The closer Ronan got to Hilton Church, the more people he saw.
Families walked together in their better clothes. What caught Ronan's attention was something else.
The wealthy and the poor walked the same road. Normally, such a sight would have been strange anywhere else .
Around Hilton Church ground, it was completely natural. Within five hundred meters of the church grounds, carriages were forbidden. Everyone were required to walk on foot l
The rule came from the Book of Yania the holy scripture shared by the followers of all three goddesses.
Though churches often favored one goddess over the others depending on the nation and denomination, they all followed the same text. A quiet reminder that, despite their differences, they still worshipped the same divine family.
The walking rule existed for the same reason.
Before the goddesses, wealth and power held no prestige as in the end no matter how wealthy or powerful someone was they were ultimately below the goddesses.
Merchant, laborer, noble, or royal all approached the church on foot.
At least for this short stretch of road, everyone walked the same path.
Ronan found the idea surprisingly reasonable. But he could still see the disparity between their clothing and could easily make out who was wealthy and who was not .
Should have also made a rule for wearing some kind of uniform dress code or something that way everyone would truly look equal .
Among the worshippers, he spotted figures in long purple robes, silver stars embroidered along the fabric. They were the Nuns and priests of Serionah.
The stars represented her dominion over dreams and the heavens beyond. They stood out at once among the sea of ordinary townsfolk.
As Ronan walked with the crowd, a sudden thought struck him. His hand discreetly patted the inside of his coat.
A second later he was relieved to find that the revolver wasn't there.
"Phew…"
Only now did he realize he had left it at home.
For a brief moment, he had been terrified he'd accidentally brought a firearm onto holy ground.
From Percy's memories, Ronan knew carrying weapons into a church wasn't technically illegal as gaurds of the nobles and royals did bring weapons with them . However, was considered deeply disrespectful.
Doing so openly could easily invite trouble. Especially if someone mistook his intentions.
The last thing he needed was explaining why a tailor carrying a revolver had decided to attend Sunday service.
Ronan released a breath. Carelessness had worked in his favor this time.
Still, he corrected himself.
*No.*
Forgetting the revolver wasn't a good habit. Considering everything that had happened recently, leaving his only means of protection behind was arguably more dangerous.
*I'll remember next time.*
Ronan stepped through the large entrance and into the church.
Even after seeing it from the outside, he found himself slightly impressed. The interior was massive for a town church.
Rows upon rows of polished wooden benches stretched across the hall. Tall stone pillars rose toward the vaulted ceiling, while stained-glass windows painted the floor with scattered patches of colored light.
Then again, perhaps it wasn't that surprising.
The churches of the Three Goddesses received support from every level of society.
Commoners offered prayers and wrok force . Merchants offered donations and nobles offered patronage. Even royalty followed the same faith.
With that much backing, constructing grand churches throughout the nation was hardly difficult. Nor was this church unique.
According to Percy's memories, similar churches existed across numerous countries.
The influence of the faith stretched far beyond national borders. At the center of it all stood the Holy Trinity. Not the goddesses themselves, but the organization formed by the three churches.
It was arguably the largest faction in the known world. And it had held that position for centuries.
Even powerful nations struggled to rival its influence. The only organization that came remotely close was the Union Laws Syndicate.
Unlike the Holy Trinity, which centered around faith, the Syndicate dealt with international law, arbitration, and agreements between nations. Its authority crossed borders, allowing it to oversee disputes that many kingdoms preferred not to handle themselves.
The fact that a single organization could stand alongside the Holy Trinity spoke volumes about its power.
Ronan slowly took a seat near the back. As he did, a thought crossed his mind.
Publicly, the Holy Trinity and the Union Laws Syndicate maintained cordial relations.
At least, that was the official story. But having lived a modern life before this one, Ronan found such claims difficult to believe completely. Large organizations rarely remained simple.
The larger the faction, the more interests became entangled within it. Where bigger the pot was the more stew brew in it .
Perhaps the leaders of both organizations truly got along or perhaps they didn't. Either way, Ronan doubted everything was as harmonious behind closed doors as the newspapers claimed.
Then again, those were problems for people far above his station as he himself was just a humble tailor with five copper crowns to his name .
Ronan stayed seated near the back, where the benches were mostly empty.
From here he could quietly observe everything without drawing much attention to himself.
The interior felt even larger than it had looked from outside.
The ceiling stretched high overhead, held up by massive stone pillars. Sunlight poured through stained-glass windows showing scenes from the Book of Yania, painting the church in soft, colored light.
At the front stood several priests and nuns in ceremonial robes. Among them was the Holy Father of Hilton Church.
The elderly man stood before the altar with calm dignity, conducting what looked like the Drawing of Words.
Percy's memories recognized the ritual at once. One of the more common ceremonies performed by the clergy. Through prayer and scripture, worshippers symbolically gave their wishes and gratitude to the spirits, who would in turn carry them toward the goddesses.
At least, that was how the church described it.
Whether the spirits actually carried anything was another matter.
At the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar figure. Mrs. Gloria sat several rows ahead, a young child resting on her lap.
The child seemed far more interested in looking around than paying attention to the ceremony.
Ronan wasn't surprised as Mrs. Gloria had always struck him as someone who was devoted to her faith. Every now and then she would mention blessings from the goddesses, or slip a scripture quote into ordinary conversation.
Back then, Percy had usually smiled and nodded. Ronan would have done much the same.
His gaze drifted back to the altar as a thought came to him .
*Should I be religious too?* I mean i never was religious before nor was Percy despite being raised at an orphanage raised by nuns .
Back on Earth, miracles belonged in stories.
And neither did Percy experience any miracles himself .
But now was a different situation.....
*Well. I've literally transmigrated into another body.* If this wasn't a miracle idon't know what is .