The Holy City, Chenxi Hall.
The towering do was painted with stars and Holy Emblems. Multicolored stained-glass windows filtered the morning light into a dappled tapestry of color, spilling across the mirror-smooth white marble floor.
The air was thick with the scent of incense and wax.
In the depths of the hall, beneath a massive Crescent Embracing Stars Holy Emblem, three elderly n sat upon high-backed chairs inlaid with ivory and Moonlight Stone. They were dressed in Bright Red Cardinal’s Robes.
Their expressions were varied—one severe, one indifferent, one compassionate—but their gazes felt tangible as they swept over the seven girls standing silently below.
Today was the final, most crucial round of the Saint selection.
To face an interrogation of faith from the College of Cardinals and attempt to gain the recognition of the Morning Star Bell.
The seven girls, all between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, were dressed in identical, simple white gowns.
The gowns were made of common fine linen, cut in a loose and simple style, gathered only at the high waist by a thin, matching white linen cord.
They stood barefoot on the cold flagstones, their only adornnt a small wooden Holy Emblem hanging from a cord around their necks.
The girl on the far left was taller than the others, her skin the sun-kissed tan of one who spent much ti outdoors. She had a high-bridged nose, deep-set eyes, and a cascade of thick, dark brown curls that fell to her shoulders. Her gaze was bright and direct.
She was Adela von Hohenlohe, the youngest daughter of a powerful Marquis from the Rotalia Empire.
The girl beside her was a complete contrast. She was so slender as to be almost frail, with skin so pale it was nearly translucent. Her straight, light-gold hair was like flowing moonlight, her grey-blue eyes were ethereal, and she was enveloped in an otherworldly tranquility.
She was Rosalyn Novik, from an ancient and reclusive Monk Clan renowned for its asceticism and faith.
The third girl had a gentle face. Her chestnut hair was plaited into a simple braid that hung over her chest, and the way she clasped her hands revealed a good upbringing.
She was Amilia Dela Moer, from an old noble family in the Castile Kingdom that had suffered heavy losses in the Deep Red Tide and was desperate for the Church Court’s aid.
The fourth girl, Lianna Visconti, ca from the Jade Coast City State. Her family was one of the most influential trading houses on the Jade Coast, with intricate financial ties to the Church Court.
The fifth girl was Safira Al-Rashid, from the Desert Nations Alliance. Her tribe held a respected position within the Alliance.
The sixth girl was the youngest, her cheeks still holding a touch of baby fat. She had slightly curly, light-brown hair, and her green eyes were filled with curiosity and a barely perceptible nervousness.
She was Matilda Swain, the second daughter of a Western Border Count from the Vilt Kingdom and, in a way, a distant relative of Elizabeth.
And Elizabeth stood in the seventh position, the one closest to the center.
Her soft black hair was also unbound, with a few stray strands clinging to her smooth temples.
She kept her eyes slightly downcast, her thick lashes casting faint shadows on her fair skin.
Her hands were folded properly before her.
Deep within those dark eyes lay a mixture of nervousness and anticipation, but above all, an unyielding resolve.
She could feel the intangible stares from the other candidates, so curious, others sizing her up with competitive intent.
From the dais, the gazes of the three Cardinals were even more palpable, as if they could pierce through flesh and bone to look directly into her soul.
"In the na of Oriane, and by the authority vested in us by the Holy Throne."
The Cardinal in the center, Saint Cyril, began to speak. His aged voice was not loud, yet it bood like an Ancient Bell, clearly overpowering every subtle sound in the grand hall.
Two years had passed, and the old man who had personally traveled to Blackstone Fortress now seed even more aged and weary. Yet the light in his eyes had only grown deeper and more compelling.
"Faith is not a castle in the sky, and virtue must be tested by fire. As you have all co this far, you must always rember that your every action and every word is under God’s watchful eye and before the bar of truth."
His gaze swept over each of the seven girls. Those eyes, which seed capable of seeing into one’s very soul and were filled with holy authority, made Elizabeth’s heart skip a beat.
"The questioning begins."
The first to be questioned was the girl from the Desert Country. The questions concerned the details and interpretations of the sacred miracles perford by the ancient prophets who preached in the desert.
The girl’s answers flowed effortlessly as she cited scriptures and precedents, demonstrating a profound family learning.
Next was the girl from the Jade Coast, who was asked about the balance between comrcial prosperity and the purity of faith. She was silver-tongued, combining the wisdom of a city-state rchant with religious doctrine to give what seed a flawless answer.
When it was Adela’s turn, a Cardinal with a grim face, seated to the right, spoke:
"Adela, Imperial law dictates that the Emperor is the supre secular authority, and the Church Court must act with the Emperor’s permission. If an irreconcilable conflict arises between the interests of the Empire and the teachings of the Holy Scripture, what, in your opinion, should one do? Whose command cos first: that of the Holy Throne or that of the Emperor?"
A sharp glint flashed in Adela’s eyes, and she raised her chin slightly. "Your Eminence, the Empire is Oriane’s strongest bulwark in the mortal world, and His Majesty the Emperor is God’s chosen representative on earth. Both Imperial law and the Holy Scripture serve the sa divine order. True conflict stems from misunderstanding and selfish desire, not from the law and the scripture themselves. As a believer, I shall abide by the Holy Scripture. As a subject of the Empire, I shall also obey the law. If there is truly a discord..."
She paused briefly, her tone becoming heavier. "Then it must be that the one interpreting or executing the law has strayed from the righteous path sanctioned by both God and the Emperor, not that the order itself is flawed."
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