Evil Dragon: The young dragon I picked up keeps planning on becoming an empress

The Fat Bishop Franco, like every morning, arrived at the temple bright and early. When he first entered the temple, he felt that something was off about it today, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

It wasn't until he stood before the Valkyrie Statue... ready to pray to the Valkyrie, that his soul nearly leapt out of his body in fright.

The Valkyrie Statue was gone, replaced by a painting about the same size as the statue.

The painting depicted the Valkyrie.

Truth be told, the Valkyrie in the painting exuded much more divinity than their Temple's Valkyrie Statue did.

Beyond divinity, there was also a subtle sense of sanctity to the Valkyrie in the painting.

He finally understood why the temple gave him a strange feeling when he entered.

It was because of the Valkyrie painting.

The divine presence in the painting of the Valkyrie was so intense that it instinctively sparked a desire for pilgrimage in him, which is why he didn't notice the missing Valkyrie Statue right away.

Absolutely lawless!

Utterly lawless!

To steal the Valkyrie's Statue today, what's to stop them from stealing the Valkyrie Temple next time?

Who is it?!!

Who's the insane, foolish scumbag who stole the Valkyrie Statue from our temple?

To take the Valkyrie Statue and leave behind a Valkyrie painting, even if you detested our temple's Valkyrie Statue and wished to exchange it for a painting with more divinity...

Couldn't you, you scumbag, have communicated with me, the bishop, in advance?

After I devoutly prayed to the Valkyrie, you could have made the exchange then!!!

The Fat Bishop Franco stood in front of the Valkyrie painting, beating his chest and stamping his feet.

In his mind, he cursed the scoundrel who stole the Valkyrie Statue while simultaneously admiring the scoundrel's impressive painting skills.

For a fleeting moment, he even thought... let the Valkyrie Statue be lost...

After all, that statue had neither divine charm nor grace,

nor a sense of sanctity.

Prayer, you see,

is most effective when offered with a sincere heart.

Using this divine painting of the Valkyrie to replace the statue... That might actually be acceptable.

Smack—

The Fat Bishop Franco slapped himself mentally; the one who stole the statue had caused him no small amount of trouble.

You stole a statue, fine, but leaving behind a painting of the Valkyrie that's even more eye-catching than our temple's statue, what's the meaning of this?

Scoundrel....

"What happened, what happened, what's going on... what's the matter, Your Excellency?"

Priests and Golden Feather Knights, having heard Bishop Franco's dismal howl, rushed to the temple.

"The statue... is gone, the Statue of the Valkyrie is gone!!!"

"The statue is gone? Where is it gone? Isn't it still here.... here here..... scoundrels!!! Who's the rascal that stole our temple's Valkyrie? Isn't he afraid that the Valkyrie will pin him to the ground with her war spear?"

The young priest, too, was so taken by the sanctity emanating from the Valkyrie painting that it took him a while to realize the Temple Valkyrie Statue had been stolen.

"Who is it? Who has done this? Could it be someone wanting to be wanted by our Valkyrie Temple?!! But bishop... why do I feel that this Valkyrie painting is more sacred than our almost century-old statue in the temple?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Looking at this painting, I get the feeling that the Valkyrie might manifest at any moment and step out from within the painting....

Maybe we could... no, that's not right... we could make a sacrifice... and keep this Valkyrie painting as our statue? What do you think?"

I think you make a good point.

But can I dare to say that?

Can we say we don't need the Valkyrie Statue whenever we want?

"Your Excellency, the thief... the one who replaced our temple's statue with a painting... it's very likely to be the person who was shouting at the statue two days ago [Sophia, return the money], and who was drawing the Valkyrie Statue in the center of the temple yesterday.

Recently, there's been no one besides that person who came to our temple and left us all helpless. He seems to have some connection with Miss Joanna from the City Lord's Mansion, should we invite Miss Joanna over to assist us in the investigation?"

Golden Feather Knight Granger felt it to be a thorny issue; with his power, he was no match for that man.

To move the Valkyrie Statue out from under the noses of so many clergymen without a trace, the man's strength was far too superior.

They would probably need to request a Holy Knight from the capital's Valkyrie Temple to suppress him.

Does he even count as a [heretic]?

Seems like... he does not.

A [heretic] cannot paint something so holy.

For such a person, to issue a wanted notice... one wouldn't even know under what charges to list.

"Have someone invite the young lady from the City Lord's Mansion over, and besides, Granger, touch base with the capital. Ask them to send a Holy Knight here, let the Holy Knight have a chat with [him], otherwise, if this keeps up, my heart won't be able to take it."

"Bishop, that person... probably has no ill intentions."

"I know he doesn't, that's why I want a Holy Knight to come and talk to him."

"How should we explain it to the people from the capital?"

"Just tell them to come and see a treasure."

"Okay, Bishop... One more thing, prayer time is almost upon us. Should our temple be open to the citizens?"

"Yes! The Valkyrie painting drawn by that madman... is even more sacred than the statues worshipped in our temple. There is no need to close the temple."

"Understood."

....

July 10th.

The streets and alleys of Lionheart City were abuzz with one piece of news.

A Divine Miracle has descended!

A Divine Miracle appeared in the Valkyrie Temple.

The Valkyrie Statue turned into a sacred painting overnight.

Citizens who went to pray in the Valkyrie Temple that morning left feeling refreshed and invigorated, and minor ailments... such as backaches and leg pains... seemed to have disappeared.

A small number of citizens claimed that at the moment they entered the Valkyrie Temple, they understood the meaning of "sacred" for the first time...

The news spread quickly. By the afternoon, most citizens of Lionheart City were aware that a supposed Divine Miracle had occurred at the Valkyrie Temple.

Many citizens flocked to the Valkyrie Temple, eager to see if the Valkyrie painting inside really was as sacred and miraculous as they heard...

They had lived in Lionheart City for ten, even thirty years, visiting the temples to pray for spiritual solace.

They had never imagined that one day a Deity might take notice of their small and seemingly insignificant place...

After all, Lionheart City was just a small city, unable to compare with those bustling, large cities in the kingdom, let alone the capital.

The Deities worshiped in those great temples were full of Divinity...

Faithful believers praying before the statues of Deities... might witness some wondrous events...

But their small local temples... served as a place for spiritual solace...

As more and more citizens visited the Valkyrie Temple... they were astonished to discover... the Valkyrie painting in their small place also seemed to possess a Divine Presence...

It was much more sacred than the previous statue.

That day, the number of people who went to pray at the Valkyrie Temple was more than three times the usual...

This scene made the Temple Archbishop of the neighboring Temple of the Goddess of the Earth green with envy.

Lionheart City had two temples, the Valkyrie Temple and the Temple of the Goddess of the Earth.

Until today, most citizens would go to pray at the Temple of the Goddess of the Earth because the Divinity of the Goddess of the Earth was greater than that of the Valkyrie.

Naturally, the citizens preferred the blessings of a Deity with higher Divinity.

The Temple Archbishop of the Goddess of the Earth decided to visit the Temple Archbishop of the Valkyrie Temple that evening. As both were devoted to Deities of the Bright Camp, they might compete openly or covertly, but would never commit an act of sacrilege against each other's Deities.

They would each rely on their own abilities to develop more followers for the Deities they worshiped.

How times have changed.

Nowadays... people will worship whichever Deity meets their needs...

It's very pragmatic...

Not as simple and sincere as the ancients...

....

On July 10th, Evil Dragon Lance did not bring the Young Dragons to Lionheart City, as it was a divine rest day.

Lance was teaching the Young Dragons to surf on Black Dragon Island.

What to do when there are no waves?

Call for the octopus mother.

The Evil Dragon summoned the octopus mother to create waves beneath the sea surface.

The octopus mother, while creating waves, noticed that the Young Dragons learning to surf would occasionally fall into the sea. So... occasionally, she would deliberately make large waves to toss the Young Dragons into the sea...

And then take the opportunity to wrap a Young Dragon in her mouth to taste it...

This mischievous behavior was discovered by Evil Dragon Lance.

Evil Dragon Lance gave her a beating, and she behaved for a day.

On July 11th, it was still a divine rest day.

Today, the Young Dragon was surfing by itself while the octopus mother lurked beneath the surface, mouth open... waiting for the Young Dragon to fall in of its own accord...

The Young Dragon on its own falling into her mouth...

The Black Dragon couldn't accuse her of being malicious, right?

Lance, who was lying on the beach sunbathing... couldn't even be bothered to call out the shameless octopus...

It was fine. The presence of the octopus mother was just right to give the Young Dragon the thrill of riding a roller coaster and playing in the "House of Horror" while surfing.

With him watching over, the octopus mother wouldn't dare to truly consume the Dragon Whelp he was raising.

And so, with the octopus mother's large mouth (the House of Horror), Lance could train the Dragon Whelp's courage.

Lance, spending the divine rest day on the island... couldn't shake the feeling that he was forgetting something...