Maria suddenly felt as if she had returned to her previous life, back when she had just entered [Fractured] as a player, enjoying the surprises this so-called "second life" game brought her.
Yes, surprise!
Right now, it was as if she had stumbled upon something extraordinary, a tingling rush like electricity ran down her spine. It was pure, unexpected delight that made the corners of her lips curl slightly before she pressed them shut again, her pale throat moving as she tried to suppress her unrest.
The wind around the Clocktower was strong.
The black-clad nun's crimson eyes fixed on the elderly Archbishop before her. It wasn't that Maria had thoughts of silencing him, she simply found the situation unbelievable.
"Your Excellency Archbishop, would you care to speak plainly?" Maria broke the silence after a pause.
He had summoned her as soon as she returned to the Luminous Cathedral, saying a great deal. If he truly suspected her of involvement in the Seth Town tragedy, he would have already used divine arts to test and purify her. After all this, the only thing left was to rope her onto some side, or so Maria thought. She had seen such plays both in her past life and this one.
"I am assembling a special team. But for certain reasons, I am losing some of my authority…"
As he spoke, Archbishop Mark's hand shifted from stroking his beard to tugging at it.
Maria understood. This was just power struggle. In the Radiant Church, the rise of the radical faction under the Sun Gods' banner was hardly because moderates willingly gave up their seats. The Oracle's will had been invoked, and radicals had seized the orthodoxy of the Sun Pantheon. Naturally, the old moderate like Mark had to surrender his power.
Such was the helplessness of clergy: when the god above speaks, whether you agree or not, you follow.
"A team?"
Maria's eyes shifted at that. This vast Luminous Cathedral, had all of the Archbishop's direct subordinates perished? To draft in an outsider like her to form a team, it made no sense. Just as she was about to speak, a spark lit in her mind.
"A team specialized in handling Chaos incidents?"
"Your insight is remarkable. Experienced individuals are the best candidates for such matters."
Indeed, extraordinary individuals who had already faced Chaos without being corrupted posed less risk and proved more effective in dealing with it. Professionals, in other words, and Maria fit the bill.
"If it's that, I fear I cannot manage." Maria smiled bitterly. In Seth Town, she had fought with the resolve to die.
Had it not been for Gehrman, Seth Town's end would have been far worse.
The truth was, Maria's strength right now was insufficient to join a team dedicated to fighting Chaos. A single misstep could mean death.
Besides, if you wanted true professionals against Chaos, who better than the Hunters baptized in the dreams of the Great Ones? On the battlefield, perhaps it was debatable which class countered Chaos most effectively. But in the dark warfronts across the continent, no one matched the efficiency of the old Hunters hardened by desperate hunts.
That was the path Maria intended to pursue in the future.
Even the most cunning Tzeentch cultists could be dragged out by the Hunters' uncanny instincts. Chaos corruption was terrifying, yes, but Hunters who had shared the blood of gods were already steeped in the power of the Great Ones. Chaos taint was not guaranteed to overwhelm them.
"Your strength is indeed an issue. But for now, only you can handle this matter."
"…" This matter? Maria smelled trouble.
"Sister Maria, forgive an old man his bluntness. To protect Southwind Province, I must involve you in what comes next. And in exchange, I can erase your father's record in the Seth Town tragedy, so he may rest beneath the light of Justice, untainted."
Old fox!
Maria's crimson eyes widened. Her fingers twisted her sleeve tight, her teeth nearly grinding to pieces. The moment Mark uttered the condition, the tranquil lake of her heart was shattered by a stone, ripples spreading violently outward.
Yes, it was a tempting offer. Her father, Pastor Lynn's, reputation had always been a thorn in her heart. He had fallen to Chaos's lure, that was undeniable. Even in death, he bore the stain of Seth Town's sins.
But…
That was her father. It was he who took her in on that snowy night, giving her a family, not the cold cruelty of reality. If his name could be preserved, even as a lie, spared from contempt, Maria could hardly turn away.
"Truly?" Maria's voice was low, as if it took all her strength to speak.
"By the Sun as witness, I swear upon my faith to preserve your father's honor."
Mark answered without hesitation. To him, this was just a transaction. He would pay this price to fulfill his Lord's will.
"In three days, go to the church's branch and find this man. He will tell you about the special team."
With a motion of his fingers, light traced an image before Maria. It showed a bespectacled priest, plain of face, with a distinct scar across his throat.
Arthur, a priest of the God of Justice. His allegiance lay not with the Sun Pantheon but with the God of Justice.
Arthur, Priest of Justice, Iron Rank.
His record was unremarkable. His only claim to fame was surviving a brush with death, his throat slit by a Shadow Assassin, yet he miraculously lived. His voice was ruined, earning him the name "Mute Arthur."
"We're targeting a priest like this?"
Hedda adjusted her monocle, expression unreadable. An Iron-Rank priest of the Justice God, challenging, but not impossible.
"Correct. According to our mole, he holds the location of the Cinder Lord's seal." Another player, one of those who handled the dirty jobs, looked up from Arthur's file.
"This NPC should drop plenty of good loot," one player muttered, eyes alight.
"No kidding. He's a priest of the Justice Gods. Just look at how well the Church crowd lives, scrolls and holy water in endless supply. Unlike us, scraping by." Another grumbled, recalling the endless boasting of church players on the forums.
"Keep watch on the target's daily routine." Hedda cut off the chatter. "Shadow him quietly. Find that seal's location."
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