Only God
Chapter 401 - 355: Entering the Bone Church (Extra double update)_2

Chapter 401: Chapter 355: Entering the Bone Church (Extra double update)_2

Afterward, Anos glanced at Stephanie.

The latter shrugged helplessly and said,

"Very well, I shall obey the orders of Princess Your Highness."

At this moment, Elena finally breathed a sigh of relief, and she said timidly,

"My mother... returned to her family because of my father’s beatings. Now, it’s just my father and the servants at home... I worry about him, oh merciful Lord, please protect him..."

Anos spoke then, having arranged everything in her mind even before Elena had spoken.

"Elena, though I have deceived everyone in the city, I still maintain contact with my father. You may not believe in my abilities, but please trust your esteemed Emperor."

Even though Anos’s voice was calm, when her words reached Elena’s ears, the heavy stone weighing on the noble girl’s heart fell.

"Thank you, Princess Anos, thank you... Oh, may God bless you! The Lord will surely protect you!"

Elena said as she brought her hands together, excitedly offering blessings to the princess.

Anos lowered her gaze.

May God bless me...

Whatever.

...

...

The bell of the Danschel Grand Cathedral rang time and again.

This most solemn cathedral, at the heart of the Empire’s faith, seemed to be situated on the Danschel Empire’s central axis. Whether it was the Imperial City teeming with Nobles or the serfs on the land, all knew of its existence. As the sun rose, the beam of light that surpassed the cathedral’s silver bell tower was the emblem of the entire Empire.

At the time for evening prayers, Anos and Mira set foot into the Danschel Grand Cathedral.

The cathedral was almost packed with people, devout True Believers circled it over and over. During festival ceremonies, the number of believers would be even more, and the surrounding streets would be jam-packed.

The cathedral was so bustling, only during the busy farming seasons would the number of those coming to pray here lessen.

Though Anos had concealed her whereabouts, as a princess of the Empire’s illustrious nobility, she naturally had ways to enter the interior of the Grand Cathedral. In fact, the Danschel Grand Cathedral had a secret passage reserved for royalty, which allowed them to avoid the crowded throng. Inside the cathedral, there were also specially provided prayer rooms or front row seats for them, conveniences obtained through generations of their forebears’ donations.

Anos and Mira walked through the secret passage, having already disguised themselves, and entered by showing an invitation. The Monk guarding the door thought they were friends of some Noble and did not guess their true identities.

Upon entering the cathedral, Mira was immediately confronted by the grand and solemn atmosphere. Smooth curves were used in all aspects, Doric columns rose from the ground, holding up the majestic roof, and at the deep end of the hall stood the altar used for Mass, and behind the altar were the True Religion’s four Holy Scriptures. The first of these, the "Book of Kings and Prophets," originated from the world’s ancient Logos Kingdom and had been passed down through countless years to this day, and it is destined to be transmitted for countless more years.

"People say this is the place closest to Heaven," Anos said softly.

Mira looked around the magnificent and beautiful cathedral with wide eyes. After a moment, she snapped back to reality and said,

"What did you say... I didn’t hear you clearly."

Anos thought for a moment. Since it wasn’t anything important, she shook her head.

"Never mind, it’s nothing."

Seeing Anos’s response, Mira didn’t press further but asked with some anticipation,

"Anos, will we pray here? Are we going to pray here?"

Her excitement made her ask twice.

The princess shook her head and said,

"Have you forgotten, Mira? We have more important things to do."

Mira smacked her forehead, almost forgetting.

"So... where do we go now?"

Mira whispered.

Voices filled the hall, the Mass had not yet begun, and everyone chattered freely, sharing theological Scriptures, everyday trivialities, and gossip stories... One could say the cathedral was a place of gathering, connecting people with each other, making them closer. Sometimes, conversation before and after a dull Mass could attract more attention than the service itself.

Under this atmosphere, no one noticed the conversation between Anos and Mira.

The princess then pointed Mira in a direction,

"Over the past few days, Stephanie has been desperately searching for clues about the Bone Church, and combining that with the account books of the Stone Mason Guild’s leader, that church is most likely near the side chapel, very far from the main hall’s location."

Mira nodded; in Danschel, she, coming from Heaven, had no connections to speak of and didn’t know where to begin gathering clues. Thus, she listened to a lot of what Anos had to say.

Of course, what was most important was that she was also willing to listen to the Princess.

Therefore, the two women wasted no more time and quickly set off, relying on the clues in Anos’s possession and the Princess’s innate keenness for subtle traces, they soon found a construction site in an inconspicuous corner of a side hall.

After exchanging glances, they directly entered the construction tunnel.

Inside the tunnel, the smell of dust and fumes was everywhere. Anos covered her nose, surveying the scene around her.

The wooden frames supporting the tunnel appeared crookedly in front of them, with cracks stretching along their length and wood peeling off. At first glance, it looked like a falling human face.

The construction site had long been sealed off by the Imperial Church. Soon, a rudimentary wooden door appeared, with a sign hanging from it, which was painted with eye-catching red oil paint—Entry Forbidden.

Anos discarded the sign and smashed open the door lock with the hilt of her sword.

The door lock was made of wood, clearly installed in a hurry.

Stepping into the depths of the tunnel, the smell of dust became stronger and more pungent. Mira frowned and followed closely behind Anos.

"Are we really going to go further?"

Mira hesitated.

Anos nodded and said,

"Please be at ease; I will not become an Alexios VI crushed to death by scaffolding."

Mira was taken aback, then raised her face and smiled,

"I didn’t expect Anos to joke."

Anos softly replied,

"I just do it rarely, but that doesn’t mean I’m no good at it."

Their brief conversation eased some of the tension they felt, and they quickened their pace.

Finally, with a crisp sound of footsteps, they emerged from the tunnel into a wide space.

"I had no idea a space this vast existed beneath the Grand Cathedral."

Anos marveled, taking out a flint, and lighting a prepared torch.

The fire lit up in the blink of an eye. When Mira saw what was before her, her heart began to race and goosebumps rose on her skin.

Anos also stood frozen.

In their field of vision, countless stark white bones were organized in an orderly fashion, standing like gray-white walls around the Bone Church.

Those bones faced towards them, their dark, hollow eye sockets seemingly gazing at the two unwelcome visitors. A mysterious draft wound its way through, making eerie creaking sounds when passing by.

The two women took a deep breath of cold air, almost simultaneously swallowing.

"Stay close to me, Mira."

Anos held the torch up and walked ahead of the girl.

Mira nodded and followed closely behind Anos.

They began to weave through the bones, feeling the underground chill spread across the floor, with the sound of water droplets occasionally reaching their ears.

As the two delved deeper, a thick fog wafted through the depths of the church, further obstructing their vision in the darkness, and like some unknowable magic, it nearly caused Mira to lose Anos’s side several times.

Mira followed Anos, walking non-stop around walls made of human bones, without seeing any end in sight.

It was as if they had walked into a maze with no way out.

Mira nervously rubbed her hands together, following closely the sword-bearing woman in front, and rounded yet another bone wall.

After turning the corner, the thick underground fog thinned out a bit. Mira breathed a sigh of relief and lifted her face to look at Anos ahead.

Then, Mira stopped in her tracks.

She saw... a head of conspicuously different blond hair.

Anos was not a blonde!

The girl’s heart suddenly leapt into her throat.

Mira realized with a jolt that she had been following—not Anos, but a blonde woman of unknown origin!

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