Charles stood tense, but Anno merely offered a gentle smile. "Your caution is admirable, sir, but unnecessary. Since the battle began, I've maintained constant vigilance with my Divine Sense—monitoring every movement in this area."
Her expression grew firm, voice carrying absolute conviction. "I can state with certainty that twisted brain-shaped abomination has been utterly eradicated. Not a single trace remains."
Her demeanor suggested all his worries were unfounded. Yet Charles remained uneasy, nodding slowly with visible wariness. "That's... good."
"Then Sister Ekta is in your hands."
He gestured for Sephera to bring Ekta forward. The other witches, sensing Charles's apprehension, closed ranks around Anno with guarded stares.
Unaware of their suspicion, Anno placed her hands on Ekta's shoulders and whispered, "Lay on Hands."
Warm golden light blossomed as holy healing energy flowed into Ekta's body. Within moments, the witch who had been struck down by the Storm Warhammer began to stir, her eyes fluttering open in confusion. "I... what...?"
Charles finally released the breath he'd been holding. "Sister Ekta! you're safe!"
So the purification worked. The witches' corrupted nature had truly been altered—enough to evade a paladin's Divine Sense and accept healing magic without harm. And with Anno herself as witness to this transformation, he could finally relax.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, he noticed Anno's lips curving into a knowing smile. "A paladin's gifts cannot be replicated or falsified."
Charles blinked, then suddenly understood. She thinks I doubted her credentials!
By all the gods, if only that were my concern.
But her misunderstanding served him well. Forcing an awkward chuckle, he clumsily changed the subject: "Your... comrades are still unconscious. Shouldn't they receive treatment too?"
Anno's smile faded as she shook her head. "They merely succumbed to the fumes—no life-threatening injuries. Are there others who need aid? Those who fought hardest tonight should be prioritized."
Charles nodded: "Yes! There's also an Amazon female warrior officer—her name was... uh, I forgot. But she was also struck by that cultist leader and is in bad shape now."
"Lady Anno, please come here."
As he spoke, he led Anno over, stepping past Kendrz's blood-soaked corpse, and stopped beside Porter.
Anno crouched, reaching out as the light of Lay on Hands glowed. The severely wounded Porter slowly regained consciousness.
As if driven by some combat instinct, the moment her eyes opened, she snapped to full alertness. Her body jerked upright, falling into a wary posture as she scanned her surroundings—then let out a sharp cry: "Kendrz is dead?!"
Before Anno could even ask who Kendrz was, a flash of insight struck Charles's mind, and he quickly cut in: "Yes! That summoner of monsters, the one who conspired with the cultists, ambushed us, and caused tonight's bloodshed—Kendrz, the mastermind behind it all—has been slain by my own hand!"
Anno shot him a glance, thinking to herself how shamelessly this man was seeking credit. The battle had barely ended, and here he was, already claiming glory.
Though he had played a crucial role tonight, in her eyes, such eager self-promotion was far from noble.
A person ought to be humble, self-effacing, and free from the thirst for fame!
Meanwhile, Porter blinked in momentary confusion—then quickly caught on. "Thank the gods!" she declared loudly. "That swindler of commoners, that murderous, wicked, utterly depraved Xanathar's Guild higher-up Kendrz has finally met his well-deserved end!"
The two of them coordinated seamlessly, leaving Anno utterly baffled. Their enthusiasm seemed... excessive.
Ah, well. I heard that during the Twin Moons Night, the Amazons and the Xanathar's Guild were locked in a brutal clash with heavy casualties. Maybe this level of excitement is normal under the circumstances.
Charles, meanwhile, let out a quiet sigh of relief. This Amazon was playing along nicely. With their stories aligned, the tragically slain Kendrz and these cultists would shoulder all the blame—and the truth of tonight's events would remain buried.
Porter relaxed her fighting stance, standing tall. Both Charles and Anno now had to tilt their heads up to meet her gaze. Then, with a polished, businesslike smile, she said, "I'm Gale Porter, Director of the Intelligence Division at Amazon Fisheries Company. Here's my card."
She handed over two small cards. "After tonight's battle, might I have the honor of knowing the names of this Mage, my lord, and this Paladin, my lady?"
Anno introduced herself next, and then both women turned expectantly to Charles.
"I'm Nigel Charles," he said, offering a smile. Sephera had already forged him a new identity. "A newly arrived Priest at the Monastery of the Goddess of Life, still in training. Tonight, sensing monstrous disturbances here, I came with my sisters to purify the corruption."
He wasn't worried that Anno would suddenly shout "Heretic!" and draw her sword.
Times had changed.
After the Saintly Calamity, the Gods of Order had reached a consensus: the Material World's sovereignty would be returned to mortals. The old rules were rewritten, and new ironclad laws were established.
From then on, Paladins—a class once bound by divine approval to wield power—were freed from religious constraints.
No longer did a Paladin need to swear allegiance to a deity. Regardless of faith, race, or creed, so long as they sincerely took an oath—vowing to devote their life to saving the suffering, aiding the weak, or smiting evil, upholding order and justice—they would be recognized by the new Laws of Order and granted sacred power.
But if they broke that oath? Even if their actions served a deity of Order and Justice, the revised divine rules would strip them of all power until they atoned for their sins.
Thus, the Paladin class had become synonymous not just with strength, but with trustworthiness. Now that Charles had a legitimate cover, he could openly declare his faith in front of this Paladin—even if their beliefs differed.
Hearing this, Porter suddenly understood: "So that's why! No wonder every nun looked familiar—we're practically neighbors!"
Anno, too, had a moment of realization: "The Church of the Goddess of Life... No wonder..."
As she spoke, her eyes filled with unmistakable pity. The faint disdain she'd felt earlier over Charles's eagerness to claim credit vanished without a trace.
The Church of the Goddess of Life... How tragic.
Those who still clung to their faith within that church, refusing to abandon their beliefs, were truly steadfast—enduring endless suffering by choice.
The Goddess of Life's assassination and subsequent disappearance were common knowledge across Liberl Port. After years of the church's decline, such secrets were impossible to conceal.
Other churches—like Anno's own, the Church of the God of Justice—might endure austerity, but at least their deity remained. They could cling to hope, trusting in divine guidance to walk the righteous path and better the world.
Even if they faltered, they could seek redemption through penitence, their souls salvaged by their god's grace.
But the believers of the Goddess of Life? They had lost both guidance and the path to atonement. Every choice, every act of faith, rested solely on their shoulders. Their plight drew profound sympathy from even fellow churches of Order and Justice.
"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Charles," Anno said, extending her hand for a second handshake. "Had you not arrived in time, all would have descended into irredeemable tragedy. Your deeds deserve to be remembered by Order and Justice."
Charles shook her hand. Then Anno turned to Porter: "And you, my lady—your valor in defending South Harbor District's order and justice commands respect. I'll report your contributions, and those of your warriors, truthfully. The Mithral District will ensure due recognition!"
That reward, Charles mused, will likely reach the Amazons intact—but the monastery's share? The South Harbor District Office's vermin will pocket eighty percent. Maybe even all of it, leaving us with just a commemorative banner.
Not that he cared. Safely purifying Sophia and pinning the night's chaos on the Xanathar's Guild was reward enough. He gave a slight nod and smiled. "Then we leave it to you, Lady Anno."
As he spoke, Andny's voice whispered in his ear: "Master, the Timber Yard's clear. No traces of Sophia remain. We may withdraw safely."
Good.
Charles inwardly cheered before announcing aloud: "With the monsters eradicated, my sisters and I shall take our leave. Investigations aren't our expertise—we'll leave that to Lady Anno and her comrades."
Anno offered no protest, nodding gently. "You've done enough tonight. We'll handle the rest."
After a pause, she added: "Should we require further cooperation from Priest Charles or your sisters, we'll visit your monastery directly."
Let's hope that never happens.
Charles kept his smile flawless. "You'll have my full cooperation!"
With that, he gestured farewell: "Ms. Porter, Lady Anno, until fate brings us together again. Sisters, let us depart!"
The nuns supported each other as they exchanged farewells before swiftly withdrawing. Watching their figures recede into the distance, Anno sighed admiringly, "Such selfless souls," before turning to rouse her unconscious teammates.
Meanwhile, Porter lingered at the timber yard's doorway, her gaze fixed on Charles's retreating form. Her eyes shimmered with unspoken thoughts as she discreetly swallowed.
A nearby Amazon warrior noticed and chuckled: "Director? In this stench, you can still work up an appetite?"
Porter smirked. "Must it be appetite that makes one swallow?"
The Amazon's eyebrows shot up. "Oh? Have you found quarry? Do share - I'm curious what manner of man could catch your eye!"
Since abandoning their primitive tribal isolation to establish a kingdom, the Amazons had gradually discarded polyandrous traditions. Modern Amazons now sought worthy mates abroad to "harvest seed" before returning home to bear children - still maintaining the custom of sending male offspring south while keeping daughters.
Though recently, these traditions faced challenges. Some career-driven Amazons embraced "childfree doctrines," while others like that one-eyed Amazon guild leader (now one-eyed and lame) formed monogamous bonds with foreign men.
Fortunately, such cases remained rare. Porter and her subordinates at Amazon Fisheries Company still honored the "seed taking" tradition.
At her subordinate's inquiry, Porter nodded toward Charles's distant figure. "That boy. Your thoughts?"
The warrior's smile faded. "His looks are fair... but isn't he rather... frail?" She hesitated before adding diplomatically, "Any daughter of his might struggle to survive the Ordeal... perhaps?"
"True, he appears undernourished," Porter conceded. "But our kingdom's progress proves that with proper meat, eggs and milk from childhood, even poor constitution can be remedied."
"What I covet..." Her throat moved as another hungry swallow escaped, "...is his spellcasting potential."
A trickle of saliva escaped her lips as she continued: "Did you notice? That raw talent... By the gods, he can't be more than sixteen, yet wields such power! Imagine that bloodline..."
Her subordinate tilted her head skeptically: "Director... are you truly lusting after his magic... or just lusting?"
"Scram!"
"As you command..."
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