What a pity.

The scene was enacted without the emotional weight behind it. There was no love between Rose and Viers. Not even a romantic inclination on both sides. They only had one proper meeting before; this was their second.

If it was as epic as in the movie, it would be about a 3% Horizon increase. Instead, I only gained 0.7%

Viers’ Horizon Aspect would become stronger every time he experienced something new. The greater the impact and importance of the experience to Viers, the greater the boost. The most significant increase so far was the 5% after his first brush with death.

Oh well, it is good enough for now.

Rose was still waiting for an answer.

Viers’ mind was still in bullet time. Like a certain Sorcerer Supreme looking into possible futures, Viers foresaw many branching developments depending on his next response.

Conclusion: I smell opportunities.

It wasn't as high as fourteen million possibilities but there were at least fifty. From them, he picked a path that would potentially gain him the biggest benefits.

Driven by self-benefit, as always, Viers made his move.

“You already know the answer, so what's the point of asking me?”

“My heart tells me that’s how it should be,” Rose said with a faint smile. “And I followed it… Just like you told me.”

“Hmph… You’ve grown to be a troublesome girl.”

Despite saying that, his expression was the very opposite.

“Priestess…?” Viers said to the Level 4.

“You can call me Mita.”

“Lady Mita, is your previous invitation still valid? As is your promise?”

“This is so,” Mita replied serenely. “I, Mita Eshel, hereby swear…”

Viers steered Mita’s wording so there wouldn't be any loopholes. Should those affiliated with the Church attack him while he was their guest, or acted against him with malicious intent, and a few more variations, death was certain for Mita. Viers was a bit surprised how Mita quite willingly put her life on the line.

“Then I'll be intruding on the Church for a while.”

“The Estellian Church opens its doors to you. I’ll come along after I speak with the local authorities.”

Viers turned to Rose who was still grasping his hand. She was like a child who had tightly gripped the string of a balloon, afraid it would float away.

“This is not the time or place to tell a story. I don't expect much hospitality, but I do hope I won't be put in chains after stepping foot into your halls.”

“I won't let that happen,” the angel-blessed said.

Mita rescinded the Hidden Boundary at this moment. Viers, Rose, June, and Conn went towards the Church in silence.

“Hey, is this really a good idea?” Conn whispered.

“Heck if I know… But Master Mita gave her permission so we should be okay, right?” June whispered back.

“Yeesh,” Conn scratched his head. “What a weird development.”

You and I both, man, Viers agreed with Conn. He’d never thought that one day, he would go inside the Church’s walls as a guest.

Along the way, Viers and the others went through a commotion. It was something expected. When a thirty meter area in a crowded city was suddenly closed off because of Pathseeker battles, it would disturb a lot of people.

And it happened in a brothel district to boot! Hehehe.

They met quite a lot of people in a dangerous state, some were even half-naked. Viers was walking calmly as if nothing happened. Similarly, Rose and her two friends tried to keep a calm appearance. As they went farther, the commotion receded.

Before they reached the church, they were stopped by patrolling city watchmen.

“Is there something wrong?” June asked.

“You people with the Church? Good. The house of a city official was attacked. Thankfully there was no loss of life. We’re searching for the culprit: a male, Level 3, capable of manipulating a soul. His appearance was…”

Him, it’s this guy! Rose and the other two almost blurted out. The physical appearance was completely different from the current Viers but a magical disguise was nothing new. Meanwhile, Viers kept his refreshing smiling face.

“Err… We’ll keep an eye out, officers. Good evening.”

“G’evening. Stay alert. The city is chaotic lately,” an officer said.

Rose’s group plus Viers were certainly on alert. There were still assassins loose.

“...What did you do?” Rose whispered after they were past the patrols far enough.

“I went to talk with who I thought was Paina's father. It got heated and not according to plan, but the details will have to wait.”

“Paina…” Rose muttered. “Is she-”

“Later.” Viers left it at that.

The next foreseeable obstacle was on the Church’s side.

“Why is he here?”

Bryan said with hostility. Viers cared not. He was appreciating the architecture of the place.

“He is here as a guest. Master Mita swore upon her intio that he would not come to harm. Senior Bryan, I hope you understand the seriousness of the situation,” June said.

“What!?”

“Senior, how’s Ciel?” Rose asked worriedly.

“Abbess Unem is tending to her right now. We can only hope,” Damon replied. There were bandages wrapped around his upper body. “About our guest, explain in more detail.”

Viers stayed in the background, letting them have their discussion. Out of the four that fought against him, only Damon and Bryan were in the room. Perhaps the other two were with Ciel.

Viers was inside the place where they conducted masses. It was empty save for the church’s residents. A couple elder priests were at Level 3 and the rest were lower.

“The last time I went to the Church was to steal some kind of holy water with you and your cultist friends, right?”

Viers asked his tenants while basking in the unique atmosphere of the place of worship.

“Yes, Lord Viers. But… is this wise?” Farley was on edge since they were surrounded by the Church’s personnel.

“Viers… What are you planning?” Paina asked.

“Ask me again after the conversation with Rose.”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“I won't let you kill her.”

“Relax. It won't come to that… maybe.”

After a while, Viers was led to the side building, to a small room by two native clergymen from Valkut’s church. It was a very simple room with a bed and not much else. Perhaps it was the room for a novitiate?

“Please stay here until Master returns. She and some others will accompany me. Tea?” Rose asked.

“Oh? I thought you would want to hear my story immediately.”

“I do, but they thought it was too dangerous for me to be alone with you. No magic arrays confining you to this room but there are guards stationed outside. Please don't wander in the Church’s halls.”

“By Mita's oath, I can leave whenever I wish and shall not be barred.”

“Yes, but don't leave. Please. Your being here has broken so many rules already. If you freely wander around…”

“Hmm,” Viers smiled. “Fine. Come back when you're all ready. Don't bother with the tea. I brought my own drink.”

“Then I’ll see you later,” Rose nodded her head and closed the door as she went out.

***

A bit past two hours later, a priest came to fetch Viers to the ‘confession venue’, he said. Viers thought ‘what the hell’ and followed. He thought they would come to him but they did not.

Might be a matter of face, he realized. I’m in their stronghold after all.

Viers was brought to a meeting room. There were already about ten people waiting for him. Rose and her friends, the four that he battled, Mita the sole Level 4, and a few others that he did not recognize. No sign of Ciel.

His previous room was indeed a bit cramped for this amount of people. What caught Viers' eyes was how the whole thing was set up like a stage.

How rude. They should have clapped for the main star’s arrival. Well, if they want a show, I’ll give them a show.

Viers sat confidently on the chair in the middle of the stage.

“The fallen leaves tell a story..."

Viers spoke with just the right amount of pace and volume, like a speaker in Audible. Not only that, Viers created an illusion of falling yellow leaves using his soul sorcery.

‘It happened a year ago. But when I recall, I see it true.”

The spectators didn't expect Viers’ approach so some looked at each other in confusion.

“On a day of wint'ry cold.”

A snowy vista, and a town.

“A town was cut off from the sight of the heavens.”

A cloth of reddish-black fell gently upon the town.

“And the townsfolk began to fall, victims of an evil scheme.”

The image changed into people on the streets being chased by monstrous shadows.

“Princess Farley was driven to the brink.”

Farley? What’s her role in this? Rose thought as she saw the backside of a young woman that Viers created. And princess?

“The Calamity ensued; a machination that wrought only darkness.”

Viers showed images of the town’s destruction. Images of fights and tragedies.

“Luxore was broken, but by whom? And why?”

The surroundings became dark as if the Lighteater had acted once more. Some readied themselves for a fight.

“What could the Cultists ever hope to win by warring?”

The sharp sound of a knife going into flesh and blood was heard. Bryan was about to cast an Arte at Viers because he thought it was the sound of the real thing but Mita stopped him. Viers forgave him, the poor guy never watched a movie in cinemas before.

“The mystery will be elucidated through the eyes of a boy. A maidenless boy.”

The darkness faded and unveiled Viers’ figure who had not moved an inch from his seat.

After the opening cutscene, he stopped using visual and sound effects to cut his Victa spending. Viers told the audience about his experience in Luxore town, that he was a student in the Adventurer’s Guild Training Center who was scouted by Farley, a cultist of Dumuzin. Eventually, the scheme of Farley’s father. The destruction of Luxore and Viers’ triumph over the fallen Level 3. Then, what almost nobody knew, what happened afterward: the origin of Viers’ soul affinity!

Although Viers omitted the boring things and didn't talk about all of his secrets, the man who had told a thousand lies told the Silver Legionaries in front of him nothing but the truth!

“And so, we inhabit a fractured world. The boy who took the crown journeyed far… and he was maidenless no more.”

Viers conjured Paina on his left and Farley on his right. The two wore elegant clothes and looked corporeal.

“The boy’s name is Viers Isuel.”

With that line, Viers concluded his story. He’d also removed his magical mask and showed his true face.

“Paina!” Rose stood up from her seat and went towards her friend.

“Rose!” Paina returned the embrace. A tearful reunion.

“I thought you were dead… Uwaaaahhh… I’m so glad you’re alive… Is it really you?”

“I’ve missed you too,” Paina sobbed. “It’s me. It’s really me.”

“So that’s Paina? Really similar to the Pinaca lass that we met this noon. No wonder Rose acted that way,” Conn said.

“Then the other one must be Farley. The daughter of the mastermind and a Dumuzin cultist herself.”

“What's this about maidenless? Girlfriends? Is he bragging about having two consorts?”

Rachel’s gaze tried to drill a hole in Farley but the girl was not perturbed in the slightest. She stood straight one step behind Viers’ right like a dutiful maid.

“Viers Isuel… There’s an arrest warrant on the guy.”

“He admitted using 3000 souls for a forbidden ritual. That’s a Class A violation. Death sentence!”

“No doubt after gaining his soul affinity on top of his water he's done other bad things too.”

“There’s some part of his story that isn't clear. Hey you, how did you defeat a former Level 3 as a Level 1?”

“How did your soul artifact work? What happened to the souls you sacrificed?”

Mita silenced the others by raising her hand. The solemnity of the room returned.

“Viers Isuel… Mr. Isuel, the Legion thanks you for your testimony but why not explain this sooner?”

“Who knows what a juggernaut like the Church would do against the weak me? Would they sentence me to death then and there? Would they put me inside the Tower of Remorse for a thousand years? Therefore I hid. Although, it still led to my clash with Freya… Now, all of your questions are irrelevant. What’s relevant is this: Now that you know about Luxore, what are you going to do with me, oh good people of the Silver Legion?”

The tension between both sides was so tense that a knife could cut it.

“It is not my place to judge you for your actions,” the short Level 4 said after a while. “Until the HQ passes their judgment, you remain our guest. I stand by my oath. while you’re under our roof, no harm shall come to you.”

“Hmmm,” Viers observed Mita and didn't find any falsehood.

“My, so many visitors,” a woman with a nun habit came in from the side entrance. “I’m so sorry for the lack of hospitality.”

“Abbess Unem,” Mita bowed. “Apologies for intruding upon your home. I sent them here without asking for your permission first.”

“Apologies for the intrusion,” Damon and his cohort also bowed.

Mita and her group had been staying here since this afternoon but Damon and the others were new additions.

“Oh stop being so rigid. We’re all brothers and sisters of the faith,” the woman who looked like she was a college student graduate kindly replied. She glanced at Farley and Paina for a moment then carried on. “I’m here to inform you that Ciel is now stable.”

The Legionaries sighed in relief.

“Unfortunately, it is too early to celebrate,” Unem frowned. “The poison has taken root deep inside her body. At this rate, she will die in two weeks at best. Without me to keep her stable, she only has days.”

“No…”

“That’s terrible.”

“Calm down. It’s enough time to request help from Sephoria,” Wendy said.

“Valkut region is closed by a barrier. No one inside can leave except on a specific day. It also blocks communication with the outside world,” Unem explained. “Teleportation to the outside world is also unavailable.”

Viers raised an eyebrow hearing her words.

“Wha? Then, Ciel is-”

“I’m able to make the antidote but I lack an ingredient to complete it. This is Ciel’s only hope.”

“Thank the Goddess. Whatever you need, we’ll get it,” Damon replied with a voice that instilled confidence. He was the leader for a reason.

“It isn't as simple as doing groceries. I need a flower that only grows in an extremely poisonous area. Fullcure Lily. The flower’s main characteristic is to absorb poisons and purify them,” Unem explained.

Fullcure Lily? Sounds like a magical girl’s name after the transformation.

“There’s one area that meets all the requirements for the flower to grow inside the Valkut’s barrier. You must go to the heart of the Foulfae Swamp.”

“Foulfae Swamp?” Viers said. “Ouff, good luck with that. The place is very dangerous and there’s even a tricky problem rising up there.”

“What do you mean?” Rose asked.

“Besides the unpleasant place that does the name justice, a few years ago, there was a necromancer that died there. Problem is, he did not stay dead. It absorbed the spirits of the dead of that place -which are very numerous- and became a powerful revenant. In its turf, the deranged undead's strength is said to be equal to Level 4 peak.”

“Precisely. You’re very knowledgeable,” Unem said

“I’ve been living here for a few months,” Viers lied. The info was from the soul search of various locals. “This is old news.”

“As the young man said, the revenant is very sensitive to people that enter its territory. It actively seeks new prey to kill and Level 4 souls are its favorite food. Even Vestal Mita would be hard-pressed fighting that thing in the swamp. As I cannot leave Ciel’s side, procuring the lily is a perilous task.”

The Legionaries fell silent.

Wait, Viers realized. This development… Don't tell me-

“Therefore it must be the Goddess' guidance you've all made friends with a soul Pathseeker,” Unem put her hands together and pressed them against her cheek while smiling. “Fire is weak against water. A soul user’s weakness is another soul user.”