Chapter 544: 425 Chapter 544: 425 “Are we going to spend New Year’s Eve together, Aiwass?”
After lunch, Isabel invited Aiwass at the first opportunity.
Tomorrow would be Candlemas Day on the first day of January.
When Bishop Mathers came to the Hall of Silver and Tin a few days ago to transfer Queen Sofia’s coffin, Aiwass had returned the key to St.
Genvieve Chapel to him.
Otherwise, Bishop Mathers wouldn’t have been able to open the chapel doors, let alone let Queen Sofia rest there first.
And by tomorrow, Bishop Mathers would call upon the Apostles of the Crown Lord, as well as the deceased members of the Du Lac family, to bestow blessings upon Avalon.
It was Avalon’s most important ceremony and, of course, would be presided over by this bishop, who held the highest rank, status, and consecration in Avalon.
Once the Candlemas ceremony ended, it would be Queen Sofia’s funeral.
According to the customs of Avalon, the funeral was actually supposed to take place seven days after death.
But since the state funeral clashed with Candlemas, the Queen’s funeral could only be postponed by one day.
In most countries of this world, Candlemas was the grandest day of the year.
It was also the beginning of the New Year.
Although Candle had been the Pillar God of the Path of Devotion since before the Age of Dragons, most people didn’t know what kind of dedication Candle had made to firmly occupy the seat of the Pillar God since ancient times.
In the version passed down in Avalon, it was said that Candle was the god who created the world and illuminated the world in an era without sun or moon; whereas in the legends of the Star Antimony people and the Irisflower People, Candle was the origin of all intelligent life; and the mages and monks of the Path of Wisdom believed that Candle’s greatest achievement was finding the source of the River of the Dream Realm and distributing the other eight rivers to different deities.
In short, there were various versions of the story.
After all, any direct knowledge about the Nine Pillar Gods was the highest level of mystical knowledge.
Whether it was the Beast Master falling in love with the Eternal Self or the Crown Lord defeating the Supreme Heaven, those were secrets that would never be recorded on paper, only passed on orally among a very few people.
Yet despite this, people still respected Candle.
And Aiwass even knew that other Celestial Marshals of the Path of Devotion greatly respected Candle.
Neither the Candle Celestial Marshal nor the Dawn Celestial Marshal had any interest in the Seat of the Pillar God.
Even the Flame Celestial Marshal, who possessed the power of Transcendence and ranked second on the Path of Devotion, bore no animosity towards Candle.
It was for this reason that Aiwass believed the Church’s version was closest to the truth.
The Nine Pillars Divine Church believed that Candle lit a great fire in the Dream Realm bristling with Sin Thorns, a cold and dry world, illuminating the eternally dark Dream Realm and allowing the nine rivers of the Dream Realm, drained by Sin Thorns, to flow again.
From that time on, life in the Material Realm with “souls” began to emerge.
Because among all the Pillar Gods known to Aiwass, their times of becoming Pillar Gods were certainly later than that of Candle’s.
Only the Hourglass and the Gemini Mirror weren’t quite certain…
Assuming that Candle was the first Pillar God, then all of this made sense.
Since customs varied by country, the content of the Candlemas Festival was also different.
Anyway, Candle didn’t care about these things, and would not blame them even if they didn’t celebrate at all.
This was merely a polite way for people to express their respect for this Pillar God, or rather, to show respect for the elves who had faith in Candle.
In Avalon, people would return to their own homes as much as possible on the eve of Candlemas; if that was not possible, or if there were conflicts with family members, then they would stay with friends.
Even the poorest people would try to make something delicious on this day, indulging themselves just a bit.
This was not only to show respect for Candle but also to reward themselves.
The most important ritual on the eve of Candlemas was to make a big pot of hot soup.
Any kind of soup would do.
The rich had their way of cooking, and the poor had theirs.
Sometimes it was just a pot of boiled water.
Once the soup was boiling, each family member could drop something they liked into the pot, and then the family would share and finish the soup together.
This soup was the blessing of Candle…
Even a person close to death would stay in the mortal realm for a couple more days.
Although Candle didn’t care about the respect from people, on this day, He would especially protect those worshippers who prayed to Him for safety.
Even the homeless needed only to light a candle or even just strike a match, and Candle would share some strength with them, allowing the flame to last, helping their bodies gradually recover health, preventing them from freezing to death in the cold wind, enabling them to safely see the morning sunlight the next day.
It was for this reason that even the coldest of assassins would not kill on this day.
It was constrained by conscience and even more by awe of the Pillar God.
And obviously, Edward wouldn’t be working overtime.
If Aiwass stayed at the Hall of Silver and Tin, then only Yulia and Edward would be left at home; if Aiwass took Yulia with them, then only Edward would be alone at home.
Honestly, that would be too lonely.
“There definitely won’t be a problem with Yulia,” Aiwass pondered, “but what about Edward…
Can I bring him along?”
“I have no objections to that.”
Isabel shuffled nervously, sat up straight, and said nonchalantly, “I would like to meet Brother Edward as well.”