After all the commotion, the time for the new year was nearly upon them. The surprise Jeanne intended to gift Laterano was about to be unveiled. One had to wonder, when that moment finally arrived, whether the Pope would find it a "pleasant surprise" or simply a terrifying shock.
"Mm... the Great Clock Tower?"
Just as Jeanne and her companions managed to slip into the besieged tower, Cecilia woke from her brief nap. Her head was still foggy, and she couldn't quite distinguish between a dream and reality. She felt as though the events of this single night were more exciting than her entire life combined—experiences she had never dared imagine while confined to her home. Now, seeing the Great Clock Tower—something she had only ever seen in her mother's stories and old photographs—she felt as if she were walking through a dream.
"Yes. Have you never been here before?"
Seeing her awake, Jeanne and Lemuen struck up a conversation with her. They could tell this child likely hadn't stepped foot outside her door for many years. Given her unique circumstances, it was understandable. Though they didn't know the specific details, they realized how difficult it must have been for the girl's mother.
"We're going up in a bit. Tell me, are you curious about what's at the top?"
Jeanne, carrying Cecilia, walked through the small side door of the clock tower alongside Lemuen. Logically, on such an important holiday, this vital landmark should have been locked tight to prevent overexcited Sankta from storming the heights. Yet, when Jeanne arrived, the door wasn't even locked; it was merely closed, swinging open with the slightest push.
Was this a sign of the Sankta's inherent law-abidance, or had someone quietly unlocked it for them before they arrived? Regardless, it didn't matter. Jeanne had successfully entered the tower and was ready to proceed with her plan. Other matters were minor concerns.
As they entered, a Sankta who had been hidden in the shadows appeared, watching them go before reporting to someone via comms.
"Your Holiness, it is confirmed. The Saintess has entered the clock tower. However... she has the hybrid child with her. What are your orders?"
In the Pope's office, Velliv walked in to report the current situation.
And what was the Pope doing? He was currently enjoying a cup of black tea with ten sugar cubes, paired with a new style of New Year's pastry and some leftover gingerbread from Christmas. Seeing the old man completely unbothered by the lurking dangers, Velliv felt a wave of exhaustion. Here she was, running around until her halo was practically dimming from stress, while the man at the center of it all was focused entirely on his dessert.
I'm so tired, she thought. Maybe I should find an excuse to call back a couple of subordinates, dump this mess on them, and sit in my own office with some sweets. But that was just a pipe dream. Her best people were already occupied with their assignments, and unless there was an extreme emergency, it was best not to move them.
"Velliv, thank you for working so hard late into the night. Would you like to try this sour apple and lemon tart? It has quite a unique flavor." The Pope greeted her with a smile, offering his personal recommendation.
"No thank you. I have no interest in sour things. Can we talk business?" Velliv refused with a stiff face. She wasn't blind; she could see the slight twitch in the old man's expression. He had clearly been tricked by the tart's flavor and was trying to drag her down with him.
"Alright, if you don't want it, you don't want it. Business then. What are your thoughts?" The Pope set the plate back on the table and asked for his trusted subordinate's opinion.
"I think we need to take this seriously. If that bell actually rings, it's no small matter! Especially since they have a hybrid with them."
After learning of Cecilia's situation from Mostima, the Pope and Velliv had already confirmed the girl's nature. While such a thing was incredibly rare in Laterano, it wasn't the first time in a thousand years. Previous Popes had simply buried such cases in the shadows. Though it was undeniably unfair to the hybrids, it was a necessary means of hiding the truth to protect Laterano's stability.
"And what do you think we should do? Follow the path of previous Popes and bury this child and her family in history?"
Hearing this, Velliv knew where the Pope stood. This Pope had always been repulsed by such methods, even if he had never openly criticized them.
"She is just an ordinary child. A kind child, as ordinary as can be. Even our Saintess sees her that way, doesn't she?"
It seemed the Pope intended to let the girl live her life, regardless of whether she might cause trouble for Laterano in the future. He noted that Jeanne recognized her as a kind soul. Based on Velliv's observations, the Saintess's character would never allow for the girl's elimination. In the ancient, foundational laws of Laterano, it was written that a recognized Saintess held the power of absolute veto over any action... she truly had the power to protect this child.
The reason Velliv hadn't initially recalled this law was because Laterano hadn't had a legally recognized Saintess in a millennium; people had subconsciously forgotten it existed.
"I know what you're worried about, Velliv. But think about it. Even if this hybrid's identity is made public, even if Laterano admits to the truth of the past, what impact would it really have?"
The Pope spoke with confidence. Laterano's reputation for eternal neutrality didn't come from their bloodline, but from the hard work of the Sankta people over a thousand years. Compared to other races, they truly were well-protected.
What if that history came to light? Would the Sarkaz even acknowledge it? Would the nations of Terra suddenly decide the Sankta were "demons" and shun them? No. The Sankta were the Sankta because of their unity. While the truth might cause some ripples, it wouldn't be fatal.
"So, let us simply treat her as a miracle. Isn't a blessed hybrid of Sankta and Sarkaz just another display of divine wonder?"
Indeed, with the return of the Saintess, Laterano no longer feared such controversy. A bringer of miracles had descended, and all accusations were powerless before her. This was why Laterano had searched for a Saintess for a thousand years; the journals of the First Saints were filled with exhaustive praise for her. Though none of them had seen her with their own eyes, and no one knew what they truly saw on the night the bell rang...
"Since it is your will, I shall obey. However, I have still dispatched the Apostolic Knights to maintain order. If that bell rings, the people might become a bit too excited."
She couldn't imagine what the Sankta gathered before the tower would do if a miracle descended on this night of transition. And if they discovered Jeanne, what then?
The Pope gave a distracted hum of agreement. He was staring intently at his watch. There were only ten seconds left until the New Year...
Whether or not a miracle would descend would be revealed in these ten seconds.
Ten, nine, eight, seven... three, two, one!
"DONG— DONG— DONG—!!!"
At the exact moment the Pope's countdown ended, accompanying the arrival of the New Year on the Terra calendar, the great bell that had been silent for a millennium rang out once more across the Holy City of Laterano.
In that instant, every Sankta who heard the chime stood frozen, as if their souls had left their bodies. Even the Pope was no exception. He found himself in a golden ocean of light—light condensed from pure faith, illuminating a kingdom built upon the clouds.
In this moment, the Pope felt that this was their true home. And the continent known as Terra? It was nothing more than an island where they were imprisoned.