Chapter 204 (1): How Dare She? He’s Still a Child!
After failing to get a recommendation quota as she had wanted, Flora left the office, still smiling. Silvia watched her go with a frown. Although she hadn’t wanted to bargain, it didn’t mean that there was no room for bargaining. The fact that Flora had just walked out was suspicious.
The Church of Nature had seven branches in the Chosen Land. Each could recommend two candidates, while the headquarters could recommend four. There would be eighteen candidates in total.
Flora didn’t get a quota from Silvia, and it was even less likely for her to get one from another branch, even though Flora was the previous Holy Maiden, had good looks and grace, and enjoyed the support of a large fanbase.
Only regular people chased after an idol. Her popularity had no effect on the higher-ups.
When Flora was still the Holy Maiden, the High Reverends of each district showed her respect; now that she had left her post and became a retired official, with a rank no higher than a priest and less authority than a district high reverend, showing her respect was no longer beneficial.
After analyzing the situation, Silvia concluded that Flora could only get a recommendation quota from the headquarters.
However, the headquarters was in a messy power struggle where both the Pope and the High Prophet wanted control over the next Holy Maiden, and the Oracle High Reverend was eager to make a move, too. Who among them would give their precious recommendations to Flora?
Silvia couldn’t see any of them doing that at first, but on second thought, they all might help her.
Flora had been the Holy Maiden for close to twenty years. Aside from the beginning years when she stayed in Palis, she had been at the headquarters for fifteen full years. That was enough time for her to build quite extensive connections.
Why would an ambitious former Holy Maiden seeking to return to her career peak transfer to one of the districts to serve a woman she had once defeated...? The more Silvia thought about it, the more suspicious she got. Flora had to have already gained support from someone at headquarters.
“But that can’t be right. The demand far exceeds the supply at headquarters, and they have always been a closed-off clique. After losing twenty years ago, they will want a victory for sure. Unless Flora is certain that she will win, and she’s found a partner with an unchallenged status.”
Silvia fell into deep thought while staring at the recommendation forms on her desk. She shook her head after a moment. Compared to a recommendation from the headquarters, she was more inclined to believe that Flora hadn’t given up on using trickery. Something would happen soon.