Alone, Beautifully – Chapter 71

Your Preference (5)

“This is the punishment for your dishonesty.”

The golden carriage steadily drove to the entrance of the temple.

The temple is very big.

Besides the six surrounding temples of the sub-gods under the God of Creation, and the central tower, there is also a seminary outside, and outside the seminary, there are the temple’s guards. The carriage stops at the place where the guards are stationed.

To show respect to the gods, within the internal area, whether it is ordinary people with divine power or the bishops serving in the temple, no one can recklessly fly in the sky; they can only walk steadily on the ground.

Even Xu Jiao and Lilith got off the carriage and walked inward from the place where the guards live in the direction of the Sun Temple.

The golden arch stands towering like a triumphal arch, with a brilliant sun statue in its center, symbolizing the eternal glory of the sun that never sets, always shining upon the earth.

Whoever walks under this arch receives the blessing of the Sun God, living a life away from darkness, returning to light, and even after death, their soul remains blazing.

Xu Jiao herself is not interested in these set things, but Lilith is quite fascinated by what Andrew said. Just like when she first entered the carriage, her blue eyes follow the direction Andrew points, looking around, and when needing to salute, she devoutly performs the etiquette that a follower of the Sun God should have.

The surrounding believers, guards, and even those who naturally live near this temple—ordinary people chosen to serve the temple’s clerical officials—all have faces with the same longing as Lilith, even more fanatical.

Although such a world with divine fanaticism is what she constructed, at this moment Xu Jiao truly feels a sense of being out of place among the crowd because her expression is indifferent like that of a tourist. However, fortunately, her identity as a saint is already public, and in people’s eyes, she seems to naturally carry a layer of divine light, making even her indifferent expression appear nobly different from all beings.

Like a rose blooming alone in the corner.

Xu Jiao followed Andrew all the way in, and along the road, whether ordinary people or guards, would automatically salute them. Along the way, the guards’ armor is entirely golden, and even those who serve wear this color to some extent, as if this allows them to receive the favor of the Sun God.

Passing through the area where the guards are stationed, they arrived at the Sun Academy.

At this time, schools do not have uniforms. Although the academy offers quite good treatment and holds various banquets every year, the seminary does not provide clothing benefits to students who have not yet passed the selection. Therefore, it is easy to distinguish between the commoners and the wealthy here.

There are also descendants of declining nobility and powerful lords.

Xu Jiao roughly glanced around and saw several people dressed like princesses, with exquisite clothing and beautiful fabric, and at the same time saw a few plainly dressed people chasing after a young boy, clearly seeking protection and willing to serve as slaves.

Divine magic seems to have changed nothing.

Obviously, people with divine magic affinity coming here seem to be given a second life, but those deeply rooted aspects from the original world seem imprinted from birth, and even upon coming to this place, there is not the slightest change.

Lilith suddenly took a cautious step back behind her.

Xu Jiao heard from not far ahead, among a few girls surrounding someone dressed like a princess, one arrogantly walked over, and after saluting Andrew, looked behind Xu Jiao and said sarcastically:

“Anna, come quickly and see, isn’t this the sister who should be at home helping our hardworking mother lighten the housework? How dare this little wretch enter such a sacred place like the Sun Academy? I think she might need a lesson.”

The person she called Anna also walked over, resembling this girl somewhat but with short hair and a bow in her hair, making her appear a bit playful:

“Of course, Grace, I suspect she must have secretly lied to some adult to sneak in. Look, she even secretly changed out of her ragged clothes, now pretending not to know us; that’s not good.”

“As her sisters, we have the duty to tell her that a little mouse not favored by the Sun God should not come to such a place.”

Xu Jiao felt the person hiding behind her was unconsciously trembling.

Because she was tightly clutching her clothes, almost sticking to her.

This seems…

to be the most timid heroine she has ever seen.

Xu Jiao looked at Grace and Anna in front of her and heard the pitiful voice from behind: “An-Anna, Sister Anna, Sister Grace.”

Andrew also glanced at Xu Jiao’s expression, seeing her expression was calm, unsure if she wanted to intervene, so he smiled and smoothed things over: “Children, there might be some misunderstanding here.”

“Lilith is the girl chosen to serve the saintess.”

“Saintess?” Anna followed his gaze and saw Xu Jiao with black hair and black eyes. She had initially wanted to ask Andrew if this was a heretic brought for punishment, but upon hearing Andrew’s words, she showed complete astonishment in her eyes.

She even forgot to salute.

It was Grace who pulled her, and only then did the two hurriedly perform a greeting. Grace smiled and said to Xu Jiao, “We apologize, we have not met the saintess before, and may have been somewhat rude. We hope you can forgive us.”

Seeing Xu Jiao had no intention of taking offense, she and Anna exchanged a glance, and then said: “However, to be honest, my sister is a bit clumsy in her work and even has some hard-to-change small faults. If you are willing, Anna and I might do better than her.”

They very straightforwardly… began to recommend themselves.

Even in front of Lilith, they unhesitatingly dismissed her.

Xu Jiao steadily looked at them, seeing in their eyes the undisguised longing, a longing for power, for being above others.

Or it could also be called ambition.

In front of these two strong sisters, Lilith is like an inconspicuous wild grass by the roadside. She is self-abased, timid, and in such a place where one can openly express fervent love and self-recommendation to the gods, she appears so insignificant.

Andrew previously came to the academy to give the children a few lessons. He really liked such confident little girls and immediately smiled and suggested to Xu Jiao:

“I think, if you like, you can indeed choose a few peers in the academy to enter the temple to accompany you, learn and live with you, so you will adapt faster.”

“Of course, this is just a trivial suggestion. All choices still depend on you, my respected Lady Saintess.”

Xu Jiao’s expression moved slightly, as if she was truly persuaded by his suggestion.

Afterwards, she slightly turned her body and looked at Lilith behind her, asking: “What do you think?”

Lilith didn’t dare to lift her head, her fear of these two sisters was deeply ingrained, and she was involuntarily trembling. Hearing Xu Jiao’s words, she blankly raised her chin, quickly glanced at Xu Jiao, swallowed, and then said:

“I… I…”

Xu Jiao patiently repeated: “Do you think I should let them serve me with you?”

Lilith: “!”

She could not believe that such a decision would actually be left to her by the saintess. In her view, Xu Jiao’s words seemed more like a test. It is said that, regardless of the god, they all prefer kind and tolerant girls.

So Lilith forced herself to suppress her true thoughts and struggled to squeeze out a small sentence through her teeth:

“If you… if you like them, I… I have no objection. The sisters… they are all very beautiful and know a lot of etiquette. They have learned a lot at the theological academy and can definitely help you a lot.”

Hearing her words, Grace and Anna gave her a smile that said, “At least you know your place.”

Xu Jiao, hearing her say this, slightly raised her eyebrows. The movement was not large, yet it gave a feeling that her decision was everything, causing Lilith’s two sisters to start feeling anxious.

After a while.

Xu Jiao slightly curved her lips and followed up with her words, saying: “Since your suggestion is so fair, perhaps I should adopt it?”

Andrew very appropriately continued: “Congratulations, Misses of the Art family, you have obtained the qualification to enter the temple. Later, someone from the temple will come to guide you, please wait here.”

Grace and Anna were immediately overjoyed and, holding their skirts, saluted him: “Thank you, may the radiance of the Sun God always shine upon you, my dear Bishop Andrew.”

……

Xu Jiao and Lilith’s group continued to walk inward.

Since knowing that her two sisters would also enter the temple, Lilith’s expression no longer held the previous excitement; instead, she became depressed, as if she were a bird caught from a branch into a cage, losing her lively spirit.

The surrounding scenery could no longer attract her, and even her pale golden hair became dull.

Until Andrew first entered the Sun Temple to report to the Pope, leaving the two of them outside to wait briefly.

Xu Jiao suddenly asked: “Lilith, are you unhappy?”

Lilith suddenly heard her concern, pressed her lips together, and observed her expression. After a long while, she gently replied: “I…”

“Don’t lie to me,” Xu Jiao suddenly reminded her.

The “I’m fine” that Lilith was about to say could only be swallowed, replaced with another sentence: “A little bit, I think maybe it’s because the journey was too long, and I’m a bit tired, but I will soon be fine after resting!”

She made a promise to Xu Jiao.

However, Xu Jiao stared into her sea-blue eyes and after a while said: “No.”

She pointed out: “You started to be unhappy when I agreed to let your two sisters serve me, Lilith. Isn’t this your suggestion? Why are you unhappy?”

Lilith: “…”

She couldn’t speak and instead lowered her head in shame.

As if feeling ashamed for displaying her own petty emotions so obviously.

Xu Jiao, however, answered for her: “Because they, like your stepmother at home, have abused you. You don’t like them, and you also hate them.”

Lilith was shocked: “Your Holiness…”

Xu Jiao continued to say: “If that’s the case, why pretend to be very tolerant and share a room with them?”

Lilith blinked, her eyes seemed like they were about to rain, and after a long while she gently replied: “God says, jealousy, disgust, dislike, are all bad emotions. I… I don’t want you to think I’m a bad child.”

“Wrong.”

Xu Jiao, much taller than her, leaned down at this moment, approaching her with a gentle floral scent: “God created angels and favored this race, giving them all beautiful virtues: kindness, justice, radiance, yet there are still angels who fell and became demons.”

“Later, God created humans. Humans carried bad negative traits, were considered failures, yet ultimately became God’s greatest source of faith.”

“Lilith, you are human, so you should have all emotions and desires. You can like others, and you can dislike them; there’s nothing shameful about that, understand?”

Lilith nodded, seemingly understanding yet not fully.

Xu Jiao turned her body again, and after a while, Lilith’s hand gently pulled at the fabric around her waist, cautiously asking: “Then… if I don’t like my sisters, can you not let them come?”

Xu Jiao’s eyes carried a hint of amusement.

Then she turned her head and gently replied: “No.”

She said: “This is the punishment for your dishonesty.”