Elden Ring is the property of FromSoftware, and Monster Girl Encyclopedia is the Property of Kenkou Cross. I do not own any of these properties.


Chapter 16: Orphans

Elt's eyes were firmly trained on Sasha's form, his own body moving through the rooftops. His burnt hands and exhaustion did little to slow him down, his legs pushed through the wooden frames of the houses, and he moved through the rocky rooftops with each stride. All for the simple purpose of investigating the girl he called a sister.

Sasha herself moved discreetly, moving through alleyways and crowds in a way that would leave anyone tailing her scratching her head. If Elt hadn't been through his journey through the Lands Between, he would've most certainly lost her. Alas, the need for him to keep track of every enemy in the chaos of the battlefield had given him a keen sense of space and the ability to keep his eyes on his target.

Despite that, Sasha was still making it difficult for him to follow. Had she noticed? It didn't seem so, but it still placed him on edge. He followed her throughout the morning, watching her stop by a few buildings every now and then to heal the sick. He watched her give food to the hungry and heal the sick. He watched her donate money to the homeless and to care for those in need.

It put a small smile on his face; how could it not? This was the Sasha he knew, the kind-hearted big-sister who cared for him and his other siblings. It put him at ease, and at that point he was just tempted to leave her be…

But he didn't…

He couldn't…

Even after seeing all her kind deeds, he still had doubts in his heart. He cursed himself for such an act; he trusted the words of a Baphomet more than the actions of his own adoptive sister. But the Lands Between had taught him to be cautious, to that all that he came to know of. Those lands were hostile and would tear through anyone who fell behind its brutal nature.

And so he continued on, watching her as she moved through the slums helping as many people as she could… but then, she began to make her way through the outskirts and towards Lescatie's wall. He widened his eyes at the sight, following her as she moved. He watched as she peered around, looking to see if there was anyone watching. Elt moved back as a result, avoiding her gaze as she entered a dilapidated church.

Quickly, he followed her. Moving through the streets until he made his way to the front of the church. He took a deep breath as he tried to think of a reason as to why she would come here. Perhaps there was a poor man who lived here, perhaps she makes use of this church as a way to communicate with the gods?

He didn't know, but he intended to find out.

He entered the church through the rooftops, finding a small tear through the stone which allowed him entry. He moved through it, his steps soft and silent, not even creaking under the wooden floor below. He cautiously looked around, trying to see if Sasha was here.

He made his way down, looking around once again only to find the church completely empty. He furrowed his brows as he slowly got up, Sasha was nowhere to be found. He clenched his fists in response, she was good, he'd give her that much.

But he wasn't going to give up that easily. Looking around, he found that there were no other exits in the church other than the front door and the tear in the rooftops. Which meant that it was possible that there was another path in this church that was invisible to his eyes.

He looked around the church, moving furniture around to see if there was anything there but so far, none. He was about to give up when he stepped on a loose plank and almost lost his balance. He paused, looking down as he moved the plank around with his foot.

Kneeling down, he trailed his hand over it to feel it out before stopping. This must be it, the way out she used to leave. He gently pulled the plank of wood out, moving it to the side to find a sizeable tunnel that led to… somewhere. It was small and dark, and no one would've been able to tell unless they pulled out the wooden plank.

It was something that no one would discover unless they did so by accident or they knew where to look. He checked to see if the other planks loosened, and lo and behold, the moment one came out, the others could follow. He pulled two of the planks out, barely enough for him to fit in before he got down.

Sasha must've used magic to reposition them back in place. When it came to her ability in the Arcane arts, she was quite gifted. Not on Mimil's level, certainly but enough for her to be considered a powerful mage even if she didn't go by that description.

He jumped down, crawling through the dirt and dust. He moved through the dark halls, casting a small flame to illuminate his way forward. After a few minutes, he managed to find an opening that lead outside. He climbed out of it, finding himself outside of Lescatie and deep inside one of the forests. He got up, moving around as he tried to find where Sasha was.

He looked down to see a fresh trail that led somewhere, curious. He got up from the trees and followed them from above.

Soon enough, he was once again met with the sigh of Sasha standing by a clearing out in the middle of nowhere. Looking around, he tried to see if she was waiting for something only to find nothing of note. Eventually however, she spoke.

"I know you're there; whoever you are, I have no quarrel with you…" She trailed off, causing Elt to pause as she turned her eyes towards him.

Shit… Elt felt sweat gather on his face, he clutched the tree he was hanging onto before she spoke once more. He widened his eyes, her tone was nothing like what he was used to hearing. Her tone that was usually warm and kind was now hostile and filled with malice. If words alone could kill, then Elt would've died on the spot right then and there.

"Leave me be and I'll spare your life. But stay… and you'll force my hand." She stated, causing Elt to pause. Elt didn't move, he gripped the tree bark tightly, not moving a single step nor saying a single word. Seeing this, Sasha looked down… her eyes were obscured but even Elt could tell that there was sorrow from her voice.

"I see; you leave me with no choice then… may you rest in peace…" She muttered, pulling out her dagger. "And may the Chief God have mercy on your soul…" She finalized before she suddenly disappeared from view. Elt widened his eyes, turning around and pulling out his blade before it met with a dagger. Sparks flew out as Elt's eyes widened at the sight.

Sasha had just aimed for his neck; she was aiming to kill him. He often forgot when he was in her presence, but Sasha was a veteran hero. She was a warrior and someone who the Order looked up to for good reason. And from how her blade moved, it was clear that this wasn't the first time she's done this.

As their blades crossed, Elt's hood came undone. In an instant, Sasha's face transformed before his very eyes. Her cold eyes had widened considerably, and her lips pursed as she maneuvered the blade to avoid his neck. The two were thrown off the tree, both of them landed on their feet as Sasha looked at Elt with her expression filled with Shock.

"E-Elt! Wha-What are you doing here!?" She yelled out, causing Elt to pause before moving his hands up.

"I…I saw you leave the Orphanage, and… I was worried so I followed you-" He muttered. It wasn't a lie; he did follow her due to his worry.

Sasha took a moment to process what she had done; she turned to her knife before she looked on at the blood dripping down. Widening her eyes, she threw the dagger away as she turned to him in horror.

Elt widened his eyes at the sight. His hand moved to his neck before he winced in pain. Moving his hand away, he looked on at it to see the blood dripping down. In that one bout, he was cut in the neck.

"I-I almost… I almost killed you…" She stuttered, causing Elt to move his hands up before he spoke.

"Sasha… it's… it's okay…" He stated, trying his best to calm her down. Her instincts took over; making her way to Elt, she moved her hand over his injury before she healed him. Green light covered his neck; the wound knit itself together as Elt looked on at her.

Her eyes turned to his form, her eyes widened at the sight of his burnt arm. Something he hadn't healed up until this point. He completely forgot about it at this point, he'd grown used to the pain and had ignored it up until now.

"Elt…your… your arm!" She muttered, moving her hands to check it. She looked on at the sight, she wasn't even questioning his current attire or how he managed to follow her all the way here. Nor was she questioning the fact that he, a normal human had managed to evade and counter her strike. She pressed her fingers into his arm, causing Elt to wince slightly due to the pain.

Seeing this, a green light covered his arm as he felt it heal under her magic. As she did, Sasha turned her eyes to him before she spoke up..

"What happened to you?" She asked, causing Elt to look on at her before he thought of an excuse.

"...I got struck by lightning… It's unpleasant, to say the least." He muttered. Once again, a half truth… if she asked him to explain his current wear, he'd just tell her as much as he could without revealing too much.

"...I… see…" Sasha trailed off, her eyes narrowing before she let go of his hands. Moving them up, he had seen that they had mostly healed. However, there were still a few blackened spots, burns still visible to the naked eye.

"I'm sorry Elt but… that's as far as my magic can heal you. I'm afraid that those burnt spots in your hand are permanent, at least until we can find you a better healer." She muttered, head slackened and her tone filled with guilt.

Elt merely smiled at that, placing his burnt arm on her shoulder before he spoke up.

"There is no better healer, Sasha. I don't think anyone else would've been able to heal it to how it originally was, anyways." He muttered, causing Sasha to widen her eyes as a light dusting of pink covered her face. She nodded in response, Elt moving his arm away to check the damage.

'I guess I should start wearing gloves…' He thought, turning his head to the forest before Sasha spoke out.

"If that's all, then you should head back. It's late at night so it's best if you get a good night's sleep." She stated, trying to get him to return before Elt spoke up.

"...No… I'm afraid I can't do that." Elt muttered, his eyes narrowing and turning to Sasha.

That caused Sasha to pause, turning her eyes to Elt before he spoke up once more. "...Sasha… I need to know, please… what are you doing out here in the forest?" He asked, causing Sasha to pause before she looked around. Her eyes started moving around the forest, her hands raised as she tried to think of something to say.

She took a deep breath before she let it out. Elt was stubborn, she knew this. The only way she'd be able to get him to turn back was if she knocked him out or if she cast a sleeping spell on him. Neither of which would do her any good…

Seeing no other option, she turned to Elt before she spoke up once more.

"Elt, promise me this… whatever you see, you won't tell anyone else. Not even Primera… and especially not the Inquisition." She asked, causing Elt to widen his eyes before he thought.

That caused Elt to pause, his eyes turning to his uniform before he widened his eyes. She did notice it then, but she didn't question him on it. That was… strange, perhaps Primera told her about it, and questioning her would be redundant. No, even then Sasha would certainly ask him about it.

There was something really off here, and he needed to find out.

"...I… promise…" Elt replied, doubts in his voice before Sasha nodded. That slight pause caused Sasha to reconsider, but with him being all the way out here, there was little they could do now.

"...Alright, I trust you… so please…" She muttered before she pulled her cloak up and moved. Elt followed suit, pulling his hood up as he followed Sasha deeper into the forest.


A blonde-haired, green-eyed woman stood in front of a mountain of files and documents. All of which were gathered from various sources within and outside of the Inquisition. All of this information was for one person and one person only.

Elt, the junior Inquisitor who she recently met.

He was kind, good-natured, and he had a certain innocence in his eyes. That made him a stranger to her, for what Inquisitor could be any of those qualities? An Inquisitor must be cold, they must be hardened, they must be willing to do whatever it took. Which was why she didn't feel as if she belonged. Nevertheless, she had a duty to fulfill as a member of the Inquisition and the sole Rejulia daughter.

If there was one area where Aria outshone her brother, it was sheer tenacity and drive. When given a mission, she was not one to cut corners. And so she compiled as much as she could on her current target, which she was surprised to find that there was quite a bit of information on the man. Most of the time, a commoner like Elt wouldn't have much on them. Commoners were just too minuscule, too irrelevant in the grand scheme.

But Elt? No, Elt had multiple files that had his name. Though most of these weren't on Elt himself. They were files for different heroes and notable individuals. Files on heroes like Mersé Dascaros, Primera Concerto, Sasha Fullmoon. Files on even members of the highest elites, like Princess Francisca and Wilmarina Noscrim.

That one caused her to widen her eyes somewhat, cupping her chin in thought. That was an absurd amount of connections for one man. She didn't know anyone else, commoner or otherwise, who had a relation to this many notable individuals. This made him all the more suspicious in her eyes. There was no way that this could be a simple coincidence, something higher must've been at play here.

It was either that he was a master manipulator, forging connections with notable individuals. Or… it was just a coincidence that he happened to be connected to all of these people.

Either way, it made him a dangerous individual in her eyes. With this much influence coming from a commoner, who knows how much he could do if he could rally all of them together.

But at least now she had a lead… she was stated to gather as much information on the man as possible. But where to start…

Aria looked upon the files, her form scanning each paper as she calculated her best move. She tried to formulate a timeline of events, using these files alone as a guide.

'...Let's see… he served as a servant to the Noscrim family' She thought to herself, placing the file the Inquisition had on Noscrim, Well… the one on Wilmarina, at least, on the wall. The Inquisition had a lot of files on Noscrim, most of which they were trying to use to incriminate him for as much as possible. Though, Aria doubted 5hat they did that due to the kindness of their hearts.

'...He was playmates with both Wilmarina Noscrim and Princess Francisca, before the former became a hero and the latter was hidden from the public.' She added, this time pinning the file on Francisca on the wall before connecting the files with a string.

'At age 10, his parents were dishonorably discharged from his work… allegedly because of an affair he had with Priest Noscrim's wife.' She added, placing a note on the wall that said parents discharged before connecting it to the Wilmarina's file with a string.

'His parents died soon after, and he was then transferred over to the Fullmoon orphanage where he then made contact with the yet to be hero Sasha Fullmoon…' She added, placing Sasha's file on the wall before connecting it to the rest.

'Subsequently, he then made contact with the Hero Primera… who isolated herself within the forests soon after… occasionally being sighted to enter the Fullmoon Orphanage around every week or so.' She thought, placing Primera's file on the wall before pinning it with a string.

'Around a few years later, at age 15… he joined Mersé Dascaros' unit and was sent off to a few minor missions. Most of it just involved reconnaissance or acting as guards… no real combat for the subsequent year or so.' She added, placing Mersé's file on the wall.

'Along the way, he made contact with Mimil Miltie… who then began visiting him regularly for a reason that none could discern.' She added, placing Mimil's file on the wall before moving a few steps back.

That was the extent of what the files told her, but it just wasn't enough. There were holes in the timeline, gaps within the events that made her head scratch. An example of this is how he was then found by Inquisitor Akito, and his turn into a Junior Inquisitor.

If he was already serving as a soldier, then he should've signed off first from Mersé's unit. Something that would leave a file or anything of the sort. But no, nothing as of yet. It was obvious that digging through the files alone won't get her the information that Albain needed. If it did, then she had no doubts that Albain himself would've just investigated this himself.

She needed something more concrete, something that would fill the gaps and show her what was so strange about the man. She thought about it at first, placing a finger under her chin as she thought. Then an idea hit her…

'If I investigate one of these six, then there's a chance that I'll be able to find something on Elt.' She thought, turning to face the various files on the wall.

But who to investigate and how to go about it? She couldn't just head straight to said heroes and ask them directly. Well… she could, but as heroes, they have more influence than she did. They could just outright ignore her and no one would bat an eye. No, if she wanted to investigate these people she needed to be discreet.

She looked at the files, scanning each of them to see who would be the easiest to investigate. Immediately, both Wilmarina and Fransisca were out. They were too influential, and one's hadn't even appeared in public in years. Mimil Miltie was out; the college she goes to was just too discrete, too closed off so there was little she could question. Primera then? No, while she doesn't have the influence, all she does all day is stay in a dark forest or occasionally leave to do her duties or help out the Orphanage.

Merse Dascaros? Perhaps, but she's also a risky one. The last time an Inquisitor tried to question her, a brawl almost started. If she was discovered in any way shape or form, it's quite possible that Merse would act against her. That left only one…

'Sasha Fullmoon…' She thought to herself, picking up Sasha's file before reading it.

She's quite the public figure, so there's a lot of information on her. But despite that, she was also one of the unknown figures in Lescatie. She has influence, certainly, but she wasn't one to make use of it. At least not for any nefarious purposes. As a bonus, Elt also lives with her so she must have information on him.

"I have my target now… but how do I go about this…?" She muttered, moving back before she sat on one of the chairs. She crossed her legs, leaning back into the backrest as she gazed upon the map she created. Her eyes narrowed like how Albain's narrowed whenever he had a plan.

"I guess it's time I make use of my father's assets." Aria muttered. Her eyes turned to the window; beyond it lay Lescatie's lower slums. It was the ugly truth, but people would do anything down there for the money. Even if it meant selling out one of their own, even if it meant selling out someone as kind as Sasha.

"...Albain might not approve but…" She muttered, getting up as she did. She stretched her arms.

The Rejulia family was one of the richest in lescatie. They had more gold than most other families, and their wealth was said even to put nations to shame.

"...He did say to make use of everything I can… and our money is certainly within my reach." She stated, moving towards the door before she pulled the candle to her mouth.

"I just hope Elt would forgive me for this." She muttered with a sigh before she blew the candle, and the room was covered in darkness once more.


Elt and Sasha moved through the forest; as they did, Sasha continuously looked around to see if they were being tailed. Was it paranoia, perhaps, but it just made Elt more worried than anything else. As a result, he too began looking around to see if they were being tailed. Luckily, nothing so far, but it certainly scared him slightly.

After a while, they eventually made their way through the forest and a building began peeking through the forest. Elt rose his brow at that, his blue eyes scanning the forests before they eventually made their way up. He widened his eyes at the sight, it was an abandoned church, all the way in the middle of nowhere. Moss grew on the sides, the glass was broken and he could tell that it had certainly seen some better days.

Looking around, he found that it was surrounded by a small flower bed and was lightly illuminated by the low moonlight. It made for a scenic view if Elt had anything to say.

"What is this place?" He suddenly voiced, causing Sasha's form to turn to him before she spoke in a low voice.

"You'll see… just… don't freak out, please…" She stated, causing Elt to turn to her in confusion before he nodded dumbly. Soon, she took a deep breath and returned her own nod. She turned to the door, pulling it open to reveal.

"Big Sis Sasha!" One of them yelled out, running to her before she was pulled into a hug. Children of all kinds came out of the orphanage, each to greet Sasha in their own way.

"Big Sis, we missed you!" Another one of the kids stated.

"Miss Sasha… I… I-" Another one began, but from the sounds of things she didn't know what to say. That caused Sasha to smile warmly at the girl, she moved towards her before she placed a hand over her head.

"How have you been, Adelie." She stated with a small smile, rubbing her hand over the child's hair. This caused the strands of her hair to move around, along with the pig ears that sat atop her head.

That caused Elt to pause, his eyes widened at the sight before him. Monsters… these were all monsters standing before him. On instinct, his hand moved slightly to his blade.

"I've been doing great Big Sis, I… I made a drawing with the chalk you brought us." She stated, slightly shy in her tone before her eyes turned to Elt. On instinct, she took a step back before she looked on at him with fear.

"M-Miss Sasha…" She stuttered, causing Elt to freeze before he turned to his hand. He was holding the hilt of his blade as if he was ready to slay them all. His eyes turned to the kids, their eyes all turned to him as a fearful look graced their faces.

They all huddled behind Sasha, her form smiling before she turned to Elt.

Looking on at the scene, Elt took a deep breath as he processed the information. Slowly, he pulled his blade out… causing the kids and even Sasha to look on in shock. That was before he dropped it on the ground, raising his hands up before he spoke.

"I… mean no harm?" He muttered, his tone slightly cautious and just as confused. He didn't really know what to say, his eyes turned to the kids who all stood there in silence. Sasha just sighed at that, turning to the children before she spoke.

"Get inside, little ones. I need to talk to big brother Elt over here…" She muttered with a soft smile, causing the group to turn to her. They slowly nodded, their eyes turning to Elt before they all went inside.

Once they were all inside, Sasha did nothing but stand up and turn to Elt. She took a deep breath, her eyes looking away as if she was ashamed of what she had done.

"You probably have a lot of questions… and a lot of things to say…" She began, causing Elt to move his hand up before he spoke.

"Sasha-" He began, but was cut off when Sasha began to speak again.

"I know… what I showed you was stupid… that I put you, Primera, and the Orphanage at risk with what I did." She continued, her voice getting louder. She took a deep breath, and a few more after that. She was trying to calm herself down, but with Elt here she now had an outlet to vent all of her frustrations.

"Sasha…" He tried to say, only to be cut off.

"I'm a sinner, Elt… I'm… I'm a sinner… I helped monsters… monsters we were supposed to hate, monsters we were supposed to kill without hesitation." She continued, her tone growing more frustrated and guilt dripping with every syllable.

"Sasha…" He tried again, only to be cut off again.

"I can't even hear the gods anymore… I lost my power to hear the Chief God, the one power that symbolized my allegiance to the Order." She added, her form began to caused Elt to pause and widen his eyes, his form turning to Sasha as she spoke.

This time, Elt didn't try to interrupt. Having her finish everything that she had to say about the situation she found herself in. The situation that she dragged Elt into now as well.

"So say it, say how stupid I am… Say how idiotic I've been to risk your and Primera's life over the lives of monsters! I've endangered you two, I've betrayed the Order… I've done all of this, and I received no punishment in return…" She muttered, her form getting low as she turned to Elt.

"...Sasha…" He muttered, trying to see if she'd interrupt, once he confirmed that she won't say anything else. Elt sighed before he walked up to her. Before he could get to her however, the door opened to revealed the small Orc child. Adelie, if he remembered correctly as she ran up to Sasha before hugging her, looking on at Elt with fearful eyes.

"D-Don't hurt her!" She yelled out,

"I-If you are going to hurt her… hurt… hurt me instead!" Adelie yelled out, causing Elt to pause as he looked on at the scene with wiede eyes. He walked forward, causing Adelie to hug Sasha tightly, tears threatening to move out of her eyes.

Elt stood there in silence; his views on monsterkind had been in doubt ever since that time he fought the amazon. But now… now it was truly disproven. Everything the order taught him ad been wrong, and now… he just wanted to correct it.

Once Elt stood just before Sasha, he opened his mouth once more to speak.

"Sasha… this is…" He muttered, trailing off as he did. That caused Sasha to look down in shame, waiting to see what he had to say. She betrayed his trust and potentially jeopardized her own siblings.

He then smiled, an act that caught Sasha off guard before he spoke up.

"It's just like you." He stated, not an ounce of hatred or disappointment in his voice. No shame in what she's done, not even a single feeling of shock at the revelation.

"...I'm sorry…" She muttered, her tone soft as it was hopeful. Elt shook his head, sighing at the act before speaking up again.

"Don't ever apologize for helping people… especially when it comes to helping kids in need." He stated, causing her to tilt her head and speak up.

"...But… I risked your and Primera's life… if the Inquisition found out, then you'd be at risk." She stated, causing Elt to place a hand over her shoulder.

If he scolded her for that, then he would be a hypocrite. His agreement with Akito was already putting Primera and the Orphans at great risk. He put their lives at risk for even pledging to keep Merridith safe. What he did was just as, if not more dangerous than what Sasha did. Should he be mad? Yes, of course, he should.

But he wasn't, for this was the same Tarnished that slaughtered thousands for a selfish goal. This was the Tarnished who slew the very gods. The same Tarnished who rebelled against the divine, a sin greater than anything Sasha could bear. The moment he unlocked his memories was the moment he lost faith in the Chief God… or any respect for the divine for that matter.

In a way, he was kind of proud of her. Strange, since it's usually the other way around in these sorts of things.

"Your mother also placed the orphanage at great risk, letting me and Primera in. You know how much trouble she could've gotten herself into if Noscrim found out I was in her orphanage… would you call her a sinner?" He asked, causing Sasha to look up at Elt.

She pursed her lips, not knowing what to say. She opened them, as of she wanted to tell him something but in the end she couldn't speak.

"Sasha… I've never seen you so vulnerable; it must've been hard for you after all this time…." He sighed, lifting her up before he dusted her clothes with his hands.

He looked at Sasha with a smile, his eyes looking on at the orphanage before speaking up again.

"...I don't want to be a bother to you, so… I'll just try and stand aside and let you handle things. I'll try to help out as much as I can though." He stated, scratching the back of his head. This caused Sasha to look on at him before a small smile came to her face, she held his hand before she turned to the Orphanage. The kids looked on at the scene with wide eyes before she spoke.

"Do you want me to introduce them to you?" She asked, causing Elt to turn to her before he spoke up.

"I'd be glad to." He replied. With a smile on her lips, she pulled Elt into the Orphanage by the hand.


"...What is the meaning of this?" A voice asked, his tone quiet as it was neutral.

A man stood in a room, his form leaning into the desk. Books were scattered all around him, and on the desk, he leaned on were a bunch of files that were rudely placed on the desk by the man standing before him. The first man wore an armor unlike any other, a pure white set with a crown-shaped helm that sat atop it.

The other man was a clergyman if his clothes were to be believed. A man of the Chief God, a cardinal with much sway in Lescatian Politics. He wore a biretta over his head, a red cassock sat on his body as a red mozzetta covered his form. Along with that, a ring sat on his fingers. On his neck was a symbol not of the Chief God, but the Golden Order. A symbol that he wore not in public but when in the presence of his fellow Golden Order adherents.

Queen Marika's Cross.

"I want out, Ofnir." He stated, his eyes turning to the man before Ofnir sighed.

"You want out? May I at least know why it is that you want to leave, Alfonsi?" He asked, Gideon Ofnir tilted his head, his eyes scanning the man who turned to the files on the desk.

He gestured to the files; each of the letters speak of the delivery of certain goods. Exotic birds, Pork, Wine, and more. To the naked eye, these may seem like normal letters. After all, goods like these enter Lescatie every day. But to those like the nobleman standing before Gideon Ofnir, they knew exactly what these letters truly meant.

"I'm not a fool, Ofnir," Alfonsi stated, his eyes turning to the letters before he spoke.

"You and this Order are smuggling monsters into Lescatie. Do you not realize the consequences this could have for me or my family if word gets out." He added, his tone anxious as it was distressing.

"If, Cardinal Alfonsi. The Inquisition won't find out." Gideon added, causing Alfonsi to scowl before he slammed his hand onto the desk.

"If!? You said the same thing about the witch, and look what happened!" He added, causing Ofnir to pause before he looked at the man with a tilted head.

"That was because it was handled by House Morrigan; those fools don't know how to keep a secret if their life depended on it. But us, we're more discreet… you need not worry." Gideon added calmly, causing the man to shake his head before he spoke.

"E-Even still… it's not a guarantee. Look, I just want to leave this Order… I won't tell anyone about this, I swear to the Greater Will." He stated, his tone getting nervous before Gideon Ofnir looked on at the man before he spoke.

"You swear? You also swore to serve the Greater Will until death, that alone tells me that these oaths of yours mean little." Ofnir retorted, causing the man to pause before Ofnir sighed and moved towards him.

"You are tired, Alfonsi." He added, placing a hand over his shoulder before he spoke.

"Look at the desk; all you see here are letters about deliveries made by noble families. Nothing too incriminating, and nothing of real note. Isn't that right?" he asked, his tone neutral but his intent was clear.

Alfonsi looked upon the desk, his form taking a deep breath before he found a palm on his head. He turned to Gideon Ofnir with a tired look on his face, nodding shakily as he did.

"You- You're right, Sir Gideon… I… I was just tired, I suppose." He added, causing the man to squeeze his shoulder lightly as a sign of good faith.

"That's right, you're tired, and you need a moment to rest. Go home, Alfonsi, I'll handle things from here." He stated, patting the man in the back who turned to him and nodded. He took a deep breath, bowing towards Gideon Ofnir before he spoke up once more.

"Forgive me for my impudence tonight, My Lord… I was… simply not thinking straight." He added, causing Gideon Ofnir to nod before he spoke up.

"If nothing else, then you are dismissed." Gideon Ofnir stated, which caused Alfonsi to bow once more before he left.

Once gone, Gideon Ofnir's eyes turned to the corner of the room. Out in the shadows away from view stood a man in decrepit skeleton armor. His form silent and unwavering, his eyes soulless and lacking in light. He walked forward, his eyes staring straight at Sir Gideon's form before he bowed.

"That fool is going to be the death of us. You know what to do, Ensha." He stated, causing the man to nod before he got up.

"Use this to send a message to the rest of those Lescatian fools who serve us. Such blatant cowardice is not welcome here." He added, causing the man to nod. With that, he disappeared into the night.


Alfonsi Venturi sat on a carriage, his form anxious as it was relieved. A paradoxical combination, but one that gripped his heart. He was a cardinal, an adherent, and a loyal follower of the Chief God… or at least, he was. He was so young back then, a bright-eyed loyal adherent who studied the scriptures and faithfully placed his trust in the Chief God. He was recently blessed with a son, and his wife was awaiting his return home to Leóros.

Leóros was the capital of the Order itself, the Holy seat of the entire faith. As long as it stood, mankind still had a chance against the monstrous horde. It was home to the Papacy, of his Holy Mother Church. Guarded by the Loyal Knights of the Cavaliere Venatores, an elite Order of Knights that equaled or even surpassed the Order of the Ice-Flower. Valkyries roamed the skies, offering blessings and protection to those who desired it.

Their leader was someone who was said to rival or even surpass Wilmarina Noscrim in strength. A true knight of the Order who served the Chief God faithfully. It was a beautiful land, and from the outside, it was one he admired greatly.

Any outsider would, all that marble, pearls, and gold showered around the place. Anyone would've seen Leóros as a true paradise on the lands.

But as he looked inward, he saw the disgusting reality around him. Corruption, disease, heresy, and blasphemy were ripe. And these were from those he once considered loyal adherents. These were not true men of faith; they were greedy men who believed themselves superior to even the Chief God. They spout their teachings, their scriptures, and their laws, but they follow none of it.

It disgusted Alfonsi to his core, and that disgust only heightened when he was sent to Lescatie. Out there, they at least tried to hide it. But over here, the disgust was laid bare for him to see. He prayed every day for answers, reasons as to why this was the way things were.

But all that met him was silence. Every silent response only brought him further and further down. The God he once admired and faithfully adhered to had become a being of abhorrence, and in search of salvation, they reached out.

They offered him a new path, one where a true God of the Order lay. And in his desperation, he followed them willingly.

But now, he had doubts. He's seen what they do and knows what they're capable of. They're a dangerous group, but one he could not act against. He just wanted out, to return to his wife and child and just live with them in relative peace. But such a thing was impossible now; all he could hope to do was to try and hold on until the vassal arrived.

He sighed, placing his hand on his head. He leaned back, turning to the window as his carriage moved through the rocky road. It was dark, and the only source of light was the lantern that sat on his coachman's side.

In the darkness, however, a shadow moved.

Ensha looked on at the carriage, his hollow eyes turning coldly at the sight. He moved his head down, looking at his horse before checking his blade before turning to Alfonsi's carriage.

With a simple tap from his feet, his horse moved into a full gallop towards the carriage.

The coachman looked on, his eyes tired from the journey. The sun wasn't up yet, and he hadn't slept in a long time. So his eyes failed to catch the galloping death that moved next to his carriage.

Alfonsi turned his eyes to the window, his eyes almost falling to sleep before they widened at the sight next to him. Ensha looked on at the window, darkened eyes meeting with the terrified look of Cardinal Alfonsi. Alfonsi turned to his coachman, opening his mouth to scream but it was too late.

Ensha took out an oil pot, lighting it ablaze before throwing it at the coachman. The result was instantaneous; the man burned along with his horses. Their screams echoed throughout the night, but no one would be able to hear them.

The horses crashed onto the trees, causing the carriage to careen and crash onto the woods. Alfonsi bore the brunt, his body slammed across the carriage as it moved. He grits his teeth, feeling the blood that threatened to spill out of his mouth.

Once the carriage stood still, Cardinal Alfonsi moved to escape. He gripped the carriage doors, trying his best to pry them open. The blazing inferno followed closely behind, its fiery pits burning like the raging sun as Alfonsi struggled to get out.

"H-Help! HELP!" He shouted, but no one came to rescue him.

With nothing left, he got on his knees before he began to pray. Reaching out to a god he had long abandoned.

"Orare pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum… Orare pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum… Orare pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum" He prayed, asking for forgiveness from the God he betrayed.

"Please… God… I don't want to die… I want to see dear Christina again… I want to see little Simone…" He prayed, tears flowing from his eyes before the carriage door suddenly burst open.

He widened his eyes, seeing a way out he had reached his hand outwards. Only for it to be grabbed by a demon with a skull's head. Ensha pulled the cardinal out, his hollow eyes gazing on at his form. Alfonsi's eyes widened, his thoughts couldn't even catch up with what happened next.

On Ensha's hand was a bone that clung to his skin; using it, he skewered it deep in Alfonsi's chest. His eyes widened as he felt his organs pierced by the bone. He spat out blood, covering Ensha's face with its red hue. But Ensha didn't move; he didn't even react. To him, this was just another job for his lord and master. Another life to take, much like that Albaunaric village.

Alfonsi's eyes turned to Ensha, his form bleeding. His life was slipping away, but he offered one final prayer in his final moments. "Deus enim me vindicabit…" For God will Vindicate Me… He could not do anything against them in life, but in his death the Golden Order shall suffer.

He placed him down, his from falling into the inferno of the carriage. He felt his body burn; his flesh turned to ash. His eyes gazed at Ensha, filled with fear and contempt. Ensha stood coldly, watching as his life drained.

When Alfonsi finally perished, Ensha lit another pot before throwing it at the carriage. No evidence shall be left here, and Alfonsi's corpse would be rendered unrecognizable. There was nothing Alfonsi had that would ever trace them back to anyone.

Satisfied, Ensha got on his horse before he rode off. He didn't even take a second to look at the burning pile he left.

But, as the night went on and the raging fire had turned into nothing but a smoldering heap. Alfonsi's hands cradled a single item, a single artifact that Ensha had failed to take into account.

For in his hands was Queen Marika's Cross, a symbol of the Golden Order left for the world to see.

Deus enim me vindicabit.

And God hath answered thee.


Elt sat by a rock near the flower bed in Sasha's secret orphanage. He watched as Sasha gathered the children around to teach them how to read. Seeing her point at her books and teach them things that you usually only teach humans was an amusing sight. Looking at them, though, it looked like the monsters behaved more than the human children he usually had to deal with.

That was strange; he'd thought the monsters would be rowdier and more chaotic to deal with, but no. They were all well-behaved, each sitting in lines as Sasha taught them how to read and write using things she bought from the market.

Of course, not all the monsters were there. Some did their own things, playing in the yard or sleeping in the orphanage. He himself was just sitting here and doing his own thing, in his case, making garlands out of the flower beds near the orphanage. He wanted to help, but the children were just too scared to even approach him.

Sasha didn't seem to mind, telling him that he didn't need to force him to do anything. He should've left, returned back to the Orphanage and to Fortress Maxim but he wanted to stay and see what this orphanage was all about.

He continued to make his garland. Somehow, out of everything, this just seemed to be the one he was the best at. He could honestly start making Garlands to sell, but doing so would take time away from his duties as a soldier.

The last time he made a garland was just a few days back, when he was on that journey with Wilmarina Noscrim. Ironic, now he was doing it in front of monster children. He took a small purple flower from the bed, adding it to the garland before he made a beautiful crown.

He held it up, looking on at it. He turned it, flipping it around and checking the edges to see if there were any imperfections. He nodded to himself, satisfied with his work before he leaned back onto the rock.

He turned to the side, only to be met with the sight of a small orc girl staring at him.

"...Uh…" He began, looking on at the girl before he spoke up again.

"Adelie, right?" Elt asked, causing the girl to nod before she pointed at the garland he made.

"Pretty…" She muttered, causing Elt to turn to the garland in his hand before he turned back to Adelie.

"Oh, this? It is pretty, isn't it?" He asked, giving a small smile as he held the garland out for her to see.

Adelie nodded, her eyes turning to the garland before she flinched. Elt had suddenly placed the garland on her head, her eyes looked up and her hands moved to feel it. The garland drooped down her head, her eyes turning up as she tried to keep it on but to no avail.

Seeing this, Elt gave a small smile before he leaned forward and looked at the girl.

"...It's a little too big for you, isn't it?" He asked, causing Adelie to nod sadly before a thought came to mind. He looked up at the sky, checking what time it was before turning back to Adelie. It should be alright if he stayed and taught her.

"So why don't I teach you how to make one yourself, that way… you can make them in any size that you want?" He asked, causing Adelie to look up before sparkles formed in her eyes.

"I-I can do that?" She muttered, her eyes turning to Elt who smiled at her before ruffling her hair.

"Of course… so, shall we?" He asked, Adelie, turned to him once more. Nodding as she did before Elt suddenly got up and sat on the flower bed to make it easier for him to work.

"Alright then… well, first you have to-" He started, picking up a flower before Adelie did much the same.

He didn't know how long they sat there, time just seemed to fly as he taught Adelie how to make one. His eyes turned to the monsters Sasha was teaching, they were all just looking on attentively at her as she taught. He wondered how she managed to do that, what form of power she had to get a bunch of kids to listen to her.

He didn't know, but it was that same charm that made her someone truly special.

Elt turned to Adelie, she was struggling slightly with her garland. Seeing this, Elt moved to help her. He took one of her hands, gently guiding her through the process before she finally made one for herself.

"...Pretty… but ugly too." She commented, causing Elt to sputter before he turned to the garland she made.

She had a point there; the garland was… okay. It wasn't anything special, and it was clear that it was done by an amateur. But overall, for her first-time garland, it was pretty good.

"Don't say that, it's your work so you should be proud." He stated, taking it before placing it atop her head.

"All of its imperfections just accentuate the beauty of it… it's… just like life, in a way… after all, no one'sreally perfect." He muttered, his eyes turning downcast before he shook his head. He didn't know what he was saying, now was not the time to spout philosophies to a monster not even old enough to say anything.

Adelie nodded at that, sparkles in her eyes as she did. She then moved to hug him, an act that caught him by surprise. Even more so by the fact that he felt a wetness on his chest, the girl was crying for some reason.

"H-Hey… what's wrong…" Elt asked, turning his head down before Adelie spoke.

"Please… please help Miss Sasha…" Adelie muttered, causing Elt to widen his eyes before he spoke up.

"...Why? Is there something going on?…" Elt asked, his brow raising before the girl spoke.

"She's being bullied by a bad monster." She stated. That caused Elt to pause, his eyes turning to her before he pulled her away with two hands. He grasped her shoulder, holding her firmly before he leaned in.

"...Adelie… I need you to tell me…" Elt said, causing Adelie to look on at him with wide eyes before he spoke up once more.

"What did this monster look like?" Elt asked,

Adelie paused, her eyes looking up as she tried to recall what she saw. She remembered her vividly, her blood-red eyes, her hair as dark as the abyss. Out of everyone who ever entered that Orphanage, only she truly fit the moniker of monster.

"...Black hair, goat horns… scary red eyes…" She muttered. That caused Elt to freeze, his eyes turning to Sasha. He watched on as she taught her students, a smile on her face as she did. He remembered the words Merridith told him.

'The Caretaker Carries a Great Sin.'

It looks like this Orphanage wasn't the end of it… but… this made things monumentally difficult in his eyes. He can't just report his findings to Akito; if he did, all of these kids would surely be in danger. Neither could he tell Mimil; doing so could lead her to act drastically. Primera? Perhaps, but she could get impulsive at times.

Lucas? He could trust him at least; the boy was loyal to him and him alone. But this greatly reduced the people he could turn to.

"...I… see…" Elt said, turning to Adelie before he spoke again.

"Adelie… do you know when the monster keeps coming to her here." He asked, causing Adelie to shake her head.

"She just comes when she wants to… I don't know the next time she'll be here." Adelie admitted, feeling guilty as she did before Elt sighed and got up.

That made things difficult for him, but he wanted to save all of these people without risking any of them. Getting rid of this Baphomet sat at the top of his priority list, and Sasha was his only real lead on the matter.

If anyone knew where the Baphomet would be, it would be her.

He paused, remembering Merridith's words before he clenched his fists together. She knew that he'd come here, that he'd see these orphans. She was leading him to her, and at the end of this road may very well be a trap. But The Baphomet has no idea how much has changed since back then.

He has allies now, allies he can at least trust when it came to dealing with Kuroferuru. The deal he had with Rylan stated that he wasn't here to kill her, just to drive her off Lescatie.

Elt watched the scene before him, it's probably been an hour at least and the class' attention was still squarely on Sasha. As much as he wanted to, he didn't want to confront her about it here. He'll wait until she's finished, and when she is, he'll ask her about it.

"...Don't worry, Adelie… that monster isn't gonna bother Sasha anymore… I won't let her." He stated, causing Adelie to look up at him with wide eyes before she nodded.

He turned his eyes to the sky, to the moon. His eyes narrowed at the sight, he clenched his fists, ignoring the remaining burns on his hand.

"I swear it…"


Inside a certain room in Fortress Maxim, Akito stood at the edge of death. Indeed, being in the presence of two very displeased heroes who were awaiting the arrival of a certain Junior Inquisitor would be very bad for your health. Akito honestly had no idea why this was happening to him of all people. Was it karma? All those snarky and borderline blasphemous things he said finally came to bite him in the ass. It's been hours since they last saw him, hours since he watched the boy leave.

He didn't really know, but what he did know was that he should probably figure out what to say lest he is blasted by a torrent of both magic and arrows.

"...Where is Elt." The green-haired elf asked, her brow raising as she looked on at him with arms crossed.

"Ah, funny story there. You see, when I came to fetch him it turned out that he had a really bad case of diarrhea. So he's probably out somewhere… taking a large shit, or something." He tried to say, neither Primera nor Mimil was amused by what he just said.

"If you don't say it, you're walking out of this room with one less pair of balls," Primera said crudely, causing Mimil to sputter and Akito to laugh slightly. Mostly at the statement itself, but also at the audacity to say that to an Inquisitor of all people.

"Alright, alright… Chief God, I was just joking." He stated with a shrug before he sighed. He didn't really give any oath of secrecy, so he felt that it was alright to let them know what Elt said that he was going to do.

"He said that he was going to meet with the little shit…" He stated, his eyes trailing to Mimil before he spoke with an amused smirk.

"The uh… other… little shit." He added, causing Mimil's eyes to twitch before she spoke up.

"Call me that again and… and I'll…" Mimil threatened, stuttering as she did. Her staff glowed before Akito shrugged.

"Threaten me when you're at least half my height, little girl." He stated nonchalantly, causing Mimil's eyes to twitch further. Leave it to Akito to insult two of some of the most powerful heroes in Lescatie and get away with it. He was either incredibly arrogant or just borderline suicidal…

From the looks of things, it might be both.

Whatever's going on inside Akito's head was his alone to know. But for now, such thoughts matter little in the grand scheme. All that mattered to the group was where Elt was and what he was currently up to.

"So you're telling me is that he's with that suspicious little asshat?" Primera stated, causing Akito to turn to her. He simply nodded at that, no snarky remark, no comment, just a simple nod.

"Great, isn't that great…" She muttered, her eyes turning slightly downcast before she shook her head. Primera didn't know how to feel; she didn't even know what to think. She felt Elt had been increasingly… distant if she had anything to say about it.

There was something off about him, something he wouldn't tell her. Was she not worth telling? He seems to trust that child more than he does her. she furrows her brows in thought. Was it shame or envy that drove her so suddenly? Only she truly knew, and even then she'd never admit it.

"I'd rather not be called suspicious, but… I suppose that it is only a matter of perspective." A voice called out, the group turned their head to the door. In front of it stood the little boy, the same subject of their current talk.

"You…" Primera muttered with a glare, her eyes turning to Lucas who just stood there nonchalantly. He moved to one of the seats, sat down, and looked upon the group with a tilted head.

"Is there something wrong? You all seem to be quite intent on staring at me." He stated, causing Primera to look on at him before she spoke.

"Where's Elt?" Primera asked, causing Lucas to tilt his head before he spoke.

"Ah, Elt. Yes, he's going to do something and told me to come here in his stead." He stated. Technically not a lie, Elt was going to do something. Seeing as how he was done with Merridith's interrogation, he figured that he should come here in order to make sure that they don't go looking for him.

"..." Primera did not look convinced; if anything, she looked more suspicious than anything else. She took her bow, causing both Akito and Mimil to widen their eyes before they watched her point it towards Lucas. He raised his brow, watching as an arrow formed from her bow.

He leaned back, waiting for Primera to say something before she opened her mouth to speak.

"Where is Elt?" She asked again, causing Lucas to sigh before he spoke up.

"... I never really answered that question, have I? I apologize then, but I'm afraid that I have no idea of his precise whereabouts." He muttered Primera's brow furrowed, and in that instance, an arrow flew.

It whipped past Lucas' face, embedding itself into the couch behind him. Lucas didn't react, he didn't even flinch. He simply sighed before he turned to her.

"I know that you are unsatisfied with my answer, but please remember that I am your ally here." He stated.

"Are you?" Primera asked, her brow raising before she pointed another arrow at him.

"All you've ever done is withhold information, you showed up to us during our fight with the Baphomet and you somehow single-handedly kept her at bay." She muttered, causing Mimil to raise her brow before she turned to Lucas.

"-You…You did what" She muttered, eyes wide as she looked on at him.

Right, she hasn't heard about that part yet. Mimil knew that they faced a Baphomet, but she always thought that it had been a team effort on their part.

"...I'll tell you about it later, Master. But first, I need to deal with this… before it gets any more complicated." Lucas stated, turning his eyes towards Primera who still had her bow pointed at her.

"It's only been a few days, but we still don't know who you are… no, we don't even know what you are." She stated, moving a step forward as Lucas narrowed his eyes.

"You talk like you know Elt, that he's your lord. But in my years of knowing him, I've never even heard him talk about you." She stated, pulling on her bow string before turning it to Lucas.

"I've never seen of your face, never heard of your magic, I've never even heard your name… so tell me, who the hell are you?" She stated, narrowing her eyes as Lucas looked on at her.

He sighed; he needed to handle this situation delicately. He turned to the other occupants in the room. Akito, just like usual, was just watching over the scene with amusement. Mimil wasn't saying anything, in fact, he'd even go so far as to say that she was siding with Primera… although she looked more reluctant than anything.

It was understandable, to be honest. Despite everything, he was still a stranger in their eyes. A stranger that barged into Elt's life and had been one of the reasons his entire world turned upside down. He couldn't tell her anything, if it came from his mouth then there was no way she would believe it.

After all, who would ever believe that he was sent by a Moon Deity from another world sent to watch over her beloved consort?

"... I am an ally…" He muttered softly,

"I don't believe you." She replied, tone as cold as it was harsh.

"I don't need your belief, if you refuse to believe me then it is not I who is the fool here." He retorted, causing Primera's eyes to narrow.

She pulled her bowstring, and in response, Lucas gripped his staff.

But before a shot could even be fired, the door opened. Out of it came Elt, wearing the same inquisitorial garb. His arm was wrapped in a bandage, and his eyes looked on at the group. He said nothing, merely closing the door behind him before locking it.

Turning to the group, he looked on as they looked at him with wide eyes.

Before anything could be said, however, Elt spoke up.

"...I found our Baphomet."


Author's Notes:

Hello again, I have a few things to say about this chapter.

So... Elt finally found out about the orphanage. From what I could discern, some of you might be disappointed to see that Elt didn't verbally tear Sasha down for keeping Monsters as Orphans. Well... to be honest, I don't really see the reason why Elt would be pissed at her for it. Elt did the exact same thing with Merridith. And if anything, it was a lot riskier on his end because he was in the Inquisition's eyes at that point. As for how he reacted and confronted Sasha about Kuroferuru, that comes in the next chapter.

That being said however, there will be consequences for what she did. It just won't be coming from Elt.

Next up, Leóros. If you couldn't tell, Leóros isn't a real country in MGE. It's a made-up place, but one I decided would be the capital of the Order here in this world. I won't say too much since it's not going to be relevant in a while, but just know that it's essentially just Renaissance Era Rome. I played a lot of AC2, so I was a tad bit inspired and I built on that inspiration a bit after watching The Borgias.

I don't really have anything else to say, so I'll just say one more thing. I might crosspost this fic somewhere, probably in AO3 if I ever get around to it. Just as a backup in case anything happens to this fic. I might also crosspost this on some other sites, but those are still up in the air for me.

In any case, much like always. If you have a review, concern, comment, reaction, and more, just leave it in the Review Section. My PMs are open if you want to use that instead.

if that's all, then Whamo out!