Anatacio Monastery (1)
“It’s been a very long time since we’ve seen a pilgrim. May I ask where you’ve come from?”
“The most recent place I stayed was St. Pierre Monastery.”
“So you came from Frang Village. Is Father Victor doing well?”
“There was a small problem during Lent, but he’s doing well now.”
Helen’s face brightened.
“That’s a relief. However, Father Newman isn’t here at the moment. The Fifth Council is coming up soon.”
“I heard as much from the sisters. That’s why I was on my way to see Deacon David.”
The nuns all looked at Helen as if to say, That’s right, isn’t it?
“Very well. But I’d like you to put a hand over your heart and think carefully. Are you sure you sisters have nothing to reflect on?”
At her quiet question, they replied at once.
“Of course not!”
“We have nothing to be ashamed of before the Goddess!”
“I see. If that’s truly what you believe, then finish cleaning the bathhouse before dark. I’ll inspect it later, so you’d best make sure it’s done properly.”
Her tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.
The nuns looked at Lawrence as though they might burst into tears at any moment.
“……”
There was nothing he could say to that.
A nun lying without the slightest hesitation.
Even after Helen had given them one last chance, it was they who had thrown it away.
* * *
An oppressive silence settled over the corridor, so still that not even a single footstep echoed. Once the nuns’ chatter—and their carelessly noisy walking—had disappeared, the cloister finally regained its true shape.
The occasional believer they passed lowered their head in quiet greeting.
“Since the chief priest is away, we won’t be holding an official mass for the time being.”
“Every servant of the Goddess builds a small shrine in their own heart. The absence of mass doesn’t mean one cannot pray.”
“Indeed. We keep the monastery open simply to lend people a place where they can pray to the Goddess.”
They passed through the chapel and followed Helen up to the second floor.
It seemed the nuns did not live here; the gossipy, endlessly chattering women were nowhere to be seen.
Deacon David’s room was at the end of the hall.
“Deacon David? It’s Helen.”
Not long after she knocked, a voice answered from inside.
“I’m coming out now. Please wait a moment.”
The man who appeared in the doorway was middle-aged.
“My apologies. Something urgent came up, so I was delayed a little.”
“Not at all. No brother or sister is unaware that you’re carrying the burden in Father Newman’s absence.”
“Burden, is it? This too is all devotion offered to the Goddess. Only that earnest desire to reach her rests in my heart. I feel more at peace than ever.”
A gentle light settled over his face.
“But the gentleman behind you is a face I don’t recognize.”
“May the Goddess’s blessing be with you. I’m Lawrence, a pilgrim.”
“May the Goddess’s blessing be with you as well. A wanderer in search of a path—I'm David, deacon of Anatacio Monastery.”
They exchanged introductions in a few short words.
“A pilgrim visiting our monastery. That’s uncommon.”
“There isn’t a pilgrimage route around here.”
Helen nodded as if in agreement.
“I came to Mistra looking for a place to rest for a while.”
“In that case, don’t worry. It’s not something to boast about, but our monastery has plenty of spare rooms. Rest here until the weariness of the road leaves you.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Deacon David.”
For the time being, they should make Anatacio Monastery their base.
Before heading north, he needed time to make all three of the spellbooks Emily had given him fully his own.
“But what brings a pilgrim as far as Mistra? There aren’t many places nearby with close ties to the Order...”
“I was heading north in search of a holy site.”
“North? You’re on your way to Winterglen?”
“Yes.”
Deacon David stroked his chin and went, “Hmm.”
“If it isn’t urgent, why not reconsider?”
“What do you mean?”
“Going to Winterglen. As my brother said, it’s true there’s a good chance a holy site there has yet to be discovered. It’s still a region the Order’s hands haven’t reached. But that’s precisely why there may be unexpected danger lying in wait.”
“Thank you for your concern. But I’ll be fine. I’ve been to places like that often enough to be used to them by now.”
Rombamel, the border city, had been one such place.
And the Magic Tower, too, was somewhere the Order’s influence was thin.
“That isn’t all. Rumor has it there are even cultists who worship a false god. I don’t know whether they’ve been influenced by the northern folk or not, but it’s a dangerous road, one I can’t guarantee will be safe.”
Cultists?
Were they worshipping a different god from the spirits?
“How could a pilgrimage ever be smooth and easy? This too must be a trial sent by the Goddess.”
It was a clue he’d finally managed to catch. There was no option called giving up.
“If that is your will, brother, then it would be discourteous of me to press the matter further. I respect your unwavering faith. If there’s anything we can help you with, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you, Deacon David.”
Lawrence bowed his head in gratitude.
* * *
The guest room in the corridor had a nostalgic look to it.
A cramped one-room chamber.
A small desk and a chair that barely counted as a seat.
At the head of the bed was a wooden window that opened by sliding upward.
After putting his things in order, Lawrence prepared bathwater first.
“Water.”
Half-dazed, he soaked his body in the tub, and his eyelids quickly grew heavy.
After washing himself half-asleep, Lawrence changed clothes.
When he emptied the bathwater and returned to his room, someone was waiting at the door.
She wore pure white instead of black and white.
A nun who would never leave the monastery in her entire life.
“What is it?”
The startled nun turned to look at Lawrence.
“Gah! You should make some noise when you walk!”
She caught her breath, then cleared her throat.
“You’re the pilgrim who came to the monastery today, right?”
“And you look like a nun.”
“Well, isn’t that obvious.”
The blonde nun straightened herself and spoke.
“May the Goddess’s blessing be with you. I’m Sister Angela.”
“May the Goddess’s blessing be with you. I’m Lawrence, a pilgrim.”
After exchanging names, Lawrence looked at Angela.
“It’s nothing important. I just wanted to hear a little about your travels.”
“My travels?”
“Yes. You’re a pilgrim, so you must have visited all kinds of holy sites across the kingdom, right? People you met on the road, towns you passed through, places like that. I’d like to hear those stories.”
“So you came to find me the very day I arrived?”
“Right now I’m the one asking for a favor, so this seems only natural.”
“……”
Apparently the meaning of the word favor was different for Lawrence and Angela.
He passed her and reached for the doorknob.
“Hey.”
“I’ve had a long journey, so I’m exhausted. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I have the energy to sit around leisurely telling stories of the outside world.”
Even after hearing the polite refusal, she didn’t give up.
“Just for a moment. I don’t have much time either.”
“Then you can come back when you have time.”
He had nothing more to say.
After closing the door, Lawrence took the spellbooks out of his bag.
He placed the three volumes Emily had given him on the desk, and right then there came another knock.
“I told you to go back for today.”
“Fine. I’ll leave today. But I want you to promise me something. Next time you have time, you’ll definitely tell me stories from outside.”
“If the timing works out, I’ll think about it. You may not realize it, but you’re being extremely rude to me right now, Sister.”
He steadied himself.
He chose his words as calmly as he could.
“I was just too eager. I’m sorry.”
“The apology is accepted. I’d like you to leave now.”
When Lawrence waved her away, Angela nodded.
“Then let me say one more thing as part of my apology. If you want to rest comfortably today, you’d be better off not returning to your room until after dark.”
“And why is that?”
“Because the sisters are obviously going to start coming to your room one by one from now on. It’s extremely rare for a pilgrim to visit the monastery. If you lie down and try to sleep, you’ll be hearing knocks on your door. Wouldn’t it be more comfortable simply to be absent?”
“……”
At once, the nuns who had guided him through the monastery came to mind.
Their carelessly resounding footsteps.
Their mouths, never once resting.
Just imagining that racket all over again made the world go dark before his eyes.
“Thanks for telling me. I’d better go down to the village for a while.”
“Ah, if you’re going down to the village, could you buy some goat’s milk for me? My sister really loves goat’s milk.”
He judged there was no value in hearing any more.
Ignoring her, Lawrence closed the door.
* * *
Before heading down, Lawrence changed clothes first.
The vestment that marked him as a member of the Order was far too conspicuous.
Pulling on an ordinary robe, he left the monastery.
By the time he reached the street, the sun had already set.
Lawrence’s steps naturally led him to a restaurant.
He passed a few busy shops doing their evening business, then stepped into the restaurant with the familiar signboard.
It was the same place he had visited the day he first came to Mistra.
“Welcome.”
The waitress greeted Lawrence as he entered alone.
After he took a seat, she handed him a menu.
“Oh. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“It has. You’re still working here, I see.”
The waitress, who had recognized him, lifted her brows.
“There aren’t many places that pay as well as this restaurant. And there are so many people here that it’s hard to find work anywhere else.”
She added, “Well, except for the fact that your clothes are a little... unusual,” and held the tray over her chest.
“That sounds rough.”
“What part of life isn’t rough? Still, it’s not one of those kinds of restaurants, so it’s fine. Have you decided what to order?”
“I’d usually ask for the same thing I always eat, but... since it’s been a while, I think I’ll order one of everything on the house’s signature menu.”
“That’s the same order you made the first time you visited us. Understood. I’ll bring it out deliciously, so please wait just a little.”
The waitress took the menu back onto her tray.
Lawrence took out a tip from his pocket and handed it to her.
“And a glass of cold milk, please.”
“Don’t worry. If it’s the order of a regular, there’s no way I’d forget.”
When she checked the 5 copper coins, a smile spread across her lips.
Lawrence finished his meal and left the restaurant.
Had he eaten a little too much?
For the first time in a while, his stomach felt not just full, but stuffed.
He knew he had lost self-control once he started eating proper food after so long on preserved rations.
Still, every now and then, this wasn’t so bad.
It wasn’t as if his purse was empty.
If this was a reward for himself, he couldn’t have asked for a better one.
Lawrence walked the streets a while longer, letting his meal settle.
Mistra at night had a charm all its own, so different from the city by day.
The number of passersby on the roads had not decreased much.
Unlike other towns, where darkness spread gloom as evening approached, Mistra pushed the night back with lights blinking from every street.
Not just the shops, but even the street stalls lit their lamps generously in order to keep customers from passing by.
Thanks to that, the smell of oil tingled at the tip of his nose, though the unpleasantness was soon buried beneath the aroma of food drifting from the stalls.
He had just finished eating, and yet he found himself wanting something else.
He wasn’t the only one.
People leaving the restaurant stopped by the street vendors.
Even after one full meal, they still bought drinks and snacks for dessert.
Guards patrolled the streets at regular intervals.
Was it to keep a lid on any trouble before it could start?
As a result, there were hardly any drunken fools causing a scene.
Watching that sight, Lawrence understood why the people of Mistra carried themselves with such pride.
It wasn’t even worth comparing to Rombamel, where black and white coexisted side by side.
Mistra, where it was hard to find any shadow at all, truly deserved to be called a great city.
People gathered and formed organizations.
Organizations gathered and became villages and cities.
No matter how large a kingdom was, if you broke it down one by one, it was ultimately a vast body built from the gathering of individual people.
In the end, wherever you went, the most important thing was people.