Chapter 511: At Death’s door

Chapter 511: At Death’s door

“And after that I started work here again, with the amnesia hitting a bit later. It was more than a bit strange, but since Senior Agran and Cardinal were also affected, they investigated the happening, and were told to let the matter rest and that it would fix itself in a bit,” Shaily explained, happy to be done with her story and standing up from the couch to grab a glass of water.

“Told by who?” Saria asked, munching on some dried fish provided by Zerei.

“The Vasperian Queen herself, yes,” Zerei answered for Shaily.

“Oh... That might be the reason for Asty’s summon,” Sofia guessed, “You still have the Kleptra scale, Shaily?”

“Hmm? Yeah, still there,” she answered, taking it out of her storage ring with a flick of her wrist, “The colors are nice, they remind me of the whale a bit, though when I compare it with my hand, it’s not quite the same.”

“I can see what you mean,” Sofia confirmed, “it’s slightly similar. I’m still shocked you were just sent to the Deep like that.”

“Felt like a fever dream, but it’s pretty obvious now that it was all real. Makes me wonder whether it was Ormoncleth who interfered with my trial from the start or if that was just an opportunistic outcome of sorts,” Shaily wondered.

“My bet’s on the Orator instigating this,” Saria commented.

“Could also be the same guy who later erased Sofia,” Alith suggested with a yawn, “Maybe used the trial to probe around Sofia’s records before the act, considering it had to be playing it back for you? I don’t know.”

“That’s a really solid guess...” Sofia agreed, “hard to say for sure though, maybe I can get more information from Orator next time he shows up, but I wouldn’t count on it.”

“I don’t really care either way,” Shaily said as she stored the Kleptra scale back, “I got a good outcome out of it, so...”

Sofia nodded, “Yeah, it’s also nice to learn that we can get rid of Scripture’s soul parasites relatively easily as long as we can reach that original sinner person. You said Cardinal’s already working on it?”

“It’s going to be a long process, Skyreach is almost back to normalcy on the surface, but the Church is barely functional, most of the high officials have disappeared, leaving the paladins to organize themselves, and the Holy-See is completely out of bounds, obscured by multiple barriers,” Shaily explained, “That’s about all I can say before it becomes a breach of contract.”

“Good enough. What about the girl I asked if you could have them look into?” Sofia asked next, “Asty said it would probably be done.”

“Oh, I worked on that myself, actually. It was a bit hard to find her but I managed with the help of the adventurers’ guild networks. She has been secretly adopted by some Red Winds nobility who were struggling to conceive on their own; apparently she looks a lot like the mother, so they’re passing her as their hidden biological child. That was around when you yourself were going for your first trial, if I got my timeline right.”

“So she’s safe...” Sofia said with relief.

“She was having a hard time adapting to her new life, from what I understand, but the family who adopted her has a good standing and reputation in the Empire, so it’s not too worrying. And no godly intervention in sight anywhere. I don’t remember the details but I can give you the address later,” Shaily continued.

“Thank you, Shaily.”

“Just doing my work,” the Exidian girl answered with a smile, “if you want to pay me back, how about you give me your complete story with the church later. I’m interested in knowing how much I deviated from the real thing.”

“Sure thing,” Sofia agreed while looking around, “but maybe later,” she added, seeing that Alith was quite literally falling asleep on the school’s couch, “I think I’ll spend a few days here anyway, then I’ll be going to Exidia with Cinthia. Maybe you also want to come?”

“You’re going back there? I’d also love to come but I still have a lot of work to finish here first...”

After five days in the Vasperian capital, the group separated, each going to do their own thing. Astelia, Shaily, and Zerei were going to stay in Vasperia; Alith was going to get to work on her alchemy from within the Margin while taking out the still-sleeping Remia for a sunbath every so often; Saria was looking for the two lost Zangdar ring; and Ihuarah went with Everelle to spend some alone time as a couple before the incoming trip.

Lastly, Sofia went with Cinthia to see Richard about the implant eye before beginning their Recessed-robbing mission.

TLDR was even nice enough to send them to the Exidion empire with the Red-Carpet teleportation network for free.

Sofia checked VPPV, which she rarely did ever since it had been stuck at the same step forever before her race evolution.

Scripture (1)Aphenoreth (1)Dread (1)Sorrow (1)Ormoncleth (1)Victory (1)Sun (5)Creation (2)Life (1)

Cinthia took a second to analyze Sofia’s question, her eyes lost in the distance, “Hmm... I’m starting to get familiar with most of their usernames, I’ve got Sickness and Suffering pretty much pinned down. Sickness should be the one named Crowface, apparently that’s got something to do with the world of human heroes, something about crow masks? And Suffering isResoundingEchoes, this one I’m certain becauseHatred just calls her by name sometimes. I think they’re pretty close. But Unfairness... I don’t think I have seen them, maybe they’ve never shown up.”

“Right, the human hero world also has crows... I know from Alith that they also have boars, ants, squids, and even chickens, can you believe that? Although apparently they don’t all look quite the same.”

“Maybe they were summoned here too?” Cinthia guessed.

“Maybe. Or maybe it’s the other way around, like we summon people and our animals get sent in their place?”

“Hatred says he’s not allowed to tell,” Cinthia said with a shrug as she read her chat.

“The censor is as annoying as ever...” Sofia complained, “What about summoning heroes, can the Recessed do it?”

“Very bad idea, does not work, is what he said,” Cinthia read, “And Death sent a skull image.”

“Alright then... Right, Zephir was quick to leave, any news from the sect?”

“We have two new inner disciples actually! They’re twins!” Cinthia enthusiastically answered.

“Twins? I’m guessing only one has a special class?”

“No! They actually have two special classes meant to work together, called [Marksman] and [Spotter]. I'll introduce you when you come to visit next time. If Saria doesn’t do it first.”

Sofia and Cinthia kept chatting as they took a relaxed stroll through the city, stopping a few times on the way to buy Exidian street food which was oddly nostalgic to them. Eventually, they arrived at their destination, Death’s cathedral.

A white-robed exidian priest was standing in front of the closed entrance.

“Hi, is the cathedral not open today?” Sofias asked the priest.

“Greetings. A wedding is currently underway inside, you may come back in about an hour if your business is not urgent,” the priest informed them.

“We’re here to see High-priest Leverle,” Sofia explained, “Is he busy with the wedding?”

“Of course not, the High-priest is much too busy to attend the minor nobility’s weddings himself...” the priest said with indignation, before he caught himself, “Ah, please, forget this slip of the tongue. Aherm... Do you have an appointment?”

Sofia shook her head, “No, but perhaps this should suffice to let me through?” she said as she produced her Exidian Mithril rank ID, which bore the mention ‘Guarantor:

High Priest of Death’s church - Dr. Leverle (Mithrium n°6)’.

The priest eyed the card, “Our High-Priest is your guarantor?!” he exclaimed in shock, before he looked back down at the card, then back up at Sofia, “Human?” he asked.

“Oh...” Sofia said, opening just the name and level section of her status to show the priest that the name matched, “I just got done with the level 250 trial and got a racial evolution...”

“I see... I suggest you get the card updated as soon as possible, lady Aphenoreth,” the priest said as he stepped aside, “Do you need me to escort you ladies inside?”

“That won’t be necessary, thank you!” Cinthia answered.

“Understood. Please try not to disturb the wedding,” the priest said before he closed the door after them.