On the other side of the far northwest of the Northern Continent.
The northern lands of the Kingdom of Asethelan.
Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, dancing with the golden specks of dust adrift in the air and casting a soft sheen over the morning forest. As the early mist slowly dispersed, the city-state gradually awakened.
The royal capital, Gedaria, was deeply integrated with the fairytale woodlands and lakes surrounding it. Whether in its architectural style, urban planning, or the lifestyle of its residents, it maintained a harmonious relationship with nature, preserving its organic qualities while reflecting the ingenuity of modern craftsmanship.
People began bustling about the streets. Couriers riding giant avian mounts hurried past, their light armor gleaming in the sun.
Water gurgled through wooden aqueducts, weaving into every corner of the city and nourishing the land.
This colossal realm was filled with inclusivity; along the way, one could see residents of vastly differing appearances and racial traits, yet none looked upon another with surprise.
Asethelan was inherently a federal kingdom composed of multi-ethnic autonomous groups, a foundation that fundamentally set its culture at complete odds with the Protos Empire.
Though not as advanced in magic engineering as Protos, its prowess in pure magic and physical combat was remarkably formidable thanks to profound heritage and a rich diversity of magical scripts. It was one of the few great powers on the Northern Continent capable of directly withstanding the Protos Empire.
Deep within the city, beside a clear lake encircled by forest, stood a towering temple.
Above the temple, the tranquil sky suddenly vibrated with a faint tremor, followed closely by a low hum. As the sound swelled, a medium passenger wyvern descended slowly from the sky, its beating wings kicking up fallen leaves and dust from the ground.
At last, the wyvern landed steadily some distance before the temple, and several figures leapt down.
The leader's priestly robes were immaculate white, embroidered with gold thread along the edges, and he walked in front to lead the way.
Behind him followed an executioner clad in heavy armor and a red cloak, and a paladin in shining silver-white armor.
The three clearly held no small status in the Church. The moment they dismounted, passing clergy offered their greetings, yet all showed exceptional respect toward the final guest figure.
"Miss Hyperion, we shall take you to meet the Saintess," the priest said respectfully.
"..."
Hyperion gazed at the temple with a complex expression.
By now, she had long since shed her disguise, returning to her original appearance of silver hair and amber eyes.
"Sigh, alright."
Hyperion sighed and followed the three old acquaintances into the magnificent temple.
As for why she was with the trio right after arriving on the Northern Continent, it all traced back to that shipwreck.
Hyperion had never imagined her and Lanqi's journey to the Northern Continent would stray so wildly off course. She had actually drifted into a calamity zone, had to detour around it, and then ended up straight at the border of the Kingdom of Asethelan.
At first, the local residents suspected her of being a stowaway or spy from the Protos Empire. Fortunately, she was exceptionally good at escaping and quickly threw off the guards.
Then, after learning about the bizarre current "patch" of the Northern Continent, she realized that someone without an identity like herself could hardly take a step in the Kingdom of Asethelan.
So she simply went directly to the temple of the Church of the Goddess of Fate in the border city-state, requesting to see the Holy Trio.
The three of them were quite famous in the Kingdom of Asethelan now. After that Shadow World, they had not only advanced to Tier 6, but had also become the core clerical force purging cults within the realm.
Through the help and communication of the border city-state's temple priest, the trio heard that the dear friend of their Southern Continent spiritual mentor had arrived, and rushed through the night to the border town.
Once they found Hyperion, they invited her to the temple of the Church of the Goddess of Fate in Asethelan's royal capital.
Aside from helping her secure official citizenship in the Kingdom of Asethelan once in the capital, there was reportedly also an order from the Saintess.
The Saintess wished to meet this half-demon.
"By the way, why does the Saintess want to see me?" Hyperion asked with a touch of guilt as they walked through the temple.
The mere sound of footsteps echoing in the cavernous hall made her uneasy.
She kept worrying whether Lanqi's transgressions had gone too far... and the Saintess was looking to settle the score with her...
"Please rest assured. The Saintess merely heard that you are a half-demon with silver hair and amber eyes, and told us to bring you to see her," the priest replied, gentle as ever.
"That's a relief."
Looking at the three of them now, Hyperion only felt they had become normal again, which was precisely the symptom of late-stage Lanqi exposure—they actually looked normal on the outside.
As long as she wasn't here to be Lanqi's scapegoat, she was fine. She truly couldn't carry that colossal burden.
And she had no idea how the culprit behind it all, Lanqi himself, was doing.
Hyperion worried every day.
The Poet of Great Love had even comforted her, saying Lanqi was definitely fine—after all, if Lanqi died, the Poet of Great Love would be annihilated along with him.
With the Poet of Great Love on her, she would always be able to find Lanqi; once within a certain distance, the Poet of Great Love could sense him. But if Lanqi was currently within the Protos Empire, she had no idea how to slip inside.
The four proceeded through the solemn space inside the temple. Sunlight, shifting in brightness, cast down through the stained-glass dome from time to time, creating kaleidoscopic patches of light and shadow.
The stone pillars encircling the hall arched high above, adorned with exquisite reliefs, each telling an ancient tale.
At last, they arrived before a massive door deep within the temple.
The stone of the door seemed interwoven from pure white jade and deep gray stone. Even before stepping inside, one could feel the cool air wafting from within.
The priest guarding the door exchanged bows with the three clergymen and Hyperion, then knocked on the stone door.
"Lady Saintess, Miss Hyperion has arrived."
"Please enter."
Drifting from within was a gentle voice that seemed touched with frost.
Hyperion quickly took temporary leave of the three clergymen and pushed open the rather heavy door.
The spacious hall before her, several meters high, resembled an exquisite private library, with church classics lining all four walls.
And on the sofa in the reception area at the very center sat a woman with white hair and silver eyes.
Her countenance was as flawless as a sculpture, her posture as graceful as an elf under the moonlight; only her breath proved she was not an immaculate piece of art, but a living being.
What astonished Hyperion most was that she wore no disguise at all. Even if someone might be uncertain of this Saintess's race, Hyperion recognized it at a glance—
The Saintess was also a half-demon. She had no horns upon her head, and her only demonic trait was the slightly pointed tips of her ears.
It was just that Hyperion had never seen such a beautiful demon. Rather than a demon, it would be truer to say she was as pure as a snow elf.
"Many years ago, before I became the Saintess of the Church of the Goddess of Fate, people called me the Ice Snow Witch. I was also once a great demon."
Seeming to discern Hyperion's confusion, she spoke faintly.
Though the Saintess's gaze brimmed with pride and aloofness, as if keeping everyone thousands of miles away, hidden deep within was a profound gentleness that allowed Hyperion to set her mind at ease for the moment.
"Lady Saintess, may I ask why you summoned me?" Hyperion asked point-blank—as long as it had nothing to do with Lanqi, everything was fine.
"Before that, I have a question."
The Ice Snow Witch looked intently at Hyperion.
"What is your relationship to Efatia... or Talia?"
Chapter 249