Chapter 3 (Part 2)

Cecilia thought she had barely managed to convince her, but when the time came to part, Rasilia began to throw a tantrum again.  

As the departure was delayed, Viscount Bucklew approached with a look that said he wouldn’t tolerate any further stalling unless Cecilia calmed Rasilia down.  

“Hurry up and go. If you don’t leave now, you’ll be late.”  

“Yes, I understand. I’ll just have a quick word with Rasilia before I go.”  

Under the watchful eyes of the Viscount, Cecilia grabbed Rasilia’s wrist and pulled her aside to a corner.  

“You should hold off on meeting your lover while I’m gone. It’s best to be cautious for now.”  

I hope Rasilia will be okay while I’m gone….  

If Viscount Bucklew discovered that Rasilia was meeting Dein, he would immediately find her a marriage partner and force her into an engagement. Thus, Cecilia could only hope her sister would avoid their father’s watchful eye.  

All Cecilia could do for Rasilia now was pray for her. Since she was going to the temple anyway, she planned to dedicate herself to fervent prayer for her sister’s sake.  

“All right.”  

As tears welled up in Rasilia’s eyes, Cecilia gently embraced her. After comforting her, Cecilia climbed into the carriage.  

“I’ll write to you!”  

As the carriage began to roll away, Cecilia leaned out of the window and waved to Rasilia. She continued waving until her sister was out of sight.  

Even after that, Cecilia kept her gaze fixed on the view outside the window.  

Since Viscount Bucklew’s estate was far from the capital, the journey to the temple would take two full days by carriage. During this long and tedious journey, Cecilia decided to pass the time by watching the changing scenery outside the window.  

The Viscount’s estate was mostly barren land. The roads were rough and uneven, causing the carriage to rattle and shake constantly.  

After traveling for a while, the road eventually became smoother, and the scenery outside shifted to show villages with shops, restaurants, and places where people gathered.  

Since this was Cecilia’s first time taking such a long journey by carriage, her heart was filled with excitement and anticipation for the new world she was about to see.  

However, her excitement quickly faded when she realized how terrible the inn they would stay at for the night was.  

The first floor of the inn was an eatery, bustling with people. Most of them were rough-looking men doing hard labor, their voices loud and coarse. Their shouting was so loud that even from far away, the curses they exchanged could be heard clearly.  

Because they chatted noisily throughout the night, Cecilia couldn’t sleep at all. The next day, she spent the entire carriage ride dozing off, making the time pass quickly.  

Cecilia arrived at the temple a little past noon. As soon as she stepped out of the carriage, the coachman left without a second thought, as if he had no reason to linger.  

With the carriage gone, Cecilia had no choice but to stay at the temple. Of course, she could return to the Bucklew estate if she hired another coachman, but that wasn’t an option for her.  

Just before her departure, Viscount Bucklew had taken all the spare money Cecilia had prepared, saying it was unnecessary.  

‘I need at least a little money.’  

‘I’ll send a carriage to pick you up when the event ends. Besides, meals and lodging are provided, so why would you need money? I’ve already made a generous donation, so there’s nothing to worry about.’  

‘But I need to stay at an inn.’  

‘I’ve already paid the coachman enough to cover your share as well, so that should be sufficient.’  

It was clear that Viscount Bucklew had no intention of giving Cecilia even a single coin. Knowing that begging him to return her money would be futile, Cecilia had no choice but to arrive at the temple penniless.  

Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, Cecilia finally turned toward the temple and walked toward it with heavy steps.  

“I’ve come to participate in the event.”  

“Please follow me.”  

When Cecilia spoke to the Priest sitting at the temple entrance, the priest stood up as if she had been waiting for her. Cecilia followed her inside, taking in the sights of the temple as she walked.  

“As expected, the Atheon Temple is different.”  

Although she had only heard of its reputation, this was her first time seeing it in person. The Atheon Temple was far more grand and magnificent than anything she had read about in books, leaving Cecilia in awe.  

“Such a country bumpkin.”  

She could feel mocking gazes directed at her, but Cecilia didn’t hear their voices. Her attention was solely focused on the temple’s splendor.  

When she arrived at the designated area, she saw other young noble ladies who were also there to participate in the event. Since bringing maids was prohibited, all of them stood without attendants.  

“This way, please.”  

Following the priest’s guidance, Cecilia noticed that the young ladies waiting in line looked like they came from rural noble families, just like her. She glanced around, trying to guess how the event would proceed.  

Viscount Bucklew had only told her that she would be praying for 100 days, so she had to figure out the rest on her own.  

From what she could tell, the prayers were divided into four groups. It seemed that the participants were separated based on their families’ status and the amount of donations they had made.  

It was easy to tell from their dresses. The dresses of noble ladies from the capital were luxurious and elegant, while those from the countryside were plain and somewhat rustic.  

Will I be able to get through this without trouble?  

Being in an unfamiliar environment surrounded by strangers, it was natural for Cecilia to feel more fear than excitement about being in a new place. Her worries grew as she noticed the disdainful gazes directed at her.  

“A faithful servant of God greets you, young ladies. I am Priest Gilbert, and I will be in charge of today’s proceedings.”  

While wondering whether she could adapt well to this place, the priests in charge of each group stood before them and began introducing themselves, along with explaining the rules and order they had to follow going forward.  

“You all must already know that you won’t be able to leave the temple for the next 100 days. If you break the rules, you will be sent to solitary confinement for three days.”  

Not being able to leave the temple?  

Hearing something so surprising, Cecilia looked around at the other young ladies with a bewildered expression. They all seemed to know about the restriction on leaving the temple, but the mention of punishment seemed to be news to them.  

“Isn’t solitary confinement too much?”  

“If you follow the rules, there will be no issue.”  

Although the young ladies protested, thinking the punishment was excessive, Priest Gilbert merely responded indifferently.  

Watching them silently, Cecilia finally understood why Viscount Bucklew had sent her to the temple. It wasn’t just to separate her from Rasilia; it was to make her endure a painful time spent solely in prayer within the temple.  

Living a life of constant prayer might be fine for priests, but for others, it was nothing short of torture.  

The rules, which could be considered somewhat excessive, didn’t bother Cecilia enough to make her protest. From the moment she was forcibly sent to the temple, she had already resigned herself to everything. She simply planned to endure the next 100 days.  

Ignoring the sound of protests around her, Cecilia’s vacant gaze wandered to the other groups. At that moment, her eyes suddenly widened when she spotted an unexpected man.  

What?  

The priest in charge of introducing the noble ladies from the great families was Ian Beaufort. She had completely forgotten about him, thinking it was all in the past, but seeing him again brought back memories of her mistake from that day.  

Lacking the courage to meet his eyes, Cecilia lowered her head and stole glances at Ian. Then, for a brief moment, their eyes met, and she quickly turned her head away, obviously avoiding him.  

The priest must also feel uncomfortable seeing my face, right?  

Thinking that he, too, wouldn’t want to meet her gaze, Cecilia decided to avoid looking at Ian altogether. Although she expected to run into him occasionally going forward, she resolved to act as composed as possible each time.  

Meanwhile, Priest Gilbert, who had calmed the protesting young ladies, pointed toward the chapel and said,  

“Now, I will guide you through the temple. Let us begin with the chapel.”  

As soon as he finished speaking, the young ladies standing behind him began moving in pairs.  

When they entered the chapel following Priest Gilbert, the first thing that caught their eyes was the brilliant and beautiful stained glass, through which sunlight poured in a dazzling array of colors. The sight was so breathtaking that it naturally drew gasps of admiration.  

“Oh my, how stunning.”  

The reactions of the young ladies who were visiting the temple for the first time differed from those who had been here often. Some, like Cecilia, marveled at the mystical sight, while others listened indifferently to the priest’s explanation, already familiar with it.  

After a brief explanation, Priest Gilbert led them to another chapel, and finally, they attended afternoon prayer in the last chapel he showed them.