At the heart of the Holy Kingdom of Vessonia stood a small cathedral, bathed in a soft golden light that radiated from its sacred walls. Inside, a towering statue of the goddess Athena loomed with divine grace.
Kneeling before it was a young girl with flowing golden hair, dressed in a shimmering golden robe. Her beauty was almost identical to that of the goddess herself.
She sat humbly on the polished marble floor, hands clasped tightly in prayer, her eyes closed in silent devotion beneath the gaze of the divine statue.
"The hero has been found…?"
She whispered, a sudden realization clicking in her mind. Her eyes snapped open, and she slowly rose to her feet.
Just then, the doors of the cathedral creaked open, cracked wide as two figures rushed in.
They were elderly priests, both dressed in black robes, their grey hair and tired faces etched with urgency.
"Saintess Charlotte!"
"Saintess, did you receive the divine message?!"
They hurried to the young girl, who was none other than the saintess herself, Charlotte.
"Father George, Father Peter, why are you in such a rush?"
Charlotte spoke gently, a warm smile on her face.
"The Pope has just informed us at the grand cathedral," said Father George, catching his breath. "He wishes to see you, immediately."
"I see"
Somehow, Charlotte didn't react with surprise. It was as if she had already expected this the moment she received the divine message.
Without another word, she followed the two priests as they left the small cathedral and made their way toward the Grand Cathedral.
Inside, the atmosphere was solemn and heavy with reverence. Priests, nuns, and well-known figures from the church were all gathered within its golden-lit halls.
As soon as the Pope saw Charlotte enter, he gave her a warm smile and walked toward her. With a gentle wave of his hand, he gestured for everyone else in the cathedral to leave.
He had something important to discuss, something meant for her ears alone.
However, Fathers George and Peter remained. These two were among the closest to the Pope and trusted with his deepest confidences.
"Pope Francis, what's going on?"
"Isn't now the right time to inform everyone about it? Why are we keeping the hero's return a secret?"
George asked, a confused look on his face.
Pope Francis, dressed in full ceremonial attire, his expression calm behind his glasses, placed a reassuring hand on George's shoulder.
Peter stood beside him, wearing the same puzzled expression.
Then Charlotte spoke in a graceful, calm tone.
"It appears… there are two heroes."
Peter and George were stunned, their eyes widening in disbelief. The Pope, however, remained calm, already understanding what Charlotte was implying.
"W-What do you mean, Saintess?"
"Two heroes?"
The two priests muttered in tense unison, struggling to process her words.
"It seems there are two individuals were chosen…"
"According to historical records," Charlotte continued, her voice steady, "the Hero class doesn't only awaken at the age of fifteen. While that is the most common age, divine classes can manifest earlier, like in my case. I was granted my divine class at birth."
Understanding began to dawn on their faces as they nodded slowly.
"But this is the first time since the Battle of the Oracle… that a hero has been reborn,"
Charlotte said, her tone solemn as she paused for a moment.
"And never, never in history, have we heard of two heroes."
George muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing.
"Does that mean… one of them is fake?"
"No way…" Peter whispered, his voice tight with disbelief.
"I'm not quite sure myself," Charlotte admitted, her brows furrowing slightly. "But two years ago, I sensed the aura of a Hero somewhere within the Kingdom of Avastrad. Yet… in the very next moment, it vanished."
The two priests looked confused again, glancing at one another.
Finally, the Pope spoke.
"The only thing that could block an aura like that… would be a place where mana flows so densely which it's strong enough to hide even divine signatures."
Then Charlotte continued, her expression growing more serious after listen to Pope Francis.
"And today… I sensed it again. The Hero's aura, it came from the Kingdom of Avastrad once more. But this time, it was even stronger than the one I felt before."
The pope then looks at Charlotte.
"Saintess, I want you to investigate this matter and find the real hero."
The two priest was shocked when they heard that.
The Pope turned and looked directly at Charlotte.
"Saintess, I want you to investigate this matter… and find the true Hero."
The two priests were visibly shocked by the command.
"Your Holiness, please reconsider!" George pleaded.
"The safety of the world rests in her hands!"
"Yes," Peter added, "only the Saintess can maintain the Holy Barrier. If something happens to her—"
The Pope raised his hand gently, silencing them with a calm and composed tone.
"Only the Saintess can sense the Hero's aura. And besides…"
He paused, his eyes returning to Charlotte.
"No one else in this world has ever seen her appearance."
The two priests nodded reluctantly, though worry still lingered in their eyes.
"I will accept this task, Pope Francis,"
Charlotte said with quiet resolve.
The meeting ended quickly, and the two priests remained behind to continue their discussion with the Pope as Charlotte quietly exited the Grand Cathedral.
In truth, no one in the outside world knew what the Saintess looked like, only the highest-ranking officials within the Holy Kingdom were aware of her true identity.
For the first time in her seventeen years of life, Charlotte was finally getting to explore the world beyond her chapel. But instead of worrying about her safety, she seemed genuinely happy grinning brightly as she returned to her quarters to prepare.
"I can't wait to see the outside world."