Chapter 76-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation
If Sykes was a product created by the Sei Curia and the royal family using the Dragon Bone, then according to the Emperor, their goal should have been to deal with the world-ending Demonic Domain foretold in the prophecy.
She remembered the prophecy also mentioned that an incarnation of the God of Hope would descend again to save the empire, yet those people still used such an extreme method to create a "savior"—using the bones of the demon dragon that once brought a world-ending disaster to the empire to create a bizarre lifeform, hoping he would bring salvation.
Ye Zheng sometimes couldn't understand what those people were thinking. In her opinion, wasn't it more likely that they would create another demon dragon?
The only thing she was certain of was that they were not necessarily satisfied with Sykes, especially given his recent pathetic performance, which was far from acceptable. Even the Emperor's attitude towards him was nuanced.
If that was the case, they would likely continue the "savior" experiment!
Ye Zheng almost wanted to rush to the Lower District immediately to ask Zoya for clarification. After some thought, she decided to hold back for a while and find a reasonable excuse to go to the Lower District.
Right now, due to the incidents with Sierra, the Dragon Bone, and the subsequent public outcry, the Sei Curia's surveillance of the Lower District was at its tightest.
The Saintess braved danger alone to save the Crown Prince. Moved by her courage, the Crown Prince gifted her a piece of his territory in the Lower District for her knight order to use.
Sykes's generosity surprised Ye Zheng. The Ye family, as nobles, also had their own land, yet Ye Fanjing hadn't given her a single house. Of course, he hadn't given any to Ye Di either; after all, compared to his children, he loved himself the most.
One of the reasons Ye Zheng made the request to Yu Tianming was that she didn't want her knight order to operate on the Sei Curia's territory. Even if she posed no real threat in the Pope's eyes, he wouldn't miss a good opportunity to monitor her.
Now that she had moved to Sykes's territory, if it were the old Sykes, she might have believed he was just giving her a piece of land. But the current Crown Prince was probably no easier to deal with than the Pope.
"Saintess, we should get out of the carriage."
Wende's voice pulled her back from her thoughts. Ye Zheng nodded and hopped nimbly out of the carriage.
Today, she was acting in her capacity as the Saintess, but she had forgone the iconic white dress for a shirt, vest, and trousers. Her long hair was tied in a braid down her back, making her appear taller and more sharp.
Everyone who saw her dressed this way was a bit surprised. It was quite a departure from the holy and gentle Saintess they remembered. But upon hearing that the Saintess was going to visit her own knight order—one composed entirely of women—they all shared a knowing smile.
It was like seeing a noble girl in riding attire, ready to tame a pony at the stables. Young girls always wanted to have a heroic air once in a while. Even a Saintess was still an underage girl full of curiosity.
As soon as Ye Zheng met their indulgent gazes, she knew what they were thinking.
She didn't feel any anger at being underestimated. Instead, she thought with great interest, if they knew what she planned to do with this knight order in the future, what would these tolerant and friendly faces look like?
A man in a white uniform stood to the Saintess's left. Charlie frowned and asked, "Saintess, although this knight order was established in your name with the purpose of protecting you, we can't rest easy entrusting you to such an immature organization."
"Aside from them all being female ability users, is the organizational structure even in place? Training standards? Daily regulations? I hear Knight Wende is the only one in charge. This is simply a joke."
As the group walked down the long corridor, Ye Zheng listened to Charlie's agitated tone. He seemed completely unaware of his own presumption; such an interrogative tone was not to be used with his superior.
Wende glanced sideways, a hint of impatience on the tall woman's face. Just as she was about to step towards Charlie, Ye Zheng silently held her back.
"Charlie, your questions are very reasonable. I am here today precisely to discuss these matters with everyone in the knight order."
Charlie showed a disapproving expression. "Saintess, how can you personally discuss these things with them? A superior must maintain an image of dignity and authority. Fraternizing with subordinates is a naive, amateurish idea."
The Saintess, walking at the front of the group, had reached the entrance of the training ground. She turned to the side and glanced at Charlie, who was following her. "Wende, you come in with me. Charlie, you stay outside."
The man looked at the Saintess in disbelief. Ye Zheng had already turned around, pushed open the gate, and left a soft sentence behind.
"Charlie, you're right. For the sake of my authority, you shall wait in the garden."
Under the blazing sun, the male knight, his forehead beaded with sweat, had to obey the Saintess's command. He stood bewildered in the unshaded garden, staring at the closed gate. Suddenly, a shiver ran through him, and he understood the Saintess's words.
Charlie finally remembered. Although the Saintess was merely a symbolic figure in the Sei Curia, her status was officially second only to the Pope, equal to that of a Cardinal.
The Saintess's usual kindness and benevolence had made almost everyone forget this. They only thought of her as a precious orchid cultivated by the Sei Curia. In reality, according to the rules, people like them were just weeds she could pull out if they displeased her!
If he had spoken to a Cardinal like that, he would have probably been kicked out of the knight order long ago.
As a superior, the Saintess's punishment was already incredibly merciful!
Charlie stood there in a daze. Unbeknownst to him, the Saintess everyone in the Sei Curia was familiar with was gradually becoming indecipherable, like a pleasant white cloud floating in the sky that suddenly turned into a torrential downpour.
Ye Zheng entered the training ground with Wende. The ground was spacious, with some weapons scattered about. A group of people stood in the center. Noticing the movement at the entrance, they all looked over in unison.
The tall knight turned her head and whispered to the Saintess as she strode forward.
"Saintess, you should have let me teach him a lesson directly."
"It's fine. He meant well. A small lesson is enough."
Wende sighed, "You are always so kind."
Ye Zheng smiled faintly. "I don't like violence, unless he crosses my bottom line."
Wende raised an eyebrow, not at all surprised, and handed over a list. Ye Zheng took it but didn't read it. Instead, she returned the gazes of the knights present with a calm and focused look, carefully observing each person.
They didn't have the rigid and serious posture of the Sei Curia's knights, but each one had a capable figure and a gaze filled with curiosity and restrained assessment.
These were the people Wende had recruited, almost all of them female ability users active in the Demonic Domains.
There were usually three groups of people who dealt with Demonic Domains: first, the knights dispatched regularly from the Upper District; second, the Public Security Team of the Lower District; and third, individual ability users in the grey area who took on various commissions.
According to Ye Zheng's observations in the Lower District, the knight orders did not recruit women. However, the Lower District's Public Security Team did recruit some female ability users. After all, high-rank ability users all flocked to the Middle and Upper Districts, leaving the Lower District, which needed manpower the most, often short on talent. This, in turn, gave female ability users an opportunity.
But the treatment of these female ability users was far worse than that of their male counterparts. There was almost no room for promotion, and their salaries were only half of what male ability users received.
The Public Security Team only saw them as short-term workers. They were expected to marry and have children when they reached a certain age. After childbirth, their ability rank would drop by at least one grade, and most would retire from frontline work. Therefore, it was deemed unnecessary to give precious resources to female ability users.
This was not just the view of the Public Security Team, but a consensus throughout the empire. It was also the reason why the knight orders did not accept women.
But in reality, female ability users had contributed significantly to the protection of the empire, yet hardly anyone recorded their deeds.
During her pro bono clinic work in the Lower District, Ye Zheng had interacted with many female ability users who were active in saving people in the Demonic Domains. She glanced around and saw a few familiar faces among the fifty people.
"Saintess! It's been a long time. Do you still remember me?"
Someone couldn't help but step forward, her face lit with an irrepressible, excited smile. She looked to be around thirty, not young, but she still maintained a vitality comparable to a teenager's.
"Aaliyah, it looks like your arm has fully recovered. But it's surprising that you would quit your job as a team leader in the Public Security Team to come here."
Aaliyah shrugged. "I heard you personally healed me. Those boys were all so jealous. They annoyed me so much, I just quit."
Some people in the line couldn't help but glance over. A job in the Public Security Team was a rare opportunity, not to mention she had already reached the rank of team leader. This woman just left it so easily?
"Well then, welcome."
The Saintess smiled. Her posture was erect, and her skin was so translucent under the sun that she resembled a statue carved from white jade.
Almost no one could tear their eyes away from the Saintess. Some had seen her before, some had not. They just felt that the Saintess was not quite like the rumors described, but they were not disappointed by this difference; on the contrary, they were pleasantly surprised.
Wende took out a notebook and announced the regulations for this Saintess's Knight Order from now on, covering everything from daily training to compensation and benefits in great detail.
They listened attentively. Apart from free spirits like Aaliyah, most had joined the Saintess's Knight Order for very practical reasons—for a better life.
The Saintess had a good reputation, and this knight order was approved by the Sei Curia and commended by the Crown Prince. Even if it was just a decorative piece bestowed upon the Saintess, it was a well-paying one.
"...In short, your compensation will be equivalent to that of the Sei Curia's Knights Templar. You have this treatment not because of the Saintess's generosity, but because you will undertake duties as noble as those of the Knights Templar."
"Please be prepared."
Wende methodically finished reading the script Wen Xin had prepared for her. A ripple of restrained, excited discussion spread through the ranks—they would receive the same treatment as the Knights Templar!
One must know that the Sei Curia's knights were also divided into several ranks, and the Knights Templar were the highest. Only the Pope and the Cardinals had the authority to command them!
Aaliyah covered her mouth in astonishment. Although she had managed to become a minor team leader in the Public Security Team, even the highest-ranking officer of the Public Security Team had to be completely deferential in front of a Knight Templar.
"Everyone, are there any questions?" the Saintess asked in a gentle voice.
Someone shook her head vigorously, wishing she could go up and hug the Saintess. They wouldn't even dare to dream of such treatment when they prayed at the Sei Curia.
Amidst this joyous atmosphere, someone suddenly raised her hand high and stepped out of the line.
She was an extremely young girl. Her skin was unevenly dark, likely from long-term exposure to the sun and wind. Her eyes were exceptionally bright, so bright they were almost sharp.
Following behind her was a girl with a similar face and an embarrassed expression, seemingly trying to pull her back.
"Saintess, I have a question."
Ye Zheng met the girl's piercing gaze, her smile fading. She nodded, "Please speak."
"You said we will receive treatment equal to the Knights Templar. Does that mean we could also be granted land for outstanding merit?"
"Can we also participate in the courts and the council?"
"Will we also have the opportunity to be recommended for higher positions?"
The girl spoke quickly, her tone aggressive. It sounded less like asking questions and more like trying to stir up trouble, because almost everyone present knew that was impossible!
"Hey, Cheng Cheng, stop it."
The girl with a similar face but a more mature demeanor pulled at her younger sister's clothes, desperately trying to salvage the embarrassing situation.
Someone had already stepped forward to retort, "What are you trying to do? If you're not satisfied even with this, then go back to the black market and be an unemployed ability user!"
Almost everyone looked at the girl who had stepped forward with incomprehension, and the clamor grew louder.
Wende coughed, about to stop this undisciplined group, when the Saintess, who had been silent beside her, spoke.
"What is your name?"
"Saintess, my name is Cheng Cheng."
The youth lowered her head, her tone neither servile nor overbearing.
"Very good, Cheng Cheng. I have been waiting for someone to ask this question."
Cheng Cheng looked up in surprise. When she met the Saintess's clear dark eyes and fell into that gaze as vast and tolerant as a lake, she knew the Saintess was not just saying something polite to smooth things over.
The once chaotic scene fell silent.
"I cannot tell you with certainty that you will have treatment completely equal to the Knights Templar."
"The only thing I can be certain of is this: whatever position I can reach in the future, I will bring you to that position. I will be the dome you can touch, and even surpass."
"I must tell you clearly, as my knights, you will bear a responsibility more dangerous, and more noble, than that of the Knights Templar."
Ye Zheng's gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Cheng Cheng.
"This knight order has only one principle—offer your courage and loyalty to the Saintess."
"Now, I must ask you in return, are you ready?"
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