21: Chapter 21: Chief Priest of the Civic Cathedral in Gino! 91 points!

Stepping out of the quiet room, the light in the castle corridor was slightly dim.

Rowan had just reached the corner of the stairs.

A flurry of slightly hurried footsteps approached.

Butler Henry appeared at the other end of the corridor, holding a letter and walking over in a hurry.

"My Lord. A letter from Count Farrell." Butler Henry approached and handed over the item in his hand.

Rowan felt a bit surprised; he wasn't exactly close with this Count Farrell, so why was there another letter?

He took the envelope.

It had a nice texture, made of thick parchment.

Butler Henry bowed his head slightly and took a half-step back.

Rowan stroked the gold-rimmed wax seal on the flap with his thumb.

Then, he pressed down with his fingertips.

"Click."

With a soft sound, the seal broke.

He pulled out the letter.

The letter carried the elegant scent of irises, and the text was written in courtly script.

To Baron Rowan of White Cliff Territory:

In view of the rampant Crimson Knights in the northern Will Province, which have already caused the deaths of seven nobles, the Imperial Church of Dawn, upholding the mercy of the Goddess of Dawn, has specifically dispatched the newly appointed Cardinal Cole Randall and accompanying clergy to take charge of the Dawn Cathedral in Gino City.

To demonstrate the unity of the northern nobles of Gino County, and also to welcome the protection of the Dawn, a Holy Welcoming Ball will be held at the Earl Farrells Estate in Gino City on the night of the full moon, May 15th.

It is hoped that all nobles in the county will attend.

Earl Farrells Estate.

Rowan carefully examined the contents of the letter.

"The Church finally couldn't sit still." He muttered to himself.

During these days, many refugees had come to White Cliff Territory, and he knew something of the chaos outside.

Three days later.

Rowan arrived at Gino City once again; it hadn't been long since he last attended the Flower Crown Month Ball.

The city was under tighter security than usual; there were more patrol guards wearing the holy emblem of the Dawn on the streets, shops closed early, and only the faint sound of conversation drifted from the taverns.

Come to think of it, the security in Gino County seemed to have deteriorated ever since the Crimson Knights attacked Golden Flame Manor last time.

He arrived at the venue of the ball.

The hall was already filled with graceful figures.

The crystal chandelier refracted the magical lighting, making the gilded reliefs dazzle. A string orchestra played lively court dance music from the gallery on the second floor.

Just as Rowan stepped into the hall, before his eyes could adjust to the brilliance, a scent of jasmine wrapped around him.

"You're late, Rowan."

Lady Lillian, who had been watching the entrance of the hall, naturally hooked her arm into his.

She was wearing a deep violet off-the-shoulder satin gown today, with silver embroidery winding from her waist to the hem.

Rowan's succubus instincts kicked in immediately. He smiled gently, took the golden wine offered by a waiter, and clinked glasses with her:

"Lillian, you look breathtaking today, like snow kissed by moonlight."

Upon hearing this, Lady Lillian chuckled, her fingernails grazing his palm almost imperceptibly: "You, you only know how to say these lies that make people's hearts race."

"I heard White Cliff Territory is very peaceful lately? How fortunate, but you must be more careful recently."

"My cousin to the west, Baron Reyna, was killed last week when the detestable Crimson Knights broke into his territory. He was a powerful Official Knight."

"Now my cousin's son only dares to sell his territory and hide in the county city, becoming a pitiful landless noble. It's truly tragic."

The two of them walked slowly through the crowd with their wine glasses.

Rowan listened, his gaze habitually sweeping across the hall, checking the system ratings of the ladies attending the ball.

Unfortunately, there were no surprises.

Just as Lillian leaned close to his ear, telling him an anecdote about a certain Viscountess and a young knight.

The master of ceremonies at the hall entrance suddenly struck his silver staff.

The people from the Church of Dawn had arrived?!

The music in the hall stopped abruptly.

All conversations, toasts, and laughter seemed to have been pressed on pause, ceasing all at once.

Everyone looked toward the entrance of the hall.

The first to step in was an old man in red robes.

This newly appointed cardinal looked to be about sixty years old.

His white hair was combed meticulously, and a pair of steel-gray eyes were embedded in his deep eye sockets. When his gaze swept across the hall, it was like frost on a winter morning.

He held a scepter embedded with sun-wheel gems, and every step he took was as steady as a mountain.

Following closely behind was a middle-aged priest.

His figure was thin, his face gentle, his hands clasped in front of him, with a humble curve at the corners of his mouth.

But Rowan's breathing stalled slightly the moment the third person appeared.

It was a young priestess.

She walked half a step behind the cardinal, dressed in the pure white vestments of a Chief Priestess of the Church of Dawn, with fine light patterns embroidered in gold thread on the cuffs and collar.

The robe was not revealing, even arguably solemn, but the silk clung to her figure, outlining smooth curves.

Her hood rested gently on her shoulders, revealing a rare head of silver-white long hair.

It was not the paleness of aging, but like a waterfall woven from moonlight, tied at the back of her head with a simple vine twig.

And her face...

Her skin was like the finest mutton-fat jade of the North, her nose bridge was straight, her lips beautifully shaped, and her jawline clean and sharp.

Her pupils were a very pale ice blue, almost transparent. When her gaze looked calmly ahead, it seemed as if she could pierce through the noisy hall at a glance and see a world invisible to mortals.

Rowan felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up slightly.

But his shock was not because of her stunning beauty.

Instead, in Rowan's field of vision, a translucent pale gold panel appeared silently, [91].

System rating, ninety-one points.

Rowan's fingertips tightened slightly.

"That is Aria Windsor." Lady Lillian's voice pulled him back to reality; there was a subtle, unnoticeable nuance in her tone.

"A priestess transferred from the Imperial Cathedral... I heard she spent three years in the Inquisition of the Church."

"A great beauty, isn't she?"

"Look at her demeanor when she walks, how elegant."

Rowan did not answer.

He saw Aria Windsor's gaze sweep across the entire venue almost imperceptibly.

The ice-blue eyes seemed to linger on a certain spot for a brief moment, then moved away calmly.

The cardinal at the very front had now walked to the high platform at the front of the hall.

Count Farrell stepped forward to pay his respects, then retreated to the side.

The Cardinal began to speak.

His voice was deep and magnetic, spreading to every corner without needing to be raised:

"In the name of the Goddess of Dawn, we have come to this land troubled by the fallen."

"The atrocities of the Crimson Knights have been seen by the Goddess."

"From today on, the Dawn Cathedral of Gino County will protect all the devout and judge all the faithless..."

Father Royse's speech was brief and gentle, calling for unity and prayer.

When it was Aria Windsor's turn, she stepped forward.

The hall became even quieter.

"I am Aria Windsor, and I will be assuming the position of Chief Priestess of the Dawn Cathedral in Gino County."

Her voice was clear and cold, like water flowing through a mountain stream:

"If you have any clues regarding the Crimson Knights, you may go to the confessional of the Cathedral."

"If you have a soul in need of comfort, you may also seek me for prayer. The Goddess listens to the whispers of every soul, whether it is wrapped in silk or locked in chains."

As the last sentence fell, her ice-blue eyes swept over a certain location imperceptibly.

The brief speech ended.

The Church party left as they had arrived, leaving the full hall of whispers to boil over again.

"Judge all the faithless..." Lady Lillian gave a light hum, finishing the remaining wine in her cup:

"Do you guess the faithless include those devout lords who privately traffic refugees like livestock?"

Rowan was noncommittal.

The ball ended.

Walking out of the hall, Lady Lillian's hand slipped into his palm:

"I have an estate in the west of the city, with mead newly shipped from the South. Accompany me for a drink, will you? Rowan."

Her eyes rippled under the candlelight.

Rowan did not refuse. He smiled, took her hand, and left a kiss on the smooth back of her hand: "My pleasure, my lady."

Lady Lillian's estate was a three-story white stone building, hidden deep in the maple forest in the west of the city.

The decoration of the third-floor master bedroom was luxurious, and the expensive wool carpet swallowed the sound of footsteps.

Lady Lillian dismissed all the servants and personally poured two glasses of amber mead...

On the thick carpet, her fingernails dug into his back.

Rowan responded skillfully, teasing, observing every subtle emotional change on her face.

Those suppressed gasps and dazed eyes were all necessary steps to convert into attribute points on the system panel...

Late at night, Lady Lillian fell into a deep sleep in the messy silk sheets, her cheeks still flushed.

Rowan got up quietly and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

The night-blooming jasmine in the estate garden was in full bloom, and its sweet, cloying fragrance seeped into the room.

He looked back at the bed.

Lady Lillian's smooth back looked like a piece of warm jade under the moonlight, rising and falling gently with her breathing.

Outside the window, the divine light of the steeple of the Dawn Cathedral in the center of Gino City was clearly visible under the moonlight.

A Chief Priestess with a ninety-one-point rating had just moved in there.

Perhaps, he should also acquire a property in Gino City... it would be more convenient to pray to the Goddess, wouldn't it?

A trace of blurred red light flashed in Rowan's eyes.