After pouring an immense amount of time into her work, Olivia finally completed a statue of Kaito that met her exacting standards. Rising to her feet, she concluded a prayer that felt deeper and more profound than any she had ever offered.
Her heart danced at the thought of being able to pray before this Kaito Statue from this day forward. Having successfully achieved her objective, she decided the special space was no longer necessary. She prepared to move the Kaito Statue to the Pope's Chamber and annihilate the subspace she had created, but then a sudden thought gave her pause.
(...Perhaps I should create a statue of Shallow Vernal-sama as well? By praying before this likeness of Miyama Kaito-sama, I have achieved a state of devotion that is remarkable even to me. Since the environment so clearly dictates the quality of one’s worship, I must ensure my prayers to Shallow Vernal-sama are of the highest caliber as well. That being the case, a divine statue is surely necessary...)
Guided by this logic, Olivia prepared a fresh block of marble and began to craft a statue of Shallow Vernal. This second endeavor did not take nearly as long as the first. Her skills had reached their peak during the creation of the Kaito statue, though she still found herself starting over several times before she was satisfied with the result.
Once the statue of Shallow Vernal—which stood at roughly the same height as the Kaito statue—was finished, Olivia nodded in approval.
(With this, everything is in order. To think that I shall soon perform my prayers under the watchful eyes of Miyama Kaito-sama and Shallow Vernal-sama fills me with honor and joy. I am certain my devotion shall reach new heights.)
She moved the two completed statues to the Pope's Chamber, creating a sanctuary where she could pray while truly feeling as if she were being watched over by Kaito and Shallow Vernal. Olivia looked upon the finished room with a look of great contentment.
Through sheer force of faith, absolute concentration, and an eternity of trial and error within her unique subspace, Olivia had attained a level of sculpting mastery that ranked among the world's best. Yet, she felt no urge to boast of her talent, nor did she harbor any desire to create new works for fame. To her, sculpting was nothing more than a utility—a means to craft the divine icons necessary for superior prayer. It was simply a way to refine her spiritual environment.
Since she lacked any hint of vanity, the thought of flaunting her skills never even crossed her mind. While she likely would have answered if someone asked her directly, she had no intention of telling anyone that she had crafted these divine statues. In fact, had Alice not later requested a demonstration as entertainment to please Kaito and Shallow Vernal, her world-class sculpting technique might never have been discovered.
However, her newly acquired mastery did bring about one unexpected change in her daily life.
It happened after Olivia had finished her prayers and moved to her office to review documents in her capacity as the City Representative. Her gaze fell upon a small tabletop ornament shaped like a Bell of Prayer that sat on the edge of her desk—a souvenir she had bought and cherished during her date with Kaito. Seeing it now through the eyes of a master, her expression soured.
(Looking at it again, the craftsmanship of this Bell of Prayer is far too crude. It is intended for general citizens who cannot frequently visit a Church or Temple to use in their own homes, and since it is designed for low-cost mass production, a certain level of compromise is expected. However, I have experienced firsthand how the tools of worship affect the quality of one’s prayer. Surely, the people deserve better than this? Higher quality tools would lead to improved devotion for everyone.)
With her refined artistic eye, the rough design of the tabletop ornament was impossible to ignore. Of course, such trinkets were usually meant strictly for decoration and were rarely used for the intense meditation Olivia practiced, but she had no way of knowing that.
(Perhaps the Church should produce and sell these instead? If I were to personally supervise the production, we could create a Bell of Prayer that is flawless in every detail. Since profit is not our concern, we could keep the price low so every citizen can afford one. We could offer various sizes as well—small versions for tables, medium ones for private rooms, and even grand versions for halls...)
The idea was born from a simple whim, but it would eventually generate astronomical profits. In the world of Trinia, where gods are a tangible reality, faith is a pillar of daily life. Nearly every human receives a blessing from a deity or priest at the start of the year, and many visit temples or churches monthly.
The demand for high-quality prayer focuses was immense. A Bell of Prayer personally supervised by the Pope herself was an irresistible prospect for the faithful. Not only did the inexpensive tabletop versions sell out instantly, but the larger room-use and hall-use models flew off the shelves as well. The religious organization saw an unprecedented influx of wealth. What began as a local project at the Central Cathedral soon expanded, with temples and churches across the world clamoring to stock the items.
Despite being the architect of this massive commercial success, Olivia remained entirely indifferent to the money. She surrendered all rights and profits to the Central Cathedral without a second thought, caring nothing for the gold. She was perfectly content to spend her days in her private chambers, praying happily before the statues of Kaito and Shallow Vernal, accompanied by her own masterfully crafted Bell of Prayer.
Serious-senpai: "Ah, I see. Since she only made them for her private use in the Pope's Chamber and didn't start dotting Kaito statues all over the city, she’s technically still within the bounds of reason. Maybe the reason Olivia doesn't seem completely unhinged is because she knows exactly where to draw the line in these matters."