Chapter 31: Habitual Worship (2)

I looked down at the blueprint, drawn as complex as an architectural plan, and muttered to myself.

“With this… the basic framework is complete.”

It was the result of Yoanna’s proposal, which we had reviewed and revised.

The structure of the new organization largely followed the traditional model of religious groups, particularly resembling the old

Christian system.

Of course, in the current era, it was hard to find even a single believer, but back in my original world, Christianity was one of the dominant forces shaping global order.

The fact that this system had effectively permeated human society and psychology proved its effectiveness.

In particular, the rituals, sacraments, and ceremonies developed and organized over thousands of years in Christianity were worth noting.

According to Yoanna, such religious events were not only meant for God but also for the believers participating in them.

Through repetitive rituals and ceremonies, people felt a sense of belonging, strengthened communal bonds, and naturally internalized doctrines and faith.

Moreover, despite its decline, the influence of major religions was still deeply rooted in culture, making these practices familiar and easily accepted by many.

Therefore, it was only natural that the new base we were establishing took the form of a cathedral or church.

“Over here, Miss Eve!”

Following Yoanna’s guidance, I arrived at a building that used to be one of the gang hideouts, left ownerless after the recent incident.

We could have used the church previously operated by the One Heart Association, but since many people had died there, it was deemed inappropriate.

Thus, we decided to repurpose the abandoned gang hideout building into a church-like structure.

Carefully opening the door, I found the interior surprisingly well arranged.

The central area had been transformed into a worship hall, with long wooden benches lined up.

At the far end, instead of an altar, a neat podium was set up.

The side offices seemed to be designated as private prayer rooms or for other uses.

Looking around the hastily but decently shaped facility, I started to feel the reality of what we were doing.

“Building a religious organization… How ironic.”

In my previous life, I had almost no connection to religion.

I had never seriously read the Bible, and the only memory of visiting a church was when I went to play table tennis with a friend whose father was a pastor.

It was hard to believe that I was now genuinely creating and leading something akin to a religious organization.

Without realizing it, I spoke my thoughts aloud.

“Is this really… going to work?”

Yoanna, standing nearby, turned to look at me.

“What are you worried about, Miss Eve?”

“Well…”

“Are you afraid people won’t believe in our organization?”

Though it wasn’t entirely that, it was close enough that I nodded quietly.

Yoanna, with unwavering confidence, spoke up.

“There’s no need to worry about that. Think about it. All previous religions have demanded belief without evidence. They preached the existence of a god they couldn’t show. That was the fundamental contradiction of all faiths. But…”

Her eyes, completely unshaken, met mine.

“Your existence has perfectly resolved that problem, Miss Eve. So don’t worry at all. Soon, you will be worshiped by everyone in the world.”

As she said that, the girl’s cheeks flushed red, and her body trembled slightly as if she were enraptured by her own imagination.

It was a familiar sight over the past few days as we discussed the plans, to the point where I’d gotten used to it.

Yoanna’s passion sometimes crossed the line.

Fortunately, I was able to moderate her more radical ideas in advance, but it was still often excessive.

‘I can’t even count how many times I had to tone down her overly grand ambitions…’

Our goal was merely to create a small, localized community under the guise of a religious organization.

The primary objective was to gather those who knew the secret of miracles into one place—not to forcibly silence them, but to encourage them to voluntarily keep the secret.

If the number of followers grew too rapidly, managing them could become a problem.

‘Actually, building a large religious group isn’t as easy as it sounds.’

Something about it gave me an uneasy feeling, so I made sure to keep the plans as conservative as possible.

In truth, my hesitation to actively recruit believers stemmed from a deeper reason:

I still wasn’t entirely sure if God truly existed.

Ever since I found myself in this world and gained the powers of the “Saintess,” I had tried praying a few times, but I had never received any response.

The claim that the being who granted me power was “Radiance” remained speculation.

‘Is there really someone watching over me?’

Building a religious organization while harboring such doubts felt, in a way, like deceiving people.

Nevertheless, I found some solace in the fact that we could help people through this newly established religion.

The charity work we planned to conduct while taking control of the area and winning over the locals would naturally appear as a form of missionary activity, minimizing suspicion.

For instance, we could use the illicit funds secured from Ricardo to help the addicted residents still struggling on the streets.

In situations where I couldn’t turn away from helping someone, having the church as a protective cover would be highly effective.

If I could help someone this way… even if the origin wasn’t pure faith, it might still hold value.

I still didn’t know if “Radiance” was a real god or just a name for the source of my powers.

But if people believed it, and through the teachings we established, shared small acts of kindness and found some peace amid their harsh lives…

That alone would make the religion a positive influence in the world.

For now, I could be content with that.

===============

As I followed Yoanna’s guidance and looked around the newly renovated interior of the church, I noticed something that caught my eye inside the wide-open worship hall.

There were various ceremonial objects arranged as if prepared for some sort of ritual.

A crystal bowl filled with clear water, a clean white cloth, and a white marble structure resembling a miniature fountain.

Noticing my gaze, Yoanna proudly explained.

“It’s a baptismal font. From now on, anyone who joins the congregation will receive baptism here and officially become a believer of the Church of Radiance.”

She took a breath and continued.

“Baptism is originally a Christian religious rite involving water, but it has a profound symbolic meaning of being accepted as a member of the community and being reborn in the name of God. Even if we don’t follow everything, I thought adopting the formality necessary for admission would be beneficial. Such rituals can help strengthen the sense of belonging among believers.”

Yoanna gently stroked the crystal bowl with her fingertips, as if she were handling a precious treasure.

“That’s why the first baptism bestowed by Miss Eve will be an incredibly important and historic event for our congregation’s founding.”

‘Is it really that big of a deal…?’

I thought to myself, but seeing the passionate and serious look on the girl’s face, I just nodded in agreement.

Yoanna, noticing my reaction, smiled brightly, her voice filled with excitement.

“So, naturally, the first recipient of the baptism should be…”

“It would be me, of course.”

At that moment, a voice unexpectedly cut in, instantly darkening Yoanna’s previously bright expression.

“…?!”

The one who spoke was none other than ST, who had been quietly following us like a shadow.

Yoanna, not bothering to hide her discomfort, glared at the intruder who disrupted such an important moment.

“…And on what basis do you make such a claim, ST?”

Her face was icy cold, but ST remained unshaken and calmly replied.

“Of course, it’s because I was the first to meet Miss Eve and have been by her side the longest. Therefore, I am the most qualified to be the first believer.”

The atmosphere in the worship hall suddenly grew cold.

After a brief silence, Yoanna snapped back with a sharp tone.

“Does time matter? If that’s the case, I was the one who first observed Miss Eve’s activities! And more importantly, I think I’ve contributed more by preparing this congregation, this church, and everything here!”

Despite Yoanna’s vehement response, ST remained composed, not flinching even slightly.

“I do not disregard Miss Yoanna’s efforts. However, the core of this organization lies in ensuring Miss Eve’s safety and supporting her mission. I have been fulfilling that role the longest and the closest. While the structure is important, what truly matters are the faith and devotion to protect and guide it.”

“Are you implying that my faith is inferior to yours?!”

An invisible tension sparked between the two.

While ST remained calm and unwavering, Yoanna, filled with indignation, fiercely glared at her rival.

‘What on earth…’

I couldn’t hide my bewilderment.

This was entirely unexpected.

‘I could understand Yoanna being this way, but ST too…’

I had never expected ST, who usually kept her emotions in check, to be so insistent on something.

Seeing her so determined was entirely new to me.

‘Honestly, is it worth fighting this hard over who gets baptized first…?’

But neither of them seemed willing to back down.

After a prolonged and intense standoff, both of them finally turned to face me at the same time.

“Miss Eve.”

Their voices overlapped almost perfectly.

“Yes?!”

ST spoke first, her tone firm.

“Please make a decision. Who do you think deserves to be the first?”

Yoanna, not wanting to lose, chimed in.

“Miss Eve, you have to choose!”

Suddenly caught in the crossfire, I was at a loss.

“Well… um…”

Normally, it would be natural to side with ST, who had tirelessly taken on various tasks for me.

However, when it came to matters related to this new congregation, it was Yoanna who had done the groundwork, planning, and preparation.

Her contributions couldn’t be ignored either.

It was a dilemma, and the more I hesitated, the more piercing the stares from both of them became.

“Well… ugh…”

Trapped between their sharp gazes, I struggled for a while before finally managing to make a decision.

“My opinion is—”