As the morning prayer bells were still reverberating, Liang Lai had already tripped for the first time today in the Court of Purity, clutching the hem of her Holy Robe.
Morning dew spilled from the tilted Holy Grail, splashing across the Lapis Lazuli Pavement.
“Third Saintess!”
The Deacon in charge of attendance cried out as he rushed over, his Parchment Scroll tumbling from the crook of his arm.
“The Holy Grail must not be tilted more than thirty degrees!”
Flustered, Liang Lai scrambled to steady the Gold Holy Grail.
Suddenly, the Twelve Rubies embedded in the cup began to flash rapidly.
From afar came the soft laughter of the other Saintesses, sounding suspiciously like mockery.
Only then did Liang Lai realize that everyone else was holding their Holy Grails level with both hands.
Sunlight streamed through the Crystal Prism in the center of the courtyard, casting an Error Mark upon her awkward figure.
Even at noon, as she drank the Holy Wine, Liang Lai’s ears were still burning.
The wine in the Glass Goblet shimmered with a strange gold-red hue.
Staring at the thread-like streak of blood at the bottom, she suddenly recalled the “Freshly Slaughtered Chicken” signs she’d seen before crossing over.
The association made her choke and cough uncontrollably.
Wine shot out of her nose, blooming across the pristine linen tablecloth.
“Third Saintess.” The Chief Saintess’s voice came from the end of the long table.
The Crystal Chain on her mask jingled crisply.
“Your Crystallization Purity has dropped again today.”
Liang Lai lowered her head to look at the back of her hand.
The Gold Veins beneath her skin, once dazzling, now appeared as dim as dying embers.
Imitating the others, she poured the remaining wine into her palm, only to be startled by a burning pain and reflexively flung her hand.
The wine arced through the air and landed squarely on the Sacred Crystal atop the Bishop’s Scepter as the Bishop happened to pass by.
With a “sizzle,” the Sacred Crystal—said to purify all filth—began to smoke.
And so, the task of inspecting the Shadow Prison at dusk fell to Liang Lai, who accepted it in tears.
Not from guilt, but because the Bishop, while scolding her, had spat so forcefully that flecks of saliva landed in her second layer of pupils.
Now, clutching her burning eyes, she stumbled along the corridor leading to the Underground Sanctuary.
The buildings in the Twilight looked like the backbone of a giant beast.
Turning the seventh corner, Liang Lai suddenly collided with a wall that seemed to breathe.
More precisely, it was the Bronze Gate entwined with vines.
Every leaf on those vines bore a human face, and right now, all those faces opened their pupil-less eyes to stare at her in unison.
From the crack in the gate, Blue Light seeped out, winding across the floor and illuminating a small, human-shaped figure in the corner.
Huh?
There’s actually someone else here? Judging by the size, it seemed to be a small child—had they gotten separated from their family?
“This shouldn’t be possible…”
After all, children of the commoners weren’t allowed into the Underground Sanctuary.
Truth be told, the place was downright eerie.
Liang Lai had originally planned to just go through the motions and leave quickly, but now it seemed she had to save the child inside.
What if a child really had wandered in here and gotten lost?
The kind-hearted Saintess gently pushed open the door, cautiously scanning her surroundings before fixing her gaze on the thin figure.
It looked like a girl, but her face was mostly hidden by long hair, making it hard to tell.
Liang Lai waved at the little one.
“Come on, come on, hurry over here. No one is allowed in this place, you know. I heard there are monsters inside that eat people!”
She started using the old scare-tactics from her previous world.
The golden figure stiffened, then slowly lifted her bowed head, revealing a youthful, beautiful face.
Her watery blue eyes rippled like lakes in Liang Lai’s heart.
“Wow, what a lovely child,” Liang Lai couldn’t help but exclaim.
The child didn’t move, and Liang Lai grew anxious.
If another patrol passed by, things could get bad.
The guards here were strict, and the rules even stricter—this child would be in serious trouble, and might even implicate her family.
So, Liang Lai squeezed most of her body through the doorway and grabbed the child’s wrist.
“Come on, come on, hurry out.”
Liang Lai pulled the child to her chest and quickly shut the door.
The child’s body grew even more rigid.
She was so petite that her head was level with Liang Lai’s chest; being hugged so tightly, her whole face was buried in Liang Lai’s softness.
“Goodness, your body’s so cold. Must’ve been scared out of your wits, huh?”
Liang Lai patted the child’s head affectionately.
The child said nothing, lips pressed together, her big watery eyes staring unblinkingly at Liang Lai.
“Little one, what’s your name? Where are your parents? Where did you come from? Where’s your home? Uncle will… uh, big sister will take you back.”
She almost forgot that she was no longer an old man.
The child’s lips moved a little.
Finally, under Liang Lai’s earnest gaze, she softly uttered three syllables: “Dolosa.”
“Hmm?”
Dolosa?
Oh, that must be the child’s name.
But, why does that name sound so strange? If she remembered correctly, it didn’t have a very good meaning.
The parents must be a bit odd to name their child that—no wonder they’d lose her.
Liang Lai had always been the worrying type.
“Do you remember where your home is?”
Liang Lai took Dolosa’s hand.
Dolosa turned her head away.
“I don’t know.”
“And your parents? What are their names?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then, where did your parents go?”
“I don’t know.”
“……”
Liang Lai fell silent.
After about half a minute, she carefully asked, “Dolosa, you’re not… alone, are you?”
She dared not say the word “orphan,” fearing it would wound the child’s fragile heart.
Dolosa looked up, meeting Liang Lai’s gaze filled with pity and concern, and suddenly pulled her lips into a mocking smile.
“Mm.” She replied softly.
At that, Liang Lai’s previously cheerful expression drooped.
Judging by the child’s size, she seemed to be around thirteen.
The adults in her family must be truly heartless… or perhaps something unfortunate had happened to them.
Liang Lai sighed.
So, what should she do now? Take the child to the Pope?
Thinking of the Pope’s fierce face, Liang Lai shook her head at once.
Then… wait!
Liang Lai suddenly remembered the new decree—one that granted her the right to adopt children.
That meant she could take this child back to her own quarters.
Perfect!
Liang Lai’s dream had always been to open a shelter, to take in poor, homeless children, so that those abandoned or orphaned by misfortune could have enough to eat and a chance to study.
Delighted, she scooped Dolosa up in a big hug.
“Let’s go, I’ll take you home. From now on, my home is your home.”
She didn’t even bother to ask if the child agreed.