MPBAGS Chapter 34

The carriage door of the Count Rohanson's household opened. Henna was stunned to see Lady Evangeline emerge from what should have been an empty carriage. Evangeline Rohanson stepped onto the ground, escorted by the monster called 'Jelly' by the young lady.

Evangeline Rohanson was dressed entirely in white - a white parasol, snow-white hair, and a pure white chemise dress.

Sunlight scattered above Evangeline's head. Even though the sun was blazing down from the sky, it suddenly felt as if night had fallen. All senses disappeared, and only Evangeline Rohanson remained vivid.

"Miss!"

Kanna called out to Lady Evangeline with joy.

Lady Evangeline, who had appeared while drawing everyone's attention, walked over with confident strides and stood before Henna and Kanna. As the young lady approached, the mocking gazes that had been directed at them until now vanished without a trace. Instead, people were busy holding their breath, trying not to catch the young lady's attention.

Henna didn't know why the young lady, who had said she wouldn't come to the temple, had changed her mind and appeared, but she bowed silently with gratitude toward the young lady who had appeared at such a timely moment.

If the young lady had arrived just a little later, Anullen would have done something to Kanna... Henna thought that far and then shook her head. What could her younger sister possibly do?

Kanna had only grown up at home and didn't know much about the outside world, so she was ignorant about how to treat nobles and was just being rudely defiant. What power could Kanna have to try to harm a man? That couldn't be possible.

"My name is Uriel, Young Lady."

"Uriel will guide you to the prayer room."

The Young Lady said she would pray instead of touring the temple. The sight of the Young Lady praying would somehow feel blasphemous, yet at the same time, it might look like a masterpiece painting.

The Young Lady parted ways, guided by the knight named Uriel that Gabriel had assigned.

"I will guide you two."

Henna and Kanna were also guided by Gabriel.

The great temple was extremely ornate. Perhaps because it was set against an equally splendid temple backdrop, Gabriel in his white uniform looked particularly delicate and magnificent. Or perhaps it was his presence that had been overshadowed while he was beside the Young Lady, only now becoming apparent after stepping away.

Henna clenched and unclenched her fists in tension as she watched Gabriel's back as he walked ahead.

Just moments ago in the garden, when everyone burst into laughter, Gabriel had been looking at Kanna. Gabriel seemed to have noticed Kanna's condition as well. That's why he had volunteered to guide them instead of the Young Lady.

The Young Lady had mentioned Evangeline's past illness and said she would pray, and at least during the role-play of visiting the temple to pray, she wouldn't engage in rough behavior.

"How is the progress on the matter?"

"I've been doing my utmost, but regrettably there's been no progress. Rather, it's been spreading through word of mouth..."

"Then are those people also here to see the painting?"

"Yes. Most of them are."

Following Gabriel's guidance, they entered the great temple.

Kanna continued to receive explanations from Gabriel about how the situation was unfolding due to the Young Lady's orders.

While Henna focused on the conversation, she also eagerly looked around the great temple. Her mindset was wondering when she might visit such a place again.

The exterior of the building had been splendid, but the interior was twice as luxurious. Brilliant stained glass windows in five colors each depicted a passage from the scriptures, and sculptures of the Sun God Rahel were placed throughout.

The visitors who came to pray were mostly nobles, and the priests guiding them were dressed just as magnificently. She had occasionally seen priests who served in the slums wearing plain, unadorned clothes, but were the priests here dressed splendidly because they dealt with nobles?

Or did they deliberately wear modest clothes when going to the slums to avoid being resented? No, that seemed too cynical a view.

"Madam, thank you for always gracing us with your presence. May the sunlight always shine upon you."

Still, the greetings were no different. May the sunlight shine upon you. Henna repeated their greeting to herself.

Walking along the carpet into the main hall, there was a small but very ornate fountain.

'Aren't fountains usually placed outdoors?'

The indoor fountain seemed awkward, so she kept glancing at it, when she saw a noble lady with a priest approach the fountain. The lady then cupped the fountain water in her hands and moistened her lips.

This was the first time she'd seen a noble behave like this. Weren't nobles the type to complain about dirt even from washing water?

More than hygiene concerns, this was a temple fountain - was it okay to drink that water? Since Henna couldn't know, she asked Gabriel for help.

"Is it okay to drink the water from that fountain?"

"Yes. Because it's holy water."

"Pardon?"

"It's holy water. That is."

Holy water? Henna was newly reminded that this place was a great temple. Right, holy water is made in temples, so it's natural for there to be holy water here. But why specifically in fountain form?

Looking at the endlessly springing holy water gave her a shadowy feeling, and Henna unconsciously gripped Kanna's hand tightly. Seeing someone quench their thirst right in front of her seemed to make her thirsty too. Though Kanna's hand was squeezed, Kanna seemed to guess Henna's feelings and quietly tolerated it.

"It's not open to all visitors. As you can see, there are knights guarding it around the area. It's a benefit given to customers who donate generously."

Gabriel said this while adding that most people entering the great temple were nobles anyway.

"It's a performance to show the temple's prosperity."

Gabriel explaining this looked quite cold. Henna pondered his words. Did this mean that while accepting nobles as customers, the temple wanted to maintain superiority by making them do things nobles would never normally do?

But wasn't that rather distrustful talk for a temple knight to make? Calling believers customers... Henna suddenly realized she had never heard Gabriel give a prayer greeting. Of course, if he was Sir Gabriel, he might not give such greetings out of consideration for others.

Unable to find an answer, Henna followed behind Gabriel in silence.

After passing the central fountain, she could see a crowd gathered somewhere. That's where the painting must be hanging.

"Let me say first that people's reactions to that painting are completely divided. One side finds it very beautiful, while the other finds it unpleasant."

Even without further explanation, she could tell Gabriel was in the latter camp.

And finally, Henna arrived in front of the painting.