The Shepherds Are Dense – Chapter 517

Chapter 516
Gray Saintess Grey
Actually, Eivass didn’t really want to contact the Saintess at this time.
In the game’s storyline, the fleeing Eivass and Isabel received help from “Pure White” and settled down in the Holy Kingdom.
But this also directly classified their identities as being on the Saintess’s side. As a result, any further interactions with any Cardinal would have to start from a “distrustful” level to rebuild favor.
Now that Avalon was still fine, and Eivass was studying abroad in the Holy Kingdom, he coincidentally met this Saintess… This could be considered a convergence of timelines.
But what surprised Eivass the most was that Isabel could actually contact Her Highness the Saintess…
This was not someone one could easily contact.
At this moment, Eivass looked at the gradually gathering crowd around him, knowing that he was probably going to become famous again.
As a guest personally received by the Saintess in the First Ring, Eivass’s image was remembered by many on his first day in the Eternal Holy Kingdom.
Although there were no news agencies or newspapers in the Holy Kingdom… After all, the natives here were elves, and elves didn’t keep track of days because their sleep cycles were different from humans. Just like humans wouldn’t bother remembering the exact time.
However, in places where short-lived races gathered, there were still establishments like bars and clubs for information.
— And they had no concept of “low profile” at all.
Six Pope’s Guards were escorting them, encircling them. The white cloaks behind them instantly turned red, signifying they were on a mission and no unauthorized personnel should approach.
The Saintess dismounted her Unicorn and walked alongside Eivass.
Eivass said in a low voice, “Long time no see, Your Highness Pure White—do you remember me? I’m Fox. This is Detective.”
Pure White tilted her head slightly.
Her eyes, bound by a ribbon, seemed to glance at Sherlock, who was following silently behind, and the corners of her mouth rose slightly, “I remember.
“If I’m not mistaken, he should be the one whose identity was replaced by His Excellency Merlin. He was among the Ascenders at the very end, right?”
She replied fluently.
Soon, she asked curiously, “I have a question, Eivass.”
Without any hesitation, Pure White addressed Eivass by name.
“Please, go ahead.”
Eivass replied politely.
“How did you recognize me?”
The Saintess, whose eyes were bound by a white ribbon, asked softly, “I’ve always been curious… I shouldn’t have revealed my identity, right?”
“Didn’t you say it?”
Eivass was slightly taken aback and replied, “There is a Pillar God watching us—not many people can do that.”
“But at the very beginning… when we first met, my tone of voice should have been similar to an Ordinary Person.”
Pure White asked softly, “I want to know, did you recognize me from the very beginning? Or did you only know who I was after I said that?”
Eivass understood what Pure White meant.
This Eternal Saintess, who had “solidified into Amber,” had strayed into forbidden territory because she was too quiet.
She was somewhat similar to Isabel’s personality at first, but fundamentally different—Isabel was fearful and insecure then, while Her Highness the Saintess was too calm.
She wasn’t socially awkward, nor was she emotionally detached or unskilled in conversation.
On the contrary… she was very confident, emotionally stable, and calm in her actions.
She even smiled!
Whether she was mocked, cursed, attacked, falsely accused, or faced with life-threatening danger, Her Highness the Saintess was never nervous or concerned.
Even if they were going to stew her the next moment, she would calmly discuss with people that cannibalism was wrong. If she couldn’t explain it and was truly outmatched, she might even help with the spices, given her personality.
Just like Eivass before—caring about nothing and being too self-absorbed.
Because of this, she had no fear and never panicked or lost her composure when encountering anything.
Just like the codename “Pure White” given to her by the Pope, she possessed a pure and flawless spirit.
“Actually, to be certain, it was only confirmed at the end.”
Eivass stated calmly, “But after all, you are all elves, and they were all respectful towards you. So, there weren’t many candidates left.”
It could only be the Pope, the Saintess, Cardinals, and a few Saints, at most the Pope’s Guards.
However, from the initial “Don’t you know me?” it was clear that her popularity in the Holy Kingdom should be very high.
“Pure White,” who had great popularity and status in the Holy Kingdom, could only be one person.
That was the Gray Saintess.
As the main storyline progressed, players would learn that “Pure White’s” real name was Grey, and this name meant “Grey.” Therefore, she was also known as the “Gray Saintess” by players.
The Holy Kingdom did not revere white above all else. The name “Pure White” was actually more of a blessing from the Pope to her.
Because of this, when Eivass first heard the common name “Pure White,” he hadn’t realized it was Her Highness the Saintess. It was only when the Saintess finally recovered her usual calm and serene tone that he instantly recognized who it was.
— Of course, the main reason was the difference in physique.
“Pure White” in the Ascension Ritual was a twelve or thirteen-year-old little girl, but the Gray Saintess…
Eivass thought of this and subconsciously glanced at the extremely ample scale of her chest.
“I see…”
Grey nodded, lost in thought.
She hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke, “Can you show me… that Flame Butterfly?”
“Her name is Leah.”
Eivass nodded and released the Flame Butterfly that had been hidden in his sleeve from the beginning.
The Gray Saintess carefully took the Flame Butterfly on her fingertips, her walking pace slowing down.
She lightly brought the Flame Butterfly close to her eyes, which were covered by a white veil, and softly asked as if afraid of waking her, “Your relationship with her… is it very close?”
“She is my sister… well, you could also say my daughter.”
Eivass’s expression was somewhat strange as he answered.
When he spoke to Leah privately, Eivass never expected that one day he would be publicly “executed” in front of a crowd.
— They were not in a sealed reception room at the moment, but out in the open.
When the Saintess went out, there were naturally many people watching. Eivass was thus included among them.
At this distance, their conversation would undoubtedly be overheard. After all, the concentration of Extraordinary individuals in the Holy Kingdom was too high.
So, Eivass could only feign composure, putting on a calm demeanor that suggested, “This is normal, what’s wrong with it?”
“No wonder…”
The Saintess showed no surprise at Eivass’s words. Instead, it felt like a natural conclusion.
She nodded, “His Majesty said…”
She paused and added, “I mean, His Majesty the Pope said. You might be a descendant of the Butterfly Heavenly Envoy.”
“…Huh?”
Eivass was stunned.
I have this component too?
Aren’t I a Swamp Dweller? Even if I’m not a Swamp Dweller, I shouldn’t have any connection to the Butterfly Heavenly Envoy, right?
…Or is it that Jacob added some flavor?
Considering his grandfather, Eivass was a little unsure, “Is… is that so? I’m actually not very clear…”
Because Eivass was really unsure of what he was.
But the surrounding passersby immediately perked up, and some clearly left immediately after obtaining this information.
— Did you hear that! His Majesty the Pope personally admitted that Minister Moriarty of Avalon is a descendant of the Butterfly Heavenly Envoy!
“Actually, I don’t think so.”
Unexpectedly, Pure White denied it, “My opinion differs from His Majesty’s. I think her view is a bit exaggerated and too direct.”
She unhesitatingly said, “I think the Pope is wrong,” but Eivass dared not respond.
The inseparable intimate relationship between each generation of Pope and Saintess was equivalent to that of mother and daughter. In this sense, she could also be considered the only daughter of the current Eternal Pope.
The Saintess held a supreme position in the Eternal Holy Kingdom, arguably even a “Vice Pope.”
If the Eternal Pope was responsible to those above, then the Saintess was responsible to those below.
Their task was very simple: to be responsible for “acting as the Pope.”
Because the Pope bore the Sin Thorns and could not move freely, any event, speech, ritual, ceremony, festival… any occasion requiring the Pope’s presence was basically attended by the Saintess on her behalf—some documents were written by the Pope, and some were written by themselves.
When attending as the Pope, she would also refer to herself as the Pope. Therefore, this was not acting as a proxy, but acting.
In a sense, the Saintess was the “de facto Pope” of the Eternal Holy Kingdom.
“Then what do you think…?”
Eivass inquired.
Just then, they were about to turn a corner. Eivass unconsciously touched the Unicorn.
The Saintess’s steps faltered for a moment.
Seeing that the Unicorn showed no reaction to Eivass’s touch, she tilted her head in confusion.
She did not answer Eivass’s question but instead asked, “Are you tired, Eivass?”
“…We haven’t even traveled three kilometers yet, I don’t think I should be… tired?”
Eivass was about to say he wasn’t tired, but sensing that Her Highness the Saintess might have something to say, he looked up and answered tentatively.
Should I be tired… or not tired?
“I think you’re tired.”
The Saintess replied, “You should rest for a while.”
Saying this, she grabbed Eivass by the waist with one hand, like picking up a cat, and brought him onto the Unicorn.
Eivass, who was 1.82 meters tall, felt the strange sensation of being small for the first time in the Saintess’s embrace.
“So, you think…”
Eivass pressed on the previous topic.
He was actually very curious about the Saintess’s evaluation of him.
Both the Pope and the Saintess were knowledgeable about the Gods. An evaluation from the Saintess would be very helpful for Eivass to understand the “Swamp Dweller” system.
But the Saintess’s counter-question stunned Eivass, “Are you a girl, Eivass?”
“—Ha?”
Eivass was utterly dumbfounded.
…I just spent a whole day with Isabel yesterday, and you’re asking me if I’m a girl now?!
Chapter two, updated!
The update tomorrow should be earlier because I’m going to repair my phone screen in the afternoon, which was broken by a small stone (sad).
(End of this chapter)