Chapter 139: Disaster at the Branch Church

In the past, Link would have definitely feigned ignorance to gloss over the matter. However, after being forced to part ways with Lin Xi and Reimu, he had resolved never to be emotionally irresolute again. What belonged to him was his; running away did not befit a man. A man straying from the path was a mistake, but lacking the courage to bear responsibility was the ultimate sin.

Without further hesitation, Link reached out to pat Suiseiseki’s head, asking her to wait outside the room for a moment. He then closed the door and stepped forward to embrace Alethea. This sudden, intimate gesture left Alethea completely stunned. Ever since Link established the Church of the Father God, the two of them had never shared such close physical contact. Although Alethea had felt a sense of loss, she had accepted the boundaries between men and women. Now, for Link to hold her just as he used to left her entirely at a loss for what to do.

"N-Neil, w-what are you..."

"Alethea..." Link gently interrupted her. "Eighteen. When you turn eighteen, we will get married. No matter what happens in the future, I will marry you. Even if you fall in love with someone else, you are destined to be my bride."

These warm yet overbearing words left Alethea completely dumbfounded. It took her a long time to regain her senses, but her pretty face had already turned as red as a ripe apple, the flush spreading to the tips of her ears and all the way down her neck.

Whether out of shyness or simply not knowing how to reply, she merely buried her head deeply into Link’s chest, offering no answer.

Link smiled faintly and said, "Silence means you agree. Remember, in three years' time, you will be my wife."

This time, Alethea finally reacted. After remaining silent for a few seconds, she let out a soft "Mn," no louder than the buzz of a mosquito.

Hearing this, Link’s smile widened. He pulled Alethea closer, and the two of them quietly basked in the warm, tender atmosphere.

"Father, may I come in?" At that moment, Suiseiseki’s voice rang out, shattering the serene mood.

The inherently conservative Alethea was startled. She hurriedly jumped out of Link’s embrace, lowering her head with a blushing face and darting eyes, too shy to meet Link’s gaze. Seeing this, Link felt a surge of amusement, but not wanting to make Alethea any more embarrassed, he walked over to the door, let Suiseiseki in, and then spent time with both of them.

Although she felt a mixture of shyness and lingering joy from the confession—causing her to behave like an ostrich too embarrassed to look at Link—the awkwardness in Alethea's heart was greatly eased by Suiseiseki's presence. Knowing how conservative and bashful Alethea was, Link refrained from teasing her further and intentionally encouraged her to grow closer to Suiseiseki. Alethea, who was naturally fond of children, took great care of Suiseiseki, and the three of them soon settled into a different kind of warmth, resembling a harmonious and happy family of three.

Following that day, the bond between Alethea and Suiseiseki grew exceptionally close, though Alethea remained somewhat vexed by what Suiseiseki called her. No matter what, Suiseiseki refused to call Alethea "Mother." In Suiseiseki's heart, Alice was her only mother. Eventually, at Link’s suggestion, Suiseiseki agreed to address Alethea as "Aunt" and Link as "Father." Since Alethea was Link's nominal younger sister, "Aunt" was a fitting title for her.

While this makeshift "family of three" enjoyed their peaceful life, a hundred kilometers away in the town of Charles, a group of people quietly slipped into the town under the cover of night. Making their way straight to the branch church of the Church of the Father God, they launched a sudden assault upon the building.

This particular church had been flourishing recently, receiving generous donations from believers every day. It was permanently stationed with a resident Paladin, along with two church guards and three newly recruited acolytes. The presiding priest was an elderly man devoted to the Church of the Father God. Situated not far from the headquarters, it was considered a pillar stronghold of the church, possessing formidable combat strength.

Logically speaking, even if an attack were to be made, this church would not have been the primary target. Yet tonight, it had fallen victim to a surprise raid by unknown enemies.

In less than a minute, both guards and two of the acolytes were killed. Russell, the resident Paladin, threw himself into a desperate struggle alongside the presiding priest and the last surviving acolyte, fighting the intruders to the death.

Russell was a Tier Three early-stage Paladin. While his strength was not top-tier, it was far from weak. A devout believer in Link, he had mastered six Paladin skills. He belonged to the offensive-heavy, defensive-light archetype; while unsuited for charging into enemy lines, his ability to withstand onslaughts was exceptionally high.

Normally, a Paladin of this caliber protecting two people shouldn't have been too difficult. However, the enemies were overwhelming in both strength and number. Facing assailants closing in from all directions, Russell fought desperately, but even the strongest fists could not match a multitude of foes. Furthermore, the town garrison forces failed to arrive in time. In the end, overwhelmed by a swarm of powerful enemies, Russell fell in battle.

Even in death, Russell did not fall. He dragged down three enemies with him in his final moments. His towering, unyielding posture deeply shocked the attackers and bought precious time for the presiding priest and the acolyte to flee. Each mounting a fine steed, the two galloped away at full speed and soon escaped the town of Charles.

However, the enemies quickly regained their composure and gave chase. Faced with this desperate situation, Father Gall resolutely decided to sacrifice himself. He cast a deep, lingering look at the faint silhouettes of the pursuers closing in from behind, then turned to the acolyte beside him and said, "Aldebaran, run on your own! I will hold these enemies off."

Hearing this, Aldebaran panicked. With his deep, rumbling voice, he protested, "Father, you mustn't do this! If anyone is to make a sacrifice, it should be me. How could we ever let you die?"

Gall shook his head. "Child, you are only fifteen years old; you should not perish here. I am already over sixty. Thanks to the immense grace of the Grand Archbishop, I was able to become the presiding priest here in Charles. Now the church has fallen, and even Knight Russell has died protecting us. What face would I have to return to the Grand Archbishop? But you are different. You are one of the most promising youths I have ever laid eyes on. Although you missed the optimal age for training and lag behind others in your foundation, after these past few months of cultivation, you have built a solid base and a bright future. So take my final message and go! Tell the Grand Archbishop what has happened here!"

"But..."

"There are no buts!" Gall harshly cut Aldebaran off. He silently shifted his posture, revealing a horrifying, shocking wound on his abdomen that made Aldebaran's eyes widen in horror. Gall continued, "I can no longer run. The enemy's weapons are laced with curses; ordinary healing spells are completely ineffective. Only Holy Light magic and the grand Holy Cathedral of Light could possibly heal my wounds. Aldebaran, go! Carry my message and my hopes with you. Go! Remember, one day, you must become a glorious warrior of our church and fulfill the dream I can no longer complete."

With those final words, Gall suddenly cast a binding spell on Aldebaran, securing him tightly to the horse's back. He struck the horse's flank fiercely, driving the steed into a desperate gallop that quickly carried Aldebaran out of sight, while Aldebaran could only weep and scream Gall's name into the wind.

Watching Aldebaran recede into the distance, Gall wore a gratified smile. He lowered his gaze to his continuously bleeding wound and said with a lonely sigh, "My time has finally come. O exalted Father God, please forgive my sins. My soul shall soon return to your embrace." As he spoke, Gall's expression abruptly shifted, turning icy and stern as he turned to face the enemies who had caught up to him. "Even in death, however, I will not bring shame to the Church!"

The moment the words left his lips, the sixty-something-year-old Gall seemed to return to the prime of his youth. With a passionate roar, he charged headfirst into the enemy ranks. Hearing that distant battle cry, Aldebaran bit his lip until it bled, weeping tears of bitter frustration and helplessness as his steed carried him away.

"Only this time. From now on... no matter what happens, I will never run away again! Never! Father Gall, Lord Russell, rest assured. I will become a brave man just like you both. I will never let my comrades die again!"

Amidst the pitch-black night, Aldebaran uttered an oath that would shape the rest of his life, speaking as if he were pouring every ounce of strength from his body. Following this fateful night, the destinies of many would be forever rewritten.

By the afternoon of the following day, at the headquarters of the Church of the Father God, Link received the startling news. He emerged from his study immediately and strode into the monastery's front hall, where he met the fifteen-year-old, two-meter-tall, honest-looking youth, Aldebaran.

"You are the acolyte from the Charles branch church? What is your name?" Link stared at Aldebaran, asking in an even, calm tone.

Seeing the legendary Emissary of the Father God for the first time, Aldebaran couldn't help but feel a tinge of nervousness. Yet, the grief and resentment burning in his heart easily overwhelmed that momentary apprehension. He immediately replied in a deep voice, "Yes, Grand Archbishop. This subordinate is a newly accepted acolyte of the late Father Gall of Charles. My name is Aldebaran Hasgard."

"Aldebaran?" Because the youth had brought bad news, Link didn't dwell on the fact that the name was identical to that of the original Gold Saint of Taurus, saying instead, "Tell me everything that happened last night immediately. Remember, every single detail must be clear."

"Yes, Your Eminence, this subordinate understands. Last night..." Aldebaran proceeded to recount the events of the previous night from beginning to end.

As the narration continued, the expressions of everyone present darkened considerably. Especially upon learning that Gall had perished alongside the enemy, the gathered crowd was consumed by both grief and fury. The death of a presiding priest was tantamount to a direct slap in the face of the entire Church of the Father God, regardless of whether it was murder or self-sacrifice. Furthermore, among the fallen was a Paladin symbolizing the light—an act practically akin to blaspheming the Father God. The attackers of the previous night had undoubtedly touched the ultimate taboo of the Church of the Father God, plunging everyone present into a state of burning vengeance.

When Aldebaran finished his account, Link drew a deep breath to suppress his raging fury. He addressed Aldebaran in a gentle tone, "Aldebaran, you did well. The fact that you returned to inform us of last night's events is a supreme merit. Since Father Gall wished for you to carry on his legacy, I will give you two choices. First, you may study at the First Academy of Divine Favor and eventually become a presiding priest. Second, you may choose to join the Candidate Saints Legion and become a candidate holy warrior. Which path do you choose?"

Hearing this, Aldebaran looked utterly astonished. "G-Grand Archbishop, do you mean to say that this subordinate can become a holy warrior?"