The crowd on the street dispersed, and the shouts gradually ceased. The bustling activity calmed down with the passage of time.
Lin Shu waited for a long time, her heart filled with disappointment. The setting sun stretched her lonely shadow long.
‘Furina probably won’t come back.’
They had parted on bad terms after all.
Although the quarrel was unpleasant, at least she had given her the envelope from the library.
As for what happened next, that was Furina’s own choice.
Lin Shu sighed and composed herself.
She took out her bag and pulled out the directions the nun had given her.
Next, she needed to figure out how to return to her original timeline. She had to find the Cathedral of the Creator God as soon as possible and uncover the secret of the key.
If she could go back and reach the Spirit Tower, maybe she could ask someone about Furina’s whereabouts.
Alone again, Lin Shu quickened her pace.
But according to the markings on the directions, the Cathedral of the Creator God was built at the highest peak in the center of the imperial city, requiring a climb up the towering stairs.
“Why did they build so many flights of stairs…”
Lin Shu complained, panting.
She had been climbing for a long time. Looking up, the church at the very top still seemed out of reach.
“An outsider?”
A questioning voice came from beside her.
Lin Shu turned and saw a wealthy human merchant, finely dressed with expensive accessories.
He was scrutinizing Lin Shu. “Are you also heading to the church at the top?” he asked with a suspicious look.
Lin Shu didn’t answer directly. “What’s wrong?” she asked back.
“Today, the Holy Church is hosting an event. Only those invited from the imperial city can enter.” “If you’re a foreigner just here to make a pilgrimage, you should come another day.”
After kindly warning her, the man turned and continued climbing upward.
Lin Shu stood there, catching her breath.
‘I’ve already come this far! Who cares about the event.’
‘Let’s go see what’s going on.’
Lin Shu gritted her teeth and continued on.
Soon, as she neared the top of the stairs, Lin Shu was blocked by a row of armored angels.
“May the gods guide you, human miss.”
One of the angel guards stepped forward and said to Lin Shu,
“If you are heading to the Cathedral of the Creator God, it is not open to the public today. Please return.”
Many Sacred Race members and nobles who were heading the same way passed through the checkpoint with their invitations.
Only Lin Shu was stopped, standing out conspicuously among the moving crowd.
Passing Sacred Race members cast appraising glances at her, with a hint of understanding, as if looking at an uninvited interloper.
Lin Shu took out an envelope and handed it over.
“I was referred by Bishop Fiona. This is a letter of recommendation from her church.”
“Lady Fiona?”
The angel guard’s expression froze. He took the letter with both hands and his tone immediately became respectful.
“Please wait a moment.”
The other Sacred Race members who had been watching changed expressions. Amid whispers, their gazes held more curiosity.
Moments later, the sound of flapping wings came.
An angel guard riding a white horse descended from the sky, reined in before Lin Shu, and bowed.
“We have verified it.”
“Human miss, please mount the horse. I will personally escort you. You may wait outside the church.”
As soon as the words fell, the surrounding murmurs grew louder.
A Sacred Race member complained bluntly,
“An ordinary human, worthy of such a personal escort?”
“Please be quiet.” The other angel guards immediately maintained order.
Lin Shu looked at the white horse before her, somewhat flattered.
‘This isn’t right.’
She also felt the reception was a bit excessive. Fiona was just the head of a church near the imperial city. Could a letter from her really warrant such high-level treatment from the main cathedral?
Lin Shu remembered that when she mentioned the Creator God during her conversation with Fiona, Fiona had looked surprised.
‘Did Fiona sense something and give prior instructions?’
Moments later, they flew to the top of the church. The white horse descended slowly, and below, a row of nuns bowed in welcome.
The church at the height was vast and empty, surrounded by endless sky, as if standing in a sea of clouds.
Lin Shu followed the angel guard toward the outer area of the hall.
Suddenly, a warmth spread across her chest. Lin Shu froze.
‘It’s the key.’
No matter where she had gone along the way, the key had never reacted. Only this time, it seemed to have awakened.
‘Looks like my direction was right. I should indeed be here.’
“You seem a bit uneasy?” the accompanying angel guard asked softly.
“No.” Lin Shu shook her head. “May I ask, what event is the church holding today?”
“Today, His Holiness the Pope is presiding over a ceremony. So, we must ask you to wait a little. Once the ceremony ends, we will arrange things for you.”
“Alright.” Lin Shu nodded.
‘It’s fine to wait until the event is over and the Sacred Race members inside disperse before entering.’
The angel instructed, “In a moment, we will pass by the main hall entrance. Please be sure to walk softly and not make a sound.”
“I understand.”
She followed the guard through a corridor of white marble and approached near the main hall.
From a distance, she could see several high-ranking Sacred Race members standing at the hall entrance, with sacred halos floating above their heads.
‘The ceremony probably hasn’t officially started yet.’
The moment she neared the outside of the main hall, the key hanging around Lin Shu’s neck suddenly grew hot.
It pulsed like a living thing.
“?!” Lin Shu stopped in her tracks.
At the same time, a cry came from inside the hall.
“The—the holy statue is glowing!!”
Suddenly, a commotion of discussions erupted inside, the people seemingly excited as if witnessing a miracle.
‘Is there something inside resonating with this key?’
Suddenly, a heavy rumbling sound echoed, an immense invisible pressure spread, and the ground shook.
The hall doors burst open instantly, exposing Lin Shu and the angel guard at the entrance.
Lin Shu turned sharply, gazing at the scene deep within the hall.
Her heart leaped.
On the high platform at the deepest part of the hall was carved a massive and intricate golden symbol.
That pattern was identical to the pattern on the key around her neck, and it was now glowing.
Lin Shu finally saw it with her own eyes, in the territory of the Sacred Race.
And beside the high platform, Lin Shu saw the Pope surrounded by angels.
She wore a pure white papal robe, standing in the center, her six wings folded in front, partially covering her face.
She turned her face slightly toward the door, her eyes obscured by an eye-cover made of feathers, making her expression unreadable.
“A human?” An ethereal female voice rang out, as if from the heavens.
The moment the hall doors burst open, facing the massive symbol of the Creator God on the platform, the key on Lin Shu’s chest uncontrollably floated straight up into the air.
The next second, the whole world seemed to freeze.
The entire scene before her seemed to be paused. The angel beside her and all the Sacred Race members inside the hall were frozen in place.
Lin Shu held her breath, moved her fingers, and found she could still move.
But she was the only one who could move in the entire hall.
In the blink of an eye, the Pope flashed before Lin Shu. One of her wings curled around and lifted Lin Shu’s chin.
“So you’re the human Fiona spoke of?”