"Prayer, Verse 3.""May all creation revere the great Dave as their Mother.""The Tenth Penance.""It is the penance of abstinence, neither eating, drinking, nor sleeping.""From Malachi, Chapter 8, Verse 30.""When the Mammonites invaded, Priest Raven built sturdy walls and an altar. Scarecrows were erected on the walls. The Goddess, finding them beautiful, transformed the scarecrows into soldiers of Heaven, and the Mammonites, seeing this, were struck with fear and departed."Ohh-Even the Inquisitors listening around were genuinely impressed by Simon's seamless answers. Metin, seething with malice, had barraged him with questions for nearly twenty minutes without pause, but Simon showed not the slightest tremor."No, Malachi Chapter 8? I don't even remember such details.""Amazing.""Rookie, that's enough, let's go. Why are you so hell-bent on devouring that devout fellow?"Metin gnashed his teeth.It couldn't be. It was absurd. A man reeking of Necromancer was right before his eyes, and he had to just let him go?His teeth ground together. He should have just struck his neck first, instead of interrogating him. If Simon passed the interrogation legitimately like this, wouldn't Metin be forced to prove Simon's piety?"Hey."Senior Inquisitor Baccara frowned. He was also growing annoyed with Metin's stubbornness."We don't have time to be held up here any longer.""Just one. One last thing I'll ask."Metin retorted, as if chewing his words, and leaned his head close to Simon."The Eighth Penance.""It is the penance of enduring four days rolling on boiling sand.""No, not that one."Metin grinned."You said you were an Acolyte, right? Tell me everything, in very minute detail, about what happened for two hours immediately after you finished the Eighth Penance. It wasn't long ago, so you should remember it clearly, right? Stutter, and you're done. Alright, begin."A detailed explanation of a past memory.If it was an experience one hadn't actually gone through, the more one spoke, the more likely mistakes would occur or lies would be added.But Simon, without a hint of panic, inhaled sharply."When I rose after completing the Eighth Penance, my throat was parched, and my skin was peeled, causing extreme pain. At that moment, an elder, who had spread a mat a little distance away and watched my penance for several days...""You wanna die? Why don't you describe his appearance too?""That person, in his fifties, with dark skin, thick eyebrows, and full lips, handed me a water bottle, his forehead creased with wrinkles. He told me I reminded him of his deceased son. His eldest son, who at the young age of sixteen, had overexerted himself with penance, causing his immune system to collapse, and that year, he fell ill and returned to the Goddess's embrace. The elder said he had once resented the Goddess for taking his son so early. But when the elder saw me...""Stop! Stop! That's enough!"Baccara shouted, cutting Simon off.Metin and the other Inquisitors stared at Baccara, their eyes narrowed. Metin's gaze was a protest against stopping the interrogation, while the other Inquisitors' was a protest against cutting off the story at such a crucial moment, but Baccara easily ignored them."I express my gratitude for the cooperation of our devout brother! I apologize for greatly offending you by doubting your faith, even for a moment. Now, let's go!"Baccara and the Inquisitors moved on to the second-class carriage. Metin struggled, insisting on continuing the interrogation until the end, but he was dragged away by his seniors, held by the scruff of his neck.With a thud, the carriage door closed, and the tension finally dissipated. Simon let out a sigh of relief."Is it over?"Just then, Lete, her pure white hair fluttering, walked into the corridor, seemingly having finished her own ordeal."Yeah, somehow we got through it.""Was there any trouble?""Metin was persistent with his questions, but everything was within what we prepared.""It's worth all that memorization to death."She entered the compartment, looking tired, and leaned back against the seat. Simon opened his mouth."I understand why I was held up by that Inquisitor, but why were you so late?"Lete waved her hand dismissively, as if to say 'don't even ask'."Well, they did everything by the book from start to finish. That crazy woman even told me to take off all my underwear! No matter the Inquisitor issue, who does that these days? It's really annoying."She rested her elbow on the window sill, venting her frustration. Simon forced a smile and said,"Is all the hard part over now?""Yes. It's over. We'll go straight to the Tree of Life, so conserve your strength."Of course, that was just their wishful thinking."Happy! Heresy! Inquisition, you bastard!"Metin stubbornly added more heresy interrogation schedules, spending most of his allocated time interrogating Simon.And Simon, who answered smoothly with his shoulders back as if daring him to ask, was no less persistent.The two engaged in a war of nerves, repeating interrogation and answers, ultimately ending with Baccara or the senior Inquisitors dragging Metin away, telling him to stop.Thus, on the second day of the train journey.Simon, exhausted from being tormented by Metin again today, leaned his head against the window with a weary expression."......"Finally, Metin, having gained nothing, was about to move to the next compartment when Lete, who had been staring at his back, called out to him."Inquisitor.""What is it?"Metin turned to her and said. Lete propped her chin on her hand and replied casually."See me for a moment after you're done with the interrogation."A short while later, Metin, having finished the heresy interrogation in other compartments, walked up to Lete. He stood askew, sweeping his hair back, and said,"Did you call for me earlier?"On his way to be called, Metin had tried to subtly ask one more question, but Simon had gone to the restroom and wasn't there.Lete stood up and beckoned with a finger for him to follow, stepping out into the corridor."Ellen senior, you come too for a moment.""Ah, yes!"Lete took Ellen with her and continued walking. They passed through several carriages and entered the cargo hold at the tail end of the train."What is it, Priestess?"Metin said with an annoyed voice."I have official duties to perform this afternoon, so please make it quick.""Ellen senior."Lete turned her head and said."Keep watch.""Huh?"Crack!Ellen's eyes widened abruptly. Metin was clutching his abdomen, staggering.Crunch!This time, Lete kneed him in the nose. He reeled, blood gushing from his nose, and leaned his back against the wall.Lete immediately grabbed Metin by the hair, pulled him forward, and slapped his cheek with a loud smack!"Ah, ah...!"Ellen covered her mouth, trembling in fear. Lete spoke in a low, calm voice."Senior. Keep watch!""Ah, yes, yes!"Thud! Crack! Snap! Thump!The cargo hold became drenched in blood. Metin, bleeding profusely from his nose and mouth, was subjected to one-sided violence, yet he neither blocked nor retaliated. Only his murderous glare remained unchanged."Hey."Lete grabbed Metin by his lapels."You know you're really pathetic, right? Why do you keep bothering him? Are you trying to frame him and me by linking us?"Metin spat on the floor. A single blood-soaked tooth rolled across the ground."I'm just doing my job.""But you don't give a damn about me, do you?"Smack!Another slap sent Metin to the floor for the first time."Are you pissed off?"Lete said, grabbing his Efnel uniform top and tossing it into the air."Then take off your rank and fight, you punk."At her words, Metin grabbed the Inquisitor badge on his uniform, tore it off, and slammed it onto the floor with a thud! He manifested divine power and pulled out a spiked mace from his subspace."You're dead now...!"Crrraaaack!Before Metin could even register it, the sole of Lete's shoe stomped on his face and dragged him against the wall."C-cough...!"A speed he couldn't react to.Overwhelming power.Metin's trembling pupils stared straight ahead. In the dark cargo hold, two golden eyes gleamed ferociously. A snake-like creature was now coiled around her arm.Metin swallowed unconsciously.He was overwhelmed.Is this really a first-year student?"Ugh!"Metin immediately grabbed Lete's white leg, fixing it in place, and swung his other fist. He intended to break her leg, but her left leg, which had been planted on the floor, lifted and kicked Metin's head.Crack!Metin's back flew back, shattering a wooden crate. Buried in grain dust, he coughed violently."Kuaaaah!"Metin immediately extended his right fist and clenched it. Ten divine fangs generated around her flew at the same time, but Lete blocked them by deploying a shield around her body.She clasped her hands together in prayer.Whoosh!A blessing activated, and a gale of divine power erupted from her body. Her white hair grew long enough to touch the floor, and her golden eyes shone brilliantly.<Lete Original - La Venue>Metin swallowed hard at the overwhelming surge of power.Lete extended her right arm, and the mouth of the white dragon coiled around her arm opened wide, a dazzling, prism-colored sword springing forth."I'll slice you until you're on the verge of death."Just as she stomped the floor and was about to charge."Lete! Priestess Lete!"Ellen shrieked in terror."S-someone's coming! They're coming this way!""......"She clicked her tongue. They must have been too noisy in the cargo hold, and a passenger must have reported it to an Inquisitor.Lete deactivated the blessing on her body and said,"Ran."Ran coiled around Metin's body and brought him before her. She crouched down and placed her hand on Metin's face."Ugh! What are you doing?!""Shut up."<Great Heal>Whoosh!Metin's body began to recover rapidly.He was startled. This woman, her healing magic was also quite formidable. Before he could properly say anything, his face had healed. "This is the minimum cleanup. You can go tell your seniors that you got beaten up by an Efnel student, I don't care.""......"She then recalled Ran into her subspace and left the cargo hold with Ellen.Metin sat blankly on the floor. For a moment, he heard Lete and Baccara arguing, then she left, and Baccara entered."Oh, my."Baccara let out a hollow laugh, looking at the messed-up cargo hold and Metin, who was sitting dazed, though unharmed."I knew this would happen. I told you to stop bothering him, didn't I?""......""Were you hit? Be honest. No matter how absolute Efnel's domain is, I can report it to the professors and get some internal disciplinary action taken."Metin staggered to his feet. He then picked up his fallen hat, dusted it off, and put it back on his head."Nothing happened.""Hah, you punk.""And I will continue the interrogation as usual."Metin swayed as he left the cargo hold. Baccara shook his head, watching his retreating back.* * *Returning to his compartment from the restroom, Simon was worried about Lete.She had disappeared without a word and hadn't returned for quite some time. If she had gone to the restroom, the women's restroom was directly opposite, so they should have run into each other.He was about to get up to look for her, thinking something might have happened, when."Why are you standing there awkwardly?"Lete was walking casually down the corridor. Behind her, Ellen was also there, constantly glancing around nervously."I was worried because you disappeared without a word.""I'm not weak enough to need your worry."Lete gestured towards Ellen, who scurried into her own compartment and sat down. Lete also returned to the compartment and sat in the seat opposite Simon.She then let out a sigh, 'Haa'."Something happened, didn't it?""I won't tell you. And it was really nothing."Simon stared at her for a moment, then averted his gaze."If you say so, I'll believe you."Simon offered a faint smile and returned his gaze to the scripture on the desk."......"Belief.She wasn't sure. Could belief truly exist between a Priest and a Necromancer?Lete opened a new bottle of wine.
Please login to track progress