enough to make him mature and steady.

Despite having a higher status in the church than Hero, who was just a grassroots nun, he appeared extremely restrained under her gaze, as if he were facing the Lady Saintess herself, so nervous that his back was straight and his eyes didn't wander.

"So, Priest, regarding what you mentioned earlier about me being selected as a Saintess Candidate—what is this all about?"

Hero slightly squinted her eyes and adopted the noble tone she had learned in etiquette classes, which she had mostly cast aside afterward, and asked.

"Well, well, that's...just like I said before..."

The sound of the young priest's Adam's apple moving up and down was clearly audible, and he answered, a bit embarrassed, with a light sweat on his forehead: "Because every church has a nomination quota, and just when you joined our church... and... I really didn't have any other suitable candidates... so, I nominated you..."

He even mimicked Hero by using honorifics.

"After all, the Divine Knowledge Saintess also said that one must be brave to make decisions to pave the way for the future..." The priest awkwardly smiled.

"Then why didn't you consult me before making such an important decision?" Hero's expression remained unchanged, yet the sweat on the priest's forehead increased.

"I...I didn't expect they would really choose you..."

His dejected appearance now was in stark contrast to his previously jubilant expression.

Hero gently sighed, her eyes showing a bit of helplessness.

[Hero's understanding of the Saintess selection]

D70+30=d70(65)+30=95

Despite feeling somewhat displeased, she also understood that the other party acted with good intentions, and it wasn't really a case of good intentions leading to bad outcomes.

After all, the title of Saintess was not only significant within the church but also within the whole Kingdom; having any connection with the Saintess was a huge honor for ordinary people.

"However, next time, no matter what decision you make, please be sure to inform me first." Hero's tone returned to being soft, with a touch of earnestness and seriousness.

The priest nodded repeatedly, as if he had been pardoned, and breathed a sigh of relief: "Understood, understood! I definitely will!"

Even though she was inexplicably selected as a Saintess Candidate and had to heed the summons to the Holy City, since the priest had apologized, Hero's expression also relaxed.

She lowered her gaze, lost in thought.

Saintess selection...

In the past month, as someone new here, she had crammed a lot of information about the church's Inner Court. Thanks to her powerful memory, she had already gained a general understanding of the entire church's structure and various important rituals.

'When did we become so studious?' Remembering the month of intense study, her other self let out a slightly mocking sigh, yet there were traces of uncontainable surprise.

"...Should I refuse on your behalf to the Holy City?"

On the other side, the priest seemed to have made a big decision, and cautiously asked.

The Saintess selection was not a mandatory event; not every nun had the ability or willingness to take on such a significant and sacred responsibility.

If she couldn't even manage the most basic task of voluntarily enrolling, how could anyone expect her to have a strong enough will, or qualify her spirit to become the star that all believers pursue and admire?

Although withdrawing after registering would indeed impact personal evaluation, he had already prepared to sacrifice his own future as the one who signed her up without permission and was ready to personally activate the church's Communication Array to absolve her.

"No need, I will go." After thinking for a long time, Hero sighed.

The priest's expression instantly brightened up, and he couldn't hide his joy: "Yes, that's right! After all, it's the Saintess selection; even if you don't get chosen, just being a candidate is already very honorable—"

"Priest, I may need to remind you."

The Gleaming Scale Serpent, always standing behind Hero, finally couldn't bear it and spoke coldly.

Normally dressed as a housekeeper, he now wore an ordinary monk's robe, yet his tone carried a sense of oppression: "The reason the Miss joined this church is for the villagers of her hometown, not to chase the empty name of a Saintess."

To him, Your Majesty was Your Majesty; neither the King nor the Saintess compared to that identity in the slightest.

"And the reason she isn't refusing this arduous journey to the Holy City is also because she considers your original intention genuinely good and doesn't want your path to promotion to end due to your presumptuousness—do you understand?"

Under that cold gaze, the priest shrank into himself, bowed his head, and repeatedly apologized.

"...Yes, I understand, I'm very sorry, it was presumptuous of me..."

Hero leaned against the back of the chair, shaking her head helplessly and amusedly.

To nominate a nun who had just joined the church for less than a week for the Saintess selection was one thing, but to actually pass the review was absurd, yet it made Hero's expression gradually serious.

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