The main reason Xio returned home early this morning to catch up on sleep was that she had received a special, well-paying commission from the middleman, Caspar, yesterday afternoon.
After accepting the task, she hurried home to inform Fors Wall that she wouldn't be staying the night.
Fors Wall took the opportunity to ask her to bring back some things. After promising to fulfill the request, Xio returned to the Braves Bar on Iron Gate Street.
She completed the mission overnight and successfully received a handsome reward. After a night of busy work, she endured her drowsiness on the way back and bought breakfast, red wine, and cigarettes for Fors Wall.
Perhaps no one would have expected that this noble girl, who was once the center of a thousand affections, would now live such a life.
North District of Backlund, Saint Samuel Cathedral, the headquarters of the Church of the Evernight in Backlund.
After steadying herself, the personal maid Eileen did not forget her duties; she turned to help Altair Sheffield, who was dressed in a simple gown, down from the carriage.
For an underage noble girl, the schedule for her birthday was as follows: wake up early to change clothes, receive blessings from family, and—
After gifts and breakfast, receive blessings and gifts from servants, then go to the cathedral to pray. Lunch is with family, and the afternoon is spent at a tea party with close female friends.
Only adult noble girls would hold a banquet and a ball on the night of their birthday.
Ordinary commoners basically followed this same routine. However, unlike the nobility, their process was simplified: only family blessings, no servant blessings, and the banquet was more ordinary—usually just a family dinner.
At this moment, Altair Sheffield had reached the fourth step of the routine: going to the cathedral to pray.
Although Roselle Gustav had initiated an ideological revolution during his reign, making the option of going to the cathedral on one's birthday no longer a necessity—it could be simplified to praying at home or even refused altogether—
The nobility still kept this tradition for the sake of "decency."
Noble "decency"—Altair Sheffield, who came from a commoner background, still hadn't figured out why they insisted on maintaining such high-profile "decency."
As an atheist, Altair Sheffield's primary purpose in coming to Saint Samuel Cathedral today wasn't specifically to pray. Instead, she wanted to ask the Nighthawks of the Church of the Evernight to strengthen the seals on her family's treasury.
To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that there were still living people in this house, Altair Sheffield would have long ago put all the Beyonder materials into her "Ancient Castle," and there would be no need for such trouble.
As soon as Altair Sheffield stepped into the cathedral, she felt the unique atmosphere of silence and peace characteristic of the Church of the Evernight, which involuntarily calmed one's heart.
After passing through the corridor and entering the nave, Altair Sheffield saw believers scattered about, listening to teachings and praying. She then found a random seat, sat down, and began to meditate with her eyes closed.
It wasn't that Altair Sheffield didn't know how to pray, but rather she didn't know whom to pray to or what to pray for.
When the preacher in front finished his explanation, Altair Sheffield ended her meditation and opened her eyes.
As the service neared its end, the believers stepped forward one by one to donate money. Altair Sheffield took the 100 pounds prepared by the maid beside her, rose, and slowly walked toward the altar. She traced a crimson moon toward the missionary, exchanged "Goddess bless you" with him, and placed the gold pounds into the offering box.
Under the missionary's smiling gaze, Altair Sheffield requested an audience with Bishop Electra.
A small matter like strengthening a seal could be completed directly through Bishop Electra; there was no need to disturb Archbishop Anthony.
After all, he was one of the thirteen high saints of the Church of the Evernight, a Sequence 3 demigod—not someone one could see just by asking.
Not long after, an ordinary-looking middle-aged man walked out from the side door of the nave. He appeared to be about 40 years old, with a thin face and common features, but he was pleasant to look at.
After a simple exchange of greetings, Altair Sheffield stated the purpose of her visit: the church needed to dispatch Nighthawks to the Sheffield underground vault to strengthen the seals.
Upon hearing this request, Bishop Electra promised with a face full of smiles, "I will arrange for Nighthawks to go as soon as possible to strengthen the seals and investigate any hidden dangers."
Once the two signed the agreement, Altair Sheffield paid a deposit of a full 5,000 gold pounds. After the sealing was complete, she would need to pay the remaining balance of 10,000 gold pounds.
Sitting in the carriage back to the manor, Altair Sheffield couldn't help but sigh, "Money is truly easy to earn for those with skill and ability. For a simple repair and strengthening of seals, the Church of the Evernight charges 15,000..."
"...pounds."
"The key is that this is the internal price for their own believers. I really don't know how much they charge 'heretics'."
Back at the manor, Altair Sheffield met Uncle-Grandfather Leif and his birthday gift: a litter of five British Shorthair kittens.
After the three had lunch together, they went to the study and began to chat.
While smoking a cigarette, Uncle-Grandfather Leif said, "Those old fellows have been conducting a secret investigation ever since they received your warning two months ago."
"A while ago, they actually found some clues."
"Five years ago, a captain of the court guards, commander of the royal guard, and deputy director of MI9 named Mason Dear was secretly dealt with by George III. The charge was the most unbelievable: intent to rebel."
"The most unfortunate thing is that they haven't found the real cause of death, and—the males of his family have all died mysteriously in the last two years."
After their chat, Uncle-Grandfather Leif reminded Altair Sheffield to strengthen the manor's security before he left. If any unexpected situation occurred, she had to notify him immediately.
He also guaranteed that as long as it wasn't an Angel, even if it were a Sequence 3, "they" were confident in mobilizing the army to tear the intruder apart.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Altair Sheffield stood at the door again, waiting for the visitors: Heather Grant, Audrey Hall, and Tiffany ONeill.
The gifts from Audrey Hall and Tiffany ONeill were quite normal: a bottle of perfume and a music box, respectively.
————
As for the gift from Heather Grant, Altair Sheffield believed she must have done it to annoy her: she had specifically chosen a group of puppies.
After Altair Sheffield accepted the gift with a forced smile, Heather Grant explained with a grin, "Don't think too much. The main reason I gave you these puppies is that I heard you're very idle, lonely, and—meddlesome, so I let them accompany you to pass the time."
"Oh, and there's that blessing from Roselle Gustav: 'You really are a dog'."
If she hadn't listened to the explanation, it might have been better; after hearing it, Altair Sheffield became even more certain of her suspicion—Heather Grant was indeed being sarcastic.
As the person involved, Altair Sheffield couldn't help but grumble in her heart, "Didn't I just ruin one of her fun moments back then? I clearly already apologized, so why is she still holding such a grudge?"
"And 'You really are a dog'—is that a phrase used for blessings? Isn't that an insult!"
"I really don't understand how Owen Donovan can put up with you—"