Chapter 8 : The Templar Knight

Early the next morning, when Veronica awoke, news of the beast tide invasion was already spreading like wildfire throughout the Verald domain.

Although she didn’t know what terms Count Verald and Bishop Fletcher had agreed upon last night, judging from the Count’s actions today, the two must have reached some sort of consensus.

Veronica had just finished reading the Verald Morning Post that lay on her table.

The headline announced that Count Verald had reached a cooperative agreement with Bishop Fletcher of the Church of Radiant Light to jointly resist the beast tide.

Count Verald would provide funding to support the Church of Radiant Light’s daily activities in the Verald domain.

In return, Bishop Fletcher would dispatch the Church’s armed forces to fight alongside Count Verald against the beast tide invasion.

“Well, well, it looks like Fletcher went all in this time.

For him to make such a big bet, Count Verald must have promised him something more than just money.”

Seeing the Church forces listed in the newspaper, Veronica couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

Twelve hundred Church knights, one hundred high-ranking priests, and fifty paladins—this was almost the largest armed force a regional bishop could freely mobilize.

In addition to that, Bishop Fletcher had somehow managed to secure a Templar Knight.

Templar Knights were the highest publicly known military force of the Church of Radiant Light, typically taking direct orders only from high-ranking Church officials at the level of Archbishop or above.

There were no more than a hundred Templar Knights in the entire Church of Radiant Light, and each one was a powerhouse who had reached the Hero rank.

The top few Templar Knights had even reached the Saint rank, individuals who could stand on equal footing with Archbishops and other high-ranking Church officials.

“For Fletcher, a regional bishop, to be able to summon a Templar Knight, that old guy’s connections must run deep.

I wonder which one is coming. I should go and find out.”

The original owner of this body had no interest in the Church’s hierarchy.

This was all knowledge he had to cram after being reincarnated as Veronica.

He never expected that the knowledge he had just crammed would be useful so soon.

If he hadn’t known about the Templar Knights, Veronica would have likely mistaken them for ordinary paladins, thus missing the opportunity to befriend this powerful asset.

“Serra, get ready.

I’m going to the church library in a moment.”

“Of course, Your Holiness.

Will you be having your hair styled the same as usual today?”

“Yes, the same as usual.”

Veronica sat down naturally in front of the vanity mirror, allowing the maid Serra to style her hair.

Her waist-length, pale golden hair was skillfully braided by Serra into a fishtail braid.

This hairstyle not only didn’t interfere with Veronica’s daily activities but also maintained the Saintess’s sacred image.

For someone who had lived as a man for over thirty years in his past life, tying a simple ponytail was the limit of Veronica’s hairstyling abilities.

Therefore, after experiencing Serra’s attentive service, Veronica had gradually accepted and grown accustomed to Serra’s skills.

It was just that she was still not used to women’s clothing, unable to overcome the mental inertia of her former male self.

The simple white long dress that Veronica had been wearing since her reincarnation was the most modest and reassuring piece of clothing in the Saintess’s wardrobe.

This change in dressing habits would surely not escape the notice of the maid who was in close contact with the Saintess every day.

However, from Serra’s attitude, it seemed she had no intention of telling Bishop Fletcher.

Since that was the case, Veronica saw no need to put on an act in front of her.

After preparing to go out, Veronica took Serra to the church library.

The somewhat lazy guards at the entrance immediately stood up straight and greeted Veronica upon seeing that it was the Saintess.

After a brief acknowledgment, Veronica walked straight into the depths of the library.

The books on the shelves here were not accessible to ordinary believers, but Veronica’s status as the Saintess gave her unrestricted access.

The depths of the church library were deserted today; clearly, the important figures of the Verald Diocese were all discussing the beast tide invasion.

Bishop Fletcher, of course, would not have included Veronica in such matters, but she was happy to be left alone.

Soon, Veronica found the book she was looking for on the shelf.

It was a hardcover edition of The Record of the Templar Knights.

The golden cross insignia, symbolizing the Church, was stamped in gold foil on the cover.

An exquisite lock and chain sealed the Church’s secrets, which could only be read after verifying one’s identity by infusing it with radiant power.

The Record of the Templar Knights listed a total of 93 currently serving Templar Knights, five of whom had reached the Saint rank.

Below each Templar Knight’s name was their title, personally bestowed by the Pope.

This title was not only a great honor but, being recognized by the Goddess, it also enhanced the Templar Knight’s own abilities.

In addition, The Record of the Templar Knights also recorded the major deeds of the Templar Knights and the time of their enfeoffment.

Most of the current Saint-rank Templar Knights had been enfeoffed three hundred years ago.

The most recently enfeoffed had become a Templar Knight during the Demon Purge War twenty years ago, which meant that the Church of Radiant Light had not had a new Templar Knight for a full twenty years.

Since Veronica didn’t know which Templar Knight Bishop Fletcher had summoned this time, and this Record of the Templar Knights could not be checked out, she had no choice but to memorize the information of all 93 current Templar Knights.

Thanks to the photographic memory he had in his past life, Veronica spent less than half a day memorizing all the information about the current Templar Knights in The Record of the Templar Knights.

Having done this, Veronica rubbed her head, closed the book, and returned it to its original place.

In the outer area of the church library, Veronica discovered the maid Serra engrossed in a storybook.

The usually alert maid only noticed the Saintess when Veronica was almost upon her.

Watching Serra hastily close the storybook, Veronica couldn’t help but smile.

Discovering this unexpected side of the maid was a surprise to Veronica.

Perhaps the maid Serra was not as cold as she appeared.

“Your Holiness, are you finished with your business? Would you like to return to your room to rest now?”

Seeing that Veronica did not respond, Serra placed the storybook back on the shelf and quietly awaited the Saintess’s instructions.

“Yes, I’m finished with my business.

But before we go back to rest, there’s one more thing to do.”

Under Serra’s puzzled gaze, Veronica pulled the Heroic Saga of Nagar that the maid had just put back from the shelf.

“This book looks quite interesting.

Would you be willing to share the story of Nagar with me?”

Hearing the Saintess’s words, Serra nodded happily, “It would be my pleasure, Your Holiness.”