247 human followers gained
Total follower count updated. Total followers of [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]: 48427
“The knights have returned … Wrong time for them to leave, the church ridiculed Champion Hestia, and now they come back like that?”
“Where is the Goddess? Why is Her Holiness not helping us? Are we losing to the demonkin?”
“Maybe it’s time to move. Back to my family in Rakatheen, dear?”
From all the gossiping done in the back of the reluctantly cheering crowd, the atmosphere of the situation was pretty clear to see. Despite all the “festivities” of welcoming back their knights, nobody was excited. They were faking it as it was the right thing to do, while those who weren’t smiling spoke their true thoughts.
I couldn’t help but frown when I saw the pristine armor the Knights of Aurena wore had been reduced to tatters. The white was gone, replaced by blood, dirt, and other marks I couldn’t identify. Pieces of armor were just missing, dent, or cracked open, to the point you could see their ruined chainmail and gambeson underneath it.
The battle against the sin heir of envy had left its mark, reducing the morale of the entire city after we had raised it up with the city’s reconstruction. Most people only knew that the knights had been sent to fight a normal demonkin, so seeing a platoon of them at low energy and act defeated dampened the mood. To the citizens, it was if the military lost a fight against the enemy.
Since the knights had their helmets on, we couldn’t see their expression. This was probably for the best.
Yikes.
I sighed before I patted the newly-made roof of this freshly built building … literally made just a bell ago. The sounds of the earth rumbling and molding, the hacking and sawing of wood, and then the loud groans of buff men combining all the materials to construct a house. A beautiful, simple craft.
Well, all the cheering and bonding I was doing with the citizens vanished with the knights’ return …A bit of me did feel sad it had to end like this, but I was fully aware making fun or being angry at the knights would be an insult to them and their efforts. Honestly, this should be a moment of silence.
The two wagons being moved in the middle of the line were covered in two large white clothes, hiding whatever was there. The knights driving the carriages forward were using wind magic, hiding the smell of whatever was under it. To the citizens, it could be anything, but as someone in the know, I knew they were the bodies of the knights’ fallen comrades.
It must not feel good to receive such a welcome.
I stood up after I located Master, the saurians, Yorshka, and Midirn, waving at them which they reciprocated. I gave them a thumbs up before dashing across the rooftops, flying over to the relief camp where I informed everybody what had happened. Having anticipated this, Fleindia wasn’t surprised and told me we had to return to the basilica to greet them properly.
After some flying, we arrived with enough time to clean ourselves up in our rooms and meet back up at the basilica’s entrance. Unlike the lackluster welcome in the lower city, the clergy had prepared an elaborate celebration for the knights, including a grey-robe choir, white-robes using [Create Light] to send small light particles into the sky, and even the five cardinals gave a honeyed speech, praising Aurena for helping them return.
Yet, the mood of the knights couldn’t be worse. They glared at the cardinals, moving past them and returned to the knight’s headquarters, where the Knight-Commander awaited them. Yorshka and the other scale-kin left them and returned to us, where Yorshka and Midirn saluted Neill and me.
“We have returned, Your Graces.” They then bowed with their tails tucked in between their legs. Once done, Midirn continued.
“It will be announced by Royce later, but we managed to slay the two demonkin who attacked the city, including a few others who attacked us. We managed to take down some of the mercenaries, but most escaped after the situation worsened. The sin heir did escape.” He then gazed at the wagon. “We lost good companions. I would suggest you give the deceased a send off to garner the respect of the knights. After what happened, I would go as far as to urge you to take part in the rites. This is an opportunity you should not let go if you wish for harmony after this battle ends.”
Midirn was a professional through and through. He probably was leaving most of the tedious information out, only reporting on what was important. Presumably, at least, since I could see from his expression that he was holding onto something he wanted to tell me. Allowing him to do so, he bowed and thanked me.
“From a quick search, none of these knights seem to be part of that group. That is why I urge you to ‘snatch the gheeper before it runs away.’ Especially those affected by their battle are easily manipulated and persuaded.”
“… You didn’t have to add that last part to it. I’m not the type to take advantage of a trauma.”
“If I may speak up, I object to that notion. You are not taking advantage of them maliciously, which is the important point here. You are safeguarding them by taking them under your wings when they are at their most vulnerable. If you do not act now, you leave them free to be preyed on by those without your moral compass. A leader must know when to strike to progress.”
“It’s a fair point,” Neill agreed. “You have no problem fighting dirty if you have to survive, right? This is all part of the process, so why are you so afraid of ‘playing dirty’ now when it’s for a good cause?”
“Lady Hestia, this would be the chance to change your reputation for the better,” Yorshka added.
Theodore nodded. “Since the majority of the clergy isn’t on your side, having Aureolis’s citizens and the Knights of Aurena support your cause will make it easier to keep order once our duty here is done. It does mean we have to protect them, though, which is why this isn’t a suggestion. This is an objective you must undertake.”
Oh, come on …
“I’ll help, of course,” Fleindia said. “They saw you help them. We can work with that, and I can use our allied priests to cajole them even further. Have friends to make friends.”
Well, at least I don’t have to do this alone.
Agreeing with their idea, we all headed over to the knights’ headquarters, where I saw Kuornig greet the knights, followed by a report coming from Royce. The deceased were presented, having been preserved using our [Air Shield] rune. Aside from Akasht, about seven knights who had lost their lives in the raid—four recently promoted squires, two normal knights, and one veteran.
None of the captains were killed, but Kirstine, who was an archer captain, was mentally broken. With her helmet off, you could see the dark shadows under her eyes, not to mention the empty gaze she directed at the Commander. There was no hint of emotion in her gaze. Then again, it wasn’t to the point I thought she was depressed. Maybe it was more apt to call her pensive, or pondering, but since I didn’t know her, I could hardly guess.
“I can see the damage our enemies have done to us. A sin heir of envy? I will notify Vicar Marius about this.” He frowned, but interestingly, he didn’t look surprised. None of us had informed him about the battle on Yorshka’s side, yet he took it all in stride. “Also, this bit here, ‘Champion Hestia appeared from a portal and fought with us, summoning a massive white flaming ball. Merciful white grace descended on us, healing our wounded while burning the mercenaries.’”
… Royce is also a professional, huh? How thankful!
Suffice to say, I was annoyed he had to mention that last point, making me question why nobody spoke up to stop him. That was when Master said, “Does it matter at this point, my apprentice?”
I asked him to elaborate.
“You have already shown your cards with the subspace, and in fact both sin heirs understood the principles behind it, considering the sin heir of envy enacted their counter by calling the Warbringer out to gain his attention. Four days have passed since our fight; the information has already been spread.” Master stroked his chin. “Think about it from their perspective. They know we have such an option, but not how it truly works outside of the runes we use. As long as we have one shadow member around, we can appear anywhere. Let the enemy fear us; perpetuate that fear!”
“A secret is only valuable if it’s kept under lock,” Grazlahta added. “Yet information is both a currency and a weapon in the right hands. The five of us agreed to this plan.”
Seeing Yorshka, Midirn, and Krim agree with it, I left it alone. I should trust them on this.
“Yorshka! Over here! And bring the others with you,” the Commander shouted, waving at us. Once Yorshka’s group stood before him, he continued. “I have read the reports and Royce mentioned that your quick thinking saved the majority of our forces by preventing the sin heir of envy’s skill from activating. Saint Kushlek’zar, I appreciate not only your water magic that kept the injured alive but also your quick thinking and action by deploying the counter measures. You have my thanks.”
He was probably speaking about the [Air Shield] plus [Defensive Rune: Auracoil] combination to stop [Original Sin: Yaldabaoth].
“Midirn, it looks like the years of peace haven’t stifled your ability to command. I thank you for helping Royce when it mattered. Next time, though, less arguing.”
Midirn smiled. “Train him better then.”
Kuornig nodded and then looked at the saurians. “Kushlek’zar, Krim-Slak, Grazlahta. My condolences for the death of such a brave warrior. Tide Watchers, you have the respect of the Knights of Aurena, and Akasht will live on as a mighty warrior from the jungles of Aelozonia.”
“Kri.” The saurians pressed their fists on their chests.
Krim then continued, “Do not worry. The seven who died on your side deserve as much respect. They fought to the bitter end to defend those affected by the demonic ability. I would recommend you handle those still affected by this. Our sadness and grief have faded, replaced by the duty to assure Akasht’s sacrifice is not in vain.”
“Let us fight for a better future, Knight-Commander,” Grazlahta said, almost like a demand.
Kuornig didn’t react to this, instead, he called Royce and Yorshka, telling them to meet him in his room for a personal talk. Once they were inside the headquarters, most of the knights dispersed, with most returning to their dorms to rest. Surprisingly, a few approached us.
Even more surprising, the person leading the group was Kirstine. Midirn’s words echoed in my head, making me ready myself for whatever she wanted to say … Only for my bafflement to increase even further when she and her group kneeled before me.
“Champion Hestia, please, accept our utmost apologies for everything we’ve done. The shame we brought to our order, to the Church of the Goddess, to Saintess Fleindia, to Champion Rhea, to the people of Aureolis, and to the Goddess herself. We have shamed all of them, insulting your presence before us. We have sinned!” Her voice cracked with that last sentence, followed by the rest of the knights shouting “Forgive us!” Kirstine then lowered her head even further, prostrating. “I spoke as a knight just now, but please allow me to apologize personally as Kirstine von Frophone. All I had when I met you and your companions was contempt. No good will, nothing.”
Following Kirstine’s action, the other knights began to pour their hearts out, begging for an apology from me. A good number even directed their words towards Saori, Neill, the saurians, and Midirn, presumably having held onto their wish to apologize until now. These 17 knights were creating a massive fuss that attracted priests and grey-robes.
Those who celebrated their return were astonished, mumbling in confusion at the emotional breakdown. The clergy mentioned their previous ill-mood and how they flatly ignored them during the welcome celebration, deriding how rude the knights were. There was some resentment in a few priests’ eyes as they even gossiped how I “brainwashed” the knights.
“Enough!” Kirstine shouted, holding her head low. “Nothing of that happened! Champion Hestia had done nothing but what was right for us. She saved our lives. She gave us hope when despair caught us in its malicious hands. Most of us would not be alive if she wasn’t there, and by the honor as a knight, I will slay all who dares speak ill of her!”
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She’s serious. I concluded from the unsuppressed anger coming from her words. I would know, as I remembered well having done the same to the Vicar just a few days ago.
“Rise,” I ordered, allowing all the knights to raise their heads. “On your feet, knights. I will not allow you to kneel to me. I am not your liege. I am only a fellow follower of Her Holiness.”
Seeing them stand up, it made me wonder if Midirn had planned all of this or if it was just a coincidence. It didn’t help that he wasn’t making an expression. Regardless, I had 17 knights I could persuade to help us and it was very likely they weren’t traitors, as Midirn told me. It was too good to give up. “Playing dirty” or not, everybody was right. I need to ally with them.
Aside from them, I also noticed a number of other knights crowding around the area. Some were from the same raiding group, and although they weren’t participating in this show, I could see their curiosity. If Kirstine hadn’t told anybody about this aside from her own group, then it was likely she didn’t trust the others. Which begged the question of what the others thought of me.
A few of them are knights Yorshka spoke about.
Nevertheless, for now, I had to find the correct words to recruit Kirstine. “First, are you all right?”
She bowed, swaying her green, medium-length hair over her shoulders. “Yes, thank you for asking. I apologize for showing you my past.”
“It’s fine. It helped me understand why there is such animosity between the two of us, not to mention why my presence here is causing others to be annoyed. I thought I had understood it from my stay in Elyonda, yet it seemed I wasn’t mature enough. I let my own anger shroud my decision-making in Aureolis.” I reflected earnestly. “I had only listened about what the Empire was, making me look at it from an outsider’s view. Not even a really educated one. Second-hand experience isn’t good.”
Hearing me say that earned me a nod from Master. To us mages, information was the most important, and it became clearer to me how narrow my view had been. Everybody had their own history that affected their opinions and relationships. Like the onnikai with the humans, the dwarves with craftsmen of other races, or the hatred that kept this entire demonkin-human war going.
“I came to Aureolis with my own opinion on how to conduct myself, and it is clear at this point I came off too harsh, especially my first appearance. Quickly demanding the position of the pope to be abdicated to enforce the blessed leadership was the correct move to tell all of you why I am here, but it was the wrong move to gain your sympathy. I failed in that, so I must apologize for antagonizing you.”
“It had irked most of us, my lady, I agree,” Kirstine said. “We trust Saintess Fleindia and we have heard some of Dame Rhea’s exploits as a free knight, but we had only heard ill news about you. Dame Yorshka’s retelling of your achievements had opened my mind, even if I had at first not accepted them.”
“We all did!”
“We have all witnessed your powers granted by the divine! May your white flames clear the darkness before us!”
“Please, accept our apology and our service to aid you. May we purge this night to usher in a new dawn for the Church of Aurena!”
Kirstine saluted, urging the others to do the same. “However, let it be known I do not share any of their thoughts any longer. Dragon, human? Beastman? It doesn’t matter, what matters is that Her Holiness would never grant a title to somebody who would do our religion harm willingly. To assure it doesn’t happen accidentally, we must all stand behind our blessed! Saintess Fleindia, Champion Rhea, Champion Hestia, let me be the third Knight of Aurena to support your plan to abdicate the papal role!”
“All of us will!”
“Traitors!” My dissenters in the priest factions cried out, but they were immediately stopped by others. Fleindia called them out, making me aware they were our allies.
“Let it be known as well, we support our blessed’s proposition.” Bishop Rasheid appeared from the side. “The rumors that have filled the church these past days have only made all of you seem more like fools! Our fellow brothers and sisters of faith in the city have retold their story of Champion Hestia’s role in the battle four days ago. She did not abandon us, she did all she could to save the weak!”
“Absurdity!” A few elderly priests shouted. “Then what is this whole ‘helping’ situation these knights are telling us? There is no way to be in two place at once, and you—”
“There is!” Ellaine interrupted. “For such an elder, you must know the powers of an otherworlder. The power of space-time magic gave her this power. That is how she was able to be in two battles at once. She helped the city and the knights in their battle when they needed it the most.”
“We’ve been here for nearly a year, and you couldn’t have figured it out yourself?” Tatsuya added. “We’ve been taught how powerful [Space-Time Magic] was from our tutors. That would be you, our tutors. Hestia told all of you who she was—an otherworlder just like us! She is from Earth, just like us!”
“Brainwash?” Kohaku clicked her tongue. “Hesti-chan has a hard time trying to take advantage of a trauma because of her own sympathies, and you think all that propaganda is true? She is our friend, somebody we’ve been talking about fashion, food, and pop culture with. A dragon? All right. Well, she is still a girl; a person, not some monster in your fantasies!”
“Ha!” Asaka burst out in laughter, tapping Kohaku’s shoulder. “You think these geezers and stink-up-the-butt priests can understand such a concept? That a person is still a person? These people who thought of us as nothing but tools, propaganda material, and other crap? Kidnapped us into their world, made us work for them ‘cause they didn’t have the balls to do it themselves? You’re hoping for too much. After all, their entire personality is Aurena this, Aurena that. Nothing else.”
Kirstine stepped forward. “You may call us however you wish, Lord Bishops. This is our decision. Yet, calling us traitors when we are supporting a fellow follower of Goddess Aurena is simply the height of arrogance. All of us aim for the best for our religion.”
She then turned around, kneeled once again. “Allow us to help you.”
I smiled and then looked over to Renee and Ellaine. “Yorshka will be here too, so make sure to speak with her. Champion Rhea and Ellaine, they will be helping you. Listen to them if you wish to help us.”
“Affirmative,” Renee said, but Ellaine jerked back, shocked I was recommending her.
I raised my brows. “What? My first knight is the perfect fit for this. You’re the one I can trust my ideals with and you even led Tatsuya and the others around. You might not be the most experienced commander, but unlike when we started out, you have grown. You can do this, Ellaine. You can do this, right? Dame Ellaine?”
“H-Hestia, this is … I accept this chance, Princess Hestia. I will obey,” Ellaine kneeled.
I turned around. “Am I heard?”
“Yes, Champion Hestia! For the Goddess of Light!”
17 human followers gained
Total follower count updated. Total followers of [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]: 48444
Good.
I didn’t know what to do with this new group of supporters, but that was why I had Fleindia, Theodore, and Midirn. They knew how to use the extra people, especially Midirn who wanted to fortify our defences against the traitors in our midst. With our allied priests announcing their stance publicly, they were now being mobilized to fully garner the support of the populace in the city, spreading word of our successes to win over more hearts.
However, what was most important about this was the advertisement for my next concert. It was pretty much settled by our party that the concert would be our raid day, when we finally settled the score with the demonkin. WinterSun the 21st, the LightDay on the next week. Would the demonkin know about this? We couldn’t be sure, but what I did know was that our allies had to start flushing out any possible traitors.
To supplement their efforts, we would also start plying information from our most valuable informant for this.
We waited for Yorshka to finish, where we saw Royce charge out of the knight’s headquarters with a scowl so wide, I felt angry on his behalf. When Yorshka came out, shaking her head with a deep sigh, I just had to ask her what was going on.
“Kuornig announced me as his successor as the next Knight-Commander. Usually, the next commander would be determined by potential candidates dueling for the position but I sorta already did that, right?” Yorshka reminded me of her duel against the entirety of the Knights of Aurena. “Royce couldn’t accept it … and here I thought we were getting chummy. You know, the report wasn’t made purely out of professionality, he meant it. He believed our group changed the flow of the battle. He thinks he owes us his lives and his comrades’.”
“His pride is holding him back,” Midirn assessed. “A decent Captain with the strength to follow it up, but the mindset of a spoiled child who cannot see the horizon in between the trees. Forget about him.”
I shrugged and agreed, with the majority of our group doing the same. Only Ellaine seemed to frown, glaring at Royce until his silhouette disappeared. She shook her head before we headed into the headquarters and asked the Commander to follow us into my room, where we had him enter our subspace.
I still felt apprehensive of him due to how he protected the Vicar from my beat down, but we needed him to listen to our interrogation. There, in our clinic, Cardinal Wendel rose up, eyes widened as we all entered the room. Grimnir, who was guarding him, nodded and left the room, after handing us a note.
“Got some answers on who ordered that Dhuinn rune used during the attack. A mayor in Aureolis. Good luck.”
“Not just any mayor, but a deceased one,” Cardinal Wendell added after handing his soup to Svena, who left the room as well. “The man has been dead for a while, leaving only his son behind. His killer.”
Okay, we’re starting with this, huh?
He continued, “Commander, how has the city been? I’ve only heard from the wolfkin about everything.”
“It’s in the rebuilding phase. The basilica is back in shape,while the lower city still requires at least a week for the lost buildings to be replaced, not to mention the logistics and bureaucracy required to assign residents to their new homes. A month, the head shrine maiden estimates. More, if we want to replace the lost public services and furniture for the populace.”
Building was the easiest part of this entire ordeal. Thankfully, I didn’t have to take care of the paperwork.
“Glad to hear … I do not believe apologizing will help right any wrongs, no?” Wendell asked.
The Commander shook his head. “I cannot judge you, for I have shut my eyes to all you have done. Instead, I must ask, how much do you know?”
“I know I’ve been working against the church ever since this Reinhart healed my sister, doing his bidding by dragging myself through the muck. I didn’t learn he was a demonkin until a year into working with him, and it was already too late at that point to say anything when he revealed what my actions caused. I prayed to the Goddess that she would forgive me, but even I have a hard time doing so.” Wendell sighed. “I actually do not know as much as you wish to believe. However, to the new Champion’s fortune, I know Marius has been working with us, Kuornig.”
The Commander did not react much, only massaging his chest as if he had heartburn.
“Us six cardinals and the Vicar have been plotting together, and I even heard the Vicar announce the propaganda campaign against Champion Hestia was ordered by him. Gwyn had been under house arrest all this time. In fact, Marius is the main partner of the demonkin that led to us cardinals betraying the Goddess, as he was the one to discover and exploit our weaknesses. Everything we told him in private was leaked. Gwyn, poor Pope Gwyn; he was the first victim, with him being forced to work with Marius to usurp the Church of Aurena. I do not know where Gwyn is, but—”
“The Pope is dead,” I interrupted. “He has been dead for a while now. Goddess Aurena revealed he was replaced by the Prince of Envy using [Original Sin: Demiurge]. His body was eaten.”
Wendell’s eyes widened, stuttering as he tried to make me take my words back, but when he saw the whole room dead silent, refusing to refute my claim, his expression turned into fear and horror. The old, wrinkly man held his hand in front of his mouth, sickened to the point he puked.
Once we cleaned it up, he apologized to us, breaking out in tears as he began admitting to his crimes. Yet, we stopped him, trying to make him focus on the main matter.
“Do you know where the traitors amongst the clergy are? Or the intruders?” Saori asked.
“Yes, I do! I know my contacts and those I had to order around and how some were persuaded to work with us. Th-they might have fled the city, I don’t know. It’s been four days, right?”
“A few knights have gone missing,” the Commander confirmed.
“T-then they must be holing up in their hideout. Tanzania Town!” he shouted.
Midirn squinted. “That’s the place where we fought the demonkin.”
“The mayor is a contact for the demonkin, replacing the previous mayor when his son killed him. The boy was cajoled by one of our priestesses, a childhood sweetheart of his. A noble and commoner; only trouble, I tell you.” He scowled. “That’s where all the documents are placed. You need to hurry. They must realize you might be interrogating me. You must purge this filth out of our Goddess’s place of worship!”
For an ass, he still has Aurena in his heart.
I asked, “Before we go, I have a question. When I found you, you said something about not being responsible for the first terrorist attack.”
“T-that … I was the contact the demonkin wanted to helm the attack to sabotage your reputation, my lady. By assuring maximum destruction and deaths, the demonkin were planning on ruining your chances to do anything in Aureolis. Meanwhile, I was supposed to send a small group of bandits to attack Saintess Fleindia to raise her public opinion,” he stated before stopping, looking pale. He massaged his head. “Y-yet everything went awry. The positions were wrong. The two demonkin sent to create the destruction were in the wrong locations, while the bandits went directly towards your group. They got caught too early.”
Fleindia again? What is going on here?
“I was blamed for this catastrophe. Not only did the attack do the exact reverse of what was planned, it raised the public opinion of you and Saintess Fleindia. People in the lower city have become too fond of you.” He grimaced. “Yet, I wasn’t at fault! I gave the bandits the correct information, down to the exact second. I know I didn’t do anything wrong, but none of the demonkin believed me before that demonkin Reinhart appeared! Rein’Yond! That was his name, he-he—”
“Yaldabaoth,” Ellaine stated, earning her a quick nod.
“Wendell graduated from the imperial officer’s academy before he became a cardinal. Simple information as placements should not be a problem for him. He could not have gotten it wrong, not unless he wanted to betray the demonkin,” the Commander stated.
“Exactly, that’s what the demonkin thought as well! It only got cleared up when Reinhart used his ability on my soul. Argh, I-I had to relive everything that happened in my past. To my sister.”
“Do you know who did it?” I asked.
“No, of course not. Otherwise, you would see another cardinal missing. Have you?”
I shook my head, confusing me at how this lead would go. Thankfully, Tasianna had an idea.
“Then, who visited you? My lady found a note under your chair when she found you, which stated she was in the wrong location and that she should run.”
Right! That note.
“I … The two sin heirs, Cardinal Roderick and Lamberto … and the Vicar.”
“Who came first, who came last?” Saori pressed.
“The sin heir of wrath came first, fully stating his name and such, so I remembered it well. He was the one who tortured me first, right after his soldiers had their way. When they left unsatisfied and me near death, they invited Roderick and Lamberto to heal me, while also trying to get me to reveal the real traitor if I wasn’t it. Nothing I could answer, of course, since I didn’t know.” He gulped. “Then came Reinhart … and lastly the Vicar, telling me he was disappointed in my actions. I thought … I thought I would die soon. I do not have much to live for after I took my oath, but my sister and her family. I couldn’t let them down. I feared for their lives. Champion Hestia, please, even if you cannot forgive me, please help my family. Saintess Fleindia, please!”
Fleindia nodded, but frowned in pain. “If it isn’t too late, I will do my utmost, Cardinal Wendell. I just fear that my influence in the Empire has dwindled too much after the demonkin’s coup d’etat.”
“As I had feared. We are at fault for their deaths, aren’t we? By giving the demonkin too much power, we doomed our religion. Noo … Orianna, please, forgive your foolish younger brother. Please, be safe, please …”
Nobody answered his question as we left him alone to cry. After all, we had to mobilize now. Time was ticking.
Vicar? Did you leave that note behind?