After several minutes of walking, Adele led Alex to the front of what appeared to be a tavern. A sign carved into the shape of a dragon hung above the entrance, and the windows were brightly lit. Alex could hear laughter, shouting, and curses within the building; despite the fact that nightfall was still hours away, the tavern was already busy with customers.

"Alright, we're here! The Quenched Dragon Tavern!" Adele exclaimed.

"Here?" Alex asked. "Is this really where your cell is located? Or are you buying me lunch after all?"

"Just follow me!" Adele replied cheerfully as she pulled Alex into the tavern.

The inside of the tavern was rather seedy-looking, certainly nowhere Alex would ever want to hang out at. The air was rather dusty, and all Alex could smell was smoke and beer. There were several tables filled with Tyrenese civilians in the dimly-lit establishment, with barmaids walking about to ensure that no one's mug stayed empty for long. In one corner of the room, two men appeared to be playing some sort of card game, though Alex did notice one of the men sneakily replacing one of his cards with another hidden up his sleeve. At another table, three women faced each other with beers in hand and complained about skyrocketing food prices. Towards the back of the tavern, a group of off-duty Tyrenese Guardsmen were drunkenly singing some sort of marching tune, while a rather angry-looking drunk looked ready to end their song early with his fists. Finally, the bar itself had several lonely individuals staring at their beers as they took sips, while one man sat passed out on his stool.

"Hey Adele, good to see you back!" said a man who appeared to be the bartender. He was a rather portly man with balding black hair streaked with gray, a small mustache, and wearing an apron.

"It's good to see you too, René!" Adele replied. "I've brought along a friend who wants to try out your last bottle of Lescatie Red Wine!"

"Oh, well then have him follow me to the back!" René exclaimed as he motioned Adele and Alex to follow him.

"Um, Adele." Alex whispered as they followed René behind the bar. "I really don't drink that much. If we can just get to-"

"Hey, show a little patience!" Adele exclaimed. "We're almost there. Also, "Lescatie Red Wine" is this week's password if you decide to stick with us. Remember it."

After following René into what appeared to be the bar's storage area, the bartender walked over to a candelabra on the far wall and pulled it down. One of the room's many shelves then suddenly shuddered before moving to the right to reveal an entrance to a hidden room.

"Before he tended to The Quenched Dragon full-time, René was one of the city's greatest smugglers!" Adele said. "He used his bar as a front for all his operations. But now, we get to use his old smuggling den as our base!"

"Be sure to drink well, young man!" René exclaimed as he motioned Alex and Adele to enter the hidden room. Although Alex still wasn't entirely sure that his day wouldn't end with him being robbed or worse, he followed Adele inside.

As the shelf slid back into its original position behind him, Alex found himself in what appeared to be a large storage area filled with wooden crates. But most of the crates were pushed to the side of the room to give space for some tables, chairs, and cots for the rebel group that now made itself home there.

"Welcome to the Tyrene Resistance Committee, Alex!" Adele exclaimed with both arms stretched outwards. "We've got several cells throughout the city, but this is the main one where all the bosses tend to show up!"

Alex took a good look around at the people and faces that made up the Committee. The first thing that caught his attention was the fact that women appeared to make up about two-thirds of the people within their room, though they certainly appeared dangerous as they sharpened knives, practiced shooting an empty wine cask with a crossbow, and nursed some painful-looking cuts and bruises.

I guess with The Order forcefully conscripting so many men, it makes sense that there'd be so many women involved. Alex thought to himself. But then a more ominous thought entered his mind. If Druella were here, she'd probably be drooling at all these potential new monsters.

But there were men too- dangerous-looking men armed with clubs, poles, and a few rusty swords. They also busied themselves with practicing with their weapons, and some appeared to be busy planning out some upcoming raid. Like the women, however, some of them looked rather beat-up, with patched clothing and untreated injuries.

"Hey Adele, who's the kid with you?" a shabby-looking man with an eyepatch asked. "Did you bring a date tonight?"

"Just a new recruit!" Adele replied. "He's got a lot of talent, and I saw it in person today when he took out two of those Order bastards!"

"Oh, a recruit?" The fellow saboteur raised an eyebrow over his remaining eye. "It's been a while since we had one of those. Good, I was worried I'd have a rival for your heart!" Then he went off to join some of his friends in planning a raid.

"Pay him no mind." Adele said to Alex. "We all have our own quirks down here. The Tyrene Resistance Committee has members from all different walks of life, though most of us are in the bottom rung of society."

"That's good to hear, it means you have a wide-ranging appeal." Alex replied. "But have you guys ever thought of getting a shorter name, or even an acronym? "Tyrene Resistance Committee'' is a bit of a mouthful!"

"Hey, do you have a better name?" Adele retorted. "We're in Tyrene, we're a Resistance, and we operate as a Committee…or at least we try to! Names are for telling people who you are, and that fits us perfectly! And we are NOT going to call ourselves the TRC- there's no personality in three random letters!"

"Alright, I get it!" Alex exclaimed. "So, who are the people in charge?"

Adele then pointed to a man in the far end of the former smuggling den who was busy talking to a group of rather dangerous-looking men and women. He had orange-brown hair, cold gray eyes, and some stubble on his jaw. His face had a rather sallow complexion to it, with visible stress lines and dark circles underneath his eyes. His gaze, however, was sharp and calculating, and a rapier was visibly hanging from his belt.

"That is Abel." Adele said. "His full name's Abelard, but don't call him that unless you fancy seeing your own intestines. He's one of our three co-founders!"

"He seems to be a tough-looking guy." Alex replied. "But what made him decide to take up arms against The Order?"

"Abel was once one of the personal guards to Prince Julien himself! He got to live within the Prince's Palace itself, and with a pretty decent paycheck!" Adele's expression then grew somber. "But then one day, The Order called up a new batch of conscripts, one of whom was his own son, Jean. Abel tried appealing to Prince Julien himself to exempt his son from the conscription lists, hoping that his years of service would shine through."

"But instead, with the commanders of The Order present at the hall, Prince Julien was unwilling to stir up any trouble and denied his request. So Abel had to watch Jean get carted off to war, but that was only the start of it. When he tossed in his letter of resignation later that day, some Order soldiers tried to murder him for "embarrassing their commanders in front of the Prince". So Abel cut them down and went underground as a rebel!"

"Oh, that's a terrible story!" Alex said with horror. "No wonder why he hates The Order so much. I just hope his son is okay!"

Adele's expression became even more somber. "Well, you hoped wrong. Jean was part of that bastard Tyrax's expedition into Steylia, and he didn't come back from the Disaster. If he wasn't killed in battle, then he was probably devoured by monsters."

Instead of horrifying him, the fate of Abel's son only drew Alex's attention, and he had to try his best to disguise his surprise.

"Oh, what a terrible fate." Alex said while trying to sound horrified. "Abel must've been devastated."

"You can say that again." Adele replied. "These days, the only thing he cares about in life is making The Order suffer as much as he can. That's why a lot of people are drawn to him- the complete devotion to his goal. But while I can't fault him for his devotion, some of his methods are just too…extreme." Adele shuddered at the end of that sentence.

Alex took another look at Abel. With those cold, sharp eyes of his, he certainly did look like someone who could kill without any compunctions.

He has his justifications, but if he's really the leader of the Tyrene Resistance Committee, then I don't know if I want anything to do with them. But if his son really was at Steylia…then there's a good chance he's not dead.

"So who else is in charge?" Alex asked. "You said you had three co-founders, who are the other two?"

"Well, there was Martin, but…I'll get to him later." Adele replied, her eyes downcast. "Our other founder started us after her husband was unjustly arrested by The Order. Her name is-"

"ABEL! JUST WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" came a very familiar voice from behind them.

The whole ex-smuggling den went silent at the sudden yelling, though Abel looked unfazed at the interruption. Alex turned to look and saw a very familiar face- curly black hair, dark eyes, and an attractive face marred by stress.

Damn it, why didn't I make the connection?! Adele was leaving her husband's shop, and it didn't look like she was buying a new set of earrings!

"Murdering a Captain of The Order in his sleep?!" Marina Morgant angrily exclaimed as she walked through the den in a huff before stopping in front of Abel. "What the hell was that supposed to accomplish? By tomorrow The Order will find a new Captain to take his place, and now the whole city thinks we're just a bunch of murderers!"

Abel stared at her with cold eyes. "What, do you think we can chase The Order out of Tyrene peacefully? I was simply doing what you don't have the stomach to do!"

"Of course I know that blood will have to be spilled, you idiot!" Marina retorted with fury. "But it's still way too early for us to be this brazen! We need the people's support to succeed, and now no sane person is ever going to support us!"

The other members of the Tyrene Resistance Committee began gathering around their two arguing leaders, with some sticking by the one they favored. Alex breathed a sigh of relief as Adele stood near Marina and not Abel.

"They're never going to support us either way, Marina. Not while monsters still exist." Abel responded with gritted teeth. "The Captain's death was a message. Now Tyrax and the rest of his ilk know not to screw with us. And if they want to send someone to replace him, they can go ahead! I'll kill them too."

"You will do no such thing, not when I'm here!" Marina replied with fury.

Abel almost appeared to smile at her statement. "Hmm, but you don't show up as often as you once did, huh Marina? What, are we supposed to sit by idly while you stay home mulling about Pierre and Martin? I'm at least willing to show a little initiative!"

"Hey, watch your mouth Abel!" yelled one of the women behind Marina. "You do not get to mock her grief like that!"

"I learned how to redirect loss into something more…productive." Abel said with a shrug. "Perhaps, she's simply no longer cut out for this."

Marina, to her credit, managed to hold onto her composure. But her followers couldn't. What followed was a screaming match as both sides yelled at each other for either being too soft or too radical. All Alex could do was stare aghast at the mess in front of him.

This- this is a dying resistance group! Besides their beaten condition, lack of weapons, lack of public support…If they're this internally divided, then they don't stand a chance! Maybe I was too hopeful after all.

"Hey, all of you, SHUT UP!" came a booming voice from across the room. Everyone stopped shouting and looked behind to see René standing at the hidden entrance with a furious expression.

"My bar can only drown out so much noise! Either you all learn to behave, or you can go find yourself a new base!" he yelled before walking away with a huff and closing the hidden door behind him.

After that interruption, Marina and Abel looked back at each other. Clearly, their argument was far from over, but they were willing to put it under wraps for now.

"Um, Marina?" Adele said tentatively while holding a rolled sheet of paper. "Like I promised, I have some good news. I managed to nab a copy of Tyrax's daily orders!"

"Thank you, Adele." Marina said, though she did not smile. "I'm glad to see that at least someone here is still trustworthy!"

"That's not the only good news! I got into a little trouble on the way back, but I found us a new recruit as a result! Everyone, meet Alex!" Adele exclaimed as she grabbed Alex by the shoulders and pushed him forward.

Everyone looked on with interest at the newest potential member of the Tyrene Resistance Committee, even Abel. Everyone, that is, except for Marina, who stared at him slack-jawed with recognition.

"Y-you?!" she said with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello again, Marina." Alex said. "I did say that I was no ally of The Order."

"Wait, did you two already meet?" Adele asked as she looked between the two.

Marina nodded. "Well, I guess this is convenient. Now I don't have to send someone to follow you after all." Then her gaze turned cold. "But now, I really want to know the truth- just why exactly were you questioning me about my husband's whereabouts?"

Alex decided that at this moment the truth would be far more useful than any lie he could come up with.

"Marina, those pieces of jewelry Pierre is creating for The Order… they're not your typical enchanted gear. They're weapons designed to twist the mind of the wearer to blindly serve The Order, even if it means going against everything they've stood for. I've seen a man kill his own son while wearing one of them! That's why I was looking for Pierre- I needed to stop their production!"

Marina fell silent at his words, as did the rest of the Committee.

"Oh, is that really what they're forcing Pierre to do?" Marina said quietly. "THOSE BASTARDS! I"LL CUT THEM ALL TO- no, I'll save my anger for later." Marina then looked back up at him. "If what you say is true, Alex, then I understand why you were looking for us."

Alex nodded. "I want to free Pierre just as much as you do, so The Order's sick little plot comes to an end. And I was hoping that since all of you want to free this city from their grasp, we could work together."

Abel then stepped forward and took a good hard look at Alex, who tried his best not to balk at his gaze. "Hmm, you don't look like much, kid. How much training have you had with that blade?"

"I've been trained by one of the very best." Alex confidently replied.

Abel looked unconvinced. "Yeah right, everyone says that about their mentor. Let me guess, they were some retired soldier in your village who taught you a few pointers?"

Now, this piece of truth is going to be rather risky to play. I'll keep one hand on my ring, but if it works out…

"No, her name was Wilmarina Noscrim." Alex replied.

Abel froze in place at that name, his eyes wide with surprise. Everyone else also stared at him with similar shock.

"You trained under her?! The traitor who handed Lescatie over to the monster Druella?" Adele exclaimed.

"Hmm, you must have been lucky enough not to be in Lescatie when it fell." Marina said with wide eyes. "Now I understand why you're no ally of The Order- they were probably hunting down anyone associated with Wilmarina."

"Yeah, totally." Alex lied. "But before she…did what she did…she taught me how to wield a blade!"

Abel looked over at him again, but this time he seemed to be a little more accepting of him. "Hmm, so you are talented. And no ally of The Order. That's good to hear."

"Alex, if you truly meant what you said about saving Pierre, then I welcome you to the Tyrene Resistance Committee." Marina said with a small smile. "It has been some time since a trained warrior entered our ranks. With you, perhaps we can finally leave The Order's garrison reeling!"

"Woah, before I make any final commitments, I have a few questions I wanted to ask you, along with Abel." Alex interjected. "So the goal of the Tyrene Resistance is to drive The Order out of Tyrene. That's great news, and it's a goal I share, but what do you plan to do AFTER you've driven them out?"

You do have a plan, right? I'd rather not create any horrific power vacuums.

"Oh, that is something we've discussed." Marina replied. "We plan on creating an Assembly filled with representatives from every class and trade within the city. The Assembly will elect a Consul to lead them for a set term, and every political and military decision will have to go through them first before it can be enacted. That way, we can ensure that nothing like The Order's occupation will ever happen again!"

Marina was excited as she laid out her plans; her dormant idealism had awakened. "And then we'll write down all our laws to put an end to arbitrary justice, create a court system, end the privileges of the nobility…"

"Alright, that's enough for now, Marina." Abel interjected. "You're boring the boy with all this political talk. And I plan on taking more than just the nobility's privileges away from them!"

"No it's fine, I like listening to her." Alex replied. "That is a wonderful vision for the city's future!"

From how she described it, it sounds like Marina wants to form a Republic! Something in the same vein as Venice or Genoa. Now I'm really glad I found them!

"But I do have one more question." Alex asked. "What do you plan on doing to Prince Julien after driving out The Order?"

"Force his abdication and allow him to exist as a private citizen." Marina replied.

"Kill him." Abel replied at the exact same time. The two then looked at each other with annoyance.

"Abel, I thought we discussed this already with Martin. Killing the Prince will accomplish nothing. He might have been a fool in inviting The Order to Tyrene, but he doesn't deserve to die for it!"

"Are you serious?" Abel replied with venom in his voice. "That impotent bastard just sits in his fancy little palace all day while everyone starves around him, and you want him to live to a ripe old age? Any revolution we accomplish won't be complete until his head and the heads of every other noble prick are rolling over the cobblestones! To start a new era, you need to cut all ties with the past!"

Wow, we have ourselves a real Jacobin here. Alex decided at this moment that he was on Team Marina.

"Hmm, is this really about revolution, Abel, or is it just revenge?" Marina asked. "What happened to your son was tragic, but we can't let our anger cloud our judgment!"

"Don't you dare bring up Jean here!" Abel growled as his right hand drifted towards his rapier. For a moment, it looked like the two sides of the Committee were about to fight each other again, but fortunately Adele ran in between the two bickering leaders.

"Alright, I think we've talked enough!" she exclaimed with one hand on her rapier's hilt. "Let's save all this talk of what'll happen to the city when we actually succeed in chasing out The Order! So let's just all break up and plan some new raids, shall we?"

Marina and Abel both stared at each other one more time while grimacing, then they both nodded and walked off with their respective followers. After everyone had drifted off to their own corner of the room, only Adele and Alex remained.

"Soooo, Alex." Adele said with a rather unconvincing smile. "What do you think of the Tyrene Resistance Committee?"

"Do you want an honest answer, or an answer that'll hurt less?" Alex replied.

Adele grimaced. "Oh, um, I guess the first one?"

"While you all have lofty dreams for the future, you're completely divided from within by Abel and Marina's competing visions." Alex said straightfaced. "If you all really do spend your time arguing with each other, how do you ever plan on driving out The Order?"

Adele could only sigh, her gaze downcast. "Yeah, you're completely right. These days, we can't seem to get anything done without those two going at each other's throats. And while I'm usually on Marina's side, I just want everyone to get along so we can finally achieve something! This bickering never got so bad when Martin was still around…"

"Martin?" Alex asked. "Your third founder? You've yet to tell me about him."

"Martin was Marina's brother, along with her husband's business partner." Adele replied. "After Pierre got locked up, they met up with Abel to form the Committee and gather like-minded people around them. Even back then, Abel and Marina didn't get along, but Martin at least was able to boost their spirits and get them to focus on the bigger picture. He even managed to make Abel laugh one time!"

"So he was the glue that held the Committee together." Alex replied. "What happened to him?"

Adele walked over to a nearby crate and pushed it away, revealing a trapdoor beneath.

"This trapdoor leads right into the Tyrene Catacombs." Adele said. "Since they're connected to the sewers, you can travel around the whole city undetected through them! We used to go through them constantly to ambush The Order when they least expected it."

"But on one fateful raid, Martin trailed behind the rest of his party thanks to a leg injury. As they were nearly out of the Catacombs, they heard screams coming from behind and rushed over to help. But it was too late. The last anyone ever saw of Martin was him being dragged into a deeper portion of the Underground by some monster!"

A monster? Interesting. "What a cruel fate." Alex replied, trying his best to sound horrified. "Did they see what kind of monster it was?"

"No, just some glowing eyes in the darkness." Adele replied. "But that's why we don't use the Underground anymore. Even though it limits our ability to strike, we just can't take the risk."

"So that's why Marina is so grief-stricken." Alex said. "To not only have her husband incarcerated, but to lose her brother…"

Adele nodded. "Yep. And now with Abel getting more bloodthirsty, I really do fear for our future sometimes." She then forced a smile on her face. "But at least I found you today! The day was a little brighter thanks to you joining us!"

Alex smiled, but on the inside he was still processing every piece of information he received.

So both Abel and Marina have "lost" someone due to monsters. I understand why they're so devastated about it- after living with The Order's propaganda their entire lives, they'd have no idea of the truth of the situation. How are they supposed to know…how is anyone supposed to know that their loved ones are completely fine unless they see them again in the flesh?

…see them again?

A plan began forming in Alex's mind, one that would allow him to revitalize the Tyrene Resistance Committee, calm Abel's hatred, and destroy any lingering hold The Order still had over the people of Tyrene. And if it really went well, it could ruin The Order's hold in other nations as well. It was a simple plan, but one with potential.

"Thank you for your kind words Adele. I'm glad to have found all of you." Alex said with a smile. "But before I officially join the Committee, I have a few errands I need to run."

"Errands?" Adele said questioningly. "Well, I did say you can leave without issue. But can you at least be a little more detailed?"

"Well, first- I have to go speak to my wife." Alex said. "She wouldn't be happy if I joined an underground resistance group without her permission, after all."

"Wait, WIFE?!" Adele said with surprise. "You're married?!"

"Yep!" Alex replied. "Don't worry though- if I convince her well enough, she might join the Committee too! She is a powerful magic-user in her own right."

"You are full of surprises, Alex." Adele replied, her mind still reeling from that revelation. "First being Wilmarina's prodigy, now this. So what other errands are you going to do?"

"Resurrect the dead." Alex said.

Adele now looked even more shocked than from the last revelation. "Wait, what?! Are you a necromancer too?"

"It's not traditional necromancy." Alex said with a grin. "But I think you'll like the results."

"Oh, um, great!" Adele said, now a little nervous. "Is that all?"

"Oh, one more errand, and I'll think you'll like this one." Alex said with confidence. "I'm going to prove to all of you that not only is The Order a tyrannical organization full of corrupt hypocrites, they're liars too."

Now Adele looked interested, and her smile returned. "Oh? Now this is a surprise I can actually appreciate! By all means, Alex, if you can find something that can help us, we'd thank you forever!"

"Sounds good. I'll try not to take too long." Alex said as he walked back towards the exit.

Abel's son is probably now hitched to some monster in Lescatie, it'll take a while to find him. Alex thought to himself. But Martin is right here, right beneath the city, and very much alive. If I can find him, then I can completely win the Tyrene Resistance Committee's trust!

…but first, there's someone I still have to convince.

[]

When Alex returned to the Tyrene safehouse, he found Druella and Mimi in the dining room studying what appeared to be a map of the city atop the table.

"So The Order's garrison and the Tyrenese Guardsmen stay in separate barracks?" Druella asked as she traced a line between two points on the map.

"They have to, or else they'd be at each other's throats!" Mimi replied.

"Interesting. If we were to attack just one of their barracks, perhaps the other one might not even bother to intervene?"

"That would be a wonderful outcome," Mimi said in agreement, "but the Guardsmen are devoted to protecting their city. If they think that Tyrene is threatened, they'll overlook their hatred and assist The Order."

Druella looked rather disappointed from that answer. Then she noticed Alex's presence in the room, and her frown instantly transformed into a smile.

"Why Alex, you've returned!" Druella exclaimed as she walked over and quickly pulled him into a hug. "And I didn't even need to bail you out this time!"

"Hey, have a little faith in me!" Alex replied as he enjoyed the momentary warmth of the lilim's embrace. "I'm way stronger than I was in Steylia!"

"Fufu, you are!" Druella said with a giggle. "And I'm glad to see that you didn't get into any trouble this time."

"Yeahhhhh, trouble…" Alex said rather nervously. "Um, I managed to find out quite a bit about Pierre Morgant's whereabouts, along with the saboteurs in the city."

"Oh? Then tell me all about them." Druella replied as she and Alex walked over to join Mimi.

So Alex relayed all the day's past events to Druella, including the public execution at White Bastion Square. Druella's face twisted in disgust after hearing about the fate of the six captured Committee members. When she learned of Pierre's imprisonment, she became even more disappointed.

"Hmm, so the poor jewelsmith is trapped in the White Bastion, and he's creating more of those infernal pieces of jewelry. Mimi, how early can we plan out a rescue attempt?"

"I wouldn't recommend it, Lady Druella." Mimi replied. "I've seen how The Order operates here. If they find Pierre missing, they'll retaliate by going after all his family members and even innocent people. We might be better off freeing him together with the rest of the city."

"But to leave that poor man slaving away in his cell…" Druella said with distaste. "We can discuss this more later. Alex, please continue with your report."

"So after learning of Pierre's fate, I encountered a member of the Committee being accosted by some Order soldiers and Guardsmen. So I intervened and-"

"Wait, you got yourself into a fight?!" Druella exclaimed as she glared at Alex disapprovingly. "Alex, I just praised you for not getting into trouble!"

"Well I wasn't going to just stand around and let her die!" Alex countered. "Besides, all my training sessions with Wilmarina would be pointless if I never used anything she taught me!"

Druella sighed. "I suppose you do have a point. And it does please me a little to hear that you won a fight all on your own. But please tell me that you avoided falling into any more trouble afterwards!"

Alex tugged at his shirt collar. "Well, after rescuing her, I followed her right into the Committee's headquarters…"

"ALEX!"

After reassuring Druella that he didn't just blindly enter the HQ of an underground partisan group, Druella finally calmed down and allowed him to finish his report. Despite the Tyrene Resistance Committee's desperate state and constant factional bickering, Druella still seemed satisfied with all his findings.

"You did well, Alex." Druella said with a smile. "While I don't approve of all your methods, the treasure trove of information you've given us will be a boon for our operations in Tyrene!"

Mimi also appeared rather impressed. "I agree. Maybe we should hire him full-time, Lady Druella? We could use some more male spies!"

"Alex is my husband, not my employee!" Druella retorted. "Now, when it comes to this 'Tyrene Resistance Committee', their factional bickering makes them rather useless as an ally. But, if they really are mostly women…" Druella's eyes began to gleam. "...then we can replenish our ranks in an instant! Once the Committee is monsterized, we can use their knowledge and talents to wreak havoc on The Order's presence in Tyrene, or have them throw open the city gates should we call in our main forces! Alex, take me to their headquarters and I can-"

"Druella, I don't think you should monsterize the Committee. Or even the city, for that matter." Alex interrupted.

That sentence caught Druella off-guard, and she stopped talking and stared at Alex with a puzzled look. Meanwhile, Mimi raised an eyebrow and moved in a little closer to hear what Alex had to say.

"Not monsterize the city? Why not, Alex? You've seen for yourself the suffering The Order is inflicting on the people of Tyrene. Are you asking me to stand to the side and let these outrages continue?"

"No, that's not what I mean at all!" Alex said. "Just hear me out, okay?"

Druella nodded in assent, but her wine-red eyes peered at him with suspicion. Alex gulped- whatever he said next might determine the fate of the city of Tyrene.

Damn it, why didn't I talk to her about what I really think about monsterization when I had the chance in Lescatie? She needs to understand that what she's doing should be saved as a last resort!

…she's not the only one who's been shirking her duties due to pleasure…

After confessing his love for Druella, the days that followed were a blur of pleasant sensations and rampant lovemaking that made Alex nearly forget that time was a thing that existed. He could have tried telling Druella to take a break for a day or two, but he had to admit it- he enjoyed being with the lilim.

And I also wanted to forget that a certain Fallen God has set her sights on me. But it doesn't excuse the fact that I failed to have that special little talk.

Alex could almost picture a certain steppe warrior in the back of his mind yelling at him to get it done already. But if Druella didn't like what he had to say, then she might just send him back to Lescatie and have her way with Tyrene.

But that doesn't mean I'm going to dodge the issue! I'm going to explain to her exactly why I think the Committee should be left untouched, and what it'll mean in the war against The Order as a whole! No more nudging, no more misdirections.

"Say Druella, why do people still support The Order despite the heavy-handed treatment afflicted upon them on an almost daily basis?"

The lilim raised an eyebrow. "Why, out of loyalty and piety to the Chief God? Alex, what are you getting at?"

"You are right." Alex replied. "There are plenty of people who are willing to pull through their daily ordeals through faith. But there's another reason- fear. Fear of monsters, to be exact. It's the fear that the Mamono Lord's army might come to devour them at any time that leads to them running into The Order's waiting embrace for the sake of safety, no matter how outrageous The Order's demands may be."

"You are correct, Alex." Druella said. "But I already know that. That is why I first plant seeds of doubt within the nations I'm interested in before I move in to finish the job."

"Yes, once a nation gets incorporated into the Mamono Realm, they finally realize how much they've been deceived." Alex said in agreement. "But that's just within that nation itself. From an outsider's perspective, they'll only hear horrible stories of the Mamono Lord conquering another country. They won't know the full truth, they'll believe whatever story The Order tells them. When I hear people talk about the Fall of Lescatie, they never talk about the social strife, heavy taxation, and all the other contradictions that probably would've led to the Theocracy's eventual collapse if you hadn't shown up. No, they simply blame it on the supposed 'traitor' Wilmarina Noscrim, a convenient scapegoat that The Order can use as fearmongering propaganda. And what happens next? The Order gets a sudden new influx of recruits, terrified nations invite them in, and their hold over their sphere of influence gets stronger than ever."

"He has a point, Lady Druella." Mimi interjected. "Whenever I hear people in the Prince's Palace talk about The Order's presence in the city, they always refer to it as a 'necessary evil', that otherwise they wouldn't stand a chance against the Mamono Realm. And a lot of my fellow spies have noted how it's only getting more difficult to break through the propaganda and convince people otherwise."

Alex didn't expect the succubus-maid to be an ally in this conversation, but he welcomed her input. Meanwhile, Druella still wasn't sure where Alex was heading towards.

"You have a good sense of observation, Alex, but my original question still stands; Why shouldn't I monsterize Tyrene? I agree- The Order tightening its grip every time we advance is something that concerns me greatly, but I see it as motivation to keep moving forward until they topple for good. Do you have some alternative in mind?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Alex replied. "So we've established that most people believe that they need The Order, and that whenever monsters drive out The Order from a region it only galvanizes further resistance." Alex then smiled. "So, what would happen if The Order was thrown out by unclaimed humans, no monsters involved- or at least not directly? How would people react to a nation deciding to look to their own defense?"

"They'll realize that The Order might not be so necessary after all!" Mimi exclaimed with a beaming smile. "And if they're unnecessary, then there's no need to endure any more pointless hardship!"

"Um, thanks Mimi, but I was hoping Druella would answer." Alex said, causing the succubus-maid to give him a sheepish grin. But Druella did seem to be mulling over his words, her lips pursed in thought.

"Ah, now I understand why you wish to keep the Tyrene Resistance Committee human, at least for the time being." Druella said with wide eyes. "You want them to drive out The Order on their own and inspire resistance in other Order-aligned nations!"

"Yep, that's exactly what I want to do!" Alex replied.

"Hmm, out of all your little schemes, this one does have the potential to leave the entire Order reeling…" Druella said as he considered his plan. "But Alex, what will stop The Order from simply dismissing the Fall of Tyrene as the actions of some foolhardy idiots putting themselves in danger? And from what you've told me about the Committee, they're on their last legs. How do you plan on bringing them back from the brink?"

"That goes into the last facet of my plan." Alex said. "The two leaders of the Committee, Abel and Marina, both have loved ones who were claimed by monsters and are now presumed dead. So let's fix that! If you ask me, seeing someone you thought was dead just suddenly show up again would make me instantly abandon a lifetime of propaganda! And just imagine what would happen if the Committee were to share that knowledge with the rest of Tyrene! Once the people realize they've been duped for their whole lives, the Committee would be flooded with new recruits! And after Tyrene gets freed, the truth about monsters can begin spreading into other nations!"

Now Druella was now very interested in his idea, a smile forming on her face as she imagined the possibilities. Mimi also looked rather excited, her spaded tail flickering behind her as she quivered with glee.

"Perhaps Mimi was right after all- I should hire you as an advisor, Alex!" Druella squealed as she looked down at him with pride. "If your plan does bear its bountiful fruit, then perhaps I will leave Tyrene under human control! Now, where can we find these missing humans of yours?"

"One of them we can't get to immediately." Alex replied. Then he grinned. "As for the other…how do you feel about exploring the city's sewer system?"

[]

Wow, Hildera has sure won over the hearts of the townspeople. Tellack thought to himself as he observed the Valkyrie being accosted by a small group of awestruck children at the other end of the Inn they were staying at. The heavenly warrior smiled and allowed the children to touch her golden hair as she told them how they'd all be great heroes of the Chief God when they grew up. The adult customers within the inn also looked on with wonder at the sight of Hildera; your typical villager would likely never encounter a Valkyrie within their lifetime, so to encounter one in the flesh was seen as a good omen, a sign that the Chief God had bestowed her favor upon them. If it wasn't for everything Tellack had gone through, he'd be awestruck too.

But instead, he turned back around and continued to eat his meal. It was a hearty stew filled with chunks of meat, with a freshly baked loaf of bread to dip with. Tellack had eaten better meals than this inn fare, but after weeks of being on the road and eating cold rations by the campfire, it tasted like high cuisine.

Across from him at their table sat Aram, who spent the entire time watching Hildera with a smile on his face. His meal had long gone cold, but he didn't care.

"Isn't it lovely, Tellack?" Aram said as he turned to look at him. "Seeing the faces of the next generation lit up with wonder at the holy sight of the Chief God's beautiful creations? The Order will be in good hands once we're all too old to fight!"

"I'm sure most of them just think Hildera is really cool-looking and couldn't care less about her 'holiness'." Tellack replied dismissively.

"Hey, don't be a spoilsport!" Aram retorted. "You should be thankful that the Chief God chose to award us with her presence! I know I am!"

Tellack then raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, you sure do like talking about Hildera, Aram. Praising her 'holiness', calling her a 'beautiful creation', walking alone with her at nearly every opportunity…" He leaned in and grinned. "Are you, by any chance, in love?"

Aram's cheeks turned bright red. "H-hey, that's sacrilege!' He yelled a little too defensively. "Valkyries are the pure warriors of heaven, not to be tarnished in any way!"

Sure Aram, sure.

For just a moment, Tellack could forget about their quest and enjoy a bit of the relationship he and Aram once had. But the moment was promptly lost when a certain monster-tracker plopped down in the seat next to them.

"Oh, are you eating this?" Harlen said as he stole Aram's bread loaf. "No? Good, I'm starving!" Then he promptly ripped a chunk off with his mouth and began loudly chewing.

Great, he's been here for less than 5 seconds and already Aram's left eye is starting to twitch.

"Harlen, you're back early." Tellack said, hoping to steer this conversation into a more productive direction. "Do you have anything important to share?"

"As a matter of fact kid, I do!" Harlen grunted between bites. "But I'll wait for the golden lady to join us so I can share it with everyone!"

Fortunately, Hildera chose that moment to join their table, and the Valkyrie's presence mollified Aram's simmering anger.

Looks like the whole group's here! All except for…her.

Tara had chosen to stay in the room they rented at the inn rather than join the rest of the group for dinner. Or, at least they assumed she chose to do so; she was as mute as ever. Although it did feel a little wrong to leave her out, her presence would've likely creeped out the entire town and led to their early exit.

We've ridden out of the Tazchekian Steppe days ago, and yet no one is brave enough to talk about what we saw her do to those 200 steppe warriors.

The memory of the Tazchek horseman being immolated out of existence and violently thrown out of their saddles by the glowing-eyed hieromancer could never truly get out of his mind, and now he suddenly no longer felt so hungry.

"Children are so delightful!" Hildera exclaimed with a beaming smile. "Wide smiles, bright eyes, seeing them always fills me with hope!"

"You should charge them for every minute you carry them on your shoulders." Harlen replied with a smirk. "It'll make these inflated food prices more bearable on our budget."

"Save the snark for later, Harlen." Aram sternly said. "Now that we're all here, what news do you have to share?"

Harlen finished swallowing the last of Aram's stolen loaf before straightening up on his chair and staring at all of them. After a few seconds of awkward silence, he finally spoke:

"I picked up the trail again. Druella has left Lescatie."

That caught everyone's attention, with Aram and Hildera's expressions becoming immediately more serious as they looked at the monster tracker with keen eyes. Tellack, on the other hand, felt only a bubble of anxiety welling up inside of him.

So it's back to the chase again. Hopefully we can catch her this time, and hopefully the work will be quick so I can finally quit The Order and get as far away from Tara as possible.

"You've located her!? Where?" Aram asked.

"If my spells are accurate, Tyrene." Harlen replied. "And not too long ago as well."

"Tyrene?" Tellack asked. "The city-state is currently under The Order's protection. What would Druella want over there?"

It was a rhetorical question- everyone knew exactly why Druella might be at Tyrene, and the answer terrified them.

"If she's planning anything similar to Lescatie, then we have to stop her!" Hildera exclaimed.

Aram nodded. "You're right, Hildera. If she is planning anything, we can't waste a single second here!"

But as he tried standing up, Harlen grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Woah, Captain! Don't be in a rush! I only said that she might be in Tyrene. And the city's still weeks away by horse- she could be long gone by the time we get there!"

"But that's all the more reason why we should get going!" Aram responded. "I hate pointless chases as much as everyone, but we can't let her get away!"

Harlen sighed. "Well, get used to it. Monsters have a good sense of knowing when they're being tracked; Maybe it's because they're usually the ones doing the tracking. Every second not spent on the hunt is more time for them to get away. Though I did find ways to even out the odds: traveling at night, stamina spells, potions for temporarily replacing sleep…being relentless is the key."

Harlen then grinned. "Hmm, I've got an idea, Captain. You three are good at getting up and ready for the trail quickly, but that's still wasted time I could've used. No offense, but I'm just not used to tracking with a group. So how about letting me go ahead to Tyrene and confirm that Druella is there? If she is, I'll deploy a mana marker and you can speed ahead right to my location! If not, well, I'll rejoin you guys and we can continue on our way! How does that sound?"

Aram's eyes narrowed. "It almost sounds like you're eager to leave us, Harlen. Just what exactly are you up to?"

"Nothing at all, Captain!" Harlen replied, still grinning. "I want to catch Druella just as much as you do. The sooner we've bagged this lilim and get our shares of the reward money, the better."

"Harlen, are you really sure you want to do this?" Hildera asked with concern. "You will be going after one of the most powerful monsters in existence, all alone!"

"Lady, I've been doing this job for far too long." Harlen replied. "What better way to finish off a career than with one last deadly catch? Surely you all won't deny me that chance."

Aram did not have a happy expression on his face, but he nodded. "Fine, if you really think you'll work better on your own, you can go on ahead Harlen. Just keep yourself out of danger and be sure to report to us immediately if you do catch sight of Druella."

Really? Aram is agreeing to his proposal? I thought he hated the tracker's guts…or maybe he relishes the opportunity to travel without him for a good while.

"Nice, I knew you weren't a complete uptight prick, Captain!" Harlen smiled with glee as patted Aram on the back. Meanwhile, Aram already looked like he was regretting his decision.

"Now, before I go, I know you and Tellack encountered Druella before." Harlen said. "Anything I should keep an eye out for?"

"Oh yeah, there is one thing." Aram said. "Druella has a human she's keeping as some sort of pawn or pet. He was a monster-sympathizer me and Tellack arrested months ago only for her to show up out of nowhere and snatch him away before his execution. When I saw him again at Steylia, he also appeared to have gained some magical abilities of his own. If you see him, Druella is definitely nearby."

That lost guy in the forest? It's been so long since I've thought of him. Tellack thought to himself.

"Oh yeah, I remembered the Pope mentioning him." Harlen replied. "Do you have any physical details?"

As Aram explained the physical characteristics of Druella's human companion, Tellack's mind raced back to an encounter at a certain Ashuran forest, one that changed his and Aram's paths forever.

If it wasn't for him barging into our scouting party, me and Aram would probably still be at that Ashuran fort doing our daily duties. Maybe Druella would've never shown up if Aram chose to show a little leniency. So what if he had a little Honey Bee fluff on him, that doesn't mean he was a sympathizer! We could've just escorted him back to town and sent him on his way!

Tellack then felt a pang of regret within himself. And maybe I should have argued for mercy harder, chain of command be damned! And who knows- maybe he's with Druella against his will? Poor guy might not even have his mind anymore!

"Hey Aram?" Tellack asked. "If we do find that guy again, what do you plan on doing to him? For all we know, he could also be a victim, a mindbroken slave of the Conqueror of Lescatie!"

Aram's gaze was ice-cold. "Tellack, I saw him push Druella out of danger back at Steylia out of his own free will. That desperate expression on his face, no pawn would ever show that kind of emotion! Just like in Ashura, he's a monster-sympathizer who needs to be taken down!"

Tellack could only nod silently. So you're as merciless as ever, Aram. Why do I even bother asking if I already know what your answer will be?!

"That reminds me…" Aram said as he turned to Harlen. "Druella seems to be pretty fond of her little pet. If you do find him, he could make for some excellent bait to lure her in."

Harlen smiled. "And then we could lay a well-prepared ambush! Excellent plan, Captain!"

Aram's plan caught Tellack's attention. Druella, fond of some random prisoner? Then again, it was strange that he just showed up in the forest with no idea where he was and nothing on him but the clothes on his back! And then Druella of all things shows up to break him free?! There are still so many questions that need answering!

…I wonder, if we were to find him, could he have the answers I'm looking for regarding monsters, The Order, and this damn war? The answers that Aram is clearly hiding from me?

"Alright, now that we have a plan, I should probably be on my way!" Harlen exclaimed. "I still have a long way to Tyrene!"

"Wait, before you leave, there is something I want to talk to all of you about." Tellack interjected. After getting everyone's attention, he continued:

"Are we really not going to talk about Tara?" Tellack asked. "Surely you all agree with me that what we saw on that field shouldn't be ignored that easily?!"

The table went silent, with everyone grimacing at the memory of the horrific fate that befell the 200-strong Tazchek host.

"No hieromancer should be able to kill that many men so quickly!" Tellack exclaimed. "And the way she never says a word, the way her eyes glowed as she hovered in the air…The Order assigned her to this team of ours, yet we know nothing about her!"

Hildera was the first to speak up, her downcast eyes staring at the table. "I share your concerns, Tellack. The way that poor girl acts, it's as if she were a hollow shell without any individuality. And what she did was…frightening. But, if the Pope himself assigned her to this mission, then she must be operating under the blessing of the Chief God. And while her directions may seem confusing at times, we cannot question them."

…Are you kidding me? No wonder Aram likes you so much, you're both too devoted for your own good!

"I agree with Hildera." Aram replied, his expression solemn. "I'll admit it, I still have trouble sleeping when I remember that horrible morning. And you're right, her abilities are beyond that of any normal hieromancer." Then his eyes took on a more zealous glint. "But look at the positives- she'll be on our side when we face Druella! I was a little unsure of how we were eventually going to confront the lilim in battle, but with Tara's abilities we might stand a good chance of victory!"

Tellack could not disagree in that regard- Tara's hieromancy would definitely even the odds against the lilim. But it still didn't feel right.

"How about you?" Tellack asked as he turned to Harlen, hoping that the tracker's lack of respect for The Order would lead to a more productive answer. "Surely, you have plenty of questions you want answered about her?"

But Harlen only looked back glumly. "Kid, I didn't last this long in The Order by asking questions. Asking some questions will give you answers, while others will end with you never being heard from again. If she really is some new kind of hieromancer, I'll let The Order keep their secrets as long as I keep getting my pay."

Great, this conversation accomplished nothing. But Tellack resolved that even if his companions were willing to overlook their mysterious companion, he wouldn't. Tara was just one more piece of evidence that proved he really no longer knew the organization he had served in for so long.

"Well, if we're done talking, I'll get going!" Harlen said as he stood up from the table, though not before snatching Tellack's uneaten loaf of bread. "The next time I'll see all of you, it'll be nothing but good news!"

As Harlen walked out of the inn, Hildera turned to Aram. "Are you really sure you want that insolent man to head off on his own? He has shown nothing but disrespect to you, to The Order, to the Chief God!"

"I know that." Aram replied. "But I can trust that he'll do his duty, or else he won't get that reward money he keeps salivating over." Aram then smiled. "Besides, it'll be refreshing to travel without him ruining the mood."

I knew it.

"You do have a point there!" Hildera replied- now she was smiling too. As Aram and Hildera continued talking about how much more bearable travel would be without Harlen, Tellack could only glumly stare at his now-cold stew.

Is no one willing to question anything? Am I just going to have to suppress all these anxieties until this mission is over? That guy, Druella, The Order, Tara…I NEED ANSWERS!

Tellack then made one final promise deep in his heart- if they found Druella's pawn, then he'll try to get some answers out of him. Even if it meant going against Aram's wishes.

[]

Author's Note: Next time- Druella, Alex, and Mimi head off to the Tyrene Underground.

Tyrene is definitely no longer a mini-arc, things won't be resolved in four chapters. But that'll give me more opportunities to experiment!

InsaneMakaioshin- 1. He got demoted after losing at Steylia. This was first mentioned by the Pope in Ch. 8.

2. Alex wasn't distracted by Adele's looks, but because she "looks like she jumped right out of an Alexander Dumas novel" with her swashbuckling getup.

3. Oh, he wants to. But the opportunity was lost after the incident at the Fallen God's Temple, and Alex doesn't want their operations in Tyrene to be marred by an ideological debate …Now all that is something I should've mentioned in the previous chapter, cause now it doesn't fit in as well thematically in this one. This is why I read all the Reviews.

And, tbh, I didn't expect this first act of the story to grow so large, so a plot point that would initially get resolved at a good pace is now overstaying its welcome. Just one more thing to clean up later down the line. But I promise that they will have that talk when this arc is over, I've been teasing you all long enough.