Although there is still some time before the official selection begins, as the Depraved Hero said, such an important ceremony, even if conducted a bit hastily, will not have anyone delaying until the last moment to arrive.

The gentle breeze actively transported distant voices to her ears, letting her hear many unfamiliar names.

Whether in the alleyways or in tavern restaurants, citizens were discussing the popular candidates for the next Saintess.

[Hero's fame in the Holy City (15+ divergence, Kingdom fame +7, Cruising bishop +5)]

D30+7+5=d30(4)+7+5=16

The Hero glided past the edge of the city and occasionally caught fragments of conversation about herself along the way.

Even though the number of Saintess candidates was large, each one was selected among thousands, and there weren't candidates without attention.

"The affairs at the border have actually spread here..."

The Hero murmured softly, vaguely feeling that it was likely the Cruising bishop's doing.

Thinking back, sometimes his attitude towards her was quite strange; perhaps he felt she might become the next Saintess?

Recalling that bishop long gone, she belatedly realized this and shook her head with a smile.

"I wonder if he's in the Holy City, and when I might see him again."

In the border highlands, leveraging the power of ancient heroic spirits and the military, she successfully slew the ancient Great Demon that had just been unsealed. This achievement earned her considerable praise and recognition in the Holy City as well.

Though she was still relatively inexperienced, considering the special circumstance of this selection, no one felt she was unqualified.

[Holy City reputation viewed as Kingdom reputation, Hero gains fame points=4*5000=20000]

Yet her reputation in the Holy City was still limited to this for now.

Not to mention the existence of ancient heroic spirits and border military raised doubts about how much impact the Hero truly had?

Moreover, in the Holy City, which hadn't faced an Arcane Surge in nearly a century, such thoughts were commonplace—

'Since the Divine Knowledge Saintess didn't take action personally, the so-called ancient Great Demon isn't actually much of a threat, is it?'

If soldiers who experienced the highland battle were present and heard such words, they'd likely flush with anger and prepare to fight.

The former ridicule of the Key of Transformation wasn't entirely incorrect; under the joint efforts of the Divine Knowledge Saintess and the Kingdom, years of peace and prosperity had dulled many people's senses.

Even the collapse of the Capital and the self-imposed guilt of the Divine Knowledge Saintess caused great ideological upheaval in the Holy City, leaving no one daring to underestimate the strength of disaster,

but among the Saintess candidates, there were battle nuns and Holy Knights who aimed to defeat powerful magic creatures, inspired by the Divine Knowledge Saintess.

So why do people focus on a fledgling Hero from the border rather than those long-established strong figures?

'Well, although I'm not a border native, no matter, it's fine.'

Reflecting on the pleasant times in the Border City, the Hero was indifferent to those rumors reaching her ears.

Besides, those statements weren't without reason, considering she had just lost a fight before leaving and didn't have much confidence to bravely express how capable she was.

As the gliding distance gradually increased, the city's bustle faded away, leaving only the gentle sea breeze rustling by her ears as the Hero adjusted her posture, preparing to land.

A few meters above the ground, she removed her short boots, landing lightly barefoot, leaving small footprints on the delicate, soft white sand of the seaside beach.

With one hand carrying her boots, she took off her nun's hat with the other hand, and her waist-length black hair unraveled in the early summer sea breeze, cascading down like a black waterfall and fluttering lightly.

After walking forward a few steps, the tide-driven waves lightly lapped against her small feet, splashing a few clumps of white foam, and the cold sensation made the girl's toes curl slightly.

Still, she quickly became accustomed to this feeling, even sensing the friendliness and familiarity within the waves.

She stood quietly on the beach, gazing at the vast blue sea. On the boundless water surface, scales of light danced under the sunlight, reflected in her Emerald Eyes.

Joy, regret, longing... complex emotions intertwined within her chest, and the Hero slowly smiled.

"—I'm back."

The sound of waves did not cease, yet it seemed to respond to her return.

[Sea Moon Demon's extra judgment success—enhanced awakening: Sea Origin]

D100+30=d100(7)+30=37

Note: Composite judgment, Chasing Memory Great Success +30, 100+ gain recognition of Deep Sea, Mermaid Incarnation upgraded to R7+, 50- and memory as the sea, under observation of Great Demon.

[Great Demon's memory (Moon-Sea)]

D10=d10(6)=6

→☆→☆→☆→✧←★←★←★←

Near the Inner Sea bay of the Holy City, the Hero carried shoes and hat in one hand and tidied her long hair, blown loose by the sea breeze, with the other hand. Her fair barefoot stepped on fine soft white sand, creating delicate footfalls.

The early summer sea breeze carried a hint of salty fragrance, mischievously lifting her wide nun's clothes, which then hugged her skin the next moment, faintly outlining soft curves.

On the morning sea shore, there were only sporadic figures; occasionally someone glanced at the Hero, but upon seeing her in ordinary nun attire, their gaze dismissed indifferently.

As the Church headquarters, residents here often saw various sect clerics, and while figures like the Cruising bishop, a Legendary Professional, weren't everywhere, they weren't exceedingly rare either.

Not being overly noticed was just what the Hero desired. While kicking the waves, she headed toward the sparsely populated direction.

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