Serena heard footsteps approaching and immediately turned back, forcing herself to leave without looking behind her.
She ascended the stairs as quickly as she could, her heart pounding violently in her chest. By the time she stepped out of the prayer room, she was met by Ilyra.
The young priestess looked at her closely. "Are you unwell, your grace?"
Serena steadied herself and shook her head. "I am fine. I was praying for quite some time, so I became a little exhausted."
Ilyra grabbed her hand. "Then come with me. I forgot to show you something."
Without giving Serena much time to object, Ilyra led her outside to the garden.
There, Serena stopped in surprise.
A large number of children were playing, their laughter filling the air.
Ilyra tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled softly. "They are orphans living here. Many orphanages in Maryland lack proper facilities and funding, so they cannot accommodate so many children. The Church took them in instead."
She paused for a moment, "Above all, many of these children possess divine power."
Serena's gaze remained fixed on them.
So, the children I saw there… they were the same orphans taken in by the Church.
A cold realization settled in her chest.
Ilyra turned toward her. "Pardon? Did you say something?"
Serena quickly composed herself. "No, it's nothing. So… the reason you brought me here…"
Before she could finish, Ilyra spoke. "Yes. I wanted you to see just how happy they are, and how the Church takes care of these children."
Her smile brightened. "I hope you will support the Church."
Serena said nothing.
She only looked at the smiling children before her—while the memory of the lifeless bodies lingered like a shadow in her mind.
At the same time, in the palace....
Fenrir, the High Priest, took a seat across from Penelope, the First Empress.
"I told you not to come unless it was important, Brother."
Fenrir gave a mocking sneer. "What? Am I no longer allowed to see my own sister?"
Penelope's expression remained cold. "Don't be absurd. I know you didn't come here to see me. So—what happened?"
Fenrir leaned back slightly. "It seems the Dowager Duchess has arrived in Maryland. She even came to the Church asking to meet me."
Penelope's gaze sharpened. "You didn't meet her, did you?"
"No," Fenrir replied. "But I cannot avoid her forever. I will have to meet her eventually."
Penelope exhaled in irritation. "If only Alexis wasn't so much like his father, I could have already dealt with Selwyn. Instead, all he does is waste his time lazing around with women."
Fenrir chuckled softly. "Do not worry. We will get rid of them soon enough."
His voice lowered, carrying an unsettling certainty.
"After all, she is about to be reborn."
Penelope's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Yes… indeed."
Serena washed her hands repeatedly into the bowl of water.
Rika stood nearby, watching her with growing concern. "You've been washing your hands for a while now, Your Grace."
Serena paused and stared down at her palms. The memory of those lifeless children lingered in her mind, refusing to fade.
"You may leave now," she said quietly. "I won't be eating anything today."
Rika hesitated but eventually bowed. "As you wish, Your Grace."
She stepped out and gently closed the door behind her before immediately hurrying off to find Dyanne.
"Dyanne! Dyanne!" she called urgently.
Dyanne turned toward her. "What is it?"
Rika took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Why is Her Grace like that? Did something happen?"
Dyanne frowned slightly and shook her head. "No, she didn't say anything. But ever since returning from the Church, she has looked unwell. Still… she keeps insisting she is fine."
For the next few days, Serena had to oversee countless matters at the villa.
She sat at her desk with her hands folded, frowning deeply. The ledger was in complete disarray. The money Lucas had sent was supposedly recorded by Abel, yet his bookkeeping had been careless and inconsistent.
It took Serena a considerable amount of time to sort through the confusion and properly organize the accounts. She even took the effort to teach Abel how to maintain the records correctly so that such disorder would not happen again.
Only after everything was settled did she finally return to see Ilyra.
As usual, Antony was the one to greet her.
Serena fixed him with a sharp look. "Antony, I thought you would help me meet the High Priest, but instead you keep wasting my time."
Antony immediately lowered his head. "My apologies, Your Grace. High Priest Fenrir is not here at the moment. He has gone to the capital."
Serena halted in her tracks. "To the capital, you say…"
Before she could think further, Ilyra came running toward her.
"Your Grace!"
Serena's expression softened at once, dismissing Antony's anxious presence.
"You are here," Ilyra said with a bright smile. "I kept wondering why you had not come again. Of course, you must have been busy. But please, since you are still here, come and see me at least once a week if you have the time."
"Do not worry, I will," Serena replied. "In fact, I wished to speak with you privately."
"In that case, let us go to my room."