“Perhaps we could make a brief stop at the Grand Temple,” Hereis suggested, as if to alleviate Jeha’s concerns. “I’ve already sent word ahead, so if you accompany me, we should be able to meet His Holiness the Pope directly.”
“I can meet the Pope right away?” Jeha asked, his expression showing a flicker of intrigue.
It didn’t matter how corrupt the current Pope was, or how many governments existed. He simply harbored a desire to witness the magnificent figure representing the Grand Temple, a being of such immense stature.
He also entertained the expectation that someone of the Pope’s caliber would surely be different from ordinary people.
“Are you not, after all, a cherished guest of the Archbishop?” Hereis replied. “And surely, no one would be foolish enough to make the head of the House of Belgarga stand in line and wait.”
Jeha’s shoulders subtly straightened at Hereis’s words. He was once again struck by the formidable prestige of the House of Belgarga and the Archbishop’s own esteemed position.
“Then let’s go straight to the Grand Temple,” Jeha decided. “I’d like to see where Hereis lives, too.”
At Jeha’s words, a knight nodded, then spurred his horse away from the carriage and galloped ahead.
Upon entering Encarosha, the surroundings immediately grew boisterous. The chaotic clatter of carriage wheels and horses’ hooves echoed, and the murmur of the crowd, along with their intense stares, was overwhelming.
With no small number of horses, carriages, and throngs of people traversing the streets, their pace slowed considerably.
“Blessings upon Archbishop Hereis!” Occasionally, a brave soul would shout praises toward Hereis from the street, aiming at their carriage. Jeha glanced at Hereis each time such shouts rang out.
Yet, Hereis, the subject of the adulation, remained expressionless, seemingly unmoved by the fervor.
‘Indeed, he likely holds no lingering attachment to gods, temples, or the priesthood.’
Jeha felt a renewed pity for Hereis, who, despite being showered with the people’s affection, could not genuinely embrace it. Imagining how the people’s gazes and shouts would transform if Hereis’s true identity were revealed made his head spin, and a pang of unease pricked his chest.
“I am perfectly fine,” Hereis suddenly stated. Jeha, whose thoughts had been utterly transparent, felt a touch of awkwardness. No one wishes to be pitied.
“I truly am fine. I am not alone, after all. Do I not have you, Lord Jeha?” Hereis reiterated. His eyes held a profound sincerity.
To say it wasn’t burdensome at all would be a lie. However, a stronger desire to be a steadfast pillar for this man, who leaned on him so completely, overshadowed any discomfort.
“That’s right. Hereis isn’t alone.”
Jeha said, extending a hand to lightly tap the back of Hereis’s hand with his fingers. Hereis swiftly caught Jeha’s wrist, then leaned forward, pressing his lips to Jeha’s.
As their soft lips met, a torrent of piercing gazes poured in from the wide-open window. ‘He truly is a man who gives no quarter for a moment’s peace,’ Jeha thought, clicking his tongue inwardly.
Fortunately, it seemed he hadn’t intended a deep kiss, for Hereis straightened his posture after a brief peck.
“The Grand Temple and Encarosha will be abuzz with scandals about us for a while,” Jeha remarked, gazing out the window with a sigh. It was all part of the plan, something he had braced himself for.
Still, the thought of this vast, bustling city being filled with rumors about him and Hereis made his head throb.
“…Now that I think about it, whether it’s the Demon Realm or Encarosha, the commotion is the same,” Jeha mumbled, resting his arm on the window frame.
Just as Bellarossa’s territory had become a frenzy of mating rituals due to their intimate acts, Encarosha would likewise be considerably stirred by all sorts of rumors. To shake both the Demon Realm and the human world simultaneously with just their private relationship…
It was both embarrassing and absurd.
****
Meanwhile, the carriage reached the massive city wall encircling the Grand Temple. From the front, sounds of the two carriages’ identities being verified could be heard. Finally, they were entering the Grand Temple.
“Are you ready to shake this holy, yet corrupt, city with me?” Hereis asked, extending his hand. Jeha gazed at the outstretched hand, offered as if inviting him to a dance, before willingly placing his own upon it.
“Indeed. Let’s have some fun,” Jeha replied, a decidedly villainous smile gracing his lips.
As he stepped out of the carriage, a new world unfolded before Jeha’s modern eyes. The vast courtyard of the magnificent Grand Temple was impeccably paved with stone.
Inside the city walls, the grand and beautiful temple buildings created an absolute spectacle, a true ecstasy to behold.
“Wow… How on earth did they build this?” Jeha genuinely gasped in awe, oblivious to anyone who might overhear. He saw pride gleaming in the eyes of the priests who had come to greet them.
The scene before them was certainly enough to inspire such pride. In an era without construction machinery, erecting such a monumental structure was nothing short of a miracle.
“It’s even more beautiful inside,” Hereis said, approaching after dismounting from his own carriage. Jeha felt a thrill of excitement at the prospect of exploring all the beautiful sights within the temple.
Though he had glimpsed the temple through the mirror, seeing it in person was an entirely different experience. It made him feel as if he had no need for months of free travel in Europe.
“Lord Marquis’s companions cannot enter. Instead, we will guide you to a comfortable waiting area,” the greeting priests stated, leading Paimon, Zephyr, and the knights away.
After all, there was no safer place than inside the Grand Temple. Jeha handed Kkamangi to Paimon. Kkamangi’s displeasure was palpable, but perhaps unwilling to enter the sacred temple, it soon resigned itself to Paimon’s embrace.
“Come, let us enter,” Hereis said, indicating he would personally guide them. Jeha nodded and began walking beside Hereis. Priests surrounded them, front and back.
Their gazes toward Hereis were steeped in admiration and reverence. However, the looks directed at Jeha were less than kind, making his back prickle under their scrutiny.
The Grand Temple’s main doors stood wide open. They climbed the steps and were just about to pass through the entrance.
“Archbishop Hereis, you have finally returned.”
Several priests appeared before them. The elaborate attire of the one standing in the center suggested he was a high-ranking priest.
“If it isn’t Bishop Irellio. Did you perhaps come out to greet me?” Hereis inquired, his face and voice composed.
“Indeed. We were immensely worried when Your Grace suddenly left your post. We have been eagerly awaiting your return,” Bishop Irellio replied, nodding. Jeha gazed intently at Bishop Irellio, whose hair was stark white.
He had seen many high-ranking priests, but this was his first direct encounter with one, aside from Hereis.
“Then this must be Marquis Belgarga, who accompanied you all the way to Encarosha,” Bishop Irellio said, turning his gaze to Jeha. He then naturally extended his hand toward Jeha.
Jeha easily recalled countless scenes he had witnessed in dramas and movies: people often kissed the ring on a Pope’s or high-ranking cleric’s finger upon meeting them.
‘So, you’re telling me to kiss your ring right now?’
Jeha suppressed a surge of defiance, extending his hand instead to grasp Bishop Irellio’s and shake it up and down. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Bishop Irellio. It is an honor that you came to greet me personally.
“Having studied in the Eastern Continent since childhood, I am unfamiliar with many of the customs and etiquette of the Central Continent, so please forgive any inadvertent blunders.”
Bishop Irellio’s expression stiffened slightly when his extended hand, meant for a kiss, was instead swiftly grasped and shaken. Yet, clearly not having reached his high rank by mere chance, he soon returned the handshake with a hearty chuckle.
“The honor is mine, Marquis Belgarga, to finally meet you in person after hearing so much about you. Seeing your distinguished presence, I feel certain the House of Belgarga will continue to prosper greatly.”
“You flatter me.”
The two exchanged pleasantries that rang hollow, both fully aware of the other’s underlying disdain.
“Well then, let us proceed inside. His Holiness the Pope awaits,” Bishop Irellio said, shifting his body slightly. Jeha nodded and followed Bishop Irellio’s entourage, walking shoulder to shoulder with Hereis.
“Oh, ohhh…” Jeha continuously exclaimed in admiration as they walked through the Grand Temple’s magnificent and opulent corridors. As he was playing the role of a young, novice marquis, there was no need to hide his genuine awe.
“There truly is nothing lacking in the Grand Temple, Hereis. Just look at that ceiling painting. How on earth did they create it? It’s truly incredible.”
Jeha naturally clutched Hereis’s sleeve as he poured out his words of wonder. Each time Jeha spoke, Hereis would offer a gentle smile and nod.
As he continuously marveled and gazed around for a long while, Jeha suddenly thought: this enormous, incomparably lavish Grand Temple was like an exquisitely beautiful cage, trapping Hereis within.
With that thought, his interest in this resplendent space plummeted. According to Hereis, the humans parasitizing this sacred place were all steeped in wealth, glory, and desire, utterly corrupted.