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the Sacred Maid.

The magical tool developed by the Abas Information Agency may outwardly appear to be an ordinary briefcase, but with a little trickery utilizing magic stones, it can accommodate quite a bit of equipment.

The important part is that if done ‘correctly,’ a whole person can fit inside that cramped bag.

Thanks to this, I was able to sneak into the cathedral where Lucia resides safely.

After crouching hidden in the bag for about an hour, I stretched my stiff body and spoke to Camila.

“I need to change clothes, so please watch for me.”

“Got it.”

While Camila kept watch again, I pulled the parachute cord fastened to my ankle to hoist up my gear.

Inside the plastic bag connected to the cord was a neatly folded tunic worn by the monks of the cult.

Since it was already a roomy outfit, I managed to disguise myself simply by shoving my body into it and pulling the hood low over my head. Camila, watching me, looked somewhat incredulous and said,

“Will that really work? Wouldn’t it be better to disguise yourself as a priest?”

“If I pretend to be a priest, the others will notice right away. But there are so many inquisitors and nuns at the Lateran that they’re likely to just ignore us.”

Moreover, today happened to be the day when the monks were visiting the cathedral where Lucia resides.

The guards of the cathedral, the Knights Order, the police, and the Papal Guard responsible for Lucia’s close protection are all people. Due to the sheer volume of supplies consumed, Veronica informed me that monks come from outside to replenish the items that fall short twice a week.

Most importantly, it’s currently the period of preparation for the Canonization Ceremony.

Everyone is already extremely busy, and today is the day when outsiders will be coming in?

“At this point, it’s practically laid out for us to infiltrate.”

“There will be plenty of eyes watching us on our way to where Lucia is.”

Camila peeked her head out the door and carefully surveyed the surroundings. She added,

“Given your status, they’ll likely be keeping outsiders from approaching the cathedral. It might be a security zone guarded by armed individuals.”

“That does make sense.”

But is that not why the state is paying me to breach such obstacles?

I patted Camila’s shoulder as she kept watch, and she nodded before speaking.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s get started.”

Episode 14 – One Religion, One Faith, Two Saints

The cult’s cathedral is broadly categorized into four types.

Generally, the ordinary church where priests reside, the Duomo where the chief priest of the city resides, the cathedral where the bishop of the diocese resides, and the basilica where the Pope or a saint resides.

It may seem like there’s a complicated standard, but in reality, it’s quite simple. It all depends on which position of clergy resides there.

Globally, the number of Duomos and Cathedrals is quite considerable; each major city or region generally has one.

However, there are only three basilicas in the entire world where the Pope and saints reside.

The Medium Cathedral located in the Pope’s Holy See. The Altiora Cathedral, which has been home to the cult’s saints for generations. And the Cathedral of Tranquille.

Among these, the place where Lucia resides is the Cathedral of Tranquille.

Ever since Lucia was recognized as a saint, the cathedral was upgraded to a basilica.

“…Wow.”

The first sight I encountered stepping out of the reception room into the Cathedral of Tranquille was truly magnificent.

I already knew that it was one of the oldest cathedrals in Lateran, but there’s a distinct difference between knowing something in your head and witnessing it with your own eyes.

First off, the size was extraordinary.

“What kind of cathedral is this enormous…?”

The Cathedral of Tranquille was so vast that it was comparable to any cathedral I have ever seen in my life.

I had thought that Saint Basil’s Cathedral in the northern empire was the biggest in town, but coming here made me realize that was a mere misconception.

It even made me wonder if the Cathedral of Tranquille could be larger than Saint Basil’s.

How on earth would I find Lucia here?

Momentarily dazed by the cathedral’s overwhelming size, I snapped back to reality and began scanning the map.

The map from Veronica clearly outlined the interior structure of the Cathedral of Tranquille.

I spotted one room highlighted in red. At the same time, a small note written in Kien underneath it caught my eye, saying, “Lucia is here.”

-Thunk. Thunk.

At that moment, I began to hear the distant footfalls of a priest.

As if sensing it, Camila whispered a tiny warning through the door.

“Be careful…!”

I quickly stuffed the map into my sleeve, donned my hat tightly, and dodged the spot.

*

Despite the sunny weather, today the sunlight felt particularly heavy.

The warm rays tickling my skin.

Usually, I would have cheerfully closed my eyes and looked up toward the sun, but today, my heart couldn’t find joy in facing the light.

“Saint.”

Lucia turned her head.

A nun from the Cathedral of Tranquille softly called out to Lucia from beyond the door.

“Are you alright?”

“…Yes. I’m fine.”

The middle-aged nun, who seemed somewhat elderly, felt relieved upon hearing the saint’s voice from within the chamber, yet she couldn’t help but sigh when she looked at the dish placed at the door.

“Are you really okay?”

In the grand cathedral where only three reside, it had been over two weeks since the saint began her stay.

Those two weeks had been significant for the priests and monks of the cathedral.

A saint, who receives blessings and honors from everyone. Even among devout priests, one might hardly ever see a saint’s face in a lifetime, but two saints had come to the cathedral.

One was Lucia, who made the Cathedral of Tranquille her home, and the other was Veronica who visited daily to meet her.

Although there were rumors that the relationship between the two saints wasn’t very harmonious within the cathedral; neither Lucia nor Veronica treated their subordinates poorly, and with the preparations for the Canonization Ceremony in full swing, the entire cult was enveloped in a festive atmosphere, leaving the Cathedral of Tranquille filled with bright and lively energy. Perhaps a moment would come when the chosen saint would receive divine revelation or perform a miracle. I found myself eagerly awaiting such an occasion.

The middle-aged nun lifted the tray placed right outside the saint’s room.

In an effort to boost the saint’s energy and lighten her mood, the monks of the cathedral had earnestly prepared food.

She had a full plate, but Lucia hadn’t even touched her food.

“You’re skipping meals… What are you going to do if you really make yourself sick, Saint…?”

The nun, worry written all over her face, spoke as Lucia gazed out the window, quietly closing her eyes.

She felt the sunlight tickling the bridge of her nose.

The sound of the nun fading away could be heard.

Birdsong and the rustling of leaves from nature flowed through the window. With a slight warmth on her forehead and a throbbing headache, Lucia suddenly wished she could just rest peacefully like this.

Of course, that was just Lucia’s personal wish.

“…….”

In one corner of the bedroom, the desk where she used to work before her office was set up was piled high with documents in preparation for the canonization ceremony.

Seeing the mountain of paperwork, Lucia got up from her bed and moved.

*

It’s a fact that many overlook, but a saint’s life isn’t all that luxurious.

Finding balance between work and life is nearly impossible, and privacy disappears like summer haze.

Though not as much as the Pope, who leads believers worldwide, many people did believe and follow Saint Lucia. And journalists wanting to guarantee those believers’ right to know were everywhere.

Especially after she utilized the fact that she hadn’t been canonized to descend from her saintly status and entered the Magic Tower, and dove back into the northern conflict she had been part of three years ago, the citizens’ curiosity about Lucia grew stronger each day.

If it were someone else, they might feel burdened by public attention; some would use it as a stepping stone for advancement, and Veronica would have reveled in it.

But Lucia paid no mind to the gazes cast her way.

If she had to describe her feelings, she could say she felt a sense of responsibility, that was about it.

“…….”

Looking back, Lucia had lived a life for others. She always had.

Praying, blessing, sometimes healing patients, and assisting those in poverty with her parish. Lucia had always lived a life devoted to others.

She didn’t do it expecting any reward.

Blessings and prayers were not rewards given to the devout, but gifts shared with the poor.

Giving something to the poor wasn’t about sharing what she had, but about returning what was rightfully theirs, she believed.

Born to clergy parents and raised in the embrace of the cult her entire life, Lucia thought that was only natural.

However, at some point, Lucia began to realize that it wasn’t as natural as she thought.

And she became aware that the world she saw and the world others saw were not the same.

-Tock. Tock.

Tapping the quill to remove excess ink, Lucia placed her hand on the document. But perhaps she had dipped the pen too deeply into the inkpot, as black ink droplet fell onto the pristine paper.

“…Ah.”

Snapping out of her reverie, Lucia hurriedly tried to wipe the ink off the paper, but it was spilt milk now.

The spread ink left a long line on the white paper, swallowing up the words like a meteor shower. It might not have seemed like an important phrase, but even a single difference in words could change the meaning of a sentence.

In her flustered state, as Lucia struggled to restore the text, the chief priest of the Cathedral of Tranquille came to find her.

Announcing his presence by lightly knocking on the door, the priest cleared his throat, hands neatly clasped.

“Saint, I’m terribly sorry to interrupt your rest, but you have a visitor.”

“A visitor…?”

“Yes.”

The priest behind the door nodded.

“I told you not to receive any visitors….”

“Yes, all of your instructions are being followed by everyone in the cathedral. However, the visitor…”

At the chief priest’s next words, Lucia abruptly stood up from her seat.

“Ka, Ka-mila is here?!”

“Indeed.”

The chief priest informed her that her colleague, Camila, had visited the cathedral. It appeared she brought something of importance, given the bag stamped with Saint Veronica’s seal.

“Despite your wishes to not receive anyone, the visitor refused to have the item delivered to you by someone else. Hence, we had no choice but to escort her to the reception room. What shall we do, Saint?”

Taken aback by Camila’s sudden appearance, Lucia set down her quill and rose from her chair.

“I will go to the reception room myself. However, it may take a little time to prepare, so please ensure that Camila doesn’t feel inconvenienced while she waits, Priest.”

“Understood, Saint.”

As she watched the priest’s footsteps fade away, Lucia dashed to the washroom and immediately looked in the mirror.

Probably because she had been cooped up, her face had noticeably worsened in the past few days. Whether it was due to skipping meals or not, her skin and hair lacked shine.

Thinking of Camila, who would be waiting in the reception room, Lucia turned on the hot water at the sink.

At that moment.

-Tock. Tock. Tock.

A knock echoed in her ears.

Objectively, it was a gentle knock that wasn’t particularly loud, but to the anxious Lucia, it sounded like thunder.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, Lucia.”

Lucia’s eyes widened at the voice from beyond the door.

With her shining golden hair swept to one side, she approached the door, forgetting even to turn off the faucet.

And just as she turned the doorknob slowly, with a thought of ‘could it be…’

Their eyes met in the space beyond the door.

“…….”

The door opened slightly, and Lucia froze in place as if nailed to the spot. She was so surprised that it seemed she had forgotten how to breathe.

Seeing her blink in shock, I took off the hat covering my face and revealed myself.

“I was worried since I wasn’t able to reach you, so I came to check on you.”

“…….”

“Do you have a moment?”

 

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