Monster Lord: The Goblin Offers the Saintess to Me at the Start

Vikalina heard… the sudden, dramatic change in the expressions of the many Knights Templar members who had previously spoken to her with kindness and earnest requests.

"Enough!"

With an angry shout from an unknown source, the others spoke up.

"Usually, we let you do as you please because of your exceptional talent. We believed you would rise to a high position in the church, but don't start causing trouble now."

"That's the blood plague caused by the Blood Clan! We've been working alongside you, day in and day out, without receiving much in return, and now you want us to risk our lives for a bunch of lowborn peasants and some ordinary nobles? Why should we?"

"Are the lives of the Knights Templar not worth anything? Why should we sacrifice ourselves to save them? This is madness!"

The group grew more and more agitated, their emotions spiraling out of control.

At this point, they tore off their masks of courtesy, venting all the dissatisfaction they had been bottling up for so long.

"Who cares about the church's doctrines, about protecting the common folk as knights? Those are outdated ideas!"

"Back in the Exorcism War, the church only used that slogan to gain more knowledge and resources. The Evil God has disappeared now."

"The church members have already suffered their share of hardship a thousand years ago. Now, it's their time to enjoy. Why should we follow you and sacrifice our lives for a bunch of lowborn peasants? This is insane!" They glared at Vikalina, their eyes full of venom.

They couldn't take it anymore!

To ask them to risk their lives for others? They would rather offend Vikalina, this future knight with an unlimited future, than do that!

"What... What are you saying?" Vikalina knew her comrades were not entirely devout followers of the church's teachings.

But she always thought that they were just slightly tainted by worldly desires. At their core, they were still good people who would at least uphold the oaths they had sworn as knights.

Now…

Vikalina's body trembled violently. Could these words really be coming from a true knight?

In the church's doctrines, such words were undoubtedly blasphemy and corruption.

"You…" Vikalina wanted to argue, but was stunned to find that, she didn't know when, the priests who had been praying so fervently earlier, including the Silver-tier priest, had quietly moved over to stand beside the members of the Knights Templar.

"Miss Vikalina, I agree that the attitude of the Knights Templar may be extreme, but I believe their reasoning is not without merit."

"The blood plague brought by the Blood Clan is far too terrifying. Our doctrine emphasizes the equality of all beings. If that is the case, why should we sacrifice our lives to save others?" the priest said sincerely.

Vikalina's expression changed again. She had been hoping, as a servant of the gods, that the priest would say something…

Something with a conscience.

But instead, they too spoke in such cold and selfish terms.

For a moment, the young female knight felt as though all her strength had drained from her body. She felt weak and powerless.

The faith she had upheld all this time, the goal she had pursued—to become a knight of the church like Werner and change the injustices and suffering in this world, to protect the common folk and help them lead better lives…

Was it all just a joke within the holiest, most noble institution in this world?

Vikalina felt a shiver run through her entire body. She had long sensed something was wrong, but had been unwilling to believe it. Now, she could no longer deceive herself.

The people within the church, who spoke of honor, sacrifice, and protection, didn't truly believe in the words they spoke!

The female knight reflected on every moment of her actions with her subordinates. Despite her own efforts to keep them in check, they still acted arrogantly.

Both the common folk and the nobles would willingly offer them gifts whenever they encountered them.

Vikalina had tried to comfort herself, thinking that the gifts were given voluntarily, and that the knights' usual harshness was just a façade. Deep down, they were kind-hearted, and when the time came, they would undoubtedly lend a helping hand.

But cruelty was still cruelty, and greed was still greed!

Vikalina could no longer lie to herself.

She felt as if the beliefs she had upheld for so many years were crumbling, and a surge of unexplainable emotion flooded her heart. She wanted to find a quiet corner and cry her heart out.

As she gazed at the city outside the church, bathed in golden light, resembling a paradise on earth, she instead felt a coldness spread throughout her body, the chill creeping from her very soul.

"If even the church is this hypocritical and selfish, what must the rest of the world be like?" Vikalina had seen all kinds of people during her time in training.

The members of the Knights Templar, under her suppression, had shown some restraint. But the nobles didn't even try to hide their cruelty and greed.

As she thought back, she sadly realized that, aside from her friend Werner, it seemed there was no one else in the world who cared about the things that others saw as insignificant — protecting the lives of ordinary people and upholding justice and kindness in society.

The atmosphere in the church calmed slightly.

The knights, observing Vikalina's breaking demeanor, felt uneasy. They were mainly worried about the immense potential she held—if she turned against them, their futures would not be bright.

The Silver-tier priest stepped forward, ready to smooth things over.

But Vikalina, as a future world-changing powerhouse in Gandanyir, had a mind as firm as steel.

She forced back the pain and disappointment in her heart, and with a fierce tone, she shouted, taking a badge from her spatial device.

"As the heir to the Sacred Flame of the Church, I command you!"

"All Knights Templar members, follow me immediately and confront the blood plague!"

"You... You've gone mad, Vikalina!" The others stared at her in shock, disbelief written across their faces.

She really dared to force them all to march to their deaths!

The Sacred Flame badge symbolized a legendary artifact of the church — the Sacred Flame Spear.

By taking out this badge, Vikalina made it clear that any knight who refused to follow her orders would be committing an act of betrayal against the church, and would be executed on the spot.

This also meant that in the upcoming action, all the responsibility would fall solely on Vikalina. If she failed to lead the Knights Templar to successfully combat this blood plague, or if the team suffered significant losses, she would face extremely harsh punishment.

The female knight was gambling with her own life, forcing the others to act alongside her.

"Follow me, I won't say it again!" Vikalina strode out of the church, while the other Knights Templar members looked on with expressions of helplessness.

Golden light began to shine from their bodies. Since the church had developed technology such as the slave contract, it was only natural that they would have also placed some form of oath or binding on the Knights Templar members.

The oath knights took when they first entered the order was more of a formality, but the church's oath was a tangible and binding force!

When the Sacred Flame Badge, a holy artifact of the church, was revealed, they had no choice but to comply.

If they didn't, the chains of their oaths would turn them into nothing more than a bloody mist.

Reluctantly, the knights had no choice but to follow behind Vikalina.

This time, they couldn't hold back any longer and began to shout in frustration, "Vikalina, you're crazy! You're insane!"

"Once we get back to the church, I'll make sure my grandfather punishes you! Don't think you can still be the heir to the Sacred Flame Spear!"

Some were begging for mercy, "Vikalina, wait for me! I can't go, I'm just here to gain some prestige! How can you drag me into this? Please, let me off the hook! I'll give you anything you want!"

"Don't you want to save the common folk? I have resources, I can call in knights from other cities to support us! Also, I'm willing to pay! There are adventurers in the city, I can pay to hire them for you!"

The wealthy-looking knights were pleading desperately.

But whether it was anger or begging, Vikalina didn't care.

She wasn't a narrow-minded person; hiring adventurers with resources was acceptable to her.

However, Vikalina knew that many blood plagues spread at an alarming rate. The Blood Servants could quickly infect everything around them, turning it into their own kind. A swift resolution was crucial.

She ignored the curses and pleas from the knights, quickly heading toward the Daister family's location.

The knights behind her could only follow with grim faces.

Soon, their expressions grew even darker.

Vikalina stopped, and in the alleys ahead, a group of Blood Servants, all at the Bronze-tier 10 level, were watching them closely.

These Blood Servants had clearly been specially cultivated. They wore various kinds of clothing, and if they hadn't deliberately exposed themselves, they would have blended in with ordinary pedestrians.

They didn't make a move to attack, but their intent was clear.

If they took another step forward, they would die!

"Vikalina! Don't!"

"We shouldn't…"

The knights shouted in terror, but the female knight's actions were too quick!

"Eradicate evil!" Vikalina raised her knight's spear, answering with her actions.

The knights from behind, feeling helpless, also raised their weapons. However, the holy light that gathered around them was a dim and lackluster glow, in stark contrast to the pure brilliance radiating from Vikalina.

Seeing this, Vikalina felt a pang of sorrow in her heart.

In her mind, the lack of purity in the holy light was a sign of insufficient adherence to the church's doctrines. It meant they hadn't fully committed to fighting for this world, to sacrificing for the protection of others.

Such was the church's corruption!

If Sivis were here, he would likely find her thoughts rather laughable.

While the purity of holy light was indeed linked to one's faith, it was merely a shortcut the True Gods used to reinforce the church's orthodoxy. The truly pure light power was determined by innate talent, or like him, by relying on the system for exchanges.

What Sivis had obtained was the most flawless holy light, surpassing even the purity of the Holy Maiden of Light, Werner.

But he didn't believe a single word of the church's teachings!