-Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!- Martín's eyes were wide open, and his breathing was erratic and irregular. He felt a tingling sensation in every part of his body, so he removed the strange mesh suit he was wearing.

When he tried to flee earlier, he stopped mid-run because his conscience weighed heavily on him, and the guilt made him feel nauseous and dizzy, so he finally decided to help in his own way. Seeing that he couldn't be useful in direct combat, he decided to take a sword displayed on the tavern wall and wait for an opportunity.

On the other hand, the enemy's lightning attacks were numerous, so when thinking of a countermeasure, the Faraday cage from his previous life came to mind, so he went to the storage room and found metal mesh, designing a rudimentary suit to avoid the lightning.

Returning to the present, Martín saw the bald man's head lying on the ground surrounded by a pool of blood, his eyes wide open in shock, the light in them gone. An uncomfortable silence invaded the area as Martín trembled at the scene.

"I killed someone..." Thoughts of guilt and terror flooded his mind, causing an uncontrollable tremor to take over his body.

-What-what-what-what... I...-

Without warning, a hand rested on Martín's shoulder and patted him.

-Relax, kid, you just did what needed to be done- said the brown-haired man with a slight smile, his body covered in bruises. It was Robert, the leader of the mercenary group.

-The first time is always tough, but you get used to it-

Martín came to his senses, and the darkness that covered his vision began to fade, allowing him to see the ruined buildings, scattered corpses, and unconscious people.

-All of this would have been wiped out, you saved many lives, kid-

In front of the duo stood the old priest, praying softly. He was kneeling with both hands on Alan, who was struggling between life and death. The priest was sweating profusely, trying to heal the most severe wounds.

-The old man is giving it his all- commented Lisa, who was limping slowly, her leg broken.

-If he dies, who will pay us?- added Doyle, who was sitting with his back against a wall, his arms and legs shattered. However, he managed to protect his vital points from the stone barrage.

Martín looked at the people without any expression, his hands still trembling as he vividly remembered how he had decapitated the man.

-He won't die, Sir Alan is a tough old knight- Robert responded.

Minutes passed, and a large group of people entered the tavern. They were policemen and doctors rushing in, starting to treat the wounded and assisting those present. The unconscious began to wake up, and the gravely injured were transported on stretchers. The police questioned Robert's group and arrested the few remaining pilgrims.

Alan's bleeding stopped, and his breathing stabilized. The emergency treatment given by the old priest worked and prevented his death. However, his condition was critical, so he was quickly transported by a group of doctors. Outside the tavern, a horse-drawn carriage awaited, a sort of medieval ambulance for the injured.

-Hey, foreigner, good job- A delicate, thin hand rested on Martín's back as he sat among the wounded, his eyes still vacant, staring into nothing.

-I knew you wouldn't abandon this lady, hehehe- Alice sat next to Martín and took his hand in hers.

-Don't feel bad; you did the right thing...- The blonde-haired girl was unharmed and well. After regaining consciousness, she realized she was trapped, but the police and volunteers helped her out.

-Foreigner?-

Alice observed Martín's somber face. No expression could be seen, and his eyes looked lifeless.

"I see" Alice's words got stuck in her throat as she remembered the days at the orphanage, the children there had a similar look.

-Don't worry, I'm here- Alice leaned closer to Martín and placed his head in her arms.

Tears began to fall from Martín's eyes. This warmth felt both familiar and distant, as if it were purifying his soul. When he was little, his mother would hug him in the same way.

-Thank you...-

Martín felt the dark thoughts begin to fade, so he stayed in the same position without saying anything.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

02:00 AM, Old Alan's Tavern.

A few hours had passed since the incident. The wounded had been treated and transported, and the culprits arrested. They were now identifying the victims and questioning witnesses.

Martín was drinking at the bar alongside Alice, who was trying to cheer him up with her nonsense. They were waiting for the police, who had summoned them as witnesses.

-Hello, are you the foreigner?- A man with a childlike appearance and dark eyes appeared before the pair.

-Yes, that's me, nice to meet you-

-I'm Officer Sebas, I'll be taking your statement for the investigation-

-I understand, no problem, Officer-

-What do you know about the Order of the Naturalala?-

-Absolutely nothing, I'm just learning about them-

-Did you deal with the fallen goddess?-

-Well... I just attacked when she ran out of energy-

-According to witnesses, you never lost consciousness and stayed alert the entire time. Are you affiliated with the Adventurers' Guild or any organization?-

-No, none, I'm just a simple street fighter-

-Did the fallen goddess say anything before she died?-

-Hmm... she said something about paying for sins and that she was only doing justice in the name of the innocent-

The questions continued for a few more minutes, and then they began to interrogate Alice. Officer Sebas took notes with a serious, unperturbed expression.

-Thank you for your answers, you may be summoned to testify in the future, so stay alert. With your permission, I'll take my leave; see you in the future- Officer Sebas quickly departed, bidding farewell with a slight nod.

Seeing that he was free, Martín stood up and prepared to leave. It had been a hectic and difficult day in many ways; he urgently needed sleep.

-Alice, I'm going to sleep, I feel exhausted-

-No problem, foreigner, stay in touch-

Martín bent down and knelt on his right knee.

-Miss Alice, thank you for everything-

-My noble knight, you fulfilled your duty impeccably today; I congratulate you-

Martín stood up, and a smile could be seen on his face.

-Goodbye, Miss Alice-

-Hehehe, goodbye, Martín-

Martín's eyes widened in disbelief, his face showing complete astonishment.

-How...-

-Shh... it's a secret, hehehe-

The blonde-haired girl left the tavern in her gothic attire, the sunlight shining brightly and illuminating every corner of the city.

"I don't want to think anymore..." Martín said to himself as he exited the tavern and headed in another direction.

A Few Days Later

Solar District, Cathedral of Charity.

-Cardinal Leonel, here's the report on the Celestial District incident-

-Thank you, Bishop Eden-

The elderly man with blonde hair and golden robes was seated in his study, luxuriously decorated, giving it a majestic appearance. Bookshelves filled to the brim stood behind him. The report on the desk contained details of the incident, witness statements, and information on the culprits. Since it involved a heretical cult, the police were obliged to cooperate with the church in investigating what happened.

Cardinal Leonel put on glasses and began to read. Bishop Eden had taken a seat and watched the cardinal's expressions attentively.

Minutes passed, and the clock's hands moved slowly.

-What do you think, Bishop?- asked the cardinal, lifting his gaze towards Eden.

-The matter was not handled well, and some heretics were left alive. They sought revenge and planned the attack against the leader of that incursion, the former knight Alan-

-Anything else?-

-Hmm... I find it strange how a simple heretical cult gained so much power. The leader who served as the goddess's vessel had reached the fourth rank. The "real" rank is quite difficult to achieve by one's own means-

-The former knight Alan is also in the same rank as an emperor, but there's no comparison between their resources-

-So, Bishop? What do you think?- the cardinal was guiding the questions for the bishop to connect the suspicious dots.

-There's someone behind the scenes...- the bishop said with a serious face as he connected the strange points of what had happened.

-Who dares!- the bishop said in an angry tone.

-We don't know; it could be anyone, an enemy nation, an empire, a noble house, or even the dukes themselves...- the cardinal looked out the window, lost in thought.

-The Sylver family?-

-Who knows... it could be anyone or whoever we want. Depending on how we handle it, it could be an opportunity, Bishop Eden-

The middle-aged man looked at the cardinal before him with admiration. This elderly man had been one of the church's leaders for years, and his animosity towards the Sylver family had grown enormously in recent years. The current duke did not have a good relationship with the church, and the future head of the family followed the same path.

-But how?-

-We will eventually know if we play our cards right. Keep investigating, Bishop; I appreciate your work-

-Thank you for your trust, Cardinal. I will take my leave for today-

-Bishop, before you go, I need a favor. Investigate the young man nicknamed "Foreigner"-

-The one who killed the goddess's avatar?-

-Yes, the investigations found nothing about him, as if he appeared out of nowhere, and he hasn't even reached the rank of a natural-

-What! An unranked killed a real... I didn't know that...-

-According to the collected statements, they say he appeared a month ago in the district, which coincides with another incident-

-An unranked capable of killing a real... appeared a month ago in the district... there's no trace of him...-

-The executioner Rast!- said the bishop after a moment of realization.

The man named Rast disappeared a month ago. He was assigned the mission to eliminate a heretic and possible follower of the God Desty. However, no news ever arrived, and the investigations have yet to clarify what happened.

-Exactly, Bishop Eden. It may be nothing more than a coincidence, but it's best to keep an eye on the boy- Cardinal Leonel looked at the bishop with a smile.

-Understood, Cardinal. I will inform you of any news-

-There's no rush, Bishop Eden. May the Goddess bless you-

-May the Goddess bless you, Cardinal-

Bishop Eden stood up and left the cardinal's study. He had learned some interesting things, so he needed to investigate thoroughly and satisfy the cardinal. His position and future depended on the results he obtained.

-Your days are numbered, Sylver family. You will fall for your arrogance and straying from the Goddess's path-

Cardinal Leonel looked maliciously towards the horizon, a disturbing smile forming on his face.