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Chapter 6: Evil Saves Lives Indeed
SOALINA was alone in her office inside St. Amritate Cathedral, perusing a stack of papers. Every document contained evidence of the injustices accumulated by the sly old foxes of the Southern Province assembly. Still, the sheer amount of information exceeded her expectations due to the complicated and hardened administrative system.
Soalina came from a humble village, so she wasn’t accustomed to heavy reading and writing. Like a child receiving an elementary school education, she slowly and tiringly plodded through the contents of those documents.
For every document, there were one or more citizens out there suffering. She needed to confirm every letter on every page as soon as possible to right those wrongs… Her mounting impatience only served to trip her up unnecessarily, slowing her pace.
There was a sudden knock at the office door and a Paladin entered the room.
“Saint Soalina!” came the booming voice of High Paladin Fjord Vysterk, Captain of the Southern Province Paladins. “We’ve finished the initial investigation into the deceased Cardinals’ private assets.”
Еṅūm а . і d̂
Despite his old age, his undiminished skill with Holy Sword Artes had the people throughout Qualia laud him as Fjord the Stalwart. He was so famous, there wasn’t a soul among the commoners, much less the clergy, who didn’t know his name.
The battle-hardened veteran swept into a deep, courteous bow.
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Soalina acknowledged his presence with a nod. “How are your findings?” she asked, her tone hopeful.
“If I had to sum it up in one word, I’d say they are tremendous. To think they had so many hidden assets. And then there’s their dual bookkeeping, misappropriation of donations, and taking bribes. I can’t help but think of all the good that would’ve come of these donations actually being given to the poor instead of the greedy. I lament my inability to have stopped these heinous sins.”
Even Fjord, who usually kept a consistent mask of calm that never betrayed his feelings, couldn’t hide his disgust with their findings. Actually, it was only because he was delivering this report that the information was laid out so calmly before Soalina. The rest of the Paladins, who’d been temporarily summoned to get the situation under control, were ranting and raging over those repulsive acts that went against their beliefs.
“Arlos strongly desires for us to be a light upon the people,” Soalina said. “Let’s do everything we can for them. Have you filled the positions I asked of you?”
W̌ ӗ b̌ń ó vе l̃ Е n̂ ů mа̂
“We’ve sent word to the Priests of each town and village, but they aren’t quick to respond when they have local issues to address,” Fjord responded.
It’s not easy to rebuild a governing body with gaping holes in it. It’s not just a matter of assigning the right person for the job—the candidate also needs a certain level of ability and popularity with the masses. That being said, the Bishops and Cardinals Erakino had killed all served in the highest positions of government in the Southern Province. Since most of the practical work was handled by the ordinary clergy, the average citizen’s daily routine was left unaffected, keeping a semblance of the status quo.
However, it was clear the tranquility would crumble over the next few days. They had to somehow restore the complex flow of order to a reliable form before that happened.
“I see… You may use my name if necessary, so please continue your efforts to persuade them. We need people most of all right now.”
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Soalina even permitted Fjord to throw around the weight of her title as Saint—something not to be taken lightly. Fjord trembled with the knowledge of just how weighty of a decision that was and how much determination Soalina had to make it. But even as he revered the Saint, Fjord remembered something he must confirm as the Captain of the Southern Province’s Order of Paladins.
“But are you certain it’s wise not to report back to Central?” he inquired carefully.
W̄ ẽ b́ ṅоve l̇ Е ṅ u̇ m̃ а
Several seconds of silence followed before Saint Soalina of Blooming Burials answered.
“Yes…we would be wise not to. Unnecessary interference from Central at this point will only serve to inflame the disorder here. Naturally we won’t keep the matter from them forever. We will wait until the time is right.”
“Hmm… If that is what you believe is best, Saint Soalina…”
She was misleading him. Fjord was more than just a senile old man on the verge of retirement. He was a High Paladin known throughout the continent, and a renowned Hero of Qualia who’d purged the most evil from the world aside from the Saints. He had honed his insight into the realm of foreknowledge and mind-reading, so he perceived Soalina was hiding something she felt guilty about.
There’s something fishy here. Something stopping Soalina from bringing this urgent incident to Central’s attention. Fjord schooled his features so she wouldn’t notice as he dissected all the information he’d obtained thus far. There must be more to this… Something I’m overlooking…
As he fished through his foggy thoughts, Fjord suddenly arrived at a blurred memory: the bishops’ corpses were strewn messily around the cathedral, and in the sea of their blood stood Soalina and a girl. Just as Fjord and the Paladins who served under him drew their Holy Swords and swung at the girl—
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“Hiya, hiya! You seem to have a lot on your mind! Should you really be twiddling your thumbs chatting away the time right now?”
“…Ah! You’re…”
“Yo, Chiefy! Have ya looked in the mirror? The bags under your eyes make you look more like a raccoon by the day! Are you getting enough sleep?”
A girl suddenly appeared and started talking to Fjord like they were chums.
Fjord’s vision blurred and his head throbbed like it was being pounded with hammers. The girl in front of him overlapped with the girl from his blurry memory as she flashed him an uncanny grin with lips the same shade as her blood-red eyes. His headache grew a thousand times worse, and he was one step away from removing the veil clouding his thoughts.
“Nngh… P-Pardon me…m-my head…”
Ẇ е̊ b̌n̈о v ë l Ėń ů mа̄
Just a little more… Just one more push!
And then it happened—High Paladin Fjord recalled that the girl in front of him was Slurping Witch Erakino.
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“Oh darn…looks like the effect’s worn off already. You’re such a handful, Chiefy. Trust in lil’ Erakino here, ’kay? Ehe~♪!”
Erakino rolls for Brainwash
Rolled: Critical
“Ngh… What was that? Oh, Lady Erakino,” Fjord said, greeting his trustworthy fellow believer. “Pardon my late greeting; I wasn’t aware you were here, too. I was fighting off a bit of a dizzy spell, you see?”
Еn̄ um a..і̇d
The hammering pain rattling his brain subsided as if it was never there, and the haze cleared from his mind, filling him with thoughts of justice and a gentlemanly regret for having been discourteous to the young lady in front of him.
“Were you dazed by my cuteness?” Erakino teased. “You shouldn’t work yourself silly, Chiefy.”
“Hahaha!” Fjord let out a hearty laugh. “I must still be lacking to cause a lady to worry after me. However, there are times when we must push ourselves to the brink to achieve our goals, Lady Erakino.”
“Like when helping people in need?” Erakino guessed.
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“Indeed! That’s exactly when we should work ourselves silly!” Fjord exclaimed. “As you well know, Qualia is about to be embroiled in unprecedented turmoil. And it’s in these difficult times that it is the duty of a Paladin to become Arlos’s sword and the people’s shield. Evil doesn’t rest, and neither does good!”
“Nyahaha! Now you’re a workaholic if I’ve ever seen one! You’ve got the reckless work ethic that would turn any corporation you headed up into a sweatshop~♪! And guess what? I’ve got just the job for the work fiend Chief Paladin~!”
Е n ü m ȧ
Erakino cracked a strained smile as she procured a stack of papers from thin air. Was her smile strained because she was overwhelmed by Fjord’s straitlaced attitude or simply put off by him being so devoted to his work, even at the cost of his health?
“Th-This is…!” Fjord’s eyes bulged when he looked at the papers. The documents contained the locations where the Bishops and Cardinals had stashed their illegally gained assets—information he thought they’d never uncover. “Where did you find this…Lady Erakino?”
“The Investigate skill’s always worth having— Oh, but Chiefy, is that what you should be focusing on right now? What’s important isn’t how I found the information, but how you put it to use, right?”
“Indeed! Forgive me. You are absolutely right. Thank you for setting me straight, Lady Erakino.”
Fjord immediately switched gears at Erakino’s advice.
The secret accounts they’d found thus far exposed an enormous amount of hidden assets. Fjord thought they were in for the long haul since the stashes’ locations were unknown, but with this new find, they could recover the assets much sooner than anticipated and bring order back to the Southern Province with it.
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Fjord’s complexion looked much better than it had moments earlier as he’d discovered a potential way to put an end to the brewing chaos.
“All right, Saint Soalina, Lady Erakino, I’ll closely examine these documents at once. Time is of the essence, and we never have enough of it, after all,” he said, firmly gripping the stack of papers.
“That’s true. I leave the task to you,” Soalina said.
“Good luck!” Erakino waved.
Fjord bowed politely to the ladies as he had when he’d entered the office, then turned on his heel to leave…except he suddenly stopped before exiting the room.
“I am…deeply grateful to you both for standing up and taking action for the sake of this kingdom. Through you, Arlos is telling us we shouldn’t continue to overlook the rot festering throughout His country.”
W е b ñ_о̄ v̄ е̌ l E ñum̀ а
Erakino, who’d seen into the darkest depths of Fjord’s thoughts with her Brainwash skill, knew he really meant what he said. And Soalina, who’d come completely under Erakino’s control with her Slurp skill, also understood that to be true.
“Let’s make this a better country. If you will excuse me, then, ladies.”
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Erakino responded to High Paladin Fjord’s comment with a carefree grin while Soalina plastered a nebulous smile on her perfect lips.
◇◇◇
“GOSH, it feels awesome to do somethin’ good for once! What a novel experience!” Erakino laughed as she twirled around the office. Her carefree smile was that of an innocent girl and nothing that would make anyone assume she was a Witch who’d ended many lives.
Soalina focused all her attention on processing the documents on her desk—as though she could block out the reality she didn’t want to see and gloss over the contradictions and lies breeding within her by working nonstop.
Ѐ nu_m̈ ȧ
“If things keep goin’ this well, we’ll get rid of all the baddies in this area in no time, Soali!” Erakino purred.
“If things keep going… If things keep going this way…” Soalina repeated
Yes, I hope things keep going this way, she thought.
Oddly enough, Erakino truly seemed to be trying to make Qualia a better country. If nothing else, she certainly appeared to be getting attached to this land and her new acquaintances here, such as Fjord. Soalina couldn’t understand for a second why a Witch who didn’t give a jot about human life had any feelings at all.
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But, if by chance, Erakino developed a true attachment to this country and its people, wouldn’t everything change for the better? Surely there would be no more miserable and unfortunate people like me? Such self-delusional thoughts of a better, brighter future filled her mind.
“If things keep going… Yes, if things keep going this way…” Soalina muttered again.
Е ǹú m a .і̇ d
“Yes, only IF things keep going this way…and that’s a big if.”
Yet another visitor dashed the hope Soalina put into her mantra.
“Saint Fenne…”
The visitor was a woman whose height was a mystery. She was undeniably taller than Soalina, but she often stood hunched over, as if afraid to stand tall, which made her look much smaller in comparison. She wore a saintly habit to conceal her skin from the neck down, coupled with a pure white veil that completely hid her face—altogether, there was something eerie about her.
Meanwhile, her voice was like a goddess singing. It was beautiful enough to make it feel like the room had been purified just by her speaking and even stained the cheeks of Soalina, a similar blessed entity.
The woman’s name was Fenne. She was one of Idoragya’s Seven Great Savior Saints: The Veiled Saint Fenne Kahmair.
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“Oooh! If it isn’t Veily! Good to meet you, good to see you! All healed up, I take it?” Erakino casually addressed Fenne, who’d appeared in the room using some sort of ability.
Fenne wordlessly turned her head toward the Witch, lifted a corner of her veil at an angle Soalina couldn’t see her, and confirmed Erakino directly with one eye.
“Nice to meet you, Erakino. To think you brought down Soalina… You did well.”
“Pretty much! It took a hella long time, though. But thanks to that win, Erakino here is one step closer to achieving my ambitions! Aren’t I awesome?”
“I see. I couldn’t care less.”
Soalina was struck by a terrible sense of incongruity. She didn’t know the relationship between Erakino and Fenne.
Ën̈û m̈a.ïd̊
Qualia had a culture that despised provinces getting involved in each other’s affairs because of the large amount of autonomy granted by Central to each province. Thus, the Northern Province received no information on how the Veiled Saint, under a different province’s jurisdiction, fought against Erakino. Without any information on the situation, what had happened between them was a complete mystery.
“What’s the matter, Soalina?” Fenne asked softly, seeming to notice Soalina’s antsiness. Her voice was as sublime and beautiful to the ears as a court orchestra.
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Shaking off the somewhat inhuman voice echoing in her mind, Soalina phrased her concern in a roundabout way. “Pardon my rudeness for asking in such a manner, but did Erakino do anything to you, Saint Fenne?”
“Nope, nothing,” Erakino and Fenne answered the same way at the same time. Soalina shuddered at that eerie coincidence.
“You ask the silliest things, Soalina,” Fenne said. “Did you think I was under her Brainwash spell or something? Oh, or did you think I’m plotting something? In either case, you’ve got the wrong idea. I am always thinking of the people first. The situation is what it is. As someone who has lost once already, I know I can’t beat you and Erakino.”
Shadowy eyes pierced Soalina from under the veil. Fenne seemed to see straight through everything Soalina was thinking. Soalina didn’t know how to respond.
Е̂ ň ü mа . і d̀
“Oh, so that’s what you’re thinking, Soalina. You think the Veiled Saint made some sort of secret deal with the Slurping Witch and went into hiding, only pretending to be severely injured during the last battle. What a terribly wicked thought. Arlos would never approve of such dreadful musings. You should promptly rid yourself of such thoughts, Soalina.”
Fenne floridly denied Soalina’s question, both as if she’d had this speech prepared beforehand and as if she were just speaking as things came to her in the spur of the moment.
Every Saint’s abilities were strictly classified as a general rule, and anyone who might’ve accidentally found out about them in one way or another would be sworn to secrecy. The same applied among the Saints themselves, and even Soalina only vaguely knew what kind of abilities the other Saints possessed.
…Soalina suddenly remembered the Veiled Saint was rumored to possess a Miracle Arte that allowed her to see the truth.
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“Come now, Soalina. Let us save the people. God created the Saints for that sole purpose, after all,” Fenne said in her siren-like voice. Her voice could pull anyone in and drown them.
For some reason, Soalina found herself looking to Erakino for help.
We b ñ оv̇ еl̈ Еnūm̄ а̊
The Slurping Witch merely let out an amused cackle.
“Everybody should be saved,” Erakino said. “That’s right—everybody.”
Everyone in the office was in complete agreement on that point. However, what they actually meant by it was confined to their respective minds.
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