Chapter 357
Cynthia.
The Duke of Leon's posture was stiff, but his tone carried an undeniable authority.
He had burned some of them, which believers considered to be a defilement of the ancient scriptures of the God of Light.
It contains the names of many gods.
He glanced at it briefly before tossing it into the raging flames, witnessing its destruction firsthand.
But what he just blurted out was the name of the moon goddess—Cynthia.
Duke Leon regained consciousness.
He wanted to give Lingwu the name "Matia," which means "praise to the gods."
But his daughter, who was so beautiful that he couldn't find the words to praise her, opened her eyes at that moment.
Bathed in the golden sunlight, those eyes were as clear and bright as the waters of Lake Como, so dazzling that he couldn't look away.
For some reason, he changed the "Matia" he blurted out to "Cynthia".
“Cynthia, my daughter,” he said tenderly.
Even when illuminated by the light, Lingwu's eyes remained open.
Her gaze passed over the handsome, aloof man before her, over the stained-glass round window, and looked up at the clear blue sky.
There was a pair of indifferent golden eyes staring back at her.
Those golden eyes stared at her for a long time before finally leaving the moment Ling Wu closed her eyes.
The Duke of Leon, who knew nothing, did not change his tune, but gently patted his daughter in his arms.
He felt a sweetness filling his heart and couldn't hide the smile on his lips.
Cynthia.
Only this name is worthy of her.
Moreover, those ancient books have long been burned, and no one will know the true meaning of the name Cynthia.
Moreover, the God of Light has not descended upon this ravaged continent for far too long, so long that he has begun to question His very existence.
"Is the lady awake?" Duke Leon asked, looking up.
Duke Leon pursed his lips after receiving a shake of the head, wanting to step into the house, but still dared not.
Before giving birth, the lady specifically instructed him not to go inside, and that he would never be allowed to kiss her again unless she woke up.
Thinking of this, Duke Leon felt wronged, but his face remained indifferent.
"Duke, the bishop, leading the temple's followers, is demanding that the saintess be taken away."
"The Saintess?" Duke Leon frowned slightly.
He glanced down at the lovely Lingwu, a dark glint in his eyes, but still carried her downstairs.
Beneath the dome, the cardinal stood in front of the carriage.
The Duke of Leon, who walked slowly, did not bow, but stood opposite the bishop with an upright posture.
"Good day, Your Excellency," he said coldly.
A few strands of white hair were faintly visible beneath the cardinal's red hat, and his aged face wrinkled with displeasure.
But when he saw the child in the Duke of Leon's arms, he instantly forgave his disrespect.
The bishop bowed devoutly: "Good day, Your Highness, the saint personally chosen by the great God of Light."
When he mentions the God of Light, he places his white-gloved hand over his heart and makes the sign of the cross with his other hand in front of his chest to show his devotion to the God of Light.
The bishop's status is no lower than that of a saint, but she is different; she is a chosen one of the God of Light.
As soon as the cardinal spoke, the other believers followed suit, devoutly calling out, "Good day, Your Highness, the saint personally chosen by the great God of Light!"
Their faces were contorted with madness, as if they could snatch the saint from Duke Leon's arms at the bishop's command.
The Duke of Leon found his own idea both laughable and absurd.
That would be defiling the great God of Light, something these mad believers would never do.
He thought this, but it didn't stop him from carefully covering his daughter's ears in his arms.
"The great God of Light has issued a divine decree! The baby girl born today is His holy daughter!" The cardinal's aged face was filled with excitement.
Duke Leon's anxiety finally died.
But the thought of this hard-won treasure being sent into that cold, inhuman temple filled him with resistance.
His expression was cold, and his tone left no room for doubt: "Grand City has three million citizens, and dozens, if not hundreds, of new lives are born every day. How can you be sure that Cynthia is the chosen one of the gods?"
“If you seek the wrong chosen one, the great God of Light will not be angry, but a devout believer will never allow himself to make such a low-level mistake.”
His phrase "devout believer" made the cardinal stare at him for a moment before slowly revealing a smile: "When the great God of Light sent down the oracle, he mentioned that today, only one chosen one, the Holy Maiden, would be born in the city of Gran."
The cardinal's long red robe fluttered in the wind, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by indifference on his pious expression.
"Is Your Excellency questioning the oracle of the God of Light?"
Duke Leon's eyes flickered slightly as he looked down at his serene daughter in his arms, his softened heart unable to harden.
Just then, Ling Wu opened her eyes and smiled at the handsome man in front of her, who was exuding the scent of cedar.
Duke Leon's tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and a smile appeared in his usually icy eyes.
He held his daughter tightly in his arms, suppressing his inner turmoil, before replying, "I am deeply honored that Cynthia is chosen by the God of Light, but my joy just now caused His Excellency the Bishop to misunderstand."
In an era where divine right reigns supreme, even royalty had to step back, let alone a duke of a different surname.
But he still wanted to compete.
"However, Cynthia hasn't even had a chance to see her mother yet. I think the great God of Light wouldn't want His chosen one to suffer such pain, would he?"
After Duke Leon finished speaking, Ling Wu, who had been obediently silent, looked in the direction of the cardinal.
Seeing this, Duke Leon suppressed his nervousness and changed the way he was holding Lingwu so that she could see clearly.
Since Cynthia was His chosen saint, she must be different from ordinary babies.
If Cynthia really wants to go to the temple, then he...
Duke Leon hugged him tighter, still unable to figure out what to do next.
Lingwu didn't look at the cardinal, but instead looked at the carriage.
The true master of the temple, the Pope, was sitting there.
In the continent of Aolai, the royal family and the temples stand side by side.
The royal family commands the most complete military force on the continent, and reigns supreme over its subjects.
Under the protection of the God of Light, the temple controlled the faith of all its subjects. They lived by their faith, and everyone had to grovel at the Pope's word of "divine revelation from the God of Light." The temple once held a position above the royal family.
Unfortunately, the God of Light has not appeared for many years, which led to the temple's concessions. But today, the God of Light's return has given them a glimmer of hope.
The saintess is the key to their regaining of power.
That's why they set off immediately to greet the Goddess of Light as soon as her radiance faded.
The Duke of Leon knew these things even better than Lingwu.
Because the faces of the group of people opposite them were so crazy that they could conquer Mount Olympus!
Duke Leon pondered for a moment, and seeing that Lingwu had closed her eyes again, his heart calmed down a little.
He was about to speak again.
A cold, indifferent voice, like that of someone atop a snow-capped mountain, came from the carriage.
"The temple will bring the saintess back in a year."
Before Duke Leon could even react with surprise, the cardinal immediately turned around and said, "Your Holiness, this is against the rules!"
"Return to the temple." The Pope's voice remained cold.
The cardinal's face showed disapproval, but he still gritted his teeth and gave the carriage a deep look before ordering, "Let's go."
Before leaving, he didn't forget to bow his head reverently to Ling Wu.
After standing up, he instructed Duke Leon: "This year, the temple will frequently visit to check on Her Highness the Holy Maiden's well-being. I hope Duke Leon will live up to His Holiness the Pope's kindness."
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