"Too many fussy rituals, all show but no substance. Really a pain!"

I couldn't help but complain, though of course I understood that the formalities had already been greatly simplified. After all, the True Church was very clear about the angel's usual approach, let alone for an honored guest like us - they certainly couldn't make things too difficult.

"Can't be helped, that's just how the whole continent rolls. Our church is already one of the better ones..."

My companion shrugged in explanation.

Having someone to chat with was good, could help pass the time. Everyone present had been waiting quite a while when finally the last two main characters made their "fashionably late" appearance - Nicola and Cyra.

Since the name Cyra was very special to the True Church, Cysper gave a special clarification when introducing her. The subsequent proceedings were more or less identical. Before long, these two ladies were seated beside me.

"Looking quite pretty with the make-up on, eh? Makes all the difference!"

I glanced at their faces and couldn't resist a teasing remark. Usually these two were quite plain, though their beauty was somewhat obscured. But once properly made up, their looks leveled up considerably. As angels, compared to those idols on Earth, they were levels above!

"Feliciana you sly thing, sneaking off early! No wonder we were arguing until we realized one was missing!"

Cyra grumpily grabbed a chicken leg from the table and started gnawing on it, making Nicola and I shake our heads. What a pity! Truly a case of a brilliant exterior hiding an unpolished interior...

According to banquet customs, the dance was held concurrently with the dining. Having likely realized we were inept at etiquette, Cysper didn't give us a hard time. After a short speech, he announced that everyone could move about freely.

The melodious music started up, and many Jethrobaines officials and church elders holding wine glasses soon came swarming over to us. Clearly, as the stars of this banquet, we three angels were their priority targets.

"Miss Cyra, may I have this dance if you don't mind?"

Cysper came over and, as the Pope, couldn't just do nothing on such an occasion. So he approached Cyra first with an outstretched hand.

"I...I don't know how..." Cyra stammered in response. She wanted to refuse but then caught sight of that face identical to her former self, and suddenly didn't find it so off-putting. Come to think of it, they had even swapped bodies before, so what's one little dance?

From another perspective, had he invited me or Nicola instead, that would have been totally unacceptable. But as the banquet host, if the Pope couldn't even get one angel to dance with him, where would his face be? So the best solution was to invite her.

"No problem, I can teach you slowly!"

Seeming to sense Cyra's thoughts, Cysper took the initiative to grasp her hand and lead her to the center of the hall, immediately met with thunderous applause around them.

Seeing this, the live band swiftly changed tunes, starting up a new melody from the top.

"This True Church is quite secular eh? Putting on airs like royalty. I heard in medieval times on Earth, the True Church was very solemn, even dancing was seen as too open and unacceptable."

Nicola casually grabbed an apple from the table and took a bite. Thanks to Cyra, etiquette required everyone to "observe" when the main guest was dancing. Our pressure was suddenly relieved and we could finally do some "real business".

"Basically he is royalty! Just another form of united church and state, being both king and pope! And they're even running pyramid schemes, can you expect much propriety?"

I rolled my eyes, thinking of those membership application forms littering the streets outside and got a headache. Just who did Cysper learn this from?

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"True, the popes of Earth's True Church were all old men, they'd probably worry about breaking a hip if they danced!"

Nicola nodded in agreement with my view. But then she stared at the two twirling on the dance floor, as if struck by a thought, and suddenly asked me, "What do you think if Cyra and the Pope got together?"

"You mean marry himself?" I couldn't help but scoff. After all, Cysper's appearance made it too easy to draw that association. But I thought it was nonsense - don't popes have to stay single? I wasn't sure if that applied in this world too.

"As long as they're both interested, what's there to be afraid of? And there's no sign that Cysper has to be related to Cyrus! Just a pity about his...capabilities in that area, heh heh..."

Nicola didn't care about all that, her view was simple and blunt. Probably because Cyra had accepted his invitation to dance, so she assumed there were feelings between them.

"Why don't we dance one too then?"

"we?"

I was caught off guard when she suddenly came out with that, and couldn't help giving her a glance.

"Yeah, I actually know some basic social dances, if you don't I can teach you."

Angie looked all eager and encouraging.

"Let's not! Don't forget we're both women right now, that kind of behavior might be a bit too shocking!"

Keep in mind this was a religious banquet! Though I didn't know if this world's church felt the same way, from what I knew the True Church was supposed to be very against same-sex intimacy. Even if Nicola and I were just dancing and it didn't mean anything, who knows what misunderstandings it could cause for outsiders? Especially with all the rumors about angels in that regard...

"Oh..."

Nicola just let out an "oh" when she heard me, thankfully not saying anything more. I don't know if it was my reminder that made her realize it was inappropriate, but she indicated dropping the idea. However, at that moment, Eminem came smiling towards us and extended his hand.

"Miss Feliciana, may I have this dance?"

"Me?" I was stunned, pointing at myself.

Previously most of the attendees had issued invitations to Nicola, as she looked more mature, sexy and sophisticated. Whereas I was basically just a bystander keeping a low profile at the back. I never expected Eminem to come straight for me first - what excuse could I give to refuse? He was a man after all, this was getting troublesome.

"I know you're not good at dancing, but that's no obstacle! And after all the effort I put in to help arrange Cyra's audience with the Pope, you wouldn't be so heartless as to refuse even one dance, would you?"

As if he had foreseen my refusal, Eminem immediately laid out a pile of reasons to stop me dead.

"Well..."

I turned back helplessly to look at Nicola, but she had turned away, perhaps looking for food, and didn't look my way. I was stumped.

"But just one dance, agreed?"

With no choice, I had to accept. After all, it was just a dance and didn't mean anything - normal social interaction! And if even Cyra could do it, what was I afraid of?

"Of course, and I actually have some things I'd like to ask Miss Feliciana about too!"

Having agreed, Eminem very politely took my right hand and led me to the center of the floor.

As a total beginner, it was inevitable that I would step on his feet while learning on the go. But to Eminem, these were just child's play, not even making him frown. After a few rounds, I finally grasped the basics of the steps - it was just about body coordination and memorization, easy for an angel! Like Cyra beside us, now on her second dance, much better than the first.

"Why did you have to pick me? Wouldn't Nicola have been better?"

Once I got a bit more used to it, I couldn't help but complain, though I kept my head down, needing to watch my steps carefully...

"Because you seem more approachable! Miss Nicola gives off quite a forceful vibe, so with only one opportunity, I naturally chose you."

Eminem answered very directly without beating around the bush.

"So what did you want to ask me about?"

I was a bit puzzled. This guy's aura was completely unreadable - always smiling, but no clue what he was really thinking inside.

"Well for angels like you it's probably no big deal, I've seen some angels elsewhere, but only from a distance and never spoken to them up close. So you three are the first angels I've been able to interact with closely..."

After a slight pause, Eminem finally spoke up.

"So what I wanted to ask is...does the Lord truly reside in Edenmere as the scriptures say?"

"The Lord?"

Hearing his question, I was stunned, never expecting he'd ask me something like that. How should I even answer?

Should I tell him the truth - that there is no so-called Lord in Edenmere, just a bunch of angels whiling away their days playing games? Though lately our main focus has been on the rebuilding efforts...

But if I actually said that, it would likely deal a huge blow to his faith, right? I felt it wasn't a good idea.

"Well about that, I believe us angels have made an official statement on such matters before?"

So I neatly deflected the question back onto Elara far away in Edenmere. After all, Elara did explicitly say before that the True Church's God has nothing to do with the angel race. Nothing to do with me!

"But His Holiness the Pope explained that it was because Edenmere had a personal grudge against him, that's why they refused to acknowledge it..."

Eminem answered with a wry smile.

"Is that how he saw it..."

I was dumbfounded for a moment. But thinking about it, if even the Pope didn't insist on it firmly, what reason did those scattered believers across the lands have to insist? However fervent the faith, among so many followers, there were bound to be some astute ones who would notice the inconsistencies, like Eminem here.