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The cathedral's interior was utterly dark, without a trace of light. As Edward pushed the door open and entered, his eyes immediately switched to night vision to adapt to the surroundings, allowing him to see inside without expending any spirituality.
Ahead stood rows of old wooden seats and a statue whose face was indistinct in the darkness. The cathedral's furnishings were simple, with only two columns of eight rows of seats, presumably just enough for the townspeople.
Then he raised his head and saw figures hanging in the air as far as his eyes could reach.
They were all human.
Some wore classical black robes, some brown jackets, some dresses held out in full skirts, and some tattered clothing like beggars.
Some had rugged faces, some deeply defined, handsome, masculine features, some delicate and beautiful features, and some were young, innocent, and adorable. They had nothing in common.
No, they did share something. Like strips of bacon being air-dried, they hung from above, heads drooping and eyes rolled back, swaying.
The girl whom his blood had corrupted into a dependent was not among them. Quite a few had also been damaged during the small melee earlier. It seemed all the town's residents were here.
Looking at the rows of marionettes, Edward inexplicably recalled the sausages he had stuffed back in Intis, then Amon's remark that "many light cocoons hang above Sefirah Castle." For a moment, he could not tell whether this was Antigonus's personal style or the influence of the top of the pathway.
Whooo!
A cold, sinister wind swept through the cathedral. The figures-the corpses-suspended in midair turned in unison to face Edward.
Their collars seemed attached to ropes. Their heads remained lowered, but their expressions held a faint anger, as though the puppeteer behind them was subtly