The Matron took the phone with a look of doubt and uncertainty: "Hello, I am—"
Before the words had even finished falling, the old Matron's expression had changed drastically, shifting from slightly arrogant skepticism to absolute, submissive reverence, even—
Yes! I completely accept the decision of the Holy See.
(.. Just what kind of identity does Boss have?! Even the Holy See has appeared!)
Wood stood to the side, dumbfounded.
At this moment, the call ended.
Margaret Matron respectfully returned the phone to Wood: "I will take you to see Arthur now."
(As expected, the Boss's origins are unfathomable!)
Wood thought joyfully, put away his phone, led the overly excited Little Anubis out of the Principal's Office, following Margaret Matron.
..
.. This place was originally a pure Madonna Convent. During the Civil War, a vast number of children lost their parents because of the war, wandering the streets barefoot. At that time, the Principal, Sister Nelly, could not bear to see the children suffering from hunger and cold, so she vacated a row of rooms in the convent to serve as the Orphanage Dormitory. Since then, the Madonna Convent has functioned as both a convent and an orphanage.
Currently, there are three dormitory buildings within the convent. The Nun's Dormitory and the Girls' Dormitory are adjacent to each other, the Boys' Dormitory is to the right of the Small Chapel—the Neighborhood Priest occasionally stays overnight here. The Priest's Room is located on the first floor of the Boys' Dormitory. In the week leading up to Christmas and Easter, the boys in the convent who are selected for the Choir will be taken to the Church by the Priest for intensive training..
Although our children receive the teachings of the Lord from a young age and are pure in both mind and body, boys often reach an age where they cannot restrain their impulses and commit mistakes. Therefore, once our boys turn fifteen, they must move out of the Convent within six months to find another path; the Church will also assist them in finding work through the believers.. If the girls wish to devote themselves to the Lord, they will also receive formal teachings after the age of fifteen..
On the way to the Orphanage Dormitory, Margaret Matron introduced the specific circumstances of the orphanage to Wood.
Wood listened intently, feeling that the Madonna Orphanage appeared to be very formal and devout in every respect.
The Old Matron beside you is indeed a pious person, but not everyone's piety comes from the heart~
Anubis's voice rang in Wood's mind.
[The air here is strange; there is both a holy fragrance and a foul stench..]
(A holy fragrance? A foul stench?)
Wood instinctively glanced left and right, seeing a Demon Gargoyle with a single horn on its head decorating the eaves near the Small Chapel to the left of the Boys' Dormitory.
This Gargoyle—
It looks like a Demon, doesn't it?
Yes, I have never seen such an ugly Gargoyle.
Wood spoke the truth.
The Matron smiled and explained, "This Gargoyle is a Holy Relic of our Convent."
A Holy Relic?
About three hundred years ago, before the Convent was built, a terrifying fire-breathing Demon with a single horn on its head descended upon this land, slaughtering innocent women and children. The local Catholics prayed to the Lord, the Lord sent Archangel Gabriel to kill the Demon. But the Monster's body could not be destroyed, so the Roman Catholic Church suggested that a Convent be built on this site, with the Monster used as decoration for the Church, the image of Archangel Gabriel painted on the Church's ceiling to intimidate demons and evil.
You mean this Gargoyle was once a living thing?
Wood felt extremely astonished.
Margaret Matron nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "It was not only once a living thing, but it remains alive even now; Gabriel's Sword pierced its heart and pinned it here forever."
Oh?
Wood narrowed his eyes, seeing the black hilt of a sword embedded in the Unicorn Gargoyle's chest, almost fused with its body, a sudden thought flashed through his mind: If I pull this Sword in the Stone out, will I be able to rule England?
Stop daydreaming! Without the support of Merlin, the Holy Grail, the Knights of the Round Table, Arthur is nothing more than a man with a sword—and besides, this sword is the Holy Sword, not the Sword in the Stone.
A Neutral Voice rang out in the mind, carrying an unmistakable sense of hostility and disgust amidst its divinity.
Who are you! How can you hear my thoughts! You—
The Neutral Voice did not answer Wood's question; instead, Anubis's voice rang out in Wood's mind.
Dad, did you just hear a Neutral Voice? It warned you not to feel possessive toward the sword in the Gargoyle's heart.
(Hmm?)
Based on my observations, this voice comes from the Church or perhaps the Gargoyle—it cannot truly read a person's thoughts; it simply sounds within a person's mind when their gaze lingers on the Gargoyle for a long time, serving as a warning to the observer.
(Really?)
Wood was skeptical of Anubis's guess. While the Matron was introducing him to Father Matthew, who was walking out of the Church, his gaze fell upon the Gargoyle once again.
And then—
[—Are you still not giving up?]
A Neutral Voice sounded once more, the Gargoyle's body also seemed to undergo subtle changes.
Wood felt a sudden chill run down his spine.
At this moment, after hearing the Matron's introduction, Father Matthew walked toward Wood with a smile. "Hello, I am Father Matthew. It is a pleasure to meet you."
The honor is mine.
Wood spoke cautiously, taking Father Matthew's hand—the priest was about forty or fifty years old, Italian, with a standard clerical haircut, the dark brown top of his head completely shaved with only a ring left around the sides. He had a prominent nose and a compassionate gaze, giving him the air of a saint.
.. What an ugly hairstyle.
Little Anubis roasted him without mercy.
Wood pretended not to hear, struggling to shift his gaze away from the Priest's gleaming, reflective head. With the Matron's assistance, he explained the reason for his visit: "I am a private investigator. I am looking for a boy named Arthur, between ten and fifteen years old.."
After hearing Wood's words, Father Matthew's gaze remained calm. "There is indeed a boy named Arthur in the Church Choir who matches your description in every respect."
When can I see him?
You can see him right now.
Father Matthew lowered his head and turned, inviting Wood to enter the Small Chapel with him.
Wood glanced at Little Anubis at his feet, who looked up with a confirming gaze.
Don't worry, I am an Egyptian God, not a Demon.
Wood breathed a sigh of relief and led Little Anubis into the brightly lit Church. Just as they were about to fully enter the Church, Father Matthew suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were being stared at intensely by a pair of eyes filled with hatred.
Author's Note:
----------------------
I'll take a moment here to pass the time by clarifying "猊下," "Your Majesty," "Your Holiness," and "Holy See":
"猊下" originates from Japanese. "猊" refers to the lion that serves as a Bodhisattva's mount (also known as Suanni), so "猊下" carries the meaning of kneeling before the Bodhisattva (below the mount). It has been extended as a respectful term for high-ranking monks, similar to "Your Highness" or "Your Majesty." When writing Japanese-style Western fantasy, "猊下" is often used as an honorific for religious leaders (there are many such localized terms in Japanese-style Western fantasy; for example, using "Sojo" to address a priest—since they are all monks, it is theoretically logical).
"Your Majesty" is a coined term used by Chinese translators when translating "猊下" in Japanese-style Western fantasy—it is highly suspected that the translator did not understand the meaning of "猊下," because in ancient Chinese texts, only "猊座下" exists, not "猊下." It is also possible that the translator felt Western religious leaders should not be kneeling at the feet of a Bodhisattva, thus creating the term "Your Majesty"—as it aligns with the common perception of the Pope wearing a triple tiara. "Your Majesty" is widely used online (especially in Western fantasy web novels), even though such a title does not actually exist.
The specific honorific for the Pope in the West is Sa Sainteté, which is the equivalent of "Your Holiness" in English, meaning his holiness and his sanctity. In a Chinese context, translating it as "Your Holiness" is more appropriate to the actual situation. In reality, in an effort to de-emphasize personal power, the Pope prefers others to call him "Saint Père."
The Vatican's Chinese website uses the term Holy See, but the Holy See does not emphasize the Pope as an individual; rather, it refers to the highest authority of the Church represented by the Pope (which is, in fact, the Pope himself).
Therefore, the "Holy See" here refers to the entirety of the Vatican.
Thanks to readers "Haike", "Ru Yue Liang Mei Lai", "69987495", "Liu Nai Mai Niu Nai", "rania", "Li Yu", "Shi Yi", "moonlit", "Ha Pi Jiu", "Ri Yue Tao San Huan" for providing nutrition solution.
Chapter 17 Gabriel and the Gargoyle (4)
Arthur!
Father Matthew walked up to the boys in the Choir who were rehearsing hymns and called out to them with affection.
The boy Arthur immediately looked up: "Father—"
Mister Wood wants to talk to you.
Father Matthew turned aside and introduced Wood to the boy, Arthur.
Arthur was instantly stunned. "Wow! Mister Wood, you look just like the Angel in the murals!"
Really? Do I look like an Angel?
A faint sense of vanity rose in Wood's heart.
Arthur nodded seriously. "You have golden hair, a beautiful face, green eyes just like Archangel Gabriel, your skin is as white as the clouds in the heavens—it's a pity you don't have Gabriel's wings on your back, nor are you holding Gabriel's lilies or the Holy Sword in your hands.."
Because I am just an ordinary human who looks like an Angel.
Wood said with feigned modesty, though his vanity had already soared to the sky.
At that moment—
Ah! A puppy! Such a cute puppy!
The Boy's attention was drawn to Little Anubis, he blinked his watery eyes: "Mister, may I pet your puppy?"
“..”
Wood looked at Little Anubis.
Anubis turned his head and reluctantly walked up to Arthur, tugging at his leash. He gave Arthur's calf a perfunctory rub before running back to Wood's side, his face practically saying, "I've done my best."
.. He's a boy with a bit of an attitude.
Wood explained, feeling incredibly awkward.
Hearing this, Arthur scratched his hair awkwardly: "Mister Wood, what exactly is it that you are looking for me for?"
There is a—
Wood looked at Father Matthew: "Can I have a private chat with him on the bench outside?"
Of course.
Father Matthew and Margaret Matron both wore smiles full of benevolence.
Wood took the opportunity to lead Arthur out of the Church, they sat side by side on a white iron bench at the edge of the lawn.
Arthur, before we begin our formal conversation, I want to ask you two questions.
What questions?
The Boy's expression was innocent and bewildered.
How much time do you spend browsing web pages on your phone every day?
No more than an hour.