[Third Person Pov]
Lucian and Thalia sat toward the back row in one of the pews. Thalia watched and listened with obvious interest, leaning forward slightly in her seat, while Lucian was sliding down the pew, lowering his head and covering his face as Beatrice went on with her sermon.
Thalia had to bang her fist on her thigh to stop herself from bursting out into laughter.
"I know I should be owning up to this but I still can't help but get embarrassed…" Lucian muttered quietly toward Thalia.
"Let me tell you, I'm loving every second of this," Thalia whispered back. In fact she took out her phone and started to secretly record the sermon to show the others. "This is comedy gold"
Upon seeing that Lucian, her Lord, was present she became more passionate and energetic in her preaching. Beatrice straightened her posture behind the podium, her voluptuous figure shifting gracefully in the high priestess outfit as her voice grew stronger and more animated, filling the large underground hall with renewed fervor. She gestured with both hands, her eyes bright as she addressed the gathered crowd, many of whom still clutched their black sun charms tightly, their faces wet with tears from the earlier parts of the message.
"Brothers and sisters of the Paradox," Beatrice continued, her tone rising with clear passion, "let us turn once more to the sacred scriptures of Father Paradox, where every truth holds its opposite and every contradiction reveals a deeper harmony. In the first Book: Arise it is written that the greatest strength lies not in choosing one path over another, but in walking both at once. We call this the Doctrine of Duality and Eternal Balance: only through contradiction do we become whole. To be truly alive is to hold joy and sorrow in the same breath, courage and fear in the same heart, certainty and doubt in the same mind. Reject nothing within yourself. The light does not cancel the shadow; they define each other. Embrace your flaws as fiercely as you embrace your virtues, for in that tension true wisdom is born."
Several people in the front rows nodded vigorously, murmuring soft agreements as they leaned in closer.
A brief pause.
Then, clearly and deliberately, she spoke, "What are we?"
The congregation responded instantly, their voices unified and practiced.
"We are a contradiction."
Lucian slowly lowered his hand just enough to peek out, his eyes narrowing slightly. "…oh no."
Beatrice continued smoothly. "And through contradiction?"
"We are made whole."
Lucian sank further into the pew. "…they've got lines now…"
Thalia's shoulders shook as she kept recording.
Beatrice's voice picked up even more energy, her hands sweeping outward as if to gather the entire congregation into her words.
"And hear this from our lord's own scripture: the Doctrine of Hidden Kindness and Unseen Hands teaches us that the most powerful acts are those performed without witness or reward. True devotion is not loud proclamation but quiet service in the dark. Give without anyone knowing your name. Help without waiting for thanks.
Father Paradox himself moves through the world in silence, mending what others break, lifting what others crush, all while asking for no praise. When you aid a stranger and slip away before dawn, when you forgive an enemy in secret and never speak of it again, you walk in his footsteps. Glory in the light fades quickly, but kindness done in shadow echoes forever."
A ripple of emotion passed through the crowd. Some followers closed their eyes, pressing their black sun charms to their chests, while others whispered fervent words under their breath. Beatrice paused only long enough to let the weight of the message settle before continuing, her delivery growing more fervent as she locked eyes briefly with Lucian in the back before sweeping her gaze across the rest of the hall.
"Finally, my beloved flock, we come to the Doctrine of Sacred Rebellion, written in the Gospel. Father Paradox does not demand blind obedience. He calls us to challenge, to probe, to test every teaching—even those that come from above. Question the heavens when they grow cruel. Question the rulers when they forget mercy. Question even your own long-held beliefs when new truth stands before you. Sacred rebellion is not chaos; it is the fire that burns away falsehood. Hold contradiction in your soul: submit when submission brings growth, rebel when rebellion brings justice. In this way we honor the Paradox at the heart of all existence."
Beatrice's voice rang out clearly across the chamber, full of conviction and warmth. "These are not empty words, dear ones. They are the living path. Walk in duality, serve in silence, and question with love. Only then will you stand complete before our great Father Paradox."
Throughout the sermon the followers responded in unison at key moments, their collective voice rising like a practiced chant that replaced the familiar "Amen" of ordinary churches. After each major point they would call out together, "In shadow and light, we are one," their words echoing off the stone walls with steady reverence. Some added softer affirmations like "Latom," nodding and touching their charms as they did so. The responses came naturally, woven into the flow of Beatrice's preaching, binding the entire room in shared belief.
Lucian kept his head lowered, one hand still half-covering his face, though he couldn't quite hide the mix of disbelief and reluctant amusement creeping across his features.
Thalia, meanwhile, remained fully engaged, her phone held discreetly in her lap as she continued recording every passionate word.
Beatrice, clearly energized by Lucian's presence, poured even more heart into her delivery, her gestures broader and her eyes shining with genuine zeal as she brought the sermon toward its close, the large statue of the cloaked figure embracing the black sun looming silently behind her the entire time.
The crowd hung on every sentence, many still wiping tears from their eyes, their voices joining again in the unified response: "When in contradiction we are whole; And in the Paradox we endure"
By the end of it people started to stand up from their seats, one after another, and slowly made their way over towards Beatrice. She stepped down from the podium to meet them halfway, her posture composed and welcoming as she received each person that approached her.
They walked up to Beatrice where they received their blessings. She carefully drew a circle over each of their foreheads and then another over their chest, her movements precise and practiced, while softly whispering scriptures and quiet words of encouragement to them. Each person seemed to leave her presence calmer than before, their expressions lighter as they stepped aside to make room for the next.
Lucian and Thalia both stood up and moved into line, waiting their turn. As they did, they listened to Beatrice speaking with the loyal devotees who approached her one by one.
"You seemed more energetic today, Lady Beatrice," a woman said as she bowed with clear respect. "You seem to be in a good mood."
"Yes," Beatrice replied, gently joining her hands together as her eyes shone with devotion and quiet worship. "I was able to feel our Lord's presence more clearly during today's sermon. I'm certain he was here, watching over us. I didn't want to disappoint."
Thalia started nudging Lucian repeatedly with her elbow, over and over again, clearly amused, which only served to annoy him more with each jab. He shot her a brief glance, visibly irritated, and for a moment he was genuinely tempted to trip her and send her stumbling out of the line just to make her stop.
At the same time, the scale of it all still hadn't settled in properly. The number of people. The structure. The devotion. This wasn't some small group anymore—this was something established. Something organized. Something that had grown far beyond what he had expected.
It was… a lot.
Eventually, they reached the front. When they finally arrived before Beatrice, the three of them remained still for a moment, waiting as the last person finished receiving their blessing and exited the hall. The room gradually emptied until only the three of them remained.
The moment they were alone, Beatrice didn't hesitate. She immediately dropped down to one knee, her illusion fading without resistance as her true form revealed itself—her body composed of dark shadows intertwined with faint traces of crimson magic that pulsed subtly beneath the surface.
Beatrice looked up at him with expectant eyes, her expression filled with reverence. She didn't question him or speak further at first, simply acknowledging his presence with complete devotion. "My Lord… My Liege…"
Lucian ran a hand through his hair, letting out a quiet, tired sigh before stepping forward. He reached out and gently patted her on the head, his tone calm but sincere. "Good work, Beatrice. It's clear you've been putting in a lot of effort. Your work won't go unacknowledged."
Beatrice's eyes quickly filled with tears, her voice trembling slightly as she responded, "Your words fill the very core of my being with gratitude. Knowing that you are pleased… it makes everything worth every effort I've made."
"Honestly, the devotion they show for you is actually kind of terrifying," Thalia admitted from the side, a weary grin on her face as she glanced between the two of them.
Lucian turned his head toward her with a faint, smug look. "Why? Jealous?"
Thalia scoffed immediately and rolled her eyes at him, clearly unimpressed.
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