Nene opened her eyes. The unfamiliar smell of the room reminded her that she wasn't home. She was covered in blankets, curled up. It took her a few moments to fully wake up and make out her surroundings. She rose slowly. It was a pleasant surprise to realize that her back seemed to be fine despite some aches and pains. She brushed aside some strands of hair that clung to her face and yawned. She felt smelly. She could’ve used a bath. She shuddered at the thought. Could she take one again, without reliving the horrors of the cilice ritual? She should have asked the innkeeper for assistance. Perhaps he could get her a basin of hot water or something of the sort. She was still wearing folk clothes, so she went downstairs ready to start the day.

«Good morning, princess», Argor welcomed her.

She found the big man while he was lighting the hearth. Fall was cool in that region. Nene wished she’d never left the blankets. She approached him.

«Good morning, I will ignore your insolence by virtue of your hospitality»

«Wow, you talk just like a princess»

Despite the hostile attitude. the man smiled at her. She couldn't get him, but perhaps his prickly demeanour was his way of being friendly. Argor looked her up and down. At the Citadel, each cadet was supposed to take care of their clothes and bearings by themselves, and the Abbess would check them regularly, which made her particularly not keen to receive such attention.

«Nice hairdo», he finally said.

Nene reflexively brought her hands to her hair. It was all messy. She looked similar to those hags worshipping the Evil One, as they were depicted in books: ramshackle old witches. She desperately tried to fix it. The innkeeper laughed and looked back at the fire.

«You should leave it like this, you will be less conspicuous»

«You think so?»

She looked better at her host and couldn't help but agree with him. People around there seemed to care very little about their looks, her tidy appearance would certainly attract attention. In fact, the previous evening she had felt that Nila was someone out of the ordinary, due to her clothing.

«I do. And keep it simple when you talk. We’re just some country folks, you hear me?»

«Yet the herbalist didn't seem to match your description»

Argor sighed. For some reason, the topic seemed to put him on edge.

«Listen, I already told you yesterday, please don't take advantage of her. If you really want to know, hers was a wealthy family, and now she's basically been adopted by the town's richest man»

«Oh, I… I see. Forgive me, I won't mention it again»

The innkeeper nodded satisfied. Nene buried her head between her shoulders. She felt so stupid for she had been warned several times not to meddle.

«We all cherish her, do you understand? So don't bother her»

«I will do as you say»

«Now… I bet you came to me because you're hungry»

She nodded. She'd just been lectured, so she stood cowered and quiet.

«Don't worry, I won't let a child starve. Go behind the counter, there’s a wicker basket back there, with some bread in it»

Nene obeyed. She avoided thinking about what he had called her. She quickly found the basket and pulled out a warm loaf.

«Fresh bread», she commented with a smile.

«Hey, who do you think I am? I have an agreement with the baker, “at Argor’s, fresh bread every morning”!»

«Is there an oven too in this village?»

«Sure, what did you expect? Bread doesn’t grow on trees»

She pouted, causing that insufferable man to grin. She returned to his side. The flame from the hearth began warming the place.

«I‘m talking about the fact that this remote village has ovens, mills, sawmills…»

«Oh, you mean those. Well, we all built them together. It was a hard time… But now things are easier. Not bad for a bunch of country folk, right?»

«I have to admit that yes, it is remarkable. However…»

«What now?»

Nene kept quiet. The Archangel taught that technology makes people lazy and, therefore not very vigilant against the Evil One, but surely such a statement would have gotten him mad. Besides, the people of Dena seemed hardworking enough, so she dropped the matter.

«However….»

«Uh?»

Argor came face to face, defiantly, making her feel tiny. She needed a diversion from that awkward situation.

«However… I bet if I wanted some hot water, you wouldn't be able to get it»

The innkeeper looked disappointed. He pointed to the hearth.

«Are you kidding me? What do you use in the city to heat water?»

«Oh… Erm… So… could I….»

The man snorted. Was he angry at her? Nene took a bite of the loaf and smiled at him, hoping that doing so would calm him down.

«You will have your hot water, princess. Wait for me in your room»

«Sure. Thanks»

She hurried upstairs. She closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief. Interacting with Argor was so stressful... yet she needed his cooperation. She should have been more careful with her wording in the future. She looked at her travel bag to get ready for the day. She took the silver cross and hid it in a pocket inside her clothes. She slipped two small wooden crosses into her trousers’ pockets, commonly used by servers during functions, just in case. She could not carry objects that betrayed her identity or they would have gotten her too much attention, so she left the sword at the inn. She hid the dagger sheath under her clothes. It wasn't practical, but she had no choice.

Someone knocked at her door. Nene jumped: was it Argor again? She closed her purse, took a quick look around the room, making sure she hadn't left anything too personal lying around, then opened it.

«Good morning»

Nila was there, holding a basin full of water, dumbfounded. The herbalist wore her hair tied back, hidden under a work cap, and ordinary trousers, similar to hers. The Nila she had met the day before exuded an almost noble aura, that day she looked like any peasant girl. Nonetheless, Nene stared at her more than was polite.

«C-Can I come in?»

«Oh… yeah. Sure»

Nila entered the room keeping her eyes down. She had embarrassed her. Nene struggled to find a topic of conversation as quickly as possible.

«That basin…»

«Oh, Argor said it's for you. He asked me to bring it to you, and since I would have come here anyway…»

«I understand. Thank you»

The herbalist left the basin on the table. Nene made sure she had locked the door. She sat down and invited Nila to do the same.

«Are you convinced you want to be my guide? It could be dangerous»

«Well… I know, and yes, I'm scared…»

The young woman began to fidget with the fabric of her tunic. Her voice was shaky, but the tone was firm.

«... But I still want to help you. I-I hope I can be of help to you, and that the village will be safe»

«I understand»

Nene hesitated. She felt an uneasiness she couldn't explain. She met Nila's gaze, who smiled at her. Nila looked she could understand her thoughts with just a glance, so she hurried to say something.

«Fret not…. I'll try… No, I'll keep you safe during the mission»

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«The water is getting cold…»

«I beg your pardon?»

The herbalist put a hand close to the water surface in the basin, then stood up.

«I have to check your wounds, then you can wash yourself. We should hurry or the water will get cold»

«Right…», she sighed.

Nila stared at her, arms folded. Nene did the same until she looked away.

«Y-you should… undress»

Nene leapt to her feet and nearly ran to sit on the bed. She turned away from the woman, perhaps because she needed to, perhaps to conceal her facial expression.

«Forgive me, a lot is going on in my mind right now!»

«I-it's okay», Nila said.

The herbalist sat next to her. Nene unbuttoned her tunic, revealing the silver cross. Nila looked intrigued. so she decided to explain, so as not to think about she was feeling uncomfortable.

«Today I will bring with me some tools of the trade. I'll have to hide them though, so as not to be conspicuous»

«Of course…»

Nila began to undo her bandages. Her touch, loving and warm the day before, felt cold and hard. Had something changed between them, or was Nene seeing things in a different light? And for what reason?

«After all, you promised to keep me safe. I'm counting on it», she smiled.

She blushed. Had she actually said such a stupid thing? Maybe she should have read less chivalric tales. She had always thought that the Knights of the Church were a bunch of louts, obsessed with their traditions more than with their job, yet there she was, imitating them to try and look good in front of a country girl.

«Now I'll have to touch your scars, you might feel itchy»

«Scars? What do you mean? Just yesterday…»

Nila ran her fingers over her skin. Nene winced, but felt no pain or discomfort.

«How do you feel?»

«I feel… nothing, I dare say»

«Oh, very good. You are so young, you heal in an instant»

She breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, the atmosphere lightened a bit.

«I don't think I'm much younger than you,» she said.

Nila giggled. She took a new band from a shoulder purse and began applying it.

«This is just to be safe. We don't want your clothes to reopen your wounds, do we? Also, I'm twenty-two»

«How is that possible? This healing is miraculous»

«I told you, my master has developed some wondrous formulas»

Nene's training made her doubt such words. "Miraculous"? Or rather “sacrilegious”? At the same time, she was curious. She greatly appreciated Nila's help, and that formula was useful, especially in a field as dangerous as hers. As the herbalist finished wrapping her, humming, she started fantasizing about travelling with her: someone to talk to along the way, someone who would answer with words and not whinnies and huffs. Having company when she camped out at night, feeling safe rather than alone…

«Done»

Nene woke up from her fantasy. She felt Nila's gaze upon her, as if she had witnessed the little play in her mind. She felt hot and wanted to disappear.

«Are you okay?», the woman asked. «M-maybe you should get some rest?»

«No, no, it's not necessary», she stammered.

«As you wish. I'll wait for you downstairs, then»

«Come back in a few minutes. It won't take me long to wash. I'd like to discuss a few things with you before we get down to business. Away from prying ears»

Nila nodded. She walked to the door but stopped halfway.

«You're sure you're fine? Do you need help washing?»

She blushed. Her first instinct was to accept instantly. Was it so wrong? She had never been taught anything about it. All she knew was that her emotions were out of control, and so was she. Her actions were putting her and others in danger. She had been told countless times that distractions on the field were the best way to get killed. Nila, however, was worrying about her. She owed her an explanation.

«Yes, I'm fine, it's just that… I'm not very used to… this…»

«The… country life?»

«No, I mean… meeting new folks? Where I grew up there are no… kind people, like you», she admitted.

She wanted to sink. Saying such things in the cadet dormitory would have turned her into a laughingstock. She looked down expecting to be made fun of. The herbalist said nothing for several moments. Nene grew nervous, until, driven by exasperation, she found the courage to raise her head. Then she saw her.

Nila had an expression somewhere between crying and smiling. She looked at her gently, but her eyes were filled with tears.

«T-thanks… I… I'm sorry…»

Nila ran out of the room. Nene stood dumbfounded, staring at the cold emptiness of her room. Had she offended her in any way? She covered her face with her hands and stifled a scream.

----------------------------------------

To Nene's surprise, Nila returned as promised. Nene was brushing her hair, with little to no success. The water in that village was so different from what she was used to, so thick, that her hair almost felt greasy after washing it. Nila smiled at her and she did it back. She decided not to mention the interaction they'd had just before, especially since she should have stopped getting distracted and started focusing solely on the mission instead, on the damned on the loose who posed a threat to these people.

«I wanted to talk to you privately because there are some things you need to know. For your safety»

The herbalist grabbed a chair and sat down in front of her. Nene was sitting on her bed, her hair wet, or perhaps greasy, drying it with a towel. For a moment she thought it was like being a family… She inhaled. Mission first.

«Now I will explain to you what to do in case we meet the damned»

Nila nodded, her expression very serious. A moment later, though, she looked away and bit her lip.

«Is something troubling you?»

«Oh… w-w-well… I was thinking… W-we should also think about your… act»

«What do you mean?»

«In the village… nobody speaks so formally»

«You make a good point. From here on I will address you as if…»

“We were close”, she wanted to say. Her emotions stirred and she wasn't given time to process them.

«S-sure… I'll do the same. Also… I'm afraid people will ask you a lot of questions. We don’t see many strangers»

«Do you think the story of the priest's niece alone won't be enough?»

«Yeah… in fact, I… I thought of something…»

«What is it about?»

«I could… take you to my master. We'll say that you came to this village because your uncle told you about him, and you want to learn the trade from him»

Nene tossed her hair back and crossed her legs. At the Citadel she had been taught to always carry with dignity, yet that posture helped her think.

«Will your master take the bait?»

«He is usually always happy about teaching what he knows»

«I understand… but that means I will have to work for him. Will it get in the way of my actual job?»

«D-don't worry. The first thing an apprentice is taught is to distinguish the ingredients. But my master is now old, so he makes me do it for him. If he sends you collecting stuff, I will accompany you and take care of it»

«You've thought this through»

«Y-yes, well… What we're doing is vital, right? Oh, and he'll no doubt give you some books to study, but you don't need to, I can cover you up for a few days»

«I see… Yes, that sounds like a good idea»

She couldn’t say aloud that she was curious to investigate Nila's master. His miraculous healing was suspicious, but she couldn't accuse anyone unfoundedly, especially in her current situation. She suspected there was a far creepier secret in that village, so it was unwise to antagonize a beloved member of the community. Besides, the idea of spending more time with Nila pleased her quite a lot.

«R-really? Then we should go to his shop first»

«Sure. It will also be an excellent excuse to interact with the people of the village, if I'm with you»

«I think so….»

Nila was agitated. Any person in their right mind would be fearful in such a situation. Nene herself, who had trained all her life for that specific task, feared for her life. Contrary to what some claimed, the Inquisitors were far from being some exalted martyrs. The Archangel taught that earthly life was irrelevant compared to the salvation of the soul, still, His worshippers cared about their own survival. Murder and suicide were strongly condemned by the Church. The purge of the damned was the only exception contemplated by the law, in times of peace.

Nene got up. her head still wet, and took Nila's hand.

«This is your last chance to reconsider»

Nila shook her head. She held her gaze, almost as if she were challenging her.

«I-I'm not backing down»

«Thank you. So, I'll have to explain a few things to you, for your safety»

She indulged a few seconds to recall what she had learned during her studies, on how to behave when innocent people were involved in a fight with a damned.

«We Inquisitors usually can "perceive" a damned. Depending on how strong the Evil One's power is on that person, I might notice it just by getting close»

The herbalist was listening carefully. Her eyes conveyed fear and determination at the same time. Nene couldn't help but look up to her.

«That said, it's not always a reliable method. Keep your guard up. If you think you’re in danger, run away and don't worry about me. If I tell you to flee, do so. I'll know how to get by»

The woman nodded. The atmosphere became very serious, contrary to their previous meetings.

«Avoid mentioning the Church, the Inquisition, or anything related to faith. It is said that the Evil One has an excellent knowledge of the Archangel's teachings, it could whisper to the damned, warn them against us, if it noticed something strange. Oh, on top of that…»

She picked one of the two small wooden crosses she had brought with her. They couldn't hurt the damned like her silver tools, but the Evil One feared that symbol, so it could at least be used to keep it at bay.

«As I said before, if you're in danger, flee. If you can't escape, aim this at the damned. It cannot hurt them, but the Evil One fears the cross. It will buy you time. Try not to use it unless you have to, understood?»

Nila hesitated before accepting the cross. How to blame her? A weapon is a sign of danger, needing one means that you might soon have to fight for your life. Finally, she took it and put it into her bag.

«G-got it. I'm counting on you, Nene. Is there anything else?»

«Yes. If a fight should break out, run and warn my uncle»

They exchanged a smile. It was important to get into the play, and being too nervous would have ruined the operation.

«I will. Nene…»

«Yes?»

«You… want to help the damned, don't you?»

«I… sure. Why are you asking me?»

Nila toyed with her hand before answering.

«You're a good person… Let's both be careful, okay?»

«Okay. Don't worry, I won't be rash. I don't want to risk anyone's life»

Nene's hand started to sweat. She withdrew it slowly, took a breath and walked towards the exit.

«Let's go to your master. You'll see, we’ll be fine»

Nila followed. She wasn't as radiant as usual, yet she seemed optimistic. The safety of the village depended on their success. For Nene, that was her second assignment and her first emergency. She would have solved it at any cost, flawlessly. Thus operated an Inquisitor of the Church, a messenger of the Archangel.