A pleasant realisation.

I was completely baffled by the butler's words and spent time wondering why the old hag altered his decision. After the spicy words of exchange I had with him, I truly expected him to be enraged. 

"There's no way the Duke actually self-reflected, right Mary?" 

Mary, who was distracted by the scenery outside the carriage, turned to glance at Evelyn. She looks down mulling over her question and looks back up with a confident smile. 

"I'd like to believe that was the case. Think about it, My Lady, this was the first time you spoke back at him. It definitely would have affected him into questioning his own morals" 

"Well that does make sense now that you reiterate what happened"

Mary nods in agreement and looks outside the carriage window, her eyes twinkling with fascination. 

"What makes you so interested in the scenery? Certainly, this isn't your first time coming out?"

"O-Oh, it's my first time venturing beyond the estate. I was living in the slums as a slave, this is quite different from what I saw back then" 

"If you'd like I can grant you a leave and you can venture outside as much as you'd like" 

"W-What! No, how dare I? I don't deserve-" 

"Mary, are you alive right now?" 

"Y-Yes?" 

"Then you deserve to have a break, living in itself is tough so I think everybody deserves to have a break. A break to enjoy the things they can't due to their circumstances. Don't you think so?" 

"It's hard to disagree when my lady takes a stance I can't refute" 

Mary smiles looking down at her hands resting on her lap. 

"What about you My Lady? Aren't you interested in the outside world? This is your first time going out after your memory loss" 

"Well, I don't care much about that but I understand why you do. It's just different for me" 

I guess I'd be eager if I weren't suicidal, I'm literally in a world residing inside a novel, such a thrilling mystery. 

But it's just that...

I'm tired. 

I'm tired of waking up, I'm tired of lifting my limbs, I'm tired of eating, I'm tired of smiling, I'm tired of thinking and I'm tired of existing but in order to figure out answers, I have to force myself to do this. That in itself, makes me feel more miserable and exhausted.

Mary's exhilarated about being out, I don't think I want to ruin it by giving her an honest answer.  

"Is there a reason as to why you don't care-"

"Would you mind if I ask what your home country was like?" 

Mary's eyes widened with awe and qualm but also with a hint of delightfulness as if she'd been waiting her whole life for this instance.

"I was born in the neighbouring country located towards the South"

"What was the name of your country?"

"It was called Roscente but now it's a part of Lehman Klein after they overtook us during the war" 

Lehman Klein from what I remember is the name of this country. A huge war to establish more power in the empire, caused the misery of several other countries including Roscente. 

"Roscente was lovely, people were modest and friendly. Everyone was acquainted with each other, perhaps due to the country being much smaller compared to others" 

"Well, would you like to go visit where Roscente used to be? Maybe you could meet someone you miss?" 

Mary drops her head low while clasping onto her skirt tightly. 

"Mary, you don't have to answer if you feel uncomfortable…" 

Mary shakes her head and looks back at Evelyn with determined eyes. 

"Everyone died except for me, there's nothing left of Roscente anymore" 

Mary's eyelids start to feel heavy from all the tears welling up, she looks up in an attempt to dry up her tears.

"Well, You're wrong"

Mary tilts her head with confusion, overwhelmed by her emotions and Evelyn's words. 

"What do you mean nothing's left of Roscente, when you're here right in front of me" 

Mary's grip relaxes with creases appearing on her neatly ironed skirt. 

"When you described Roscente, I felt all of that radiating from you. Lovely, modest and friendly, isn't that just you Mary?" Evelyn lets out a chuckle feeling embarrassed by her words of affirmation. 

"My lady.." 

The tears she tried to avoid, flow continuously. The loneliness that devoured Mary all these years seems to have dissipated miraculously with just a few words. 

Mary looks back at Evelyn's smile directed towards her. Mary feels an unusual emotion.

'Lady Evelyn has changed. She has changed so much to the point that she seems like an entirely different person' 

'Still… is it wrong for me to like the new lady more?' 

The unusual emotion comes across to be guilt. 

_

Now that I'm actually inside the church and a few minutes away from meeting the high priest, I'm starting to fret over a few aspects.

How am I going to get answers from this individual I've never met before? 

Would it be alright for him to recognize that I'm not from this world? How will I possibly even explain to him that he's living inside a novel? 

I have a suspicion that Mary is catching onto the fact that I'm not Evelyn. I've been careless with her as I could go back in time but I've reached too far ahead to restart all over again. 

Which is why I've been aiming to attain her trust. With her fully trusting me, she's bound to eventually understand my situation.

As for the high priest, I should attempt to get as much information as I can from him before resorting to my last option. 

Evelyn knocks on the door idling for a response. 

"Come in"

A muffled answer beyond the door is heard. Evelyn enters the room to discover an office-like interior. A man dressed in white clothing looks outside the window with sunlight shining to form an elegant shadow behind him. 

He turns around slowly, his gaze landing on Evelyn's face. Silver hair that seems to reflect each ray of light entering the room, blue eyes that soften his sharp facial features and a symbolic cross that compliments the white minimalistic cloak.  

The high priest's gaze inspects Evelyn. A crease forms on his forehead from confusion. Catching onto the subtle reaction, Evelyn introduces herself with a flawless curtsy. 

"My apologies for the late greeting. I'm Evelyn Agrece, daughter of Duke Agrece. I'm pleased to meet you, Sir Cassis Melford"

I speculate that all of these gestures and etiquette have been ingrained into Evelyn's muscle memory.

"The pleasure is mine, Lady Evelyn. Please excuse my confusion, I was notified of the Duke's personal visit. What might be the reason for you to personally visit me?" 

"I have a few inquiries to make that you might be able to help with. I'm personally quite interested in the prophecies you've come up with. I would like to know-" 

"Such confidential information can only be known by the Royal family and God's chosen believers" 

"What if I'm also able to see such prophecies? Would that make me one of those chosen believers?" 

The high priest's eyes widen for a split second upon hearing Evelyn's words. 

"I can prove to you that I do see these prophecies-"

Cassis lets out a sigh halting Evelyn's words. He abruptly kneels down, making Evelyn step back from surprise and unrest. 

"Oh, Lord! Please forgive this child's arrogance, do not punish her for the sins she's committing through ignorance" 

What the fuck? 

"Please bless her with your holiness, help her stray away from these satanic pleasures!"

Evelyn's face fills with utter displeasure when she recalls dreadful memories from her original life. She had always been understanding and open-minded towards people holding religious beliefs. The problem is that every religion tends to have a faction of completely irrational and delusional extremists that tarnish everything. 

Evelyn had countless experiences with such people, being born into a family with parents having extremist beliefs didn't help either. Her whole life growing up, her parents were trying to indoctrinate her and shut her down whenever she asked back questions. She considered having a belief system is alright as long as you don't force such beliefs on another. 

"What are you doing? Kneel down and ask for forgiveness!" 

And this man goes against that one minimal requirement. 

Evelyn scoffs, staring down at Cassis making him halt. She slightly bends towards the priest with a smirk on her face. 

"Be honest, it's not confidential. You're just scared people will figure out you're a scammer." 

"W-What? Stop uttering such blasphemy, the church will not sit quietly against such nuisance"

"The church? You mean the cult consisting of the so-called chosen ones? I'm curious, how are they even chosen?" 

"C-Cult? You wouldn't comprehend, you're not blessed by God. It's still not too late Lady Evelyn, you can ask for forgiveness and receive lord's blessings. We'll guide you on the right path"

"Oh? Did I forget to mention? I'm an atheist" 

The high priest's eyes widen with shock, his hands that were pleading are now trembling uncontrollably. 

"I'll respectfully decline. As for today, let us consider this never happened. Good day to-" 

"What did you just say?!" 

Cassis loudly questions rising in haste before Evelyn completes her farewell.

"What? Are you unfamiliar with what it implies? I basically don't believe in the existence of God or a rel-" 

"No-no what did you just say?!"

Cassis holds her shoulders tightly with both his hands, his eyes wavering with shock and realisation while he repeats the same question. 

"What? What the fuck is wrong with you? You're hurting me" Evelyn utters struggling to break off from his intense grip. 

"Atheism, Theism, Agnosticism… All of these terms don't exist and never existed in this world" 

Evelyn's face filled with displeasure instantly fills with confusion after listening to Cassis. The stabbing pain in her shoulders isn't her biggest concern anymore.

"Wait, hold on..."

"Cassis Melford. You're not from this world, are you?" 

The supposedly scamming high priest, gives out a bright smile as a response to her question.