After awakening to find herself unable to access the Orlan database, caught adrift in the mirror sea by the sea fog, and finally meeting the Commander—only to realize she was on the verge of self-destruction…
Everything that followed felt like a dream.
Orlan wasn't destroyed. She hadn't turned into a monster.
She had gained new companions who truly cared for her, received tender care from the Commander, and learned what it meant to be alive.
Most importantly, she finally understood what—love—was.
"Sui Qiongu, why are you crying?"
The memory in the mecha girl's mind was suddenly interrupted by a concerned voice.
Sui Qiongu touched her face in a daze as she looked at the Commander in front of her.
There were indeed tears.
Was she crying?
But tears were supposed to come only when one was sad, so why was she crying?
She was—absolutely, truly, completely—happy.
Lin Lan found it a bit strange. After Akashi had asked Sui Qiongu to recite her oath, she gave no response, as if she hadn't heard.
Then, he saw tears welling up at the corners of her eyes, prompting him to ask out of concern.
In the next moment, the adorable white-haired girl before him showed the most perfect, most beautiful, sweet smile he had ever seen since they met.
Then Sui Qiongu looked at him and slowly opened her mouth:
"Commander, Sui Qiongu hereby swears…"
"No matter where I may be in the future, no matter what I might become…"
"Sui Qiongu will always love the Commander, devote everything to the Commander, and serve at the Commander's side."
"To be loyal to you, to protect you, to accompany you, to obey your every command."
"Until… eternity."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unshakable conviction.
Lin Lan smiled with heartfelt relief.
He knew, from this moment on, Sui Qiongu—like the other shipgirls—had become an inseparable part of his life.
"Meow~ The vow has been recited, now it's time for the most crucial step of the ceremony. Commander, please place the oath ring on Sui Qiongu's finger, meow!"
With the solemn vow music playing, Akashi's cheerful voice announced that the ceremony had reached its final—and most important—step.
All the Ironblood shipgirls focused their attention on Lin Lan. Even the three mischievous wolfpack chibis looked on quietly.
Lin Lan pulled out a finely crafted black jewelry box from his dress uniform pocket and opened it under the soft golden light of the church.
A clear and exquisite diamond ring lay silently inside.
No one noticed the faint golden glow flashing within the armored helm of the great six-winged statue above Lin Lan and Sui Qiongu.
Lin Lan gently took the ring out of the box and slightly lifted Sui Qiongu's right hand.
With utmost solemnity, he slid the ring onto the mecha girl's ring finger.
As soon as it was done, the church erupted in applause.
The three little wolfpack girls happily tossed the last of the red rose petals from their baskets into the air, while the rest of the shipgirls clapped and smiled in blessing.
Click!
A shutter sound rang out—Emden had taken a photo of the two with her camera, capturing the moment of their vow.
Little merchant Akashi put away her microphone, then brought out a white document decorated with gold trim and tied with a blue silk ribbon.
She bounced up to Lin Lan and Sui Qiongu, handing the paper to Sui Qiongu:
"Mmnya~ This is the oath certificate between the Commander and you, Sui Qiongu. Keep it safe, nya~ I'll attach your photo to it after it's printed, nya…"
Just as Lin Lan watched Akashi explain the importance of the certificate to Sui Qiongu and promised to teach her how to use her mech's storage function—
Suddenly, two golden beams of light descended from above, bathing both Lin Lan and Sui Qiongu!
This unexpected event startled Akashi so much she staggered back with wide eyes:
"Wh-What is this, nya?!"
All the Ironblood shipgirls were stunned too, their expressions changing drastically as they prepared to rush forward.
"I'm fine. Don't worry."
Bathed in golden light, Lin Lan was surprised to find that the glow carried a faint warmth.
It even seemed to rejuvenate his entire body.
Due to the immense strain on his body in the past two days and the effects of the hero's skill dispersing fatigue, he had felt somewhat tired whenever he had a moment to rest.
But now, enveloped in the golden beams, Lin Lan felt incredibly clear-headed. All his accumulated fatigue vanished completely.
He quickly turned to the shipgirls rushing toward him and told them not to worry.
Then he looked at Sui Qiongu, also bathed in the golden light.
Sui Qiongu looked back at him in confusion—nothing about her seemed to have changed.
Lin Lan breathed a sigh of relief and looked up toward the source of the golden light.
The two beams were converging from the church's dome above.
Gentle points of light gathered at the tip of the massive sword held by the six-winged statue overhead, and from there, refracted down onto Lin Lan and Sui Qiongu.
"What the hell is going on?"
Just as Lin Lan muttered to himself in confusion, a group of people in black robes suddenly burst in from the church doors.
This instantly put all the Ironblood shipgirls on high alert—Count Zeppelin even summoned her rigging.
A massive black-and-red metallic dragon appeared with a roar, baring its fangs at the robed intruders.
Faced with Count Zeppelin's terrifying rigging, the black-robed figures froze in place, then all swiftly knelt on the red carpet.
Their unexpected behavior stunned everyone. Why did they kneel so suddenly?
"You're from yesterday… Please, do not be angry. We did not mean to intrude—we saw the 'divine miracle' from outside and rushed in to worship."
After a few seconds of kneeling, an elderly white-haired man slowly stood up and explained to Lin Lan and the others.
At the same time, the golden light surrounding Lin Lan and Sui Qiongu gradually faded, and calm returned.
"A divine miracle?"
Seeing that the golden glow from the statue's sword tip had completely vanished, Lin Lan walked to Count Zeppelin's side and looked at the old man with a puzzled expression.
Only then did he see that these black robes were embroidered with dark gold patterns and had silver crosses at the collars.
Some even held silver crucifixes in their hands.
So these people were clergy from the Holy Teaching (theocratic nation) who managed this very church, and the speaker was likely the head priest here.
Sensing Lin Lan's curiosity, the priest bowed deeply and respectfully:
"Yes, a divine miracle. We apologize again.
It has been far too long since we last witnessed a miracle in this land. That is why we rushed in so recklessly. We sincerely beg for your forgiveness."
After straightening up, the old priest looked at Lin Lan with deep reverence and continued:
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am a bishop and priest of the Holy Light Church of the Holy Teaching, a missionary from the seventh delegation sent to your great nation thirty years ago, and the current overseer of this church."
"You may call me Braun, O blessed one touched by the divine."
At first, Lin Lan thought the old priest seemed courteous and had no intention of blaming the group for barging in.
But the final words from Braun left him stunned.
Touched by the divine?
What was going on?
He was a proper, materialist warrior, an atheist.
How did he suddenly become the Holy Teaching Nation's so-called blessed one?
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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