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 30: Prelude to Conquest
"So this is the place?" A certain red-haired tarnished asked, his eyes turning to a Zipangese man who shrugged in response.
"More or less, she should be here," Akito responded,
Currently, the two stood within the furthest corners of Lescatie's slums. Far off from the influence of any hero, furthest from the clutches of the church. Where better for a cowardly Ratatoskr like Kara to set up than here? Elt didn't know that yet; in fact, Akito was being ridiculously secretive about his informant. All he told Elt was that he should come with and shut up and never tell anyone about anything he sees.
Elt raised his brow at this at first but nodded. It was clear that Akito had his own secrets he wanted to keep. If that was the case, then he'd keep quiet. He had his own secrets to hide after all, some he wouldn't show anyone other than those he truly trusted.
"You've never really told me anything about your informant, have you?" Elt asked,
"I told you, didn't I? You just have to wait and see. Otherwise, I'd have you asking questions all the way here." Akito uttered,
Elt raised his brow, "And why's that?" He said.
"Just cause, you'll see." Akito shrugged off the question.
Elt blinked but did nothing else. It was worth a shot; not like he needed to ask. They stood just in front of an old, dilapidated building, wooden in make and not at all out of place from what you'd see in the slums. Some parts of the stone were crumbling, and the roof had holes in it. Relative to the orphanage, it wasn't that far off, but it would still take him some time before returning from here to there. Speaking of, they didn't leave the orphans undefended. They waited until Primera got home, which took another 30 minutes. Despite everything, they weren't really in a rush. The Lilim, if there even is one, was only passively observing them so far.
Leaving the kids with absolutely no protection would've been disastrous if she then decided to act. As important as it was, they didn't want a repeat of the attack on the orphanage before. That being said, he didn't inform Primera about the Lilim situation; in fact, he only told Lucas about it. He didn't want them to get involved in this after enduring a stressful week of trying to find a single Baphomet.
As beneficial as it is, he'd rather not let them get involved in this. This was his issue, his problem; there wasn't as much of an immediate risk with the orphans as was before. But that didn't mean he couldn't ignore it.
"In any case, let's not keep you waiting." He said, taking a step forward before he knocked thrice, waiting for five seconds before knocking twice.
Elt raised his brow, he had never seen it before, but he recognized what it was: code. A secret password of some sort was required before entry; it was often used in military operations to signal units using the beats of drums or even the light reflected from a mirror.
Eventually, a knock resounded on the opposite side before Akito took a step back. "Alright, in we go." He said,
Akito opened the door, and Elt was bombarded with the scent of trees. His eyes widened curiously, scanning the place with his mouth slightly agape. The dilapidated exterior had masked the lavish interior within. By Marika's tits, it looked like a room from a completely different house. Where he expected rotting flooring, he was instead greeted with a polished and soft floor. Where he expected walls threatening to break under the foundations of a broken house, he was instead met with a nicely furnished wall that looked pleasant to touch. Tables lined the rooms, a nice homey scent filled his nose, paintings of… nuts lined the walls.
It was a peculiar taste in artworks, but it wasn't the strangest piece of architecture he'd seen.
Still, what caught his attention the most were the chattering voices all around, the people moving to and fro, handling papers and other such documents. Out of all the questions that popped in his mind, this one was at the forefront.
"Akito… these are monsters, right?" Elt asked,
Judging from the squirrel features on their head and tail, he could infer at least that much. Akito sighed in response; he knew what was coming next.
"Yep, they're monsters." He said,
"You're part of the Inquisition, right?" Elt asked,
Akito nodded, "Yes I am, Elt… yes I am."
"And… you guys just let them stay here?" Elt asked,
"Nope, this is all me." He nonchalantly said,
Elt raised his brow. So he was doing this without the Inquisition's consent? So that means that he was collaborating with monsters all this time? He would've called him out on his hypocrisy, but what was the point? He shouldn't jump to conclusions, and even if it were true, he could care less if Akito did. He barely knew the man, after all, but a sort of kinship formed during their battle.
"Pretty bold, isn't it? Heretical too. Me, an Inquisitor, letting a bunch of stupid squirrels run around our glorious city." Akito said, emphasizing the words 'glorious city' with air quotes.
"They operate exclusively in the slums, avoiding Lescatie's watchful eye with their… skinny little squirrel legs or something." Akito shrugged.
"Does Rylan know?" Elt asked,
"Elt, I'm the Inquisitor here. I'm supposed to be the guy who 'inquires', so shut up for a second and let me do the asking." He said, moving forward before he stopped by a large counter. He pressed a bell, fiddling with it as the Ratatsoskr opposite it sat up in response. Immediately, her face fell. She stood stiff, looking at Akito with a bit of fear in her eyes.
Akito didn't let her speak, "Kara, where?" He asked,
The squirrel shakily pointed at a door to the side, with a small nod he got up and moved towards it. Elt gave a short look at the Ratatoskr before turning to Akito. With a sigh, he quickly followed suit.
…
"...So…" A brown-haired Ratatoskr began, her face buried in her hands as she peaked her eyes out to observe the two other occupants in her office.
"You want to know about the Lilim…" she trailed off.
Kara's day could've been a lot worse; she could've been arrested, killed, executed, or kicked out. But it also could've been a lot better; after all, anything could be better than having to deal with two potentially dangerous individuals in her Lilith-damned office. But what did she expect? After all, a monster like her operating in arguably the most anti-monster city was a dangerous gamble. Collaborating with an Inquisitor, no less; most would've called her insane.
…well,
They weren't wrong.
"Yeah, why else would we be here?" Akito asked sarcastically, causing the Ratatoskr to scoff before she leaned back on her chair.
"L-Look, Akito, I didn't exactly expect company again this soon," Kara said. Her eyes turned to Elt, who stared at her impassively. "Especially not with him…" she said.
Her voice was a little apprehensive, something Elt took note of. That was weird. Did she know who he was? He could've sworn that he's never met this person before in his life. No, wait, she looked familiar…
Then it clicked; he almost wanted to facepalm. She was the girl who tried to sell those shoddy rings back at the market. Still, it didn't make sense as to why she'd be apprehensive of him. He could've sworn that he hadn't wronged her in any way.
"Why? Afraid the big bad Red could blow your house away?" Akito said a light grin on his face.
"No!... Maybe," Kara said, a hand moving under her chin as she scratched her head with her large tail. She moved around, pacing back and forth in her office as she tried to think.
"Let's see… if I tell him about her, then it's possible that…" she began to mutter out loud. After her initial sentence, her mutters became nothing more than mumbles to him.
As she did, Elt's eyes turned to the extremely large tail behind her. It looked… fluffy…
He looked at Akito, who was just lazily sitting in one of the chairs. He then turned to the Ratatoskr as she walked around. He looked at the tail, pondering on something…
Does he touch the fluffy tail?
He reached out, and immediately the Ratatoskr turned, and he held his hand back. "Right!" She exclaimed, a small grin on her face as she turned to Elt. "This is your first time here, right?" She asked,
He nodded in response,
"An introduction, then." She said, holding out her hand. "You can call me Kara, head Ratatoskr of the Lescatian Branch!" She said,
He looked at Akito, and Akito just shrugged and waved his hand. With a sigh, Elt grabbed it and shook.
"Elt," he introduced himself.
"Oh, I already know." She said,
"Huh?" He exclaimed in surprise.
"It was kind of weird how your parents decided to give you a three-letter, one-syllable name… but that's okay; my parents hated me too." She said with a small sympathetic smile.
Elt blinked, and Akito tried to hold in his laughter. Did she just… insinuate that his parents hated him? He felt his eye twitch, but aside from that, he remained composed. "You think my parents hated me?"
Realizing her mistake, Kara's eyes widened. Immediately, she backtracked hard. "I-I mean, what I meant was that they loved you! I mean… What a nice name you've got. Short, sweet, rolls of the tongue nicely… Yeah, haha…" she said.
Elt deadpanned; Kara did much the same. "Let's… just forget I ever said that sentence."
Elt just nodded; he could agree with that much.
Placing her hand in front of her mouth, she faked a cough before she continued on. "A-Anyways…" she said, moving to her desk and sitting on the chair behind it. She then leaned forward, resting her arms on the desk before placing her chin atop her hands.
"So, you're looking for information?" She asked,
"Yes, about the Lilim, that's-"
"Wait, hold up!" She said, standing as she held out her arm. A greedy look formed on her face, one Elt had found strangely… familiar.
"If you want information, then it's gonna cost ya…" she said,
Elt raised his brow; Akito just sighed and sat by to watch how this would play out. He could get up and help Elt, but counterpoint, it's funny. For his own amusement, Akito decided to let Elt handle all of this.
"How much?" Elt asked, causing the Ratatoskr to lean back and place her hand under her chin.
"Hmm…" she began to think; she spun her chair around. The motion would've made anyone else dizzy; if it were anyone else, they probably would've vomited after the spin. However, for Kara, it helped her think.
"Ah!" She exclaimed, grabbing a quill and paper before she began to write. "Judging by the sensitivity of the information, the possible damages this could have on my business, and your income-"
"My what?" Elt asked, but she continued.
"I'd say that you'd have to pay around… this much!" She said, showing off a piece of paper. Elt leaned in, reading the text before his eyes widened.
"...2… 200… for information?" He stuttered out,
Akito sighed, "Really, Kara? You know he's poor, and you're still trying to scam the poor guy?"
Kara leaned back, a hmph escaping her lips as she crossed her arms. "Information about a Lilim is really sensitive. I just calculated the normal cost relative to his income. If I asked for the original price then it would've been way out of his pay."
"Wait, hold on just a second… how do you know my income?" He asked, turning to Kara.
Kara froze…
"Uh… well, uh…" she stuttered out.
Akito decided to answer for her. "The squirrel keeps tabs on almost everyone in the slums. It's how she finds customers and people to buy her shoddy ass products. Seriously, with how stingy she is you'd think that she was a Danuki."
"Don't compare me to those damned scammers!" Kara exclaimed. She did not have a good relationship with Danukis. They scammed her out of all her money once. After that, she swore to do the same to them if the time ever arose.
"...Everyone?" He asked, turning to Kara. His eyes which were once blue, turned gold. Kara gulped; with that one sentence, she knew that she fucked up.
If she really did mean everyone, then she knows about Sasha's little orphanage in the woods. At the very least, she would've known about her strange behavior.
"...Uh… not, not everyone… the-the nobles are out of my reach, hehe…" she tried to joke.
"Oooh, I just remembered! A discount, right, right." She said, turning to the paper before scribbling away at it. Once done, she showed him the new price, over 190 less than the original.
"..." Elt looked down at the Ratatoskr. His eyes turned to the paper before he pulled out 10 pieces and handed them to her.
"T-That should be enough," She said, her tone a little nervous.
Akito sighed, getting up before placing a hand over his shoulder. "Give her a break, Elt. It's because of her that your little fight with the Baphomet hasn't reached the public's ears."
Elt paused, turning to Kara, who shuddered. Without warning, he moved his hand and… patted her on the head… huh?
Surprised, Kara looked up at him before he sighed and spoke up. "Must've been hard for you, huh? Just don't let anyone know about it, alright?" He said.
Kara immediately understood what he was talking about. "Uh… right, right… don't worry, your secret is safe with me…" she added.
"Ahem, anyways. Right! The Lilim!" She said, getting up and walking towards a board right beside her. Sitting on one of the stools, she grabbed a ruler before she drew a few diagrams and other important pieces of information.
"First up! How much do you know about Lilims?" She asked,
Elt looked on at the board, his brow raising at some of the things written. It was all just a bunch of gibberish to him, and in the corner, there was even a small image of a nut with demon horns and a tail.
Turning back to Kara, he pondered her question as seriously as possible. To be honest, ever since his journey to the Lands Between and his subsequent encounter with the monsters here, he had doubts about all the stuff the Order has taught him.
That being said, it was the only thing he had to go off, so he'd just say what he knew.
"From what I've been taught, they're evil conniving monsters that seduce men and make them stray from the righteous path…."
"That's right, most Order teachings say that-" Kara began, but Elt wasn't done talking.
"They say that they lure men to their vile realms before turning them inside out and then feasting on their innards. They use the corpse to pleasure themselves, all in a-" Elt continued to speak,
Kara could not believe what she was hearing. 'What in the fuck, who taught him all these things!' This was absurd; the Order was far more terrifying than what she originally taught. Does anyone actually believe that? Poor, poor innocent souls…
"And then, they-"
"Alright! Elt, that was enough info! Jeez…" She said, her tone pleading.
In the background, Akito was doing his best to try and suppress a chortle. He was failing miserably…
"It's not funny! Gosh, you Order people are really creative when it comes to this type of stuff, huh?!" Kara asked arms crossed, eyes turning to Akito with a glare.
"It's called propaganda, Kara. I'm sure your side's done their fair share of Order slander." Akito retorted,
"Is it really slander if it's true?" Kara bit back,
"..."
"..."
"Fair point," Akito said, gesturing for her to continue.
With a sigh, Kara turned back to Elt before she placed her hand on the board. "Regardless, here's all the information I know. Do you remember that gem, red, eye-shaped, and super spooky? That's her emblem,"
Elt nodded once more. He already deduced that much, considering how he saw it on both the Baphomet and the Amazon.
"The Lilim's?" He questioned, just to be sure.
"Yep, specifically the Fourth-Born Princess of Royal Makai. Daughter of the Demon Lord Lilith and Conqueror of a Thousand Nations." Kara said,
Immediately, Elt's eyes widened slightly. But before he could ask the question, Kara had already predicted what it was.
"No, she didn't literally conquer a thousand nations. It's just a title people give her… though if she really wanted to…." Kara trailed off.
If there was anyone on this planet capable of that feat, it was the Fourth-Born. Her strategic ability, power, organizational skills, and charisma were enough to fall nations a thousand times over. She was a terrifying force of nature, intelligent and seductive in both looks, charm, and ideology.
"In any case, let's continue. A little history lesson, can you tell me what happened to the Order Nation of Northkeen?" Kara asked,
Elt raised his brow. He was faintly familiar with the nation. It wasn't anything major, just a small kingdom part of the Order. The only reason he and everyone else knew about it was because of what happened to it…
"It was overrun by Monsters," Elt answered.
"Bingo! Next, what about the Nation of Caulin?" She asked,
That one was also easy to answer. Caulin was a bigger city, but again, it went under the radar. If the fate of the city hadn't occurred, he doubted that it would've been as prominent as it was.
"Overrun by monsters…" Elt trailed off,
"Ding ding ding! Correct, what about Lenstadt?"
This time, Elt raised his brow. Being an uneducated orphan from the slums, that nation didn't ring any bells. That being said, from the pattern that emerged from Kara's little lesson, Elt had an idea of what happened.
"Overrun by monsters?" He said, his tone more unsure than the last time.
"Correct! I'm surprised you know about that one." Kara said,
"No, I just guessed," Elt said,
Elt gave a puzzled look in response. He really didn't, but it was strange for Kara to comment on that. What did she mean when she said that it was surprising for him to know that?
"What do you mean by that?" Elt asked,
"Lenstadt's loss was so bad that the Order decided to cover it up," Akito answered. "Even mentioning the name is discouraged. It was such a shitshow for us that it caused most of our higher-ups to stick their heads in the ground." Akito added, a sigh escaping his lips.
"I'm not gonna be executed for knowing this, am I?" Elt asked,
"That would require someone capable of killing you. It's not really worth the effort, anyways…." Akito admitted.
Elt gave a small look, sighing in response before turning back to Kara. With the Lilim's title and with the nations being overrun, the third Elden Lord could put two-and-two together.
"She's responsible for all of those, isn't she?" Elt asked,
Kara nodded, "You're smarter than you look."
'What did you mean by that?' Elt thought in a deadpan before he shook his head. In any case, he could form a picture in his head. A conqueror, huh? So far, all the fallen nations were minor. If the Order could cover a nation's fall that well, he wondered what else they've been barring from the masses. The monsters were one secret he discovered; they weren't the bloodthirsty demons he was taught they were.
But again, this didn't make them any less dangerous. If this Fourth-Born was really here, he needed to learn a few things.
"What else can you tell me about the Fourth-Born?" Elt asked,
"Uh… Let's see…" Kara said to herself, cupping her chin as her tail swayed left to right. Moving towards her shelves, she tried to look for the proper book. Documents on the Lilims were well circulated in Royal Makai and the Demon Realms, but here in Lescatie, she sparsely had any.
Maybe there was one…
"From the descriptions I've read, she's a succubus with pure white wings and a bluish-purplish tone for skin," Kara said, noting her appearance before she continued.
"Does she have any weaknesses?" Elt asked,
"Heh…" Weaknesses? Her? Don't make Kara laugh. What weaknesses? Her libido? That was more of a strength, considering what she was. It was ridiculous; she was in every way a threat that had no real weakness. At least none that Kara knew of…
"Imagine a person competent in every field she comes across; imagine a mind sharper than some of the nation's greatest. Imagine magic beyond any magician found in the college; imagine power far beyond Wilmarina's own." Kara began, her hands trembling a little.
"We don't stand a chance; she's a literal god in demon's clothing… all of the Lilims are…." Kara said,
Elt looked on blankly, his face expressionless, and his emotions were indescribable. Hearing all of this, it made him feel strange. He was coming up against a being far beyond anything else he's fought in this world. If what she said was true, then she would be the most formidable opponent he'd face, at least here.
"What would it take to beat her?"
"It'd take a god for someone to beat her," Kara said, turning to Elt before she placed her hands on her hips. She then tilted her head, a thought crossing her mind.
"Wait…" she began, "y-you're not thinking of actually fighting her, are you?"
Elt said nothing, merely nodding as she stuttered out her question. She looked at him in disbelief, unsure of what he was saying.
Beat a Lilim? Are you insane?! No, wait, he is, isn't he?
"Elt… you're insane," Kara said,
The young man just shrugged. "I've been called that a lot recently," Elt added,
"Did you not hear anything I've said? It would take a god to beat her!" Kara said,
Elt once again said nothing. The Lilim he was planning to face was that powerful, huh? Another large wall appeared before him, this one larger than any before. It would take a God to beat her, right? So how would the man who slew God fair? How would this Conqueror of a Thousand Order Nations fair against someone who had overturned the order of a world beyond this one's reach.
"So you say…" Elt said, placing his hands in his pockets.
He couldn't get too cocky, though. He's been beaten and trampled on enough times to know that assuming one's strength is deadly. If he wanted to fight her, then he needed options. At best, he hoped he could settle the matter peacefully with her. Negotiation would be the best way to do this.
But to do that, he first needed a bargaining chip…
"Is there any reason the Fourth-Born might be planning war against us?" Elt asked,
Kara just gave him a look as if to ask if he was being serious. What does he mean by that? Why wouldn't she declare war? Lescatie has been producing monster-slaying heroes for generations. It would be a strategic, political, tactical, and even a religious win for Monsterkind if they could bring down the nation of heroes.
"Are you seriously asking me that? Shouldn't that be obvious?" Kara asked,
Elt looked on at her before he recalled the Baphomet he had fought.
"Polove… Leoros… Solovan… Lescatie…" He muttered,
The Baphomet had named all of those nations before. Despite being Order Nations, there was also one thing that tied each country together.
"Can you tell me the state of each nation before they fell?" Elt asked.
Kara paused, looking on at him before she cupped her chin. This information was challenging to come by. It was known to her because the information was the one lifeblood keeping her alive. She narrowed her eyes, thinking if she should charge him for this. Considering that he could be the only chance she had of staving off a Lilim, she sighed and decided to just give that information for free.
"Northkeen was a crumbling and crippling nation, barely able to feed itself. Caulin had rampant gangs and violence in its cities; most of the noblemen there were bribed and corrupt… Lenstadt, well… I'm not really sure what went wrong with Lenstadt. The Order covered it up so well that even I'm not sure…." Kara said,
That was enough confirmation in his eyes. He took a deep breath and sighed. It was just speculation on his part, but every nation the Fourth-Born had conquered had some kind of flaw. Knowing what he did about Lescatie, that much fit the bill…
Still, what the Baphomet had said earlier had affected him more than he realized.
"All that Power, All that strength. But you don't have the desire to use it to help your own country."
Was he obligated to help? Being one of the many people this nation has thrown aside in its relentless cruelty, was he bound to lift his hand to aid them? His desires before had been selfish; even now, they were still selfish. He was kind and compassionate and helped as many of those in need as he could. But in the end, he hesitates to lift a finger to help when it could threaten those he cared for.
Isn't that pathetic? To move, he needed to be pushed to a corner. Strong in all ways, but with one glaring weakness…
A weakness he'd soon learn would haunt him…
Out of a fear of change, of turning the status quo. Changing this nation would require more than the strength to rival gods. He needed knowledge, the passion for doing so, and the selfless will to act. Alas, he is so afraid of change that he cannot do anything.
In the end, was he any different from the arrogant fools who run this nation?
He didn't even want to beat the Lilim for his country's sake; he was doing it for his family. He took a deep breath, shaking his head. Now was not the time to hesitate; he had most of the information he needed. Turning to Kara, he crossed his arms and spoke.
"Any way I can get in contact with her?" Elt asked, tilting his head.
"No, I'd rather not know how," Kara said,
Associating herself with them was a bad idea in her mind. She was already in hot water with other monsters. Her reason for coming to the most anti-monster country in the world was for this reason. No one would've suspected a monster in hiding to come here. After all, who'd be sane enough to try and set up a Ratatoskr branch in Lescatie? She somehow managed to convince the other Ratatoskr to come and help.
As for how she managed to do this? That was a story for another day…
Elt just sighed, leaning back. That was as much information as he could hope for, to be honest. From the looks of it, Kara didn't even have a lot of information on hand. Time would only tell if their time coming here was wasted. But regardless, with that done, it was time for him to-
A bright light then shone through the room. The source could be found in Akito's left pocket. He looked over, brow raised as he picked up an expensive piece of paper that was set alight. The fire was magic in nature, but it didn't harm or burn anything.
"What is that?" Elt asked,
Akito turned to Elt before turning to Kara. "It's a summon. Every Inquisitor in the city is being called back to Fortress Maxim. Probably an important announcement, but we can't be too sure." Akito answered, snuffing out the light by folding the paper twice before turning to the two.
"I'm gonna need to answer this; I'll try to be in touch later," Akito said, nodding toward the two before leaving.
Elt nodded in response, placing a lone hand on his hip before turning to Kara. This was everything she could really offer him. To the Ratatoskr, it wasn't even a lot of information. It was just general Monster Knowledge without getting into the nitty gritty. Normally, if the Radical Faction really was here, she'd send scouts to investigate.
Unfortunately, they were stuck here in Lescatie. They couldn't even get through the more wealthy side of Lescatie.
For Elt, though, that was more than enough. With Akito gone, he was left alone with the squirrel.
"So, I guess you'll be taking your leave," Kara said, turning to Elt. It was only natural for her to think so. After all, he had the information he needed, and there was nothing else she could seemingly offer…
Or at least, that's what she thinks.
"Not yet; there's something else I want to ask you," Elt said, turning to Kara as she tilted her head in confusion.
What else did he want? She couldn't think of anything else to offer him. That was everything she really knew about the Lilim, which frankly was a reasonably poor amount for a Ratatoskr.
"What do you want?"
"How much information do you have in this city?" Elt asked, turning to Kara. She scoffed in response, crossing her arms as she looked up at Elt. Aside from the Upper Echelons, she kept tabs on everyone who lived here and knew the place's layout well.
"What don't I know? I know the slums and the middling sections like the back of my hand," Kara said, shrugging in response.
She seems pretty confident in her answer, and from how much Akito puts trust in her he could at least assume that she was truthful with her information. For how carefree and unassuming the man seemingly was, Akito was at least thorough when it came to his job. If Akito trusted this squirrel with the information then he'd do so as well.
"In that case…" Elt began,
A dim light covered the hall; the room howled with the quiet murmurs of a few Inquisitors. Senior members of the Inquisition sat around the table; others were seated further off. A few were standing, content with keeping themselves on foot to hear whatever this emergency was. The mood was ripe with tension, one that was evident due to the confusion and intrigue each of the Inquisitors felt.
The Inquisition's meeting room was lavishly designed with paintings and cushioned seats. The two entrances were closed, occasionally opening as someone entered, causing an eerie creak to sound out. A single large window overlooked the room, the dark clouds visible under even the darkness of the night sky.
If Akito had to be asked, he didn't really want to be here at the moment. He was busy trying to keep the existence of a Lilim within Lescatie's borders under wraps. One might question the reason as to why? But one look at this place would immediately make it evident why Akito had decided to keep the information for himself.
Each Inquisitor stood in isolation, their eyes observing one another. Most kept their guards up, and only a few bothered to actually whisper and speak. The few murmurs that Akito could make out had only cemented this decision.
"What do you think this is?"
"Does it matter? With everyone gathered here, we have to be cautious… I heard the Inquisitor Cassius is-"
'Chief God's tits, they're all bickering like children.' Akito thought to himself.
The Inquisition was not one unified group. It was a collection of individuals who held great sway over people. They all answered to a head, true, but within the organization, infighting and distrust between Inquisitors are common. That's what happens when you put a bunch of ambitious and powerful people together in this one space.
Of course, not all of them were the same. Take Akito himself; there were those who just genuinely wanted to aid in destroying the monster's presence in Lescatie. But as seen with Albain and his own family, some view the Inquisition as a mere means to bring their own influence up…
'Joke of a job indeed… I can't believe that my old man managed to convince me to join…' he thought before he shook his head.
'Ah, what the hell. It doesn't matter what he thinks… I'm in this shithole; I have to live through it.' He finalized internally as he continued to wait.
Akito stood by the corner, not wanting to get involved with any of the other Inquisitors. He just wanted to get this meeting over with, get back to Elt, and maybe relay what he found to Rylan while he was here.
Speaking of…
He felt a presence to his left. Leaning on the wall with his arms crossed, it was the same resolute and somewhat tired face Akito had gotten used to. Rylan Rudy Schreiber, Akito's partner. Akito blinked, his head tilting as he watched the older man and spoke.
"You look like shit, what the hell happened to you?" Akito asked,
"Paperwork and the higher-ups had a few things that needed my attention. Nothing you should worry about, Akito." He said,
"Is that so? What did they run you through this time? Paperwork? Had to babysit one of the noble's daughters? You work better as a nanny than an Inquisitor, you know." Akito asked jokingly.
Rylan laughed lightly, shaking his head.
"Considering how much I had to babysit you? Might as well be my second job." The older man said with a sigh, looking on at the group around him.
Rylan was much like Akito when it came to his feelings about his peers. The organization was tainted, not by any monster's influence but by the greed of men. Sadly, this greed was not limited to the Inquisition. The clergy, the nobility, and even the royals had their fair share of greed.
Which is why Rylan sought to change that,
"What are you up to these days? I haven't heard from you in a while." Rylan asked,
Akito shrugged, he wanted to tell Rylan, but he'd rather not risk it. There were too many people here, and with the suspicion, everyone had on everyone, it was possible that someone would eavesdrop.
"Nothing much, just moving around and dealing with a few pests," Akito said, moving his hand to his collar before straightening it and patting it thrice. Rylan widened his eyes and a more neutral expression formed on his face.
It was a signal; one the two used every now and then. It was Akito's way of saying that there was something urgent that he needed to relay privately.
"Is that so? I hope you're doing fine on that front." Rylan said,
"As fine as I can be… so, what's this all about?" Akito asked,
There were countless things racing in Akito's mind. To be honest, the past few weeks have been hectic and utterly packed. From the Baphomet, Elt's weird new powers, that anomalous child, the lilim… There were many reasons why this meeting might have been called. If anything, he was honestly surprised that it took this long.
Did they find out about Elt? Maybe they've caught on that a literal Baphomet had entered the border. Or perhaps they learned of the existence of the Lilim within Lescatie's borders. Meetings like these could only be done by the head of the Inquisition. He wondered what that old fat fuck had to say this time. Akito probably would've just passively listened.
"Not sure; it's been a long while since we were all called here. When was the last time again? Right, when Wilmarina ascended. You were still a junior Inquisitor, then." Rylan said, turning to the man.
"Three years ago, huh? Funny how so much can change in so little time. Shit, I sometimes keep forgetting that I'm only just now reaching into my 20s." Akito uttered,
"You still have two years before that. Who knew that in a short three years, you would've become the biggest headache in my life." Rylan lightly jokes,
"Heh, I'm glad I made such a big impact…." Akito said, shrugging lightly. His slight smile then turned neutral, his mouth morphing into a straight line before it fell into a frown.
After everything that's happened, Akito took this moment to reflect. He never really questioned his mortality up until this point. No, it was more like he didn't at all care if he lived or died. Why else would he throw himself into such suicidal situations? If Akito died, then that's that…
But after facing a literal baphomet, and after everything that's happened, he began to reflect. Akito didn't care if he died…
But it would suck if he died with any regret in his heart…
There was one thing he wanted to say to Rylan. Maybe he's never had the chance before, but…
"Rylan… thank you," Akito said,
"Hmm?" The man asked, a little confused.
"Shit, did you finally go deaf old man? I said thank you." Akito added, a light smile on his face.
"What's this about?" Rylan asked, a little confused.
He obviously wasn't expecting Akito to say something like that so suddenly. Especially considering how out of it, it sounded. Inquisitors were discouraged from making their relationships in any way personal. But sometimes, it can't be helped…
Rylan was practically his third father and the only one he had here in Lescatie…
"Nothing, just thought that I'd say it," Akito said,
Rylan just stared; an incomprehensible thought moved through his mind. The man swallowed a bit of saliva, looking away a little before he turned to the center of the room.
I'm sorry, Aki…
I can't live up to those expectations…
Footsteps resounded in the room, it's timing as consistent as it was rhythmic. There were no wasted moments; every step was calculated. It was because of this alone that Akito immediately knew who those steps belonged to. Two people walked into the room; both blondes, both had green eyes, and both were evidently related.
But from a mere glance, the two could not be in any way more different.
The male of the two walked in; it was his footsteps that Akito heard. He walked past his fellow Inquisitors, his back straightened and carrying papers with one arm. His eyes never left his path, only focused straight at the center of the room. If there was a moment where the man broke his eye away from his destination, it was to spare Akito a glance.
Akito's eyes narrowed at that, crossing his arms and leaning his back on the wall. The brown-haired man raised his brow, watching as Albain moved past his usual spot near the front. What was going on? Only those at the top could call an emergency meeting. Albain was certainly powerful in terms of both influence and sway. But he couldn't imagine Cardinal Pierre allowing Albain to call a meeting. That was unless there really was something off…
His eyes turned to the younger Rejulia. His eyes narrowed at sight. She looked meek, well… even more timid than usual. She lacked the energy to even stand up straight. Her face was blank, but a simple look at her eyes showed him just what it was she was feeling. Rage, contempt, fear, sorrow, depression… all jumbled into an incoherent mess of a girl. Aria Rejulia wasn't someone who was cut out for this organization; that was something that both Akito and Albain could attest to. But even then, Akito knew that Aria tended to be proud…
There was only one person who could've reduced her to this state. Akito's eyes then turned to the only suspect in his mind. As always, Albain's face was just as neutral as it's always been.
He flipped through the pages, green eyes locked on every word, every syllable, every letter. Albain made sure that none could mistake what was written here. The green-eyed man then turned to the Inquisitors present. There were some who were missing, but the majority of the important ones were present. There were over a few hundred Inquisitors present. They were said to number over a thousand, but the rest were presumably out somewhere outside the capital or had more immediate matters to tend to.
Considering what he learned about their organization, it wasn't like he could do anything against them. Those affiliated with Noscrim probably knew about what this was; there was no risk for them if they didn't attend. As much as he didn't want to do this…
Albain wasn't really left with many choices.
Looking at the group here, his eyes scanned each and every single one of them here. Cardinal Pierre's death had yet to be announced. Those who weren't affiliated with whatever Noscrim had in mind wouldn't know…
He fixed his uniform, organizing his notes before he spoke.
"I will not beat around the bush. I have gathered you all here to make an important announcement…" Albain said, looking at each of the people present and noting their reactions.
As expected, a majority of them held a look of surprise. Even those that seemed unaffected had a slight shift in their eyes. If there was one thing Albain had a talent for, it was for reading the eyes of those around them. Nothing could escape his field; it was this same ability that allowed him to deduce that Elt was the one who took Merridith.
Albain hadn't even announced anything yet. As far as they were concerned, he didn't have the authority to call an emergency meeting. That was up to the head of the local branch, up to Cardinal Pierre.
Those that didn't have much of a reaction, he embedded it in his mind. Albain took a deep breath, readying himself before he spoke.
"Cardinal Pierre is dead."
Immediately, the room froze. Those who had once hidden their surprise had evidently shown it. Widened eyes, dilated pupils, raised brows, even a few gasps. He noted each and every one and calculated how genuine each was before he imprinted it in his mind. Among that number was a certain brown-haired Inquisitor, his brow visibly raised as confusion became evident in his eyes.
'What?' Akito thought to himself, genuinely surprised and somewhat alarmed at the revelation. Immediately, his mind went through over a thousand different scenarios.
Akito thought of multiple ways how this could have happened, from a simple heart attack to a potential assassination. Regardless of this, he'd find out soon enough. Akito's eyes met with Albain's, narrowing them as Albain continued on.
"His body was found lying in his office; it was a scene as gruesome as it was off-putting," Albain said, watching the Inquisitors closely.
He made sure to take note of their posture, their mannerisms, the sweat on their brows, to even the shrinking of their pupils. He made sure to know who was being genuine in their reactions and who already knew.
That information would be important later…
There were some skeptics, that much was expected. And some whose eyes turned to him in suspicion, an expected outcome. The circumstances behind the cardinal's death were made purposefully suspect. This would allow him to weed out the rats from the garden. To find out who was with him, and who was against them…
Among the number that suspected Albain was one Akito Shion, his red eyes narrowed and his form stiff. Akito was an Inquisitor for a reason, for a man so crude and laid back, he can be awfully shrewd. He's clever when it counts, and at this moment,, the young Inquisitor already had a suspect on who had done so.
From the looks of it, he was not alone. But it didn't matter… their suspicions won't change anything.
Because in the end, regardless of the guilt he may possess, none of them could refute a document signed in the name of the Chief God.
He let the silence sink in… waiting for someone to speak, goading them each silently before one of them had enough.
"How could this have happened!?" One Inquisitor asked, turning to Albain.
"As of the moment, we still do not know. The circumstances behind Cardinal Pierre's death. But make no mistake, this act was done by a professional. Each stab was precise, calculated to target vital areas and ensure that the man would not be able to stand." Albain calmly answered.
"How are you sure that he's dead? He could be in hiding." Another Inquisitor asked, their voice meeker than usual. It was obvious that whoever this belonged to was relatively inexperienced.
"I assure you that what I say is true. Multiple witnesses can already vouch, me included. If there are any more doubts, his body is in the morgue down below. Being investigated for any clues to his possible assailant." Albain added.
"This is heresy! Who in their right mind could murder a messenger of the Chief God like this!" A more zealous member cried in outrage.
"The same type who murdered a cardinal in cold blood near the forests of our capital." Albain said, narrowing his eyes.
Ever since the murder of the first cardinal, and Amaltia's intervention in the investigation, the situation has become more volatile. Even before he stood here, he foresaw that this situation might have happened. The raid and subsequent murder of an entire noble family was an escalation that the Inquisition was not prepared to handle. Until that point, cardinals were considered too holy to kill. You needed to disown and discredit them first before you were allowed to even harm them.
Defying this would mean risking the ire of the Chief God. Of course, this doesn't mean that there have never been cases like this. But this was the first time in a long, long time when a man of the church was murdered in cold blood.
Now that it's happened twice, all bets were off. This meant that everyone in this room could be subject to murder and that whoever did this was someone who had scorned the so-called love of the Chief God.
"It must have been Noscrim!"
"I agree; who else would've been arrogant enough to do this?"
"I knew that scumbag was up to something, but to think he'd go so far…."
"This is heresy, unforgivable."
And there it was, the blame being shifted to the one person the Inquisition despised more than any other. Or at least, that's how it appeared outwardly. Noscrim already had his hand on the necks of everyone here. And as much as Albain wanted to wring the man's life out of his system, he knew that there was little that he could actually do against him.
"As much as I would like for us to storm Salvarision and arrest Noscrim on such charges, I'm afraid that we lack the evidence necessary to incriminate him." Albain said.
Noscrim had too much influence and too much sway. Any arrests they could pull would simply be ripped apart by his supporters. The king could pardon him or perhaps even ignore the charges directly and call it nothing more than rumor. In truth, they had no concrete evidence to point it to Noscrim. And as long as that was the case, then nothing could be done against him.
And even if they did, then what? They neither had the manpower nor resources available to face off against the Order of the Ice-Flower. It would be a one-sided slaughter, and with Noscrim having the King's ear then they could be painted as the villains.
But it wasn't like that could happen in the first place. The agents implanted into this organization could just end any chances at an assault before it even began.
"Then what do you suppose we do? We can't just let him get away with this!" One of the men asked.
"I never said that the one who killed it was Noscrim. Believe me, if there was any proof that Noscrim did it, I would jump at the opportunity. But unfortunately, no evidence points to that fact. Until we find a culprit, we will find more evidence, more clues to ascertain their identity." Albain finalized.
He wanted to throw up. Defending Noscrim and hiding what he's done was a new level of low and one that Albain had wanted to remove from his system. It was disgusting and humiliating, but he threw away all shame when he promised to get Merridith back. To burn her in the Chief God's pyre and to free her from her monstrous form.
"What clues?" One Inquisitor dared to say, said Inquisitor was the only one who had the balls to be openly critical of Albain. Akito got up from his spot, Rylan's eyes widening as he watched the man walk forward. Albain remained impassive, a brow rising as Akito made his way forward.
"You're telling us that Cardinal Pierre is dead, and the only apparent witnesses were you and a 'few others'." Akito said, mockingly moving his hands and gesturing quotation marks at the 'few others' parts.
Albain continued to remain impassive, just looking on at Akito as he stopped just before him.
"You then stand there, reporting this to all of us like nothing happened… and now you're defending Noscrim of all people?" Akito questioned, leaning forward.
As usual, the man could be annoyingly shrewd. He was reckless; yes, that part was usually a hindrance in Albain's eyes. As much as he'd praise Akito for deducing this much, he couldn't afford to lose this.
"What the fuck are you trying to play, Rejuliass?" Akito asked.
Albain raised his brow, "Are you perhaps implying that I killed Cardinal Pierre?"
"No, I'm implying that you know more than you're letting on." Akito challenged,
"And what could indicate that? I'm simply standing here to report my findings. Nothing I said up until this point could incriminate me." Albain said,
"Nothing you said- Have you been listening to yourself up until now?" Akito asked, his brows furrowing as he leaned forward.
Albain's eyes narrowed. Even as Akito spoke, he did not at all back down. He narrowed his eyes, observing every bit of Akito's posture and speech. He analyzed his voice and even took note of every drop of sweat he could have shed. From what Albain could tell, Akito was not at all affiliated with whatever Noscrim had planned.
Good… that made things a little easier.
"If you have nothing more to say, then I suggest that you sit down. I would not want to derail the report… there is still one more important announcement I have to make." Albain said,
Akito narrowed his eyes. He debated what to do next, internally trying to figure things out. He could be clever, yes, but there's a reason why he's considered one of the more dangerous Inquisitors out there.
Schiing
Albain felt a blade pressed on the side of his neck, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the man before him. Akito had pulled out his katana, and in a split second he had his blade pressed on his neck, digging deep enough to let blood spill a little. The rest of the Inquisitors stood up, their hands moving towards their own weapons, before Albain raised his hand to stop them.
"...And what do you think you're doing, Inquisitor Shion?"
"Getting my answers, Rejuliass. You know how I do things." Akito said, a slight snarl forming on his face.
"You do realize that pointing your blade at an Inquisitor is a punishable offense," Albain said,
"Killing the cardinal is a valid reason to kill you, isn't it?" Akito replied,
Albain sighed, turning to the man before he spoke up. Really, he should have expected this… no, he did expect this. Akito has pulled these stunts before. He had been punished for it, but they stopped once he proved himself loyal. Regardless of the blonde's feelings towards the man, Akito was indeed a capable Inquisitor.
This is why Albain knew enough to know that Akito would never kill him.
"If you honestly believe that I killed him, even without concrete proof of anything pointing it to myself, then do it." Albain said, looking him straight in the eye.
"Do you want to die, Rejulia?"
"Believe me, Shion. If you kill me here, you will find yourself facing the gallows."
The two stared each other down in silence, both reading into the other. Rylan stayed passive, observing the two as the rest of the room watched with bated breath. Akito then took a deep breath and pulled his sword away.
As much as Akito hated to admit it, he found no sign of a lie coming from the man. Albain hadn't killed Cardinal Pierre, but then again, Albain was always someone he could never read. Akito was the type to threaten, the type to provoke, but he never goes through with any of that unless he knows for sure that he would gain something from it.
And while he could gain something from killing the man, he'd certainly lose a lot more.
"I'm glad to see that you see reason. That's unexpected of you."
"Go fuck yourself," Akito replied, "I still have one more question. Why are you the one up on that podium? How the fuck did you call an emergency meeting when that can only be accessed by the head?"
Recalling all the Inquisitors in the capital was something that only the head was able to do. Even in a situation where the head perishes, it'll take senior members of the Inquisition to call one. But Albain was not a senior member. He was still relatively young, only having been an Inquisitor for around a few years. Compare that to the decades of experience that someone like Rylan had.
"That moves us to our second point…." Albains said, lining up his documents. He waited for a second, looking on at the group before he clapped his hands.
Soon the doors slammed open, and on both entrances stood two familiar masked men. They were the same ones who were in the manor raid, the ones the Inquisition had in their pockets.
"With the death of Cardinal Pierre has left the position of head vacant. The usual process of choosing a new head is long and tedious. Consisting of letters being sent to and fro the rest of the organization." Albain said.
The bureaucratic process was one of the Inquisition's many weaknesses. In order for a new head to be assigned, a letter must first be sent to their main headquarters informing them of the vacant position. Then a list of candidates would be chosen, and then a vote would pass, and then a month-long pilgrimage to Leoros to be blessed before finally returning to become Inquisitorial Head.
As you can see, it is a very long process. It would take time, time they did not have.
"But consider the situation here in Lescatie. I'm afraid we don't have the time necessary to stop our operations in order to find a new head. Our enemies have gotten stronger, our influence dwindles, and we cannot stay without a leader for even a second." Albain said, a sharp tone forming in his voice before he picked up a document.
"As such, until the situation has improved. I will be acting as the Inquisitorial Head of this organization." He declared.
Silence, the room just sat stunned. That declaration was borderline heretical. One does not simply declare themselves head of the Chief God's Holy Inquisition. That was tantamount to declaring yourself a hero without the blessing of the Chief God.
It was Heretical.
'What the fuck are you plotting?' Akito thought, his red eyes narrowing as he looked on at Albain.
Up until this point, Akito's main worry would have been the Lilim. But now? After hearing all of this? The biggest threat to Lescatie might be lying within rather than without. It was ironic; he was a lot more scared of what could happen if Albain became head of the Inquisition rather than the presence of the daughter of the demon lord.
It was absurd just how damaging a single man could be compared to a literal demoness like her.
"Albain, enough of this farce… do you realize what you're doing?" An older Inquisitor asked.
"You can't just declare yourself as the head of the organization. As much as you've contributed, you simply cannot do so. It is against tradition and the scriptures that-"
"When have we ever followed scripture?" Albain asked, his eyes narrowed as venom filled his tone.
The Inquisitor who spoke stood still, his eyes widening as Albain turned to the man with sheer hatred in his eyes. He had tempered himself until now; he had put on the mask of a dutiful servant of the Chief God and a follower of scripture.
But now, after everything? He's had enough.
"I've seen it time and time again. The decadence, the depravity, the disgusting things that some of the people in this room have committed." Albain said, gripping his fists into a tight ball.
"You, who speak of scriptures and tradition, barely even follow it. Inquisitor Dolzen Astraea, correct?" He asked, turning to the man who spoke.
The man froze, clearly, he had not expected this response. He stood unable to speak, still trying to process Albain's words. It was the same feeling as a child being called out for breaking a vase. In a state of fear, frozen as they tried to process what to say.
"Chapter 3, Article 24 of our holy book. What does it say?" Albain asked.
The man froze, his skin turned pale, and his hands began to twitch. Immediately he knew what Albain was referring to.
Seeing as how the man couldn't speak, Albain decided to speak for him.
"'You Adulterer, depraved in thine pursuit. Thou shalt be burnt in the pyres of damnation. For the vows are sacred and must not be defiled.' "
The man didn't speak; he didn't need further explanation. What he had done was conveyed to all with but a simple speech. He stood silent, moving back and unable to do anything. Albain merely narrowed his eyes; continuing to prod the man would be pointless.
"Do not speak to me of scriptures you cannot follow. You choose only the sayings that benefit you rather than the entirety of what our Holy Deity desires. You're all sinners here, so don't you dare speak to me about defying the Chief God's law when you are all equally guilty." He hissed out.
He shook his head, calming himself down before he turned to the group. The man still had a point, though. He couldn't just come up here and declare himself as head without something to back him up.
"Regardless of that. He still makes a valid point…." Albain said,
"And so I will give you proof!" He yelled out, holding up the document that Cardinal Pierre had signed. The one indicating their shared rule and considerations after death.
"By order of Cardinal Pierre and by the word of the Chief God. I will be declared head of the Inquisition until further notice. My word is the Chief God's will; my orders will be treated as the highest authority." He declared,
The room listened on, some unsure of how to feel. Some felt fear, others discontent. Some were confused and shocked at the reveal of the documents. While others remained skeptical, such as one Zipangese Inquisitor. But regardless of that fact, they could not deny what was on that piece of paper.
As much as they'd go against it if the Cardinal really did sign it, then it was an order from a man of the Chief God. Death cannot undo what was written; the strict laws of the Order were once again working against it.
"Make no mistake; I will cut off the parasite that dares to destroy us from within…."
The two heroes then slammed their weapons on the ground, indicating that they followed Albain's every order.
"Starting with the parasites in this room." He said, eyeing each and every single one of the people in the room.
It seems that wasn't the end of it. Akito just hoped Elt wouldn't collapse from hearing about this. The poor guy already had a lot on his plate, he hoped that Elt has enough room for one more problem...
Author's Notes:
So… it's been a while, huh?
I had this chapter cooking for a little while now, I just never had the time or energy to finish it since I've been a little stressed. I'm sorry if the chapter's a little uneventful seeing as how it's just two scenes, but I'll be sure to expand on it later. Will uploads be consistent like last time? Don't count on it, I've been busy with college and that isn't stopping anytime soon. Rest assured, though, I have no intention of canceling this story.
Well enough of that, time to talk about the chapter proper. Nothing much has really happened here, just a bit of set-up. Both with Elt getting info on Druella and Albain solidifying his new control over the Inquisition. What happened between Aria and Albain will be explained later, you'll see.
I'm sorry if nothing much has happened after making you wait, but I'll try to get the new chapter out as soon as possible. Not sure when, but I promise that it won't take as long as this time.
That's all I want to say for now. As always, make sure to leave a review, reaction, comment, etc. Any form of feedback is appreciated, it'll help me with the story after all.
Have a nice day! Whamo out!