Chapter 76: Smiles and masks

School was something Izaya had aced. From the very get go to the final day of absence. He had never had trouble producing the best grades despite skipping classes more often than he attended, so the teachers, despite their various dislikable characters, had never really bothered him in any way.

Fear of being called to the board, or the chill down one's spine once they called your name was something he only heard from hearsay.

But now, following the head nun of the church, he somehow found himself oddly sympathizing with his fellow classmates.

Strict, stern and not in the mood for any jokes, a heavy silence accompanied the group as sister Monica strode onwards with decisive steps.

She seemed unbothered by the fact that she had turned her back to a handful of complete strangers, and something about that vast confidence that she was not going to be stabbed in the back caused the air to feel like ice.

Her attitude told Izaya a few things about this priest Marcius, despite never having met him. He was lenient.

Too good to the people around. Because if he weren't then this nun wouldn't have to be this strict. Izaya could very well imagine her disputing with her father about whether or not a decision was wise and Maricus just smiling and asking her to trust her.

Maybe it was a misconception on Izaya's part, but considering how brother Celso had been against the priest's recent actions, his idea didn't seem too far off.

And his suspicions only seemed to be proven further, as the door to a small chamber opened.

A handful of children of all ages immediately fell quiet upon entry. Sister Monica had led them down the left side of the main hall into the very same corridor that Izaya and Shizuo had only been on not too long ago.

Izaya still remembered the teases and the way he stopped the candle light.

This time it was torches that illuminated the inside and the chambers used for guests were dutifully occupied.

"Maya," sister Monica called a single name, and what appeared to be the oldest child, rose from the ground. Brown hair, cut in awkward ways, uncombed and wild, stood in all directions and wide eyes, filled with chocolate curiosity looked at the new faces sister Monica had brought along. "You know where we keep our spare clothes right?" the sister asked, and the tomboyish child nodded quickly with excited curiosity.

"Elaine." Another girl was called. This time a younger one and almost the polar opposite to the first. Sunken eyes and pale skin mimicked the same signs of nutrition that the stranger in his blue robes had shown. She was thinner than the rest, but that fact didn't blemish her moss green eyes. Long straight hair of the color of burnt coal rested on her shoulders and hid just a few freckles spread around her cheeks. She was easily the prettiest, despite her obvious fragility. "Show them to their rooms," sister Monica ordered and just as the first child, she nodded with no room for questions or signs of refusal.

"You are not staying?" Izaya asked surprised, and sister Monica turned with an amused smile.

"To watch you?" she asked, a bit too perceptive for Izaya's tastes, and laughed. "If you are up to mischief I advise you to keep it," she warned slowly, and with the kind of confidence that didn't ask for opposite opinions. "God's wrath finds everyone regardless of who they are or where they house," she whispered with the sweetest smile on her lips despite the content of her words and turned.

And with her the air of ice.

"I wish you a good night," she said, and with that she disappeared into the hall they had come from.

Creaking softly the door closed and Izaya couldn't help but think that he would actually like to avoid her. Not only was she too strict and somewhat eerie in her actions, but also too perspective to his liking.

If Shizuo or Namie accidently spoke even the slightest mistake in their stories, this woman would be sure to pick it up right away.

But for now they were safe. Along with the kids that were eyeing them as thought they had never seen strangers before.

It were five in total. Three more, ages ranging somewhere in between Elaine and Maya. They remained quiet even once the sister was gone.

Two boys, one girl. Brothers most likely, seeing how their facial structure seemed awfully similar to each other.

Coming back with the clothes faster than expected the girl called Maya extended them towards Izaya.

"Ah, thank you," He replied gratefully and grasped what appeared to be simple garments of shirts and pants of various sizes. A glance was cast towards Namie, and pulling her blanket off her head she sighed softly. "Can't wait to put them on," she sighed and blinked.

"How pretty-" It was the little girl whose name they didn't hear yet who had exclaimed her admiration. And as quickly as she had she slapped her hands over her mouth.

A burn scar, too large to hide, settled on the side of her face and Namie's eyes narrowed in soft pity.

She didn't seem to be bothered by her scar, but seeing how Namie's face was probably the definition of beauty of this time the contrast was a bit too large to cast aside.

A smile sweeter than Izaya would have ever expected from the woman spread across her cheeks and she nodded towards the girl. "Thank you."

Embarrassed, and blushing heavily the little girl nodded quickly before hiding behind the two brothers.

"Priest Marcius is taking care of you?" Namie asked the child that had brought them their new clothes as she seemed to be the only one not intimidated by their presence. But it was not her that answered.

"Everyone in the village was against it, but he told us we could stay." One of the brothers had raised his voice. He was probably eight, or nine judging from his height and the way he spoke.

"Why did they drive you away?" Izaya questioned, very eager to learn just what it was that the priest had done that caused the local farmers to set his church on fire.

This time it was Maya who replied as the rest of the children faced the ground in what appeared to be some sort of guilt.

"Because we are cursed," she answered, and Izaya was met with confusion.

Cursed, huh?

Apart from some scars and a bit of dirt that would do well to be washed away, these kids looked mostly healthy both in body and mind. Maybe a bit thin or a bit malnutritioned, but wasn't everyone in these times?

"Cursed?" he repeated, and as if wanting to prove that they were the two brothers lifted their shirt.

"We got the marks of demons," they replied and showed their skin. Dots of redness and soft dents in their flesh appeared all over their bodies. It took Izaya a second to count two and two together, to realize what they were talking about.

Chicken pox.

He was pretty sure that's what the blisters looked like if you didn't let them heal and scratched them off.

Clutching their own arms, as if trying to guard themselves, the girls in the room seemed not quite as willing to show their scars and Izaya somehow felt a ball of anger form in his guts.

Mairu and Kururi had had the pox too at some point. But with their modern medicine and nonexistence of stupid beliefs it had given them nothing but a week off school and bed rest until they were fine again.

But in this age?

Death was something that Izaya had immediately expected after concluding into what kind of time they fell, but seeing the stupid superstitions himself somehow made them seem even more idiotic.

"Our fever wouldn't go down. But Priest Marcius took us in and prayed for us everyday until we actually got better," the other brother spoke and Izaya took a deep breath in order to control this burning rage.

"What about your parents?" Namie asked, but Izaya already knew the answer to that one.

"We don't have any," Maya answered what no one else could say and Izaya's eyes narrowed.

He was starting to get the gist.

Priest Marcius must have either realized that the children were just sick, or thought that god could heal everything, even demonic possession. Either way he had refused to let these children die and cared for them in the farmers stead.

Of course no one expected them to get better, or worse, expected them to get better because their souls had been claimed and now it was simply demons that were living inside their bodies.

Something along these lines must be the reason the farmers were this opposed to the priest.

It also explained brother Celso's anger. While he didn't seem to be against saving the children he obviously was very dedicated to their church and community. It was probably a disaster to him that people refused to pray with them.

And sister Monica-

Considering the way these children acted around her she probably wasn't too happy about their presence either. Another quick conclusion was reached in the same breath and Izaya's eyes narrowed.

That's why she had let them stay with these kids unsupervised.

She didn't even believe in god's judgment. If Izaya was right, then she hoped they would get rid of them in her stead so she could keep a clean slate.

What a shrewd woman.

But now Izaya knew at least what he was working with. And priest Marcius at least seemed to be someone who actually stayed true to his profession.

"And where is that priest Marcius now?" he asked, and the children turned to each other with a moment of hesitation.

Sister Monica had probably instructed them to be quiet at all times and not talk too much to anyone. She wanted them to not be a bother, and Izaya could only imagine what kind of punishment she was giving out to anyone who didn't follow her rules.

"He left the church a day ago. There have been a lot of attacks recently and whenever god tells him to, he leaves to aid those that need his help," the little girl that complimented Namie whispered and Izaya hummed.

God tells him to leave, huh?

Was that just a cover and decent excuse to leave the church? Or was it an actual voice talking to him? The demon they were looking for? Or maybe someone else that he was hiding from the children?

"So he will return soon?" he asked, and the entirety of the children present nodded.

A difficult life laid ahead for these children, but somehow Izaya was glad they at least had the priest and each other to turn to.

"You should go," the pretty girl called Elaine whispered quietly and glanced towards the door.

Right.

Sister Monica was probably not going to be amused once she noticed how long they were staying to interrogate the kids.

"This way," Elaine spoke shyly and pushed the door open by leaning her frail weight against the heavy frame.

Izaya already knew the monastery's structure very well. There might be some extra corridors missing as they were yet to be built, but the sleeping chambers had remained the same.

Which also implied that there was not much more time they could use to gather information.

"And you are called Elaine?" Izaya tried, but as soon as they exited the children's room, the little girl's lips were sealed shut.

Was she afraid of sister Monica hearing her speak? Or was it Izaya and his group? They were strangers, so both options seemed likely to zip her lips.

"A few monks departed earlier to gather donations for our church. You can stay in their rooms meanwhile," she whispered quietly, as soon as they arrived at the end of the corridor.

Two doors, left open, showed a couple beds and awfully empty walls along with a sad excuse for a window.

It made sense that the monks left to gather money, though. After all, their church just burnt down and the repairs weren't going to be cheap.

But it also meant that the current staff of the monastery was limited and Izaya couldn't help but smile at that fact.

The less people, the easier they were to trick and manipulate.

So far it appeared to be just them, five kids, two nuns, two monks and the guy from the main hall whose purpose remained a mystery. At least for now.

"Thank you for guiding us," Namie whispered gently, trying to garner Elaine's favor, but not even she could get another word out of her as she simply nodded before turning around, "Good night," and steering back to her room.

"... not too bad for a first day," Namie sighed quietly as soon as she was out of sight and Izaya snorted.

"You mean night," he corrected her and the woman rolled her eyes.

"So? What now?"

Glancing towards the rooms, then back towards the corridor they came for Izaya sighed. He was hoping for plans, for a sudden enlightenment, but his wish remained unfulfilled.

"Now we sleep," he whispered and faced obvious surprise.

"For real?" Namie complained, but Izaya had nothing else to tell her.

"We know too little to move around. And after everything that happened I think some rest would serve us all well enough," he explained and Namie's eyes narrowed.

A glance was cast towards their newest sleeping chambers and she pointed to the left.

"I'm taking this one," she announced and looked towards the twins. "Kururi, Mairu?" The unspoken question was simple and the two nodded as they joined her.

Only Mairu seemed slightly bothered as she met Izaya's gaze.

"What about Leo?"

Right.

Sister Monica was caring for him. Whether or not that was a good thing was something Izaya couldn't quite say.

"I doubt they will harm him as long as we are outnumbering them," he assured her, but the words he spoke were nowhere near as confident as they sounded.

"So we wait?" Namie repeated and he nodded.

"Until tomorrow, yes."

A soft moment of silence, filled with many statements and even more questions lingered in the air, and despite usually being so adamant to answer every single one and clear all misunderstandings, Izaya found himself oddly unwilling to continue.

He was tired.

On multiple levels.

Looking at him Namie seemed to be about to address that fact, but gladly sighed instead. "Alright, I trust you to fix this."

And Izaya smiled. "I know."

But somehow that was exactly what was wearing him down.

to be continued~

Alright here we go xD Settled right into our new, or rather, old location xD So many riddles, so many unsolved mysteries. I wonder, I wonder~ Nah joke I know what's going on hahahahaha And soon you will too xDDD

See you next friday everyone~ :3