"If even kings must kneel, why should I kneel?"

  She wasn't from the Western Continent, after all.

  In both her lives combined, Luo Wei had only ever knelt before ancestral tombstones and the God of Wealth in temples.

  It was just a Cardinal - could they really kill her for not kneeling?

  ...Well, perhaps they could.

  Feeling annoyed for a second, Luo Wei tugged at Troy's sleeve and whispered, "Let's squat down!"

  As long as it looked like kneeling from afar, wouldn't that work?

  "Oh right, squatting works too!" Theodore, Laura, and Hol had a sudden revetion and immediately squatted down.

  Truth be told, squatting felt much better - not only did it ease their minds, but from a distance, it looked no different from kneeling.

  Troy was about to squat when he noticed Luo Wei still standing ramrod straight while clutching his sleeve. Three question marks appeared above his head: "Didn't you say we should squat?"

  Luo Wei stood stiffly, veins popping on her neck as she spoke through gritted teeth: "You think I don't want to squat?"

  She had tried to squat down earlier, but her knees wouldn't bend no matter what. Her legs were as rigid as steel bars, as if controlled by some invisible force.

  The cold wind swept past her pale hair, chilling her to the bone.

  "Oh," Troy remembered, "right, you have that disease where your knees won't bend."

  "Please stop talking."

  Luo Wei choked back silent tears that flowed inward to her heart.

  Was this what they called a self-fulfilling prophecy? Because she had cimed her knees wouldn't bend, they really couldn't bend now?

  A sudden thought fshed through her mind: How could a Dark God's blessed one kneel before a servant of the righteous gods?

  Fine, fine, fine! You proud, face-saving God of Death - no wonder you have so few followers!

  Luo Wei felt her future looking rather bleak.

  "I'm afraid this condition won't be cured today," she muttered.

  "Then what should we do? Keep standing?" Troy asked anxiously.

  Not paying respects to clergy members was also considered bsphemy, with severe consequences. With so many mages in town, he feared they couldn't escape.

  Luo Wei gripped his arm tighter: "What else can we do? You want to squat and leave me standing alone?"

  "You're my guard, you can't embarrass me. Stand straight, understand!"

  "Oh." Though confused, Troy obeyed and immediately straightened his back.

  After squatting down, Theodore and Laura saw Luo Wei and Troy still standing and tried to stand up too, but Hol grabbed them.

  "We can barely protect ourselves, let's not make trouble for them," Hol said quietly.

  After hesitating, the two squatted back down.

  The Church's carriage entered the square, stopping in the center.

  "Bruce, Antoine, what's happening out there?"

  The Cardinal's gentle voice came from within the carriage.

  "Your Highness, there are two people showing disrespect to you," the two armored knights at the front replied, casting stern gnces toward the edge of the square.

  Among the prostrating crowd of believers, a man and woman stood like two proud winter pines.

  "Oh?" The Cardinal was surprised. "Antoine, go ask what's going on."

  "Yes, Your Highness."

  Antoine spurred his horse forward, riding through the crowd.

  The people on the square shifted aside on their knees, making way for his horse.

  "Can we take him?" Luo Wei asked in a barely audible whisper, eyes fixed straight ahead.

  Troy sized him up for a few seconds and nodded: "Junior Magic Swordsman, we can."

  "What about the Cardinal?"

  "Intermediate Mage, manageable."

  "Good. Stay firm then, don't speak, and follow my every command. Do you understand?"

  "Understood."

  Luo Wei and Troy stood motionless, maintaining their "proud" stance as they watched the knight approach.

  "Who are you people, and why aren't you paying respects to His Highness?"

  Antoine held his reins with his left hand, his right hand resting on his sword hilt as he looked down at them coldly.

  Troy didn't know how to respond and looked to Luo Wei.

  "We're not from the Western Continent and don't know Western customs," Luo Wei gnced at the people in the square before calmly raising her eyes. "I heard the Western Church is magnificent and righteous, often showing tolerance to others?"

  "Of course," Antoine raised his chin proudly.

  "Then would you be kind enough to forgive the discourtesy of one who doesn't know better?"

  Antoine narrowed his eyes: "The glory of the Sun and Moon Gods shines upon Gan. Even if you're not from the Western Continent, you should still bow before His Highness."

  With those words, he suddenly drew his sword and pointed it at them: "Kneel, or be charged with bsphemy!"

  Luo Wei's gaze turned cold: "Troy, I don't like having swords pointed at me."

  "Yes." Troy drew his sword in a fsh, striking at the knight.

  The crowd erupted in chaos.

  "That person dares to attack an armored knight!"

  "He dares disrespect the Church - he's dead!"

  People scrambled away in fear, watching in horror, expecting Troy's head to roll and blood to spray at any moment.

  The swords cshed with ringing metallic sounds.

  "An Intermediate Magic Swordsman!"

  Antoine was startled. He pulled his reins tight and quickly retreated, withdrawing his sword to avoid his opponent's bde.

  The vibrating sword made his palm go numb. Antoine stared at Troy in shock: "Who are you?"

  There weren't even fifty Intermediate Magic Swordsmen in the entire Western Continent. Each one was renowned, either serving as great generals in various kingdoms or as bishops in the Church. How could there be another unknown Intermediate Magic Swordsman here?

  Moreover, how could an Intermediate Magic Swordsman be taking orders from a young woman with such weak magical power?

  Troy remembered Luo Wei's words and didn't say anything without her command.

  Getting no response from him, Antoine turned his attention back to the arrogant young woman beside him: "Who exactly are you people?"

  Luo Wei raised her head coldly: "You wouldn't know even if I told you, so why ask?"

  "Clip-clop..." The sound of hooves approached as another knight rode over.

  Antoine turned: "Bruce?"

  Bruce's expression was serious: "His Highness sent me to see why you're taking so long."

  Antoine gnced at Troy and expined the situation to Bruce.

  Bruce frowned as he looked at Troy and Luo Wei, pondered for a moment, then suddenly dismounted and walked toward them.

  "My apologies for any offense. I am Bruce Hewlett."

  Bruce gave a hand-over-heart salute and asked with a smile: "May I know your esteemed names and where you're from?"

  Since he was being polite, Luo Wei's expression softened somewhat: "My surname is Luo, given name Wei. I'm from the Misty Pins, and this is my guard, Troy."

  "The Misty Pins?" Bruce showed surprise as he recalled a recent rumor.

  It was said that the Grand Padin had met a princess from the Misty Pins and given her his family's ruby neckce - could this young woman be her?

  Bruce's attitude became more respectful: "Honorable dy, might you be acquainted with our Church's Grand Padin?"

  "You mean Arvic?"

  "Yes, that's the one." Bruce nodded while thinking to himself how she dared address the Grand Padin by name.

  Although she was a noble princess, what of it?

  Even kings had to seek the Pope's blessing at their coronation to truly become monarchs. What right did a mere princess have to refuse to bow before His Highness the Cardinal?

  "My dy, regardless of your status in the Misty Pins, now that you're in the Western Continent, you should follow Western customs."

  Bruce said solemnly: "In our nds, all nobles and royalty must pay respects to His Highness the Cardinal. Standing as you are shows disrespect to His Highness and bsphemy against the Sun and Moon Gods."

  "Sir Knight, I believe you have some misunderstandings about us."