The more they oppose, the more it shows that I am doing the right thing
Chapter 37 Lister My Name is Kavensis

"Kavensis Black."

"My name is Kavensis Black, son of a Border Church Priest."

Faced with an interview from several journalists, Lister Muen, the third to leave the examination room, coolly pushed up his glasses and answered elegantly and politely.

Every word and action was filled with the etiquette of nobility.

Lister Muen was a graceful and meticulous man.

His light brown short hair was always impeccably groomed, his lips slightly thin, which betrayed his humble character,

his light blue eyes always calm and gentle, he always wore crisply pressed black trousers and a neatly ironed blue tailcoat, every button done up just so.

At the same time, he was a low-profile person.

Humility and low-profile, these were the most important virtues of nobility.

As the most devout and honest follower of the Goddess, he was well-aware of his excellence, but he understood the principle that a tree that stands out in the forest is likely to be toppled by the wind.

He did not like to show off.

The reason he was only the third one out of the examination room was also because of his modesty.

Otherwise, he would have handed in his paper much earlier.

Forever third—that was his creed, neither ostentatious nor lagging behind.

But unexpectedly, outstanding people, like fireflies in the night, are so distinctly and dazzlingly visible wherever they are, attracting attention like flowers draw bees and butterflies, leading the journalists to come for interviews one after another.

Despite his excellence, Lister still chose to be understated.

He did not plan to leave his name; he would rather become a legend of the Imperial Capital.

At the same time, Lister was a wise man.

He understood that An Su and Arthur had left the examination room before him, so the journalists would certainly have noted their names, thus he could not usurp their identities.

Arthur knew only two other examinees, but in fact... there was one more!

That was Kavensis Black, who was currently on sick leave!

They were fellow townspeople—though not close, but using Kavensis's name for a bit wouldn't upset him, would it?

Moreover, with Kavensis lying sick in bed and suddenly seeing his own name appear in the capital's newspaper, he would surely feel comforted and deeply warmed by it.

It definitely wasn't because he feared he had performed poorly and disgraced himself.

Lister was such a considerate and gentle man, a gentleman of high emotional intelligence.

He placed his left hand on his right chest, his right leg slightly bent, performing a perfect noble courtesy, "Then, I, Kavensis, shall take my leave."

As for the title of "Goddess's Moonlight" that was still above his head, but it no longer mattered. Since he had not left his name, being new to the Imperial Capital, who would know Moonlight was Lister Muen?

The Imperial Capital was so vast, and there were so many examinees.

.

Eleven o'clock in the morning.

A border city, the Sun Family Estate.

The intense sunshine shone on the reddish land, the light passing through the study's glass window, refracting onto the gleaming armor.

The Sun Family was the oldest and most storied family on the frontier, abundant in military virtues, frequently producing generals and marshals, with their patriarch, the Grand Duke of the Sun, Annand Sunny, being the only Seventh Order Knight on the frontier.

A Seventh Order Knight had already entered the realm of the demigods.

Duke Annand was known for being stern and rarely smiling, yet today he exhibited clear signs of joy. He sat in his study, leafing through the latest issue of the "Imperial Capital Morning Post."

Journalism was very efficient; to grab the headlines, they would immediately write their material upon receiving the latest news, then, through the arcane network, they would print it en masse across the nation.

In less than two hours, Duke Annand, far off on the frontier, was already looking at the latest issue of the "Imperial Capital Morning Post."

The Sun Family had always had one regret — their lack of culture, never having produced a Church official, frequently mocked by their political rivals as "the Barbarian Family."

But today, all that changed.

He looked at the latest newspaper, the glaring headline on it:

#The first examinee to leave the examination room! Arthur Sunny of the Sun Family accepts an interview!#

The first to leave the examination room, even handing in his paper early!

Even so, Duke Annand wouldn't be this happy, as he was well aware of what his child was capable of—perhaps he handed in a blank paper and left early.

But then the journalist's following report set Duke Annand's mind at ease:

"Arthur Sunny personally said that the last question of the exam was quite simple, so it wasn't worth remembering—only a fool would fail to solve it."

Steady!

Duke Annand's lips curled with a gratified smile; even he, an illiterate who had dropped out of prenatal education, had heard about the abstract and outrageous final question of the Radiant Holy See. If his own son found the last question simple and had solved it easily, wouldn't the other questions have been a piece of cake?

The more he thought about it, the more overjoyed he became.

Their Sun Family had finally produced a scholarly top-scorer—it was as if their ancestral tomb was emitting a green light, an immense source of pride.

He wanted other nobles to know that the Sun Family too had culture.

Duke Annand stood up, straightened his collar, draped a cloak over his shoulders, took the newspaper in hand, and prepared to step out.

He was eager to show off properly, to boast in person, especially to swing by the Moon Family and Morningstar Family.

"Ah, I seem to have lost my way, how did I end up here?"

"Ah, there's a smudge on my newspaper here, could you take a look for me?"—Duke Annand had already thought of his lines.

The son did well on his exam, and Archduke Annand was very happy.

.

Half past eleven in the morning.

Border city, Moon Family Estate.

As the second oldest family in history and the one with the most extensive connections, the family was famous for its elegant and noble family traditions.

The estate was planted with violets, and even in winter, the Moon Family's wisteria still flourished,

the elegant and noble purple hanging along the eaves, screening the vigorous sunlight and casting a grace of delicate filter through the windows.

The Marquis of the Moon Family—Norman Muen—was a calm and elegant gentleman.

No matter what happened, he remained unstirred.

But today, the corners of Marquis Norman's mouth were slightly upturned.

The reason was the "Imperial Capital Morning Post" in his hands, the second column of news:

#The second candidate to leave the exam room, the Moon Family's Lisiter Muen smiled confidently#

To maintain elegance, one must not laugh out loud.

Despite feeling quite pleased inside, Marquis Norman, after all a gentleman of high elegance and taste, maintained his composure.

'Handing in the paper early is just the most basic operation.'

'The child is still not consistent; he didn't come out first.'

Marquis Norman had already thought of what to say afterwards; he rolled up the newspaper and walked outside.

The son did well on his exam, and Marquis Norman was very happy.

.

Eleven forty in the morning.

Border city, Morningstar Family Estate.

As the least historically significant and wealthiest nouveau riche family, the Morningstar Family had only one advantage: it was very rich.

Richer than the other two families combined.

With more money than they could ever spend, the Morningstar Family was infamous for its prodigal sons.

In Count Karlo's study, sunlight poured down, only to be repelled by a stronger glow of gold:

Gold teacups, gold chairs, gold desks... no arms or armor, no wisteria or greenery, just the purest money as decor.

The Earl of the Morningstar Family—Karlo Moningstar, had only money.

Yet even he, with all his wealth, felt joy today.

He had just heard that three students from the border city had handed in their exams early and had been sweating over it.

But glancing at the morning newspaper, his anxiety dropped to his stomach.

Sunny, Muen, Black—No Moningstar.

Fantastic!

Just a month ago, An Su furiously studied daily, and Count Karlo worried; what if his own child was actually a scholar supreme?

What if he really topped the exams, what would happen to the family's gold mines?

As it turned out, all that worry was needless.

An Su had not disappointed his expectations!

Even though the exact results had yet to be released, Count Karlo was nearly certain in his heart.

He had already decided which gold mine he would assign to An Su to manage.

The son did poorly on his exam, and Count Karlo was very happy.

.

Noon.

Border city, Radiant Cathedral, Blake Family cemetery in the back hills.

No armor, no violets, no gold, just row upon row of tombstones standing stark against the desolate, silent mountains, with the winterly north winds wailing through the coffins with a ghostly sigh.

Sunlight fell upon the tombstones, casting a dim light.

The Blake Family was one of the Priest families of the Radiant Holy See.

At this moment, in front of a grave, Priest Black was holding the "Imperial Capital Morning Post," his hands trembling slightly, sweat beading on his brow.

The third column of news:

#The third candidate to leave the examination room, Kavensis Black of the border Church shone brightly!#

Brightness?

Sunshine?

Priest Black stared at this line fiercely, then turned his head to look at his son's secret grave, gazing at the empty, murky tombstone and swallowed hard.

It was chilling and forbidding.

Even though the noon sun shined upon him, it felt so haunting on Priest Black's body.

Is this the cost of faith in the Mother Goddess…?

The son won the resurrection match, and Priest Black was alarmed.