"Sir… we are just farmers, always have been, and always will be. Maybe we can fish, but manual labor…" A survivor from Carne Village, pushed forward by the others, timidly walked up to the stern-faced woman and knelt respectfully, saying.
"That's why you're learning from the artisans!" The woman turned, anger clearly visible on her face, and with her movement, a strong gust of wind even swept several people in front of her off their feet.
"Yes! Yes! We will work hard! We will work hard!" The villagers, terrified by the woman and not wanting their newly regained lives to vanish with the wind, could only slowly walk towards the factory area east of Joy Fortress under the guidance of the soldiers.
"These damned insects…" The woman watched the dragging procession, gritting her teeth, her hands turning pale from the force, as if she could barely restrain herself from rushing forward and slaughtering them.
"Daliz, for the sake of the Supreme Being, please do not be so angry." Just then, a clear-voiced, bald man wearing a bishop's miter walked over from the side and frowned as he spoke to the woman.
Archbishop Alexander, not bald, but might as well be.
"Archbishop Alexander…" Daliz's anger immediately vanished upon seeing him, and she slowly bowed to the man.
"The Supreme Being has stated that while these humans are lowly, they are still important assets that can be useful to Nazarick. We can dispose of them as we wish, but we must produce results. The task of restarting the industrial zone is urgent, and we must not betray the Supreme Being's trust!" Alexander delivered a passionate speech, and as he spoke of the Supreme Being, a dazzling light and angelic wings emanated from behind him—a testament to a believer's unwavering faith in the god they worship.
"Yes, I feel ashamed of my actions just now…" Daliz bowed even lower; if one looked closely, they would notice that the woman, who had just been so furious, now showed a hint of shyness.
"To know one's mistakes and be able to correct them is the greatest good, Daliz. Come with me, Anatomist Niles's experiment requires the help of a believer."
"Archbishop, you personally…?" Daliz's eyes widened. If there was anyone in this Joy Fortress she detested, it was the Area Guardian of the dungeon labyrinth, Anatomist Niles. That fellow, who always locked himself in his bloody underground laboratory, would treat everything related to biology as an experimental subject for endless experiments, calling it "art." Although Niles did provide cheap cannon fodder for Joy Fortress and Nazarick, Daliz strongly disliked his self-proclaimed elegant "art"—she had her own methods.
"I said, Daliz," Alexander frowned, responding righteously, "The Supreme Being's task is the most urgent and the greatest. Any underestimation will lead to devastating consequences. Now, follow me. No matter how much you dislike Niles, you must admit his usefulness."
Daliz lowered her head in response, silently following behind the striding Alexander. As she walked, she seemed mesmerized, her expression somewhat dazed, until she pushed open the door to Niles's laboratory and was awakened from her trance by the smell of blood and decay.
"Oh, oh, look who it is…" Before the two could even see the situation inside the laboratory, a frivolous man with long, flowing hair appeared from the smoke—this was a displacement skill exclusive to the Assassin class.
"I didn't expect you to come too, Daliz. Although I am hospitable, please do not… criticize my artworks, like before… otherwise, I might not be able to resist dissecting you too…" The man licked his lips, his morbid eye sockets filled with a bloodthirsty, cruel desire.
"Niles, I am ashamed of your so-called art! If I had permission, I would turn you into my Screaming Doll puppet at the first opportunity!" Daliz, of course, would not let Niles bully her. She immediately radiated the unique light of a believer, stepped forward, and her hands gripped a massive two-handed hammer.
"For the sake of the Supreme Being! Daliz! Niles! Stop this pointless internal conflict!"
Just as the two were at a standoff, Alexander stepped forward. As the highest-ranking Archbishop, Alexander's light instantly illuminated the bloody dungeon, and also melted dozens of Niles's "toys."
"No, no! Archbishop! Stop! You'll destroy my samples!" Niles shrieked. He didn't care that his toys were melted, but the task and samples entrusted by the Supreme Being could not suffer any mishaps.
"I hope you both calm down! We are carrying out a mission for the Supreme Being. Put aside all prejudices and prioritize the mission, otherwise, I will pray to the Supreme Being and turn you both to ashes!" Although Alexander was upright and treated everyone equally, a template for righteous individuals to admire, when something interfered with his official duties, he would display a forceful side.
With this pressure, both fell silent. The entire laboratory was left with only a human lying on the operating table, disemboweled yet still struggling and thrashing.
"Is this a sample?" Alexander stepped forward, frowning as he examined it—such injuries should have resulted in death long ago, requiring resurrection magic to revive. What he saw now, however, was a struggling corpse? Or rather, a living corpse?
"Yes, Bishop." Niles smiled as he stepped forward, while Daliz followed behind with an angry expression.
"He is one of the survivors from Carne Village, possessing a 'natural unique ability' found only in the natives of this world. I am currently searching for its secrets, through the medium of art."
"Is he still alive because of his natural unique ability?" Alexander's brow relaxed, and he asked with some eagerness. If such a fatal injury could sustain life, then once Nazarick obtained it, it would undoubtedly become even more powerful.
"No, no, no, that's just my artistic method, a few small tricks. He is actually already dead; it's just that his body still thinks it's alive… This is to test the activity of genes under extreme conditions, and whether the natural unique ability can function on a living corpse…" Niles explained patiently, not forgetting to show off his exceedingly superb technique.
"So, you want us to cast resurrection magic?" Alexander understood. Although he didn't conduct experiments, he possessed basic knowledge; otherwise, with so many strange characters in this vast Joy Fortress, he, as the supreme commander, truly couldn't manage them all.
"Yes, after all, the sample is very precious… I originally intended for you to send someone with resurrection items, but I didn't expect you to honor us with your presence, which makes me feel somewhat overwhelmed…" Niles smiled, not hiding his joy. Life resurrected with items would enter a weakened state, which would affect the experiment, but if a Level 100 Archbishop performed it, this could be perfectly avoided.
"Then, let's begin. Daliz, I'll leave the upper-level management to you for now. I will supervise the experiment here." Alexander nodded, casually waving his hand to cast miraculous resurrection magic, while also sending Daliz away—he had originally intended for Daliz to help, but the conflict between the two had become so severe that Alexander had to take matters into his own hands to ensure the mission's flawless execution.
"As you command, Bishop." Daliz was not foolish; she naturally understood Alexander's intentions. However, before she left, she still cast a lingering glance at Alexander's radiant back.