Chapter 150

Chapter 122 The Meaning of Iris

I looked up at the sound and saw Sister Thérèse standing upright at the entrance of a nearby stone house, her azure eyes scanning the classroom for a moment.

“Seventeen… three more than the previous level. This is great~”

She seemed to be in a good mood, with a pleasant curve on her lips, and she entered the classroom with light steps.

“Wow—, it’s Sister Thérèse…”

“The teacher of Abyss studies is her…”

“This is so unexpected…”

“But why doesn’t she teach theology…”

The students began to whisper among themselves, followed by Sarah’s soft exclamation.

“Sister Thérèse!”

Her clear voice was filled with surprise. Seeing Thérèse looking at us in astonishment, Sarah waved her right hand excitedly.

“It’s you two.” Thérèse seemed surprised after recognizing us, perhaps not expecting us to be here, but then she smiled broadly, “Miss Sarah, and… ah, that… ”

She opened her mouth but couldn’t recall my name.

So I said to her, “Paylo.”

“I’m sorry.” Thérèse immediately apologized, placing her palm against her smooth cheek, bowing her head slightly, “Miss Paylo, your name is a bit difficult for me…”

I shook my head to show understanding: “It’s fine.”

She must meet all kinds of people every day, so it’s quite normal for her not to remember the names of students she’s only met once.

“Sister Thérèse, are you here to teach us about the Abyss?” a student asked excitedly.

“Yes.” She nodded at him.

“Why?”

…This question was quite clever.

“Why…” Thérèse found it amusing.

She raised the book she had been holding, *Abyss and the Swamp*, and tilted her head toward the male student who had asked the question, “Why can’t I teach this?”

“Sister Thérèse, but you’ve helped the Papal Knight twice to slay those monsters!” a student who knew spoke up.

“Yes, yes! I know, your Holy Lance can even pierce through iron, so naturally, eliminating those monsters isn’t a problem!”

“Teacher~ I’m of the Water Order, can I become as strong as you?”

Thérèse showed a look of helplessness.

“Alright, everyone, please quiet down and listen to me for a moment.” She clapped her hands and continued when everyone fell silent, “Firstly, I am very happy to meet all of you. I believe that choosing to study the Abyss means you all have ideals in your hearts. From your eyes, I can see those ambitious aspirations, and honestly, I feel very gratified. In fact, many of the Papal Knights throughout history have also come from this classroom.”

“You have taken this step to study a subject that many consider useless. This is remarkable. But there are some things I need to say first. Although I haven’t taught this course for long, I have indeed faced the Abyss twice and seen its terrifying nature firsthand.”

At this point, Sister Thérèse paused, shifting her gaze toward Sarah and me.

“This year, there are a few girls taking the Abyss course… If you came here out of curiosity or interest, then I hope you continue to do so. You can treat what I will teach as stories…”

“Teacher, I want to be a knight,” Sarah interrupted, “My father is a knight, and so is my grandfather.”

“…Miss Sarah, do you understand the responsibilities of a knight?”

“Yes.”

The girl’s eyes were very determined. Seeing this, Thérèse smiled softly.

“Good, then listen carefully to what I will say next and keep it in mind.”

Thérèse turned to the first page of *Abyss and the Swamp* in her hand, raising the book over her head for everyone to see.

The black monster drawn on the canvas.

The monster was shrouded in thick smoke, its face indistinct, but one could vaguely make out a human-like figure.

“What do you think this is?”

She asked, and immediately someone eagerly replied, “It’s a monster from the Abyss!”

Then Teresa gently shook her head.

“No, it’s just a painting, nothing more than dried ink.”

She turned and walked up to the stone platform.

“Ink does not devour life, nor does it recklessly kill humans, let alone make powerful heroes fight to the death. And I believe that even the person who drew this painting doesn’t know what the Abyss truly looks like. Those who have truly seen them are mostly dead, turned to ashes, with not even bones left behind.”

“When I become a Papal Knight, I will make those monsters regret ever existing!”

An immature boast came from behind, causing Teresa to let out an almost imperceptible laugh.

She suddenly raised her hand, rummaging through the wide habit for a moment, then pulled out a gleaming golden badge. The pattern on it… hmm? It’s an iris…

“It’s the Papal Knight Badge!”

“Wow, I’ve never seen one before!”

“Teacher, can we touch it?”

The students immediately erupted into excitement, and Teresa had to raise her hand again to signal for quiet.

“Of course you can touch it, but this badge isn’t mine. Its owner was a very close friend of mine. You must have heard of her name; she’s called Amber Eye, Martina Raphael.”

Amber Eye?

Indeed, I seem to have heard that name somewhere… Ah, I remember now.

That was during my time at Santel堡, when my mother mentioned her more than once. She was said to be somewhat reckless but very serious. But if I’m not mistaken, she’s…

“That’s right, she died two years ago in the Valen Disaster as a Papal Knight.”

“She was a genius of the Earth Order, capable of turning soft soil as hard as rock. You all know how strong she was, but so what?”

Teresa spoke these words with an unusually calm expression.

But I could detect a slight tremor in her eyes, revealing the deep emotions buried within her heart.

No one spoke again, and the atmosphere grew heavy.

All I could hear was Teresa’s voice, as serene as a clear spring in a secluded valley.

She continued, “The Abyss devoured her body and the power she was proud of, leaving nothing behind. She grew up in the Cataroma Orphanage, and her relatives had already died in the war. This badge is the only memento I received from her.”

Teresa raised her hand and pointed at the flower engraved on the badge.

“This is an iris, a symbol of a hero, which you all know. But do you know why it’s an iris?”

No one answered, so Teresa continued, “This flower represents the knight who once stood atop the mountain, Iris Angelica Bosch.”

“In the year 845 AD, when the first abyssal monster appeared in Cartelgarin, no one knew what it was. That terrifying creature flattened Cartelgarin in just half a month, and to this day, that place remains a barren wasteland filled with rolling abyssal mud. Centuries have passed, and the Church has been helpless against it… But you all know who killed it, right?”

“Angelica relied on her powerful Lightning and Fire Order, and with the help of the divine relics ‘Boswell’ and ‘Ancient God’s Blessing’, led ten thousand Church Knights, enduring many twists and turns, to finally slay it. She was the first Papal Knight and the strongest warrior of her time, but ultimately she still fell to a stronger monster. So you understand, don’t you?”

“The meaning of the iris is not about heroism or family honor. It’s written in blood, a tribute to the souls of those knights who have long turned to ashes.”