Chapter 7: I am the target

The carriage drew closer, accompanied by the sound of copper bells, and came to a stop in front of the Sanctuary.

A brave and elegant female knight leapt down from the carriage and took out a step stool from underneath the frame.

A slender hand lifted the curtain of the carriage. Crimson eyes narrowed slightly, as if the sunlight was too harsh.

“Knight Hilda, thank you.”

As a Guardian Knight — a high-ranking knight above level 50 — Hilda wasn’t required to do such menial tasks. Outside the Sanctuary, she was also a well-known noble, and there would usually be people serving her.

But in front of the Saintess, Hilda remained humble and devout.

“To serve as your vanguard is the greatest wish of my life!”

She placed her right hand over her chest and bowed slightly — a perfect noble knight’s salute. When performed by this sharp and striking woman, it carried a unique kind of graceful beauty.

“You’re too modest,” Luo Li said.

She was about to step down, but Hilda suddenly blocked her.

“Please wait, Your Highness.”

“What is it?”

With Hilda’s personality, she wasn’t the type to stop her for no reason — especially since the step stool was already placed. So why was she still stopping her?

This carriage isn’t heading to kindergarten or anything!

“Your Highness, the red carpet hasn’t been laid yet.”

Hilda looked at Luo Li seriously, as if not laying down the red carpet would somehow desecrate this pure and holy girl.

Luo Li twitched her lips. Inwardly, she was already muttering curses.

Are they really treating her like a life-sized doll? Not even allowed to step on bare ground?

Looking at Hilda’s completely serious and solemn face, Luo Li opened her mouth, then sighed and decided to follow the formal process.

Soon, a long, bright red carpet was laid out between the Sanctuary and the Saintess’s carriage under the hurried footsteps of a group of nuns.

The vivid red carpet had clearly been carefully prepared — every thread perfectly in place.

Luo Li stepped on it lightly. She hadn’t been wearing shoes — not even inside the Sanctuary.

While in the carriage, under such tense conditions, she hadn’t noticed at all.

Only now, stepping out, did she realize she had been barefoot this whole time.

What is this?

Some kind of sick, twisted faith?

Or is the Sanctuary so poor that they can’t even afford shoes?

From the start, Luo Li had noticed the people outside the carriage were dressed in very simple clothing. Many wore

patched-up garments. Aside from the towering Sanctuary, the rest of the buildings were either run-down or falling apart

from age. It was clearly a very poor place.

Many of the citizens looked gaunt and malnourished. Glorious City… didn’t look glorious at all.

Maybe it had been glorious once — but now, it was clearly in decline.

She glanced around the courtyard. This was the Sanctuary’s compound. All around were statues of winged angels. Not far

from the Sanctuary’s gate, a large crowd of believers knelt as they gazed at the Saintess’s carriage. Their hands were

clasped in prayer at their chests, eyes shut, murmuring silent words.

They were all brainwashed by the Holy Church.

That was Luo Li’s first thought.

But… isn’t that a good thing?

It’s better to have faith than to have none.

Luo Li didn’t know about others, but her healing magic was truly miraculous.

No matter what kind of injury — if it was within her ability to heal — it would fully recover.

Just like when Adam’s heart was crushed.

With healing like this, it could only be called a “divine miracle.” It was no surprise that ordinary people placed their faith in the Holy Church.

She walked down from the carriage. Her bare feet touched the soft, thick carpet — about a finger’s width. It felt like

stepping on clouds — soft, with no discomfort at all.

She walked all the way back into the grand hall of the Sanctuary. Looking up, the statue of the six-winged angel — the

Moon Angel Sariel — stood silently at the center of the hall. The statue was nearly seven or eight meters tall, almost

reaching the ceiling.

The nuns all knelt on one knee, welcoming the Saintess of Glorious City, which belonged to the Moon Kingdom.

The knights guarding the Sanctuary also followed suit, kneeling on one knee.

That was the rule of the Holy Church — in front of the Saintess, everyone below the rank of Chastity Knight must kneel on one knee. Only Chastity Knights and those above were exempt, as a sign of respect toward God.

Moreover, the knights stationed here were Royal Guards. Though their titles matched regular knights, their duties were different.

From this, it was clear: in this world, level 30 was a clear dividing line.

And the next divide was level 60.

In all of Glorious City — no, in the entire Moon Kingdom — there was only one level 60 Heaven’s Punishment Knight.

And as for the highest-ranking, level 70 Holy Knight — that title only existed in the Holy Church Nation’s Sacred City.

Among all of humanity, there was only one Holy Knight.

As for the Saintess — at least for now — she herself didn’t know much.

A year ago, the original Luo Li had been innocent and completely ignorant of the world. She had wholeheartedly believed in and served God.

Even when she was appointed as the Saintess, she still didn’t understand much. At the same time, the Pope of the Holy Church Nation had sent Martha — the nun who had been a demon spy from the very beginning.

Once Martha arrived in Glorious City, she took control of everything.

Even the nuns around Luo Li had basically only followed Martha’s orders.

Luo Li returned to the hall. Beneath the statue was a massive bed, entirely forged from pure gold.

Normally, the Saintess would remain here. Sometimes, she would even sleep there.

Seeing this, Luo Li couldn’t help but feel a headache.

Does the Holy Church really just treat her like a display?

Isn’t this the treatment of a mascot?

But no matter how she thought about it, something just felt off.

She walked to the golden bed, then sat down. Two nuns stood behind her holding her gown. As she turned, they quickly moved behind her and laid her long train out across the bed. Then they stepped back respectfully and stood on either side.

They looked ready to assist her at any moment.

Throughout the entire process, Hilda said nothing, silently watching with a stern expression.

Only after Luo Li sat down did Hilda finally speak:

“Saintess, based on my judgment, this demonic invasion is deeply connected to Sister Martha… no, to the demon.”

Luo Li shook her head.

“It’s not just a connection — she’s the main culprit.”

Hilda’s eyes widened in shock as she looked at the girl who, for the past year, had never shown even the slightest intelligence. If she didn’t know the Saintess couldn’t be possessed or replaced, she might’ve suspected this wasn’t the real Saintess at all!

How could the pure Saintess think of something like that?

Luo Li didn’t notice Hilda’s expression. She simply lowered her head in thought, then voiced her conclusion.

“Her target… is me?”