Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 526 The Study of Humanity
Mindis Hall, afternoon, the Duke's study.

"You don't know why you're here, do you?"

Upon hearing the question, Thales in the study looked up, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

It was an elderly woman who sat across from me in a friendly manner. Her face was weathered, but her demeanor was elegant. The nun who attended to her was no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing a veil and standing with a solemn posture.

The sunset emblems on their robes reflected a dark gold light, which surprisingly suited the interior style of the Mindis Hall, which combined classic and modern elements.

The only thing that was amiss was that Gilbert was sitting on the other side of the room, staring at Thales's guest with an unfriendly expression.

Just moments before, after Marius led the teacher sent by the Temple of the Setting Sun into his study with a blank expression, Gilbert hurriedly arrived, his eyes filled with surprise and wariness as he looked at the old woman.

“I know, this is a theology class.”

Thales gave Gilbert an inquiring look, tentatively addressing the woman before him by her title:
"Meghan... a ritual?"

The old woman, Megan, shook her head, still smiling.

"No, you don't."

Megan smiled and pointed to the top of her head, her smile friendly but her eyes respectful.

“You may think that you are here only because of the arrangement of the course and the need of tradition, but in fact, whether you are sitting here or I am here, it is God’s will.”

The priestess's voice carried a unique sense of mystery.

God's will?

Out of politeness, Thales forced a smile.

Alright alright.

For days, the boy had been curious about what his theology teacher would be like, since he had very few direct contact with clergy members since childhood: the Night Servant he had encountered during his beggar days was overly enthusiastic and neurotic, the Sunset Monk was compassionate and devout with a strong aura, while the Moon Priests of the North were aloof and unapproachable, keeping people at arm's length.

But now it seems... there were no surprises in the prince's theology class either.

Thales sighed softly to himself.

The sacrificial rites continued:

"The setting sun bears witness that our destinies have long been intertwined in the darkness."

After saying this, Megan's face turned pale, and she lowered her head and coughed violently into her handkerchief.

“Nia…” Megan looked pained.

Thales was slightly startled, but the young nun standing behind the priest seemed to have been prepared. With a calm expression, she immediately and skillfully took out a box, took out a few pills, and served them to the older Megan with water to soothe her cough.

Thales and Gilbert exchanged a glance.

Megan's cough subsided after about ten seconds.

"I'm sorry, the sunset made me endure the test of illness in order to cleanse myself and become a better version of myself."

She put away her handkerchief and said apologetically to Thales:
"This was originally a gift of the goddess's mercy, which is perfectly justifiable, but it has caused you to suffer along with her."

The Goddess's merciful grace?
Thales could only smile politely and shake his head to indicate that it was alright.

"As long as you are healthy..."

But before the Duke could say more, Megan, who had fully recovered from her cough, closed her eyes, gratefully stretched out her fingers, and made several quick, almost indistinct prayers while muttering something under her breath.

"My caution is known even to the setting sun."

Even the young nuns wearing veils hurriedly put away their medicine boxes and followed suit with prayers, looking very devout.

God stick.

Feeling embarrassed at being silenced, Thales quietly gave this assessment.

Thales glanced at Gilbert in the distance with a sense of sympathy, hoping to gain some recognition from him, but Gilbert just stared solemnly at the old priestess who had come to give the lecture.

This is rare.

After Megan finished her prayer, she noticed Thales's gaze and turned to look at Gilbert.

"Aren't you planning to leave, Count Cassel?"

The older priest had a smile on his face and spoke in a gentle tone; an outsider might have thought the two were longtime friends.

Until Gilbert gave a soft hum.

“Based on previous communications with the church,” Count Cassel replied rather bluntly:

"The prince's teacher should be Vicar Stilliardes of the Missionary Division. He is a friend of mine for many years. He is very knowledgeable and has a sincere faith. He is very suitable to enlighten students."

Meghan understood the implication and was not offended.
"But it was me who came?"

Gilbert squinted:

"As far as I know, within the Temple of the Setting Sun, the priesthood and missionary departments are not subordinate to each other: the high priest leads the former, receiving divine pronouncements and listening to divine will, while the archbishop leads the latter, handling secular affairs and managing the church."

Gilbert's tone was rather impolite, causing Thales to frown as well:
"Since when did the Holy High Priestess Li Xiya become interested in the secular affairs of the Mission, such as teaching nobles? Does Archbishop Zenon know about this within your church?"

Are the departments of ritual and missionary work independent of each other?

Thales suddenly realized that being a servant of God, the Temple of the Setting Sun was not as simple as it seemed.

However, Meghan remained smiling and softly uttered a few words:
"Your Majesty is aware."

At that moment, Gilbert and Thales' expressions changed simultaneously.

The priestess, Megan, maintained a smile that was hard to decipher—whether polite or pious—and flicked her fingers in a prayer gesture:

"The meaning of the sunset has always been mysterious; it may seem unexpected at first glance, but upon closer examination, it always makes sense."

"I hope you don't mind, Earl."

The nuns behind her quickly followed suit with the prayer, keeping in sync with the priest.

Gilbert twitched his lips, as if he was very uncomfortable with being humiliated like this.

The former foreign minister pursed his lips for a few seconds, then said sullenly:

“I will consult the Palace of Rejuvenation, and perhaps offer my suggestions as well.”

Meghan gave a "welcome" or "go ahead" smile.

Thales frowned as well.

Gilbert snorted, but showed no intention of leaving.
"Then I think the forgiving goddess of the setting sun would not mind if I temporarily audited Her Highness's lesson and shared in her divine grace?"

"Liv Megan's Ritual?"

Megan, the priestess, merely smiled wryly, offering neither comment nor affirmation.

She paused only briefly before ignoring Gilbert and turning to face Thales behind the desk.

“So, regarding the gods, Thales,” the elder priestess said gently:
How much do you know about it?

In that instant, Thales's memory jolted.

A long-lost, melodious voice echoed in his mind, taking him back to the past.

What comes to mind first when you think of deities?

Thales was momentarily dazed.

"Yes, Your Highness, Prince Thales."

Gilbert's hostile and disgruntled protest brought Thales back to reality, where Count Cassel spoke unhappily to Priest Megan:
Please use honorifics.

Megan smiled dismissively: "Of course."

But the priestess's eyes were fixed on Thales, waiting for his reply.

Regarding God...

The boy swallowed hard, making sure he wasn't in a card room in Longxiao City, before reluctantly saying:
"Um, a long, long, long time ago, there was a person named—there was a god named 'Ming God'."

Megan remained expressionless and waited quietly for him to continue.

Thales tried hard to recall the common sense he had acquired over the past six years, whether it came from the little rascal's enthusiastic nagging or the dry classical texts in the "Ming Dynasty Imperial Edict":
"The Supreme God created the world: with a bang, heaven and earth separated, the Sun River and the Hell River faced each other from afar, and in the gap between them, all living things gradually took shape."

But as his attention was diverted by memories, the prince's tone became increasingly casual:
"Then, then the Bright God went off duty—I mean, rested—and the earliest gods began to take over. I think the ones I remember are the Bright Moon, the Dark Night, the Mountains, the Shepherd of the Sea, the Desert God, the Harvest God, and the Desolate Wind..."

Thales scratched his head:
"Of course, the one with the most impressive background is 'Holy Sun' Errol. It is said that he is the sun itself, and can be considered the son of the bright god..."

Gilbert's heavy cough echoed through the room.

“It’s alright,” Surprisingly, Priestess Megan simply offered a gentle reassurance, showing no sign of being offended.
“A little bit of hearsay and humor will not affect our reverence for God.”

Thales, who had paused for a moment, then raised his eyebrows and secretly gave Gilbert a mischievous look:

"From that time on, the Holy Sun became the head of the gods, ruling over all the gods, acting as its protector, and blessing all things..."

"Our world will be named Errol..."

"Later, disaster struck, and after the final war, the 'Great Rift,' Errol, like his father, lost his job—cough cough—and had to rest. His daughter took over the responsibility, joining the other gods in watching over the world; she is the Goddess of the Setting Sun..."

Well, that's right.

Therefore, in Thales' view, when combined with world history, from the ancient empire's Church of the Bright Gods to the final empire's Church of the Holy Sun, and now to the Sunset Temple of the Star Kingdom, the classic myth of "Bright Gods-Holy Sun-Sunset" passed down through the imperial lineage in the world of Errol can be described as a tragic family business history inextricably linked to the empire's territory:

The first generation of geniuses worked hard to start their businesses and eventually became big shots.

The son of a god ruined his father's fortune and died prematurely.

The third generation of the gods struggled to survive and went bankrupt—cough cough, it seems I myself am the Prince of Stars—but revival is imminent.

Amidst the sorrow and grief of the collapsing building, there was a strange sense of inexplicable satisfaction.

Incidentally, after Thales summarized the above points, the priest of the Temple of the Moon, who was in charge of teaching history to Exter, looked displeased, while Regent Risban listened with great interest and nodded repeatedly.

Thales finished speaking in the tone of someone haggling at a market.

He smiled as he looked at Gilbert, whose expression was strange, and Megan, the priestess, who was lost in thought.

"You know quite a lot..."

The priestess Megan's gaze was calm, as if she were deep in thought.

"Thank you."

Thales shrugged.

"...but not entirely detailed," Megan said casually.

Of course, it's not entirely detailed.

In fact, most of these frightening myths and legends were told to him by a girl with glasses and a demon who could not die.

Well, perhaps we should also thank a certain former king of the North who collected a vast collection of books for his dragon queen, whose whereabouts are now unknown.

"So you believe in God, Thales?"

Meghan, the priestess, spoke again, her eyes shining brightly:

Do you believe that our meeting here is God's arrangement?

Thales raised an eyebrow and glanced at the former foreign minister.

This time, he gained the long-awaited sense of recognition from Gilbert's expression, and the latter even sighed without any attempt to hide it.

I know right?

But Thales was still a prince after all. No matter how boring the people he was facing in this class were, he had to maintain the relationship between the royal family and the temple on the surface and ensure that the two sides understood each other.

The prince cleared his throat, his expression returning to seriousness:

"Of course I believe in the goddess of the sunset..."

No, you don't believe me.

Megan interrupted him coldly.

The elderly priestess stared directly at him, her gaze piercing, the wrinkles on her face particularly striking at that moment:
“You neither believe in those absurd myths and legends, nor in certified church scriptures, nor do you believe that a deity like the setting sun should be our master and the object of our faith.”

Telston was taken aback.

Priestess Megan gave a soft hum, her eyes clear and her tone solemn:
"You'd rather believe this is politics, strategy, or struggle; you'd rather believe that our gathering here is a measure taken by the Sunset Church to influence the royal family and the future king."

"Just like Count Cassel over there, who has a disdainful look on his face but tries to put on a serious act."

In the distance, Gilbert, who had been sipping his tea with a slight smile, choked up.

what?
"You are just like the vast majority of people in this world who, because they hold a little power, have a slightly higher status, some knowledge, or have achieved some learning, are self-righteous, outwardly respectful, but inwardly disdainful..."

"Don't believe in God."

“Despise God.”

These words are too blunt and ruthless, leaving no room for negotiation.

Thales had to suppress his smile, and Gilbert put down his teacup.

Megan's tone was extremely cold, and even the nun behind her felt her aura, glancing nervously at the prince and count.

"Therefore, you will not understand what it is like to live in a world with a God, you will not understand what God and faith have brought to the world, and you will not understand how true believers live."

Megan, expressionless, looked at Thales again and met his gaze.

"You will never understand what you will discover if you approach the world of God and faith with piety."

For a moment, Thales felt a slight jolt, as if the other person was the master of this study.

He took a deep breath:

"I……"

"Then your world will forever be missing a part."

Meghan seemed unconcerned about the Duke's position and gave him no chance to speak:
"This is terrible."

She leaned forward, looking directly into Thales' eyes.

"Very bad."

It was as if it wanted to pierce through his pupils, go straight to his heart, and interrogate his soul.

"Very, very, very bad."

Her voice was low and her gaze was indifferent.

Thales' expression also darkened.

He sat behind his desk, silent for several seconds, before slowly pushing aside the copy of Acts of the Sunset, which he had specifically found for this class.

Gilbert tried to ease the unfriendly atmosphere, but before he could even cough, Thales spoke up.

"So, what are you going to do?"

The young Duke of Starlake met the Sunset Priestess's piercing gaze without flinching.
"What would you do if I didn't believe in God?"

Thales smiled and shrugged:

"Burn me to death?"

These words silenced the room.

Priestess Megan frowned and scrutinized Thales closely.

A few seconds passed.

Megan snorted coldly, her tone unfriendly:

"Yes."

This time it was Thales' turn to be taken aback.

What are you doing?
The young nun standing by tensed up. Having never seen such a scene before, she looked at the astonished Duke of Starlake with a hint of fear, as if she was afraid that he, in a fit of anger, would order her to "drag him out and kill him."

Gilbert's cough suddenly became high-pitched:

"Ahem, Your Highness, about today..."

But this time, Count Cassel's untimely but necessary interruption failed to work.

The priestess Megan smiled mysteriously, ignoring Gilbert for the third time, and added what she hadn't finished saying:

"...A long time ago, yes."

Upon hearing this, Thales's furrowed brows relaxed.

Please, don't gasp for breath when you speak. The priestess slowly leaned back in her chair, her tone softening once more:
"So, Thales, will burning you change your beliefs?"

"Will it make you believe in the existence of God, the glory of God, and the greatness of God?"

Gilbert, watching from a distance, breathed a sigh of relief; clearly, he had given up on correcting her form of address.

Thales blinked and forced a slight smile.

Priestess Megan smiled and picked up the teacup beside her:
"Then why should we burn you?"

Megan took a sip of tea:
"It should be understood that faith is not forged by fire, much less by slaughter."

The priestess spoke slowly, but without the previous aggressive tone:

“If I were to burn you just because you don’t believe in God, it would only increase your disgust and rebellion, solidify your stance and will, and would not help spread the faith, but would also go against God’s original intention.”

Megan put down her teacup and stared at him intently:
"What is born of fear will not be a steadfast faith, but only an endless hatred that will gradually accumulate and eventually erupt."

"Believe me, history has already proven this."

Megan glanced, seemingly casually, at Gilbert, who was also frowning, and said indifferently.
"On the contrary, the hardships of reality often lead to spiritual sublimation—many great prophets and messengers of God throughout the ages have awakened to the truth of faith amidst persecution and suffering, allowing the true meaning of faith to take root among the people and spread more widely."

Thales looked at the Sunset Priestess before him with considerable surprise.

This attitude...

They don't seem like the church people I'm used to.
Megan turned around and smiled slightly:
"So, Your Highness the Duke."

This was the first time she had used an honorific.

Coupled with her softened tone and more friendly manner, Thales realized that, in any case, his preconceived notions about priestesses were gradually disappearing.

Meghan solemnly said:
"Only evil gods and demons, only arrogant mortals, are keen to promote bloodshed and violence, enjoy killing and destruction, rely on oppression and power to seize power and eliminate dissidents, take victory by relying on it, and be proud of it."

Thales sat up straight without realizing it.

"However, the true gods—like our goddess of the setting sun—encompass all things, forgive all, and show mercy and forgiveness, help and guidance to the lost sheep, even to those with different beliefs and faiths."

"This is the true meaning of faith—salvation."

Megan smiled slightly after finishing her eulogy:
"So put down your hostility, Thales, open your heart, and become a tolerant person instead of a skeptic."

"Because that's how God treats you too."

Thales frowned as he looked at her.

In the distance, Gilbert sighed and muttered something like, "I still miss that old man Stilliandes."

A few seconds later, Thales let out a long breath, having to adjust his attitude:

"OK then."

Strangely, the ways of speaking were completely different, but for some reason, Thales was reminded of the scene when he faced the old crow.

"So, are you going to teach me how to worship the goddess, Priestess Liv Megan?"

The Duke said solemnly.

Megan smiled and took another sip from her teacup.

When she put down her teacup, her tone became deep and mysterious again.

"Hundreds of years ago, there was a young man in the world who suffered misfortune, whose family business declined, and whose future was ruined."

Thales was taken aback, surprised that the other person had started telling a story.

"He received divine revelation when he was at his wit's end."

Megan looked bewildered, as if she were caught up in the story at that moment:
"So the youth followed the divine will, facing the setting sun, and traveled westward."

Is it... a story of an unfortunate young man encountering divine revelation and being saved?

Thales glanced at Gilbert and noticed a slight change in the latter's expression.

Megan's tone turned somber:
"As day approached, the young man continued his westward journey without stopping. His path ahead grew increasingly dark and dangerous, and his vision became increasingly confused and bewildered."

"Finally, at sunset, in the deep darkness without moon or light, exhausted and delirious, he lost consciousness and hope, and in a daze stepped into the cold middle of the Mu River."

But the priestess immediately changed the subject:
"And just as the merciless river was about to wash over his head..."

Meghan's words turned serious:
"As if receiving a command, at that moment, the long dark night cleared up and the world was bathed in light again."

A dramatic twist caught Thales's attention, and he listened with great interest to the rest of the story:

"In that instant, the starlight of the entire sky lit up for him, and the endless stars began to twinkle again."

Megan's expression became solemn and dignified, as if the gods were right before her:

"Just like the creation of the world by the divine."

"Like the sun opening the heavens."

"Just as after the end, all things are reborn."

Megan's eyes seemed to shine with boundless light:

"To awaken the unfortunate yet fortunate youth from despair and sorrow."

Thales coughed softly.

"Creation, the creation of the world and all that..."

“The sun goes down, then it gets dark, and then the stars come out,” Thales murmured softly.

"I thought this was common sense, not a miracle?"

Megan paused slightly and looked at the Duke, who couldn't help but interrupt the story.

But the priestess merely twitched the corner of her mouth and continued the story:

"And so, on that miraculous day, the young man stood under a sky full of stars, felt the will of God, understood his mission, and made a solemn vow."

"Faced with numerous hardships, he must pull himself together and forge ahead."

"And what he wants to revive is not just his crumbling and long-declining family business."

Megan stared directly into Thales' eyes:

"What the youth must revive is, in the end times when the gods have fallen and disasters are rampant, to save lives and faith, to dispel cold and despair, to transform into countless stars with the brightest light and the most intense heat, scattering across the night sky, forever illuminating the world—the radiance of the holy sun."

Gods have fallen, and calamity is rampant...

Sensing something was wrong, Thales looked up:

"So you're telling me that before that, there were no stars in the world, and the nights were completely dark?"

But Megan ignored him:

"From that time onward, the youth converted to the sunset, made it the state religion, built temples, and spread their faith."

and many more.

State religion?

Thales's expression changed, and he had to straighten up from his elbows on the table.

Could it be that……

Sure enough, the next moment, Megan looked at the Duke of Starlake with a subtle expression and said calmly:

"Thus began the great work of Tormund I."

"The Kingdom of Stars rose from this point."

Megan finished speaking.

The study was quiet for a few seconds.

Until Thales gave an awkward chuckle.

"This is a classic passage from the 'Sunset Doctrine,' personally recorded by Saint Mojasa, the prophet and messenger of the goddess, a priestly brother from seven hundred years ago."

Megan smiled slightly, half teasing and half reminding:

"You should know more about the story of your ancestors."

"Thales".

Thales lowered his head, cleared his throat, and pretended not to hear.

What divine revelation, what renewed light, what creation of the world, what oath...

This is actually the story of how Tormund I encountered a miracle and vowed to establish a kingdom.
That's ridiculous!

“There’s debate about this story even within the Church of the Sunset,” Gilbert glanced at his guest, his eyes carrying a warning, “especially regarding the key points of the oath.”

"Megan Ritual".

Megan returned Gilbert's look with a look that seemed both displeased and sarcastic.

“Our Earl is not satisfied with the stories in the Sunset Bible that teach the faithful,” Megan said gently, looking at Thales.
"But it does not matter."

The next second, Megan's expression turned serious again:
"Because no matter how absurd or how easily it can be examined..."

"When this story spread seven hundred years ago, it took root and sprouted in people's hearts..."

Megan spoke calmly, and what she said made Thales frown:

"Tormond was no longer the prince of that evil empire, no longer a foreign warrior who invaded his homeland to eat, drink and take what he wanted, no longer a lowly illegitimate child of questionable lineage, and no longer a brutal warlord with an army and ambitions."

Upon hearing these adjectives, Thales was startled.

This time, Gilbert was no longer polite; he sternly shouted to stop him:
"Megan's Ritual!"

But Meghan ignored it all, her eyes only filled with a melancholy:

"But rather, he is someone recognized by the unattainable divine in the eyes of the believers, praised by the zealous monks, inspired by the sunset, grateful for the afterglow of the holy sun, and thus vowed to strive arduously to create a paradise on earth—"

"King of Revival".

Thales' expression hardened.

Gilbert kept his lips pursed, looking quite angry.

“From then on, Tormund no longer needed to cruelly execute every local who disobeyed his rule as a warning to others; he no longer needed to be wary of whether the well water drawn from the village was poisoned to ensure safety; he no longer needed to worry about finding the next reliable place to stay or a source of soldiers to launch a counterattack.”

Thales's expression grew increasingly serious.

He understood the meaning behind the other person's words.

"Until the day he achieves his hegemony and the kingdom is secure..."

"The goddess of the setting sun became the guardian deity of the Starry Royal Family, witnessing the coronation and death of every king thereafter."

Megan, in a solemn tone, said:
"From that time on, the fate of the Sunset Temple became intertwined with that of the Starry Royal Family, and they could not be separated."

Their fates became intertwined with those of the Star Kingdom royal family...

Thales silently repeated the sentence, suddenly realizing that it had a strange sense of familiarity.

Megan paused briefly, then quickened her pace:
"At the beginning of the first century of the End of the Calendar, 'King of Peace' Kessel I undertook a great renovation of the temple, widely accepted believers, and was praised by all people."

"'Blade' Tormund II appointed Bishop Rondon as prime minister, followed the mandate of heaven, spread the faith, and enjoyed the credit for expanding the territory."

"King Sumeru I was a devout believer who put his faith into practice. He eventually moved the goddess and received a miraculous rain that relieved the long-standing drought."

"Horace I, with his eight fingers, swore an oath under the statue of the setting sun, receiving divine protection and uniting the people to resist heresy from across the ocean."

"Sumerian III the Jackal issued a proclamation, reaffirming the state religion and reaffirming the faith."

"The 'wise ruler' Mindis III promoted theology, printed scriptures extensively, and taught widely to monks..."

With each example Megan gave, Thales's mind would jump around, forcing him to go back and find the corresponding knowledge from his history class.

But he couldn't help but notice that as the priest spoke, Gilbert's brow furrowed and his cough intensified.

"For the sake of the kingdom, Thales, if hearts are not united, strength will be even more difficult to achieve—ask yourself, if you are not aligned with the beliefs, reverence, and concerns of your people, and if you are out of step with their world."

"Then how will you, the future king, rule the kingdom?"

The other person's words made Thales's expression gradually turn serious.

He suddenly realized that the theology the other person was talking about was far from the same as the theology he understood.

"And the truth behind these stories is that we have always lived in a world with a God, whether you acknowledge its miracles or understand its power."

"They may seem unattainable, but they have never left our world and have profoundly influenced our lives..."

Megan's face darkened:

"In a way that is sometimes mysterious and sometimes obvious, seemingly traceable yet impossible to fathom."

Priestess Megan straightened her robes and said softly:

A single word is worth more than a million soldiers.

"This is the power of faith."

Thales remained silent for a long time.

But a few seconds later, Megan's tone became cheerful again.

“Therefore, my duty in this class, Thales,” Priestess Megan said with a smile, ignoring Gilbert’s furrowed brow.
"It's not about encouraging you to believe in anything, pointing out where the true God is, or teaching you to memorize scriptures and rules. Rather, it's about helping you discover your relationship with God and understand the distance between you and God through discussing this issue with you."

Megan stared straight at him:
"To help you better understand yourself."

"Whether you are a mortal now or a future ruler of a kingdom."

Thales frowned slightly.

Self-awareness?
What the other person was saying reminded him of the indescribable and incredibly mysterious powerful magic master in the 'Critical Point'.

From views on deities to self-awareness...

Is it a coincidence?

“Because what we’re going to explore today isn’t just a subject about God,” Megan laughed.
"It is also a discipline about people."

Thales' heart skipped a beat.

“So, theology,” he asked with interest:
"But it's about the study of human beings?"

Megan smiled but did not answer directly.

"And you might as well put aside your hostility—let that poor Count Cassel over there guard them."

Gilbert coughed several more times, sounding unnatural.

A few seconds passed, and with a hint of heaviness in his voice, Thales looked up and gave an awkward smile.
"Oh well?"

Megan smiled.

Okay, at least we have to admit one thing.

Thales thought to himself.

She's really good at talking.

Even Gilbert couldn't get a word in edgewise.

At least, Thales no longer dared to underestimate the elderly priestess before him, nor to belittle this "theology class" that sounded mystical but was actually full of profound meaning.

But he ultimately underestimated the opponent's power.

"And for our first lesson, Thales, let's talk about something that's been bothering you for years..."

"It's a problem that has plagued us for thousands of years."

What has troubled me for years has troubled you for thousands of years?
Duke Starlake looked up in confusion.

next second.

Liv Megan, the Sunset Priest who rarely used honorifics to address him, spoke with an unchanging expression.

She casually uttered a single word:
"magic."

His Highness's expression suddenly changed.

Updated quietly, please don't fire.

PS Messi is awesome!



(End of this chapter)