MPBAGS Chapter 85

Gabriel called over Michel, who was waiting nervously near the captain's office.

"Captain."

"Michel, did Bishop Marik tell you why she summoned you?"

"No. I didn't hear the reason, but I suspect the only reason she called me is about the painting."

Gabriel thought so too. That was the only reason to call Michel, but what was strange was that considerable time had passed since the day the painting caught fire.

After capturing Father Berga from the monastery where Daisy had been staying, opinions about the painting were overturned, and everyone was hushing it up as if they had never praised it. There were also concerns that the painting might spread further and create more cases like Father Berga.

That's why Gabriel asked Evangeline to be his partner for the ball. To erase the influence of the painting that had captivated people, they needed someone with even greater influence.

That someone was Lady Evangeline. Indeed, the people who had been standing in front of the painting day and night returned to normal after encountering the lady standing before the burning painting.

One strange thing was that everyone couldn't remember Evangeline properly, only recalling her as a lady with outstanding beauty. Only Michel had clear memories of Lady Evangeline.

The people who mainly visited the Great Temple to see the painting were mostly nobles and wealthy merchants. There were even quite a few who came to see it after rumors about the painting spread.

Since they couldn't check who was captivated by the painting one by one and visit their homes, they had to go where they gathered most. That was high society. The temple had visitor logs, so they planned to attend the parties that the visitors went to together with Evangeline.

They needed to utilize Evangeline's influence, but the lady's strange rumors were holding them back. Someone who had never shown her face in high society even once had such wild rumors about her, that it seemed like someone was deliberately spreading stories.

To attend as many parties as possible and suppress the bad rumors about the lady, it was best for Gabriel to accompany her. Gabriel's public reputation was impeccably flawless, and with a holy knight accompanying her, the rumors about Evangeline would also be diluted and die down.

He was worried she might refuse, but after hearing the situation explained, Evangeline accepted the proposal. Since she wanted to act like a normal noble of that age, it wasn't a bad choice.

Gabriel realized that his train of thought naturally led to Evangeline and snapped back to attention. Now he needed to focus on Michel and Bishop Marik.

Come to think of it...

Gabriel looked at Michel.

Kanna had spoken as if she was the only one who survived that terrible scene, but Gabriel knew one more such person. His subordinate who had become a fervent fanatic.

"Michel."

It was natural that Kanna didn't know. He hadn't told Evangeline about Michel's abnormal symptoms, and Michel tended to act coy and restrained in front of the lady.

"I have something to ask you."

"Should I prepare a shovel?"

"I'm not joking. That time, the moment Lady Rohanson splashed water on you."

"Ah. Yes. That time?"

"What did you see?"

Did Michel also see the extraordinary red world like Gabriel had? Michel showed a blissful expression as if recalling that moment.

"Something white."

If it was something white, there was only one being that suited the modifier "pure white." Michel continued speaking as if in a dream.

"The world was covered in fire, but only she was pure white. Like something that had already burned and left only ash. Yes, like Danau. Ah, of course now I know well enough that such a thing and Lady Rohanson are not on the same level."

Unfortunately, what he saw was different. From the description alone, it seemed like his body had caught fire and flames were flickering in his vision, and he had simply seen Lady Rohanson at that moment. Evangeline enjoyed wearing white clothes, and on the day she visited the Great Temple, she was also wearing a white dress.

"Ah. And I also saw an eye. Not the eye pattern drawn in the painting, but a real eye. I think it might have been a halo?"

That was the first time he'd heard this story. An eye? Could it be the same eye Gabriel had seen?

"Why didn't you tell me this?"

"Well, everyone thinks I'm strange. Except for you, captain, of course!"

It wasn't that they thought he was strange, but that he had actually become strange compared to before. Originally, Michel had been very shy, quiet, and calm. Even just comparing personalities, he had changed like a completely different person.

Right. Michel had also seen that eye. Gabriel completely forgot about deciding to put thoughts about Evangeline Rohanson aside and threw a question at Michel.

"Michel, you... how did you come to think of worshipping Lady Rohanson after seeing that?"

"If you endure, you can be loved. You're envious of me, aren't you."

Kanna's words lingered in his head. The words that if he endured, he could be loved. As he tried to shake off the thoughts of the young lady that kept intruding into his mind, Michel opened his mouth in an entranced voice.

"Actually, that wasn't what was important."

"What?"

"Lady Rohanson just saved me, didn't she? That's why I revere her."

Unlike what he had thought—that Michel was enchanted and unconditionally praising Evangeline—it was quite a worldly and understandable reason.

Come to think of it, Kanna was the same. When she was kidnapped by Danau Blue, Evangeline had saved her. Even Daisy, who had been hostile to the young lady at first, was the same.

'Then what about me?'

Gabriel had missed the time to be saved. Even if Evangeline helped in dreams, the dead child would not come back to life, and reality would not change.

Was that why Gabriel couldn't accept Evangeline?

After a brief moment of contemplation, Gabriel forcibly shook off his thoughts. Even if a tsunami would come and eventually submerge everything, now was the time to be wary of the beast before his eyes.