Chapter 200: High Priestess
"I heard it’s His Majesty’s direct order. They don’t want to take any chances."
Nova and his group looked slightly puzzled by the sudden disturbance. Nova called out to a young man standing nearby and asked,
"Hey, can you tell me what’s going on?"
The young man glanced at Nova, then at the striking women behind him. A faint look of envy crossed his face before he answered.
"You must be from another kingdom. Under the orders of the King and the High Priest, the Light Temple conducts daily marches through the market districts and other crowded areas.
They’re searching for any demons or Blood Moon cult members who might be hiding among the people."
"Since it’s a direct order from His Majesty, even we nobles have to put up with the inconvenience."
The young man sighed. Nova thanked him and now understood the situation. A thought crossed his mind.
He and Nyxara would be fine. But if the Temple possessed specialized equipment capable of detecting demonic energy, Velena might be the one at risk.
Almost immediately, though, he realized he was overthinking it.
Velena herself was a Level 3 Emperor. Hiding her demonic aura would be a simple matter for someone of her strength. Seeing the calm expression on her face after hearing the explanation only confirmed it.
Still, it was better to remain cautious.
Nova’s eyes narrowed as he observed the Holy Knights more carefully.
Several of them were carrying a football-sized white crystal. At a glance, it resembled the awakening stones he had seen during the awakening ceremony years ago. Through Absolute Appraisal, however, he quickly identified its true nature.
It was a Demonic Sensitivity Crystal — a Heaven-rank artifact capable of reacting to even the slightest traces of demonic aura or energy, lighting up black upon detection.
The fact that it was a Heaven-rank artifact made its potency far from ordinary. A faint sense of unease stirred in Nova’s chest. He turned toward the women, especially Velena, and spoke in a low voice.
"Listen carefully. Those Holy Knights are carrying a Heaven-rank artifact that can detect even the faintest demonic aura. Velena, I know you can hide your presence well as an Emperor... but still, be extremely careful."
Velena nodded calmly. "Don’t worry, Lord Nova. I can conceal my aura thoroughly."
Nova knew she was capable of it, yet he still felt the need to warn her. From the side, Nyxara looked at the approaching Holy Knights with open disgust.
In her eyes, these so-called righteous servants of the Light Temple were nothing more than hypocrites — many of them hiding their own sins behind the name of the Temple.
The group did not attempt to leave.
No one else was moving, and trying to walk away at this moment would only draw suspicion. Before long, the Holy Knights and the accompanying nuns reached them. Among the many people present, Nova’s group stood out the most.
One of the sisters stepped forward. She was a mature woman in her 40s, yet her beauty was still quite striking.
"Hello there. Apologies for the disturbance, honorable guests. Under the orders of His Majesty and the High Priest, we are conducting a small inspection."
Nova snorted inwardly, though his expression remained calm.
"And what exactly is this about?"
The sister looked at him. From the surrounding conversations, it should have been obvious what they were doing, and his question clearly irritated her slightly.
Still, Nova’s natural charm made it difficult for her to respond harshly. She politely explained the process.
After listening, Nova simply nodded and allowed the inspection. One by one, they were asked to place their hands on the crystal. Nova went first. Then Nyxara. Then Rieka and Asia.
Finally, it was Velena’s turn. Just as she was about to place her hand on the crystal, a familiar voice suddenly rang out.
"Sister Lily, what are you doing?"
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice — including Nova’s group.
A breathtaking woman was approaching.
She had long, flowing blonde hair that cascaded down her shoulders, left completely uncovered. Unlike the other nuns, whose heads were modestly veiled, her appearance was far more striking.
Her white nun’s attire was tailored differently — a provocative slit ran along the side of the dress, revealing the smooth, thick curve of her thighs with every step.
Her figure was voluptuous and mature, with full, heavy breasts and a narrow waist that only emphasized the sensual fullness of her wide hips.
Even while wearing the robes of the Temple, she radiated a dangerous, almost sinful allure — more like a succubus wearing the skin of a nun than a true servant of light.
In terms of pure presence, she stood on equal footing with Velena. Nova, Asia, and Rieka immediately recognized her.
It was Sister Maria. Yet she was nothing like the woman they remembered.
Her beauty had undergone a drastic transformation, her already seductive body now even more alluring. More importantly, the aura surrounding her was completely different.
She now radiated the presence of at least a mid-level King Realm expert. The last time Nova had seen her, she had only been a mid-level Grandmaster.
What stood out even more was the pure holy light energy flowing from her body. Its intensity far surpassed what her strength level should have been capable of.
The dense sacred energy even caused a faint irritation to Velena, who was still in her human form. Nyxara, however, remained completely unaffected.
"High Priestess Maria!!"
One after another, the Holy Knights and nuns bowed deeply as she approached, their voices filled with clear reverence.
Nova, Asia, and Rieka’s eyes widened in shock.
What the hell was going on?
Wasn’t she just a nun and warrior who had fought in the defense of Frost City three years ago? The last time they had seen her was during Asia’s birthday celebration.
How had she become a High Priestess?
Aside from Asia, neither Nova nor Rieka fully understood the weight of that title. But seeing every holy knight and nun bowing before her, combined with the overwhelming holy aura she now carried, made it impossible to ignore.
Maria’s cold gaze settled on the middle-aged sister.
"Why are you inspecting these people? Don’t you know who they are?"
The older nun trembled slightly and answered in a meek voice.
"I-I apologize, High Priestess... I didn’t realize who they truly were..."
The surrounding nobles and guests watched the scene with clear interest, many of them wondering who the striking blonde woman was.
Even among those familiar with the Light Temple, Maria appeared to be a newly risen and important figure.
Maria spoke clearly.
"Look at the lady with blue hair. She is Asia Frost, daughter of Duke Theodore Frost. She is clearly a person of high standing within this kingdom."
"And this man is Nova Valencrest, her husband. The others are their companions. Do they still need to be treated as ordinary guests requiring inspection?"
A wave of surprise spread through the nearby crowd.
Most of them knew of Duke Theodore — one of the influential dukes of the Aureth Kingdom — but few had ever seen his daughter in public.
Asia was known for her beauty, yet she rarely appeared at noble gatherings, so almost no one recognized her at first glance.
Now that her identity had been revealed, quiet discussions immediately broke out. Many eyes turned toward the handsome young man beside her, realizing he was her husband.
Some even speculated that the other women accompanying them might be his wives as well. Envy quickly appeared on the faces of several young and older nobles alike.
Sister Lily hurriedly lowered her head. "No, High Priestess... we didn’t know. We apologize."
Maria’s expression softened slightly. She let out a quiet sigh and said, "It’s alright. It wasn’t entirely your fault. Now that you know, continue with your work."
The Holy Knights and nuns all nodded and quickly moved on to inspect the other people in the area.
Once they had left, Nova turned to face the beautiful nun standing in front of him. He had just opened his mouth.
"Sister—"
Before he could finish, Maria suddenly stepped forward and jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
"Nova!!"
"We finally meet again!!"
**
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