Ilyra's room was simple and plain, devoid of any unnecessary luxury. Serena had heard how some priests and priestesses used church funds to live lavishly, but clearly Ilyra was not one of them.
"Will water be alright for you?" Ilyra asked.
"Yes, anything is fine," Serena said as she took a seat.
Ilyra placed a glass of water in front of Serena before taking a seat across from her.
"So, what is it you wish to know, Your Grace?"
Serena spoke carefully. "Do you know anything about Goddess Eirene and Goddess Azalea?"
Ilyra clasped her hands together. "Of course. Their story is well known among the commoners."
She began in a calm voice.
"It is said that Goddess Eirene blessed the first emperor, Edwin Virelith, with divine power. With that blessing, he established Arcanum Empire. In gratitude, Emperor Edwin built this church in her honour, and over time, she gained countless devotees."
"But as Goddess Eirene's influence grew, the followers of Goddess Azalea began to dwindle. It is said Azalea became jealous and chose to punish humanity. As a result, the empire began to lose its prosperity."
"Yet instead of worshipping her, the people grew furious. Even the few followers she had eventually abandoned her."
Ilyra paused briefly before continuing.
"People came to call her the Goddess of Darkness."
Serena listened in silence as Ilyra went on.
"Unable to withstand Goddess Azalea's wrath, Edwin sought out Eirene once more. To aid him, Goddess Eirene forged a Holy Sword and granted him Holy Knights, beings born from her sacred power."
"With their strength, Edwin defeated Goddess Azalea. Her body vanished into thin air, but no matter how he tried to destroy her heart—whether by blade or flame—it remained untouched."
"So, he preserved the heart, along with the Holy Sword. The imperial family is said to still possess both relics to this day. As for the Holy Knights…"
Ilyra's gaze lowered slightly.
"They are said to have vanished after the Great War a thousand years ago."
Serena quietly processed all the new information she had learned.
After a long moment of silence, she rose to her feet.
"Thank you, Ilyra. I am sorry for taking so much of your time."
"It is alright," Ilyra replied warmly. "I wanted to help you in any way I could. Rather… this is for you."
She brought out a small jewellery box and gently opened it. Inside lay a pendant with a deep ruby that gleamed softly in the light.
"This is for me?" Serena asked, visibly taken aback.
"Yes." Ilyra nodded. "It has been infused with my divine power. If anyone tries to attack you, it will form a shield around you."
She hesitated before adding, "Though you may only use it once a day, and the shield will last for only five minutes. I am sorry… my divine power is not that great."
Serena carefully took the box in her hand.
"That is more than enough," she said. "You went out of your way to do something for me, and that is what truly matters."
She offered Ilyra a soft smile. "Thank you, Ilyra."
As they stepped outside, Serena's gaze drifted across the yard—and then froze.
Not far away stood a hooded figure speaking quietly with one of the priests. Though the face was partly concealed, Serena recognized the woman immediately.
Viscountess Rowen.
What is Viscountess Rowen doing here?
Many nobles came to the church to pray, yes—but there was no reason for someone like her to arrive in secret, hidden beneath a cloak, unless there was more to it.
There is no way she came disguised merely to pray.
I will have to investigate this.
Forcing herself not to dwell on it further, Serena bid farewell to Ilyra and returned to her carriage. Yet even as she tried not to dwell on the matter regarding the Viscountess, the image of Viscountess Rowen lingered in her mind.
That night, she received a letter from Lucas.
Dear Mother,
I hope you are not pushing yourself too much. I still cannot believe that someone who once spent all her days confined to her room is now doing something as dangerous as this. You should be careful.
And I do not mean anything bad by my remarks—it is simply that, just as time changes everything, you too have changed. Perhaps because this is a letter, I find it easier to write my thoughts so openly.
Anyway, to the main matter.
Miss Daliah came looking for you. She was quite hurt that you did not tell her you were leaving for Maryland. I tried to make her understand the situation, and she did—but in return, she insisted I tell you that she expects another exclusive story from you. It seems you will have to provide her with yet another bestselling novel.
Also, Crown Princess Amber Hawthorn came to see Lucia. You may not know this, but the two of them are close friends. She told Lucia something strange and asked for ourhelp.
It seems the church is hiding the Saintess.
The last Saintess died ten years ago, and since then there has been no news of another. It appears the church may have been responsible for concealing the truth. They may even be connected to the former Saintess's death.
For now, I want you to keep an eye on the church—and on the girl you mentioned. If she can be trusted, ask whether she can gather any information regarding the Saintess.
Serena folded the letter, her hand resting against her chin.
She could certainly ask Ilyra to look into it. Yet she still could not decide whether Ilyra was someone she should trust completely.
Their beliefs stood on opposite sides.
Even so… she would try.