The memorial service ended quickly.

The formal farewell for that saintess candidate will be arranged after all subsequent matters in Canterwell have been dealt with.

At that time, she will, bearing the glory of opposing the dark god, return with honor to the goddess’s embrace, amidst the golden orchids she loves.

For now, everyone knows full well that something even more important is about to take place.

...

The church was solemn and austere; the goddess’s light still shone mercifully upon all.

The saintess lowered her eyes amid the radiance, her gaze gently resting on each person.

After a journey to The Lost Land that was both brief and interminable, everyone here had been changed, more or less.

These changes came either from a transformation of mindset or from an increase in strength.

But all of it was a firm step taken by these saintess candidates toward that position.

Unfortunately, no matter what, only one can ascend to that position.

“I won’t say any more pretentious words; you’re probably past the age of listening to me ramble.”

Facing two expectant faces, one disappointed face, and one pretty face that had completely given up, the saintess’s lips curved as she spoke softly:

“The so-called Sanctification Ritual is both a rite of metamorphosis and a trial of qualification. You have grown and gained within it. Now, under the goddess’s gaze, please present the fruits of your efforts.”

Except for a certain complete slacker who gave up halfway, three crystals slowly rose in the center of the church.

Two were shrouded in crystalline radiance.

The other was saturated with pitch-black filth.

The saintess’s gaze swept over the two resplendent crystals, then quickly reflected the one and only sullied crystal.

Her eyes flickered slightly; her gaze lingered for a long time, as if to see through that profound darkness.

Lea lowered her head impishly, her little head almost buried in the magnificence of her chest.

She didn’t quite dare look at the saintess’s expression.

Though she did not regret her choice—she had made it in accordance with the teachings of her saintess teacher—

yet from the church’s perspective, and from her saintess teacher’s perspective, that act of laying down her own duty was indeed somewhat selfish.

So she had completely given up hope; the reason she was still here was only to put a period at the end of her ten years.

“You okay?”

Beside her, Moen scratched Lea’s palm with his finger.

With the saintess right there watching, he didn’t dare go too far, and could only sneak in this kind of furtive affection.

“I’m fine.”

Lea shook her head lightly, wearing that same adorable, charming smile as always.

“I’m alright.”

“Is that so...”

The words of comfort on Moen’s lips were swallowed back again; the girl at this moment no longer needed those weak words.

She was very strong.

So, just watching was enough.

Moen’s attention returned to the saintess. Margarita’s and Anne’s crystals were equally brilliant, so he was very curious about the result.

Tap...

Under several tense gazes, the saintess finally moved.

The long hem that flowed over her insteps rose and fell with her steps, just like the suddenly quickened heartbeats of everyone here.

And likely not only here: outside, in the Holy City, even across the entire continent, the faithful who knew a new saintess would be born this night were already sleepless, awaiting the birth of the result.

As if waiting for a new sun to rise.

“So beautiful... It must have been hard, right?”

The saintess came before Anne and softly praised her crystal.

In an instant, everyone saw this loli girl crane her swan-like neck, square her unruffled chest, and rise up on tiptoes as high as she could.

“Not hard at all—done easy-peasy!”

The arrogant, cocky lolicon became even more cocky.

If not for her insufficient height, she would probably be casting a lofty gaze right now, looking down on everyone with smug satisfaction.

She gazed ardently at the approaching saintess, thinking that the wish she had held for so long could finally be fulfilled!

As long as, in the capacity of a saintess, she led the trend, then being small would also be very cute!

Anne waited, she waited for that moment to arrive!

But...

The saintess did not announce the result then; she only voiced her admiration.

Nothing more.

She gently hugged Anne, but her steps did not stop; she ultimately passed by the proud lolicon whose toes were trembling from standing on tiptoe too long... and came to stand before Margarita.

Margarita was stunned for a moment, then the corners of her mouth lifted. Out of the corner of her eye she glanced at Anne, whose expression had frozen and whose whole person seemed petrified.

Looks like the winner is still me in the end... Don’t worry, I’ll carry your legacy forward along the way.

Compared to the cocky lolicon, Princess Margarita was far more reserved; she suppressed her inner excitement, though the joy in her eyes still showed despite herself.

“Yours is just as beautiful—like your heart, pure and unblemished, bright as a sky of stars.”

The saintess likewise praised her sincerely.

But as she heard this praise, Margarita’s mouth froze instantly.

This was almost the exact same scene...

Sure enough.

The saintess gently drew her into an embrace—only praise.

And then, without lingering, she passed by her as well.

“Eh?”

Anne and Margarita both cried out in bafflement at the same time.

For now, the suitable candidates for saintess were only the two of them. If it wasn’t them, then...

The two turned back in a daze, and saw the saintess, with lotus-light steps, come to... stand before Moen.

“Huh?”

“Mm?”

“What?”

Several startled exclamations rang out; even a certain salted-fish Faye who was only here to watch the fun sprang up from her seat in shock.

Lea fell into a stupor, her brain overloaded.

“What the hell?”

And seeing the saintess before him with a half-smile, Moen’s eyelids began to twitch uncontrollably as well.

Wait.

Your Highness Saintess, you aren’t... choosing me, are you.

       What kind of joke is that!

Even if he was handsomely rakish, even if cross-dressing would certainly make him stunningly beautiful, a male saintess...

In Moen’s mind flashed an image of himself in a white long dress, veiled in white gauze, seated cross-legged in a hazy palanquin, passing through the Holy City to receive the worship of countless devout believers...

He might even have to imitate the present saintess—graceful, holy, bashful yet demure... No, absolutely not!

Absolutely impossible!

Moen set his face, indicating he would not easily bow to the church’s overbearing might!

“You really are interesting, MoenCampbell.”

Luckily, the saintess did not suddenly issue any shocking and brazen pronouncement.

That meaningful gaze of hers lingered on Moen only for a short time; rather than scrutinizing a future saintess, it was more like taking a closer look at what pig had such gall as to root in the church’s cabbage patch.

Soon after, she turned her head and looked gently at the last saintess candidate, Lea.

“And you, little Lea.”

The saintess let out a soft sigh and said with feeling:

“You too always manage to do things even I, as your teacher, did not anticipate.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Lift your head; I’m not scolding you.”

The saintess extended a soft palm, gently lifting Lea’s little head, and met her gaze tenderly.

In that moment, Lea suddenly realized that the depths of her saintess teacher’s eyes held more than gentleness.

There was a sighing sense of wonder.

There was wistfulness.

There were tangled thoughts.

And moreover, a certain sense of release, and relief.

“Saintess Teacher...?”

As if she had read that complex look, Lea’s voice suddenly trembled.

“Honestly, I never thought there would be such a scene, because in my view, the kind and immaculate you would find it very hard to come this far.”

The saintess stroked Lea’s little face and said:

“Surprised?”

“...Mm.”

Lea nodded, still thoroughly at a loss:

“My crystal...”

“Yes. Your crystal has been tainted and is no longer resplendent. And a girl who has already taken on sin has no right to become a saintess... That’s what you think, isn’t it?”

“...Is that not right?”

“Do you think it’s right?”

The saintess blinked and asked back. In the final moments of playing this role, she finally revealed a hint of playfulness no longer quite so elegant:

“Have I ever said so? Is there such a record in the church’s holy scripture? Quite the opposite, Lea. How could a girl who lacks even the courage to step into the darkness and be stained with filth become a saintess? A saintess’s duty is to lead countless believers forward, but the path ahead is always dark—so one needs a light brighter than anyone.”

“A bright light, but I...”

Lea was even more bewildered. A bright light? But even her crystal was so dim.

“Do you still not understand? The one choosing you is not me.”

The saintess suddenly reached out and took Lea’s crystal.

The crystal entwined by filth only flickered with a faint light like a candle’s glow; it was far inferior to the brilliance of Margarita’s and Anne’s.

Yet it was still shining.

Stubbornly, shining.

The saintess suddenly applied force, and the crystal shattered with a sound.

Freed from its bonds, the taint dispersed, and from those spreading fissures of darkness what blossomed forth... was light.

Dazzling light.

Brighter than Margarita’s, brighter than Anne’s.

Brighter than anyone’s.

It comes from those monsters, from the prisoners, from the many whom Lea saved.

More so, from Lea’s heart.

That light is not absent; it is merely shrouded in darkness.

Yet even when it exists within the darkness, people can still see that flickering glimmer.

What of bearing countless sins? That light has never been polluted by filth and darkness.

“Tsk.”

Gazing at that utterly dazzling light, Anne pouted and, peevishly, turned her head forcefully away.

Margarita, however, forcibly turned her head back, and exclaimed in admiration:

“How amazing...”

...

“So, LeaAngel, I will ask you once more, that original question.”

Within the light that belongs to Lea, the saintess gazed into Lea’s eyes and asked solemnly:

“Even after witnessing the deepest darkness of this world, even while dwelling amid heavy sin and filth, will you still... remain kind?”

“I will.”

Thus the girl answered.

Without any hesitation, because this answer had long since been engraved deep within her heart.

“Very good.”

The saintess broke into a smile and patted her shoulder:

“Then turn and look, and go receive what belongs to you.”

The great doors of the church burst open with a roar.

Light from the entire world surged in, overbearing, and in an instant drowned the entire church.

Outside it was already daytime; that colossal statue of the goddess, at the highest point of the whole Holy City, looked down upon everything in the world.

The sun was rising, and in the bright morning light, the Pope stood solemnly.

Lea saw many silhouettes behind the Pope, yet she could not make out a single person clearly.

Suddenly her legs felt weak; she knew what she should do now, and she knew that what she had pursued for ten years was within easy reach.

But at this moment, she instead felt anxious and uncertain; this dreamlike scene appearing before her eyes—does it mean...

“Go forward, my saintess, Your Highness.”

And then, that familiar, mellow, warm voice sounded at her side.

Lea blankly turned her head and saw that handsome figure who seemed as though he would forever stay by her side, still smiling as he watched her:

“You should stand in the light.”

The words seemed familiar; Lea was momentarily dazed.

But this time, she needed no one to push her; courage had already returned to that heart that had been filled to the brim.

Lea no longer hesitated; she drew a captivating smile, straightened her back, and strode forward with resolve.

Into the gaze of countless people.

The Pope gave Moen an indifferent glance, then withdrew his gaze, lifted the crystalline, translucent crown in his hands, and solemnly placed it upon Lea’s head.

“By the goddess’s command.”

“Lea·Angel, thou... shalt be the saintess.”

A holy rain of light fell from the heavens, like the blessing of the goddess.

Countless believers, facing their new saintess, from near to far, knelt like a surging tide.