9

The Temple of Liberty in Castletown is located in the east section of Brown Street near the port in Lower Town. It is built next to the cliff.

Due to geographical limitations, the Statue of Liberty Temple is not very large. However, being able to promote the teachings of the Statue of Liberty in the elven world where the Moon Temple is prevalent is a testament to Felix Mitchell, the high priest of the Statue of Liberty Temple. Your Majesty's excellent diplomatic skills.

However, the reason why the foreign sect of the Temple of Liberty was able to gain a foothold in the Elf Kingdom also has some reasons for the Temple of the Moon.

As the largest sect in the Elf Kingdom, the Moon Temple only accepts the worship of elves, and has always turned away those mixed elves, half-elves, and other races that come to the Elf Kingdom.

 The lower town of Castletown is adjacent to the harbour.

Although this is just a fishing port, there are still ships from the Wood Elf Kingdom and the Dark Moon Elf Kingdom docking in. This is also the most fundamental reason why the residents of the lower city near Castletown Port are racially mixed.

　　Everyone is used to this kind of mixed life. It is such an area that naturally becomes the place where the Temple of Liberty spreads its teachings.

 Because the residents here also have religious pursuits...

The usual believers of this Temple of Liberty are the mixed elves and half-elves in the lower city.

As a Silver Moon Elf, Ms. Belinda is a devout believer in the Moon Temple, so Roy has almost never set foot in this temple.

Roy would pass by the door of this temple almost every day. He could often see the Statue of Liberty in the center of the vestibule and step into the door of the temple. The courtyard was not large. Except for the statue of the goddess in the center, it was surrounded by A neatly constructed low wall of shrubs.

The floor of the courtyard is paved with terrazzo slabs, and the gaps between these slabs are filled with mortar. There are two statues of priests at the entrance of the main hall. One of the priests is holding a two-handed staff, and the priest on the other side is waving a flail. Holding a copper-covered book with a half-meter chain in his arms.

The priest on the right holding a staff is wearing a divine robe, and the priest on the left holding a flail is wearing heavy armor. They are both very majestic.

 Perhaps because I lost something yesterday, a priest appeared at the door of the main hall of the temple.

He saw Roy walking in from the gate, stopped in the yard for a moment, then climbed up the steps in front of the main hall of the temple, and immediately came up to meet Roy.

 "Sorry, there is no gathering today, and the temple is temporarily closed to the public!"

The priest wearing dark red robes said to Roy.

"I came here...to ask the priest in the temple to help me identify whether I have divine magic."

 Roy said to the priest.

The priest looked Roy up and down, paused before saying:

 "Then please come with me."

He did not take Roy into the main hall of the temple, but went around to the backyard from the stone path next to the main hall.

There are many cypress trees planted around the main hall. These cypress trees are arranged very closely, more like a tree wall.

The main hall of the temple is much taller than these cypress trees. The outline of the main hall can be clearly seen from the outside, so Roy usually doesn't pay much attention to this row of cypress walls.

When Roy followed the priest through the dense cypress wall, he discovered that there was a three-story bell tower next to the main hall. It was hidden behind the dense trees, like an attic in the main hall. As he approached, Only then did I realize that the two buildings are actually independent.

 There is a well just below the bell tower, but I don't know if there is fresh water in this well.

On the left side of the bell tower, behind the main hall and against the wall, there is a row of two-story small buildings connected to the main hall. The outside of the small buildings is connected by a corridor.

 Looks like the residence of the priests.

The priest took Roy to the door of the third room in this row of residences, stood outside and knocked on the door. When he heard someone inside responding, he immediately said:

"Priest Reed, there is someone outside who wants to test the divinity."

　　The wooden door in front of me was pushed open from the inside.

A priest wearing dark red robes trimmed with silver came out. He wore a silver crown on his head and held a scepter with a gem inlaid on the top.

The priest named Reed stood in front of Roy. There were no wrinkles on his face, and Roy couldn't tell his age...

 This Priest Reed is actually a human being, which makes Roy feel more at ease.

 Living in this city full of elves, Roy felt like an alien.

Although his mother, Ms. Belinda, has repeatedly emphasized that Roy is a half-elf, Roy feels that he is a human.

 When Priest Reed looked at Roy, his eyes were gentle. He noticed Roy's ears that were different from those of the elf.

 "follow me."

His voice was calm and cold, he turned and walked towards the end of the corridor, and then walked up the steps to the second floor.

Roy quickly followed.

The priest who received Roy left.

Roy followed Priest Reed into a room that looked like a confessional. The room was not large. There was a communication port on the wall inside, and there was a table and two chairs next to it.

Priest Reed asked Roy to sit down opposite him. ˆ

Roy sat on a chair and looked around at the somewhat dim room casually...

Priest Reed placed one hand on the table, and then took out a magic crystal, a square sand tray, and a glass hourglass with a bronze frame.

"Our testing here generally consists of three steps. First, we need to use magic crystal to check whether you have divinity. Even if you don't, don't worry. I can also use hypnosis to put you into a dream to see if you have accepted the goddess's teachings. Enlightenment, even if there is no revelation, I can still teach you some simple prayers. As long as you can recite the prayers fluently before the hourglass lights up, and gain a trace of the power of holy light, you have the potential to become a trainee priest. ."

"Because your pious heart will slowly allow you to master these magical arts, the goddess will not abandon any believer. This has nothing to do with your identity and race."

Priest Reed introduced the testing process to Roy, and it seemed really detailed...

Roy sat in front of the table, rubbed his hands together, and explained to Priest Reed:

"Actually, that's the case...so the appraiser from the Magic Guild asked me to come here and give it a try."

 After speaking, Roy ignored Priest Reed's look of reluctance. He stretched out his right hand and placed it flat on the table. After just concentrating for a moment, a ball of light the size of a firefly appeared in the palm of his hand.

Priest Reed looked at the ball of holy light in Roy's hand with some surprise. Then he even condensed a ball of light as big as a candle on his fingertips. With a gentle push, the two rays of light merged harmoniously into one.

"This is indeed holy light. It shows that you have the ability to learn divine arts. It is very good. This light is very pure."

Priest Reed's eyes brightened when he looked at Roy.

 He was also a little excited when he spoke.

 "What's your name?"

 "Roy."

"Roy, are you willing to learn divine arts from me?" Priest Reed asked sincerely.

If a devout believer hears Priest Reed ask this question, he will definitely agree without hesitation.

 But Roy is not. He is just here to identify what the light group in his hand is so that he can choose a subject more suitable for him when he enters the Elf Academy.

"Well... I would like to ask, are there any benefits to learning divine arts? Do you want me to join the temple? Are there any precepts in the temple?" Roy asked hesitantly.

Priest Reed was a little surprised. He didn't expect that the young man in front of him didn't agree immediately, but asked several questions in succession.

 Those who can condense the Holy Light in normal times are almost always the power of the Holy Light that is condensed through reciting prayers every day.

 They are the kind of believers who have a certain foundation and believe in the Statue of Liberty.

 Obviously Roy was not like this. He came over to identify it because the power of holy light appeared in his body...

 Priest Reed clarified the relationship and his mood calmed down.

 "To answer your first question first…isn't learning itself a benefit?"

Reed asked Roy rhetorically.

Roy shrank his neck and muttered in his heart: 'It's indeed a good thing, but I'm going to school soon, so I can't study at the same time...'

Seeing Roy lowering his eyelids and staring at the table without speaking, Priest Reed knew that what he said did not impress Roy.

"Learning divine arts does require you to join our Temple of Liberty, and then you will become a trainee priest in the temple." Priest Reed continued.

There are currently only three priests and two trainee priests in the temple, so Priest Reed is currently eager to recruit new trainee priests...

He continued: "Once you become a trainee priest, you need to abide by the rules and regulations of the temple, but those regulations are very loose and will not affect your real life."

He paused for a moment and then added: "In addition, after becoming a trainee priest, you can also enjoy many convenient facilities in the temple."

I thought this would interest Roy, but Roy just raised his head and looked at Priest Reed, as if he wanted to listen quietly.

"For example, you can enter and exit our library at will." Priest Reed said.

Roy could only complain secretly: The library of Elf Academy is twice as big as the main hall of the Temple of Liberty. What is a library...

"Learning divine arts can improve your own strength." Priest Reed added.

After saying this, he felt that this was not vivid enough, so he raised the scepter in his hand and recited a prayer to Roy, and then a beam of light fell on Roy.

Roy felt refreshed all over his body. It felt like he had just taken a shower and was lying on the terrace at night, with the sea breeze blowing...

 Is this magic? After you have completed your studies, will you open a bathing center in the uptown area of Castletown?

Roy was a little confused and felt that there was really no need to waste time here.

"How about... do you want to think about it? Since you have the Holy Light, it means you are born to be a priest."

Priest Reed sat across from Roy and said proudly.