Lord of Prayer

When he saved Erin, a vast amount of wish power had condensed into the Miracle Light, creating the miracle of resurrection. Even among the Gods, only the Goddess of Life possessed the Ability to bring someone back from the dead.

Death was an eternal theme of the world.

But in the face of an inexplicable miracle, even death itself had to give way.

‘Possessing a single object of Authority is like an express ticket to Tier Five. I have two, and they are both extremely powerful… I must hide this secret well. If anyone were to find out, the consequences would be inconceivable…’

‘But where did the Wish Bottle come from? Why did I awaken in this era? Why do I inexplicably possess this object of Authority?’

Ever since awakening the memories of his past life, these familiar questions had once again filled his mind. And his intuition told him that the answers he sought lay hidden in the truth behind the Old Epoch’s destruction.

But with his current level of Power, trying to explore the truth of the Old Epoch’s destruction was pure hubris. Neither the Star Association nor Hermes, the only one in the world who could freely travel through the Restricted Areas, had managed to uncover the truth, so what chance did he have?

‘Trying to investigate without enough power would only end with him being shattered into a million pieces…’

‘Perhaps it’s time to start forming a small, secret group…’

Reining in his thoughts, Zhou Chen pushed the many questions from his mind and leaned back in his chair to ponder.

Soron had now officially become an Alchemist, and Lin Ya was an Ascender in the Star Association’s outer circle, also working under Father Daun. They both possessed a certain social standing and were now in a position to trade for both intelligence and resources.

However, a group with just the two of them would be too small, the channels for information too few. He needed to pick one more person, and this individual had to be someone of substance, not just an ordinary Ascender.

‘But where could I find someone like that?’

‘This will require careful planning. I just can’t seem to find a suitable candidate…’

Zhou Chen sighed, and his consciousness descended, returning to the real world as he entered a deep state of Meditation.

·

「Two days later.」

On a bright and sunny morning, Zhou Chen was discharged from the hospital.

It was also the day of Erin’s hospital transfer.

In the intensive care unit, Zhou Chen sat by the bedside, gazing at the peacefully sleeping Erin. ‘Now that her life is out of danger, she’ll be able to live a much happier life,’ he thought. ‘Like a normal girl, no longer restricted in everything she does.’

Suddenly, the door to the room was pushed open.

Zhou Chen turned to see who it was and was taken aback.

The man had the same blond hair and blue eyes as Erin. He was dressed in a well-tailored, expensive suit, and his every move had a gentlemanly air. Though middle-aged, he was like a fine wine that had only grown richer with time, exuding a weathered, masculine charm. With him was a beautiful woman with lovely, rose-red hair.

The Elizabeth Couple!

‘Why are they here? How did they get here…’ Zhou Chen shot to his feet, momentarily at a loss for how to greet them.

Duke Elizabeth was the first to extend his hand, smiling. “Surprised?”

Zhou Chen returned the handshake. “Uh… I just assumed you were very busy people…”

He then shook hands with Lady Elizabeth.

“We are. The Laine Kingdom is in complete chaos lately. Right before this, I was presiding over the trial for a bombing, and I have a mountain of other things waiting for me. But Erin is our daughter, and she’s about to be transferred to the care facility at the Stars Association Headquarters. If we didn’t come to see her now, we’d be failing miserably in our duty as parents.”

As he spoke, Duke Elizabeth stepped forward, gave Zhou Chen a brief hug, and then patted both of his shoulders, thanking him earnestly. “Thank you for saving her.”

He looked at the young man before him—a man so much weaker than himself—and couldn’t help but feel a sense of shame. He was Erin’s father, a Tier Four Uncrowned, yet when he had already despaired and given up, this young man, a mere Tier One, had created a miracle and overturned Erin’s fate of certain death.

God knew how incredibly hard it was for him to believe the news. He’d even felt like he was living in a dream.

However, even knowing that the Destined Death had been eradicated, he was still worried sick. He was terrified that some other accident might befall Erin, who had just escaped from the jaws of death. That was why he had contacted the Star Association, hoping to transfer Erin to the care facility at their headquarters to spend the final two months before her eighteenth birthday.

The medical center at the Stars Association Headquarters possessed the world’s finest medical technology. Under their care, he was confident that Erin would awaken soon and receive the best protection available.

“Thank you, Zhou Chen,” Lady Elizabeth said earnestly. “You did something incredible. Thank you for bringing our daughter back to us.”

Just then, Duke Elizabeth reached into his pocket, took out a small square box, and opened it with great solemnity. Inside lay a medal made of some unknown metal, fashioned in the shape of a Sword and Shield.

“This is the Laine Kingdom’s Honorary Knight’s Medal. From this day forward, you are an eternal friend of the Laine Kingdom.”

A Knight.

The most illustrious title in the Laine Kingdom.

Even an Honorary Knight, who held no real power, still represented a noble character officially recognized by the kingdom.

“You are the one who saved Erin’s life. You are more than worthy of this honor.” Duke Elizabeth’s tone was firm. “Please, accept it. It is a token of my gratitude.”

Zhou Chen had no choice but to nod, allowing Duke Elizabeth to pin the Knight’s Medal to his chest. “You two should talk with Erin. The transfer is in ten minutes.”

With that, he left the room.

Out in the hallway, Jiang Che was sitting on a bench. Her eyes immediately fell on the Knight’s Medal on his chest. “How does it feel to be a Knight?”

Zhou Chen scratched his head and sat down beside her. “Doesn’t feel like anything special. I don’t really care for titles like this.”

“What if I told you that, as an Honorary Knight, you get a forty percent discount when buying anything from a Laine Kingdom-owned company, plus you receive generous gifts every year?”

Jiang Che said calmly, “The Laine Kingdom is considered the largest unsealed Restricted Area. It has a powerful foundation, even more prosperous than the Holy See. Moreover, their people are very clever. In the three years since it was unsealed, they’ve not only integrated into modern society but also established numerous massive industries. More than a dozen companies in the Fortune 500 belong to the Laine Kingdom. The moment you step into one of their establishments, you are a VIP guest and will receive the highest level of service.”

Zhou Chen’s mouth fell open. ‘The medal is that powerful?’

“In the Laine Kingdom, anyone bestowed with the title of Knight is recognized as possessing a noble character. The people of the Laine Kingdom idolize those who embody the spirit of chivalry. In their eyes, Knights are the sharp blades that vanquish all evil, invincible heroes. It has become a part of their faith.”

“I wouldn’t say I really embody the spirit of chivalry, though, would you?” Zhou Chen shrugged. ‘Still, since they’ve already given me the medal, there’s no reason to return it.’

‘A forty-percent discount is just too good…’

·

Ten minutes later, the transfer process began.

Inside the room, Lady Elizabeth’s eyes were red-rimmed, a clear sign she had been crying. She reluctantly let go of Erin’s hand, kissed her lightly on the forehead, and then stepped aside.

The room’s equipment had already been cleared out, leaving only a mobile hospital bed.

The moment the time reached precisely ten o’clock in the morning, the space within the room suddenly underwent a strange Transformation. A door materialized from thin air and was pulled open from within.

The other side was also a hospital room. The heavy scent of disinfectant wafted through, and the various pieces of medical equipment looked even more advanced.

“You can transfer the patient over now,” said a medical staffer on the other side.

“We’ll be leaving now. Goodbye for now.”

Duke Elizabeth bid farewell to Zhou Chen and, together with his wife, pushed the hospital bed through the Space Gate.

The medical staff on the other side casually closed the door, and the space returned to its original state.

“What was that?” Zhou Chen asked, looking at Jiang Che beside him. He had encountered something similar before when borrowing a Forbidden Object, but he never knew what it was.

“An S-Level Forbidden Object, the Any Door. It can take you anywhere in the World,” Jiang Che answered offhandedly.

‘The Any Door… Next you’ll tell me there’s a Doraemon’s pocket…’ Zhou Chen thought with an inward eye-roll.

“Now that Erin has been transferred, your Advancement ceremony is all set. When do you want to go?” Jiang Che asked.

“Right now. Let’s try to make it in time for lunch. If we’re late, there’ll be nothing left to eat.”