The St. Maurice Church was located in the heart of the city, at one end of the square, and it was an imposing building with several stories and a couple of towers—one of which housed the bell tower. Its facade was adorned with pointed arches and ribbed vaults, characteristic of the Gothic style that the architect aimed to achieve when commissioned to design the building, as Georg explained. Getting closer to the church, Évelyne could better appreciate the gargoyles and stained glass decorating each cornice and window.

While Ingolstadt was not lacking in distinctive house designs, the creature soon decided that this particular place possessed greater beauty than any other she had seen before. Once inside the church, the two visitors were greeted by more statues of angels and other religious figures. A long aisle traversed the entire central nave, from the entrance they had come through, past the area where the worshipers gathered, to the altar. The altar stood before extensive stained glass windows, and it featured a well-maintained altarpiece with gilded details vividly representing scenes from the life of Christ through paintings and sculptures, mirroring the exterior of the sacred building.

Évelyne also noticed the pulpit and the space for the choir on one side of the nave. There was even an organ stationed there! She couldn't help but wonder about the owner of the church, why they had commissioned such a temple, and, more importantly, why the place wasn't filled with people.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Georg inquired in a low voice. Although the place wasn't packed with people paying homage to God, there were at least a dozen worshipers scattered throughout the pews and other areas of the chapel, either praying or appreciating the surroundings. Évelyne learned that within a church, it was necessary to maintain silence not to disturb the rest of the congregation.

"It's very beautiful," the creature affirmed in the same tone. "I've never been here before."

"Really? It's usually one of the first things tourists come to see, even the less devout ones."

"I can see why."

In truth, Évelyne had never thought of visiting this or any other church before because, well, she didn't even know they existed or what they were for! Not until Victoria explained it, claiming it was basic knowledge she would need someday, regardless of her eventual beliefs in spiritual matters.

As for whether Évelyne knew St. Maurice before, she had seen its towers from afar during her walks in the park and streets near her neighborhood. She remembered being impressed, thinking those towers must belong to an incredibly tall building. But that was it. She had no idea it was a church, that it was St. Maurice, and with her other concerns, she never thought to take a closer look. Not until Georg invited her.

"Who came up with the idea of building this place?" Évelyne asked, admiration evident in her tone.

She had seen some shrines or churches in the mountains during those two years she wandered aimlessly. But nothing compared in size and opulence to this.

"Duke Ludwig VII of Bavaria, about... four centuries ago, if I remember correctly," Georg clarified, perhaps realizing Évelyne wasn't from the area and might not know the historical figures related to those places. "He was the ruler at that time and believed that Ingolstadt should have its own place of worship. Hence, he financed its construction."

"Four centuries, you say?" Évelyne found it astounding; the time she had been resurrected from the dead had already seemed long, and she couldn't imagine how a building could stand for so long without losing its initial brilliance. "It's undoubtedly worth it."

"It's one of the main attractions of this city. Right now, it might not seem like it, as it's early, and it's not time for mass yet, but I assure you, the nave fills up once the liturgy begins."

"Can we stay to see it?"

Georg took a few seconds to respond.

"Of course," he finally said, and that slight hesitation made Évelyne understand that he, too, wasn't very devout. If he had agreed, it was merely part of his duties as a guide, not because he enjoyed listening to a sermon.

As they explored the church, Georg explained more about its history and architectural details. Évelyne marveled at the prospect of spending Christmas in the city and expressed interest in attending a mass.

"Christmas is approaching, and I'm sure they'll organize more liturgies than usual, not only in this church but also in the others in this region," Georg mentioned.

Évelyne, however, wasn't sure how she felt about Christmas celebrations. She had never attended a mass before, and she didn't know the difference between a regular liturgy and one held during the holidays. She also wondered if they would celebrate Christmas here.

"Will they celebrate the holidays here too?" she asked.

"As you can see," Georg smiled, pointing to the decorations already arranged throughout the interior of the building, "I suppose if we ask the parish priest or someone who attends regularly, they'll be able to tell us when each event is scheduled. Oh, and have you seen the nativity scene? They must have set it up recently; it wasn't here when I came by last week."

Indeed, there was a small nativity scene on one side of the church. A modest work compared to all the statues and altars St. Maurice possessed, but it still set the stage for the upcoming Christmas festivities.

Évelyne was amazed and had a thousand questions to ask. Perhaps she could have imagined something while they walked to the church, but nothing would have prepared her for all this once inside.

"These will be my first Christmas in the city," she reflected after memorizing every detail of the wooden figurines gathered around the manger. "Interestingly, I hadn't thought about it until recently."

"Won't you visit your family wherever they live?"

"No, the only relatives I have are between Geneva and Hamburg," Évelyne lied. Not knowing where the latter city was on a map, she knew Victoria had recommended mentioning it when someone asked about her imaginary family. It was far enough away to require considerable time and means to reach, making it a believable location. "And besides, it hasn't been long since I left home to move to this city. It would be silly to go back so soon."

"Maybe you're right, but I bet they'll miss you during the holidays."

Évelyne almost laughed at the well-intentioned comment. No, there would be no one waiting for her, not even in the towns where she had spent long periods of time.

"At my parents' house, we'll have a big dinner on the twenty-fourth," Georg continued, imagining the prospect with evident good humor. "Not only my brothers and I will attend, but also my sister's family, who lives abroad. Between grandparents, uncles, and nephews, I honestly don't know how we'll fit in the living room. But it will be worth it, as such occasions to gather everyone are rare during the year, and this is the perfect time to do it."

"That sounds nice," Évelyne wished she didn't sound envious. She had seen a certain family celebrate Easter once and was aware of the atmosphere in homes during those times—well, in normal homes where the family was large and there was a plan in place to organize a dinner.

"I... don't know what I'll do this Christmas, to be honest. I mean, apart from staying in Ingolstadt. I don't think Victoria has any specific plans."

She could add that if Victoria did have plans, she hadn't mentioned them. But the scientist, aside from being a staunch atheist, didn't seem like the type of person who prepared for Christmas months in advance or became particularly amiable as the dates approached.

So, although Évelyne couldn't be sure, she could imagine a scenario where Victoria had simply forgotten that the end of December was approaching, and society required something special to celebrate.

"Will she also stay in the city?"

"That seems to be her intention, yes."

And if tradition dictated that Christmas Eve should be spent with family, celebrating a worthy dinner for the holidays, didn't that mean she would be stuck with Victoria for that purpose?

The idea didn't bother her as such, given that she was already used to sharing lunches with the scientist. But being alone in an apartment that, if left to Victoria, probably wouldn't even be decorated for the occasion, felt a bit sad—as if there was nothing special to celebrate, and it was just another normal day in her routine.

"Maybe I should suggest that we do something different," Évelyne thought aloud. "Or convince her to decorate the dining room a bit and at least brighten up our view if we're not going to have a typical celebration."

"That's a good idea, although, if you allow me, I think I have another one," Georg continued. "On the twenty-fourth, I won't be able to visit anyone, let alone invite friends over, as the place will be crowded and having promised to help my relatives with their preparations. But on the twenty-fifth, I'm completely free. And I've heard that there will be a ball at the von Rosenwald mansion..."

"A ball?"

Could one attend such a thing? Évelyne knew little about such events and certainly never dreamed that a celebration of such magnitude would even be mentioned in a conversation with her.

"It's going to be a charity event, to celebrate Christmas," Georg explained. "The von Rosenwald counts organize it, but since the goal is to raise money for the city's orphanage, it won't only be the local aristocracy that's invited. In fact, I don't think there will be a guest list; if we show up at the right time, I'm sure they'll let us in."

"And you want me to go with you."

"It will be a good way to spend the afternoon without worrying about leaving you behind on those dates because of my duties to my relatives," Georg shrugged. "Although, if you have another commitment, that's okay. We can meet another day, hopefully before the end of the year."

"No, no. I want to go." And perhaps remembering something, she asked, "Can Victoria come?"

She didn't know why she had asked that, it came out almost without thinking. Perhaps because she had become too accustomed to Victoria's presence on any excursion outside the usual routine.

Not that Victoria was demanding with her time, on the other hand. At some point that Évelyne couldn't quite remember, the scientist had stopped monitoring her as much as in the first weeks of cohabitation. It wasn't a requirement to go everywhere together. Not even a request. But the creature was already so used to sharing her social news with Victoria that, to some extent, it felt natural to keep involving her.

"As far as I'm concerned, the invitation is only for you," Georg replied in a friendly manner, as if he had expected such a question. "But as I mentioned, it's a freely attended dance, and anyone can sign up without going through a selection process. If Victoria wants to come, go ahead, I have no problem. I believe, in any case, that half of Ingolstadt will gather at the von Rosenwalds' that night (indeed, some of my friends will also be there). So, regardless of whether one goes alone or in company, I can assure you that we'll all end up meeting someone we know to spend the afternoon with."

How prudent would it be, then, to accept the invitation? Perhaps Évelyne had rushed a bit to do so immediately since she wasn't yet comfortable in crowds. But, on the other hand, she did want to overcome her fears and go.

"How many people do you think will be there?"

"Several hundred, maybe. The von Rosenwalds' ballroom is large enough to accommodate a small army." And perhaps sensing Évelyne's concern, he added, "But it won't be as overwhelming as you think. The property is huge, and guests aren't expected to be packed only in the halls. I know, it's not the first time the counts have organized an event I attended. And although the heart of the celebration takes place in a certain room, if you get bored there, there's always the option to go out to the balconies or take a stroll in the gardens. The place is well-maintained, and being situated on the outskirts of the city, it also offers excellent views."

"I'd have to find the appropriate attire, assuming I go," Évelyne interjected, making it more of a statement than a question.

"You won't need to break the bank. You probably already have something in the closet that you only use on special occasions."

No, she didn't. Whether because she had never attended an event of that kind in her life or because Victoria—and, to be honest, she herself—had never considered it necessary.

"Being a charitable event where both the nobility and common people are invited, no one will pay attention to what you're wearing," Georg concluded. Since the attire wouldn't be a problem for him, perhaps because he already knew what he would wear almost a month in advance. "Just be yourself, and everything will be fine."