The captain walked out of the hall and turned towards the bow of the ship, followed closely by the archbishop.
They passed through the choir, entered a narrow passage, and then walked another hundred meters to a crossroads.
Then the captain descended the stairs, and the archbishop followed him down several flights of stairs, until at the end there was a huge iron door.
Then Billak nodded, and the two guards opened the door for them.
Inside the storage room, crates and boxes were stacked high on steel shelves. The storage room was so plain that Pamphili frowned when he saw it.
"You are disappointed."
"Where are those sacred prayers I just saw?"
"I believe this is enough."
The captain pointed to the container.
"Many of the items stored here are replicas, and they are respected, but not the most solemn respect. I promise that nothing ungodly will happen here."
Pamphilly lowered his head and admitted this.
"As for the unidentified objects."
The captain continued:
"The same principle applies. They can only be deposited here before we can ascertain their identity and therefore their sanctity. Even though this repository is undecorated, my lord, it is still sacred."
"I'm satisfied, Captain, please continue."
The Captain led the Archbishop to a box at the end of the first row of shelves. It was placed on a large workbench, next to datapads, scrolls, and leather-bound tomes.
"I know you've been working hard."
"Yes, the work is very complex and there are many inconsistencies in the records, and we have not made much progress yet."
With that said, the captain began to open the box.
It was not locked, but a dozen bronze clamps held it shut.
"Where did you find it?"
Pangfili asked curiously:
"Wouldn't this provide some clues?"
Belak shook his head.
"We found it from the remains of an underground ruin. In that ruin we also saw the remains of some Astartes power armor, but we couldn't identify which order's power armor it was. They were all silver and
There were no shoulder emblems...the remains were reburied, which we believe is the best courtesy to the angels."
"What are the Astartes doing there?"
Pamphili was even more curious, because before the destruction of Plantium, it had been fighting alone, and there was no record that any Adeptus Astartes came to support it until it was completely devoured by the Tyranids.
Even so, he saw greater significance in the growing number of coincidences.
"I have no idea."
The captain shook his head.
"I can't guess why they were there, but anyway, this is what we found."
After saying that, he took out a shelf from inside and placed it on the table. Then he stepped back and let Pamphilly get out of the way, letting him inspect the holy object.
Is this a heavy ancient book? The cover is made of gorgeous precious metal, and there is a cold face on the front.
That mask looks neither male nor female? He stared at Pangfili with blank eyes.
Did he receive a cold gaze? His limbs began to tremble, and the blood in his body flowed toward his heart, leaving only numbness on his skin.
That face is golden and held on the cover by a sturdy frame? It looks both sturdy and beautiful.
Jewels are inlaid around its eyes and mouth? The contours of its cheekbones are also inlaid with dazzling gems. They extract the light from the roof lights and refract it into a dazzling spectrum, allowing Pangfili to see brilliant gold and colorful colors.
The brilliance is intertwined.
That face is both serene and serious? Are there subtle runes engraved on the forehead? Lines of runes streak across the surface of the mask like wrinkles of time and experience, highlighting the beauty of that face even more.
Around the face, cryptic messages, complex patterns and chants are written in twisted handwriting.
This ancient book focused the archbishop's attention, and his eyes jumped from one detail to another? Every detail is perfect, and together they create an existence beyond perfection.
Pangfili felt as if he was shocked. The beauty in front of him was even painful, but his eyes were still wide open. His eyes seemed to be watching a kaleidoscope, from one person's face to another person's face and then to another.
.
He thinks he can spend his whole life viewing every face represented by the mask? Even so, he can't see them all.
"this……"
Pangfili cleared his throat, unable to look away.
"This is amazing!"
"Indeed, this is a great masterpiece that can be exhibited with confidence once we determine its origins."
The archbishop was fascinated by the beauty of the ancient book, and this was the only thing in his mind.
"To gaze upon this miracle is to feel the gaze of an emperor, which could only have been copied from the face of an angel or a saint."
I said this not because of the sanctity of the holy object, but because of the idea that the ancient book itself made the archbishop have.
The runes on that face held so much magic, and the light shone so brightly on the gemstones that no mortal face could match it.
It is meant to be admired, as if a pair of living eyes looked out from behind the mask, calling believers to immerse themselves in the ecstasy of faith.
The Archbishop felt a twinge of nervousness as the ability to see the mask rationally was slipping from him, but then awe overwhelmed him.
"I also think that the person who made this face for the saint must be special, but until we know which saint it is, I have to leave it here. This is the responsibility I have to fulfill."
"Indeed."
Pangphili reluctantly answered that he really didn't want Bilak to put away the ancient books in front of him.
He stared at the relic until the lid was closed, and removing the perfect face from his sight made him feel the pain of having something important stolen.
No, it's worse than that, it's a form of bereavement.
When the captain took him out of the vault, the archbishop looked normal, but his mind was in turmoil.
He found what he had been looking for. The value of that holy book was much greater than all the other relics on the ship combined. Such holy relics must be displayed in the most magnificent cathedral.
When he thought about the inflammatory influence that the Holy Scriptures would have on citizens' beliefs, the heaviness in his body disappeared, and now he even wanted to dance with excitement. This was a news that would surely bring as much intensity as fire to Valedo.
The gift of faith.
He had to find a way to make this happen, it must be the Emperor's will.
Otherwise, why would fate allow me to see such a relic?
The reflection of gold and the light of gems shone in Pamphili's mind, and until he returned to his bedroom, the perfect face in his memory still tormented him, calling to him, and he vowed to answer its call.