After hearing Fanny's words, Abner was left speechless. He had never imagined that this could damage his "reputation" too...
But compared to the normal sort of "reputation" in Loen, this kind of "reputation" clearly mattered more to him... So he readily gave up on immediately returning to the ballroom and stayed with Fanny for a while longer in this secluded corner of the garden.
About half an hour later, he finally returned to the main ballroom arm in arm with Fanny... But just as they reached the entrance, they suddenly saw a man and a woman emerge, also linked arm in arm.
The woman appeared to be in her thirties. She had lovely features and a voluptuous figure, and wore a relatively conservative green formal gown that exposed only her shoulders. Around her fair neck hung a necklace decorated with various gears.
"Bishop Trez." Fanny lifted her skirt and curtsied upon seeing her.
Having decided to enter politics, she had memorized the appearances of many important figures in Trier over the past week, and Bishop Trez was one of them.
After greeting her, Fanny exchanged a few pleasantries with the other woman. Seeing that the bishop and her male companion seemed eager to leave, she tactfully ended the conversation and stepped aside.
Only after the two entered the garden did Fanny quietly introduce her to Abner. "That lady is Mary Trez, a bishop of the Church of Steam...
"Although this bishop is only Mid-Sequence, she enjoys an excellent reputation among the public. She is deeply loved and highly influential, making her an extremely important ally of the Sari family."
Bishop Trez... I remembered that when I investigated Mr. Wolfe's situation at the prison, someone from the Machinery Hivemind mentioned her name and said that she was very kind...
Though he