The solemn, majestic tolling of bells echoed through the sanctuary, stirring a deep resonance beneath the steel dome of the God of War Grand Cathedral. Matilda rose from the pew and said to the old pope before her, "The bells have rung. I should return to the Obsidian Palace. If you are still interested in my experiences in Cecil, I can tell you more the next time I visit."
"I look forward to it," Malm Dunite said with a peaceful, kindly smile. That gentle bearing made him seem almost unlike a battle priest who served the God of War and had once charged across battlefields. Only his broad, powerful frame and the hint of sharpness in his eyes silently proved that the old man still possessed strength—and the authority to command the church. "Give Rosetta my regards. He has not visited the God of War Grand Cathedral in a long time."
Matilda lowered her head slightly. "...I will."
No matter how respectfully distant the Augustus Family remained toward the gods and the church, regularly contacting Church Representatives and setting foot in churches were ultimately responsibilities the royal family had to bear. These performances for the nobles and commoners below still had to be put on.
Accompanied by her attendants and guards, Matilda left the magnificent hall.
A long corridor led from the inner sanctuary to the exit.
The War God Cult regarded iron as its sacred metal. Black steel frameworks and classical iron sculptures decorated the corridor leading outside the sanctuary, while countless candles in wall niches illuminated the place. Between pillars and narrow windows, Scripture Cloths depicting all manner of battles or sacred aphorisms hung from the ceiling, adorning the walls on either side.
Matilda walked down the long corridor. The swaying candlelight in the niches flickered uncertainly before