Chapter 66 The Core Responsibilities and Main Business of the Holy Church

The Royal Capital.

On the western side of the royal palace, vast rows of commoner dwellings were stacked like roof tiles. Sixty percent of the capital’s population was crammed into this fiercely contested patch of land, huddled together.

Amidst the sea of simple, grey-toned residential blocks, a magnificent, pearly-white grand cathedral stood proudly at the center, surrounded like stars adoring the moon.

A pristine and sacred aura, like a fine veil, draped over the immaculate white structure. The cross atop the cathedral emitted a gentle, shimmering radiance, resembling the favored gaze of a goddess.

The vast majority of commoners born in the slums were devout believers of the Holy Church, serving as the very foundation of the Goddess's faith.

If eighty percent of the kingdom's citizens revered the strongest hero, Minor, who single-handedly brought forth the light, then within the capital, nearly ninety-nine percent of the commoners in the slums revered none other than the Holy Maiden from the Holy Church—the Ice Maiden, Lena!

In previous years, that ratio had hovered around eighty percent, but after Lena became the Holy Maiden, it approached one hundred percent within a mere few years.

If one were to ask why—

During the evening post-dinner stroll, clusters of commoners shuttled through the small plaza in front of the Holy Church. Almost by unwritten convention, the stream of people would pause briefly in the center of the plaza before the statue of the Holy Maiden Lena, erected a year ago. They would lift their heads, gaze at it for a moment, and then... break into foolish, lovestruck grins.

"Hehehe, Lady Lena's demeanor is so aloof, sss-ha sss-ha... completely irresistible!"

"I want to be Lady Lena's good dog so badly!!!"

"When people say nothing in the world is perfect, me: Behold the Holy Maiden Lena!"

"Lady Lena is so badass, I love her so much!"

It was not because the Holy Maiden Lena had once faced a necromancer commanding tens of thousands of undead all by herself; it was not because the Holy Maiden Lena had once frozen a volcanic borderland that had poisoned a thousand miles of land into a glacier; it was not because the Holy Maiden Lena had slain a greater demon on the frontier.

Rather, it was because:

The Ice Maiden Lena was the very first white-haired Holy Maiden elected since the founding of the Holy Church.

And the citizens of the Kur Kingdom were universally white-hair enthusiasts.

At the entrance of the Holy Church, officials dressed in sacred robes stood with solemn and dignified expressions before plain, long wooden tables, reverently arranging a series of holy relics... Only the most pious clergymen were permitted to touch these items, ensuring not a single speck of dust fell upon them.

Soon, a faithful believer approached the long table, bowing to the clergyman as if on a pilgrimage.

"I offer my faith and my wealth to the Goddess and Lady Lena—"

The clergyman made the sign of a cross over his chest and nodded approvingly to the believer. "Your contribution points have accumulated sufficiently. You may choose a new holy relic: what will it be... a Statue of the Holy Maiden or a Holy Maiden Acrylic Plaque?"

"The Statue of the Holy Maiden, the Statue of the Holy Maiden!" The believer replied with a slightly gleeful look in his eyes, "Please give me the 'Holy Maiden Lena—Thigh-Clamped Sword' edition."

"A very wise choice." The clergyman’s gaze grew increasingly appreciative. "This is the unanimous choice of all zealous believers."

With a solemn expression, he put on his gloves and slowly handed the item—personally blessed and consecrated by the Father of the Holy Church—to the believer. The man received it with trembling hands and immediately hoisted it high above his head.

In front of the church plaza, countless gazes fell upon the top-tier holy relic:

It was manufactured using the most advanced border-land demon techniques, introduced half a year ago and handcrafted by the clergymen of the Holy Church—the 1:8 scale Mini Figurine of the Holy Maiden Lena.

The "Holy Maiden Lena—Thigh-Clamped Sword" figurine possessed an aesthetic design. The pure and undefiled Holy Maiden Lena sat demurely on the ground with her toes pointed inward, a slender cross-sword gripped tightly between her firm, plump thighs. Her expression was icy and sacred, devoid of the slightest trace of emotion.

With a thud, the believer who received the figurine dropped to his knees in sheer excitement, holding Lena high up with his right hand, his voice trembling with emotion:

"Lena figurine, get Da☆Ze!"

" "Oh—!!!" " Surrounding commoners burst into simultaneous applause, the loud cheering echoing continuously.

Such a scene was rare, occurring perhaps only once a week.

The clergyman smiled as he watched the spectacle from the side, nodding in profound satisfaction, as though witnessing some faction steadily growing stronger... After sending the believer off, he maintained his sacred demeanor and began attending to the next follower.

The long table before him was lined with various models of mini figurines of the Holy Maiden Lena. Aside from those, there were autographed Bibles of the Holy Maiden Lena, replica necklaces of the Frozen Heart, crystal projection stones of the Holy Maiden Lena, portraits of a smiling Holy Maiden Lena... and so on.

Depending on the believer's contribution tier, different levels of holy relics could be claimed. The Lena figurine was clearly among the higher-tier options.

By the way, the Holy Maiden Acrylic Plaques were also crafted using the most advanced "acrylic plaque" technology imported from the borderland demons...

The stream of people flowed endlessly. The clergyman labored until late into the night, when the crowds finally dwindled, before packing up his stall. He wiped the sweat of diligence from his forehead, his smile brimming with fulfillment:

"Finally, the important work of the Holy Church for today is also complete—"

At that moment, a priest clad in pristine white robes walked over from inside the Holy Church and patted the clergyman on the shoulder. "You've worked hard today as well, Hein."

"I never imagined that after joining the Holy Church for only five years, you would already be capable of standing on your own, in charge of the Holy Church's most vital operation: issuing the Lena figurines."

"I expect that in a few years, you will be promoted to priest."

"No, you flatter me!" The clergyman Hein looked somewhat alarmed. "I am still far from ready; I haven't even personally issued a thousand Holy Maiden figurines yet!"

The priest smiled and shook his head. "Don't be modest, Hein. I witnessed with my own eyes when you submitted your 'Lena is Life' oath, watched you start from frontline tasks like 'Spreading the Fire of the Holy Maiden Lena from Door to Door,' move on to publicity work such as 'Editing the Holy Maiden Lena VLOG Image Crystals,' and finally reach core responsibilities like 'Designing Holy Maiden Lena Merchandise.'"

"Your execution capability has already surpassed ninety-nine percent of your peers."

"At your age, you can even interpret 'Advanced Aesthetics of the Holy Maiden Lena' just like us. The thesis you submitted recently, titled 'The Loser Vibe in the Holy Maiden Lena's Past Life is Also a Valid Fetish,' received deep approval from the high-ups of the Holy Church, you know."

The priest smiled and said, "I have already nominated you to the higher-ups for this year's 'Top 100 Single-Minded Holy Maiden Devotees.' Keep working hard and seize the opportunities."

"Y-You?!" Tears welled up in Hein's eyes, rendering him utterly speechless with excitement. "Thank you, Father!"

"Everything for Lady Lena." The priest smiled and crossed himself.

Hein immediately returned the gesture, striking his chest with his right hand: "Offer our hearts to Lady Lena!!!"

Watching the priest's retreating figure fade into the distance, Hein wore a radiant smile. He looked down at the stored figurine of the Holy Maiden Lena with genuine sincerity.

You must understand...

Ninety percent of the Holy Church's financial revenue came from the offerings of believers attracted through the Holy Maiden merchandise series.

The clergymen throughout the entire Holy Church operated like precision cogs, dedicating their lives to the cause of spreading the fire of the Holy Maiden Lena! This was the primary duty and core business of the Holy Church.

The cash flow attracted by this was largely used by the Holy Church to fund charitable causes for commoners.

Under such a positive cycle, the popularity of the Holy Church and the Holy Maiden grew day by day, reaching its peak with the advent of the Ice Maiden.

"Lady Ice Maiden Lena is simply the most perfect existence—" Hein gazed infatuatedly at the Lena figurine he had crafted with his own hands, his eyes revealing the pride of a true collector:

"This icy, aloof, yet noble and sacred aura, resembling that of a goddess, combined with the halo bonus of the Frozen Heart holy relic."

"Ah, she is as pure as a millennial unmelting white ice peak." Hein lifted his head in a trance and murmured:

"I simply cannot imagine what it would look like if this frozen seal were broken... Surely, no one in this world could ever make that Holy Maiden shed her frost!"

Just as he finished speaking.

*Dong*—A deep bell chime resounded from the top of the Holy Church.

Hein shuddered all over. In disbelief, he lifted his head to gaze at the summit of the cathedral.

The bell rang out with a resonant, sacred power, spreading outward like invisible ripples across the entire royal capital, directly upon the topmost cross.

A pure white and urgent radiance suddenly burst forth into full bloom!