"This aristocratic city is part of the Papal States, and its steward is Baron Bolograd. Since the Pope resides in the capital of Célie, Bolograd is effectively the top authority here," Katya explained.

"Baron Bolograd is such an important figure!?"

"Honestly, Bruno, I am an essential figure bridging both nations. Do you really think someone like that would be entrusted to the care of a mere petty official?"

"T-that makes sense..."

As someone completely ignorant of such matters, I was grateful for Katya’s thorough explanations. She spoke fluently and without hesitation. How much information had she crammed into her mind before arriving here? Her memory was truly incredible.

"First, the religious state of Célie is divided into two main territories: the Papal States and the Church States. In essence, these are the areas directly governed by the Pope and those controlled by the clergy," she continued.

Baron Bolograd, who guided us earlier, held the title of a baron, making him part of the nobility. However, in Célie, the nobility and the church are deeply intertwined.

The rest of her explanation was quite intricate, and I didn’t fully grasp all of it. In summary, it seemed that higher noble ranks translated to greater influence within the church. Nobles often held positions within the church hierarchy, and Baron Bolograd himself served as a deacon.

"In terms of rank within Célie, from highest to lowest, it goes Pope, Cardinals, Saints, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons," she clarified.

"It’s similar to the hierarchy in our kingdom, from the king down to knight-baron," I observed.

"The internal workings are completely different, though."

In our kingdom, governance is split between royal and noble territories, leaving little room for religious influence.

At first glance, the systems of the kingdom and Célie might seem similar, with a single ruler overseeing subordinate lords who manage their own lands.

But Célie's system is undoubtedly more complex. For instance, deciding whether a count who is a priest outranks a baron who is a bishop could become contentious. Navigating governance while adhering to religious doctrines must impose many constraints. Just thinking about it seemed overwhelming.

Baron Bolograd must be quite the elite to hold such a position in Célie.

"Mii, Mii Mii?" Ivy chimed in.

"She’s asking, ‘But can someone so important just sneak out of their mansion like this?’"

"Ugh! W-we don’t talk about that!"

Katya, flustered, abruptly dashed forward, leaving us laughing as we followed after her.

"It seems the religious state of Célie is wealthier than the kingdom," Katya remarked.

"Huh? How can you tell so quickly?"

I had noticed differences in facial features and clothing patterns, but wealth wasn’t something so easily discernible. How did she figure that out?

"Wait here a moment."

With that, Katya approached a nearby street vendor. I cast a protective ward, ensuring she remained within sight and could be aided immediately if needed. As she made her purchase, a voice suddenly called out from behind me.

"Disappointing..."

I turned to see one of Bolograd’s female guards standing directly behind me. She was likely monitoring us to ensure Katya didn’t try anything reckless. Our movements had clearly been under surveillance.

"As long as you stay within our watchful eyes, you may do as you please. However, the 'Black Scripture' has been acting suspiciously lately. It would be preferable if you returned to the mansion," she cautioned.

Out of the bustling crowd, another elderly male guard appeared.

The "Black Scripture"—they were the shadowy faction of the religious state of Célie that had previously attempted to assassinate Katya.

I had assumed the reconciliation between the two nations was complete when Katya was invited here. While they had mentioned the possibility of danger, I hadn’t realized the situation was this precarious.

Perhaps this nation was far more dangerous than we, as residents of the kingdom, could ever imagine.

"Mii!" Ivy puffed out her chest.

She declared her intent to protect Katya, no matter what.

She’s right. We made a promise to let Katya do whatever she wanted while keeping her perfectly safe. That’s our rule.

The guards seemed to have come purely to warn us, disappearing into the crowd just as swiftly as they had arrived. Judging from their actions, they didn’t seem like bad people.

"Hey, Bruno—wait, is something wrong?"

Katya approached with her hands full of what appeared to be bread-like pastries made from kneaded flour. She tilted her head, looking up at me in curiosity. Smiling, I gently patted her head.

"No, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it."

Yes, nothing at all. So go ahead—have fun, however you like. No matter what anyone says, this is our way of guarding you.