This chapter is sponsored by The Bitch in the Fantasy World Patrons:
• [Adventurer] GrimV
• [Adventurer] The orc warrior 261
• [Mercenary] Tafadzwa Kungwengwe
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Novus 2, 3023 A.M., day of Thura.
8:36 a.m.
Soft rain poured from the cloudy sky. Vivian was standing at the boarding entrance of Airport Building Terminal 7. She was wearing her usual black Inquisitor attire and had her suitcase beside her.
Hopefully, the things I want would be available in Fredo Village…
Her gaze focused on the cloudy sky.
I love dark weather like this…
But it's no fun when you have to walk, let alone travel…
I love it when you're just inside your room or some place alone, while the heavy rain muffles all sounds…
No one to listen to…
No one to hear…
Just me…
A memory flashed inside her head and her lips slowly broke out into a small smile behind her full-mask.
Right…
I used to love watching post-apocalyptic movies where there was only one person remaining in the world…
I always get angry or lose interest when the story introduces new people…
I mean, why can't the movie, show or story just stick with just having one person…?
Like literally, the movie, show or story would say he is the only person alive…
But a couple of minutes later or in the next movie, a couple of episodes later, or a couple of chapters later, boom, they introduce another human…
Like why…?
For the sake of tension…?
For the sake of emotional beats…?
Or are you just so unimaginatively stupid…?
Or perhaps you think the audience is too stupid and emotionally stunted that they can't relate if the main character isn't interacting with another human…?
Why not just use animals or nature…?
There's only a handful of movies, shows and stories that dared to do that…
But then again…
I have to admit, there are a lot of stupid people…
I mean, at least based on my original world…
And when you encounter them you're just like, 'Holy shit, there are people like this walking around and they're allowed to go outside, drive, vote, breed, voice their opinions and all?'…
However, as much as I want to remove all of the stupid people, it would be harder to lord over people…
I mean, sure, I honestly think I'm a bit smarter than the average person, but I'm not that smart…
And I don't think I have the charisma and patience to play mind games with smarter people…
An image of Pen sitting behind his desk flashed in her head.
Yeah…
I definitely don't have the patience…
Vivian noticed a figure in the sky.
This should be her…
A golden ring appeared on the back of the female Crusader as she ordered the green-colored Draghorn she was riding on to descend. And when they finally landed on the green and wide field of the airport, the Crusader deactivated [Halo] and then dismounted from her mount.
Vivian, on the other hand, was already walking to the green and wide field with her suitcase on her left hand. Her eyes turned to slits and her lips curled into a smile that wasn't exactly a smile as she focused on the Draghorn.
Let's see if this stupid lizard still knows how to behave…
The Draghorn's sharp gaze was locked on Vivian. But when Vivian arrived within 10 meters, the monster simply lowered its head.
As Vivian arrived to the them, the Crusader quickly removed her helmet and then saluted.
"Sister Inquisitor Monad! I've arrived here to pick you up as you requested!" Juana said when Vivian arrived in front of her.
Vivian placed her suitcase down, stepped closer to Juana, and then placed her hands on her shoulders.
Smooch, smooch.
She leaned over and then blew a kiss on each side of Juana's cheeks.
"It's ALSO NICE to see you again, sister."
And when she released Juana, all she saw was the confused expression on Juana's face.
"Don't you remember what I told you last time?"
"Last time…?"
"There are only 4 women in our station, and you and I are the only Priestesses in our Squad. Therefore, we should be besties."
"Oh…"
"What, you don't like to be?"
Juana quickly forced a smile.
"Of course not, Sister Inqui-- bestie... I am very delighted about it…!"
Vivian rolled her eyes and waved her left hand.
"Forget about it. Pick up my suitcase."
"Yes, right away!" Juana quickly said.
As Juana was busy tying Vivian's suitcase on the Draghorn named Pipi, Vivian was busy rubbing her gloved hands together.
My hands are dirty…
I should add a secret pocket on my dress to wipe my gloves whenever I touch something disgusting…
Also, why does she smell like the lizard…?
Like seriously, you're a woman, at least have some shame…
Her gaze landed on the ground and she focused on the grass.
Can I wipe my gloves on them…?
She shook her head.
They would only be more dirty…
She then turned to Juana, who just finished tying the suitcase and was about to climb on Pipi.
"Sister High Sergeant."
Juan turned to her.
"Yes, Sister Inqui… Bestie?"
"Sister Inquisitor would be fine. We're heading to Fredo Village."
"Yes, Sister Inquisitor!"
***
9:31 a.m.
Temple of Priest Building compound, Fredo Village, Marbleam Kingdom.
Vivian deactivated her [Halo] as she, Juana and Pipi landed on the ground.
A White Cloak Priest in his late-30s with black hair and tanned skin, and a non-Priest employee approached as Vivian and Juana climbed down from Pipi.
Vivian saluted.
"Greetings, Brother. I am Sister Inquisitor Monad and my companion here is Sister High Sergeant Juana, and may the God of Light always watch over you. We're both assigned at the Third Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint and we're here to purchase some things before we head back to our station. Assign us rooms. Also, is High Brother Basilio here? I wish to talk to him later."
The Priest was caught off guard for a moment. He wasn't expecting the young Priestess in front of him to be "too forward". And as he was about to answer, a memory suddenly flashed inside his head.
"Welcome back, Sister Inquisitor. And may the God of Light also always watched over you both," he said and smiled.
He remembered that she came here about 2 months. And from his memory, she had short brown hair and wasn't this forward. However, the clothes, although they might have changed a bit, the overall look was still more or less the same and too eye-catching.
He turned to the non-Priest companion by his side.
"Mar-Inform mar-them mar-to mar-prepare mar-the mar-rooms."
The non-Priest employee lowered his head.
"Mar-Yes, Mar-Honored Mar-Priest Jaume," he said and then left.
Jaume returned his attention to Vivian.
"You're rooms are being prepared as we speak. And as for High Brother Basilio, I believe he's at his office. I'll send someone to inform him that you wish to speak with him."
Vivian nodded.
"Thank you."
***
Inside an office.
Basilio was sitting behind his desk and listening to Frederico, who was sitting at one of the chairs in front.
"From the very beginning, I already told him. I told him to at least hire a business adviser before starting the business, but he didn't listen.
"I told him: If you're going to start a business, you must know that a business has a 1 to 3-year cycle. Of course, the less unique the business is, the shorter the cycle. Meanwhile, the more unique a business is, the longer the cycle. But regardless, all businesses eventually have to face that no more than 3 years cycle, where you will know if you can scale that business or not.
"If you could scale it, great, that means more profit. However, it would also require more work and attention.
"On the other hand, if you couldn't scale it, you have 2 choices:
"One - quit the business. And if you can find someone who wants to buy that business from you, sell it immediately.
"Second - lower your prices and operation costs. Because by then, you will have multiple competitors who are vying for the attention and coins of customers. But that is not the hardest part, the hardest part is that it's going to be a very slow and painful struggle to keep the business afloat until you have to close it. And as for selling the business, at that point, it would be very hard. But if you could find a buyer, the selling price would be so low that it would barely make any difference.
"But of course, he didn't listen to me. Until now, after 5 years, he's still trying to make his La Spada-themed coffee and barbecue restaurant work. I swear to the God of Light that 90% of the revenue from that restaurant is solely spent on the operation costs."
After ranting, Frederico took a deep breath and then picked up his cup of coffee.
Sip.
As he took a sip, he noticed that Basilio was silent and staring blankly at the desk. Normally, whenever they would chat, which was always related to business and assets, Basilio would be chatty or at least interested. However, at this moment, he knew that he wasn't silent and staring blankly in order to think about what he just said. He barely even touched his cup.
"High Brother, you're still thinking about it?" Frederico said as he placed his cup on the desk.
No answer.
"If what Brother Inquisitor Croissant told you really bothered you, I can have some retired Adventurers and Mercenaries do some outside investigation of their own. Of course, you wouldn't be related to it."
Still no answer.
But as Frederico was about to share another story, Basilio suddenly raised his gaze and met Frederico's eyes.
"Do you think everything is just a coincidence, brother?"
Frederico's brows knitted together and scratched the side of his head.
"Forgive me, High Brother, but I don't know how to answer that. As you mentioned before, there's still not enough information."
Basilio leaned back in his seat and stared at the ceiling.
"When Lady Julietta came running around and announcing that a powerful Demon attacked a Rogue Settlement at the Mobius Mountains, I honestly paid little to no attention to it. And if even it were true, I dismissed it by telling myself it's just a passing Demon and will go back to hiding.
"When the traitor Ronaldo and his group of heretics and demon-kins attacked Plano Town, I just dismissed it by thinking they're just trying to stir trouble because the current Light Saint is retiring.
"When I heard what happened at the Second Stanza Western Barracks, even when they said about a powerful Demon, I still dismissed it by thinking that they're just trying to stir trouble because the current Light Saint is retiring.
"But what Brother Inquisitor Croissant said, after he completed his investigation at Mobius Mountains, that's when I started to wonder: Are the demons, demon-kins, the Cult of Infinity and the heretics really just trying to stir trouble because the current Light Saint is retiring, or is it something else?"
Frederico nodded.
"I understand what you're trying to say, High Brother. That Brother Inquisitor Croissant, based on his accent, you could tell that he was a native of the Azatea Kingdom. So him telling us that old and forgotten Demon Necromancers from the Cult of Infinity reemerging from the depths of the oceans to cause death and destruction all over the continent because the demon-worshipers have some sort of prophecy about a great catastrophic calamity that would happen soon. But I honestly believe that they're just trying to stir up trouble because the current Light Saint is retiring.
"But either, let's look at the bright side: Since those old and forgotten Demon Necromancers are voluntarily reemerging from the depths of the oceans, humanity finally has a chance to kill them once and for all, and return them to the Void of Chaos where they belong. It's honestly been long overdue."
Basilio stroked his beard as he continued staring at the ceiling.
"That is another way to see it."
Frederico raised an eyebrow.
"What would that be, High Brother?"
Basilio stopped stroking his beard and then looked at him.
"You and I were at Plano Town for the Feugo Tournament."
Frederico nodded.
"Yes."
"And you and I were present when that traitor Ronaldo and his group launched an attack, right?"
Frederico nodded once again.
"Yes, High Brother."
"In the Southern Continent and among the demon-kin races, the Verins are one of the most self-important races. They don't even bow down to the Undead Emperor of the Housan Empire.
"Of course, one can argue that the Verins came to save the enslaved Verins in this kingdom and they also wanted to make a big show of it by launching an attack during the Feugo Tournament, where many high-profile and powerful people would be present. However, one of the Verins in Ronaldo's group was one of the Princesses of the Shards.
"If it were just a normal Verin or even a General-Rank Verin, I would agree that they just came to save the enslaved demon-kins. But a Verin princess to personally come and attack? There's got to be another reason."
Knock, knock.
There was a knock on the door.
Ka-cha!
It opened and it was Juame.
"Excuse me, High Brother," he said and then made his way to where Basilio and Frederico were. "An Inquisitor named Sister Inquisitor Monad and a Sister from Air Division named Sister High Sergeant Juana from the Third Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint just arrived via a Draghorn, and the Sister Inquisitor requested to have a meeting with you later."
Frederico's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.
"Do you say, 'Sister Inquisitor Monad'...?!"
Juame was caught off guard by Frederico's reaction and then nodded.
"Yes, her name is Sister Inquisitor Monad."
Frederico quickly turned to Basilio, who still maintained a calm expression.
When he went to Plano Town with Basilio for the Feugo Festival as the representatives of the Branch Chapter Temple in Fredo Village, he was genuinely surprised to see Vivian there. After all, it was an event where high-profile and powerful people would gather. On top of that, he also heard about what she did to one of the grandsons of Duke Freca and to Caleb of the Wrath family.
"You were saying about Sister Inquisitor Monad and her companion?" Basilio said.
Juame returned his attention to Basilio and nodded.
"Yes, High Brother. Sister Inquisitor Monad asked for 2 rooms for her and Sister Juana. She also said that she wants to have a meeting with you later."
"She didn't say a specific time?"
Juame shook his head.
"No."
Basilio nodded.
"I see. Anything else?"
"That's all, High Brother."
Basilio nodded once again.
"Please inform Sister Inquisitor Monad that I will be available at 1:30 this afternoon. Thank you."
Juame nodded.
"I will inform her, High Brother," he said and then left.
Frederico turned to Basilio.
"High Brother, what do you think she wants to talk about?"
Although Basilio hasn't told anyone about what happened between him and Vivian, Frederico, who visits Basilio from time to time to chat about stuff, mainly about business and assets, could tell that there was something.
After a moment of silence, Basilio looked at him.
"I'm not sure."
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Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
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