Chapter 2060: The Holy Grail Maiden
“Can you explain what you just said in more detail?” Jayad asked, taking a sip of Azure Beauty. He was no longer the ignorant slum child he once was and knew he was different from ordinary people. Jayad truly wanted to understand why he was favored by so many gods.
“Uh, well, the moment I saw you in the restaurant, I received what seemed to be a revelation from the Goddess. This person is very important, and I need to introduce you to the Goddess’s faith,” Illyrit said.
“There’s such a thing? Did the Goddess tell you why she did this, or what she wants me to do?” Jayad asked doubtfully. This time, it seemed he was specifically designated as a Divine Favorite. Why was that?
“I don’t know about that because I’m not yet a Holy Grail Maiden and cannot receive stable revelations. It’s probably just because you happened to be by my side that I received a divine oracle,” Illyrit said, a little embarrassed.
I had some understanding of this matter. After all, the faith of the Lady of the Lake was very widespread, and her internal hierarchy was recorded in many books.
Apart from the general believers at the lower level, the believers of the Lady of the Lake were divided into male and female sides. The males were all knights, and their final rank would become Holy Grail Knights. The females, on the other hand, followed a completely different path as priestesses.
Female priestesses recognized by the Church of the Lady of the Lake would become Holy Grail Maidens. They could master two schools of magic simultaneously: the Beast and Life schools. They were responsible for guiding knights onto their adventurous journeys and offering them guidance or support when necessary.
Simultaneously, they also mastered some of the Goddess’s blessed divine spells, and sometimes they served as advisors and honored guests to lords in various regions. These were still the lowest-ranking female priestesses in the Church of the Lady of the Lake.
Above them were called the Prophets of the Lake, also known as female prophets. They would receive a third school of magic granted by the Goddess, enabling them to use Heaven-系的 Magic, and they could receive divine premonitions, allowing them to see a certain degree into the future, equivalent to bishops.
Above them was the highest level of the Church of the Lady of the Lake, the Lake Goddess Nymph. Her status was equivalent to that of the Pope, the messenger of the Goddess’s will. It was said that the Lake Goddess Nymph possessed Immortality and had always been the same Nymph, having held the position for hundreds of years.
Illyrit stated that she was not even a Holy Grail Maiden, which meant, “You are still a low-level believer and have not become an official priestess of the Lady of the Lake, which is why you cannot hear the complete divine oracle?”
Illyrit’s face instantly turned bright red. She truly knew nothing beyond minor divine spells like purifying Fresh water and blessing treatment. Compared to the Sea God Mannan, she was far inferior in the Lady of the Lake’s faith. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have ended up as a navigator on Sailing voyages.
“If you are willing to become a believer of the Goddess and embark on an adventurous journey, I should be able to become a Holy Grail Maiden, and then I can fully answer the Goddess’s divine oracle. At that time, I will definitely be able to give you a complete answer,” Illyrit said again.
“Oh, I see. So, if you can fool Older Brother Jayad onto the path of a knight, you can advance further and become a Holy Grail Maiden, is that it?” I asked.
“Huh? Not exactly. I didn’t entirely think of it that way, but it’s true, just a little bit, only a tiny bit. *Sniff*! Okay, I admit it, it is indeed like that. As long as I can guide you onto the path of a knight, I might be promoted to Holy Grail Maiden,” Illyrit said, her face flushed.
I knew it. No one acts without reason. Her actively seeking out Older Brother Jayad twice must be because attracting Older Brother Jayad to join the Church would benefit her. Otherwise, why would she seek him out now and not at any other time?
I also understood this point about promotion. This path of believing in gods is not about diligent Asceticism. Zealots praying daily don’t necessarily become stronger. Otherwise, if Commoners just worked hard, wouldn’t they all be able to become strong individuals and change their destinies?
Religion emphasizes a hierarchy. What position one holds, what tasks one undertakes, and what degree of divine favor one receives are all very clear. It is very difficult for a Priest to achieve the strength of a bishop through practice, but a bishop’s strength is definitely at the bishop level.
This is because one can only receive divine favor upon reaching that rank, and divine favor is far more powerful than dedicating oneself to solitary practice. Older Brother Jayad is a prime example; divine favor allowed him to become an expert in just a few months.
The more formal the Church, the more complete and strict its hierarchy. For example, Taoism in the East has a complex system of ordination that specifies the position of a master-disciple Taoist, what they should do, and helps them guide and obtain divine power.
The Lady of the Lake’s system is relatively simple. Holy Grail Maidens are responsible for guiding knights onto their adventurous paths. Conversely, as long as she can guide one knight onto an adventurous path, she becomes a Holy Grail Maiden and gains access to dual magic systems, even if she didn’t have the Talent for these two schools before.
Moving up, if she can guide a Holy Grail Knight, this female priestess will become a Prophet of the Lake, possessing a new magic system and divine revelations granted by the Goddess.
Therefore, their promotion is closely tied to the knights they guide. As long as she can bring Older Brother Jayad into the Church, Illyrit can be promoted to an official priestess, so of course, she would attach immense importance to this once-in-a-lifetime Opportunity.
Speaking of which, as I thought about this, I had a strong sense of déjà vu. This is like a pyramid scheme, where recruiting new members as downlines allows you to level up and gain more benefits, especially when the Big Boss himself specifically requested this person.
Moreover, this Illyrit is so naive. We revealed the crucial information to her with just a few words twice. This girl has no cunning, or perhaps she believes that being more sincere increases the probability of success?
“Regardless, if I can become a Holy Grail Maiden, or even a Prophet of the Lake in the future, I will be able to interpret more complete and clearer divine oracles. At that time, I will do my best to help you figure out why the Goddess chose you,” Illyrit began to set conditions.
Jayad felt this condition was acceptable. After all, having more skills is never a burden. Illyrit then added, “Also, if you embark on a knight’s journey, I can become your companion and relieve your loneliness.”
“No need!” Older Brother Jayad, almost reflexively, looked at me. After seeing that I was emotionally stable, he immediately said, “I really don’t need that, and I won’t be embarking on any adventure, so don’t even think about it.”
Indeed, my emotions were stable because I knew this convention. The records stated that many Holy Grail Maidens would choose knights on their adventures to become their lovers. After they became Nobles and obtained fiefs, or even became Holy Grail Knights, they would become their wives or lovers.
This could be considered an early investment, choosing a knight to attach herself to, as the priestesses of the Church of the Lady of the Lake were highly integrated with the knights.
