Chapter 631 - 51: Unified Tracks, Unified Script

Chapter 631: Chapter 51: Unified Tracks, Unified Script

"And he worked to eliminate illiteracy. His Lordship had the Holy Temple Research Institute compile the most basic literacy primers and distribute them for free to every village on the Continent. My father often says that even though he was a Mill Master, learning to read as a child was next to impossible. He had to go to the Lord’s Secretary just to learn. Now, kids in the village can read and write simple passages by the time they’re seven or eight."

Bobby’s gaze drifted into the distance, as if lost in memory. "In those years, His Lordship also promoted new farming methods and improved farm tools, causing crop yields to multiply several times over. When I was little, the farmers where I lived often went hungry. But these past few years, every household’s grain stores have been full at the end of every year."

"Best of all, he gave people from the lowest rungs of society a chance to change their fate and become great Priests."

Mo Ling listened quietly, the smile at the corners of her mouth growing wider.

She looked at the still-imposing figure on the stage, an indescribable warmth spreading through her heart.

That was her father.

The strongest person on the Continent, the Holy Sword, the founder of the Path of the Priest, the true Guardian of the Church Court, and the only person in a thousand years to shatter the old world’s order and forge a new Path for mortals.

The students around them heard Bobby’s words and nodded one after another, their eyes filled with agreement.

"That’s right. If it weren’t for Lord Holy Sword, how would people like us ever have had the chance to learn all this?"

"My father’s a blacksmith, and my mother does laundry for others. If His Lordship hadn’t implemented education for commoners, I wouldn’t even know how to read."

"I heard that in the past, the knowledge of Wizards was kept secret, and only a select few could learn it. It’s still very difficult now, but at least we have a chance."

"His Lordship also said that there has never been any Savior, and that to create happiness for humanity, we must rely entirely on ourselves. I’ll never forget those words."

The whispers were filled with gratitude and reverence.

Mo Ling didn’t join their discussion, simply gazing quietly at the stage.

She watched her father’s familiar figure, watched his calm yet powerful speech, and watched for that fleeting moment when his gaze swept across the crowd and paused on her.

In that instant, she saw a flicker of the most tender smile in his eyes.

Mo Ling felt as if her heart was filled with something, so full it was about to overflow.

She tilted her head back slightly, letting the sunlight wash over her face and reveal the tears shimmering in her jet-black eyes.

A breeze blew past, brushing the hair at her temples.

On the stage, Murphy’s speech was nearing its end.

His voice rang out one last time, clear and solemn:

"May you all become a light that illuminates this world."

Thunderous applause erupted, long and unabating.

...

The echoes of the speech still lingered over the square as the applause gradually died down.

To one side of the high platform, a master of ceremonies in deep blue ceremonial robes stepped forward, holding a gilt-edged parchment scroll. He announced in a clear voice:

"And now, the degree conferral ceremony will begin. Will the first group of Priest Apprentices who have completed all their studies please come forward, one by one, to receive their degrees personally from Lord Holy Sword."

An irrepressible stir immediately broke out below the stage.

Expectation and nervousness mingled on the young faces. Some subconsciously straightened the collars of their robes, while others took deep breaths, trying to calm their racing hearts.

This was the most important moment of their lives.

It wasn’t just because this certificate meant they would officially become "Priests" and could henceforth travel the Continent independently.

It was also because this was the closest they would ever get to the figure on that high platform—an up-close encounter with the greatest man in the world.

The first to walk onto the stage was a slender young man. His brown hair was meticulously combed, but his temples were already slightly damp with sweat.

He stopped in front of Murphy and bowed deeply, his voice trembling with excitement:

"L-Lord Holy Sword... I... my name is Marcus. I’m from a small fishing village on the eastern shore of the Jade Coast."

Murphy nodded slightly, took the degree certificate, and personally handed it to him.

Marcus accepted it with both hands, the parchment scroll feeling as if it weighed a ton in his grasp.

He looked up into Murphy’s calm, deep-set black eyes, and suddenly his own eyes grew hot as tears burst forth.

"Lord... I... My father was a fisherman, and my mother was a hired servant. When I was a child, my family was so poor we often went hungry. I used to go to the seashore barefoot every day to collect shells, hoping to trade them for a few copper plates. Back then, my greatest wish was just to eat one full meal... I never imagined... I never imagined that one day I would be standing here..."

His voice was choked with sobs and his words were incoherent, but he stubbornly continued:

"It was you... It was you who brought a school to our village, so that children from poor families like mine could learn to read. It was you who introduced the new fishing nets and boats, making it less dangerous for my father to go to sea and increasing his catch. It was you... It was you who made me who I am today..."

Clutching the certificate, he bowed low, sobbing uncontrollably.

Murphy watched him quietly, neither interrupting nor rushing him.

Only when Marcus’s emotions had calmed slightly did he reach out and gently pat the young man’s shoulder.

The gesture was light, but it made Marcus’s whole body tremble as his tears flowed even more fiercely.

"Go on," Murphy’s voice was calm and gentle. "Remember what you’ve said, and remember where you came from."

Marcus nodded forcefully, wiped his face messily with his sleeve, and walked off the stage with firm steps, clutching his certificate.

The next to ascend the stage was a girl with delicate features. She was calmer than Marcus, but her hands still trembled slightly when she stood before Murphy.

She accepted the certificate, her eyes red-rimmed, but she did not cry.