Raise Joan of Arc to be an empress, then discard her.

Joan of Arc noticed that the man who jumped off the carriage was dressed in the same clothes as his teacher, though his clothes were not as luxurious. As soon as he jumped off the carriage, he drew his longsword and brandished it at the guards rushing towards him, saying, "Do you want to die?"

He didn't even bother to explain, and directly drew his sword in the street. The guards retreated in fear. Drawing a sword in the street is a major taboo, especially on the bustling Queen Street, where there are countless dignitaries. Logically, the guards should have rushed up and subdued him immediately, but they saw the insignia on his clothes.

It was at this moment that the frightened girl realized once again that the teacher who had been holding her hand was indeed a big shot in Esgard, and that she herself seemed to have held the teacher back again.

The attendants chased away the guards and invited the boy into the car. To everyone's surprise, the boy led the girl into the car. It was the first time the girl had received such treatment. Looking at the people around them who were staring at them in astonishment, the girl's eyes were blank, and she looked somewhat bewildered.

"Teacher, where are we going?" the girl asked, sitting in the carriage.

"A restaurant," the boy replied briefly.

"Oh." The girl didn't ask any more questions. Since they were going to a restaurant, it must be something very important to talk about today.

Then the boy's voice continued: "I'll take you to eat first and then change your clothes, as a form of end-of-life care."

"End-of-life care..."

The girl lowered her head again, which was understandable, since she was going to see the king soon, and no one knew what would happen next.

However, she shouldn't have any more expectations. The girl turned her head and looked out the window at the still bustling city in the snow, and thought of that night again.

Yes, that's all I can ask for. After all, my teacher has already done so much for me, even drawing his sword for me... the girl thought to herself.

She thought of that day again, and even now, thinking about it makes her tremble all over.

She returned home, visited her seriously ill mother, and went to the back mountain to fetch water, only to be captured by the villagers who had been lying in ambush once again.

This time, the villagers did not let her off the hook. They immediately threw her into a cage and prepared to burn her at the stake.

This time, after being captured, she had lost all hope. She felt that the whole world hated her and wanted her dead. She felt that no one in the world could save her. The villagers were all like madmen, filled with the purest malice. Hatred surrounded her like a tidal wave. Even she wondered if she shouldn't live. But at this moment, the boy appeared in front of her once again with his cold and stern steps.

The righteous priest stood behind her this time, blocking her way with his body, and delivered a passionate theological speech, staring at the boy. The villagers, all bluster and no substance, flanked him on both sides, hurling the most vicious curses. The lords pressured him with money and power, but he paid no heed to the priest's impassioned speech, the pressure from the village chief or any of the lords, or the villagers' curses and tantrums. The boy simply walked step by step to her. When the hordes of villagers blocked his way with torches and pointed pitchforks at him, he drew his sword.

That day, 141 villagers were slashed by the boy, and the blood, like paint, splattered on the church walls. The whole village was filled with the villagers' screams of agony. The glory of the gods was ruthlessly desecrated—it was clearly the work of the devil. But looking at the bloody scene and the boy whose black robe was gradually soaked with blood, the girl did not feel afraid. She just felt like crying and suddenly felt immense joy.

So there really is someone in this world who will come to save her...

Later, the girl was carried away by the boy. The great lord was furious when he received the news, but he was powerless to do anything about it because he knew who did it. He also knew that if "he" was determined to do something, he would be as crazy as the Mad King.

After that, the boy carried her home to see his seriously ill mother, and the girl still remembered what she said to her mother before saying goodbye.

“I’m taking Joan of Arc away. I’ll give you an hour to say goodbye. This is not a request, but an order, a secret decree from the King, which I will carry out.” The boy said coldly by the bedside.

The girl was stunned.

Yes, that's when the girl realized that the boy wasn't a devil, but a knight from the capital. He hadn't come to save her, but was ordered by the king to take her away because she was the girl of the prophecy, and she had no time left.

Only then did the girl realize that her many days of prayers and prophecies were not the devil's deception, but a true miracle. And now, the prophecy came true, but not in the way she had imagined.

The mother listened to the boy's words, her eyes glazed over.

The boy had clearly just killed someone outside; she could even smell the lingering stench of blood on him. He was radiating a murderous aura, but he remained expressionless and didn't even sheath his sword. She knew the time had come.

"After she leaves, will she be able to come back alive?"

The mother raised her head and looked at the ceiling, as if she were asking Aaron, or perhaps asking the gods in the sky.

"I don't know," the boy replied coldly.

The mother understood; she vaguely realized this was the last time she would see her daughter. So she asked Joan to come to her bedside, and holding her daughter's hand, the two shared their final tenderness. She lowered her head and said, "Can we stay together a little longer?"

"Okay," the boy replied coldly.

The usually strong girl cried, nestled against her mother's chest, her shoulders trembling. Even when she was locked in a cage, in her loneliest and most desolate moments, she had never been this heartbroken. But now, she couldn't stop crying.

Her mother held her hand, staring blankly at everything before her, tears streaming down her lifeless eyes and soaking the bedding.

"I don't know what will happen to her—"

At this moment, the boy suddenly stepped forward and stood in front of his mother, saying, "I don't know if I can bring her back alive, but I will do everything I can to protect her. I swear, I swear as a knight, I swear in my name, Aaron."

They were both stunned. The mother looked at him, her gaze unreadable. The girl was also stunned. The boy's voice was still cold, but she could hear the burning hatred in his words, as well as the chill in his tone. The words were clearly so cold, but they successfully penetrated the girl's heart, making her feel less sad all of a sudden.

“Mom, I believe he can protect me. I’m going with him to Asgard to see the King,” the girl said.

And so, under her mother's empty gaze, she said goodbye to her mother. The farewell wasn't so sad in the end. The two secretly returned to Asgard in the winter of Lorraine. Because it was a secret return, they avoided people along the way, traveling through forests and wilderness. On snowy nights, they could only huddle together in the wild. And unknowingly, he began to tell her all sorts of things about Asgard and teach her all sorts of things. She also began to call him teacher.

Chapter 3 Blessing

The next day, she went to the palace to see the king. She was very nervous that day and almost misspelled her own name in front of the king. But to her surprise, nothing happened. The king simply asked her a few questions and then let her go. He did not intend to burn her or imprison her. He did not even care about her much. He just told her to stay in Asgard and not to leave at will.

When she came out, she sensed that the teacher was also nervous, but she managed to leave the study and received a hug from the teacher afterward, although she had to ask for it.

She was happy, but her teacher told her that there were more important things to do later.

"Afterwards, I will take you to the church for a blessing," Aaron told her, explaining the basics of this world.

This is a world with extraordinary beings, seven gods, supernatural powers, magical items, ancient creations, and most importantly, the blessings of the gods.

To enter the extraordinary world, one must first receive a blessing, but receiving a blessing is not easy; every person who gains extraordinary power is one in a million.

"What trials are required for the blessing?" Joan of Arc asked.

“It’s not that scary. The blessing has now become a ritual, but the ritual has to be performed in front of many people.”

"ceremony?"

"Yes, it's not just a ceremony; this day is also called the Blessing Day. Traditionally, all children of school age come to church to receive a blessing on this day. People believe that you will determine the future rise and fall of the country, so you will be the focus of the entire city."

Aaron paused for a moment and said, "For the country, this is a sacrifice, but for the children, it is not necessarily a good thing. The children who are blessed will become heroes of the whole city, while the children who are not blessed will be forgotten in the corner. There are also many who commit suicide because they are not blessed."

You will either be remembered by everyone and become a hero, or you will be forgotten by everyone and become a loser.

“If she’s a strong child, she should be able to handle it.” Aaron patted Joan’s head.

Joan of Arc shook her head and said, “I was almost burned at the stake and locked in a cage before, but now I not only have a teacher, but I am also well-fed and clothed, and I have survived from the king. I am not afraid of such things.”

Aaron was surprised by Joan of Arc's calmness. A 13-year-old girl was so composed. He hesitated for a few seconds and said, "Today is the day of blessing, and you have reached the right age. I will take you to receive the blessing."

"Hmm." Joan of Arc nodded. "What must I do to receive the blessing?"

Before Aaron could speak, a voice suddenly rang in her ear: "You need to pass the test."

Joan of Arc turned her head and saw another child in fine clothes standing next to her, grinning.

“Your Highness,” Aaron said.

“Sir Aaron,” the child answered, head held high, like a little adult.

"Pass the exam?" Upon hearing this, Joan of Arc even forgot what Aaron called the child. It was only her first day learning about the supernatural world. How was she supposed to compete with those children and pass the exam?

"Don't listen to His Highness's nonsense, there's no need to pass any exams."

“Who said you don’t need to take an exam?” the prince said loudly. “It’s just that the exam begins before you are born. Your bloodline, beliefs, talents, and even your piety toward God have already determined the results. This day of blessing is just the day the results are announced, so save your energy. It’s no use trying now.”

Judging from the prince's smug expression, he probably learned these words from some adult and was just showing them off. Fortunately, Joan of Arc was not affected by his words and just looked at the child with curiosity.

"Your Highness, the carriage is waiting for you." At this moment, an old nanny grabbed the prince's hand from behind and pulled him away.

The prince, finding himself unable to break free, simply let the old woman drag him along, and turned to Joan of Arc, saying, "Not everyone is blessed! Only those chosen by God are blessed. Just wait! I will surely receive the best blessing!"

He was being dragged along while gesturing wildly, and it wasn't that he meant any harm; that's just how all the kids here are.

"Let's go too."

Joan of Arc was not greatly affected by the prince's words, and Aaron did not take it to heart either. In terms of who had the most ruthless fate in history and who was most favored by God, Joan of Arc was definitely one of them. All she needed was confidence.

The only difference is what blessing Joan of Arc will receive? Aaron is also looking forward to it.

However, after thinking about it, Aaron comforted her, saying, "Actually, some people say that blessings are not about bloodlines or talents, but about who is more devout to God."

Who is more devout?

"Hmm. Think about you, even when you're locked in a cage you're still praying to God. If we're talking about who's more devout to God, no one in the world can compare to you. So don't worry, just do what you do when you pray and you'll receive blessings."

“Just like when you pray…” Joan of Arc nodded thoughtfully. She was always like that, obediently remembering whatever her teacher said.

Many years later, Joan of Arc would learn that her teacher had made up those words to comfort her, because if it were a matter of who was more devout, Aaron would most likely not receive the blessing.

*

All blessings take place in churches, and Esgard has only one place that can be called a church: the Cathedral of the All-Knowing.

The Omniscient Cathedral is a miracle of the city. It is said that when the Omniscient Cathedral was being built, people were very devout. The whole city worked hard to build it, and it took a hundred years to build. The craftsmen who built it tried their best to make it look like the dwelling place of God. Therefore, when it was completed, it was as if a building that could not exist in the human world had appeared in the human world. When people entered the cathedral, they could not help but worship God.

“The Omniscient Blessing is a very special blessing,” Aaron explained to Joan of Arc as they walked. “Simply put, among all the blessings of the seven gods, the Omniscient Blessing is also the one with the greatest randomness.”

"The greatest randomness?" Joan of Arc was learning about the blessing for the first time, so this was the first time she had heard this statement, and she listened very carefully.

Because Joan of Arc listened very attentively, Aaron quoted a passage from the omniscient Bible:

"The omniscient God does not create, but rather inspires and discovers the innate talents of human beings. Therefore, the blessing of the omniscient God is as free as thought, and those who receive the blessing of omniscience must use wisdom to comprehend it."

"As I understand it, the Omniscient Blessing can have many different shapes and sizes, and it may also appear in various forms. Most people receive a blessing that is something else, something that belongs only to them, something that best suits them, something that they have never discovered before."

Chapter 4 The Church of the Omniscient

“Items…” Joan of Arc seemed to be deep in thought.

"Ask if you have any questions."

“The teacher said that blessings can appear in various forms. Could a blessing also be a comb or a mirror?” Joan of Arc said.

“You’re very clever; you understood right away,” Aaron said. “A blessing could be a comb, a mirror, a pair of scissors, or all sorts of other things.”

"Could it be a living thing?" Joan of Arc asked.

"That's a blessing from the goddess of nature next door, not from here. Here, we usually only have one item."

"What is the teacher's blessing?" Joan of Arc asked.

Aaron patted the sword at his waist: "This."

It was a sword. Joan of Arc was delighted, for she had already witnessed her teacher's blessing, and then she felt that the blessing was very fitting for her teacher's status.

"What will my blessing be..." Joan of Arc wondered. She was actually a little nervous; if she didn't receive a blessing, she would be incredibly embarrassed—not only herself, but also her teacher.

There was no time for Joan of Arc to consider; they had already arrived at the Church of the All-Knowing.

Joan of Arc had already vaguely sensed the atmosphere in the church, the feeling that a storm was brewing, but when she got closer, she was still stunned by the scene before her.

The entire Church of the All-Knowing was packed with people. The huge church was so crowded that Joan of Arc didn't even realize she was in the church. She felt that there were people everywhere.

The vast majority of people were watching from outside the church, while a few adults were squeezing inside with children around Joan's age. It was clear that it was a festival, as they were all dressed in their finest attire. When Joan entered, she could feel countless eyes staring at her.