The next day.
A cold wind blew in gusts on this early winter morning, forcing people to wrap their coats tightly before daring to step out into the streets. Inside her room, Lulumiya had closed the windows tight and was currently hunched over her desk, buried in her writing.
Drafting a newspaper was harder than she had imagined.
Although she understood the principles of journalism and the theories on how to write catchy headlines, she encountered many practical problems not found in textbooks once she actually picked up the pen.
The first was the layout.
With a fixed page size and fixed font size, drafting news within a limited space meant she had to control the word count of the manuscripts. If there were too many words, they wouldn’t fit; if there were too few, the page looked empty. Consequently, her creativity was shackled. Writing an engaging enough article within a strict word limit was no easy feat.
Next was the content of the various sections.
For the initial stage, she planned to divide the newspaper into four sections. The first would be important recent events within the kingdom, such as major incidents like the church cracking down on smugglers. The second would be information needed by merchants, such as shipping schedules and price lists. The third would be strange occurrences and curiosities to increase the paper’s audience. The fourth would be a miscellaneous section for gossip—where natural disasters occurred, who lost a child, or for publishing lost-and-found notices and recruitment needs.
Although she planned to add an advertising section and a reader mail section later, those were tasks for the future. Even now, these four sections combined were already giving Lulumiya a significant headache. She had been in this world for too short a time and knew too little, making it hard to know what was worth writing.
Finally, there was the language issue.
Lulumiya’s proficiency in the Ounheim language was insufficient. Speaking was fine for daily use, but writing formal, written articles presented a certain degree of difficulty.
She did not understand the standards for phrasing and sentence structure. Once she finished writing, she would have to consult an expert in the field to proofread her work before it could be made public. When that time came, she would inevitably have to bother Cardinal Sander or Head Priest Keren—who should now be called the Director of the Holy Printing House.
“This pen is also so hard to use…”
Griping the quill in her hand, Lulumiya gritted her teeth in frustration. If the quill hadn’t cost money to buy, she definitely would have snapped it in anger.
People living in modern society find it hard to understand what a painful experience using a quill pen is. Unlike a fountain pen, a quill has no ink reservoir, so one has to redip it into the inkwell after writing just a few words. Furthermore, the tip of the quill splits and wears down easily. Once it splits or blunts, it has to be sharpened again with a small knife, making the process quite agonizing.
Lulumiya even considered simply bringing over the fountain pen to start a new revolution.
Of course, she could only think about it. Manufacturing fountain pens involved thresholds in material science and production techniques; it wasn’t something that could be made just by wanting to.
After writing two more lines on the paper and running out of ink again, Lulumiya finally couldn’t take it. She threw her hands up, her tail drooped, and she leaned directly against the back of her chair.
“Ugh, why is starting a business so hard?”
“What’s wrong? I heard complaining as soon as I arrived.”
“Sister Ino?”
Lulumiya sat up straight and turned around instantly. She saw Ino, her light blue hair tied into a side ponytail and dressed in formal wear, walking gracefully into the bedroom.
Ino’s attire today was exceptionally formal. She wore an off-the-shoulder, pure white formal gown decorated with a massive bow at the waist. The hem of the gown was adorned with gorgeous ribbons of gold and blue.
The curves of her figure, usually hidden by her holy long skirts, were clearly outlined by the cinched gown, showcasing a stunningly graceful silhouette. Paired with white silk gloves, stockings, and matching high heels, she possessed both an elegant temperament and a subtle allure, looking like a flawless angel.
Even at a banquet of the great nobility, she would instantly become the focus of the ball.
She was so beautiful it made one jealous.
Her skin is impossibly white, and her delicate collarbones framed by that off-the-shoulder gown are too much… seriously, who is the magic puppet here? Dammit.
Lulumiya grumbled internally. Even she felt her gaze being drawn in by Ino. This was a beauty with incredible lethality even toward the same sex… anyway, since I’m a young girl right now, if I go up and hug her, Ino won’t mind, right?
Seeing Lulumiya staring at her blankly, Ino, wearing her long gloves, covered her mouth and giggled.
“Am I really that good-looking? Miya is staring in a daze.”
“You look great! So great that I have to marry you and bring you home when I grow up!”
“You should say things like that to someone you like.”
“I do like you, Sister Ino.”
“It’s fine to like me, but I am a Saint candidate who serves Lord Istel. There’s no hope for you, Miya.” Not taking Lulumiya’s words seriously, Ino’s gaze passed over her head to the desk. The scent of gardenia drifted over, making Lulumiya involuntarily sniff the air.
“Is this the ‘newspaper’ you mentioned?”
“Yeah, I plan to call it the ‘Kingdom Times’. This is the first issue, and I’ll publish one every week from now on.”
“It looks decent. But why is there such a big empty space in the middle?” Ino pointed to the vacant part in the center of the paper.
“I plan to put a portrait of you there. Since the first report is about you cracking down on the smugglers, I need to promote you, Sister Ino.”
“My portrait…” Obviously feeling embarrassed, Ino scratched her cheek awkwardly. “That’s not appropriate, is it?”
“You’re a great beauty, Sister Ino, no need to be shy. I’m the one who should be troubled. Once your beauty is known to the world, I don’t know how many rivals in love will come to challenge me. Sigh, even your own magic puppet is being seduced; you really are a sinful master. Dressing up so beautifully today… it looks like I won’t be able to sleep tonight because I’ll be thinking of you.”
“I knew you’d be talkative.” Ino playfully tapped Lulumiya on the head, but her face showed a hint of embarrassed pink. She hadn’t come alone; behind her followed Lante, the Saint of Radiant Light, and his magic puppets.
“Whoa, Lulumiya looks all ditzy, but she turns out to be so good at sweet-talking girls in private. Those two definitely aren’t being proper behind closed doors.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen the Flawless Saint blush.”
“Luckily she isn’t our colleague, or Master’s heart would definitely be stolen by her.”
The discussion of the three magic puppets outside the door caught Lulumiya’s attention. Only then did she realize there were others standing outside.
Combined with this formal attire, they must be attending an important occasion today.
Sure enough, Ino’s next sentence provided the explanation.
“Today is the day for all Saint candidates to undergo the Audience Ritual with Lord Istel. Miya, you are my magic puppet, so you must come with me. I had someone make a set of clothes for you. Put them on and try them; we are heading to the Central Temple immediately.”
“An audience with Lord Istel? Isn’t Lord Istel…”
“Change your clothes first. I’ll tell you on the way.”
“Okay.”
***
Soon, Lulumiya had changed into the new clothes Ino had ordered for her. Compared to her previous white and gold dress, Lulumiya now wore a dress very similar to Ino’s white gown, the difference being that Lulumiya’s dress leaned more toward a cute style.
The light, airy hem was layered with rows of ruffled lace, and her waist was cinched by a deep blue bow ribbon in a very aristocratic style. Protective magic crystals hung from the bow and the bottom of the hem. Combined with the wide lace cuffs and a blue brooch with an astrological pattern on her chest, Lulumiya gave off a mysterious and holy aura as she walked down the sunlit street, the intertwined colors of blue and gold shimmering.
When Lulumiya and Ino walked out of the house hand-in-hand, Saint Lante and the three magic puppets outside were instantly dumbfounded.
“Who is the noble here, exactly? Walking behind you two makes me feel like a servant.” Sensing the nearly 100% turn-rate of heads around them, Lante held his forehead and sighed.
Even though he and his magic puppets had also changed into formal wear, their presence simply couldn’t match Ino and Lulumiya walking in front.
“It’s called natural beauty,” Ino replied with a smile. She took Lulumiya’s small hand and rubbed it. “How is this outfit? Are you cold? I was supposed to give this to you a few days ago, but the tailor had some family issues and was delayed until now.”
“I’m not cold. I like it very much, thank you, Sister.”
“That’s good.”
Ino breathed a sigh of relief. She had noticed that Lulumiya’s clothes didn’t fit properly, but since all clothes in this world had to be custom-made and couldn’t be bought immediately, she had only received the right ones today.
Although Lulumiya’s formal dress looked like it had only a thin layer, it actually provided better warmth than a cotton coat because of its magical enchantments. Additionally, because it used magic-infused fabric, it offered good protection against sharp weapons, essentially making it a magical item.
This outfit alone had cost Ino ten gold coins.
Looking at the novelty of Lulumiya pinching and examining her clothes in the sunlight, Ino couldn’t help but feel satisfied. Even though she had a biological sister, Lulumiya gave her a better feeling than her own sibling did.
She proactively took Lulumiya’s warm little hand.
“Miya, you should know the story of how Lord Istel sacrificed her physical body to seal the seven great demons alongside the other Great Spirits, right?”
***
“Yes. The seven demons were sealed into seven Marks of Original Sin. The Istel Church holds two of the seven Marks. Among them, the Mark of Wrath is kept in the Holy Kingdom of Ounheim, and the Mark of Lust is kept in the Tide-Sound Chapel of the Istel Church Cathedral.”
“That’s mostly correct, but there are details to it,” Ino said easily, resting a finger against her chin.
“Back then, after Lord Istel sealed the two great demons of Wrath and Lust by herself, she lost her physical body, and her remaining soul could only attach itself to the Mark of Wrath and the Mark of Lust. Letting us Saint candidates have an audience with Lord Istel is actually to let us see the Marks of Original Sin—the Marks, or the Emblems, both names are correct.
“Although the seven great demons are sealed within the Marks, a portion of their power can still leak through the seals. Legend says that when mortals see the seven Marks of Original Sin, they will be tempted by the demons within the seal and will uncontrollably want to possess the Marks. There have been instances in history where a Saint guarding a Mark could not resist the temptation and used the power of the Mark to cause chaos.”
At this point, Ino tightened her grip on Lulumiya’s hand, her gaze shifting toward a distant place.
“The reason Saint candidates are allowed to view the Marks of Original Sin is to test their character. If anyone shows a desire for the Mark during the process, they will be kicked out of the ranks of candidates. Those who cannot resist temptation are not qualified to become a Saint.”
“Uh, what does this ‘temptation’ specifically refer to?”
“Maybe power, strength, or money? In the records, those who couldn’t resist the temptation mostly ended up going insane and becoming slaves to the Mark of Original Sin.”
Why does this sound just like the One Ring?
Lulumiya’s expression stiffened. “Sister Ino… can I not go?”
She wasn’t confident in her ability to resist temptation. As a modern person with a not-so-firm will who had traveled to a lonely, unfamiliar world, she felt like any offer of a comfortable life or pleasure could easily make her lose her way. Besides, power, strength, and money—she wanted all of them.
***
Ino lightheartedly flicked Lulumiya’s dragon horn.
“No. You haven’t even seen the Mark of Original Sin yet, and you’re already trying to desert.”
“I’m not confident,” Lulumiya said, holding her head as the buzzing in her brain made her pull a bitter face. “What if I embarrass you, Sister Ino?”
“Magic puppets have to undergo the inspection of Lord Istel alongside the Saints; that’s the rule. It’s too late for Miya to back out. Besides, magic puppets are naturally immune to the temptation of the Marks of Original Sin. You can rest easy.”
Really?
Lulumiya was very doubtful.
She wasn’t a pure magic puppet; she was a genuine human soul inside a magic puppet’s shell.
She didn’t know if this rule applied to her.
While Lulumiya was worrying, Lante spoke up behind her with a bitter smile.
“I’m the one who should be worried. My strength is lacking, and my will isn’t as firm as Ino’s. If I mess up this time, I don’t know how my father will scold me. He might even kick me back to the branch family.”
“At least you have a head for business and a fallback plan. I’m the one who really has to worry,” Ino sighed deeply. “If I don’t become a Saint, my family will immediately consider finding someone for me to marry.”
“If even you can’t make it, Ino, who else can? That Dragon Heart Saint? He’s a bit stronger than you, but he’s not suited to be a Saint—uh, let’s stop talking. Duke Kanglan is up ahead.”
Lante had a look of lingering fear as he pointed forward.
At the entrance of the Central Temple, a group of very grandly dressed nobles were whispering among themselves, discussing something.
Among them, at the center of the nobles, the red-robed Duke who had tried to lift Lulumiya’s chin last time swept a sharp gaze over them before looking away with lack of interest.
For some reason, even though it was ten in the morning and the sun was bright, Lulumiya felt a sudden wave of cold.
I have a feeling this isn’t starting well…