"...What?"
Annan was astonished.
The answer truly shocked him.
He fell deeply into confusion.
How exactly did Nicholas accomplish this? An artificial human that doesn't require parents...
"Before answering this question," Bishop Daryl spoke softly, pulling a book from the shelf, "have you heard of the 'Gift of the Cup' ritual?"
"It sounds like a ritual of the Goddess of the Cup."
"Indeed, it is."
Daryl said, then plunked himself back onto the sofa.
Perhaps it was because he was old, or maybe because he had grown a bit fatter, even these few steps seemed to have tired him out.
After the corpulent, bald-headed bishop sat down, he placed the thick book on the table and took a long sigh. He took a big gulp of the now slightly cooled black tea from his cup.
