Chapter 65: The Grandest Farewell Ceremony in History

Sylvia had just begun to breathe a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, Uther VII jumped to his feet.

“No! Absolutely not!”

The Pope’s face flushed bright red as he flailed his arms wildly in the air.

“How can we send off Her Holiness so hastily if the Holy Vessel is leaving?”

“This is disrespectful to the gods!”

Sylvia’s heart sank straight into the abyss.

It was over.

The old man was about to start his antics again.

She just wanted to find a crack in the ground and hide.

“I must issue orders at once!”

Uther VII spun around and roared at the Holy Order knights.

“Prepare the grandest farewell ceremony in the history of the continent!”

“Mobilize the whole city! Mobilize the five kingdoms! We must send off the Holy Vessel in the most devout manner!”

Sylvia opened her mouth to try and stop him.

But Uther VII had already charged out.

He shouted as he ran:

“Spread the word! Full mobilization of the city! Ten times grander than the welcoming ceremony!”

“The Holy Vessel must feel our devotion!”

Avira watched the Pope’s madly departing figure, her hand already on her sword hilt.

Murderous intent flickered in her blood-red eyes.

“Should I break his legs?”

“Leave it, Sister.”

Sylvia waved her hand weakly.

“We’re leaving soon anyway. Let him fuss all he wants.”

But she had severely underestimated Uther VII’s ability to get things done.

In less than an hour, the entire City of Dawn was in an uproar.

The Pope’s orders spread throughout the city via the Voice Transmission Array:

“Her Holiness is about to depart! Everyone, prepare for the farewell ceremony at once!”

“This is a once-in-a-millennium sacred moment!”

Crowds instantly flooded the streets.

Vendors abandoned their stalls, craftsmen dropped their hammers.

Everyone was frantically preparing.

Some were carrying fresh flowers, others stringing up banners, and still others rolling out red carpets on the ground.

The main avenue from the side courtyard to the city gates was decked out in dazzling gold and jade.

It was ten times more extravagant than the welcoming ceremony just a month before.

Sylvia lay on her windowsill, gazing at the scene outside, feeling utterly numb.

“I just wanted to leave quietly—why is it so hard?”

Despair filled her voice.

Her blood-red eyes brimmed with grievance.

Ophelia came over and gently stroked her silver hair.

“Bear with it. It’ll all be over soon.”

“But Mother, with all this commotion, when will we ever get to leave?”

Sylvia lifted her head, her little face scrunched up in distress.

“We’ll leave right now.”

Ophelia’s words were simple.

“But there are so many people outside…”

“You don’t have to go out.”

Sylvia’s eyes lit up instantly.

“Really?”

“Really. Just stay in your room. You don’t have to see anyone.”

The whole world seemed to brighten for Sylvia.

No need to face those fanatic gazes.

No need to listen to those excessive praises.

She could hide quietly in her room and wait to go home.

Outside, preparations continued.

After receiving the news, the kings of the Five Great Kingdoms immediately dropped everything and hurried to the City of Dawn.

The captains of the Seven Holy Order knight corps gathered urgently as well.

Even though their headquarters had just been “sliced in half,” their enthusiasm was undiminished.

“This is a test from the Holy Vessel!”

Bartholomew, Captain of the Sword of Judgement, waved his fist in excitement.

“She’s testing our devotion! We must pass this trial!”

Xavier, Captain of the Shield of Guardians, nodded vigorously.

“That’s right! Every action of the Holy Vessel carries profound meaning!”

“We must prove we have grasped the gods’ will with the most perfect farewell ceremony!”

Matthew, Purifying Light Order Leader, was furiously taking notes beside them.

“I must record every detail of today! This will be the most important chapter in the Legend of the Holy Vessel!”

Sylvia listened to the growing clamor outside and pulled the covers over her head.

“Sister, it’s so noisy outside.”

She complained dully, her voice tinged with obvious irritation.

Avira sat on the edge of the bed, the murderous intent in her eyes growing stronger.

“Should I go chop them all down? I guarantee silence at once.”

“Sister, don’t be impulsive.”

Sylvia stretched a hand from under the covers and tugged at Avira’s sleeve.

“We’re leaving soon, just bear with it a little longer.”

Avira looked at her exhausted little sister, her heart aching terribly.

“It’s all my fault.”

“If I’d acted sooner, we wouldn’t have so much trouble now.”

“It’s not your fault, Sister.”

Sylvia shook her head.

“I’m just too fragile.”

“You’re not fragile at all.”

Avira gently stroked her silver hair.

“These people are just too annoying.”

At last, the preparations outside were complete.

The main street was covered in fresh flowers, the air thick with their fragrance.

Hundreds of thousands of citizens lined the street, each holding a little flag.

The five kings, dressed in their most splendid regalia, stood respectfully at the front of the procession.

The captains of the Seven Holy Order knight corps wore full ceremonial armor and held their banners high.

The entire scene was grand and awe-inspiring.

Uther VII stood at the very front, holding the Feast of the Gods high in his hands.

“Her Holiness is about to depart!”

His voice, amplified by the Amplification Array, resounded through the entire city.

“Let us send off our savior with the utmost devotion in our hearts!”

“May the Holy Vessel bless us! May she return soon!”

Hundreds of thousands shouted in unison, the sound shaking the heavens.

Sylvia, hearing the noise from within her room, trembled all over.

“So loud, so loud.”

She clutched her pillow tightly, curling up into a ball.

Ophelia looked at her daughter’s pained expression, a chill flickering in her eyes.

“Let’s go.”

Her voice was soft, but the entire Bone Palace immediately began to stir.

The Twelve Bone Dragons let out low, rumbling roars as the enormous palace slowly rose into the air.

The cheering outside reached a fevered pitch.

“Her Holiness is coming out!”

“Look! That moving palace!”

“It’s magnificent!”

The citizens frantically waved their flags, eyes blazing with fanaticism.

The Bone Palace floated slowly through the air, heading toward the city gates.

Avira strode to the prow, looking down at the densely packed crowd below.

A dangerous smile appeared on her face.

Then she slowly raised her right hand and made a throat-slitting gesture in front of her neck.

The knights of the Holy Orders in the front row saw this move clearly.

Their faces turned deathly pale, and they all stepped back in unison.

But the citizens noticed nothing, continuing to cheer madly.

Ophelia stood atop the palace, coldly gazing over the entire city.

There was not a trace of emotion in her eyes.

To her, the fanaticism of these humans meant nothing.

She cared only about one thing: getting Sylvia home safely.

The Bone Palace soared over the main street, past the city gates, about to leave the City of Dawn behind.

At that moment, a gust of wind blew by.

A corner of Sylvia’s room’s curtain fluttered open.

Her pale, helpless little face flashed briefly at the window.

That scene was caught precisely by Uther VII.

The Pope’s eyes went wide as saucers, his whole body trembling with excitement.

“I saw her! I saw her!”

He pointed at the Bone Palace, his voice cracking with emotion.

“The Holy Vessel is looking at us! She can’t bear to leave us!”

“She still cherishes this land!”

Tears streamed down his cheeks; he was so moved he could hardly contain himself.

“This is a miracle! The Holy Vessel may be leaving, but her heart remains here!”

“She will return!”

Those around the Pope, hearing his words, grew excited as well.

“Really? The Holy Vessel really can’t bear to leave us?”

“We have hope!”

“She’ll descend upon us again for sure!”

Sylvia heard the even more frenzied cheering outside.

She hurriedly drew the curtains tightly shut.

“What’s going on? Why is it even louder all of a sudden?”

She curled up in her covers, confusion thick in her voice.

Avira returned to the room and saw her little sister’s frightened face, her heart aching terribly.

“It’s nothing, they’re just caught up in their own emotions.”

“We’re leaving this wretched place very soon.”

The Bone Palace sped up, soon vanishing into the distant sky.

Leaving behind a crowd of humans still cheering madly.

Uther VII wiped his tears and said to the kings beside him:

“You all saw it, didn’t you? The Holy Vessel’s longing for us!”

“We must work even harder! We must fulfill the tasks set forth in the Feast of the Gods!”

The five kings all nodded, fanatical flames burning in their eyes.

“Yes, Your Holiness!”

“We will not disappoint the Holy Vessel’s expectations!”

“We must let her see our progress!”

The captains of the Seven Holy Order knight corps also spoke up excitedly:

“We will redouble our training!”

“We will not fail the Holy Vessel’s warnings!”

“The next time she comes, we must be even stronger!”

Uther VII nodded with satisfaction.

“Excellent! Starting today, we’ll draft an all-new training plan based on the Feast of the Gods!”

“We must strengthen the entire Alliance! We must be worthy of the Holy Vessel’s salvation!”

The crowd gradually dispersed, but every face was lit with excitement and anticipation.

They believed that the Holy Vessel would descend upon them once more.

And they would be ready for that day.

The Bone Palace had already flown far away.

At last, Sylvia could no longer hear the clamor.

She poked her head out from the covers and asked:

“Are we really gone?”

“We’re really gone.”

Ophelia answered gently.

“We’ll never have to go back to that place.”

Sylvia let out a long breath and finally relaxed.

“That’s wonderful.”

“When will we get home?”

“Three days.”

“In three days, we’ll be back in Nightfall City.”

At last, a glimmer of light returned to Sylvia’s eyes.