Arriving at the dreamworld again.
Selina scanned the surrounding field and saw one particular vine being swarmed by specks of light. Emerald and blinding.
She recognized it to be the segment corresponding to the prayer.
Upon nodding her head indiscernibly, she brought her hand toward it which almost instantly resulted in a scene forming from the clouds of lights.
She saw the young priest wearing a plain white shirt, coupled with a trouser and unbuttoned coat. His clothing fits to his body.
Around him is a room furnished like in any other apartment complex. Displaying a single bed, a table where Yesir is facing and a sofa, worn and tattered.
Selina quickly recognized the setting.
Is this the room where Kothe prayed to me? He's with Yesir?
The scene resumed with Yesir about to stand up. The circle of salt appearing as if it's forming an invisible barrier.
On the table, multiple bottles with either liquid or powder laid before the scene. Then shortly after, the swirling clouds of light scattered.
Selina felt a draft of wind passed her. It's clear that the proper response for such request is simple, accept.
For her, acquiring such utilities, given by their usage during her time in Milo, would greatly aid in her survival and the Nighthawk's safety.
To compensate however, is she would risk being perceived as a lenient Goddess despite the history of said identity.
Selina is clouded in the Child of God's true nature. But regarding this, she had learned further that what Yesir's grandfather had only done was not only to establish an organization but to gather the people that may also have connections with their lineage, the Aurmirs.
These individuals in the past claims they've been hearing whispers at the depths of the Spirit World, referring to them as "child" and to return to the embrace of their "mother" which is the True Goddess of Harvest.
Through this, attempts to invigorate the spirit or perhaps achieve a partial descent had been the desire of the organization if they were not leashed by the Rose School of Thought, or more particularly, the Primordial Faction.
The Child of God now, reborn as the White Maiden can be explained by the rebirth. However, it wouldn't be aligned if one were to say that even the Goddess's nature were changed.
Selina achieved this miraculously, but if she were to cross a boundary, it might snowball.
So in order to mitigate this while allowing for the members to sacrifice and bestow, which is benefitting for her. A few minutes did she took to formulate a plan.
First of all, the leveraging should be established in a deferential believer to God cooperation... Selina slowly grinned and smiled.
Then, exclaimed, "Which can be done by having their own personal storage!"
By considering the use of the dreamworld's seed, while she already intends to distribute them alongside the paper slip containing her anonymous bank account details, lessening the anti-climactic effect of it. The addition of using the simple ritual setup, the seed can form can be made as a personal storage per seed!
While this requires her to change the honorifics when using the seed since it would essentially be seen as her, the Goddess, is the one responding. It removes the social perception for a single member to be seen as favored, stripping the birth of hierarchy among her believers.
And as the middle-woman, she can leverage the artifacts stored to be used only when necessary. In addition, the process of storing and withdrawing only requires her to pass out and respond.
Selina even figured out that her followers couldn't afford to frequently use the seed. That is because her bestowments, as displayed from her attempt, had unavoidable backlash.
She weighed the pros and cons thoughtfully and finally settled. That is to set the matters aside for now and think of an incantation for the seed.
I'm feeling a bit exhausted... the murmurs are getting nearer as well... she sighed.
I'll continue this some other time...
...
Yesir finished tidying up his table. By the scent of fragrance exuded by the died candles, he waited.
However, he received no response.
I knew it... What I'm doing is blasphemy! He raised a fist and slammed it onto the table.
Not long after his frustration, realizations suddenly pushed him to a state of fear and horror.
They're still in a process of redemption, and to wish for a favor would be imbecilic.
One should not wish more than what they've been willingly given!
Yesir abruptly stood up and strike his abdomen with his right forearm. He said with reverence, "Mrs. White! Forgive me!"
After this devout yet non-functional plead for forgiveness. He set a plan to pray for an actual repentance when suddenly, a door opened.
Creak!
Yesir turned and saw the burly man Kothe, now wearing a new pair of glasses.
He glared at the young former priest before finally opening his mouth, "The Goddess...
"She's aware of Jean... Told to me that she's safe..." despite his hands clenched, his eyes blurred indiscernibly.
The exterior of his appearance greatly contradicts what he feels inside. Grief, hope, and gratitude for being informed of his wife's condition.
She was the only woman who had sought not of his service, but self. Despite the criticisms they faced, he's determined to lead his wife into nursing their offspring. A wish that weren't fulfilled by life but bestowed under the premise of a god.
Yesir, who was frozen while standing earlier, caught on to the man's intentions.
"So you prayed to 'Her'..." his face was melancholic, but did not last as his mouth grinned.
It was clear that he knew of the man's attempt. The puresap candle he had brought had a noticeable decrease in height. Not to mention little bits of salt trails on the floor.
Kothe quickly fixed his poise and stood in resolution. He said, "We'll be needing a place to convene...
"I can provide that."
...
As the light courses from the wide windows. Paper rustles resounded in the orderly halls filed with lines of people. Occasional coughs carried their steps and along with it are murmurs of the lively scape.
In this austere atmosphere, Selina stood with habited poise, hands tucked into her coat.
One movement and another person before her stepped forward. This continued until she reached the register.
"Hello, how may I help you today?" said the female teller.
Selina adjusted her coat, ensuring that her potions and the vial containing the seed are safely stored before she fished out a silver card and presented it.
After an inspection, the woman perked up and asked, "Excuse me, are you Ms. Roy?"
Selina looked at her with caution. I guess even banks here requires your name...
"Yes." she answered.
The female clerk chuckled at herself. "I'm sorry, it's just that very few possess the Church of the Lord of Storm's tin-metal card. Mostly from the aristocratic families who are closely associated with the church."
"Tin metal?" Selina blurted out.
I thought it's a silver card?
"No." The clerk shook her head and turned the card, revealing the Storm's Sacred Emblem.
"See?"
Having said that, the clerk withdraw her hand holding the tin-metal card. She asked, "Okay then, what can I be of service today?"
Selina sighed and inwardly praised. I'm glad you didn't asked me further about my background... Actually, wouldn't that be against their policies?
At last, she adjusted her hands intertwined below her abdomen and answered, "I would like to create a new bank account."
...
Amid the bathes of the sun.
Selina alighted from a public carriage, handed out a penny for the coachman before striding off.
She arrived at the outskirts of Indus Region. There, she plant to attend Gawain's training without the company of Klein.
Today's her day off, but it doesn't suggest that the same goes for her training.
She had already a missed day, doing more would be just impolite for the instructor.
Her time took about one hour and thirty minutes to arrive. Compiling up an account to bestow and retrieving her knight's training attire.
For the money part, she figured that instead of being her identity as the White Maiden, it would instead be herself, the one who had wished for bestowment rituals in exchange.
She mused at this, only to realize later that it's doable under the pretense of another identity.
"Phew... Haaah..." Selina tried her best to steady her breath.
One leg over her body, two hands maintaining that stance.
She had finished ten laps around the district in due time and is now practicing her flexion. With about ten stances, minimum of five minutes.
"Next would be your agility." a deep voice spoke before Selina. Gawain, in his coat was holding a tea, gazing outside on a window.
He turned then added, "Jump and touch that metal bar by the stairs."
Selina released her hands from forcing her legs over her back. She drew out a breath before looking at the metal bar.
It was extremely high. Even if she were to use a stool, one jump wouldn't allow her to touch its tip.
Are you mocking me of my height? Selina secretly pouted in grievance.
This had been Gawain's first task for her, to manage a single touch of the bar without using any tools.
Logically, Selina instantly nodded that she wouldn't be able to reach it. Maybe if she reached later sequences, she'd have a breeze touching that single bar even countless of times.
However, the task unfortunately demands her current sequence.
"Alright..." with turbid eyes, Selina agreed.
When she stepped before the wall and the stairwell. Gawain suddenly called her, "Do not attempt to brute force your way into reaching it. Use obstacles as a stepping points... But don't ever try to break them..."
"I-I'll try..." Selina squeezed out a smile. Use obstacles as stepping points? Is he implying that I should jump one furniture to reach it?
Sigh... I couldn't do it even if I wanted to... Her eyes started wandering around.
To her right was a bookshelf, on her left was the stairwell.
Gawain specifically told her that she's not allowed to use the stairs, otherwise she'd be able to touch it, in exchange for some injury.
Selina was against risking her health again, so even if this was the case, she'd likely disregard it.
She scanned the furnishings placed before the wall and found them meters apart. Even if she were to climb, the height wouldn't give her enough uplift to reach the bar.
As she prepares to postpone this task again, similar to yesterday. Gawain suddenly spoke, "I said jump and stepping points, not climb and reach."
Selina turned to him and smiled, "May I ask? Will Klein have to do this task as well?"
Gawain had a dead look, he answered somewhat displeased, "His training regime is separate from yours."
Mr. Gawain... Are you of the Lord of Storms or the Evernight? Selina subtly mused about doubting her instructor's belief.
Upon shaking her head, she warmed herself up and jumped. Her hand stretched to the most of her abilities.
But despite this, she was only able to reach the level of the bookshelf.
Gawain let out a resigned sigh. "Go back to training your flexibility."
At this moment, his cup was already empty. The mundanity of his pupil's expected result made him turn around and head to the kitchen.
Left behind in the living room. Selina's mind stirred for a solution.
How can I reach that bar? Why does Mr. Gawain expect me to touch it once without ever using tools?
The bar can be seen placed halfway on the wall all the way to the second floor, the stairwell's entrance on the ceiling made it so one can see the area at the stair's end.
Even if anyone else were to attempt on reaching the bar, they would fail miserably.
Did Mr. Gawain set this up for me to actually finish it? I'm doubting if this is right... Selina creased her brow anxiously.
However, despite this, she intends to try decipher Gawain's advice. And after some thought, she realized:
Gawain expects her to maneuver, in modernity "parkour", her way to reach the second floor without using the stairs!
This immediately placed unrealistic pressure on Selina.
He expects me to be like a parkour expert? At the same time she thought of this, Gawain returned to the living room.
He said after inspecting Selina. "You jumped earlier right?"
Hearing this, Selina was a bit befuddled. It took here seconds to reply cautiously, "Y-Yes..."
"And you tried it yesterday as well, isn't that correct?"
Now Selina was really confused, prompting her to only nod.
Gawain walked toward her and then faced the wall. "How tall have you reached the first time you tried to finish the task I gave you?"
"About that..." Suddenly, realization struck Selina. "I see..."
She could barely reach the level of the bookshelf at that time!
Gawain saw this reaction and said, "Right, your body is different. It adapts and recovers a bit faster. Perhaps the effects of being a beyonder."
Selina listened attentively. She's not surprise that a retired veteran knight would be aware of the existence of beyonders.
"You felt lighter right?" Gawain added upon facing her. "Train more and you'll feel that walls wouldn't even be an obstacle for you, which is the same goes for combat.
"Although a woman's body is inherently preserved for a more menial things, it won't restrict them from being able to outmaneuver and land precise hits toward their opponent's vital points. Allowing the battle to be even. My fellow knights who were females leverages this aspect of their body during confrontations.
"Continue your reflex sessions, balance and flexions. Your stamina and strength is dire as well, so begin lifting one of those dumbbells, be careful not to puncture anything in you. And once you've reached that bar, we can proceed to combat simulations where I can teach of you a body's vital spots to strike. Understood?"
"Y-Yes!" Selina instinctively straightened herself.