Holy Light rose from the top of the Ritual Hall, like a sun descending into the mortal world, dispersing all the rain and darkness.

Solemn music sounded. It was said to be the dignified roar of the horn made by the Goddess’s first believer when she walked the world as an acting proxy. The scripture that recorded all things once said that it was the beginning of everything, the horn that led the world from destruction toward new life.

Then came more instruments. With the deep, majestic howl of the pipe organ as the foundation, at the opening of this banquet, the Church orchestra was already playing music in praise of the Goddess, pushing the atmosphere to a climax.

“Rather than a banquet, this is more like a ritual...”

Though most of the process had clearly been arranged by his own hand, when Archbishop Ision looked at this spectacular sight, he still sighed with emotion.

“After all, this is the nation that believes most deeply in the Goddess welcoming Her Holiness the Saintess, who serves as the Goddess’s acting proxy in the mortal world. A grander scene is only proper, isn’t it?”

A voice carrying a faint hint of teasing reached Archbishop Ision’s ear. There was no one beside him. His gaze slanted slightly, and in a certain corner, he saw that gentle woman in divine robes.

“Are you prepared?” the woman asked. “As agreed, we have already helped you remove the biggest trouble.”

“Just as I said before, this is the last time,” the Archbishop replied expressionlessly.

“Heh. Don’t forget your duty... No, perhaps I should say your responsibility?”

The woman chuckled and did not pay any attention to the Archbishop’s words. When Archbishop Ision looked over again, she had already vanished into the splendid light and shadows.

“My... responsibility?”

The Archbishop murmured in a low voice, an extremely complicated look appearing in his eyes. Every image disappeared from his vision, and he seemed to once again see a very long time ago...

“Your Excellency the Archbishop!”

Fubeka suddenly came hopping over to stand in front of the Archbishop.

She did not notice at all the pained look on the Archbishop’s face from having his reminiscence interrupted. Cheerfully, she handed Archbishop Ision a piece of cake.

“Would you like some cake?”

“...”

Archbishop Ision lowered his head and looked at the food crumbs Fubeka had not even wiped clean from the corner of her mouth. His cheek twitched.

“This is how you received Her Holiness the Saintess?”

“Mm! Is there a problem?”

Fubeka did not think there was the slightest problem. Instead, she puffed out her chest very proudly. “Her Holiness the Saintess was coaxed into such a good mood by me!”

“...”

Archbishop Ision nearly failed to catch his breath.

Would she really be in a good mood?

That was Her Holiness the Saintess, who had received the Church’s strictest education since childhood!

Did she think everyone was the same as her, Fubeka? Her Holiness the Saintess was not a glutton.

How could she possibly be made happy by a few little cakes?

Suppressing the urge to cover his face and cry, Archbishop Ision continued asking, “Then what are you doing here? Have you finished what you’re supposed to do?”

“Ah!”

Fubeka suddenly came to her senses. “Spices! Prayer holy seals! I almost forgot again!”

“Then hurry up and go!” The veins on Archbishop Ision’s forehead throbbed.

“I’m going, I’m already going!”

Fubeka’s steps were extremely quick. In this regard, she did indeed seem to possess excellence beyond ordinary people. In a flash, she vanished from Archbishop Ision’s sight.

“Haah.”

Ision let out a long sigh, seeming very helpless about Fubeka’s rashness. But very soon, his gaze became incomparably resolute.

“It seems naïvely relying on Fubeka herself will absolutely not work. In the end... I still have to choose this method.”

“I did not want this. I wanted to resolve this problem a little more peacefully. But you people insist on pressing me step by step.”

“I... have no other choice.”

Ision raised his hand. His fingertip scraped hard across the Holy Light cross pendant on his chest, causing a clear scratch like a flower to appear vividly upon it.

“Pass down my order.”

Behind Ision, shadows stirred in the darkness.

“Begin.”

...

...

“It’s about to start.”

Muen took a deep breath and calmed his mind.

After the opening holy sound broadcast, next would be the choir’s entrance. At this moment, most of the guests had already arrived.

And after the hymn recitation ended, the Archbishop would pray to the Goddess before everyone, asking for peace and prosperity. This would symbolize the official beginning of the entire reception banquet.

And the moment when the Archbishop prayed would be the best... and only opportunity.

There would be only about thirty seconds.

The number of chances to strike... only one.

After all, according to their deductions, if someone had the ability to become the support for such a massive false image, then that fake Archbishop Ision had to be a Crowned-level powerhouse.

And against a powerhouse of this level, once the first blow failed to kill him, then as long as he was given even the slightest chance to react, the outcome would very likely be completely reversed.

So he could only succeed. He could not fail.

“Are, are you ready?”

Beside him, the nun who usually followed Bishop Kore looked even more nervous than Muen.

“Are you thirsty? Are your hands shaking? Is your heart racing? You can’t make any mistake. Bishop Kore said that if the Archbishop discovers something wrong ahead of time, then we’ll...”

“Don’t worry. After preparing for this long, I’m not so incompetent that I’d expose myself in a place like this.”

Muen lightly touched his own face.

His previous contact with that fake Archbishop Ision had already proven that his disguise was passable for now. So as long as he blended into the choir and fulfilled his duties properly, he should not draw the target’s suspicion in advance.

For this moment, he had already run through it countless times in his mind, ensuring there would not be the slightest flaw.

“Then what about the hymns?”

The nun still felt uneasy and continued asking.

“Don’t worry. There’s no problem there either.”

“R-really?”

The nun looked suspicious.

Although she had never been chosen for the choir before, any member of the clergy knew the weight of those thousands of hymns. They were something every clergyman had to study from childhood, absolutely not something that could be memorized in a short two hours.

And this person had been busy with all kinds of things the whole time. He had not looked like he had any time to memorize hymns at all.

“Let me say this first. The clergy selected for the choir, whether male or female, are absolutely elites from the various churches. If you intend to hide among them and fake it, then I advise you to give up on that idea. With the Archbishop’s skill, he’ll immediately hear that there’s something wrong with you!” the nun warned, mustering her courage.

“I know.”

Muen answered calmly.

After all, a dignified Crowned, if he could not even hear who was slacking off among a few dozen people, he might as well donate his ears. They would be useless anyway.

And someone suddenly appearing in the elite choir while slacking off would naturally arouse the Archbishop’s suspicion and vigilance.

However...

“Don’t worry. In this regard, I’m extremely confident. I might even be more confident than anyone else.”

Black Book.

Muen silently recited in his heart.

Accompanied by the rustling sound of pages turning, the black book opened in Muen’s mental space, and rows of words appeared on its pages.

They were precisely those thousands of hymns.

There was no need to memorize them. Muen only needed to glance casually over them, and the contents of that hymn collection would instantly be recorded by the Black Book, without a single wrong word.

Not only that, the Black Book even came with a search function. He only needed to enter a keyword, and the corresponding hymn would appear on the current page. It could even highlight the words in red.

It was almost too convenient. It was practically a divine cheating tool.

Unfortunately... it was only convenient at times like this.

The moment it encountered any major problem, this damn book usually tucked its head away faster than anyone else.

“I-is that so? As expected of you...”

Sensing the confidence in Muen’s eyes, the nun nodded and finally lowered her little heart that had been hanging in the air.

After some of the things that had happened earlier, she had inexplicably gained great confidence in Muen. After all, to her, Bishop Kore, who had once been far beyond her reach, had ultimately only been able to wail beneath her scalpel...

How wonderful...

“Speaking of which, where is Kore?”

Not seeing that bloated figure, Muen frowned and asked,

“Why are you the one meeting me?”

“Bishop Kore continued gathering intelligence. He also said he’s very conspicuous, and the more important a time like this is, the more he shouldn’t come into contact with you,” the nun answered.

“That’s true...”

Muen thought about it, then nodded. “Right now, there are too many people and eyes. A bishop really shouldn’t repeatedly come into contact with an ordinary priest. He did well.”

“Oh...”

“You did well too.”

“D-did I?”

The nun became excited, and a blush once again appeared on her cheeks.

“Then after this matter is finished, can I do those happy things with Bishop Kore again?”

“Happy things?”

Muen froze for a moment, then remembered what the happy things the nun referred to were...

Oh no. It seemed he really had awakened something terrible in this nun.

Muen shuddered and smiled.

“About that... you should ask Bishop Kore. If he agrees... I have no problem with it.”

“Mm, I understand! If there are any problems next, you can look for me. I’ll also do my best to provide assistance!”

The nun clenched both hands into fists.

“Thank you...”

Muen nodded lightly. After saying goodbye to the nun, he quickly arrived at the choir’s gathering point.

“The Archbishop has instructed that the hymn recited this time will be Chapter Seven’s Saint Bogias’s Three-Day Tour. Everyone, please prepare.”

“Yes!”

Muen closed his eyes.

The Black Book flipped.

Red text appeared on the page. It was precisely Saint Bogias’s Three-Day Tour.

Good. No problem.

Muen opened his eyes, straightened his clothes, and swept his peripheral vision across his surroundings. His aura also began to gradually blend with the clergy around him.

Everything was proceeding according to plan.

Next, he would successfully step onto that most important stage.

...

“Damn it... It hurts.”

Bishop Kore opened his eyes. Dazzling lamplight flooded into his vision, instantly squeezing tears from the corners of his eyes.

He struggled instinctively, but he could not move. From the cold sensation coming from his limbs, he seemed to have been tied to some kind of execution chair.

“You people... who are you? You dare privately detain a bishop of the Church? Do you know what crime this is?”

As he gradually adjusted to the light, Bishop Kore finally saw several blurry shadows.

Their faces were hidden within Holy Light, and they wore extremely ordinary clergy garments. Only on the Holy Cross pendants at their chests, there was an inconspicuous little white flower.

“Good evening, Bishop Kore.”

The leader, dressed in priestly robes, said,

“Don’t be nervous. I only want to ask you a few ordinary questions.”