The maid squad is too strong, what use is there for me, the Demon King?

As the Holy Light Pilgrimage, the once-a-decade grand event of the Holy Light Kingdom, opened, all eyes of the kingdom were focused on the Holy Light Square of the Astraea Magic Academy. The square was packed with people, flags fluttered, and colorful decorations adorned every corner, creating a solemn yet festive atmosphere.

As the sun rose, golden rays bathed the altar of Holy Light in the center of the square, surrounded by rows of Holy Light Church knights and priests. People held their breath, anticipating the official opening of the Holy Light Pilgrimage.

Gray stood with Lia and Ipsilon; these contestants had a specially provided venue for them to welcome the opening ceremony of the Holy Light Pilgrimage.

There was just a large group of people standing together, a sea of ​​heads, but this was a good thing for Gray, since he didn't have to worry about Philippa suddenly popping out at any time, and she might not even be able to find him.

Although the Holy Light Pilgrimage is a grand event for the younger generation, the number of participants is not as large as one might imagine, which brings us to the other criteria for participation.

Aside from age, all members of the participating teams in the Holy Light Pilgrimage must be professionals with magical abilities; this is the minimum requirement in terms of raw power.

In addition, the requirement that each participant pay one gold coin prevents those who lack real skill from joining in the fun, thus serving as a screening process for the participants.

There are approximately several thousand participants in this competition; only the Church of Holy Light has the exact figures.

Competing for the top 100 among thousands of people, with a team of three, means that out of thousands of people, 300 will receive the prize for participating, which is relatively easy.

Even if they narrowly fall behind the top 100, the experience of the Holy Light Pilgrimage will serve as a lesson, clearing obstacles for their future path.

To determine how much of his strength he should exert, Gray inquired beforehand about Lia's target ranking in the Holy Light Pilgrimage.

"It should be at least in the top 50, right? It would be even better if it could be in the top 10," Lia replied.

For the impoverished Brant family, this Holy Light Pilgrimage is extremely important, and Lia is determined to achieve a good ranking to bring glory to the family.

Suddenly, Gray saw a chestnut-haired figure flash by.

Wow, I can't believe I ran into this?

Without a doubt, who else could have such iconic chestnut hair but Philippa?

Beside her were members of the hero's party: the saintess Sophia, who was always looking for opportunities to take advantage of others, and Taric, who felt somewhat isolated.

I, Taric, wasn't 80; I was just a little reserved with two girls!

Gray vaguely saw Philippa's gaze pass over him, but it didn't linger. Philippa then walked away and quickly disappeared from Gray's sight.

Gray breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, he hadn't been seen, or he would have been stuck to her again.

With a resounding horn, the Pope of the Holy Light Church, a kind-faced old man with a full head of silver hair, dressed in a magnificent golden robe, slowly walked onto the altar, accompanied by knights and priests.

The current pope of the Church of Holy Light is Augustine Lucien, and all previous popes have served as the chief presiding officer of the Holy Light Pilgrimage.

The Pope stood in the center of the altar, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and he smiled as he raised his hands. The entire hall immediately erupted in enthusiastic applause.

The Pope paused briefly, cleared his throat, and then began his speech.

"My heroes of Olmec, today we gather here, hand in hand, to witness the solemn commencement of the Holy Light Pilgrimage. This is the Goddess's response to our faithful faith, and our praise of her boundless love."

The Holy Light Pilgrimage is not only a stage for warriors to display their bravery and wisdom, but also a burning flame of our faith and a symbol of our unity and shared commitment to building peace. Here, we will witness heroes from all corners of the world, who will present us with inspiring performances through their unwavering will and exceptional talent.

On this land illuminated by the goddess's radiance, we uphold her teachings: courage, justice, and mercy. May this pilgrimage not only lead to glorious victory but also showcase the spirit and character of our kingdom.

Friends, let us welcome every challenger with open arms, regardless of their background. Let us judge every contest with impartiality, ensuring the purity and fairness of the pilgrimage.

On behalf of the Church of Holy Light, I extend my deepest blessings to all participants. May the grace of the Goddess guide you, and may you shine with the most dazzling light during your pilgrimage.

Let us pray together that this pilgrimage of holy light will be a complete success, and that the Goddess's blessings, like an unending lighthouse, will illuminate every corner of our kingdom!

May the glory of the goddess endure forever, and may the spirit of the pilgrimage to the Holy Light never fade!

As the Pope's gentle yet firm voice faded, enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted once again from the crowd, and the Holy Light Pilgrimage officially began in an atmosphere of peace and anticipation.

It was a classic opening ceremony, which reminded Gray of the speeches given by leaders in his previous life.

That was really long and tedious; just listening to it made you sleepy.

Gray still doesn't quite understand why these so-called superiors always have to read from such long, drawn-out speeches.

He spoke so fluently that his throat didn't get dry, but I got parched just listening to him.

However, the Pope's speech wasn't very long, so it was acceptable.

After the opening ceremony, it's time to queue up and enter the portal to the secret realm to begin the Holy Light Pilgrimage.

The portal sat atop an altar made of white marble, surrounded by sculpted statues of angels, their wings outstretched as if about to take flight, their faces solemn yet benevolent. The portal itself resembled a giant halo of light, composed of pure crystals that refracted the sunlight into a rainbow of seven colors, as if a rainbow from the sky had fallen to earth.

Speaking of which, the secret realm is a very magical space, even more magical than the dungeon.

A secret realm can actually be considered a small world, accessible only through a portal.

The secret realm has a great role to play, providing a large amount of resources and space, and has extremely high economic value.

Most secret realms are found in the wild, and no one can privately occupy one. This shows the rich resources of the Holy Light Church, which can afford to dedicate a secret realm to holding a Holy Light Pilgrimage, and the importance it attaches to the Holy Light Pilgrimage.

Finally, I got to queue up. It was packed with people. I hope the Holy Light Church can handle the time difference between people entering at different times.

Gray, Lia, and Ipsilon walked towards the portal, received the magic stone tablet containing the team's information from the priest of the Church of Holy Light, and stepped into the portal together.