Chapter 12
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 12
The image of Evangeline Rohanson hanging by her neck was deeply unsettling.
Perhaps it was because of the strange rumors he had heard before coming here. While gathering information on Evangeline Rohanson, Gabriel had encountered a priest who claimed to have witnessed the dead Evangeline rise and walk again.
He had checked the Temple records, but there was no mention of Evangeline’s funeral. When he finally tracked down the priest said to have handled the belated funeral service, he discovered the man had already hanged himself in his home.
There was no suicide note. The house had been cleared out, so no further information could be obtained. He only learned from neighbors that the deceased priest had been secretly pocketing money from the Temple by offering private sermons to the families of suicide victims.
Gabriel climbed into the carriage with Raphaella. The carriage began to roll toward the Grand Temple.
"Where is Michel?"
"He’s still in a daze, just standing there in front of the painting. I’m worried he might actually get sucked into it."
Reactions to Jim Nopedi’s painting were split into two extremes. Some, like Gabriel and Raphaella, found it ominous, while others hailed its subject as an angel and treated it as a holy object.
The knight who had inspected Donau Blue’s body with Gabriel was one of the latter. Convinced that Donau Blue was an angel, he now stood transfixed before Jim Nopedi’s painting, which had been donated to the Temple.
A black canvas hanging in a pure white temple was bound to stand out. Even visitors who came to the Temple to pray seemed to lose themselves upon seeing the painting. Several people, led by Gabriel, had suggested the painting be removed, but they were ignored.
To Gabriel, they looked no different from people possessed by a demon.
"Did you learn anything useful?"
"Learn anything…"
Still, he had managed to glean a small hint from his conversation with Evangeline Rohanson. Evangeline hadn't taken Donau’s body; she had only taken the paper with the copied emblem. The important thing wasn't Donau Blue, but the emblem itself.
"Lady Rohanson called that emblem a summoning circle."
"How did she know that?"
"Apparently, it was originally hers. She claims Donau Blue stole it."
"Really? Then what does it summon?"
Gabriel briefly recalled their earlier conversation.
"She said it was an angel."
"An angel? Then the paper we found was the real thing?"
Raphaella shuddered, rubbing his arms as if goosebumps had broken out across his skin.
Donau’s remains, currently kept in the Temple’s storehouse, were stored in an urn. No separate cremation was necessary; the body had been burned so thoroughly that it crumbled at the slightest touch. In the process of collecting the ashes, they had found a peculiarly white scrap of paper.
How could a mere scrap of paper remain unburnt when even bones had been reduced to ash? It was remarkably similar to Evangeline, who claimed to have escaped a fire without a single speck of soot on her.
When they pieced together the shredded fragments like a puzzle, they revealed the emblem she called a summoning circle and several words with missing letters. Because pieces were missing, the full text couldn't be deciphered, but there was one sentence—one perfectly restored sentence.
Revere and worship. Welcome the Angel of Light who shall descend upon the earth after circling the land.
"I suppose it summons an angel of some sort."
If so, whatever was born from that ominous emblem would likely resemble Evangeline Rohanson. It would be more sinister than holy, more cruel than merciful.
"Then is it true what people are saying? That Donau Blue was blessed?"
"Hardly. For now, we’ll say Donau Blue was struck down while trying to offer a sacrifice to summon a demon. Let’s keep the matter of that paper between us."
Raphaella nodded. If the emblem was the real problem, not Donau Blue, then dealing with the painting might be the key.
A summoning circle… He had heard of something similar before.
If it was a summoning circle that called forth something to grant wishes, that kind of sorcery had been rampant over a decade ago. When was it, exactly? Gabriel had been young then, so he wasn't certain. He vaguely remembered hearing about a large-scale purge some twenty years ago, where sorcerers were rounded up and executed.
It seemed he would have to check the records in the library once he returned.
"Raphaella. Do you happen to know anything about sorcery—"
Just as he was about to ask, the carriage suddenly lurched.
Screeeech!
The carriage teetered, threatening to overturn, before lurching to a halt. Outside, the coachman frantically tried to calm the panicked, rearing horses.
"Wha—what? Commander, are you alright?"
"What about you? Are you okay?"
Fortunately, the carriage had stabilized quickly, so neither of them was injured.
"Hey! I thought you said you were good with horses!"
"I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! A cat suddenly jumped out in front of us."
When Raphaella jumped out of the carriage to protest, the coachman bowed his head in a panic.
The coachman’s face paled when he saw his passengers were armed with swords. Terrified they might retaliate for the near-accident, he expected a scolding for not simply running over a mere cat.
But fortunately for the coachman, Gabriel was the type who would rather be injured himself than let the carriage hit anyone. Anyone who had watched a friend get crushed by a carriage as a child would feel the same.
"My subordinate and I are unharmed, so it’s fine."
Only after Gabriel's reassurance did the coachman heave a sigh of relief. As he raised his head from his deep bow, he seemed to notice the two were Paladins. Seeing the emblem of the Sun Goddess Rachel on Gabriel’s clothing, the coachman secretly praised them, thinking that the knights of the Temple truly were different.
After Raphaella climbed back in, the carriage began to move slowly once more.
"Commander. I think my heart just dropped to my stomach."
Raphaella was still rattled, the shock clearly not having worn off.
Gabriel listened to his subordinate’s whining and fell into thought. Was it a mere coincidence that the carriage nearly overturned the moment he brought up the topic of sorcery?
* * *
Recently, secret rumors had been circulating about a mysterious, sacred painting hung in the Temple.
They said a devout young lady had fainted upon seeing it and met the Sun Goddess in her dreams; that the High Priest had praised it immensely and given a thank-offering to the painter; that the painting was a gatekeeper that filtered out non-believers.
All sorts of wild rumors grew as they passed from mouth to mouth.
And those rumors stretched out like a long shadow, reaching even a secluded monastery on the outskirts of the capital.
"I wonder when Priest Berga will return?"
"Who knows? Why are you looking for him? I hope that pervert never comes back."
"Well, that’s true. But they say he went to the Grand Temple. That means he must have seen that sacred painting, so I’m curious if the rumors are true."
"You fool, you don't actually believe that, do you? You’re so naive."
The women, dressed in monastic robes and chatting amongst themselves while sweeping, lowered their voices and put on a dignified front when they saw Daisy approaching.
"Good afternoon, Sister."
"May the sunlight always shine upon you, Sister."
Despite their polite words, they didn't even nod in Daisy’s direction. Daisy bowed her head silently in greeting, pretending not to notice. As she passed, she heard them start whispering again.
"Poor thing. She’ll be the one hounded the most once Priest Berga returns, won't she?"
Once they thought Daisy was far enough away, the nuns began to laugh and joke among themselves again.
She was supposed to finish organizing the library today, but it had grown late. Daisy quickened her pace, trying to ignore the noise behind her.
It had already been three weeks since she had fled the Rohanson mansion and come to the monastery.
Once she escaped the monster inhabiting Lady Evangeline’s body and the eyes that watched her, the world felt incredibly peaceful and calm.
Daisy’s life at the monastery wasn't as bad as she had expected. Although she was an outsider who struggled to mingle with others due to her recent arrival and shy nature, it wasn't particularly uncomfortable.
Most of the nuns who had just greeted her were daughters of noble families. Such people might serve God, but they would never bow their heads to commoners. Since she could never fit in with them anyway, it was best not to pay them any mind.
"Hey, Daisy!"
Just as she was about to enter the library, someone urgently called her from behind.
Turning around, she saw one of the nuns from the group she had just passed, panting for breath. Their only previous interaction had been formal greetings—why was she calling for her?
As Daisy waited, the other woman began hesitantly, choosing her words with care.
"I just heard that Priest Berga is returning today. Um… if Priest Berga calls for you tonight, absolutely do not go. Understood?"
So she had run all this way just to tell her that. Surprised by the sudden kindness, Daisy paused for a moment before nodding.
"Thank you for telling me. I’ll be sure to refuse."
If this otherwise decent monastery had one flaw, it was Priest Berga.
Priest Berga was notorious for his womanizing. Rumors circulated that he preyed on new arrivals, and from what Daisy had experienced, those rumors were true.
He would touch her shoulders while pretending to hold her hand in encouragement. He would stare at her intensely. Yes, that was the problem. The way he looked at her. Having become exceptionally sensitive, there was no way Daisy could miss it.
Since Priest Berga might send someone to her room, she decided it would be better to stay up all night in the library while finishing her work.
The clock hands ticked onward. It was already 2 AM. Seeing the clock on the library wall, Daisy stood up, thinking it should be safe to return now.
Then, she gasped. A man was waiting in front of the dormitory like a lookout.
Was he still waiting?
It wasn't Priest Berga, but one of the monks who fawned over him.
"Sister. Did you enjoy your late-night stroll?"
"I lost track of time while organizing the library. I’m tired, so I’ll be going in to rest now."
Daisy reached for the door, but the monk blocked her way, pressing his hand against it.
"Before that, Priest Berga said he has something to tell you. Why don't you hear him out before you go?"