“We will examine the gate while the Count is visiting the temple,” Tarshan said as he and the members of the tower approached the still-rippling gate and began conversing.

“This way, please.” Laharta stood beside Erina and guided her into the temple.

The path leading to the temple was lined with lush grass, shimmering in the sunlight.

“Is this your first time at the temple?” Laharta asked, walking towards the temple while looking at Erina.

Erina looked up at him as she walked alongside him. His golden hair sparkled in the sunlight, and his bright golden eyes, like the sun, shone towards her.

Erina didn’t understand the fondness in his eyes, but she nodded and answered, “Yes, Your Holiness.”

“Your Holiness? Please, call me Laharta.”

“How could I…?”

“It’s a name that no one but the Count can call me. Please.”

As Erina hesitated, Laharta smiled brightly and said, “Did you know? Gold is said to be the color favored by God. In fact, it’s well known that the reason why the Popes have had golden hair and golden eyes for generations is because of that.”

“Really?”

“Yes, the Pope is chosen from golden-haired and golden-eyed children born once per generation and raised and educated in the temple from a young age.”

Seeing Erina perk up at the story she had never heard before, Laharta excitedly continued.

“In addition, if a child has golden hair or golden eyes, their parents may request for them to be appointed as a high priest early on and educated with the child’s consent.”

Erina suddenly thought of her own golden eyes and unconsciously touched the corners of her eyes.

“Your parents don’t have the golden color either, do they, Count?” Laharta asked, and Erina nodded.

In fact, that’s why Erina had briefly worried about it in her childhood as well.

Not only her parents but also her paternal and maternal families, Erina was the only one with such bright golden eyes.

“I’m the same. My ignorant father abandoned my mother and me, claiming I wasn’t his bloodline, but thanks to that, I’m doing well here at the temple now.”

Erina was taken aback by Laharta, who was smiling and casually talking about his unfortunate childhood.

“It’s not well known to people, but those with the golden color are a symbol of being loved by God or being granted the power of God.”

“Ah.”

“So what I’m saying is that it was predestined for you to be the owner of the mana stone mine, Count.”

At Laharta’s last words, Erina’s expression hardened as she thought of the original story.

Erina wanted to deny his words.

According to him, the person who would own the mana stone mine was determined from the moment Erina was born.

However, in the original story, it was Rose, not Erina, who owned the mine.

If his words were true, was the original story that Erina knew merely a figment of her imagination?

Or did Laharta just say that to please her?

Either way, it wasn’t a comforting thought.

“Well, is that really the case?”

At Erina’s bitter expression, Laharta smiled with an unreadable look in his eyes.

Before she could sort out her complicated thoughts, Erina and Laharta arrived at the entrance of the temple.

The temple, with its white marble columns, high ceilings, and fluttering golden cloths, was pure and holy.

The grandeur was so breathtaking that Erina unconsciously stopped and stared at the temple.

“Your Holiness the Pope, Countess Medelia, we have been waiting for you.”

Someone approached Erina, who was standing in a daze in front of the temple, and greeted her.

The middle-aged woman who approached had golden hair grown down to her chest and navy blue eyes.

“I am Isahel Sumil, the second servant of Goddess Pricellona. I humbly serve as the High Priestess of the temple.”

If the Pope was the symbolic figure of the temple, the High Priestess was the one who oversaw the entire operation of the temple and managed the priests.

“I am Erina Brill Medelia.”

“It is an honor to meet you, Countess Medelia.”

Isahel smiled kindly and greeted her, then made the sign of the cross towards Erina and paid her respects.

Erina was inwardly startled by the extreme courtesy that would only be shown to the emperor, but she tried not to show her surprise.

Strangely, the people of the temple all showed similar reactions towards Erina.

“Please follow me inside.”

With Isahel on her left and Laharta on her right, Erina headed deeper into the temple.

As they walked inside, Laharta and Isahel took turns explaining whenever something came into view, leaving no room for Erina to dwell on her unfinished thoughts about the original story.

After walking deep inside for a while, they suddenly stopped walking when a huge door came into view.

“From this point on, only His Holiness the Pope and Countess Medelia can enter.”

“High Priestess.” Baron tried to say something about the escort, but Isahel stopped him with a benevolent smile.

“Not once has anyone with impure intentions ever set foot in this place, so you need not worry.”

Baron, who was looking around, stepped back with a resigned look on his face.

Heila stepped back with Baron, saying she would wait.

Leaving many people behind, Laharta and Erina opened the huge door and entered.

The first thing that caught Erina’s attention was the enormous statue of the goddess that filled the room.

The blindfolded eyes, the hair long enough to trail on the ground, the large water jug held in her raised hand.

“Oh my.”

Although it was clearly a sculpture made of white marble, strangely, the statue of the goddess was shrouded in a faint golden light, making it mysterious.

“That is the Fountain of the Goddess.”

Laharta pointed to the bottom of the statue.

A large bowl was visible where the water slowly dripping from the jug held by the statue was collecting.

The shallow bowl, barely a span in height, was large enough that Erina had to spread both arms to fully embrace it.

“This way.”

Laharta led Erina closer.

The huge bowl made of gold was plain without any decorations, but it shone with a golden glow, making it more splendid than anything else.

However, it was small enough to be called a mere pond rather than a fountain.

“The reason it’s called a fountain is not because of this bowl but because of the jug from which holy water flows. I believe it was named as such because water continuously flows from it.”

When Erina looked up at the jug, she could see the stream of water extending from the mouth of the jug to the bowl.

“Strangely, the stream of water is frozen.”

“Yes, it’s because the word of God has descended.”

When Erina looked at the surface of the bowl, she saw a golden hue reflected in the transparent water.

“You don’t see anything, do you? But if others look, they will see your name, Erina, engraved inside the bowl. I can see it too.”

Erina, who had been staring at the bowl in fascination, in which she couldn’t see anything, raised her head and looked at Laharta.

Laharta was looking down at Erina with sympathetic eyes.

The face of Laharta, who had been smiling brightly, looked somewhat bitter.

“It took you too long to get here, Erina.”

At Laharta’s seemingly meaningful words, Erina was about to ask him back, but at that moment, he gently took her hand and dipped it into the bowl.

Startled, Erina tried to pull her hand out, but her vision was suddenly filled with a bright golden light, making it difficult to open her eyes.

Erina felt a dreamy and floating sensation in her head.

She was clearly standing in front of the Fountain of the Goddess with Laharta, but something felt strange.

Was the Fountain of the Goddess trying to show her something, or was what she was seeing now the word of God that Laharta had mentioned?

She wanted to continue her thoughts, but it was difficult to carry out her desired actions as if she were dreaming.

It felt as if her whole body was sinking deep underwater, and the moment she tried to move even a finger, the previously dark vision suddenly opened up.

She saw a sky filled with gloomy clouds in front of her eyes.

Erina tried to move her body to take action, but she couldn’t move a single hand.

Strangely, it felt as if it wasn’t her own body.

“Damn, it took too long.”

Suddenly, she heard a resentful voice, and she tried to turn her head to see whose voice it was, but no matter how much strength she put in, she couldn’t move.

Then, her head slowly started moving towards the direction of the voice.

“It would have been nice if you had gone earlier, don’t you think? Right, Erina?”

Pink hair like cotton candy, intense chartreuse eyes.

It was Rose Asilla, whom Erina knew.

In a white dress and all dolled up, she looked like a bride about to get married.

“Even on the verge of death, your eyes still shine. It makes me want to gouge them out first.”

It seemed like Erina was lying on the floor, and as Rose approached and crouched in front of her, her gaze got closer.

“Some of the mana stones are already losing their power, Erina. So if you’re going to die, hurry up and give me that power before you die.”

Rose untied the black necklace around her neck and dangled it in front of Erina.

The necklace had a rose-shaped dark red jewel at the center, surrounded by noticeable black petals.

“…Why?”

Erina asked Rose in a hoarse voice.

Erina clearly didn’t speak, but another Erina lying down and looking at Rose was speaking.

“Why, you ask? Don’t tell me you’re stupidly asking why now? Hahahahaha!”

Rose suddenly burst into laughter and swung the necklace in front of Erina’s eyes.

“Erina, stupid Erina. The foolish Erina who doesn’t know it’s hers and only realizes it’s hers after it’s all taken away!”

Rose, who was laughing, suddenly hardened her expression and grabbed Erina’s face tightly.

The feeling of Rose’s manicured nails slowly digging into her skin was felt.

Strangely, the pain was vividly felt.

“Since it’s before you die, I’ll be generous. Are you curious about the truth?”

Still not letting go of Erina’s face, Rose lowered her head and whispered to Erina.