Chapter 291: Maximum Pontification (1/2)
The Pontifex's office was a surprisingly modest affair, with spartan furniture and a complete absence of decor. The exception bieng an elaborate sunburst set in the wall behind the simple desk that dominated one section of the small chamber.
In fact, Mike was fairly certain he'd already been here, but didn't think it was important at the time. Who could blame him, though? There were dozens of rooms in this building that had virtually the same layout.
With a shrug, he slipped into the office while using a combination of his stealth skill and Dark Magic to eliminate his presence. He even made sure to hide behind a simple wooden chair set in one corner, just to be on the safe side. After all, he had no way of knowing just how effective his skills would be on someone like the head of a religious order. Once there, he settled in to wait.
”Delivery, Your Holiness.” The first of the two acolytes announced.
The Pontifex, who was kneeling in front of a small altar in another corner of the room, raised a hand and murmured. ”Please wait until after I've finished the Benedictions of Flame. It is disheartening to see the youthful members of our order so flagrantly disobeying one of our most basic tenets. What reason do you have for doing so?”
She was an older woman, looking to be in her mid to late fifties, steel-grey hair pulled back into a bun. Her thin frame was clothed in a simple white robe that gave no indication of her rank or authority. Indeed, the only embellishment anywhere on her outfit was a plain brass necklace that carried a pendant in the shape of a solar disk.
”Oh! Ah, my apologies, Your Holiness.” The acolyte replied while bowing low, he whispered to his fellow, loud enough for Mike to hear. ”Crap, I totally forgot it was that time of day.”
”Idiot! Give some kind of excuse! Like we were pulled away on a critical assignment and couldn't take the time to pray. I really don't want to spend another week in the isolation cells.”
”What should I say?”
”Anything!”
”Uhm...well...the thing is, Your Holiness...we weren't able to pray today for a simple reason…”
The Pontifex stood and faced them, one eyebrow cocked in a skeptical manner. ”Oh?”
”Yes, umm...we had...to...to respond to the call of nature!”
The other acolyte facepalmed.
”Are you suggesting that both of you were...indisposed for the duration of prayers, but somehow still had enough time and energy to carry this crate of ritual offerings from the Dispensary, all the way to my office immediately after they were done? I admit that I take a bit longer than most, since I recite the full passage rather than the abbreviated one, but I find that hard to believe.”
”Uhh...yes...I suppose so.”
The Pontifex frowned, until the second man took over. ”You see, Your Holiness, we've actually started praying a little before midday, since our duties as dispensers mean we often have to deliver materials during the traditional prayer times. Ordinarily, we would have been able to complete the Benedictions of Flame and still make our delivery with room to spare, however, things were different today.”
”Oh?” That cocked eyebrow was back.
”Yes, were you aware that the dining hall served Thurvanian omelettes this morning? No? Well, they did, Your Holiness. Unfortunately, it seems that my colleague and I got a bad batch. To make a long story short, we were forced to spend much of the rest of the morning responding to the call of nature, as he put it.”
The Pontifex sighed. ”Know this, a true member of the faithful would be willing to complete their prayers, regardless of the circumstances they find themselves in. That being said, the failings of our bodies are numerous, and not everyone has the will to overcome them, so I will forgive you your failings this time.”
The two acolytes breathed a sigh of relief.
”However,” the woman continued. ”Praying outside of the established times is a privilege of full clergy members. It is not something that you in your novitiate position can do without permission? Did anyone give you that permission?”
”Ah...no, Your Holiness.” The second acolyte murmured. ”We weren't aware there was a restriction on that.”
”Ignorance is no excuse, but you are still young, and there is much for you to learn. Perhaps a week performing penitence in the kitchens will teach you the importance of timing and proper procedure. Report to Jorn and tell him that I've sent you.”
”As you will, Your Holiness.” The pair intoned in harmony, before straightening and heading to the door.
Once they'd left the room, they began to whisper to each other once more.
”Call of nature? Really?”
”Hey, it worked, didn't it? And we got out of going to the isolation cells.”
”By going to the kitchens instead. Well, whatever. At least we'll eat well for the next week.”
Mike suppressed a chuckle. [It's good to see that even the church has people like that.]
While waiting for them to finish leaving, he took a moment to use Appraise on the Pontifex, in preparation for the conversation to follow.
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Alaine Valakut
Age: 54
Race: Human