“Grave robbing? You’re up to no good, aren't you?”

“Clarissa, I’m up to no good more often than the opposite.” Viers sneered.

“What are your plans considering the faction that had taken action against you, Lord Viers?”

“Have you realized who they are?” Viers asked back, testing the waters.

“The Blood Church, most likely.”

Seeing Viers nodded in confirmation of Farley’s answer, Paina cut in.

“Wait, how do you guys know?”

“The prominent power in this city is those Yasterah worshipers. We know they’re up to something big. Put the two and two together and we have our answer.”

“Is there any proof?” Paina pressed further.

“Just normal reasoning,” Viers spoke.

“That’s not gonna hold in the court of law or evidence enough to take to the authorities.”

Viers chuckled hearing Paina’s reply.

“Oh you sweet summer child… still so green.”

Paina looked displeased but before the discussion spiraled out of topic, Clarissa progressed it.

“Since we can deduce it from such limited info, no doubt there are others who would’ve thought the same, right?”

“Perhaps, but only two factions in this city are capable of contesting the Blood Church: the city administrators and the Estellian Church, the probability they would take action is slim,” Farley said.

“Right. The Blood Church must have hooks in the city’s movers and shakers, those men under the Governor-King. Hell, the GK might be a Blood Church member for all I know. Deals under the table, secret cooperation and what not. No underground organization can get prosperous without a strong connection with the big people above. Officially, the seven cults of the seven devils are mortal enemies of mankind and their presence is met with sword and fire but ugly truth is always hidden under pretty pretenses.”

Viers paused to take a deep breath and exhaled in a slow and long manner.

“As for the church of the goody-goodies, they won't move until the pot boils over.”

“And why would that be?” Paina frowned.

“Politics. See, Governor-Kings -like their name- are people with authority and these people don't like other people challenging their authority. If there is indeed a plot brewing under this city’s black innards, what action could the church do? Send in the Silver Legion to nip the problem in the bud? That is an armed intervention. Letting armed interventions occur uncontested would set a dangerous precedent for the GKs.”

“Surely it can't be that bad.”

“It is an attack on their authority. If you’re a queen, would you allow foreigners to come and go freely to your kingdom? Let them destroy things they don't like and make things the way they want? Various GKs throughout the coalition would not take kindly to such transgression. Authority is power, Paina, and the majority of people don't like to share or dilute power.”

Paina didn't have words to return.

“It might be a different case if the church possesses solid evidence or receives a request of assistance. Otherwise, the church would only move when demons started to come out.”

“Despite the Estellian Church’s massive power, they seem pretty passive and hand-tied in this situation,” Clarissa said.

“They are defenders of peace, Rissa. Defenders, not attackers. There are no attackers of peace. Crusades and Inquisitions are attacks. The Estellian Church can do that but it might cause wars if they don't have a valid cause. That is why the bad guys usually have the initiative and the good guys only act after they got struck by the first blow. Yep, good guys have it tough. Thank all the gods that I’m not one of them.”

Viers looked to the sky with a very satisfied expression.

“But, it is undeniable the church has great power. I won't count them out just yet in this Marakkus conspiracy. Normally, this is the part where I ask about the Blood Church since they are clearly my enemy but not today. I’m tired and want to sleep. The mist guy really did a number on me.”

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“As you wish. Are you really okay, Lord Viers?”

“Okay enough. I have a healing factor and fortunately, that guy didn't want to kill me.”

“What would you do if the mist guy truly tried to kill you?” Paina curiously asked.

“I can tolerate a lot of things Paina but death is not one of them. I would’ve fought him tooth and nail.”

“But can you beat him though? He’s a Level 3. Defeating a Level 3 while being a Level 2 is no small feat, let alone killing him,” Clarissa probed, even she didn't know the full extent of Viers’ power.

“And that’s the big question, isn't it? Why spoil the surprise? Let’s leave it at that,” Viers tried hard to not be smug but he failed.

When Viers decided to not talk about something, then any future inquiries were useless.

”...You seem pretty okay with all this. As if this is just another hole in the ground you accidentally stumbled in. Are you not bitter?” Paina said after observing Viers.

Hearing Paina’s question, Viers went still. He looked upwards with closed eyes and heavily sighed.

“Haaaahhh…”

The three girls first felt it on their skin, the sharp and prickly sensation of uncomfortableness. Then came the chill, the ice-cold killing intent that made the hair on the back of their neck stood on end. They saw Viers opened his eyes and they were blazing with the fires of fury.

Clarissa had seen this kind of reaction before, during the great war all those years ago. Clarissa’s second in command, one of the kindest lamia she’d known, metamorphosed into a berserker after she heard her homeland and family were eaten by a tide of ratlings that had breached the lamia’s defense line. She fought like a wrathful demon in the next battle. Charging headlong to impossible odds and still able to take the head of the ratling’s leader.

On the other hand, Farley was reminded of her experience meeting an extremely merciless assassin when she was a little girl. Even her sickening father could only bow and didn't dare to speak without that person’s permission. The eyes of that assassin were completely devoid of compassion and had become a sight she shall never forget.

“Oh no no no, my dear bright-eyed girl. I assure you, I am quite displeased by all of this. It is most unpleasant indeed. In fact, it is now quite high in my priority list to mess up whatever plan they are concocting.”

The contrast between his gentle and amiable words compared to the razor-sharp bloodlust was deeply shocking.

“I can only say they really, really have no idea who they tried to mess with. How much ruin and destruction I can bring on them after they have sown animosity with me.”

His words were so full of spite they might as well have been corrosive acid.

“I just wanna buy a slave, break locks, become an obsidian adventurer then go on my way to the next city but nooooo… That is too luxurious, too high of a demand. Wishing a rain of mana crystals has a much better odds of happening. I arrived in this stinking city, just in time before the Blood Church enacting their plan of god-knows-what and as luck would have it, become implicated. How exciting! Perhaps the one running the show is thinking that I should kiss his or her feet for having a role in all of this. Well I might!”

Viers started rambling, his killing intent became stronger and stronger.

“...Viers, you’re scaring me,” Paina said with a slight tremble in her voice.

“Oh I’ll do more than kissing. I’ll YANK their feet apart and shove them in their throat!!”

Viers slammed the table with his fist. Farley winched with the sound.

The stifling presence of suffocation receded. Clarissa was hoping Viers’ face turned into a clownish smile like he had done before, saying that it was all a joke.

Viers’ face had become a mask of ice without expression.

“Freya, mist guy… Do note that I’m not a person to be trifled with. Apologies for the ruckus, girls. Good evening.”

Viers left.

It was then that Clarissa realized that Viers was serious.

Oh shit.

***

In the morning of the next day, Viers was eating breakfast with Boram. His upper face was still covered with covering cloth but the mouth part was open. His bodily wounds were mostly healed but the same couldn't be said to his mood. The empty feeling on his chest, where the moon pendant had always been, only served as a constant and bitter reminder.

Boram was able to sense that his master was in a dreadful mood and tried to lighten the air.

“Master, it is good to see you’re healed.”

“Mmm.”

Viers continued eating. Boram didn't give up on the first try.

“Master, I have questions about the Arte you taught me.”

“I’m sorry Boram but I’m not in the mood. Just be silent and finish your breakfast. Don't dawdle because I want to hit something, preferably a monster.”

“Yes Master!”

Boram ate with the gusto of a starving lion.

After they had finished eating, Viers equipped his armor and weapon then left the inn with Boram in tow.

Viers walked the streets like a person in deep thinking, only half seeing where he was going as the feet went automatic. Before Viers knew it, he had reached the Adventurer’s Guild.

As he went through the main door, another person was in the middle of coming out.

“Whoops,” the other person said as he got caught off guard.

He was a handsome Level 3 man.

Viers recognized this man. Not from his face but from his soul. The same soul of the man who beat him up yesterday.

Cut the Crap.

Like a lightning, Viers drew his sword and separated the mist guy’s head from the rest of his body without regard to the consequences that might follow.

The fountain of blood that came from the headless neck was a refreshing morning shower.

...Or at least, that was what Viers hoped he had done.