Me and Alicia were looking at the majestic temple made of pale blue and blood red materials, probably crystals and stones.
Ilelia is the Goddes of Ice and Moons which was very appropriate color and material choice for her temple. (There are 2 moons in this world, one of them is crystal blue while other one is blood red)
Me and Alicia quietly entered the temple without speaking a word and looked around.
Even though this place is called a temple, there wasn't any need for to be a believer of Ilelia to enter this place. This temple is sort of a touristic place that everyone that comes to the capital visits this place.
I stopped in front of a statue of a white winged woman, though calling statue would be wrong. It was an ultra realistic illusion of the angel of Ilelia, not Ilelia herself.
Gods usually don't reveal their looks to the mortals. Not because seeing a god would kill punny mortals. It is nothing like that. It is just they don't reveal their looks because they are mostly humanoid or directly human themselves. They fears that if mortals find out that the gods that they worship with respect and fear are just mortal looking being, they would probably lose their belief. Which is a death sentence to most gods, who are able to live because of the belief of mortals. Though Ilelia doesn't requires belief to live like most gods.
Anyway, i looked at the illusion of the angel. Angel was a beautiful woman who looked in her early twenties, she has pale blue hair and heterochromatic eyes, which were crystal blue and blood red like that of a moons.
I didn't know Ilelia's looks but i could guess easily that she would be like this woman, as angels look like their gods.
While i was looking at the illusion of the angel, the illusion disappeared for a fraction of a second and a butterfly appeared in front of me.
Half of the butterfly was made of ice and the other half was made of blood.
Butterfly casually perched on my shoulder and from what i saw, no one noticed this butterfly other than me.
'Probably Ilelia or one of her angels noticed me. After all, i am a very talented individual with a very high affinity to ice and gods likes to take someone talented in their respective domains as an angel or saint.'
I touched the butterfly to receive some kind of response but i didn't get any response. After receiving no response from the butterfly, i crushed the butterfly but it came back after a second after i crushed it to dust.
Alicia pulled my arm. "Hey! Didn't you say that appearances don't sway you?" Alicia said and pouted.
It seems while i was playing with the invisible butterfly i looked like i was looking at the angel of Ilelia for an unnecessarily long time.
"I was just fascinated by her eyes. Isn't her blue eye like that of mine?" I said and pointed to the illusion's blue eye.
"Yup." Alicia nodded without looking at the illusion and dragged me away.
We stopped in front of a book covered by ice.
I could tell with a single glance that this was one of the divine artifacts of Ilelia.
The butterfly flew to the divine artifact and perched on the ice that covers the book.
I understood that it wanted me to touch the ice that covers the book.
'Well, it is a very cliche scenario. This must be a sealed artifact like that of a sword stuck in the stone, waiting for the hero to pull it. But i am not an idiot to take responsibility without knowing the benefits.' I thought.
"If i am not disturbing you, can you tell me this book's history?" I asked a priestess, who was passing by.
Priestess turned to me with a graceful smile.
"I can always spare time for the ones who are curious about our lady and her divine tools." Priestess said and turned to the book.
"This is [Book of Frost], a divine artifact. It is filled with many different and powerful ice magics, but it isn't just a book with lots of chants. It is said that this book increases the power of casted magic by many times and reduces the mana cost. In the old days, once a saint of our lady used this book and froze the time itself." Priestess said with pride.
"Isn't this too much for a divine artifact?" I asked with shock evident on my face.
"It is completely normal because Lady Ilelia herself made the Book of Frost with her divine essence and blood. It is our greatest treasure and pride after all." Priestess said with knowing expression.
"It is normal for it to be so strong if Goddes herself made it. So, why is it covered by ice?" I asked curiously.
"Because it can only be used by a saint of our lady and our lady's chosen ones. If someone other than chosen one of our lady touches it, they would freeze to death in an instant."
'Did that butterfly try to kill me or did i really chosen by Ilelia or her angel?'
"That is very interesting. So what are the criteria for becoming a saint?" I asked
"We don't know. We won't and can't understand our lady's intentions. We will just listen to our lady's orders as her faithful believers and won't think about it too much." Priestess said fanatically.
"Is that so? Thanks for your kind explanation dear priestess." I said respectfully and smiled.
"You don't have to be stiff like this. I have a feeling that we will be close acquaintances." Priestess said with a strange smile.
'Did i get myself into a big trouble again?' I thought and looked at the priestess.
For some reason priestess was directly looking into my eyes like a mindless golem.
'Yep. I got in a big trouble it seems. Probably Ilelia set her eyes on me for some reason.'
"I wouldn't mind but can i ask the reasons? Or it is just a feeling?" I asked with kind smile.
"Don't think about it too much as it is just a hunch." Priestess said without even being affected by my beautiful smile.
"I need to go, i am in hurry." Priestess said and turned to leave.
"I wish you a good day Kayle." She said and left in hurry.
I turned to Alicia who was looking at the leaving priestess.
"Should we go back? I am tired." I said with a tired smile.
"Okay..." Alicia said with a low tone.