From Trash to Demon Lord: I Can Turn Heroines Into Villainesses

Chapter 80: The Grand Church of Frosthold... [2]

Nox and the rest of the group slowly began climbing the massive stone staircase.

Dawn walked a few steps ahead.

"Follow me."

The princess moved with complete confidence.

As if she had walked this path hundreds of times before.

And she probably had.

People constantly flowed up and down the staircase on both sides.

Some elderly people walked with the help of canes.

Mothers held their children’s hands.

Well-dressed merchants.

Even travelers.

Many entered with hopeful expressions.

Others left with tears in their eyes.

Nox observed everything with curiosity.

’I thought this place would be filled with nothing but nobles.’

But it wasn’t.

People from every social class were there.

A man knelt in prayer, quietly whispering.

An elderly woman carried flowers.

A couple supported a sick child between them.

Perhaps they were all searching for the same thing.

A miracle.

As they reached the massive front gates, Nox noticed something else.

"...How strange."

Audrey slightly turned her head.

"What is it?"

Nox subtly pointed toward several people.

"There are a lot of hooded people here."

The huntress looked around.

He was right.

Many partially concealed their faces.

Some wore cloaks.

Others robes.

Others simply had hoods pulled over their heads.

They blended perfectly into the crowd.

Nox let out a quiet chuckle.

"And here I thought we were the only ones trying to stay hidden."

Dawn smiled.

"No one asks questions here."

"Because of religion?"

"Because of tradition."

They continued walking.

However...

Nox’s Danger Sense remained fully active.

It was constant.

Like a small alarm ringing in the back of his mind.

It never disappeared.

Not even for a second.

’I don’t like this.’

A few steps behind him, Catherine walked almost pressed against Misty.

She kept looking in every direction.

Clearly nervous.

Felix remained hidden inside her body.

The young girl swallowed.

"...I don’t like this place."

Her eyes constantly scanned the columns.

The windows.

The hallways.

As if she expected something to appear at any moment.

Nox heard her comment.

’At least I’m not the only one.’

Then he looked elsewhere.

And couldn’t help but laugh quietly.

"...There’s one thing I definitely don’t understand."

Everyone followed his gaze.

Claws was calmly walking behind the group.

As though everything was perfectly normal.

Several people even stopped to admire the enormous bear.

But no one screamed.

No one ran away.

No one seemed particularly concerned.

Nox raised an eyebrow.

"I’m surprised no one seems surprised to see a bear walking into a church."

Audrey crossed her arms.

"So am I."

She looked at the massive beast.

"But I wasn’t about to leave Claws behind again."

The bear let out a satisfied grunt.

Clearly pleased.

Tessa laughed.

"People in Frosthold usually keep pets."

Nox looked at her.

"Pets?"

"Yes."

She shrugged.

"Dogs, cats, wolves... sometimes foxes."

She looked back at Claws.

"Although..."

She smiled.

"...I can’t say I’ve ever seen a four-armed bear strolling through the city."

Everyone laughed softly.

Then Dawn spoke up.

"That’s not even the strangest one."

Everyone turned toward her.

"The Queen."

That is...

"My mother."

She crossed her arms.

"Has a silver-antlered deer."

Nox blinked.

"Seriously?"

The princess nodded.

"It’s an almost extinct species."

Audrey slightly raised an eyebrow.

"...One of my sisters hunted one years ago."

Dawn fell silent.

The huntress continued.

"We sold the antlers."

She smiled nostalgically.

"We ate well for almost a month."

The princess slightly opened her mouth.

She seemed unsure how to respond.

In the end, she decided to remain silent.

Audrey didn’t add anything else either.

She simply kept walking.

But the small smile on her face made it clear she was remembering her sisters.

◇◆◇

Finally, they crossed the enormous doors.

The interior of the Grand Church was even more impressive.

White columns.

Marble floors.

Hundreds of perfectly aligned pews.

The ceiling seemed to disappear into the heavens.

And the silence itself felt sacred.

Dawn looked around.

"...Looks like Leo did his job well."

Nox surveyed the area as well.

It was strange.

"There aren’t any guards."

Tessa smiled proudly.

"My brother never does anything halfway."

Nox slowly nodded.

"So it seems."

They continued walking.

The vast halls were nearly empty.

Only a few priests moved quietly from one side to the other.

No one seemed to pay any attention to the small group in cloaks.

Nox looked around once again.

His Danger Sense remained fully active.

Growing stronger by the second.

’What the hell...’

He couldn’t identify its source.

But it refused to fade.

He moved a little closer to Dawn.

"Where’s this famous chamber?"

The princess pointed toward the far end of the enormous building.

There, a long white staircase began.

Built entirely from polished ceramic.

It spiraled upward in a perfect helix.

"At the very top."

Nox followed it with his eyes.

It was incredibly long.

"That high?"

Dawn nodded.

"Just beneath the room where the main bell is. That’s where the chamber is."

Audrey let out a quiet whistle.

"Wow..."

Catherine continued nervously looking around.

Finally, she spoke.

"...I really don’t like this place."

Nox nodded.

"Neither do I."

Felix slowly emerged from the girl’s body.

His tiny spiritual form floated around the group.

His ears twitched constantly.

As though he were listening to something.

"...Neither do I."

Everyone turned toward him.

The little cat spirit genuinely looked uncomfortable.

"It just keeps feeling..."

He searched for the right words.

"...wrong."

Nox sighed.

"My Danger Sense won’t stop reacting either."

No one answered.

Because they were all experiencing the exact same feeling.

Meanwhile...

Misty had become completely absorbed by the walls.

The enormous stained-glass windows covered nearly the entire church.

Each depicted a different scene.

Battles.

Miracles.

Gigantic creatures.

Gods descending from the heavens.

The dancer walked slowly.

Carefully studying every image.

"They’re beautiful..."

Tessa followed her gaze.

"Those are the Church’s official stories."

Misty raised an eyebrow.

"Stories?"

The redhead nodded.

She pointed at one stained-glass window.

"That god created Frosthold."

Then another.

"That one drove away the demons."

Another.

"That one exterminated the dragons."

And finally, she pointed toward an enormous window that covered almost an entire wall.

"And according to them... that one created entire continents."

Misty quietly studied the illustrations.

"I didn’t know the gods had so many stories."

Dawn let out a small laugh.

"Depends on who’s telling them."

Nox didn’t take his eyes off the stained glass.

’Beautiful stories...’

Finally, Dawn started walking again.

"Come on."

She stopped in front of the spiral staircase.

"We have to go up this way."

Everyone looked up.

The staircase seemed to vanish into the heights above.

Nox took a deep breath.

"Well."

He adjusted the strap of his bag.

"Time to see the place where the Saints speak with the gods."

Without another word, the entire group slowly began climbing the enormous ceramic staircase.

As they ascended...

The stained-glass windows continued to accompany them.

As though hundreds of eyes were watching from the walls of the Grand Church of Frosthold.