A horse-drawn carriage rattled along the uneven terrain, jostling its passengers as it navigated the rugged path. Inside, a man and a woman sat, clad in striking robes that blended shades of crimson and gold. At the reins, an older gentleman displayed remarkable skill in steering the carriage through the challenging terrain.
"Boss, could you please provide us with more details?" The sole woman in the carriage directed her inquiry to the burly man who controlled the vehicle.
"Yes, Mr. Miz, why would the church send both rookies and a seasoned veteran for what's supposed to be a mere purification of the dead? Doesn't it seem excessive?" The young man seated beside the woman chimed in.
With a sigh, Miz, the individual referred to as boss, replied, "We probably aren't equipped to handle the situation." His words instantly injected tension into the atmosphere within the carriage.
"The death of the dead has some strangeness involved?"
"What kind of strangeness? Is it a suspected murder?" The young man questioned from the back.
"No, it's something entirely different," Miz continued, his voice tinged with gravity. "The village chief of Sama village met a gruesome fate. It doesn't appear to be the work of an ordinary villager. The skin was meticulously peeled off, veins laid bare, blood spilled in abundance. Additionally, a child was discovered unconscious near the village chief's doorstep. The church suspects the involvement of an evil spirit, and that's why we were dispatched."
"God! The village chief suffered such a horrifying death! Boss, you're right; neither Rext nor I possess the necessary experience to handle this!" The young woman spoke, casting a concerned glance at the young man, whose name had now been revealed.
"Mr. Miz is likely correct. Our team may not be adequately prepared for this situation," Rext concurred.
"Is there even a point in going to this village?" The young woman expressed her disappointment.
Hearing the young woman's sentiments, Miz sighed once more. "Sino, Rext, our mission isn't to hunt evil spirits or solve murders."
"But... doesn't that contradict the principles of the church?" Sino's voice conveyed a mix of confusion and cluelessness.
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Hearing Miz's words, Rext instantly understood why they were sent here. He looked at Miz, who nodded in approval of Rext's thoughts.
Taking a deep breath, Rext replied to Sino, "We're going to our deaths.
"What...!" Sino was taken aback, not expecting such a response.
"Consider our team composition. Mr. Miz is nearing retirement, and both you and I have the worst performance records. To my understanding, we're here as sacrificial pawns, meant to assess the dangers. Only if we don't return will higher-ranking members be dispatched. Isn't that correct, Mr. Miz?" Rext's gaze shifted to Mr. Miz, who wore a mournful expression.
"Yes, you're right, Rext. The ongoing civil war between the church and the empire means that all high-ranking church officials are deeply involved in the conflict and unavailable for these matters," Miz explained with a heavy heart.
"But this... this!" Sino's voice quivered, on the verge of tears.
"But you're only partially correct about our purpose here," Miz added, "Rather than combating the evil spirit, we're tasked with retrieving the unconscious child found near the village chief's residence and returning them to the church."
"Why would the church be interested in a random villager's child?" Rext inquired.
Miz sighed in response, he recognized that Rext possessed the sharpest understanding, despite having low innate talents but high emotional intelligence.
"Anyone who survives an attack by an evil spirit has a high, almost guaranteed chance of Awakening. And when they do awaken, they usually possess remarkable talents." Miz explained as he urged the horse forward. Hearing this, both Rext and Sino understood the church's motive for wanting the child.
"So, our mission is simply to retrieve the child and return; the church doesn't care for the villager; they care for a talent, which has the potential to be a burning sun."
Miz concluded with a sigh.
Rext and Sino wore somber expressions, realizing that, no matter what they attempted, they were destined to be mere pawns in this life.
***
A few days later, inside a room filled with the scent of burning incense, a child lay peacefully on a bed. This child was none other than Siarl.
Siarl gazed up at the ceiling and sighed. He had decided to take this risk because of his simulator.
When Siarl initially opened his store, he came across a few items related to soul protection and soul strengthening. However, what intrigued him the most was a single piece of paper worth 5 simulation points—the basic guide to the simulator and its capabilities. Through this guide, he figured out many things.
Firstly, he had discovered what "Sanity" meant. According to the guide, "Sanity" represented how much life information his brain could handle before descending into madness. Although methods existed to increase it, Siarl remained unaware of them.
Secondly, there was the "Shop." The simulator's shop sold items and treasures that Siarl had gathered in his simulations. Of course, the prices were fair, but Siarl doubted.
Thirdly, there was the "Inventory." As the name suggested, it stored items, but only those acquired through the simulator store.
Fourth and most importantly, Siarl had learned from the guide about the simulator's ability to protect his soul. Of course, this protection came at a price, but the cost varied in emergencies, depending on the amount of simulation points he had. Just as the simulator had previously offered him a low-level soul protection card, priced at 60 simulation points for 25 points of protection.
This discovery had driven Siarl to take the risky step of pretending to be unconscious outside the village chief's residence. If his soul were truly on the brink of destruction, he believed the simulator would offer him some form of protection at a very low cost, almost nothing.
Though it was a reckless move, Siarl had decided to gamble. After all, which person wouldn't take certain risks when an opportunity presented itself?
As Siarl planning his future set of actions, the door to the mudroom creaked open.