Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level?-Chapter 120[Vol. 5] - The Morning of the Great Expedition

[Vol. 5] Chapter 120: The Morning of the Great Expedition

On this rare and significant day, and the last day before Violet and her companions were to leave the Western Capital, the priestess woke up unusually early and went out to the street outside the Bright Light Hotel, preparing to attend the mobilization ceremony of the Knight Templar Coalition.

For this eastern expedition, the church forces centered around the Western Capital had assembled six Knight Templar Orders. More than half of these came from Bright Light City, directly under the jurisdiction of the Bright Light Saintess.

This included 15,000 Knight Templars from the Bright Light Order and another 15,000 troops formed from the integration of the other eight Orders.

Although only about a quarter of Bright Light City’s standing forces were mobilized, this included half of the elite Bright Light Order troops. With the Saintess leading the charge, these 30,000 Knight Templars effectively represented nearly half of the high-end combat power of the Western Capital, making it a full-scale effort.

The remaining 30,000 Knight Templars were drawn from the vast Western regions of the Holy Empire, from cities such as Sacred Star City and others, to form the final 60,000-strong coalition.

The Holy Empire has always adhered to a strategy of elite troops. Its standing army numbers are only about one-fifth of those of other major nations.

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When facing powerful demons and other formidable foes, sheer numbers are meaningless. It only leads to more casualties and could even turn into cannon fodder and bargaining chips for the enemy.

Therefore, these 60,000 Knight Templars represented the entire force of the Western Expeditionary Army.

Of course, this also included special units such as the Cleric Corps, the Arbitrators’ Guerrilla Forces, and the Saintess’s exclusive Holy Knight squads, but these can be considered part of the six Knight Templar Orders as a comprehensive force.

Today in the Western Capital, the atmosphere was exceptionally lively. The massive size of Bright Light City could easily accommodate the encampment of 60,000 troops, so the coalition forces had already begun setting up camp in the city in batches over the past few days, waiting for today’s inspection by the Saintess.

Although it was still early morning, the streets were more bustling and crowded than ever before. Not only the locals from Bright Light City but also many visiting merchants and travelers had heard about this once-in-a-century great expedition and had come to witness the parade.

As a result, there were noticeably more Knight Templars patrolling the city to maintain order, making the streets particularly crowded.

Walking alone, Miss White Fox could clearly feel the many people around her pointing and commenting, either casting curious and admiring glances or expressing confusion while their companions explained the situation. Wherever she went, she immediately became a focal point of attention.

After all, the name “Dawn” had spread widely along with the detailed accounts of the ?Masked Demon Disaster?, becoming increasingly known among the people. The battle had even been adapted into plays and stories, spreading through cultural channels.

As a result, everything related to Dawn, including her unique attire and her mask, had gradually become a fashion trend in the Western Capital, with many people imitating and admiring her style.

With her reputation preceding her, people naturally wanted to learn more about this mysterious and powerful sorceress, or to uncover her true identity hidden beneath the white fox mask. The desire to explore the unknown is a fundamental instinct, especially when that “unknown” is relatively safe.

Although most people understood the need for restraint and respect, there were always those who were arrogant or lacked awareness, and they might overstep their bounds and cause offense.

In the past half month, Violet had encountered no less than ten instances where people approached her to unilaterally express their so-called “admiration” or even “infatuation.” Most of these individuals were male, but occasionally, there were also those who, taking advantage of their female status, tried to get closer to her.

Additionally, many curious individuals had asked all sorts of bizarre questions, including but not limited to: ?How does Miss Dawn eat while wearing her mask??, ?Miss Dawn always wears this red and white dress everywhere, don’t you need to change clothes or take a bath??, ?Are Miss Dawn’s fox ears real? May I touch them?? These questions were quite bothersome.

This is the downside of fame, and it was exactly the kind of situation Violet had always tried to avoid. After all, most of these people had no malicious intent, and Miss White Fox couldn’t just swat them all away.

Of course, there were also some with ill intentions who, though fearful of Dawn’s powerful abilities, opted for a more conciliatory approach. They tried to use wealth to bribe or seek to gain a glimpse of her face beneath the mask or even establish “that kind” of relationship.

For such individuals, it was easier to just have the patrolling Knight Templars take them away for some “tea” in the station. As for their repetitive threats like ?You’ll regret this!? or ?Wait, I can offer more money!?—Miss White Fox simply ignored them.

Therefore, Violet had recently taken to traveling in the bustling city without other companions. If, due to these reasons, someone targeted her companions, especially the relatively defenseless Theresa, or even the temporarily present and sensitive identity of Eudora, it would be quite troublesome.

Fortunately, the identity she was currently using was just a false one.

Regardless of how renowned she became, who would know that she was the famous Miss Dawn once her mask was removed?

Amidst the gazes of many onlookers, Miss White Fox soon arrived at the training grounds in the eastern territory of the Star Bear District.

Banners fluttering, the Knight Templars clad in snow-white full-body armor stood in neat rows, lined up meticulously in the square. On the edges, there were also Holy Knights who were not participating in this expedition, forming a cordon to keep the many curious spectators outside the area.

As an army that adhered to the elite troops strategy, nearly every Knight Templar was equipped with full-body armor made from a mix of black steel. Their weapons were also distinct from those of ordinary troops. While they might not reach the level of magical equipment, they were still high-quality items forged by skilled artisans.

In addition to the weapons or staffs specific to their professions, most Knight Templars were also equipped with double-handed weapons similar to the long spears seen on Earth, positioned between spears and long swords, meant for mounted and ceremonial use.

These weapons were heavier than the long spears commonly used by the Human United Kingdom, the Lawless Zone, and the Azure Sky Kingdom. With a long and sharp blade, they were formidable when wielded, but required considerable strength to handle effectively.

Violet had previously tried one of these standard long spears, which weighed at least fifty pounds, and some higher-grade models used by captains and similar ranks could even exceed a hundred pounds. They were not the kind of weapon that just anyone could easily wield.

Each Knight Templar could be seen as a fully armed heavy infantryman, and mounted on a horse, they became heavy cavalry, using a special type of magic known as faith-based magic.

So, although only 60,000 Knight Templars were mobilized for the expedition, their actual combat power on the battlefield against demons was equivalent to that of a typical force of 600,000 or even a million troops.

Seeing the girl with the white fox mask approaching, a centurion-like officer from the Knight Templars, responsible for maintaining order at the outer area, quickly stepped forward. Amidst the curious gazes of the crowd, he swiftly reached Violet and respectfully performed a standard knightly salute.

“Praise the Goddess, Miss Dawn, you have finally arrived. Her Highness has been here for quite some time. Please, follow me…”

Not surprised by the officer’s sudden approach, Miss White Fox simply nodded slightly and replied in a calm tone, “Yes, let’s go. Please lead the way.”

“Certainly! Please follow me!”

The reason for getting up so early to watch the parade was not only because Miss Violet wanted to join in the excitement but also because a certain Saintess had previously asked her for a small favor.

Before the start of this historic “Fourth Demon War,” which would be recorded in history as the first major expedition in 300 years, having ?Dawn? make an appearance alongside the Bright Light Saintess during the parade would greatly boost the morale of the troops, as she was a hero who had stepped forward to defeat the “Masked Demon” and saved countless people in the Western Capital.

?So, please, please!?

Ahem, those were the coquettish words from a certain Saintess.