81 The Truth (1/2)

Reed wanted to run. The destination did not matter — he just wanted to be as far away from where he was right now.

They kept coming out until the Sacred Cathedral's entrance had been filled to the brim. There were more than a hundred of them, give or take, but it felt like they were more than that. The sight of them all together was awe-inspiring and terrifying to behold.

Each one was capable of causing an unspeakable amount of destruction and possessed thousands of years of experience in the art of war.

They, together, were metaphorical sleeping dragon that the Four Empires feared to disturb.

Friendly. Positive. Neutral. Play it cool, Reed. You got this…

”Hiya, fellas… How are you all doing today?” said Reed as he stepped out of the hovercraft. A small mountain of flowers spilled out of his seat when Reed walked out, something that he had not accounted for when he got out.

The flowers spilled out and littered the steps of the Sacred Cathedral like a colorful torrent of puke. Reed cursed himself and said, ”Oh, sorry about that the mess. Let me clean this up…” He hurriedly turned around and started lifting the flowery garbage he'd dumped with Anima and then pushed it all back into the car.

It was then that the old clerics noticed what he had been wearing and immediately fell to their knees when they caught sight of it. The entire congregation suddenly started praying in silence like madmen — some even started crying in tears as they clasped their hands together in prayer.

”…There…we…go! Phew… Sorry about the mess, really…” said Reed. ”Talk about a warm reception am I rig...ht?”

Oh, my god… Shiiit! It's been, like, TEN fucking seconds!! Please, no…

Reed's looked dead inside as he gazed at the sobbing clergy. He turned toward Lu'um and then said, ”Why does it always turn out like this? Even when I try my hardest, it always ends up… like this.”

Lu'um looked at Reed with a resigned expression and said, ”I don't know what to tell you… It's become a universal law now, I suppose. Reed's law…”

”That's not funny.”

”I thought it was a bit funny,” said Lacrima.

Reed ignored the peanut gallery and then said, ”Come on, everyone… Let's stop with the waterworks — it's depressing to look at and uncalled for.” He walked over to the closest elder and started raising them off the ground, one by one in an attempt to end their hysterical nonsense.

I'll be damned if someone sees this… They'll say that I abused the elderly! I need to fix this NOW! Before things get even worse!

”Come on gramps, get up. Look, it's fine! You don't have to pray, okay?!”

”You too, grandma! Kneeling is bad for your joints, you hear me?! Come on, upsy-daisy…”

”Enough with the praying, guys! No more praying! Ah! I saw that! Don't start kneeling again, gramps! Don't make me come over there, you hear me!”

Before he even knew it, his objective had completely changed. He had gone from the boy scout to the grandparent whisperer and had become a priest wrangler of sorts in a matter of minutes.

It was a fascinating spectacle to behold as Reed sped around the Sacred Cathedral's entrance like a shepherd dog. His hell-bent corralling had completely enraptured Lu'um and Poe in a state of amazement as they mutely observed Reed work his magic.

”Alright, no more praying, okay? Come on, everyone, let's go inside! Nice, straight rows — let's not crowd the entrance!”

And just like that, the boy and his elderly flock had left into the Sacred Cathedral...

Lu'um and Poe dumbly stared at the Sacred Cathedral and felt as if they had witnessed a miracle unfold before their eyes.

”D-Did… that just really happen? U-Um, is Prince Leon always like tha—”

Lu'um sighed and said, ”He's always like that. Always.” Then she hopped out of the hovercraft and started walking towards the entrance in pursuit of her no-good rancher. The last thing she needed was for him to suddenly disappear here or get into further trouble…

Poe quickly clambered out of the hovercraft and yelled out, ”W-Wait for me, Lady Maya!” He had initially thought that he had been given an easy, but important job to perform but now he just wanted to go home.

The interior of the Sacred Cathedral was a magnificent sight to behold. It was elegant in design at its core. Stained glass portraits of various saints lined the walls and paintings that depicted famous historical scenes were hung on beautiful frames made of gold.

But they were not what caught one's eye when you entered the cathedral. No, what drew your attention stood front and center at the end of the cathedral, right behind the pastor's stand…

There she was, all alone.

It was a beautiful rendition of Her, probably made by a true genius, an artist of sublime skill.

Although a shroud covered her face, it felt as if you could tell what her expression was behind the veil. Her lonesome, distant figure evoked a sense of loss that made one feel her sorrow.

Despite that though, it seemed like nothing more than a momentary pain for her. In spite of everything, she cared not — for her attention had been captured by something else…