Merwyn’s vehicle dropped them off in front of a gray stone entrance with a tall arch and no elaborate decoration. On both sides stood large, neatly arranged trees, and a compact dirt path led from the entrance to the sanctuary’s main building.

Takeshi stepped out of the car and looked around.

The building was made of light-colored stone, with long narrow windows, a sloped roof, and a small tower at the far right end. There was a circular fountain near the entrance with clean, still water. Several people dressed in simple cream-colored clothing walked calmly along the sanctuary’s paths.

’That building looks like the churches from my previous life.’

Not exactly the same, but the general structure, the layout of the space, the way everything pointed toward the central building, was similar enough for him. In his previous world, he had passed by churches hundreds of times without ever entering one.

’They probably do the same things here as those churches did...’

Two people who worked at the sanctuary approached to welcome them. They were young, a man and a woman, both wearing the same cream-colored clothes and carrying kind but formal expressions.

"It’s been a long time since we last saw you, Miss Lansholt. How have you been?"

"Quite well. And you?"

Takeshi was surprised.

’She’s been here before?’

After talking for a few seconds, the young workers looked at the rest of the group with controlled curiosity.

"They’re part of the student council."

Merwyn mentioned.

"They came with me."

The two nodded and guided them inside the grounds. The dirt path first passed through an open area with stone benches arranged in rows facing a wall engraved with a symbol Takeshi didn’t recognize. After that, they continued toward the main building.

Takeshi walked while observing everything without asking questions, but the chat briefly appeared.

[First time the protagonist visits a holy place?]

[Does this count as tourism?]

[Merwyn looks like she’s been here way too many times before]

Takeshi agreed with the last comment.

They reached the entrance to the main building. One of the workers opened the door and invited them into a spacious lobby with a high ceiling. There was less light inside than outside, but it wasn’t dark. The narrow windows allowed enough light in to clearly see the room. The floor was polished stone, and rows of wooden seats faced the front, where a simple altar with lit candles stood.

Merwyn stopped there.

"Before we meet with the priest, we’re splitting up."

She looked at Takeshi.

"You and Nyx are going to walk around the sanctuary, and when I’m done, you’ll tell me what you saw."

"What kind of things do you want us to look for?"

Nyx asked.

"Anything that catches your attention, and as for Aoi..."

Merwyn said while turning toward her.

"You’re coming with me to the meeting."

There was a second of silence.

"I’d rather stay with Takeshi."

Aoi replied in a tone that was direct and without hostility, but left no room for doubt.

"I know, but I need you at the meeting."

"Why me?"

"Because you’re important for that meeting."

Aoi frowned slightly.

"Why don’t you take Nyx instead?"

Merwyn didn’t answer that. Instead, she stepped closer to Aoi and whispered something into her ear. Takeshi couldn’t hear anything, but the whisper lasted less than ten seconds.

When Merwyn stepped back, Aoi’s expression had changed. She processed whatever Merwyn had told her. She looked at Takeshi for a moment, then at Nyx, and finally looked forward again.

"Fine."

Aoi said confidently.

Takeshi waited for her to explain further, but she didn’t.

Merwyn nodded and instructed the worker to guide them to where the priest was waiting.

Takeshi watched them walk away down a side hallway until they disappeared behind a door.

’What did she say to her?’

Aoi wasn’t easy to convince once she had taken a stance. In several previous situations, she had insisted even when logic was against her, but this time Merwyn said something in less than ten seconds and Aoi accepted without arguing.

Aoi’s expression wasn’t that of someone intimidated. It was the expression of someone who had been offered something tempting.

’What does Merwyn know about Aoi that worked so fast?’

While he was thinking about that, Nyx stepped beside him.

"Shall we start?"

Takeshi pushed the thought aside.

"Yeah, sure."

They left the main building and returned to the open area of the grounds. Nyx walked with her hands in her pockets, observing the place carefully but without urgency. Takeshi checked her stats out of habit.

[SOLYNMAR NYX]

[Life: 100%]

[Sanity: 90%]

[Trust: 100%]

’Everything’s stable.’

"Have you ever been to a sanctuary before?"

Takeshi asked.

"Once, when I was little, but it was different from this one."

"How so?"

"That one was bigger and had more people. This place feels quieter, with less activity."

Takeshi nodded. They looked at the stone benches in the outdoor area. Two people sat silently at opposite ends without interacting with each other.

"Do you know why Merwyn wants us to observe the place?"

Takeshi asked again.

"Not for certain, but if she only wanted our general impression, she would’ve asked us afterward without giving instructions beforehand. The fact that she told us before suggests she wants to know whether what she sees is normal or not."

"That’s what I think too, but I don’t know what exactly we’re supposed to look for."

"Then let’s observe everything, and maybe we’ll notice whatever Merwyn wants us to see."

It was a practical answer, and Takeshi didn’t have a better one.

They began walking along the path surrounding the main building. To the right was an area filled with well-maintained plants and a wooden bench. Farther ahead was a covered space with tables where two sanctuary workers were reviewing documents. At the far end of the grounds, visible from where they stood, there was a smaller structure separated from the main building by a short path.

The chat appeared again.

[Nyx and Takeshi alone in a sanctuary? Wow, so peaceful]

[It’ll last exactly until Aoi walks out of that meeting]

[Merwyn is either a genius or a complete disaster, and I still can’t tell which]

’Hopefully Aoi doesn’t go into one of her insane episodes...’

Takeshi kept walking beside Nyx along the path, carefully observing the grounds. The place was peaceful in a way that didn’t feel forced. The people working there moved with clear routine, but without stiffness. No one looked at them suspiciously or questioned them.

Takeshi thought again about what had happened between Merwyn and Aoi.

’What exactly did Merwyn say to Aoi?’

He thought about it for several seconds, but eventually decided to leave it alone for now and continued walking beside Nyx.