Saint Selena Cathedral

Saint Selena Cathedral on Red Moon Street was the Tingen City headquarters of the Church of the Evernight Goddess. Together with the Church of the Lord of Storms' River and Sea Cathedral, also in Tingen's North Borough, and the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery's Saint Number Cathedral in the outskirts, it upheld the religious sphere of Tingen City and its surrounding towns and villages.

Quite a few passengers who had gotten off the Public Carriage on Red Moon Street had come to the cathedral to pray.

Drawn by the bells, Angel temporarily forgot the urgency of being on the run. She followed the sidewalk along the street, crossed the central plaza, and arrived before the fan-shaped stairs of Saint Selena Cathedral.

The cathedral was Gothic in style, very similar to the Church of Light cathedrals Angel had seen in her previous life, but entirely black. Buttresses on either side supported the main structure, while the front windows were pieced together from red and blue glass, clustered around the central projection, above which rose a towering bell tower.

The prominent central feature was an arched main entrance, through which many believers were coming and going.

Of the Three Great Churches that dominated Tingen, Angel was most interested in the Church of the Evernight Goddess. It was not because she heard the bells of Saint Selena Cathedral every day, but because Goddess Church believers made the sign of the Crimson Moon over their chests.

It was exactly the same as the holy sign representing the Sun that she had drawn over her chest when she had been a Templar Knight of the Church of Light.

The Church of the Evernight Goddess worshipped the Evernight Goddess and revered black, representing the Crimson Moon. This stood in complete opposition to the Church of Light, which revered the Goddess of Light, the Sun, and pure white.

That was too much of a coincidence.

But considering that this world not only had steam engines and revolvers, but even a year of 365 days, this coincidence no longer seemed so remarkable.

Angel climbed the stairs step by step and arrived before the main entrance of Saint Selena Cathedral. Merely gazing at the solemn cathedral calmed her somewhat restless heart.

She took out a five-pound note, approached the donation box beside the entrance, and dropped it in.

The young pastor on duty seemed unaccustomed to seeing such a generous believer. He hurried over and drew a clockwise Crimson Moon over his chest. "Praise the Goddess. Thank you for your generosity, beautiful lady."

"Praise the Goddess. Compared to this precious tranquility, it is nothing." Angel copied his gesture, drawing a Crimson Moon as she replied.

She had originally intended to take out only a few coins, but for some reason, when she reached into her pocket, she pulled out a large-denomination banknote.

Still, it was what she truly felt. Before the cathedral, she had indeed enjoyed a moment of peace. Thinking that what awaited her might be an endless journey of flight, this present tranquility was truly precious.

"Madam, you seem troubled by something. If you have the time, why not visit the cathedral's Confessional? Perhaps listening to the Goddess's teachings may answer your doubts."

Was her state really that obvious? Angel touched her head in confusion and discovered that her hood had somehow fallen back, exposing the sorrow on her face to this attentive pastor.

As for the confession he mentioned, Angel had originally planned to leave after donating some money, but the pastor's persuasion changed her mind.

I'll consider it a way to earn back those five pounds, she found herself an excuse.

After thanking the pastor, Angel entered the cathedral through the main doors. Surrounded by the tall two-colored glass windows on either side, the vestibule was narrow and dark. The Sun had already set outside, and crimson moonlight streamed through the glass onto the floor, bewitching and profound.

She passed through the cramped vestibule and entered the Prayer Hall. Some time had passed since the Mass ended, and most people had already left. Seven or eight believers sat scattered throughout the hall. Some bowed their heads with their eyes closed in prayer, some stared blankly ahead, and some covered their faces while muttering to themselves.

After passing the neat rows of pews, she arrived at the Confessional on the side of the Prayer Hall just as its door opened from within. A middle-aged man emerged, his expression vacant and his gaze unfocused. He nearly bumped into Angel outside the door. It seemed his previous confession had not resolved the confusion in his heart.

Only after she watched him walk away slowly did Angel enter the narrow Confessional. She closed the door behind her and sat on a wooden high-backed chair.

A candle rested on the rail in front of her. In the dim candlelight, a low male voice came from behind the partition. "My child, what would you like to say?"

Yes, what did she want to say? Angel asked herself.

That she came from another world and had unfortunately possessed the body of a dead woman who had committed every evil and brought about her own downfall?

That after finally resolving her identity problem and preparing to settle down in this world, one letter had frightened her into preparing to flee far away?

After choosing her words carefully, Angel slowly said:

"Faced with evil, I chose to retreat and failed to uphold my principles."

She voiced her confusion vaguely.

Fortunately, the bishop conducting the confession was used to people speaking in riddles. After a moment of silence, he continued asking, "Was this matter beyond your capabilities?"

"Yes. There may have been a slight chance, but I did not think there was much hope."

"Then have you tried seeking help from other powers?"

Was he hinting that she should call the police? Angel paused before answering, "That is precisely what confuses me. I long to defeat it, yet I fear exposing myself and drawing others' attention. Does that go against the Goddess's teachings?"

"Fear is human instinct. Those who overcome instinct are worthy of praise, but those who follow their hearts will not be blamed for it. The Goddess..."

The bishop's voice seemed to grow more and more distant. The last sentence was almost inaudible, and Angel leaned forward toward the partition. "What did you say?"

The candle before her suddenly went out, plunging the Confessional into darkness.

A chill ran down Angel's back. Instinctively, she flung aside her cloak and reached for the holster strapped to her thigh, while recoiling away from the partition in an attempt to put more distance between them.

"The Goddess says that those who bravely move forward in the face of fear shall be rewarded." A different voice, completely unlike that of the bishop conducting the confession, rang out. High and impossible to identify as male or female, it echoed through the cramped Confessional, leaving Angel unable to determine its direction.

"Who is it?" Angel shouted. Her hand had already found the pistol grip, yet she did not dare draw it. The visitor's movements were too strange and their strength too great, leaving her unable to even summon the thought of resistance.

No answer came from the darkness.

Her vision blurred, and light returned to the Confessional. Angel found herself still sitting quietly in the chair, her hands folded on her lap. The bishop's low voice sounded as pleasing as heavenly music. "...will forgive her honest believers."

Apart from the cold sweat on her back, that eerie darkness from moments ago seemed like nothing more than an illusion.

Seeing her frozen in place, the bishop concluded the confession. "Follow your heart. There is no need to feel guilty or uneasy."

I came to confession precisely because my heart is wavering... Angel answered inwardly.

She recalled the day in her previous life when she had been baptized at Saint Charles Cathedral and become a Templar Knight. She had sworn to fight all evil in the world; after passing the trials and joining the Church's armed forces, she had gone from initial confusion to resistance when confronted with the darkness within; when evil invaded the real world, she had stepped forward to fight on the front lines.

She had been in this world for less than two days, yet she had nearly forgotten the convictions she had upheld for decades in her previous life.

Was it the confusion brought by becoming a woman? Her urgency to obtain a legal identity? Or the helplessness of facing a high-ranking Beyonder?

Or was it because, deep down, she believed that she was no longer Angel Gray, the former Templar Knight, but Angel Granger, the Beyonder "Assassin," and thus no longer needed to abide by the convictions she had once held?

"No, I am not running away. This is merely the best choice after weighing everything. The police will soon discover the report letter in the anonymous mailbox, which details Cole Granger's many crimes. Based on these clues and evidence, Cole's actions will eventually lead the police to Madam Sharon behind the scenes. And because Beyonder powers are involved, the police will notify the Church's Beyonder armed forces to handle it. If nothing unexpected happens, Madam Sharon will be arrested within a week."

One voice in her heart argued this way.

"Do you really think so? Then why were you planning to go to Backlund and warn Lily Granger, your nominal cousin, to seek protection from the official Beyonders?"

"You also think there is a high chance Madam Sharon will escape legal punishment, don't you? Her network runs deep throughout Tingen City, and she possesses all sorts of secrets about those politicians and Rich Merchants. As long as she is not caught red-handed, she has countless ways to clear herself. What can the police do to her?"

Another voice mocked.

"I have already done what I could. The police will know that Madam Sharon is a Beyonder, and the Church's armed forces will intervene..."

The arguing voice grew weaker and weaker.

"This is not monotheistic Earth. Tingen alone has three churches checking and balancing each other. There is a considerable chance Madam Sharon will become alert and flee during their initial investigation. She can casually produce a Sequence 7 Potion to recruit subordinates, so there may be an even greater force behind her. Once she escapes, prepare to live the rest of your life in fear!"

The mocking voice pressed harder and harder.

"You know the solution that will settle this once and for all, don't you?"

Yes, she had always known. She had simply been unwilling to face it... Angel suddenly recalled something she had heard in her previous life: "When you cannot make a choice, toss a coin. Before the coin lands, you will know the answer you want."

Then, when she had failed to hear the bishop's final words and asked him to repeat them, she should have understood the choice in her heart... Angel suddenly understood the meaning of those words.

"Thank you, Bishop." Her gratitude was sincere.

"May the Goddess bless you," the bishop behind the partition replied. "Then, this confession is over."

"No, it is not over yet." Having made up her mind, Angel stared intently at the partition, as though she could see the bishop's astonished expression behind it.

"What?" The bishop was also taken aback.

"I need you to tell them—the Nighthawks, or whoever they are, those Beyonders." Ignoring the bishop's surprise, Angel spoke rapidly. "The multiple murders and disappearances in Tingen City are connected to a man named Cole Granger. Higher-level Beyonders are involved behind the scenes. The relevant evidence is in the anonymous mailbox at Police Headquarters. Please have them deal with it as soon as possible."

The bishop behind the partition seemed silent in shock. Angel also said nothing, patiently waiting for a response as the Confessional fell silent.

Just as Angel was about to assume he was secretly calling the police, the bishop's low voice finally said, "They will know."

"Thank you for helping this confused person strengthen her resolve." Angel stood, tapped her right hand against her chest four times to draw a Crimson Moon, then left the Confessional.

That thanks had not been for the bishop.

Most of the believers who had remained in the Prayer Hall outside had already left. In the dim hall, two pastors were arranging the items on the altar. One of them was the young pastor who had advised Angel to come to confession earlier. Seeing her emerge, he nodded to her.

Angel returned the gesture with a nod and turned toward the main entrance she had come through.

On either side of the vestibule, crimson moonlight shone through the glass, somehow making her feel it was a little dazzling. Walking down the broad corridor, bathed in crimson, she finally looked back at the cathedral's interior. The holy emblem of the Evernight Goddess engraved on the Prayer Hall wall seemed to gaze down upon the cathedral, upon her.

A deep, tranquil power permeated the air around her.