A Powerful Martial Artist Reincarnates as a Nun Knight

The cathedral was a vast church-like structure resembling a merged church and lord’s castle. Structurally, it appeared as an upscaled church with partial additions akin to fortified castle facilities, so its architecture did not seem too unfamiliar to the nun knights Sophia and Hildegard.

Another difference from typical lordly castles was the personnel guarding the cathedral’s entrance and managing entrants’ comings and goings – not hired guards serving a lord, but monks and nuns who had voluntarily devoted themselves to the Church.
This unique sight stemmed from the cathedral’s ecclesiastical essence preceding its defensive purpose as a fortification.

Upon presenting their identification and Cardinal Andrea’s missive, Sophia and Hildegard were promptly guided to where the Toriento Bishop and Cardinal Andrea awaited.

Befitting its cathedral scale, the interior featured various cleanly constructed chapels and oratories arranged by function. Notably, there were few visible sacred icons or images – as the Church’s members could all wield the luminous force, such visible grandeur was unnecessary to exert influence over the populace.

Instead of icons, the cathedral’s altars bore rudely carved stone sanctuaries along with spirit tablets inscribed with local deities’ names or symbols once worshiped by the populace – a display signifying how the Great Ascetic had stripped the ancient priests and shamans of their authority to commune with celestial gods.

The Toriento Bishop and Cardinal Andrea awaited within one such chapel, where the former happened to be presiding over a service. Sophia and Hildegard silently joined Cardinal Andrea while the solemn rites proceeded.

Once the service concluded, the officiating bishop descended from the dais to greet them.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, knights of the Paladins. I am Giovanni di Salieri, Bishop of Toriento and a devoted follower of the Great Ascetic.”
“I am the Paladin nun knight, Sophia de Chazelle.”
“The Paladin nun knight, Hildegard Ritter von Wolfstein. Pardon me, but you are remarkably youthful for a bishop, Your Excellency.”

At Hildegard’s blunt observation, the priests moving about to clear the chapel after the service flinched. While not outright malicious, such candid remarks could easily be construed as discourteous.

Fortunately, none present were petty enough to take offense. Sophia certainly harbored no such concerns, while Cardinal Andrea himself led the famously individualistic Paladin monks and nun knights as their First Knight Commander, necessitating an exceptionally thick skin.

The unexpected party was the bishop himself, Giovanni di Salieri, whose youthful countenance belied the episcopacy he had attained at such a tender age. Unlike the Paladin knights actively combating evil, a prelate’s young visage was not necessarily advantageous for higher clergy in general.

For the luminous force ultimately stemmed from one’s inner cultivation and accumulated virtues.

While youth and age each offered advantages and disadvantages regarding inner refinement – the young being more open and flexible yet prone to impetuousness, the elderly more cautious yet risking rigid dogmatism – when it came to accumulating virtue, the time one had lived could not be discounted.

Unless repeatedly risking their lives to root out wickedness and injustice like the Paladin knights, ordinary priests required considerable time to accrue virtue. Some even claimed a clergyman’s aged countenance reflected the years spent cultivating righteousness.

Just how much prejudice and suspicion must the youthful Bishop Giovanni have endured to attain his episcopal rank? An environment ripe for developing complexes where none existed before.

Yet surprisingly, the word ‘youth’ did not faze Bishop Giovanni in the slightest – unsurprising to those who knew him. For he believed proving himself lay solely through unwavering devotion, inner cultivation, and the luminous force’s manifest evidence, principles he had embodied throughout his life.

“Thanks to the holy spirits’ guidance. From the moment I dedicated myself, I have never defied their lead, eventually rising to the episcopacy at this young age.”
“Indeed, that would explain your vibrant luminous force. Such a radiant aura cannot be attained merely through virtues accrued over time.”

Bearing a refreshingly bright smile, Bishop Giovanni’s words prompted Hildegard to nod approvingly, her gaze drawn to the luminous force naturally radiating and pulsing from his form.

The luminous forces exuded by elderly priests tended to bear a somewhat aged, mellowed quality unlike this vibrant undulation. It reflected whether one had meticulously accumulated it over an extended period or fervently forged it within a shorter timeframe by immolating body and spirit.

“It seems introductions have been made. Then allow me to state my purpose.”
Cardinal Andrea began in his characteristically brusque manner.
“Sisters Chazelle and Wolfstein. You are well aware of the reasons behind summoning you to this Council.”
“”Of course, Your Eminence.””

“In truth, the Paladin contingent’s attendance at this Council is not only due to the gravity of these proceedings, but also to silence the hardliner and dovish factions within the Church.”

When the Church first formed to systematically counter demonic machinations by safeguarding humanity’s territories across the continent, all were united in desperation. But as human settlements stabilized over time, two polarized factions emerged within the Church.

The doves advocated focusing more on tending to the populace rather than wasting resources against demons, while the hawks demanded utterly eradicating anything demonic without a trace.

Yet with the luminous force’s tangible sacred power, neither side strayed too far from the Church’s virtuous pursuits. Simultaneously, neither represented a balanced stance – for the world could not be constrained to such simplistic binaries. One could not wholly commit to either side while disregarding the other.

More critically, from the Paladins’ frontline perspectives responding to all manner of incidents, both factions’ claims amounted to nonsense.

The Church and human territories were not yet stable or secure enough to selectively pick and choose what actions to take or avoid. Whatever needed doing, whatever could be done – absolutely everything had to be undertaken without omission.

Failure to do so would push the Church’s systems to their limits, once again placing humanity in peril.

“Thus, you must reawaken their sense of urgency. I have prepared the necessary materials in advance. It would be advisable for you both to review them before the Council commences. Bishop Giovanni here shall assist you with accessing the materials.”

“You may leave it to me.”
Bishop Giovanni stepped forward in assent as Sophia and Hildegard nodded their acknowledgment.

“Well then, that concludes our official business.”
Just as Cardinal Andrea seemed about to dismiss them, he paused before addressing Sophia:
“I hear from Sister Wolfstein’s reports that your own exploits have been quite remarkable, Sister Chazelle.”

“Hilde must have exaggerated somewhat. I have done nothing particularly noteworthy.”
Sophia attempted to deflect Cardinal Andrea’s inquiry with modest self-deprecation – some premonition warned her against engaging further. Yet as if anticipating her response, the cardinal scoffed wryly.

“Is that so? You displayed exceptional prowess even when you first came to headquarters vying for a Paladin vacancy, if I recall. The memories of how many talented challengers faltered before you as an insurmountable wall still linger vividly.”

In a nostalgic reverie ill-befitting his gruff countenance, Cardinal Andrea recounted past recollections which Sophia countered with an air of vexation:

“Embarrassing memories, it seems, unworthy of Your Eminence’s recollection.”

Even so, dredging up such ancient history rankled her enough to retort sharply.

“Ho? You wish me to hold my tongue? Then let us cross blades – is that not how a knight speaks?”

As if awaiting such a challenge, Cardinal Andrea revealed a sword concealed within his cardinal’s vestments, rapping the hilt invitingly. Provoked thus far, Sophia could hardly retreat as a knight. Curling her lip to bare a fang, she reached for the longsword at her hip.

“If you insist, I shall happily oblige.”

The tense standoff was defused by the dismayed Bishop Giovanni observing from the side:
“Now now, this is a sanctum where solemnity must be preserved. Revealing such pugnacity here seems rather unbecoming. Since we have a practice hall, would it not be more appropriate to settle matters of martial prowess there instead? Allow me to guide you both.”

At the bishop’s words, the charged atmosphere momentarily loosened.

“Very well. A fine chance to demonstrate proper decorum for an elder such as myself.”
Abandoning all honorific pretenses, Sophia reverted to her typical blunt demeanor. Cardinal Andrea responded with a feral grin:
“Big words. Let us see if your skills match that bravado.”

Watching the cardinal exude such ferocious pugnaciousness unbefitting his age and rank, Hildegard could only clasp her forehead despairingly. Was she truly the only sensible one present? Shaking her head, she inwardly lamented their collective lack of reason.