A bit later, Brandon stepped out of the restroom wearing a white shirt and black pants as he tousled his damp hair with the towel.
Walking inside the room, he glanced at Charlotte and the woman sitting there waiting for him.
He took a seat beside Charlotta and glanced at the woman.
Looking at him, the old lady stood up and bowed her head "I am Matilda, one of three members of 'Sacred Triarch.'"
"It is my pleasure to be in your presence, Lord Brandon Kael."
Brandon Kael just let out a sigh and spoke "Please sit down and cut to the chase. What just happened there?"
Hearing this, Matilda just smiled and sat back on her seat "I understand that all of this must seem overwhelming to you, Lord Brandon Kael..."
"But allow me to explain in full detail."
"The Baptism we conduct is not merely a ritual... it is a sacred rite that measures one's connection to the Goddess of Rhéanne."
"It is a test, in essence, that determines the strength of one's divine affinity."
"Every individual who undergoes the ritual receives a form of acknowledgment from the Goddess, which manifests in the form of a pillar of light."
Hearing this, Brandon raised an eyebrow "And mine was golden."
Matilda nodded her head "Indeed, you received the highest affinity with the Goddess of Rheanne; the golden pillar that emerged during your baptism is the proof."
Brandon exhaled slowly, leaning back in his seat. "So, what does that mean for me? What exactly does this 'golden pillar' entail?"
Matilda's expression turned solemn "The color of the pillar determines one's standing within the divine hierarchy."
"A white pillar is the most common... it signifies only a faint recognition from the Goddess. Silver represents a stronger connection, often granted to those with unwavering faith."
"Blue is bestowed upon those who have dedicated their lives to the faith, such as high-ranking priestesses."
She gestured toward herself with a faint smile "I, myself, was blessed with blue, which allowed me to ascend to my current position within the Sacred Triarch... a council of three who stand just beneath the Supreme Pontiff in our hierarchy."
Matilda's gaze deepened. "Violet is extremely rare. Only those who are closest to the Goddess, those who serve as direct intermediaries, are granted such a pillar."
"The Supreme Pontiff herself possesses violet, marking her as the mortal with the greatest divine authority in the church."
She then leaned forward slightly, "And yet… you received gold."
Matilda's smile returned, "It means that your connection to the Goddess surpasses even that of the Supreme Pontiff. It means that you are not merely an intermediary... but a direct manifestation of divine will."
"The Herald of Divinity, or you can simply call that as Holy Son of the Goddess."
Hm? Brandon's gaze narrowed slightly "I don't have any faith towards her and never worshipped her; why choose me?"
With a thoughtful face, Matilda replied "That, my dear Herald, is something only the Goddess herself knows."
"Perhaps it is because you are the first male Ether user. Perhaps it is because you defy the natural order in ways we do not yet understand. Or perhaps, the reason is something far greater... who knows."
Brandon glanced at Charlotte, who just stayed there silently with one leg on another, listening to the conversation.
Looking at Matilda, Charlotte asked "So what now? Kael has higher authority than your Supreme Pontiff inside the Church?"
With a nod, Matilda replied "Yeah..."
Charlotte's gaze narrowed "So, let's say... what would have happened if Kael got white color in the pillar."
Upon hearing this question, Matilda just sighed "That... we had plans of making a marriage arrangement for him with our Acolyte, Valiene Himelle."
"Valiene received a purple pillar during her baptism. So, she is in line to become the next Supreme Pontiff."
"So, we thought if we made an arranged marriage with you, it would tie the anomaly... the only male awakener to be tied within the Church."
"The Church had determined that such a course of action would be the most… appropriate way to handle your existence."
Brandon's gaze narrowed 'That one-eyed woman?'
Taking a deep breath, he leaned back on the couch "So, what to do now?"
Matilda just smiled "This is up to you, Lord Kael."
With a soft sigh, he asked "What if I just leave? Walk out of here and act like none of this happened?"
Matilda tilted her head. "Then you will walk away as the Herald of Divinity, whether you acknowledge it or not. The world will not forget what has been witnessed today."
Silence settled in the room.
Brandon came here expecting trouble, but this was on another level.
His mere existence just reshaped the hierarchy of one of the most powerful organizations in the world.
And no matter how much he wanted to deny it, there was no going back now.
His eyes squinted in contemplation 'Being the only male awakener is bringing me such troubles...'
'Hmmm.. but I can use this 'Herald' position well. Now I am so weak. And most people in this world don't like me.'
'So if I did accept this position, I would have one of the most powerful organizations under my command...'
'If I play my cards right, I'll have an organization powerful enough to stand against anyone who sees me as a threat.'
He thought about the Supreme Pontiff... this mysterious woman who had ruled the Church for years.
Even she would now have to acknowledge him and bow to the authority granted to him by the very divine entity they worshiped.
'But I can't trust that woman either.. she might be someone who hates men and may try to backstab me.'
'And there might be some more fanatics who don't like me and try to plot against me...'
'This has both merits and demerits.'
His eyes flickered for a moment as he remembered Valiene 'And marrying her is not a bad idea. I can solidify my position and also get a beautiful wife...'
'There might be 'factions' within the Church... some who would accept me as the Herald without question, and others who would see me existence as a challenge to everything they had built.'
'Fuck this, man...'
Looking at his thinking face, Matilda spoke "Your decision is your own, Lord Herald."
He met Matilda's gaze and muttered "I will think about it."
Matilda nodded, seemingly unsurprised "Of course. It is not a decision to be made lightly."
She then stood up "I shall inform the attendants to bring some food for you."
As she exited, silence filled the room once more.
Charlotte, who was sitting beside Brandon looked at him "What now?"
With a shake of his head, he replied "I don't know..."