Chapter 613: Bishop of Sun
upon noticing his arrival, Stella bowed her head and greeted him with a warm smile.
She possessed a complexion that exuded a delicate radiance, complemented by captivating brown eyes and lustrous blonde locks cascading around her face. Her countenance boasted a charmingly rounded shape, further enhanced by a gracefully refined nose and elegantly short eyebrows. Standing at an approximate height of 160 cm, she exuded an aura of motherly.
In that particular instance, she donned a striking ensemble consisting of a sleek black gown, an accompanying apron, and a slightly disheveled white toque adorning her head, bearing the marks of her culinary endeavors.
"Good morning, Zephyr. It's been only a month since I saw you, but you almost look unrecognizable." She walked closer to him and hugged him.
"I'm sorry for not being there after your mother passed away, young child."
'Now that I think about it, Zephyr mentioned her yesterday. Although she came to see her mother occasionally, Zephyr's mother stopped getting closer to her for fear of troubling her. And, Zephyr always called her Aunt.'
As the information appeared in his head, he gave her a polite smile and spoke.
"It's alright, Aunt."
"Please wait a few minutes; I'll finish the cooking sooner."
"Take your time, Aunt," Charles said while waving his hand and returning to the living hall.
After that, Charles quietly sat on the sofa and waited awhile.
The aroma of freshly cooked food wafted through the air as Charles settled comfortably onto the sofa in the living hall. He glanced at the elegant clock on the wall, noting that thirty minutes had passed since he entered the kitchen. With a satisfied smile, he rose from the sofa and returned to the dining hall.
As Charles entered the dining hall, his eyes fell upon the beautifully arranged dishes on the table. Each plate showcased a colorful array of flavors, enticing his taste buds. Stella stood nearby, a proud expression gracing her face as she observed her culinary creations.
"Everything looks incredible," Charles remarked, his voice filled with genuine admiration. He approached the table and took a moment to appreciate the artistry displayed in the food before sitting.
Stella's warm smile widened, and she humbly replied, "Thank you, Zephyr. I hope you enjoy your meal. Is there anything else I can assist you with?"
Charles shook his head, appreciative of her diligence and attention to detail. "No, Aunt. You have already done a fantastic job. Please, join me. It would be delightful to have your company."
Stella's eyes shone with gratitude as she pulled out a chair and sat across from Charles. The two engaged in light conversation, sharing memories as they savored the delectable flavors. The atmosphere was filled with a sense of camaraderie and warmth.
While eating, Charles suddenly recalled the moment when he was with his mother, Eve, at Riverdale and felt a little emotional.
'Haah, I miss her. Although I had only been with her for a while, she was the only person who loved me and even sacrificed her life to save me.' He soon shook his head and continued to eat.
Once he finished breakfast, he told Stella not to disturb him for a while and returned to his bedroom.
After that, he took out the 'Crimson Orb' from his space ring, entered his Inner World, and started focusing on comprehending the remaining rebirth fire.
He remained in the same position for the next ten hours and focused on comprehending thousands of Rebirth Fire Essence Streaks.
Although his comprehension speed lessened due to unknown reasons, he still managed to comprehend four Rebirth Fire Laws and saw a slight change in his Inner World.
'The Rebirth land has become larger once again.' Around 5.00 P.M, he finally stopped comprehending the 'Rebirth Fire' and decided to go out.
After informing Stella, he left the house, took a carriage, and moved to Sun Church.
Within 30 minutes, he arrived at the Sun Church and stepped in.
As he walked into the nave, he was greeted by many people. Some were praying before the tall statue of the Sun God, while others were silently sitting on the pews and seemed to be discussing in low voices.
Charles serenely surveyed his surroundings, his gaze traversing the environment until it settled upon a man of middle age clad in splendid robes of shimmering gold. Standing a mere few meters away from the majestic statue of the Sun God, the gentleman exuded an aura of wisdom and authority. His countenance, framed by a neat crop of fiery red hair, boasted a square-shaped face that exhibited the marks of life's experiences. A snub nose sat prominently upon his visage, lending a touch of charm to his features, while his olive-toned skin conveyed a testament to sun-kissed journeys.
At that precise moment, his attire spoke volumes of his elevated position within the ecclesiastical hierarchy. The man donned the regal garments of amice, alb, cincture, stole, and even a resplendent mitre adorned his head, proclaiming his esteemed rank. Furthermore, held confidently in his left hand, he wielded the emblematic crozier, symbolizing his religious authority and responsibility.
Charles quietly stepped onto the aisle, turned a left turn, and soon arrived closer to the middle-aged man.
Upon seeing a young boy walking towards him, the middle-aged man smiled politely and greeted him.
"Good evening, child. May the 'Eternal Light' bless you."
Meanwhile, Charles pressed his hands together before his chest and responded.
"Praise the Sun God, source of Life and Light."
The middle-aged man's smile brightened as he saw the respectful look on the young boy's face.
"How may I help you, young child?" He asked.
On the other hand, Charles calmly took a golden badge from his space ring and gave it to him.
"I came here to meet Lord Bishop under the guidance of 'Eternal Light' to discuss something important."
'Eternal Light?'
Although Bishop of Sun was puzzled by his action and words, he quickly took the badge from Charles's hand and probed it using his wisdom power.
But before his wisdom power could probe the badge, he suddenly found himself standing in front of a pure mass of light elemental energy.
Without hesitation, he withdrew his wisdom power and widened his eyes in shock.
Although he didn't know what happened then, he vaguely saw the silhouette of 'Sun God' in that pure mass of light-elemental energy and was completely overwhelmed.
"W-Who are you, young child?" He couldn't help but ask.
Meanwhile, Charles made a glance around the surroundings and asked.
"Can we speak privately?"
"Of course! Please follow me." Bishop didn't even dare to make him wait as he returned the golden badge and brought him near the chalice where the vestry room was located.
The vestry room, adorned with religious artifacts and symbols, exuded an aura of tranquility and reverence. The air was imbued with a faint scent of incense, adding to the solemn atmosphere within the room. Bishop of Sun gestured for Charles to sit on one of the ornate chairs. In contrast, he settled into the opposite, his expression a mixture of curiosity and anticipation.
As they sat facing each other, Charles took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking.
"You must be curious about why I'm holding an artifact with a strong aura of Eternal Light, am I right?" He paused for a moment and soon added.
"But before we go into the topic, let's introduce ourselves first."
Upon hearing those words, the Bishop of Sun realized how rash he was and hurriedly apologized.
"Please forgive me for acting rashly, Young man." He bowed his head and continued.
"I'm Orion, the only Bishop managing this sun church for the past four hundred years."
Meanwhile, Charles nodded his head and introduced himself.
"I'm Zypher, an illegitimate son of Baron Cedric Silvercrest."
"Illegitimate son of Baron Cedric?" Bishop couldn't help but frown.
'This boy isn't a direct lineage but an illegitimate son. Moreover, he is only a son of a baron. There is no way our Lord gave this badge to him.' A strange suspicion appeared in his heart.
"How did you get that badge? Did you steal it from someone?"
The corner of Charles's lips twitched as he heard those words.
"Do you think anyone can steal the badge with the aura of Eternal Light?" Charles suddenly turned serious and asked.
At the same time, Bishop Orion felt an invisible pressure come out of the young boy and made him suffocate!
To Bishop Orion's eyes, Charles was nothing but a mere Rank-2 young child. So, he knew that the cause of this invisible pressure was not this young child but something else.
'No good! I angered our almighty Eternal Light!' He instantly stood up from his seat and knelt on the floor.
"Please have mercy on this sinful man, Divine One!" He almost prostrated on the ground and trembled all over.
On the other hand, Charles casually took out the golden badge and spoke.
"I'm not Eternal Light himself. But you can think of me as his chosen one." His mere words caused Bishop Orion's eyes to widen even further.
"Stand up. I came here because I want to enter the upcoming Star Tombs exploration. Can you manage to get me one seat?"
Bishop Orion slowly stood up from the prostrated position, folded his hand together, and responded humbly.
"Although it's difficult with the power of my authority, I will directly write a letter to Cardinal Damian and get a seat for you. But-" He deliberated for a moment and added.
"Cardinal might not believe my words and might come here personally to check if the badge is authentic, Your Highness."
"Let him come and check the badge whenever he wants. Also, don't let anyone know I'm the Chosen One of Eternal Light. It will only bring me more trouble." Charles said in a commanding tone.
"This old man understands, Your Highness."
