The next morning, I went to the church.
I set off at sunrise, walking leisurely through the streets.
Luckily, the church wasn't far away; I just had to follow the outer right road, and it stood halfway along.
I could see it from a distance, and its beauty always captivated me.
Especially now, in the golden sunlight, the green-gold dome sparkled, and the marble-white walls shone.
(A/N: It's green-gold, not a pattern.)
The shops on the street were closed today, as it was the day of rest. Several people were heading towards the church, and each greeted me with a bow.
I was returning a greeting when I bumped into someone going against the flow.
The person fell down.
"Ah!" I heard a unique female voice when she collided with me.
It wasn't sweet, not harsh, not too deep, nor too high-pitched. It had a slightly darker tone for a woman, but still unmistakably feminine.
Somehow very beautiful!
"Watch where you're going!" she hissed at me.
"Haha," I chuckled. "Are you okay?"
I noticed people at the sidelines gossiping and laughing, some looking shocked because my reputation preceded me. But I must say, the notion that I was a cold-blooded killer was only half true, either in relation to my father or the dungeons. That is just pushing my buttons!
I extended a hand to help her up. She clicked her tongue and got up on her own.
"Isn't it a bit warm for a mask?" I asked.
I sensed she was tall for a women, even though she only reached up to my nose.
Despite wearing an elegant black and red coat with white gloves, her slender build was evident.
Although I didn't usually pay much attention to appearances, I had to admit she had a nice... posterior, at least from what I could see.
"None of your business!" she retorted.
Through a veil, I couldn't see her face, but I caught a glimpse of her chin. It had a distinctly feminine contour.
"That's a shame; I'd like to get to know such a nice lady better," I chuckled lightly.
She snorted through her nose.
"Would you at least tell me your name?" I asked her.
I don't know why, but she had piqued my interest. She invoked a certain curiosity in me that I rarely felt, even though she wasn't particularly pleasant.
Nonetheless, I attempted to engage in a brief conversation.
But in response to my question, she shook her head irritably and walked past me.
I watched her and got the confirmation of her beautiful bottom. Not too big, not too small and really well formed.
„Your Majesty!" I heard and saw soldiers coming toward us.
The woman looked at me and then too the soldiers. After this she run faster than the wind.
„Nice to meet you!" I smiled
When the soldiers reached me, they knelt down, and their leader asked, "Your Majesty, why did you leave the palace without your royal guard?"
"Don't worry so much! Nothing's going to happen," I assured them.
"Safety first, Your Majesty!"
"Fine, but get up slowly, Ragnar. I'm already running late for the church service," I said, glancing at his right arm, mysteriously absent.
"If you insist on following, then follow me. Slowly but surely, I really need to relax and share my thoughts with Manara."
All these formalities, the dungeon, and the war were giving me a headache.
"Damn abominations!" I cursed.
Just the thought of the dungeons and Scalari made my blood boil.
I walked faster this time. I really needed to find a different occupation for Ragnar. Every time I saw him, it filled me with unpleasant thoughts.
"Traitorous scum!" I muttered indistinctly.
Arriving at the church, I passed through the large wooden door, crafted from a more than 1000-year-old Apostle Tree.
Every time I walked through it, I couldn't help but think of this masterpiece of Manara. The tree that created its own forest and made mana rain down!
It was indeed a marvel of architecture, just like the interior of the church, which was overwhelming.
As soon as I closed the massive wooden doors behind me and entered the sacred space, I immediately felt the atmosphere change. The air was cooler, and a sense of reverence washed over me.
The church's walls were adorned in a soothing, calming green that put one's thoughts at ease.
The white of the pillars and pews lent the room purity and brightness, lifting one's spirit.
Golden accents glistened in the light of the large stained glass windows, bathing the space in a warm, divine glow. The ceiling soared high above me, seeming to touch the heavens themselves.
Its intricate decorations and paintings told stories from religious history, captivating the gaze of every visitor.
The altar in the center of the room was a true masterpiece, covered in gilded embellishments and intricate reliefs. At the altar, a priest stood with his back to the congregation, facing the altar with the Magic Crystal atop it.
This legendary treasure, discovered thousands of years ago, was only brought into the light during Sunday prayers at the end of the ceremony. He was currently delivering a sermon, so I quietly took a seat in one of the rear pews.
The soldiers' armor clinked softly, distracting nearby individuals who looked annoyed, but quickly turned their heads to whisper to their neighbors.
I paid little attention to this and knelt down, folding my hands and listening to the priest delivering the closing sermon for Sunday.
"Behold the Crystal! A gift from Manara! A symbol of purity and justice!
It is a gift from Manara, the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion. A gift and a message to live our lives with pure hearts and to help those in need!
Free the world from evil and redeem it in Manara's name!
In her boundless grace, she has given us this crystal, not as a treasure of the world, but as a treasure for our souls.
Let us be grateful for this gift and honor Manara in our hearts. May we embrace her message to walk through life with pure hearts and to aid those who require our help.
For in helping others, we find true fulfillment and divine love. Manara calls upon us to free the world from evil and to redeem it in the name of love and compassion.
May we dedicate ourselves to this sacred task, and may the radiance of this crystal guide us on this path.
Let us pray together and surrender to Manara and her message of love and mercy.
May her light shine in our hearts and fill the world with kindness. In the name of Manara, the Goddess of Compassion, we say: So be it."
"So be it!" echoed through the church.
Afterward, the visitors gathered around the crystal, waiting for their turn to touch it and offer their thanks. Since I arrived late, I remained kneeling and engaged in a quiet conversation with Manara, slowly calming my mind.
When I finished, I raised my head and saw that almost everyone had already left the church. Luckily, I only had three people in front of me. Even though I didn't have to wait as Emperor, I occasionally enjoyed it, as it allowed my thoughts to wander.
Finally, when it was my turn, the priest greeted me.
I only nodded and approached the crystal. I kissed it and expressed my gratitude.
"Your Majesty," the priest said, "would you like to perform a redemption?"
I was torn because I wanted to, but I had so much to do!
That was one drawback of being Emperor; you never, truly never, had a day off!
"Not today, thank you. But you should prepare double the amount of Skalari for next time," I replied.
"As you wish."
With that, I left the church with my „superb" bodyguards and headed back to the palace.
On the way back, I didn't cross paths with the "nice" lady again, but I did enjoy the gentle breeze that brushed through my silver hair, thanks to the view being unobstructed by the bodyguards.
...
Arriving at the palace, I decided to train in the garden since the weather was truly beautiful today.
I worked up a sweat for a while and was taking a short break when a letter reached me.