Chapter 70: Priest

Dawn's first light.

The gradually resounding footsteps on the street, and the faint cooking smoke curling up from chimneys, awakened Karanfor, this border town in the southeastern direction of the Servia Kingdom, from slumber.

The howling rainstorm and thunder throughout the night, along with the dark clouds that melted together with the darkness under the illumination of dawn, gradually ceased.

I walked on the street with dual swords on my back.

The moist and fresh air after rain, carrying the scent of earth, surged into my nostrils with each breath.

Making my already full and spirited state even more vigorous.

"Whoosh flap."

Slight yet obvious wing-flapping sounds came from overhead.

Raising my eyebrows to look, a completely silver-white robin swiftly and agilely flew across the sky.

Landing on a nearby upturned eave, quite leisurely using its sharp beak to groom its feathers.

As if sensing my gaze, it stopped its movements, looking at me bewilderedly.

Tilting its head.

"Xia Nan, we've arrived."

In my ear came the halfling's reminder.

I instantly came back to my senses, my gaze looking toward the other side of the street.

It was a magnificent and splendid church.

Gray-white exterior walls were constructed from smoothly polished flat stone bricks. Flying buttresses hanging and supporting on both sides displayed a regular beauty in their complexity. The towering spire stood beneath the firmament, scattering soft yet conspicuous brilliant light in the morning sun's reflection.

I marveled at the church's magnificence.

But at the same time, looking at the grand and huge building before me, a strange feeling suddenly welled up in my heart.

Where we currently stood was already Karanfor's town center. The houses on both sides of the surrounding roads were clean and neat, with independent small buildings and large shops visible everywhere.

But compared to this church, they appeared so dusty and dull.

The impression it gave me was like, in my previous life, in a suburban area of some fifth-tier city, on a street piled with messy electric poles and worn-out signboards, a modern glass skyscraper suddenly standing.

As if all the buildings in the surrounding area, and even the entire town's nutrition, had been extracted and gathered here.

Completely out of place.

"This church is built... pretty well."

With some inexplicable tone, I sighed.

"Isn't it all like this?" The halfling didn't find it strange. "Not every deity is as indifferent as Lady Luck."

"Building these kinds of places as spectacularly as possible also helps them harvest... uh, collect faith."

Regarding Alton's words that might sound somewhat offensive, the sheriff showed no obvious reaction.

As if he hadn't heard, he walked at the very front with the guards, carrying Jeff's stretcher.

Several of us entered the church.

Compared to its magnificent and splendid exterior, the interior structure and decoration of the building, while equally elaborate and elegant, appeared even more exquisite.

Thick walls supported the arched ceiling above. Ornately carved corridor columns descended from both sides. Red-brown pews for worship were arranged longitudinally. The spotlessly clean, smooth stone brick floor reflected the gentle morning light, as if spreading golden radiance on the ground.

And most eye-catching was the huge stained glass window located in the church's front hall, directly facing the entrance.

Gorgeous yet not chaotic colors, flickering with dreamlike luster under the reflection of the dome's light, made people who'd just entered the church unconsciously cast their gaze upon the window—

That figure with an indistinct face and a head of silver hair.

His left hand cradled a thick law book, his right hand held a simply-designed scale.

Deep within the golden sun scattering endless radiance behind him, you could vaguely see the blurred outline of a castle.

"The sun god of contract and order, Amaunator."

The various symbolic objects with strong directional meaning made me recognize the identity of the figure on the window at a glance.

Firmly remembering his image in my heart, my gaze followed the velvet carpet between the worship benches, moving forward.

What came into view was a middle-aged man with a kind and gentle face.

A bright and conspicuous yellow-red robe, with the golden sun holy symbol hanging on his chest by a bright red silk ribbon.

His overall appearance looked more like a judge than a priest.

His eyes were closed, head slightly raised, lips moving, as if performing worship.

Unaffected by the footsteps coming from the entrance.

Devout and focused.

Not until several minutes later, when the worship ended, did he slowly open his eyes.

His calm gaze swept across the group, finally stopping on Ingram at the front of the formation with an inquiring meaning.

The sheriff hastily stepped forward two steps, stopping before the steps at the altar's edge.

His hands naturally hung at his sides as he lowered his head:

"Sir, a townsperson suspected of being infected with the power of undeath attacked the town's inn last night."

"A merchant resting there, who is also my friend, was consequently eroded by negative energy and hopes to receive treatment from holy light."

Hearing this, the priest-like man's expression remained calm. His gaze passed over the sheriff, stopping on Jeff on the stretcher.

He nodded slightly:

"Very well."

Looking again at the two of us beside him, his words were gentle:

"These two are..."

"Adventurers traveling with the merchant."

Ingram answered.

"Thanks to them, tragedy was averted last night."

Hearing this, a smile tinged with approval appeared on the priest's kind face as he slowly spoke:

"The Lord's radiance will bless you, brave travelers."

I nodded in response.

But inwardly I couldn't help pondering.

Without doubt, this amiable middle-aged man before me was this "sun god" church's priest.

Judging from his facial features and appearance, about forty-something?

Considering this world had supernatural powers, and he held such a special position.

His age should actually be even greater.

On the other hand, from how he and the sheriff communicated, the relationship between them—

Perhaps... superior and subordinate?

While I was thinking, the priest had already descended from the altar, coming before us.

He held in his right hand a staff made of reddish-brown wood, with a yellow crystal the size of a baby's fist embedded at the top.

With a glance, Ingram understood and bent down, unwrapping the bandages wound around Jeff's injury.

In an instant, along with the pale bone stubs and glaring flesh revealed before everyone's eyes, a thick bloody smell permeated the air.

The priest's expression didn't change in the slightest. He simply raised the staff in his hand gently toward Jeff's severed leg.

Whooom—

Bright and gentle radiance rose luminously from the yellow crystal at the staff's tip.

Almost immediately effective, the flesh buds at Jeff's severed leg writhed and intertwined, the wound healing at a visible speed.

I stood to the side, my surface expression calm, but waves surged inwardly.

"Good heavens, this effect is way better than healing potions!"

My gaze unconsciously looked toward the gentle-expressioned middle-aged man ahead, inwardly speculating:

"A professional?"

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