I couldn't show any signs of confusion, so I forced a smile and entered the church. The floor was covered in smooth, polished stone, and the high ceiling made the sound echo elegantly.
Oddly enough, there was a fountain in what looked like the church's plaza, and people were waiting in front of it. When they held something out, the priests would scoop up some water and sprinkle it on them, muttering something under their breath. Is that the blessing?
"Go on."
"Mm."
Leonardo went to get the sword blessed, and Vittorio followed him.
As for me? Well, I had my own tasks.
I broke away from the group and approached one of the priests.
"I've not been very devout until now, but while running the inn, I started to wonder what I should do with the money I've earned. Suddenly, it came to me—helping poor children and dedicating it to the Lord."
"That's truly a wonderful thought. Our church has been established for…"
I gave a convenient excuse about making a donation, and the priest, who had been sweeping, immediately took on the role of guiding us through the church. At this point, I decided to ask about something that had been on my mind since earlier.
"Excuse me, if it's not too forward, may I ask what exactly made us look like a family to you? I'm just curious."
And is it really no big deal, especially between people of the same gender? This is a fantasy world, sure, but isn't it still rooted in a medieval-like setting?
The priest chuckled warmly and apologized.
"Oh, I apologize for my earlier assumption. These days, many churches accept all forms of family. In the monasteries, they still lean more conservative, but here, we prioritize the restoration of the community over holding strictly to tradition."
Based on what the priest explained, I pieced together the information:
During the calamity ten years ago, many people had died, and in the midst of the disaster, people found themselves isolated and alone. It was during these trying times that various forms of love and bonds began to emerge. In addition, many children who had lost their parents became common, leading to communities where unrelated adults took on the role of guardians for pre-school-aged children, forming unique communal bonds.
As a result, instead of the traditional family structure, alternative forms of communal living developed, and norms around marriage and family loosened. The church, in turn, adapted to the current trends.
In other words, the priest had misunderstood Leonardo and me as a couple who had adopted young Vittorio.
Hearing this, what I thought was…
Does the world have to completely fall apart for same-sex marriage to be legalized? That's pretty intense.
They say that even a river can change in ten years, but this is an incredibly fast shift. There were parts that felt a bit subtle, but it wasn't entirely incomprehensible.
Homosexuality was common from ancient times through the medieval period, after all. In fact, it might be modern sensibilities that are more restricted. Now, I could guess why the church's main door had been so wide open. It really was an 'open' church.
Next time, I'd better not act so clueless. With that bit of worldly knowledge now in my head, I followed the priest.
He was explaining who had donated for the church doors, who had donated for the bell, and so on. I half-listened to his busy explanations while occasionally catching bits of information about passing priests.
[Viewing information.]
Rank – Extra (Scenario weight 0.03%)
Role – Third Lay Priest of the Church
Script – [Prays daily.] [Cleans the church's east wing.]
Dialogue – None
When Leonardo mentioned the underground sanctuary last time, he said it was a "forbidden area." If it's just a place that was taboo in name only, someone like Lord Lopez or his backers would have already secretly sent people to ransack it. It must be guarded by something or someone.
I figured there might be a custodian or someone who handles the cleaning, so I scanned everyone I passed. Most of them were extras.
"What's kept in the library are rare books and documents…"
The words spoken by the priest, while giving the tour, stuck out to me. It was exactly the information I needed.
"Would it be possible to take a look around the library? I've always had a deep interest in learning, but haven't had many opportunities to engage with it. I'd like to catch a glimpse of the grandeur of the library, tended to by the ancients. Even though I've become a merchant, reading and writing still pass the time for me."
"Of course, feel free to take a look."
The priest readily agreed. It seemed my donation was paying off. I had told Leonardo and Vittorio that it might take me a while before we could meet again, so I headed confidently toward the library.
The solemn, quiet atmosphere of the space was almost sacred. A large oval-shaped floor, monks sitting at desks copying sacred texts, and towering bookshelves filled with heavy books surrounded the room. As I had entered to gather information, I couldn't help but revise my thoughts.
This was just a copyist's hell.
I had come to the wrong place. I had expected to find some kind of document-like information, similar to the manuscript I had seen in the underground waterways. Still, I had said I wanted to visit, so I pretended to be interested and looked around with a curious expression.
Everywhere I looked, it was theology, theology, and more theology. And monks hunched over, scribbling away with their necks craned and eyes wide open in concentration.
I want to leave.
"This is quite an impressive place."
I chuckled, and the priest nodded proudly with a pleased smile. Here, they had painstakingly copied texts letter by letter by hand. Sometimes they even lent these handwritten scriptures to small churches in the countryside. It was like a printing press running on human labour.
"Everyone is dedicated to spreading the faith far and wide."
And then, with a soft expression, the priest looked over my shoulder and greeted someone.
"Oh, Sir Orlie? It's rare to see you here."
I turned slightly to see who he was talking to. I had heard the name before. While he didn't have any lines in 'Scenario Note #001,' he was one of the three characters with a spotlight on them.
Good. Back in the square, I hadn't had the insight of the innkeeper, so I couldn't access information. But now, with the chance to see the supporting character with a name, it was an opportunity I couldn't miss.
I turned my head, and there he was: a paladin clad in silver-white armour, standing silently with a serious expression. The colourful light filtered through the stained glass and cast various shadows on his face. Suddenly, he turned his head toward me.
Our eyes met.
[Accessing information on the specified entity.][The specified entity's rank is higher than that of the caster, so most of the information is excluded from view.][Viewing information.]
Rank – Supporting Character (Scenario weight ■■.■%)
Role – Sir Orlie
Script – [In the underground sanctuary, ■■■'s knight. Also trained ■■■ in swordsmanship.], [Ten years ago, ■■■ and ■■■ worked together, resulting in ■■■'s death.], [■■■——...]
Dialogue – None
"Are you a patron?"
Clink. The joints of the silver-white armour clinked softly, making a faint noise. I felt my body stiffen as my gaze slowly rose.
The paladin's expressionless face seemed even more imposing up close. His shadowy, ink-wash-like face bore down on me, heightening my sense of caution.
"Yes. A kind-hearted person."
"Is that so… Patron, the Archbishop has just finished his morning prayer. How about having a word with him? The Archbishop is known to welcome and converse with the faithful."
"That's great!"
I responded with a smile, but as I stood beside the priest, I tried to suppress the stiffening expression on my face and asked with just a hint of trembling in my voice.
"The Archbishop, you mean—"
"His Eminence, Archbishop Butier."
"Ah."
I didn't know what it was, but I felt like I had messed up. My gaze wandered aimlessly through the air.
What just happened? I was sure the information window said Sir Orlie was dead.
Although the predicate was missing, it seemed like the only plausible interpretation was that he died ten years ago. There was no way it could mean anything else. I felt my temples twitch. My heart started to pound wildly in my chest.
[They're mimicking us. It's true. I saw it. In my house, they were mimicking me. They were wandering around the kitchen at the same time I always drink my tea. It was terrifying.]
Why is it that the image of the waterway in the underground passage comes to mind at this moment? They said it mimicked human beings.
Then, could it be that Orlie, already…
"Let's go."
Orlie—no, something wearing Orlie's shell—said calmly. Then it moved to the side and began walking as if assisting.
It was strange. Normally, when someone guides you along a path, they walk ahead, leading the way, but this person stayed closely beside me, almost as if watching over me.
While trying to hide my anxiety, I couldn't help but notice their profile. It felt like I was being observed.
An arched roof stretched long ahead, leading to an outer corridor of the church. As Orlie walked out, he casually asked in a detached voice:
"Are you sleeping well at night?"
"…What?"
"On the first night, you couldn't fall asleep, could you? Even after that, it was quite difficult."
In that moment, a chilling shiver ran down my spine. Since coming to this world, it was true that I had been unable to sleep, my eyes hollowed from exhaustion. But how could this person know that?
Instinctively, I clenched my hand. Orlie showed no concern, even when there was no answer.
"I'm sorry. Me and her too."
"What do you mean?"
"But I'm glad you've come to fulfill the contract."
After a moment, Orlie turned his head and spoke. His pitch-black eyes stared at me, unwavering.
"Have you forgotten? You came to help us, didn't you?"
Did I?