Chapter 155: The Ceremony
“Silence! Silence!”
Great Hero Arnold Bain, a descendant of the God of Combat, shouted with a booming voice and immense presence. He had recovered his health and was, as usual, bare-chested, wearing red trousers and a black cloak, holding a shield in his left hand and a spear in his right.
Under his authority and presence, the whispering Divine Descendant Nobles and the grieving populace fell silent, their expressions solemn.
Tedus Medea, the King of the city-state, did not attend the ceremony to bestow The Frost Blessing. He was in the Royal Palace, conferring with his advisors, his brow deeply furrowed.
“Your Majesty, having lost Moore Rona, the entire city-state is left with only you and Arnold, the two Great Heroes. Even adding Dikens, who now serves The Frost Blessing, we only have the equivalent of three Great Heroes. We will likely be insufficient to defeat the projection of the Abyssal Archon Dorkabach!” A white-haired Divine Descendant scholar, dressed in standard scholarly attire, bowed and said to Tedus.
“To say we are insufficient is an understatement. We are essentially facing annihilation! Your Majesty, we must acquire a decisive force to resist this Abyssal invasion!” A Hero wearing a red-tasseled helmet said bluntly.
“Your understanding of Athena is somewhat limited. When she was a child, she was cursed by the Demon Archon Gorgan. Thanks to the blessing of the Ancestor God, she has transformed that curse into power, greatly enhancing both her frost and elegance powers. She is already a Great Hero!” Another Hero, who was quite familiar with Athena, said slowly after glancing at Tedus’s expression.
“Even with three Great Heroes, our strength is still inadequate! That is an Abyssal Archon, a titled Lord of Darkness. Legend says he possesses power no less than that of a Deity. His projection’s strength is comparable to the most powerful Eternal Epic Hero.” The Hero with the red-tasseled helmet said gravely.
“If the Ancestor God offers no guarantee of victory, I believe we must consider an alternative path!”
Just as the people in the Royal Palace were locked in contention, the ceremony in the square had reached its climax. Athena solemnly held The Frost Blessing with both hands, watching Dikens ascend the high platform and kneel before her.
“In the name of Medea, Goddess of Elegance, and Rona, God of Frost, the Medimus City-State Royal Family bestows upon you the quasi-Treasure Artifact, The Frost Blessing!
From this day until the end of your life, you shall be the servant of The Frost Blessing. You must remember your mission: serve the quasi-Treasure Artifact and be loyal to the Medimus Royal Family!”
Athena raised the ice crystal short sword, The Frost Blessing. Under the sunlight, the ice crystal short sword refracted all colors of the rainbow, illuminating the blue-haired Princess. A sacred aura spread. It seemed both the frost and the elegance spirits whispered their blessings.
Athena held The Frost Blessing flat, standing before Dikens.
Dikens raised his hands and slowly, firmly accepted the ice crystal short sword. No one cheered. No one applauded.
The people looked sorrowful. The informed were worried about the city-state’s future. How could they resist the powerful Abyssal Archon? What would be the fate of the city-state and the Royal Family?
The ceremony slowly concluded. Even late into the night, the crowd lingered in the square. Their grief needed soothing, and their hatred needed focus. Both Divine Descendants and common people had lost many relatives. The entire city mourned together.
“I wonder how our son is doing. No one knows where he went!” Marina, sitting in the square, clutched Romon’s shoulder, deeply worried.
“He will be fine, he will be fine.” Romon answered perfunctorily, his internal doubts growing.
He suddenly recalled when Ace first discussed researching medical formulas. Ace asked him to get the restricted Whomping-Willow tuber and the Corrosion Jackals. His son seemed to be continuously researching these forbidden subjects!
He dared not tell anyone and could only bury his doubts deep in his heart. No matter what Ace was researching, he wished for Ace’s safety.
He tightly clutched a badge in his hand—the Citizenship badge that the Princess had personally given to Ace!
Since then, the Noble Divine Descendants who coveted Ace’s estate had all backed off. With the protection and trust of the Crown Prince, even with Ace’s fate unknown, no one dared to risk retribution.
Peter and others came to comfort Romon. As Ace’s mentor, Peter consistently believed Ace was merely an outstanding scholar and physician. He continuously prayed to the Goddess, hoping for Ace’s safe return.
“I believe in my student. He must be safe. Ace is the most talented and idealistic scholar I have ever met. He has always held the dream of saving the world in his heart. Don’t worry. He likely traveled north with a trade ship. Perhaps in a few years, we will hear stories of Ace practicing medicine and saving lives in the north!”
Marina’s worry slightly subsided after hearing Peter’s words.
Just then, squads of city-state soldiers rushed in, distributing soup to the crowd. In the sky, a Celestial Horse, pulling a flying shuttle, slowly descended onto the high platform in front of the temple.
Tedus Medea and Crown Princess Athena Medea, wearing white robes with purple ribbons, dismounted the Celestial Horse. The horse, pulling the flying shuttle, circled once and vanished.
Tedus, wearing a pure gold olive branch crown, led Athena slowly into the Goddess of Elegance’s temple.
The crowd in the square, having finished their soup, gradually quieted down. They were waiting—waiting for the will of Medea, the Goddess of Elegance and the city-state’s patron.
The entire temple began to emit a soft glow. Inside the temple hall, a white sphere of light hovered. There were no idol sculptures, only a manifestation of the Goddess’s refined divine power.
“Respected Ancestor Goddess, you are the personification of elegance! You are the guardian of Medimus City-State! May you watch over us and protect us from your domain in heaven!” Tedus, wearing the golden crown, led Athena in a respectful genuflection toward the sphere of divine power. As they performed the ritual, the sphere of divine power emitted a gentle glow, and a figure flickered within it.
“Tedus, Athena, I am aware of your purpose.”
The figure within the sphere of divine power gradually solidified. A pair of fair hands emerged from the sphere. Accompanied by a soft, clear voice, She spoke with an air of absolute authority:
“Come forward, Athena.”
Athena stood up from the ground and slowly approached the sphere of divine power.
“Come, Athena, grasp my hands firmly.”
Tedus watched as Athena walked closer and grasped the pair of fair hands. The sphere of divine power erupted in a dazzling light, piercing through the temple and instantly illuminating the entire Royal City as if it were day.
Romon and the others in the square involuntarily closed their eyes.
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