Hate me, Miss Witch!

Consciousness gradually revived.

When Shiayar opened his eyes again, a vast and majestic church filled his sight.

He saw a dawn-like brilliance rippling above the church, carrying a sacred and pure quality.

Am I born inside some Religious Order?

Considering this sanctified air, it shouldn't be one of those evil cults that turn their followers into a mass of twisted flesh praising only Ashes at the slightest disagreement, but rather an organization that worships orthodox gods.

Holy Creed Kingdom?

No, if this Echo of History really took place before the founding of the Holy Calendar, then it shouldn't be called the Holy Creed Kingdom, but the Dawn Church.

Shiayar unconsciously grasped the worn mechanical pocket watch in his hand.

He couldn't help but be vigilant.

After all, this was different from when he had entered the Echo of History of the Ancient Dukedom Azure Garden.

Back then, before entering the Echo of History of the Ancient Dukedom Azure Garden, he had spent years collecting information and was thoroughly prepared.

But for this Echo of History called "Escarnia," Shiayar was utterly ignorant.

Who knew if his damn system would spawn him right in the middle of a deathtrap?

These days, there's no shortage of online novel protagonists thrown into dungeons from the get-go, or even starting out on the pyre or guillotine.

However, after observing for a moment, Shiayar's hand, tightly clutching the pocket watch, relaxed slightly.

His initial identity in this world wasn't a subject awaiting a heresy trial.

Instead, he was a Knight of the Sacred Hall.

More precisely, he was a Squire who had just come of age and was about to be granted the title of Knight of the Sacred Hall.

Within the vast and majestic church, about seven or eight young men in their early twenties stood in a neat line before a white-robed bishop, their faces filled with expectation. Some wore common clothes, others metal knight armor.

They were all the most outstanding Squires in this kingdom.

The weakest among them was already 3-Ring, while some older Squires had even reached 4-Ring.

They were now gathered inside the Dawn Church of Escarnia, awaiting their investiture as Knights of the Sacred Hall.

"Name?"

"Crabbe Malfoy."

"Age?"

"Twenty-one."

"Following the conventions of the Holy See, I will test and baptize your faith with the Dawn Sacred Relic."

"If you were merely an ordinary member of the faithful, it wouldn't matter if your faith wasn't entirely pure."

"But Knights of the Sacred Hall are the sharpest blades in the Lord's hand, so naturally, you must undergo the most stringent assessment."

The white-robed bishop's expression remained unchanged.

A badge-like Sacred Relic materialized in his hand, casting a radiance like the morning star onto the forehead of the armored young man before him.

The young man's face showed a dazed expression, and he seemed lost in thought for a long time.

After a moment, the dawn-like brilliance faded, and the white-robed bishop stated calmly, "Your faith is not pure enough. You cannot become a Knight of the Sacred Hall."

The young man's face turned deathly pale, but he dared not retort and dejectedly departed.

The examinations proceeded one by one; some candidates were elated, others despondent.

Soon, it was Shiayar's turn.

"The last one."

The white-robed bishop raised his eyes slightly. Seeing the black-haired, black-eyed youth in common clothes before him, his expression softened a fraction.

Candidates eligible to become Knights of the Sacred Hall could roughly be divided into two types.

The first type was born into local noble families who worshipped the Dawn, receiving excellent knightly education in affluent households from a young age.

These candidates, benefiting from familial resources, generally possessed decent strength, equipment, and Pet Beast ranks. Their drawback, however, was that their faith often lacked purity.

The other type consisted of orphans who, having lost their parents to war or famine, were taken in by the Holy See from a young age.

These individuals lacked family support, and the Holy See provided only the most limited resources. Consequently, their current strength and rank were often unremarkable, but they typically possessed noteworthy talent.

Moreover, having been sheltered by the Holy See since childhood, their faith was generally more devout.

Distinguishing between the two types was simple: those in knight armor were usually scions of nobility, while those in common clothes were orphans taken in by the Holy See.

In chaotic times, metal armor was a scarce resource.

Compared to the Squires from noble families, the bishop undoubtedly favored the latter type.

This was especially true for the black-haired youth before him; despite such impoverished circumstances, he had reached 4-Ring at only seventeen or eighteen years of age, his talent undeniably evident.

"You were all taken in by the Holy See at a young age, without names of your own, known only by numerical designations."

"However, now that you are about to become a Knight of the Sacred Hall, not having your own name will be somewhat inconvenient."

"Have you thought about what name you would like to give yourself?"

A classic orphan start, but I like it, Shiayar thought.

Come to think of it, isn't this the third time in a row I've started as an orphan?

He breathed an inward sigh of relief.

After all, this time he hadn't pulled any audacious stunts like writing his name into a family register. If he were truly asked his name now, he'd be utterly clueless.

Meanwhile, he had covertly observed the entire church.

Its scale was immense. Based on Shiayar's understanding of the Holy See, this place could already be called the Dawn Great Cathedral... its grandeur second only to the Sacred Court, the headquarters of the Holy See, located in the heart of the Holy Creed Kingdom.