It would be a lie if Morrigan claid she wasn't nervous as she stepped into the church. Her gaze briefly shifted to Thomas, who entered alongside her, and then to Simon.
Though she didn't know much about this man called Simon, Seth had vouched for him, claiming he was the most trustworthy. His family was still in New Calot, and he would have died if not for Seth.
Even Morrigan could see the soft and worried movents hidden beneath his stern appearance. She turned slightly and glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
"Simon," Morrigan said calmly. "You've done well. I hope you continue to perform like this in the future."
Simon straightened his shoulders, his worry seeming to lessen slightly. "Thank you, my Lady. It is an honor to et your expectations."
Morrigan nodded and then walked forward. Soon, she arrived in front of the massive crucifix-like structure. Bowing respectfully, she offered a silent prayer.
Her eyes lingered on the raven perched atop the church's spire, but she didn't dwell on it. Her thoughts were interrupted when the Lord and his daughter approached.
"Welco to our ancient city, Lady Saint." The Lord's gaze was steady, and his lips bore a diplomatic, polite smile. Morrigan nodded, acknowledging the courtesy. "In truth, I must thank you. You've received with great hospitality."
"There's no need for thanks. After all, it was my daughter Veronica who insisted on eting and welcoming you personally." The Lord then gestured toward his daughter. Veronica stepped forward, gazing at Morrigan with a mix of curiosity and respect.
"It is a great honor to host you in our city, my Lady. I hope you find it to your liking."
"I'm sure I will." Morrigan smiled, giving Veronica a look of appreciation. "This is a wonderful city."
Veronica bead with a radiant smile, her gaze briefly flicking to her father before stepping back. Lord Wilfried resud speaking. "If possible, I'd like to invite you to a dinner gathering this evening. Should you be available."
"I am. Invitations are not to be declined. As a guest, I will ensure proper courtesy is extended to you," Morrigan replied generously. With that, as people began entering the church, the Lord and Veronica decided to take their leave.
"May God bless you. Have a good day, my Lady," Veronica said respectfully before departing, leaving Morrigan amidst the growing crowd within the church.
Though Rachel and Richard's presence managed to deter so of the more curious individuals, others hesitated, clearly eager to linger. Morrigan sighed but patiently answered their questions one by one until, as the sun began to set, the crowd finally dispersed.
"My Lady, on your first day, you-"
Before Simon could continue, Morrigan raised a hand to silence him. "As a Saint, it is my duty to provide guidance. There's no need for explanations."
Simon hesitated but eventually conceded. anwhile, Thomas stepped forward, looking at his Lady with a mixture of curiosity and an odd sense of reverence. "My Lady, if you wish, Lord Wilfried could accommodate you tomorrow instead."
Hearing Thomas' suggestion, Morrigan sighed once more but declined. "There's no need. Let's go."
Thomas said nothing further and nodded. Morrigan made her way outside, approaching Rachel. "Would you like to co with ?"
Rachel, despite her nonchalant deanor, nodded with a hint of eagerness. After all, it was a free al and an opportunity to taste dishes she hadn't seen in ages. It was a good opportunity.
"My Lady, it seems you're not the only one invited. The Lord has also extended invitations to others," Thomas remarked calmly. Morrigan acknowledged this with a nod. "Good, they can follow us."
Without further delay, they arrived at the guest estate Lord Wilfried had described. Despite being called a palace, it was sothing entirely different.
The garden was expansive, but the house itself was small yet elegant—a blend of luxury and simplicity. Morrigan found it rather appealing, a soothing place to be.
When Morrigan arrived, Lord Wilfried himself was there to greet her. As the others followed behind her, the Lord quickly got to the point.
"It is an honor to host you here, Lady Saint."
"Yes, I'm certain it will be an unforgettable experience," Morrigan replied calmly, her composed yet effective deanor earning the Lord's admiration. While Thomas quietly observed, Lord Wilfried gestured the way forward.
Morrigan followed in silence. It seed the dinner was to take place in the garden, which had been decorated beautifully. Magical lamps illuminated the area, and a large, long table was laden with food.
"Please, have a seat at the table." Lord Wilfried escorted Morrigan to the center of the table and motioned to a chair. Morrigan nodded and sat as dozens of servants bustled about, fulfilling their duties tirelessly.
"Wow, the food looks amazing," Rachel whispered to Richard. Richard remained calm, observing the others. "Don't start eating before everyone else. Don't be disrespectful."
Rachel grinned, her face lighting up with a mischievous smile. "Don't treat like an idiot. I know what I'm doing."
"The last ti you said that, we nearly died, Rachel."
"That was a one-ti thing," Rachel quickly retorted, taking her assigned seat. Morrigan sat at the exact center of the long table.
To her right sat Rachel first, then Richard, and Emily third. On Morrigan's left was Veronica, followed by Lord Wilfried and then George.
Simon was seated at the far-right end of the table, while Edmund occupied the far-left end. Other advisors were positioned along the sides of the table, and Thomas stood silently behind them.
The gathering comprised 13 people in total. Aside from Edmund, the other advisors seed relatively insignificant. George appeared relaxed but carried a subtle tension within, while Emily seed bored, idly playing with a silver coin.
"I'd like to introduce you first to my loyal soldier, Edmund." The Lord glanced calmly at Morrigan. As everyone's attention shifted to Edmund, he introduced himself. "Most people call Redbeard. With your help, we're confident we can defeat Franburg swiftly."
Morrigan maintained an outwardly calm deanor, her gaze soft as it rested on Edmund. "The wrath of God will be upon them. Rest assured, you will erge victorious in this war."
Edmund chuckled, nodding appreciatively. "With soone like you on our side, I almost feel sorry for our enemies."
After introducing the other advisors, Lord Wilfried turned to his daughter. "You've already t my daughter. It would be fair to say she's your biggest admirer. She talks about you every day."
Morrigan's gaze shifted to Veronica. She knew the girl's story. Morrigan wasn't sure what to make of soone older than her seeing her as an idol.
For now, she could only brush off her admirer. Sensing Veronica's curiosity even from this distance, Morrigan sighed inwardly. "Veronica is not just admired by us but is also praised by God Himself. Naturally, she has my utmost respect. Likewise, being seen as an idol by her is a great honor."
Veronica's cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassnt. She instinctively reminded herself that she wasn't a teenager anymore. As the people at the table laughed, the introductions finally ca to an end.
"Since you've introduced everyone, it's my turn now," Morrigan said. She then turned to Richard and Rachel. "Richard and Rachel are my most loyal friends and companions. They are from Wargan, bold and fiery people who have fought courageously by my side through thick and thin."
"Wargan?" Lord Wilfried asked with curiosity. "I haven't been there in a long ti. They say it's changed quite a bit, especially militarily."
Rachel smiled and nodded. "We've grown much stronger. After all, we're no longer a nation constantly at war to reclaim our holand. Ti has made us resilient."
Lord Wilfried murmured in approval. Morrigan then turned to Richard. "Richard is Rachel's brother. I assure you, both of them possess incredible strength."
George, recalling his own sibling, glanced at Rachel. Finding her truly beautiful, he beca sowhat enchanted. Noticing this, Emily shot him a sharp look.
Morrigan's gaze shifted to Thomas. "Thomas is my steward—strong and capable. I can assure you he's the best steward in the world."
"I am honored, my Lady," Thomas said calmly.
With the introductions complete, it was ti to move on to political matters, but first, it was ti to eat.
As Morrigan began her al, the others followed suit. The food was quickly consud, and the servants promptly prepared glasses of wine. As they placed the finest wine on the table and cleared away the empty plates, a brief silence filled the room.
It was Lord Wilfried who decided to break it. His gaze was calm, with a hint of expectation. "As you know, Lady Saint, our enemies have allies—unlike us."
Morrigan nodded, and the Lord continued. "Your assistance would be imnsely valuable to us. Therefore, I propose an alliance."
Thomas narrowed his eyes, while Simon shifted nervously in his seat. Though he was sowhat familiar with Lord Wilfried, he didn't know Morrigan well enough to predict her response, which filled him with concern.
"We have so conditions," Morrigan said calmly, easing Simon's tension. She then continued, "Our condition is straightforward: the city's main religion must be the Church of Creation. We have no other demands."
Lord Wilfried's eyes narrowed, his gaze falling thoughtfully to the ground. Morrigan's offer was beneficial to everyone else at the table. The events at Howenswerg Fortress lingered in everyone's minds.
With such power, defeating entire armies was conceivable. After all, the God of Creation had been more active than any other deity in centuries. The Goddess of Light was absent, and her followers had beco corrupt.
The faith of the Seven Gods was now practiced only among the impoverished. While secularism had its rits, the Church of Creation introduced an entirely different kind of strength: divine support, special knights, and the aid of a saint.
Rejecting such an offer would be foolish, yet accepting it wasn't easy either. People had grown accustod to their way of life over ti, and a sudden major change would feel strange to them.
Thus, the best option would be to establish the primary religion after the war. Even if people beca aware of this new faith, they remained indecisive for now. However, if the Church of Creation gained significant renown during the war, people would be more willing to accept it.
At least, that's what Lord Wilfried believed, and his reasoning was sound. "We can agree to your condition after the war," he finally said.
As Simon tensed again, Rachel narrowed her eyes, glancing sideways at Morrigan. Morrigan remained calm and composed, prompting Rachel to avert her gaze.
"We can accept that," Morrigan said, "but I wish to add another condition: that a representative chosen by us must always hold a position in governnt."
Upon hearing Morrigan's words, the advisors at the table imdiately rose in alarm, but a single look from Lord Wilfried silenced them.
"Very well, we can agree to that," the Lord replied without issue. In fact, it worked to his advantage. Back when the Church of Light had dominated these lands, it had forced every city lord to sign a contract.
According to the contract, individuals selected by the local clergy had to hold governnt positions as representatives.
This had allowed the Church to retain so power, but with the representatives of the Church of Creation now entering the scene, the two religious forces would clash, which would benefit Lord Wilfried.
Morrigan rely nodded and then raised her glass of wine. "Now that everything is settled, I declare this agreent sacred! May the One who reigns in heaven and earth bless us all!"
As Morrigan raised her glass, everyone else echoed her words, and the conversation soon resud.
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