My Celestial Ascension

"Damn, those bitches really wore me out last night! I feel like I won't be able to do anything serious for the rest of the day…"

Holy Son Arthur groaned as he got out of bed, his body aching with exhaustion. Completely naked, he glanced around the room, searching for his clothes. It was obvious that his vitality had been drained from the night's activities.

On the bed, four breathtakingly seductive women lay asleep, their faces adorned with peaceful smiles. Each of them was completely naked, their alluring figures barely concealed beneath the thin sheets.

Despite his fatigue, Arthur felt an undeniable urge to pounce on them for another round. However, as much as he wanted to, his body refused to cooperate.

"Sigh… What a disappointment. I don't have the energy to go again. They really drained me last night," he muttered, shaking his head before heading toward the attached bathroom.

Just as he was about to step inside, a sudden movement caught his eye. A small paper bird flew through the open window, darting toward him with incredible speed.

Arthur immediately stopped in his tracks, his expression shifting to one of shock. The bird glowed faintly with magical energy—an unmistakable sign that it was an urgent message.

'W-Why are the higher-ups of the church contacting me now? Did something happen?' A nervous chill ran down his spine as he hesitated for a moment before raising his hand.

As soon as his fingers touched the bird, it transformed into a single sheet of paper. His eyes widened as he read the bold message scrawled across it:

"Find the princess and take possession of the treasure she acquired from the auction—at all costs."

Aside from that single note, there was nothing else written on the paper. The message was clear—it was an order he had to carry out at all costs.

Arthur smirked, letting out a small chuckle. "I thought it was something serious, but this is almost too easy."

All he had to do was retrieve the treasure Princess Livia had won at the auction and secure it for the church. A simple task, considering her room was directly across from his.

"I'll take a nice, relaxing bath first. No need to rush—after all, there's no way she's going to escape from here."

With that thought in mind, Arthur stepped into the bathroom and sank into the hot water of the bathtub, a self-satisfied smile stretching across his face. In his mind, the treasure was already his.

The villa was heavily guarded by fifty of the most loyal Holy Knights. No one could enter or leave without being noticed. If anyone attempted to flee, the Holy Knights would intercept them immediately—no one escaped without Arthur's permission.

Meanwhile, in a grand, brightly lit hall, three imposing figures sat upon golden chairs. Each was clad in pristine white robes embroidered with gold threads, their capes adorned with an intricate cross design.

After a moment of silence, the Pope finally spoke. "Has the letter reached the Holy Son yet?"

The Bishop, sitting to his right, raised an eyebrow before nodding slightly. "Yes, the letter was delivered without issue. It's now in his hands—we can only wait for good news."

Archbishop Gregor, his expression unreadable, tapped his fingers against the gilded armrest of his chair. "The Silver Dragon Shield is a Legendary-grade Holy Weapon—we cannot allow it to fall into the hands of anyone outside our church."

His voice was calm but carried an unmistakable air of authority.

The Pope nodded with a stern expression. "Indeed. The Silver Dragon Shield is a divine artifact, blessed by our revered Goddess of Light and Justice. We cannot allow it to fall into the hands of outsiders under any circumstances."

His voice grew heavier as his gaze darkened. "To refuse the church's will—to deny us what is rightfully ours—is blasphemy of the highest order! A crime against the Holy Church and the Goddess of Light and Justice herself! Such heresy cannot be forgiven!"

His words echoed through the vast chamber, filled with an unshakable sense of authority. The Bishop and Archbishop nodded in agreement, their expressions resolute.

"Absolutely! The Silver Dragon Shield must be reclaimed—for the greater good of the world!" Archbishop Gregor added, his lips curling into a twisted grin.

"We do this in the name of our Holy Goddess—Luminara, the Divine Savior!" the Pope declared, his voice carrying an almost fanatical devotion. "She alone will purge this world of all creatures tainted by darkness!"

A brief silence followed before the Bishop spoke, his tone grave. "What should we do about those sinners who dared to defy the Holy Son and oppose the church? They have rebelled against both our divine will and the will of our Goddess Luminara!"

The Pope's eyes narrowed, his expression darkening. "They must be eradicated. There is no place in this world for sinners who would oppose the Church of Light." His voice was laced with seething fury.

"Indeed." Archbishop Gregor's gaze gleamed with malice. "We cannot allow them to stand in our way. If left unchecked, they could become a serious threat to our divine mission."

The Pope let out a slow, sinister chuckle before revealing a twisted grin. "Send our finest Holy Magic Knights to hunt them down. Capture them alive and bring them before us for a 'baptism.'"

He leaned forward, his voice dripping with mock benevolence. "After all, our merciful Goddess may still show them grace—before they meet their inevitable fate."

A chilling silence filled the room. The Bishop and Archbishop exchanged knowing glances before giving small, approving nods.

The hunt had begun.

—

After dressing in a fresh set of clothes, Arthur stepped out of his bedroom and made his way toward Princess Livia's room. Stopping in front of the door, he knocked firmly a few times.

"Princess Livia, would you mind opening the door? I have an urgent matter to discuss with you." His voice was steady, yet laced with authority.

He waited.

Silence.

Frowning, Arthur knocked again, this time with more force.

"Princess Livia! Wake up already! This is important!"

Still, no response.

A wave of unease washed over him.

'Strange… why isn't she answering?' His fingers curled into a fist as paranoia began creeping in. 'Did something happen inside? Or… did she escape with the treasure?!'

His heartbeat quickened as a surge of panic coursed through him. He pounded on the door with both fists now, his voice rising.

"Princess Livia! Open this door right now!" His patience snapped. "If you don't open up, I'll break it down myself!"

His breath came out in sharp exhales as fury overtook him.

'How dare she ignore me? A mere princess making me waste my time like this?!' His pride burned at the thought.

"Suit yourself! I'm coming in! Don't complain later, Princess…" he growled under his breath.

With a powerful grip on the door handle, Arthur channeled his strength, ripping the door off its hinges and tossing it aside.

As he stepped inside, his entire body stiffened.

The room was empty.

His eyes darted across the chamber in disbelief. He stormed toward the bathroom—empty. He checked behind the curtains—nothing. He even flipped the bed over in frustration—not a trace of her.

"What the hell?!" he muttered, his face paling.

His hands trembled as realization dawned on him. "She's gone? No… no, this can't be… she was right here!" His panic surged like wildfire, his thoughts spiraling.

Desperation seized him. He needed to find the Silver Dragon Shield.

Frantically, he tore through the wardrobe, overturned the furniture, ripped open drawers, and searched every possible hiding spot.

Nothing.

No Princess Livia. No Silver Dragon Shield.

His breathing turned ragged, his fingers twitching as he clenched his fists in rage.

"Damn it! WHERE IS IT?! It should be here! There's no way she took it with her!"

His voice echoed in the empty room, but the only answer he received—was silence.

Arthur's fists trembled with rage.

The Silver Dragon Shield was nowhere to be found.

His face twisted in fury. His breaths were ragged, his chest rising and falling as anger boiled inside him. "Damn you, Livia! You dare steal from the Holy Church?!"

His enraged shouts echoed through the villa.

Within moments, armored footsteps thundered down the hallway. The Holy Knights stationed outside rushed toward the commotion, their expressions filled with confusion.

The captain of the Holy Knights stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Holy Son, what happened? Why are you shouting? Did something occur?"

Arthur turned toward them, his eyes blazing.

The knights scanned the disastrous mess in the room—furniture overturned, drawers emptied, sheets torn from the bed. It was as if a storm had torn through the chamber. Their confusion deepened.

'What in the goddess' name happened here?' they thought, glancing at one another.

Arthur gritted his teeth, barely restraining himself from slapping them all.

"What happened?! That wretched princess ran away with the Church's treasure!" he roared, his voice shaking with fury.

The Holy Knights stiffened in shock, their faces painted with disbelief.

Arthur snarled, his patience snapping. "What are you all standing around for?! FIND HER! Search the entire city—every street, every alley, every house!"

He reached inside his robe and pulled out the insignia of the Holy Church of Light and Justice, shoving it into the captain's hands.

"With this insignia, you have my authority to search anywhere! Even the Imperial Palace of the Empire itself! Tear apart every corner of this city and bring that ungrateful wench to me!"

The Holy Knights straightened at his command, their faces now filled with unwavering determination.

"Understood, Holy Son! No one in the entire Lionheart Empire dares defy the will of the Holy Church! We will bring her back at all costs!" the captain vowed, gripping the insignia tightly.

Arthur's lips curled into a grin.

"Good. Now go!"

As the Holy Knights stormed out to begin their search, Arthur closed his eyes and activated his magic sense, allowing his powerful aura to spread across the city, scanning for any trace of Princess Livia's mana.

A cold, predatory smile crept onto his face.

"You think running away will save you? Foolish woman."

His gaze locked onto the vast city before him, a manic gleam in his eyes.

"There is nowhere you can hide. No place beyond my reach. I am the Holy Son of the Holy Church of Light and Justice. No one—" he chuckled darkly, "—no one can stop me."