Bab 176: [Chapter 176] The Most Famous Prophet Now
The Papal Decree Ulveris was a sacred city recognized as the only place on earth where the words of the Scriptures held legal power.
One-third of the residents were priests and theology students, one-third were members of the sacred knighthood, and the remaining one-third were laborers who cared for those involved in the sacred rites.
No matter what powerful figure came, even the lowliest laborer would willingly die for their faith without hesitation.
As the carriage entered the special sanctuary, Neris commented in one word.
"It's chaotic."
"That's true."
In fact, Ulveris was also known for its beauty. Nobles who wanted to show off their faith and former Popes who wanted to boast of their greatness had built various artistic buildings in the city.
While in other cities, these buildings would be a source of pride for the residents, in Ulveris, they were just aging neighboring structures.
Nevertheless, there was a reason why Neris made a negative comment. From a considerable distance outside the city to the entrance of the city walls, there were large materials and several laborers covering the area.
"What are they doing? I wonder."
Several beautiful new white stone pillars were being lined up, intended to build a very large and expensive building, although the exact purpose was unknown.
Neris had never heard rumors in her previous life about the current Pope, Omnitus III, constructing such a remarkable building. Was it a failure? Or did those materials have a different destination?
As the carriage passed through the gates of Ulveris, a sign indicating the end of the Barom Viscountcy that surrounded the vicinity briefly flashed by.
"May you receive grace in Ulveris."
Following the tradition of past Popes that the doors of the temple should be open to all, the guards at the gates of Ulveris were unarmed civilian attendants.
Without even checking the identity of those entering, the attendants welcomed them with wide smiles. Aidan quietly nodded his head in approval outside the carriage.
A little further into the city, Aidan asked Cladwin through the carriage window, "It seems there was no need for the badges of rank. How do they maintain security?"
"It's probably about being able to recognize important individuals even without badges. I've heard that the people here are divided into 17 districts, and they gather at the temple every morning for prayers, so they know each other's faces. That way, news about strangers spreads quickly."
"Every morning?"
For the people of Maindland, who rarely attend the temple and are not deeply religious, this lifestyle would be unimaginable. Neris smiled at Aidan's perplexed voice.
"Here, one's position in the temple is more important than their birth status. By faithfully attending the morning prayers, one's status can rise in the eyes of the priests. They even write recommendation letters for children to enter good theological schools."
"I see."
For practical reasons, Aidan also understood.
Cladwin looked at Neris sitting across from him with an admiring gaze.
"Do you know about the Papal Decree?"
"It was in the books I read at school."
Neris had never been to the Papal Decree in her previous life. So, while this visit was a first, she had done a lot of research while preparing for the dealings between the Elendria family and Omnitus.
She had roughly skimmed through it, and Cladwin, in the meantime, had lifted her left hand, kissed the back of it, and smiled contentedly.
"Does the all-knowing visionary know where a good lodging is?"
"I don't know. It's a place with many outsiders, so there should be plenty of accommodations suitable for nobles. Send someone to find out."
"I prefer it when you take charge and decide on your own."
This time, kisses were showered on her fingertips.
After a week of carriage travel, Neris, who had been trained, wasn't particularly surprised by her prospective husband's affectionate advances.
Whether conditional or not, from the moment they promised marriage, Cladwin seemed to be seeking every opportunity to touch her hand.
Or perhaps to kiss her fingertips.
Or to gaze at her as if she were cute.
Honestly, Neris wasn't accustomed to such treatment. If she hadn't been overwhelmed by Diane's overflowing affection in the past few years, she might have been surprised and fled.
"That's why it was uncertain when he would find another woman suitable for the Duchess's position, but... well, it was evidence that he was a good man. At least it meant he wasn't indifferent to his wife.
And his affection wasn't unpleasant. It was natural for a man she liked, but...
'That's the most important.'
In reality, it wasn't just a matter of not feeling unpleasant; every time she felt his warmth, her heart fluttered. It was a feeling of sinking deeply into a cozy trap, like sweet cream decorating a cake.
Although she wondered about the accommodation, Cladwin had undoubtedly already decided where the group would stay. The carriage was heading towards a secluded road without any signs of hesitation.
After a while, the group stopped in front of a quite elegant and clean five-story building.
"It's a hotel. Let's get off."
As Cladwin spoke, Aidan politely opened the carriage door.
Suddenly, a person rushed out of the building. Judging by the attire, they seemed to hold a high position in the hotel.
"Oh, I'm sorry! My lords! We're not accepting guests today!"
Was it a day when the hotel didn't receive guests? Even though it didn't seem like they were undergoing any renovations. As Neris tilted her head in confusion, the person bowed deeply several times and spoke.
"If you don't mind, I'll guide you to another building! It will be more comfortable there."
"I'm sure we had a reservation."
Aidan asked calmly, but his stature, weathered face, and authoritative voice had a chilling effect, making everything he said intimidating.
The visibly flustered person bowed even deeper to Aidan than before.
"Yes, of course! I'm truly sorry, guests! If you visit us again in the future, you won't be disappointed with the service...!"
"Where is the guide taking us?"
Neris thought something was off, and Cladwin seemed to feel the same way. Interrupting the hotel staff's long explanation, Cladwin asked, and the person, sweating profusely, answered.
"I'll take you now! Please follow me!"
***
Looking up at the guided building, Neris wrinkled her nose in suspicion.
"It's a temple."
"Do temples offer lodging these days?"
Cladwin joked as he helped Neris get off the carriage. The hotel staff smiled with a resigned expression.
"It happens sometimes, for special individuals."
Suddenly, the man's voice regained composure. His awkward demeanor in front of the hotel seemed like an act.
So, this man wasn't even a hotel staff member. He had been waiting for Neris's group and brought in to escort them.
Having suspected this to some extent and followed along, Neris checked her guard stance with a sidelong glance. Talfryn and Aidan positioned themselves to prioritize protecting Neris and Cladwin in case of any trouble.
"Well, then, I'll take my leave."
The man seemed eager to leave, as if his task was done. However, one of Aidan's knights grabbed him firmly.
"You should at least know what's going on before you leave, pulling a disappearing act like this."
Talfryn chuckled slyly. At that moment, a kind and gentle voice from the direction of the temple was heard.
"He was just running an errand, please let him go."
The voice that seemed to cleanse the heart upon hearing it was clear and surprisingly gentle.
Neris, upon seeing the direction where the voice came from, widened her eyes slightly.
Len, clad in a white priestly robe that shimmered with the silver light of the moon, emerged from the temple gate and approached them. Following him was clearly Adams, a priest who had occasionally been with Len at the academy.
At Len's words, Cladwin nodded slightly. The man who had guided them from the hotel cheerfully saluted and discreetly withdrew.
Len greeted them with a warm smile, exuding a gentle breeze. His deep pink cheeks were like spring flowers blooming proudly in the winter chill.
"Please come in, esteemed guests. The wind is chilly."
Neris wasn't cold, thanks to Cladwin offering his cloak and continuing to cover her with the thick fur that had been in the luggage. However, it seemed there was a reason for Len to bring them here secretly.
And it wasn't difficult to figure out who it was.
"Omnitus."
Neris boldly drew the holy symbol as if meeting him for the first time today.
"Guiding guests with no place to go is the will of the divine. Then, I shall dare to step into the sanctuary."
"Where else would a sanctuary be? The place where weary and cold guests are welcomed first is where the divine resides."
With a look of approval, Adams led the way. Following Len's guidance, the group entered the temple.
The temple they found was not grand with high platforms or spacious courtyards; at most, it was a three-story building that might have a small chapel. It had a central courtyard that could comfortably seat twenty people, with the sanctuary and the priests' living quarters separated around it.
"Neris briefly admired the sight of the blue courtyard visible through the white column. It must be a possible landscape for a warm region where grass remains even in winter.
Although small, the temple had neatly trimmed grass in the courtyard. The frames hanging in the corridors had a few words from the Scriptures written inside, adorned with golden pieces and free of dust. It was undoubtedly well-maintained.
Priest Adams and Len led them to a small room inside the temple. Judging by the location, it was a place where one couldn't eavesdrop from the outside.
"The room is small. I'm terribly sorry, but it seems the guards will have to wait outside."
The knights looked to Aidan for cues, and Aidan looked to Cladwin.
Cladwin nodded slightly with an expression that was hard to read.
"Please come in."
An agreement was reached. Len personally opened the door and ushered Neris and Cladwin inside.
The room was indeed narrow. The small antechamber made of white walls reminded Neris of the confession room she almost entered during her academy days.
Overall, it wasn't a place fit for a Duchess to stay. Typically, a Duchess's quarters would be lavish, akin to that of a king.
"Did I fail?"
Cladwin asked as he escorted Neris to her seat. As soon as Adams closed the door, Len revealed his true colors and put on an imposing expression.
"What do you mean? You're the most famous prophet now."
His tone was different from when they met in Maindland, resembling his speech during his student days. It seemed like he was living a life without the energy to manage his image.
"Are you under threat to your life?"
"This time, Neris asked. Len shrugged his shoulders with a gentle expression towards Neris.
"A bit. But every prophet is under some threat to their lives. Isn't it the same everywhere? The higher you climb, the more people want to harm you for no reason."
"In your case, it might not be for no reason."
Cladwin teased. Len growled like a leopard.
"If there are priests with popularity like mine, tell them to come and see me! They were going crazy appointing me as a prophet everywhere, so even from above, they couldn't ignore me. I'm just staying quiet here. The main streets of Ulveris are never quiet these days. It's because of that darn construction."
"Come to think of it, they seemed to be doing some construction. What are they doing?"
Neris asked seriously. A mischievous smile crossed Len's face.
"Exorcism."
"Why are they doing that? Have they discovered some relic?"
"No. As I said, because everyone is going crazy praising someone as so talented, devout, and virtuous, they're trying to divert people's attention and establish their own achievements."
So, it's different from the previous life. Neris understood.
In Neris's previous life, the deceased Len had survived in this life. Not only that, he had become a very noticeable figure.
Therefore, it seemed that Omnitus, who was full of suspicion and jealousy, was now having a fit trying to suppress the descendants of the former noble family.
Len's expression now calmed down.
"Omnitus has been increasingly on edge lately, so the atmosphere is unsettling. I brought you here for now because I don't know how he might try to use your visit. ...And it's not just Omnitus who's unsettling, so be cautious."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone