Goddess Kaleidoscope

"Hey! Is that okay?"

"Just let me touch the little one in your arms too."

Upon hearing that the horse girl opposite her had agreed to let her touch her ears, Aina picked up Kanna, who was squatting on her lap, without saying a word.

Seeing this, Parjama also stretched her head over, her two nimble horse ears twitching playfully as Aina stroked them.

"Oh! So soft, completely different from Romian's horns!"

Parjama, still craning her neck, continued eating. By the time Aina had finished touching it, she had also finished her fifth plate. Then, with an elegance completely different from her previous meals, she picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth before taking the fluffy baby dragon from Aina's hand and examining it closely.

"Oh my! It really is a dragon, and the bloodline is quite pure. Its parents must be... black dragons. Hmm! Nourished by divine power, no wonder it turned out like this. If it continues to grow, perhaps it really can..."

Holding tiny Kanna in her arms, Parjama stroked her while muttering something to herself.

At that moment, Kanna noticed a pale gold ring hanging from a necklace around Parjama's neck. Being naturally sensitive to divine power, she couldn't help but crawl over and sniff it.

Seeing this, Parjama chuckled and gently pressed down on Kanna's head, rubbing her fluffy little head as she spoke.

"Do you like it? But I can't give this to you. However, I have a few spares on hand. If you want one, you'll have to do me a favor."

Although she has not yet learned to speak human language, four-year-old Kanna can at least understand what she hears.

So when Parjama asked him to do something for her, the little guy immediately became alert, broke free from her embrace, flew back to Shanis's side, pointed at her with his little paws, and his expression seemed to say, "This bad traveler is trying to kidnap me!"

Parjama was quite surprised by Kanna's reaction. She had no ill intentions whatsoever and simply wanted to make friends with this interesting "little fellow." She never expected that it would cause such a misunderstanding.

Parjama quickly explained to the other party, and then, as an "apology," she took out an identical ring from her pocket and handed it to Kanna.

"This is a special artifact of the Holy Light Church, the Transformation Ring, which can transform some sufficiently powerful non-human beings into humans. There's no need to worry about it; this thing will not cause any harm to the wearer, nor does it have any effect of enslavement or brainwashing. This is an artifact personally crafted by Lord Carius, so its divine quality is quite reliable."

Because of Parjama's explanation, everyone looked at the ring, and her words just now indirectly admitted that she was not human.

"Isn't such an expensive gift inappropriate?"

Hearing that the other party wanted to give Kanna a divine artifact so soon after meeting her, the sensible Romian felt it was inappropriate. But Parjama laughed it off, saying that although the ring was a divine artifact, it wasn't rare. The Holy Lord of Light, Karius, had made hundreds of them, which were piled up in the Holy Light Church's artifact warehouse. Over the years, many had been given away, and a few had even been lost.

However, the effect of this magical ring is not permanent; it is only valid for ten years. After it expires, it needs to be taken back to the Holy Spring in the City of the Sun to be recharged before it can be used again.

As the most senior divine beast messenger in the Holy Church of Light, she was well aware that the Church had been using the illusion rings to win over powerful and highly intelligent magical beast lords. Those willing to join the sect and pledge allegiance to the Holy Lord were given a title of divine beast and provided with good food and drink. Those who did not wish to join the sect could accept the ring, simply as a way of making friends.

Using this method, the Holy Light Church has accumulated seventeen sacred beasts and hundreds of closely related magical beast friends over the past thousand years, forming a very prestigious "magical beast legion" during the War of the Gods.

Parjama recognized Kanna at first glance that this little guy, like herself, was a sacred beast that had received divine grace, and under the constant nourishment of divine power, it had actually reverted to a certain ancient dragon appearance.

The so-called Ancient Dragons are the ancestors of the dragon race. Legend has it that, like another super mythical beast called the Phoenix, they could traverse dimensional spaces and travel between different worlds. The dragons of this world are some of their lower offspring left behind when they lived here.

So even though she looked very young, Parjama was very optimistic about Kanna's potential and thought the little one had a bright future, so she gave her a ring as a gift to make friends.

At this moment, Lud and Serana, who had noticed their presence, approached. After learning what had happened, Lud nodded, indicating that Kanna should accept the gift. However, it is only polite to reciprocate, so Lud also took out a small item from his person and gave it to Parjama as a gift in return.

When Ma Niang received it, she saw that it was a small metal piece that seemed inconspicuous at first glance, but upon closer inspection, she could discover that it contained quite astonishing divine power.

"This is?"

“It’s a talisman, and I’ve infused it with a powerful resurrection spell that will activate the moment the wearer dies. I call it the Immortality Talisman.”

"How did you do that?"

As soon as Lude spoke, not only was Parjama stunned, but everyone present who had some common sense about the use of divine magic also showed surprise.

So-called divine magic is essentially the power that gods lend to mankind. Priests only have the right to use it and can use a fixed number of divine spells according to the number of times they can use it. However, they cannot make even the slightest modification to the spell like magicians do, let alone seal away divine spells for future use like creating magic scrolls. Gods will not allow mortals to do such a thing.

Therefore, when the Pantheon released potions with divine magical effects and began selling them, many religious people's first reaction was that it was impossible; mortal priests couldn't do such a thing unless it was done by the gods themselves.

However, as the Pantheon produced more and more divine medicines, people were forced to accept a fact that embarrassed many sects and priests: Just because you can't do something doesn't mean others can't.

Clearly, either the gods worshipped by the Pantheon were exceptionally generous, or Rudd, as the chosen one, was exceptionally favored. Either possibility was enough to drive the priests of ordinary small and medium-sized sects mad with envy.

And so, the two exchanged gifts. Rude did not let Kanna, who had just received the transformation ring, use it immediately. After all, this was the cafeteria, and many people were watching. If Kanna turned into human form and was only light, that would be bad.

After dinner, the trainees, who originally wanted to continue having fun, were ordered by Lud to immediately return to their respective dormitories to rest. The training would officially begin tomorrow, and not getting enough rest would greatly affect the training results.

After everyone had left, Lud wanted to go and rest early, but Serana stopped him and said that there were some formal topics that she wanted to discuss with Lud alone.

Lud thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. The two went to the camp office, where Lud personally brewed a pot of tea and invited Serana to sit down and talk.

"Is there anything else Your Excellency would like to discuss?"

"It's the idea from the City of the Sun. Some cardinals aren't very satisfied with the previously agreed-upon cooperative projects and want to add some conditions."

"Oh! What are the conditions?"

"They hope your church can share the secret recipe for the miracle drug."

As soon as Serana finished speaking, Lud, who was pouring tea for her, paused slightly. Serana stared at his face, hoping to see some change in his expression, but apart from a slight frown, Lud remained quite calm and showed no sign of panic.

To be honest, Serana personally doesn't like doing this kind of dirty work that tests other people's bottom line, but unfortunately this is an urgent message from the City of the Sun, and it is also a decree from Pope Saint Leonid.

Although the news brief did not provide detailed information, Serana, who is familiar with the inner workings of the Vatican, can easily deduce that several cardinals who wanted to push their luck joined forces to persuade the Pope.

Although Serana holds an extraordinary position in the Holy Light Church, being the Pope's chosen successor, she is not yet the Pope, so even if she is not very willing, she still has to comply.

She was also very curious to see how Lud would respond.

Lud understood that this was Serana, or rather, the higher-ups of the Holy Light Church behind her, testing their bottom line.

Ludwig was not surprised by this, given the difference in size between the two sides. Perhaps in the eyes of those arrogant cardinals, the so-called cooperation was nothing but a cover-up, and the Pantheon, like other small and medium-sized sects that were dependent on the Church of Light, was begging on its knees.

So after a moment's hesitation, Lude sat down and said with a smile.

"It's not impossible to get the formula, but in accordance with the principle of fair and equal cooperation, we will also add some equivalent conditions."

"What does your esteemed religion desire?"

"The Sacred Tree of the City of the Sun".

As soon as Lud said that, Serana's expression changed.

The sacred tree of the City of the Sun is a giant, snow-white poplar that stands in the center of the Divine Court Square, serving as the symbol of the Holy Church of Light. Legend has it that this sacred tree was planted by the Holy Lord of Light, Carius, and therefore possesses divinity; mortals who kneel and worship devoutly beneath it can be cured of illness and exorcised from evil.

It's worth mentioning that praying to the sacred tree for healing is indeed effective, but the Divine Court Plaza is not open to just anyone. It is only open to the public three times a year with limited access, and once every three years with unlimited access, which has created a regular pilgrimage craze.

It's no exaggeration to say that if Lud had asked the Pope for his most beloved Order of the Sun, the old man might have considered it, but as for the Sacred Tree, he could forget about it!

“Master Lud, this joke is not funny at all.”

"But I wasn't the one who started the joke."

"...Alright! I apologize for my rudeness just now. I can assure you that the cooperation will proceed as planned, and those annoying noises will not cause any problems."

"Hehe, I hope so!"

Lud remained noncommittal about Serana's promise. He was willing to believe that the female knight was an upright and honest person, but ultimately she was on the side of the Holy Light Church. Otherwise, she would not have tested his bottom line even though she knew it would displease his side.

If Lud really does grovel, then they'll be in luck.

Both were intelligent people, and as if nothing had happened, they continued their conversation on other topics. Serana then asked Lud about the Abyss Labyrinth, an underground palace said to be inhabited by demons, which had caused Serica and her group considerable trouble, ending their fourth trial in failure.

Serana therefore longed to explore the labyrinth herself, cut off the head of that bird demon, and avenge her child.

Don't let Serana's lack of divine power fool you; she wasn't a saintess and doesn't have that overwhelmingly powerful divine buff. She once visited the Holy Land of Light and, through arduous training, attained transcendental strength. Moreover, her combat experience is far more seasoned. If Serica were to fight her one-on-one without using her "God Shaking" ultimate move, Serica would be 1000% no match for her own mother. This old lady is even more formidable than some lower-ranking gods who aren't in combat!

Ludwig, of course, couldn't let such a formidable person into the maze, so he came up with a pre-prepared excuse to fob Serana off.

"Although it is not appropriate for a priest like me to say this, I do not recommend that a top human expert like yourself enter the labyrinth rashly. We still do not know what lies in the lower levels of the labyrinth, and at this stage, preserving the labyrinth is far more meaningful than destroying it."

"how do I say this?"

"Use the demon's labyrinth as a training ground."

"But as far as I know, this maze is only about two or three days away from Pine Town, not far at all. Aren't you worried at all that a demon might suddenly come out and invade this town one day?"

“There are indeed concerns in this regard, so the Steel Whip Clan and I have been making preparations for the necessary precautions.”

Under Lud's persuasion, Serana quickly gave up her plan to enter the labyrinth. Lud said that everything was "under control" at the moment, and Serana decided to believe him for the time being. She thought it was better to leave it alone, in case any trouble broke out one day and the Holy Church of Light stepped in to help, and she could also do him a favor.

The next morning, just as dawn broke, a loud bugle call suddenly rang out in the previously quiet training camp. The adventurer trainees, who were fast asleep in their beds, were awakened by the sudden noise. Instinctively thinking it was an enemy attack, they scrambled to grab their weapons and rush out of the barracks, only to find that without exception, they all reached for nothing at the head of their beds.

The group then realized that on their very first day at the training camp, the organizers had taken away all their weapons and equipment.

Fortunately, the anticipated enemy attack did not occur. The dormitory door was quickly pushed open by the "instructor" whom they had just met the day before. He shouted at the bewildered students in the room with his loud, booming voice.

"Get up! You have fifteen minutes to wash up, then change into your training clothes and assemble on the field!"

"..."xN

Most new adventurers lack discipline and therefore do not have good and stable sleep habits. Relying on their youth and strong recovery ability, many of them stay up all night and party in bars until dawn. Therefore, when they are suddenly woken up at six o'clock in the morning, they are all a little unprepared.

But in any case, once you're in the training camp, you have to follow orders. Some people with good memories vaguely remembered that when the dinner party was almost over yesterday, Lude seemed to have announced some things, including some of the training camp's schedule. It seemed that he had said that we had to get up at six in the morning.

Soon, the awakened trainees, guided by their instructors, went to the public pool to wash up briefly, and then lined up on the playground in the strange training uniforms issued by the training camp.

As soon as they arrived at the training ground, they found that Master Lud of the Pantheon was already waiting there, wearing the same green training uniform as them, with two large characters that none of them recognized on the front of his chest.

Soon, all the trainees had arrived. Seeing that no one was missing, Lu De nodded in satisfaction and then announced the morning exercise program to everyone.

First, do ten laps around the track (two kilometers), then fifty push-ups and fifty squats, and finally do one round of calisthenics. That should be enough.

After the training program was announced, the more than one hundred young adventurers were dumbfounded. They hadn't even had breakfast yet and they were already facing such intense training. Wasn't this going to kill them?

Unfortunately, Lude was the undisputed leader in the training camp, and he set an example by not only leading the race himself but also calling on his beautiful female disciples to run with him. Even the handsome men and beautiful women of the Holy Maidens' Guild came.

This undoubtedly aroused the competitive spirit of the young students. They thought to themselves that they were, after all, dignified adventurers. If they couldn't outrun the young talents of the Holy Maiden Order, they couldn't possibly be inferior to a group of delicate nuns, could they?

Thus began the "journey of hardship" for the young adventurers on their first day of training camp.

Many ordinary but confident young adventurers feel that although they are "slightly" lacking in experience, they are certainly not a problem in terms of physical fitness.

However, reality quickly proved most trainees wrong. They tragically discovered that their weaknesses weren't limited to a single area, but rather a comprehensive lack of skill. The vast majority of trainees struggled to complete the mere ten laps (2000 meters) of morning run.

The first few laps went well; the trainees looked relaxed, chatting and laughing as they ran towards the rising sun. Some of the more frivolous guys, wanting to impress the girls, even tried some fancy tricks, running backwards and doing somersaults, looking like monkeys from a circus who were in heat.

Lude, who was leading the race at a steady pace, simply glanced at these actions silently and said nothing.

The changes began around the fifth lap. Some of the weaker students started to feel tired, especially the rarer adventurer mages, who were not physically active and had a habit of staying up all night. Therefore, they were the first to show signs of fatigue and quickly fell behind.

In the following laps, the originally concentrated morning running group stretched out further and further. The last group of students was already half a lap ahead of the leader, Ludra. If it weren't for the assistant instructors following behind and constantly urging them on, those students in the lagging group would have almost given up on the spot.

The middle group was also in poor condition. Everyone was sweating and breathing became increasingly rapid. Their originally light steps had become heavy without them realizing it, and the ease they had shown in the first few laps had vanished.

In contrast, the leading group, headed by Lude, showed almost no change in performance. Lude would occasionally glance back and see that, apart from his own disciples, the young talents of the Saintess Order were also keeping pace. In particular, young masters like Li Wei and Weishead, who had been practicing advanced martial arts since childhood, possessed physical abilities far exceeding those of ordinary people. They didn't even break a sweat after completing all ten laps.