Giving meaning (3)
Until sunset, the group had to sit around the beach and wait.
The handover of the luggage had already ended, and the nuns were sitting together chatting among themselves.
If you look at the beautiful coastline for several hours, your eyes will get used to it and it will become an everyday sight. Anyway, people’s gaze is a treacherous law.
It was around this time that I was chatting with Abbot Austin about life inside the monastery while feeling the sea breeze.
Before we know it, the sun is setting.
The car was riding the horizon beyond the coast, wondering when the sun would come through… When I looked at the sea again, I saw that the water had receded enough that a sandbank had risen.
It’s not spacious, but it’s good enough to cross. Slowly, the nuns sensed that the time had come, and were checking their belongings.
At that time, the door of the magnificent saint’s carriage opened.
The young nuns were startled, so they all stood up, put their hands together and bowed their heads, and the workers also looked up at the carriage with expressions of reverence.
The sight of Clarice coming down the stairs of the carriage in a calm, orderly manner is as if a messenger from God has arrived in Inse.
As if symbolizing neat demeanor, the hem of the pure white saint’s dress gently sways in the sea breeze.
The pure white hair, contrasting red eyes, and bright red butterfly hairpin are just as I imagined.
Telos believers consider it a great honor to even see the Virgin Mary once. Most of them are mixed in with the huge crowd of people, so you can barely make out a small figure in the distance.
Being able to see Saint Clarisse so close and in such a quiet atmosphere is like the blessing of a lifetime.
When Clarice came down to the sandy beach, the bustling atmosphere of the scene completely calmed down.
She came out to the shore escorted by a soldier, smiled slightly and bowed to me.
It was only a simple nod, but the fact that I was greeted as a senior by Saint Clarice was a shock… The atmosphere at the scene froze for an instant. It wasn’t a very pleasant atmosphere for me.
Clarisse gently grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled it up. The nuns who were watching offered to help her by her collar, but she politely declined with a faint smile.
And, leading the escorts… Slowly proceed over the sandbank leading to Cleric’s Monastery.
The sight of Clarice slowly advancing towards a large monastery in the distance, bathed in the light of the setting sun, had a strange aura that made the scene sacred in itself.
However, I couldn’t stay still. The nuns were already gathering their luggage and heading out.
I, who had been sitting quietly on the shore, got up and walked towards the monastery, tying up the hem of my robe.
*
“I heard that nobleman Nauri will check and take care of Clarisse’s meals… Actually, I wonder if such a grand process is necessary. “The meal at our monastery is just grass.”
“Still, I think I will take the lead in the basic verification process and food introduction process.”
“Well, since it is a procedure approved by the saint, what can I, a mere nun, say? She can do whatever she wants and that’s it. “Don’t worry, she will provide everything you need.”
As soon as Clarisse arrived at the monastery, she headed to the prayer room on the top floor of the spire.
It is said that the room where she eats, sleeps and lives is also provided there. She was the one who occupied the top floor of the Ophilis Pavilion, and it seemed to be customary for her saints to give the top floor, which was closest to her god, to her saints. From what I heard, she lived on the top floor of Seonghwangdo Island.
The role assigned to me is to receive reports on all environmental factors that come into contact with her, and to control and manage them to ensure that there are no significant changes.
This is usually done by a high-ranking priest from the Holy Capital, but Saint Clarice seems to have announced in advance that there is no need to send a special appointment to the Archbishop this time.
It seems that the position is more important than I thought, but it felt very strange to have it entrusted to me.
However, considering the importance of the work, the workload did not seem to be as much as expected. In fact, there is no way that environmental changes can easily occur in this monastery, which has nothing special except for its beautiful and majestic exterior.
“I’m sorry that I won’t be able to give you a luxurious room. Well, that’s what monastic life is all about. Abstinence and frugality are basic. “In this Cleric Monastery, even if the royal family comes by, you have to live with only grass stuffed in your mouth.”
“I thought that much was natural.”
“It’s good not to say anything bad, but since it’s better for me to be a duke, I’ll try to keep the quality of my meals as good as possible. Of course, it would be difficult to expect a sumptuous feast.”
“It’s done. Please prepare the same meal as other monks. “It must all be labor.”
“Hoo… ”
The interior of Cleric Monastery is as magnificent as the exterior.
A sight where marble and white brick come together exquisitely. After passing the entrance stairs that continue to extend upward, I saw the magnificent appearance of the central chapel… When it was first built, I was curious as to how so many materials were brought to the island. Well, I guess they used magical means.
If you pass through the door leading to one side of the chapel and walk straight, a small green garden is revealed, with a corridor surrounding the outside. The garden can be seen between the marble pillars stretching along the border, and indeed, the garden was also neatly maintained.
As I walked along the corridor, even the pleasant draft felt like a part of the monastery, and I even thought that it would be okay to come here to clear my mind even if I was not a monk.
Of course, it is not a place where entry is permitted for such personal reasons.
“I’m sure it makes me feel a lot better knowing that this noble person is getting better, which is rare these days.”
“It’s not like you would give me such a generous evaluation. but… ”
Even as I walked along the corridor, I couldn’t help but be aware of the gazes I felt from around me.
Perhaps because I am walking with Abbot Austin, other nuns cannot approach me carelessly.
However, a nun passing by with a basket full of vegetables, a foolish nun playing in one corner of the garden, a child sneaking a glance from behind the marble pillars of the cloister, and passers-by who are bound to pass by as they cross the cloister. until…
From the chapel to the hallways, it was not easy to get used to the eyes staring at me with their pupils shaking wherever I went.
“You’re a stranger. “I have to endure the curious looks.”
“Am I really the only man in this large monastery?”
“why? “I feel like I’m in heaven?”
“… ”
“I guess the joke doesn’t work. Well, I didn’t think you would like this kind of environment, even if you pretended.”
Abbot Austin laughed sharply and turned towards the interior at the end of the corridor. It seemed like they had prepared my room as far back as possible.
“Well, these days, my tendency to become a wealthy man has become much stronger, but… In the really long ago, we would even bring in one or two famous men to show us around… Although it was a long time ago… ”
“If the abbot says it was a long time ago, how long ago was it? ?”
“well. You’ve probably heard the name of the war hero ‘Zelan’, right? He also used to stop by this monastery and donate. Let’s go a little further into the past… “Glockt, the Grand Wizard of the previous generation, was also like that.”
Indeed, like the living fossils of the Telos Church, the names they call themselves are characters that would only appear in books.
Glokt, a disciple of the great sage Sylvania and an archmage who left behind many great achievements.
‘Zelan the Severer’, one of the three scholars who followed Guardian Obel in the suppression of the demi-humans and protected the Cloel imperial family.
This old woman was a person who lived at the same time as those people.
“Well, that’s about all the people I could describe as ‘decent guys.’”
“… ”
“It might not be a very pleasant feeling to hear that this old man is okay. Kahahaha! Oh, you can just follow me this way.”
The sun has already set, so it’s already time to call it night.
The monastery was filled with the atmosphere of people slowly finishing their day’s work and getting ready for bed.
As it is a monastery where the day starts quickly, it also ends at a quick pace.
The room the abbot showed me was simpler than I expected.
One bed, one wooden table, one closet, and one window in a space of about 5 pyeong. That’s all.
The coastal scenery seen from the window could indeed be said to be spectacular, not appropriate for the size of the room… That was it.
Still, it is a much better environment compared to camps where outdoor life was the main focus. Have you ever spent months surviving in the wild, a place that can hardly be called a home? It felt too comfortable for me.
“Then I guess the schedule starts tomorrow. Your noble son will get better. “If you need anything else, let me know.”
After saying that, Abbot Austin stopped to close the door and spoke.
“Ah, I think I already emphasized this once before, but… Good at locking down… ”
There was a mix of sly laughter.
– Boom!
The door closed with a dull sound, leaving me alone in the room. First, there was no light source in the dark room, so I lit a candlestick.
– Shoot, shoot.
The sound of waves gently lapping from outside the window. A sky full of stars.
Every time the candlestick’s flame flutters in the wind, my shadow on the wall of the room also sways.
Indeed, it is a scene like this where you feel like you are alone in the world. There is no better environment to forget worldly affairs and think only about God.
I put down my luggage and sat quietly at the wooden table with my arms crossed. As the living environment suddenly changes, it seems that the body also needs an adjustment period.
No, it’s too early to go to bed in the first place. It would be early evening when I was camping, but this monastery is strange because everyone is already getting ready for bed.
“Hmm… ”
If you want to go to the top of the spire where Saint Clarisse is located with breakfast tomorrow, it would be a good idea to go to bed early.
While I am at the monastery, I plan to take care of the saint’s environment and provide various services so that she can blend in well with the monastery. Because there’s nothing good about standing out.
The prayer meeting attended by VIPs is in 5 days. Until then, I plan to blend in perfectly with the monastery so that I don’t feel at all uncomfortable about attending prayer meetings.
However, I was a little concerned about Abbot Austin’s request.
– ‘I don’t want to disturb the human side of children by discussing faith.’
– ‘In short, I’m asking you to stay as a prince if possible.’
I understand its noble meaning, but it is difficult to act as it says.
In fact, it’s just a line that allows you to blend in naturally with the monastery. There’s absolutely no reason to increase or complicate human relationships more than necessary.
So, to some extent, I was considering the idea of hitting a wall. He is not even a good enough human being to be a prince on a white horse in the first place. He doesn’t even have the heart to put in that much effort.
Could it be that I have a duty to be the prince in a fairy tale so as not to break their dreams?
It’s too much to ask… This was the only one that was embarrassing.
Let’s just do the basics, just the basics. I have a bit of a thief-like mindset, but who would criticize me?
*They say a prince lives in the guest room on the 4th floor of Cledric Monastery.
There was a rumor going around that if he had heard of it, his hands and feet would have shriveled and the color would have gone from his face. It had been three days since Ed Rosstaylor visited the Cleric Monastery.
In fact, there hasn’t been much that Ed Rosstaylor has done so far.
During meals, he enters the saint’s room to check on her condition and have personal conversations.
And all they did was lend a hand when tending the garden within the monastery, share the meals eaten by commoners in the main hall, and then work together on various odd jobs.
He would plow and harvest fields, clean the interior of the monastery, or repair broken facilities here and there using carpentry skills.
In particular, he was strangely active in helping with repairing clothes. The nun in charge of repairs, who had just become an adult, would frequent the repair room so often that she could not sleep at night and thought about random things.
As for me, I thought that this was something I was indebted to and that I should do it, but the nuns’ position was completely different.
Every year, whenever a grand prayer meeting is held, the noble ladies who come are all arrogant, and they often say things they don’t like about just the meal menu.
So, there were quite a few girls in the monastery who, knowingly or unknowingly, harbored animosity towards nobles, but Ed Rosstaylor was quite gentle compared to those people.
Although he doesn’t smile brightly, he chicly helps with the work as if it’s no big deal and then leaves, which is completely different from the arrogant image that comes to mind when you think of aristocrats. It may be a natural conclusion that it makes many girls swallow their saliva.
On the first day, I woke up in the morning, put on a leather shirt and a wizard’s robe, prepared a meal for the saint, and prayed in the chapel.
As soon as Ed Rosstaylor finished praying, he went up to the garden and tended the field with the abbot… He repaired broken benches and plows with a few hammer blows.
He then went around the monastery to check and repair all loose hooks or misaligned hinges on the doors, and also fixed all misaligned window frames. It was a considerable amount of work, but it was all completed in the morning, which was amazing.
Seeing a high-ranking nobleman, especially a nobleman from Rosstaylor, sweating profusely while holding a hammer and nails with his sleeves rolled up… It is said that all the nuns had dumbfounded expressions.
Eventually, when we started repairing defects in the furniture in the nuns’ private rooms, the nuns made a fuss by requesting that even the smallest details in their rooms be repaired. In fact, it was a self-interested request for Ed Rosstaylor to come into my room.
Since the amount of work could not be completed in one day, Ed Rothtaylor told the abbot that he would proceed slowly. The expression on Abbot Austin’s face as he laughed and laughed was meaningful.
In fact, until Day 1, Ed Rosstaylor was considered ‘just a nobleman with a good personality’.
On the second day, simple spirit magic was demonstrated to several nuns who were interested in magic.
As the magnificently sized fire bat was moved back and forth across the garden, the nuns all held their hands in amazement.
For nuns who never leave the monastery in the outskirts in the first place, being the top student at a prestigious academy called Sylvania is naturally an object of admiration.
In particular, nuns who were interested in magic and magic would follow him around with sparkling eyes and ask for advice or training methods on magic reception. Each time, Ed Rosstaylor answered with sincerity and gave a positive answer, telling me that everything would work out if I worked harder.
Because of his status as a nobleman, the fact that he was a skilled person in the field of magic and elemental arts was not revealed.
Due to his unique character as a woodworking nobleman, he had a strong image of a worker, but he is the undisputed head of the Sylvanian Ministry of Magic. It would be foolish to be so preoccupied with his physical beauty that you fail to evaluate his intelligence.
Add to that the mysterious image of directly assisting the saint, and you’ve already gone as far as you can.
In fact, from this point on, the evaluation of Ed Rothtaylor was moving beyond being a handsome nobleman to being called a ‘prince.’ It is said that he is like a prince from a fairy tale, equipped with intelligence, virtue, and physicality.
A wonderful prince. I’m sure I’ll be riding a white horse. You are currently in a monastery, but when you return to your home, you will live in a magnificent palace with many subjects.
Yet, his character is upright and he listens to everyone. You know how to use a sword, you’re good at shooting a bow, and you never stop training your magic. Really, where did a prince like that appear?
Could it be that only such a perfect person can stand at the top of the nobility? Wouldn’t it be okay to just hug my body just once? You should be able to lift it lightly. If you hold me like a princess, it will feel like I’m flying in the sky.
It’s a compliment that takes your breath away when you hear it and you can’t lift your face.
Is there anyone in the world who would hate being highly evaluated, but too much of it can be toxic?
In fact, if you are in a position to live on the side, it is natural to provide this level of labor and be treated with courtesy. At least that was the case in Ed Rothtaylor’s thinking.
However, there is one variable that he failed to catch. A collection of girlish delusions that come together and begin to swell… In the end, it ends up running away without direction.
Naturally, we idolize someone, erasing all unnecessary shortcomings from our memories, and elevating humans to some kind of mythical being that doesn’t go to the bathroom or get dirty eyes.
‘It is said that Master Ed can use magic strong enough to destroy the outer walls of a monastery with a single wave of his hand.’
‘It is said that Master Ed is so skilled in elemental arts that he can handle all the highest-ranking spirits.’
‘The arrow that Master Ed shoots can split the sea with just one shot!!!!!!!’
‘Does that make sense??’
‘ah… Isn’t it possible… ?’
‘Oh, no, Master Ed might be able to do it, right?’
‘It’s possible! ‘It’s absolutely possible!’
‘that… is it… ?’
It would be fortunate if it ended there.
‘Once you hear Master Ed’s voice, your brain will stop and your eyes won’t move as you want, so be careful!!’
‘I know that?! Master Ed once killed a bear with just his eyes!!!!!’
‘According to the rumors I heard, you know how to ride a horse while standing?!!!!’
‘They say that if you look at water and say, “Freeze,” the water turns into ice!!!!!’
‘They say you can read all the books in the library in one night if you put your mind to it!!!!’
‘There is a rumor going around that it is not Sylvania that is teaching Master Ed, but Master Ed that is teaching Sylvania Academy!!!!’
‘also!!! I see!!!!’
“… ”
It was on the morning of the third day that all these rumors reached Ed’s ears.
Abbot Austin was on the verge of bursting into laughter when he encountered Ed coming out of the saint’s room.
“Good morning. “He can kill a bear with just his eyes, can perform acrobatics while standing and riding a horse, can command water to freeze, can read the entire library in one night, and will be better than Ed, the teacher of Sylvania Academy.”
“… … ”
“You look embarrassed. Aren’t you used to the wild imaginations of nuns who don’t know anything about the world? I’m starting to wonder how far we’ll go when the VIP prayer meeting ends. “Isn’t it like rubbing it with Lord Telos?”
In a place where faith in Telos is discussed, what can we do by giving birth to a new faith?
Ed Rosstaylor was looking at Abbot Austin with his eyes wide open.
“Well, it’s a rumor that seems to have been popular for a while, so don’t pay too much attention to it. I also caution people to do things in moderation, but… A teenage girl’s imagination tends to run more wild if it is controlled… “Just take it in stride.”
“Is it always like this at the monastery?”
“Of course, the tension is lower than this. Isn’t this a place to discuss faith? I couldn’t be more excited because of you. but… okay… “It is the same as before and now that incidents and accidents continue.”
Abbot Austin, who accepted Ed’s coat, burst into laughter.
“I’m hearing another strange rumor among the nuns these days. “The monastery is haunted or something.”
“… “A ghost?”
“Last night, they heard a thumping sound coming from between the outer walls, or a sound like people walking on the ceiling. Not only that, some of the food ingredients from the monastery kitchen were missing, and there were also testimonies that they saw a strange shadow in the hallway at dawn… “There were a lot of children crying at night because they couldn’t sleep alone.”
Ed also heard some rumors about him. It is said that at night, the shadow of a small person appears at the window.
“It’s not good for such rumors of ghosts to spread in the monastery that serves Telos. “This is a prayer meeting where VIPs will be arriving soon, and this chaotic atmosphere is not good.”
“okay… “You must have a lot on your mind.”
“But thanks to you, the atmosphere isn’t so gloomy, so it’s a good thing. It must be tiring to play knight among the nuns, but I ask for a few more days. “When I leave, I’ll give you at least a small gift.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter to me… recent… The nuns’ eyes started to look a little dangerous when they looked at me… ”
“It is up to you to protect your chastity. “Let’s go shout ‘fighting’ and let’s go.”
When I gave him a faint look, Abbot Austin was giggling, as if he was happy.
“right. You should have told me that. “Look at my mind.”
Abbot Austin, as if he remembered it too late, delivered quite important news.
“They say the Princess of Persica is arriving at the monastery today.”
*Until the tide comes, no matter how royal you are, you have to wait on the beach while looking at the monastery.
It is an act that is given the meaning of purifying one’s mind and preparing to enter the sanctuary.
Princess Persica is the type of person who doesn’t care about such trivial meanings. She just waits in front of him and she is free.
She was sitting quietly in the large royal carriage and talking about the current situation accompanied by her aides… She had already heard some news about the interior of the monastery.
“That Ed Rosstaylor is here. “The man who is deeply involved in the Rosstaylor family tragedy and is said to be assisting the Fenian forces most strongly.”
“yes. It is said that he came to the throne of Saint Clarice, but it is not yet clear how he came to be like that.”
“Well, it’s something you just have to see and judge for yourself… Still, there is too little prior information about that man.”
Persica is a cautious person in everything.
Selaha and Fenia. Since he is the man that all the other Hwanggwon runners are conscious of with double wicks in their eyes, he at least thinks that there is something there.
The reason why Princess Persica came to this monastery, even while strongly expressing her will to Emperor Cloel, was to exploit the weaknesses of Abbot Austin, an elder of the Telos Church. I have prepared all the ingredients as well.
At this exquisite time, a man named Ed Rosstaylor arrived at the monastery in Miri. Is this really a coincidence?
Princess Persica only has extremely limited information about the man.
Information that can be obtained by using the princess’s authority. It’s all about the man’s past history, origin, and location in Sylvania.
Even when there was a war of nerves surrounding Elte Trading Company, all we could conclude was that his judgment was extraordinary. In the end, detailed information about humans themselves can only be judged by meeting them in person.
However, it is not good to meet without any preparation. Since it was a highly important opponent, we had to approach it cautiously.
“Tune.”
“Yes, Princess Persica.”
“It looks like the man has already been living at the monastery for a few days. That would mean that he had no choice but to join forces with the people inside him to some extent.”
Persica smiled seductively, looked around at her entourage in the carriage, and spoke.
“He might have been able to keep quiet about the scholars and family members as he wished, but the monastery is completely inaccessible to him. “It’s an environment where there are very few people who act according to their will.”
“Of course.”
“If it is located within a monastery, collect all information about it. There will be a ton of information coming out that couldn’t be found just by researching the bachelor’s degree or family history. At the very least, we should make it impossible for it to escape from this grasp.”
Princess Persica spread her hands wide and then clasped them tightly.
“As he is a key figure in the Fenia faction, it would be good to take this opportunity to capture him properly. Either through appeasement or coercion. “Let’s not choose any means or methods.”
“yes… All right… ”
There is still some time left until low tide.
As Princess Persica organized her thoughts, she quietly gazed at the magnificently large Clederic Monastery.
Seonghwangdo, the headquarters of the Telos Church. It would be meaningless to say that it is the next largest scale.
It was truly a magnificent sight.
