Gospel of Blood

Chapter 151: Coming-of-Age Ceremony

When Charlotte, dressed in elegant attire, entered the mansion's grand hall, warm applause erupted instantly.

In the luxurious reception hall, amidst the bustling crowd, nobles rose one after another, paying their respects to the young lady.

Among them were families and merchants with business dealings with Castell, representatives from various allied families, and envoys from vassal nobles of Castell County.

Charlotte wore a gorgeous noble gown, her long golden hair naturally cascading down her back, elegant and noble, beautiful and charming, like a pristine angel under the dazzling crystal chandeliers.

Today, she looked even more beautiful and mature.

Of course, Charlotte knew that this was all due to the effects of clothing and makeup.

She measured her height every once in a while, and since transmigrated, she hadn't actually grown taller at all. Underneath her clothes, she was still that pitiful little figure.

Charlotte seriously suspected that her physique and appearance had been permanently fixed from the moment she became a Bloodborne.

Seeing the young lady entering the hall, the crowd attending the ceremony made way, and a wine-red silk carpet led straight to the front of the hall.

Charlotte made her way through the crowd and approached the front of the hall.

She lifted the hem of her skirt and gracefully curtsied to Raoul, smiling.

"Good evening, Grandpa Raoul."

Raoul also smiled.

"Good evening, Charlotte. Congratulations on your coming of age. You look truly beautiful today."

"Thank you for your praise."

Charlotte smiled. With a blink, she added.

"Congratulations to you too, on becoming the High Priest of Borde City."

"Just an acting High Priest. If I can't pass the church's grace test to become a Blazing Sun Knight, I'll still have to return to work at the Church's Hospital."

Raoul shook his head.

The church's grace test... Charlotte's heart stirred, silently remembering the name.

The appointment of Raoul, the Dean of the Church's Hospital, as the High Priest of Borde City was quite surprising to Charlotte.

Generally, only Third Tier Blazing Sun priests were qualified to become High Priests.

According to what Black Cat Nice knew, this seemed to be the result of power struggles between the Inquisition and the Borde City Church.

The newly appointed Grand Knight did not want to see a strong High Priest in Borde City, so he supported Raoul, who was still a Silver Moon.

The reason was to clean up the corrupt priests.

As the saying goes, "A fish rots from the head down." As High Priest Leonard willingly fell, there must be also his supporters within the Borde City Church.

Perhaps these supporters were not aware of the High Priest's secrets, but their hands were not clean. Some of them even participated in the activities of the Dreaming Salon.

In recent months, under the scrutiny of the Inquisition, the Borde City Church has been in chaos every day.

However, for Charlotte, this was a good thing.

She had always maintained a good relationship with Raoul, and having Raoul perform the coming-of-age ceremony for her could also avoid unnecessary trouble.

"You will definitely pass the test, after all... your faith is so devout."

Charlotte smiled.

But the priest Raoul didn't seem so excited. Instead, he smiled bitterly.

"I hope so... Borde City is in a mess right now. Nearly a quarter of the entire cathedral has been removed from office by the Grand Knight. Who knows what will happen in the future."

Charlotte blinked again.

"If you don't want to stay in Borde City, apply to come to Castell. Castell needs honest priests like you."

"Hahaha... Charlotte, you're getting better and better at talking."

Raoul laughed heartily.

After saying that, he seemed to think of something, hesitated for a moment, and asked again.

"Charlotte, does the oath you made to the church before Leonard still count?"

Charlotte's smile faded slightly, and she lowered her head.

Raoul suddenly understood.

He sighed lightly and said.

"I understand. I know Leonard's actions have made you disappointed with the church, but... he has already received the punishment he deserves."

"If you have any thoughts, the doors of the Holy Court will always be open to you."

Charlotte hesitated for a moment, raised her head, and looked sincerely at the old priest.

"Grandpa Raoul, I did hesitate."

"I think... maybe it's because my faith is not devout enough."

"If possible, after inheriting the title and returning to the county, I hope that in my spare time, I can enter Castell's church school for further studies, learn more about the church's knowledge, and pray and repent under the Holy Light."

Upon hearing the girl's words, Raoul's face showed relief.

"Inheriting the territory while also being a noble priest... I understand."

"Don't worry, I will write a letter of recommendation for you. The Holy Light will witness your devoutness and listen to your voice."

Charlotte smiled sweetly, delighted.

"Thank you!"

She was really delighted.

As long as she concurrently held the position of noble priest, even if it was just in name, even when she returned to Castell, she could walk into the local church and leech them anytime.

"That's only right."

Raoul smiled.

After saying that, he straightened up.

"Well, it's almost time, let's begin."

Raoul clapped his hands, and the music in the hall instantly stopped, followed by the boiling crowd quieting down.

Charlotte's coming-of-age ceremony officially began.

In Myria, a noble's coming-of-age ceremony consists of two parts.

First, the elders formally introduce the adult noble to the guests and receive blessings from them.

Secondly, the bestowal of the sacrament, where the church clergy represents the church in bestowing a sacred blessing upon the adult noble, is a ritualistic ceremony that can enhance physical qualities, resistance to diseases, and strengthen the noble's bloodline power.

Because there was only Charlotte left in the direct line of the Castell family, Charlotte entrusted Raoul, the old priest, with the entire ceremony.

Formally introducing Charlotte to the nobles was just going through the motions.

As the current substantive head of the Castell family, Charlotte had already taken over the family's authority a year ago, so the attending nobles were more or less familiar with her.

It was only the envoys and representatives from the Castell County vassals who arrived upon hearing the news who looked at her with curiosity, wondering about this future lord.

Many representatives from Castell County attended Charlotte's coming-of-age ceremony.

However, Charlotte noticed that these representatives seemed to hold low positions, as not a single noble family head was present, and many of the representatives couldn't even be considered nobles...

Clearly, the nobles of Castell County didn't attach much importance to her as the young successor.

The formal introduction ended quickly, and then it was time for the sacrament.

This was a process that Charlotte paid close attention to (because she might take advantage of the opportunity to leech the power of the Holy Light).

Accompanied by ethereal hymns, Charlotte lifted the bulging hem of her skirt and gently knelt down on one knee.

Bathed in the divine radiance, Raoul, holding the Sacred Scriptures, chanted the blessings of the coming-of-age ceremony with cadence, one hand covered with holy oil, gently tracing a cross representing the Holy Court on the girl's forehead.

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With Raoul's movements, the holy light enveloped Charlotte.

Familiar burning pains spread from various parts of her body, and Charlotte quickly saw new information appearing in her consciousness.

【"Gospel of Blood" detected an ongoing divine ritual——】

【Name: Sacrament Ceremony】

【Caster: Holy Light】

【Recipient: Charlotte de Castell】

【Ritual Effect: The blessing and marking of mortals by the Holy Light, capable of stimulating the potential and power of the recipient, enhancing their physical constitution and bloodline power, while also marking and suggesting the recipient, marking the coordinates of the recipient's soul, and making the recipient's stance more inclined towards the Holy Court.】

【Interception Probability Assessment: 100%】

【Intercept?】

Sacrament Ceremony?

Charlotte's heart stirred.

She hadn't detected this divine ritual during Leno's last sacrament.

So... could it be that the former High Priest Leonard didn't really perform a true sacrament for him, but just went through the motions?

But...

Marking the soul and suggesting the stance?

Charlotte pondered.

She vaguely understood why the Holy Court wanted to implement sacrament ceremonies among the nobles.

This was a blessing, but also a means for the Holy Court to indirectly control the nobles.

Charlotte noticed that although Raoul was performing the sacrament, the caster detected by the Gospel of Blood was "Holy Light".

This was the power of Lord God Harald.

In other words, it was Harald who, through the hands of believers, bestowed blessings upon the recipient, while also marking the coordinates of the recipient's soul and suggesting their stance.

Charlotte's heart stirred.

The coming-of-age sacrament... was a means for the Holy Court to cultivate potential believers among the nobility, as well as a means for the Gods to extend their gaze to mortals!

Charlotte didn't intercept this divine ritual but allowed it to fall upon her.

The pure light radiated on the girl, and Charlotte distinctly felt a burning power akin to flames flowing into her body.

However, at the moment the Holy Light entered her body, she manipulated the Gospel of Blood and used the divine power of blood akin to "blood-sucking" to devour the Holy Light.

At the same time, Charlotte felt as if she had established some kind of inexplicable connection with a brilliant sea of light in the depths of her mind.

It seemed that the Holy Light's blessing failed to take effect. After the Holy Light entering her body was devoured, the divine radiance enveloping Charlotte didn't end.

In Charlotte's perception, the sea of light in the depths of her mind suddenly boiled!

The dazzling light continued to radiate on the girl, and Charlotte felt even more Holy Light pouring into her body, seemingly desperately trying to "purify" her as a heretic.

Charlotte accepted all the Holy Light that poured in and then completely devoured it.

Then... the Holy Light enveloping her became even more dazzling.

As if in defiance, the Holy Light became even more dazzling, and Charlotte even faintly felt a strong sense of rejection and hostility from that Holy Light.

This rejection and hostility didn't have independent consciousness.

In the girl's perception, this rejection felt like a pre-set program.

But at this moment, because of Charlotte's "stubbornness," this program increased its output of Holy Light.

Thus, a scene that shocked Dean Raoul and many guests appeared.

The radiant light on the girl was incomparably dazzling.

Holy photons descended from the sky, danced around the girl, and rushed into her body one after another.

Like... a miracle!

Some of the priests present became excited on the spot, drawing crosses on their chests one after another, looking at the girl bathed in the radiant light of holiness with fanaticism, their voices trembling:

"Miracle... this is a miracle!"

"Praise the divine! She has received the favor of the Holy Light!"

"The radiance of divine grace... could she really be a natural saint?!"

The priests were excited.

Under the fierce assault of the Holy Light, Charlotte enjoyed absorbing the power belonging to the God Harald.

Until she vaguely reached a certain critical point, a strong sense of palpitations and unease surged in her heart.

In the depths of her consciousness, Charlotte perceived an ancient will gradually awakening.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly stopped this near-cheating absorption, ending the sacrament ceremony.

The Holy Light gradually weakened and ceased its assault on her.

The radiance faded, the sense of rejection and hostility quickly vanished, and the holy glow enveloping the girl dissipated…

In Charlotte's perception, her connection with that mysterious sea of light was completely severed.

Charlotte felt somewhat unsatisfied.

Although being burned by the Holy Light was unpleasant and even quite painful, she had just seized a considerable amount of divine power!

To put it into perspective, she had spent over half a year struggling to recover her divine power to 27.8 points, but in those three minutes under the Holy Light, it more than doubled, reaching 55 points!

This greatly delighted Charlotte.

At the same time, she was very curious about the sea of light she had just connected with.

"That gradually awakening will, could it be the God Harald? Is he sleeping?"

"Did I just… connect to him directly?"

Charlotte pondered.

The sea of light she had glimpsed was immensely vast.

Compared to it, the power she had secretly absorbed was like a drop in the ocean.

But just this single drop had nearly restored her divine power to the amount before her use of True Ancestor's Liberation...

"Indeed, rather than finding ways to produce divine power myself, this plundering 'blood-sucking' is much more effective and faster!"

Charlotte thought to herself.

Emerging from the joy of her major gain, Charlotte opened her eyes.

However, when she saw the scene around her, she was stunned.

The hall was silent, so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

All eyes were focused on her.

The priests looked excited, their gazes towards her burning with intensity as if seeing a treasure.

The guests, on the other hand, had their eyes wide open, expressions filled with shock.

Charlotte: ...

Good grief, did she just make a huge commotion?

...

Meanwhile, in the various churches of Myria where statues of the God Harald were enshrined...

Priests and believers knelt before the statues, praying with fervent devotion.

Just moments ago, they all witnessed an extraordinary scene…

All the statues of the God Harald in the churches were illuminated.