The distance from Quill Avenue, where Miss Louisa resided, to Dawn Square, where the Church of Dawn was located, was quite far. To avoid missing his appointment, Shad took a hansom cab at the intersection. He first sent Mia home before heading to the church.
Tobeisk in the height of summer was equally shrouded in smog. Due to the high temperatures, the scorched scent in the air was becoming increasingly unbearable. On the way to the church, Shad tucked that leaf into the cover of his decorative pocket watch while gazing out the window at the scenery of this steam age.
The rapidly moving streetscapes: dignified gentlemen and barefoot children, low walls clung to by weeds and imposing aristocratic mansions, dense networks of steam pipes and porters carrying sacks—all of this spoke to Shad of the balance and imbalance of this era.
But the outsider knew that this was merely a node in the process of civilization's development. For civilization, there was never such a thing as absolute balance, only a dynamic relative balance.
He was so lost in these musings that when he stepped out of the carriage, he nearly forgot to pay the driver. Feeling rather embarrassed, he gave an extra two pence. The hunchbacked middle-aged driver did not mind; instead, he thanked him happily. To the lower-class poor, two pence still held value.
It was currently Thursday of the second week of the Month of Thunder. As the Festival of Holy Prayer drew closer, the clergy of the Church of Dawn grew increasingly busy. Nevertheless, Priest Augustus still found the time to welcome Shad at the church entrance, embracing him with exaggerated enthusiasm.
"Remember to act like you're injured," the priest whispered during the embrace, before switching to a naturally concerned tone. "Shad, is your injury alright now?"
"Cough, cough."
Shad didn't actually know what symptoms internal bleeding was supposed to manifest, so he simply faked a few weak coughs. "The doctor said I was lucky and that young people have strong bodies, so I should be fine."
"Very good, very good. Mr. Dawn will protect you."
With that, he led Shad into the church.
Whether in a world where gods existed or one where they did not, functional buildings like churches were always constructed to be grand and solemn. Even though it wasn't his first time entering the Church of Dawn, as soon as his feet stepped inside the building, he couldn't help but lower his voice and slow his pace.
Of course, this was also related to the power inherent in the church itself. In a world where thought could influence reality, the church was blessed by the power of the Orthodox Gods, supplemented by the protective measures set by Ring-casters and the power contributed by the long-term devotion of the faithful. The safest place in Tobeisk was actually the churches of the five Orthodox Gods, not Yodel Palace.
The two walked one after the other, quickly passing through the main hall of the Church of Dawn and entering the rear area via a side corridor. Priest Augustus greeted people continuously along the way; a few clergy members seemed to know who Shad was and shook his hand warmly.
It appeared that the events of yesterday noon had had an impact on the church itself.
They soon arrived at Bishop Owen's office. After knocking, Shad and Priest Augustus entered the room.
The old bishop had been reading documents through reading glasses. Seeing them enter, he temporarily set the papers aside. He took off his glasses, adjusted his expression, and spoke to Shad very kindly.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Hamilton, please sit. I invited you here today because I wish to discuss... the topic of faith with you."
Shad raised an eyebrow. As expected, it was this topic.
The conversation that afternoon proceeded pleasantly. Bishop Owen, representing the Church of Dawn, asked if Shad would be willing to convert to the faith of Mr. Dawn. This was not only because Bishop Owen admired Shad, but more so because of the silver coin that had been struck yesterday morning.
With the church pushing the narrative and the royal family's tacit approval, the story had already spread. The church wanted to use this to promote the faith of the Church of Dawn, while the royal family wanted to demonstrate that they were indeed blessed by the Orthodox Gods.
For the Church of Dawn, such a coincidental and dramatic event was perfect material for promoting the church during the Festival of Holy Prayer and beyond. The key was that Shad Hamilton, as the protagonist of the story, had to become a believer; only then could it prove Mr. Dawn's love and protection for his followers.
"Mr. Hamilton, you mentioned last time that you are merely a shallow believer in the [Lady of Creation]. So, what do you think of the faith of [Mr. Dawn]?"
"It's very good."
To be precise, Shad had no conflict with the values of the Five-God Church. In this era, the church played the role of being enlightened and progressive.
"If you are willing to join us, I can personally perform your baptism."
This was the condition proposed by Bishop Owen.
After all, this was the church and involved faith; one could not lure people into the religion with conditions like gold pounds—the clergy had such a bottom line. However, having the bishop of a great diocese personally preside over the baptism represented many things. Simply put, Shad would be considered "one of their own."
For example, Room 2 on the second floor of Number 6 St. Therese Square always had a queue of people waiting for exorcisms, but if one were "one of their own," there was no need to queue. For instance, the followers of Mr. Dawn were widely distributed; if Shad encountered something he couldn't handle while dealing with detective commissions, the church wouldn't mind providing help to one of their own.
Of course, the prerequisite was that Shad actually became a believer.
"That's no problem."
Bishop Owen gave Shad time to think, and Shad did not answer immediately. He had decided on this before coming, but he absolutely could not agree instantly, as that would make him seem insufficiently pious. He pretended to struggle and hesitated for a full ten minutes before giving his answer. The bishop wore a gratified expression.
"I knew you would make the right choice."
Becoming a believer meant many conveniences, and all Shad needed to do was spend some time learning the necessary religious scriptures, visit the Church of Dawn occasionally to participate in prayers, and listen to sermons. Compared to the benefits gained, the cost was entirely acceptable.
The only thing to consider was whether a "pseudo-believer" like himself joining the church would attract the gaze of an Orthodox God. But thinking about it carefully, in such a large church, there were surely more than one pseudo-believer. Since others were fine, he would naturally be fine too.
After all, compared to true high-dimensional existences, the thoughts of a mortal—like a tiny ant—were redundant.
Perhaps fearing that Shad might change his mind, Bishop Owen arranged the baptism for that very afternoon.
The so-called baptism was the initiation ceremony. The ritual used by the Church of Dawn was a relatively traditional aspersion, where a high-ranking clergyman qualified to be the celebrant would recite scriptures under a holy emblem and pour or sprinkle water onto the forehead of the initiate.
The Five-God Church frequently used such rituals, but each church had its own characteristics. Since [Mr. Dawn] was the [God of Light and Shadow], the baptism required that, in addition to the holy emblem, the initiate's body be positioned in both shadow and light simultaneously.
In an era with gas lamps, this was not difficult. However, being illuminated at close range by a high-power portable gas lamp while being watched by a crowd made Shad feel that this sweltering afternoon was even hotter.
Normally, those receiving baptism had to pass a test of faith and be recommended by three clergy members familiar with their situation. But with a veteran clergyman like Priest Augustus present, combined with the near-miracle of yesterday noon, Shad skipped this step entirely.
"At least I didn't have to write an application or a report," Shad lamented while wiping his face with a towel after the ceremony. Since coming to this era, writing reports had become a constant of his life.
"Shad, how high do you think the literacy rate is now? How many people can even write their own names?" Priest Augustus asked helplessly.
In short, the outsider now had a nominal faith in this world. Although Saint Byron in the far north was equally powerful, it could not influence the daily life of a detective in Tobeisk. The Church of Dawn was rooted in civilized society; joining the church meant life would become more convenient.
As a thank-you, Shad gave Bishop Owen the commemorative coin embedded with a bullet head after the baptism. Bishop Owen was not stingy either; he pulled a stack of books from his shelf and gave them to him. These were religious classics; since Shad had become a believer, it wouldn't do for him to be ignorant of them.
Additionally, Shad received a small bottle containing a transparent liquid. When Bishop Owen handed this to Shad, even Priest Augustus beside him was surprised.
"Holy Water No. 3?"
Even if the liquid in this bottle was likely diluted, its value was definitely not less than 100 pounds.
"Yes, Mr. Hamilton. This is a specialty of the church, a miraculous liquid that can treat injuries and illnesses. I know you are injured, but you still have to attend a banquet on the night of the Sabbath, so take this back and sprinkle it on your wound."
The old bishop winked at Shad.
"The gods truly exist; the church is not as simple as you think... You won't regret today's decision."
He made a few gestures over his chest and silently began to pray to the gods.
Shad nodded and looked at Priest Augustus. "Priest, I recall the Church of Dawn accepts donations, right?"
"Yes, part of the donated money is used for church maintenance, and part is used directly to aid the poor."
Shad hadn't forgotten what he had said yesterday noon. "Very well, I wish to donate 10 pounds."
Regardless, in an era where mystery and steam coexisted, there was no harm in becoming a believer of an Orthodox God. Sometimes, Shad wondered if he hadn't first met Doctor Schneider but had been recruited by the church instead, whether his life in this strange world would be completely different from what it was now.
"But there are no 'ifs' in this world..."
The church arranged a carriage to send Shad back to St. Therese Square. Shad looked out the window. The sun was setting; a busy day was coming to an end.
"I might as well consider some more practical problems."
He leaned lazily against the back of the seat.
[For example, what should I eat tonight?]
The glow of the sunset brushed his cheek. Shad was amused by the thought, but he shook his head.
"No, for example, what exactly will the exorcist sent by the church tomorrow morning to confirm the situation find in Room 2 on the second floor."
PS: As mentioned before, [Relics] usually possess a property that makes them difficult to destroy (not indestructible; it is possible under specific circumstances, such as the leaf being chewed up), therefore doing so will not damage the item itself.
(End of Chapter)