Disciplinary Knight Daniel’s sharp eyes, hidden behind his visor, were fixed intently on the Saintess.
He remained silent for a moment, but ultimately, he couldn't suppress the doubt in his heart and asked in a low voice.
“Lord Saintess, have you... in a prophecy, peered into your own death? Right here, in this Carter Royal Capital?”
Saintess Eve tilted her head slightly toward him but did not answer.
Not a single ripple of emotion could be seen on her serene face.
Daniel was not surprised. It was custom that prophets rarely spoke of the details regarding their prophecies.
Usually, they would only occasionally let a word or two slip when it concerned major trajectories of fate that seemed impossible to change.
For example, the Dark Tide.
The birth of the Dark Tide was something no force, no matter how powerful, could stop.
At this moment, the Saintess’s silence was itself a form of answer.
Daniel’s brow furrowed even tighter.
“Since you have foreseen that you might encounter a death-fate here, why did you take the initiative to accept the Carter Royal Capital’s invitation?”
He knew very well that this trip to Carter had been a decision the Saintess alone had insisted upon.
The “generous” rewards offered by the Carter Royal Capital might seem like an astronomical sum to an ordinary person.
But for the Holy Church of Light with its deep foundations, they were not even worth mentioning.
The Saintess gave a faint smile. That smile remained as perfect as a sculpture, carrying a non-human sense of detachment.
She responded dismissively with that all-purpose excuse.
“This is the divine guidance of the Goddess of Light.”
Daniel’s gaze remained locked onto her.
He tried to discern from every minute expression exactly what she was plotting.
Regardless, her every action right now... her core objective seemed to be making contact with that black-haired High Rank mage.
But... that kid named Lin Gui was only at the Mid-tier High Rank; he was so weak he wouldn't even be able to withstand a single blow.
Daniel truly could not imagine why the Saintess would believe that relying on such a mage would allow her to change her so-called “death-fate” destiny.
Or perhaps, to rely on a Mid-tier High Rank mage to break free from the shackles of the Holy Church?
Daniel almost laughed out of self-derision.
How could that be possible?
Compared to the others the Saintess had approached, this mage’s strength was practically underground.
Back then, even the Hero who had drawn his blade against the Holy Church for the Saintess’s sake had failed.
Daniel simply did not believe a weak mage who was only at the Mid-tier High Rank could accomplish such a thing.
Daniel said no more.
He took a half-step back, indicating that he would no longer interfere and would allow the Saintess to act as she pleased.
He could not stop the Saintess’s decision, but he would not take responsibility for the consequences of her choices either.
Watching silently from the side, Elvia took in the strange and oppressive atmosphere between Daniel and the Saintess, sighing inwardly.
It seems that rumor is true...
She had heard that while the Saintess was the public face of the Holy Church of Light, in a certain sense, she was also a consumable of the Holy Church.
She was the necessary sacrifice required to activate that supreme Great Prophecy.
The same spell used back in the palace when the Saintess predicted the Dark Tide.
The Great Prophecy was an inherited ability; as long as one was recognized as the Holy Church’s Saintess, this ability would be automatically instilled in them.
In other words, the ability had nothing to do with the individual person.
And according to incomplete statistics, in the forty years since the Demon God’s descent, the Holy Church of Light had already replaced eighty-three Saintesses.
Half of them had died on the path to subjugating the Demon God or his minions.
The other half, though officially said to have entered the Disciplinary Palace to serve the Goddess for life and pray for her, in reality...
All of them had died under the terrifying divine power backlash that occurred when casting the Great Prophecy.
To the lofty Holy Church of Light, the life or death of a Saintess was likely unimportant.
What they needed was simply a special “vessel” capable of carrying divine power and casting prophecies.
Of course, the Holy Church still went through the motions on the surface.
For instance, if a Saintess were assassinated while out in the world, the killer would inevitably be met by the ruthless iron cavalry of the Crusaders.
The Saintess ignored the silent Daniel and turned back to Lin Gui with a smile.
Her tone was so relaxed it was as if they were discussing a location for afternoon tea.
“Well? My proposal.”
“I need you to protect me, remaining by my side at all times, until I leave the Carter Royal Capital.”
“In return, I will tell you the information you want regarding Avalon.”
Elvia’s confusion deepened.
When the Saintess had said she was looking for Lin Gui, Elvia had vaguely guessed the other woman might be seeking protection.
However, the Saintess’s current tone made it sound as if she were certain a great catastrophe was imminent...
Just what kind of trump cards had Caesar’s group of rebels prepared that gave them the confidence to break through the protection of a Legendary Disciplinary Knight and successfully kill the Saintess?
Could it be... they really have someone who can use the 【Shroud of the Gloomy Night】?!
A fierce struggle began within Elvia’s heart, plunging her into extreme indecision.
If... if the probability of Caesar’s assassination succeeding was very high, then for her, Elvia, the Saintess dying here might not be a bad thing.
The enraged Crusaders of the Holy Church of Light would help her directly overturn the Royal Capital’s current political landscape.
As long as the Eldest Princess and the Third Prince died because of it, wouldn't she be the next King of Carter?
Thinking of this, she almost gasped for air.
Should she... stab Lin Gui in the back, or stop him from getting involved in protecting the Saintess?
But... her little life was still in Lin Gui’s hands!
While Elvia’s expression flickered and her heart warred with itself, Lin Gui spoke, calmly stating his requirements:
“Fine, but I have two conditions.”
“First, for the next few days, your itinerary must follow my arrangements completely.”
“Second, only you may follow me; your Disciplinary Knight and other guards cannot come along.”
“Impudence!” Daniel roared in fury.
He stepped forward, the pressure of a Legendary powerhouse descending and making the air in the small shop feel as if it had solidified.
“I will not leave the Saintess’s side for a single step!”
“You are an evil mage of unknown origin—what right do you have to make such demands?”
“If anything happens to Her Highness, can you take responsibility?!”
Lin Gui ignored his rage, looking only at the Saintess.
The Saintess’s expression remained indifferent. She raised her hand slightly to stop Daniel from further action and said softly:
“Daniel, do as he says.”
“Your Highness!”
“This is the divine guidance of the Goddess of Light.”
The Saintess once again brought out that unanswerable reason.
She turned to Daniel, her tone carrying a strange sense of comfort.
“You must believe that as long as the Hall of Heroic Spirits remains, I will not, and cannot, escape fate.”
Daniel stared intently at the Saintess, heavy breathing coming from beneath his visor.
Finally, as if he had compromised or as if he had completely given up on something, he suddenly leaned into the Saintess’s ear and spoke in an extremely low voice that carried a hint of a warning.
“I hope so, Lord Saintess. I hope that you... do not regret your choice.”
Having said that, he no longer hesitated. He gave Lin Gui a fierce glare and then turned around, striding out of the dilapidated antique shop with a cold aura of rage.
The Saintess seemed to have unloaded a heavy burden, letting out a soft sigh of relief. She gave Lin Gui a faint but genuine smile.
“Very well then, Mr. Lin Gui of the darkness element, where shall we go now?”
At this moment, the old shopkeeper, who had been watching coldly from the side, suddenly spoke to Lin Gui.
“Kid, are you sure you want to take on this hot potato and protect her?”
Lin Gui countered, “What? Is it possible that you are the one who wants to kill her?”
The old shopkeeper bared his teeth, revealing an ambiguous smile.
“Yes, and no. For your sake, I’ll give you a warning: in this assassination, even a High-tier Legendary couldn't save her, let alone you.”
Lin Gui was silent for a moment before answering calmly.
“If things really reach a point that I cannot handle, I will kick her away without the slightest hesitation and flee for my own life.”
Hearing this, the smile on the old shopkeeper’s face grew even wider, almost as if he were showing a bit of appreciation.
“Good. Recognizing the circumstances is the only way to live long.”
On his wrinkled face, the smile looked somewhat gruesome.
“Ahem, shouldn't you come with me to get the items first?” Lin Gui said tentatively in a low voice.
The old shopkeeper pulled back his smile, looked up at the Saintess, and whispered a mumble.
“I’ll follow behind you. Just put the items in the attic—and remember, be gentle.”
Lin Gui nodded.
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