With the matter of the holy book settled, Rohan decided to get some rest. As for his usual meeting with Edmund and David, he had already informed Edmund the night before that he might not be able to join them.
And several hours later, he suddenly woke up.
The first thing he saw was Belluci's face hovering just above his.
For a brief moment, his mind went blank.
He saw her crimson eyes glow faintly. Strands of her long, gray hair, tinted with soft shades of teal, fell loosely around her face, some brushing lightly against his cheek.
"What are you doing?" Rohan asked.
Belluci immediately leaned back, her expression softening, though a faint hint of embarrassment lingered.
"I was merely trying to wake you," she said gently. "You would not stir, no matter how many times I called your name."
She paused, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "So… I moved a little closer," she added, her voice quieter now. "I thought it might help you hear me better."
Still feeling pain all over his body, Rohan forced himself to rise and sit upright.
"What's the matter?" he asked, rubbing his face.
"Someone came," Belluci replied calmly. "He said he was an official from the city and was asking to meet the one responsible for this church."
At her words, Rohan pushed himself to his feet. He noticed Luciana and Keana sitting in the rows of chairs inside the church. Arminius had also returned from his trip to the city, now leaning on the walls near the entrance door.
Ignoring the lingering pain, Rohan walked toward the front door. There, he saw a man who appeared to be in his forties. His red hair was streaked with gray at the sides, a clear sign of age.
Not far from the church, Rohan also saw Tiara and Diana were watching.
The man stood just outside the entrance. When he saw Rohan, he smiled. "You must be the one responsible for this building."
Rohan also smiled. "Why don't we talk inside?"
"Forgive me..." the man said while covering his nose. "But your place reeks of night creatures. So I figured I would just stay outside."
Instantly, Arminius let out a low chuckle, stepping forward with an easy grin.
"Well, I'd say the feeling's mutual," he said smoothly. "You know what you smell like? Like a salted fish that's been drying for a century."
He gave a small shrug, his smile never wavering.
"But hey, I'm willing to overlook it if you are."
Rohan, on the other hand, felt a flicker of confusion, though he did not show it on his face. To him, everyone currently inside the church, aside from Arminius, smelled perfectly normal. In fact, Belluci in particular carried a scent that was pleasant and oddly soothing.
Either this man is extremely prejudiced, or he just really hates the way Arminius smells.
And as if Arminius did not exist, the man did not spare him even a glance as he continued speaking.
"I do not have the luxury of time," he said calmly. "So I will be direct. Not every religion is permitted to build a church within the territory of the Octavian family."
His tone remained even, controlled, yet carried a quiet weight.
"If you wish to avoid unnecessary consequences, you will dismantle this place yourself within a week."
Before he could continue, Luciana stepped forward.
"We built this place," she said, her voice smooth but edged. "And if you, or anyone else, tries to interfere…"
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You will learn exactly how costly that mistake can be."
Rohan, noticing the rising tension, naturally wanted to calm things down. The last thing he needed was to make enemies of both the Octavian family and the Lastbender family. That would be disastrous for his current situation.
And for a split second, Rohan considered bluffing his way out, claiming that he had not built a church at all, that it was just an ordinary house.
But he quickly discarded the idea.
From a single glance, he could tell the man was strong. More importantly, they had found this place far too easily. And how was he so certain that this was a church?
Rohan narrowed his eyes slightly.
The Octavian family must have some kind of method to detect buildings constructed with the intent of becoming a church.
It sounded absurd.
But even he knew how powerful and well known the Octavian family was within the kingdom. For a family like that, such an ability might not be impossible.
At that moment, Rohan felt a quiet sense of relief that the Octavian family had not discovered the shrines he had built within the city.
And in the end, he chose the safer path.
"How can I get a permit?" Rohan asked immediately. "If I want to establish a proper place of worship for the Storm God."
The man gave a faint, composed smile. As if he already heard of the Storm God before.
"There is no need to complicate matters," he said evenly. "One hundred gold coins each month, and this place will be recognized."
For a moment, Rohan's eyelids twitched.
Simple? I might as well move my church somewhere far from the city instead of paying that much.
But he kept his expression steady, as though the man's proposal did not affect him at all.
"I see… I will consider it."
The man nodded. Without another word, he turned and left.
The sound of his footsteps slowly faded.
Only then did Arminius glance at Rohan.
"Well… that went great," Arminius said with a crooked grin. "So what's the plan? We paying the nice man, or are we going with the slightly more exciting option?"
He tilted his head. "Because if it's war, I've got ideas. Very good ones. Some of them might even work."
Luciana nodded slightly. "We should have just dealt with him when we had the chance."
Rohan, of course, had no intention of provoking the Octavian family.
Ignoring Arminius and Luciana, he simply turned and walked back to the spot where he had been sleeping. Along the way, he noticed the uncertain looks on Keana and Belluci's faces.
As he flopped onto the floor, Rohan spoke firmly, "Guys, don't worry. I have a plan."
The plan was simple.
He would just ask Merlinda for help. Considering her family's influence, she might be able to find a solution. At least, that was what he hoped.