Chapter 182: The Living Grace

Max spent the remaining hours before the grand banquet discussing with the Grand Chancellor while being accompanied by Lancelot.

He was fortunate enough to have a deep conversation with an S-ranker, and it was undoubtedly eye-opening for him.

He didn’t need to summon Jeremiah, as he could listen inside the conclave network as long as Max willed it.

Eventually, the Grand Chancellor had to dismiss himself, leaving Lancelot to guide Max.

Max didn’t want to carelessly spend the money he received, especially the special currency.

Since he did not need to spend it badly, he would rather keep it for now.

Eventually, the grand banquet commenced, and Max finally managed to establish connections with other nobles.

Unfortunately, when he was trying to invite them to his guild, they respectfully declined.

Max could see through them.

Since they were living a comfortable life, why bother risking their lives when someone could do it instead?

They then proposed becoming Max’s sponsors instead, and Max considered them.

He had to ask a professional individual who could handle the guild’s management that was outside of his specialized field.

Furthermore, the Emperor had already sworn to be their biggest sponsor, so Max wanted to take advantage of it.

Max also had Lancelot recruit members, but he was as helpless as him.

Just as they were getting hopeless and decided to waste their time in the grand banquet, the High Pontiff arrived.

The High Pontiff quickly attracted their attention, including Max and Lancelot.

He was honestly surprised that the High Pontiff came to the grand banquet.

It was already announced that the grand banquet was specifically for Max’s achievements.

The grand banquet was actually the first reward of the Emperor—the Imperial Decree of Commendation.

In other words, the High Pontiff appeared to show respect for him.

Max was flattered.

Almost immediately, despite wearing suffocatingly luxurious clothes, he increased his pace to formally greet the High Pontiff.

Lancelot followed him, wearing luxurious clothes, as well.

The only difference was how his luxurious clothes complemented his face very well, unlike Max.

When Max and Lancelot finally saw the High Pontiff amidst the crowds, the latter paused and drew a sharp breath.

Max’s raised his eyebrows and glanced at him.

Before Max could say anything, Lancelot’s eyes sparkled, and he said to Max, "Guild Leader, we might have struck gold!"

Max sighed. Lancelot had been addressing him as "Guild Leader" ever since the Emperor approved of the Demon Hunters Guild.

Max asked, "What do you mean?"

"The High Pontiff bringing their youngest Saintess is not a mere coincidence. Quick, we should greet them now."

Lancelot tugged Max’s sleeves and almost felt like running.

Max was confused, but he walked fast anyway.

The crowds noticed their presence and finally gave way.

The crowds consisted of nobles and high-ranking military officials, and despite their detachment from the Church, they understood how the common people revered the Church.

To show respect for the Church meant to gain admiration from the common people.

The Emperors and past Emperors had been utilizing such methods to appease the common people, while silently balancing the power of the Church to the Empire.

Knowing this, the nobles and high-ranking military naturally replicated the Emperors’ method.

Of course, the High Pontiff was aware of their true intentions whenever they greeted him.

Thus, aside from subtly greeting them, seemingly almost like ignoring them, he kept his gaze focused ahead, perceiving Max’s presence.

He was truly disgusted by these nobles and high-ranking officials!

Though it was more intense for the former rather than the latter.

When he saw Max, he was delighted.

Even more so when he was staring at Seraphina, their youngest Saintess.

Seraphina had an appearance that was noticeably beautiful, but not in an exaggerated or unnatural way.

Her appearance was instead characterized by an almost serene presence.

She has long, pale-gold hair reaching to her lower back.

She had pale blue eyes with a subtle golden ring surrounding the iris.

Beneath the golden ring was the divine authority shining from within.

She wore the traditional white robes of a high-ranking Church member.

He brought Seraphine for an obvious reason.

He wanted to show his full support for the establishment of the Demon Hunters Guild.

Seraphina was born in the orphanage in the frontier settlement.

She lost her parents during the demons’ invasion.

When she was a child, she displayed an abnormal phenomenon.

When she touched the injured, they were healed.

The divine mana accumulated around her naturally.

Whenever there was corruption of demon mana, it was weakened by her presence.

Lesser demons feared her.

Her abnormal abilities were reported to the Church, and the Archbishop of the Dunmarrow Capital personally visited her, bringing the Hand of Saint Aurelius.

The Archbishop’s arrival triggered a more abnormal phenomenon.

The Hand of Saint Aurelius did not manifest, but he reacted to her.

The divine mana gathered and formed into countless birds that gathered branches to place a crown over her head.

The Archbishop himself witnessed the phenomenon and was astonished.

He immediately met Seraphina, and when he learned of her tragic history, he decided to bring him to the High Pontiff.

The High Pontiff took care of her as if she were his own child.

The high-clergy members were not allowed to bear descendants to devote themselves to serving the common people, but for the High Pontiff, he treated Seraphina like his own.

Now that Seraphina was already 19 years old and was now a B-rank Saintess, he felt like she was more than ready to serve the common people and at the same time fight against the demons.

When he suggested that she become a guild member of the Demon Hunters Guild, she agreed immediately, which struck him with guilt.

After all, Seraphina owed him so much that she would not hesitate to give everything she had.

He did not want her to act that way. He wanted Seraphina to discover her own purpose in life.

Thankfully, ever since he took Seraphina under his wings, she worked hard to gain the title, the Living Grace...

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