2-23 In due time

“Well of fucking course, it’s The Singularity,” groaned Lord Howard. “Where else would you find the most atrocious scum dwelling in?”

“The Singularity is a big place, we’ll need a more precise location,” Rosemary said calmly.

“I-I’m sorry...” muttered Olivia timidly. “I-I can’t get anymore out of it.”

“Is it too much strain?”

Olivia shook her head. “Not exactly. It’s just… the Mana in the basin is far too dense to get a precise reading. I’ll need a few catalysts to be precise.”

“This is of paramount importance, what do you need as a catalyst?”

“...An Elderwood branch,” Olivia muttered after a brief silence.

“Elderwood?! Are you joking?!” yelled the Lord of House Clayton. “A single branch cost at least a hundred gold coins. No way we’re getting one of those.”

“Is there an alternative we can use as a catalyst?” Rosemary asked, ignoring the Lord’s outburst.

Olivia shook her head. “Anything less than an Elderwood would not be enough.”

“I see...” Rosemary nodded slowly.

“What’s an Elderwood?” Erin asked Lyra, who was just beside her, in a whisper.

“Thousands of year old trees, soaked in magic for their entire age,” Lyra answered. “Their height reaches above the clouds, or so I have heard in my brief days as a smuggler.”

Erin refrained from letting a whistle of awe. She would be lying to herself if she said she wasn’t interested in said-tree.

“You've done enough for now, Miss Olivia. Go get some rest. We can continue this some other time.” Rosemary then summoned a staff into the room and had them escort Olivia out of the room for her to get some rest.

Erin could tell Olivia was struggling to even remain standing after the divination but she was doing her best to hide it. Needless to say, it was seen through by Rosemary.

“Edith, the precise location isn’t our concern now,” Howard said after Oliva had left the room.

“Then what is?”

“It’s The Singularity for crying out loud. Where are we going to find anyone who would be willing to venture into that place without substantial gain in return? Not to mention, would we even find anyone capable of braving through that terror? Much less put together a team, I doubt we’ll find even one or two volunteers.”

“We’ll find someone, Lord Howard. We have to, or unless you wish to entrust this ordeal to the Ruvans?”

Howard clenched his fist. “Don’t even joke about that. I’m not handing this town over to those smug-faced pretenders. But I’m merely stating the truth, Edith. A few months ago, we have even offered hundreds of Gold just for scouting, not even one person took that request. Why do you think this will be any different?”

“Because the whole town will be at stake if nobody decides to come forward.”

“Yeah right, they’ll sooner abandon this town than to face the threat. Where do you propose we look?”

“Look no further,” Erin uttered. “I volunteer.”

Lyra raised her hand. “I volunteer too.”

“Lyra,” Erin rebuked her.

“What? Do you expect me to let you go alone?”

“Yes.”

“Well, too bad. I’m following.”

Lord Howard rolled his eyes and sighed. “Your bravery and initiative are commendable but that won’t be enough.”

“The monsters’ levels are high?” Erin asked.

“The lowest ones are at fifteen from the last report I have received regarding that place. That report was more than a year ago.”

“Do you have anyone else then?”

“Look here, Lady. I admire your bravery but you won’t get things done alone. You’ll need a large party for this. Ten people at the very least.”

“And how long will that take?”

“Even the simplest expedition, the smallest party, even those would take a week to form at the very least. For an expedition of this scale, I’m not exaggerating when I say it would likely take more than a single month.”

Erin clenched her teeth and fists. “That’s too long… Who knows what will happen to Celia during that wait...”

“You are extremely eager, Lady Erinthea,” Rosemary remarked. “Do you perhaps have a personal stake in this?”

Lyra fought down the temptation to widen her eyes but Erin’s demeanor was calm. She returned the scrutinizing gaze to Rosemary. “I do have a personal stake,” Erin said. “And I also have witnessed first hand what this Necromancer is capable of. I agree with you, Madam Rosemary. This blight cannot be allowed to fester. It might be too late then if we waited.”

Howard sighed again. “This isn’t about you, Fae. No offence, I know of your accomplishments. You’re even a single star adventurer. I read the reports about you from Geron. It’s impressive for someone of your level but to take on The Singularity with minimum force is simply foolish and futile.”

“Then suggest a better alternative, my lord. This problem cannot wait. There are at least thousands of people in this town. There must be someone who is willing to brave this risk.”

“There’s none, my lady.”

“You are sure?”

“This is my town, Fae. I do well to keep track of what goes on.”

“I think I know someone,” Lyra said. Her words drew all the gazes in the room to herself.

“You do?” Rosemary asked.

“Are the Corvas twins in town?”

Lord Howard paled. “How do you know about the Corvas Twins?” he asked in a hollow tone.

“Pray tell, how does a lady like you come to know about them?” Rosemary threw the same question.

“I worked in their line of business for a time but I quit before I was dragged deeper into the ring.”

From those faint hints alone in Lyra’s words, Erin understood the aforementioned twins’ profession. “They can help?” Erin had to ask, she didn’t see how a pair of smugglers could assist in this issue.

“They’re famous for their fighting prowess despite being smugglers, their skills are better than even trained soldiers and knights. They are one of the few who has managed to escape the clutches of the Razor Grizzly in close confrontation.”

“Why were in the clutches of the Razor Grizzly in the first place?”

“Smugglers often use roads with less patrol or without patrols. Let’s just say, they use a certain road to avoid patrols but end up stumbling upon the Grizzly’s hunting grounds.”

As someone who had encountered the Razor Grizzly first hand, Erin was certainly impressed that the Twins were someone who managed to elude the Grizzly’s pursuit.

Howard scoffed. “W-what can we even offer to a bunch of criminals that they couldn’t easily get on their own?”

“Leniency for their misdeeds and gold that isn’t tainted by blood or betrayal. As horrible as the stories always make them out to be, they desired gold that won’t raise any brows or questions when they spend it.”

“That’s really interesting to know,” Rosemary mused.

“So, are they in town?” Lyra asked. “Cause last I heard of them, they were heading towards this town for their next job.”

“Oh?” Rosemary turned her head slowly to Howard. “You told me they were heading to a completely different direction.”

“She’s lying!” Lord Howard accused.

“And why would she lie?” Rosemary countered with a brow raised.

“I’m sure there’s an Orb of Truth lying around in this room. We can ascertain the truth of her words with that,” Erin suggested.

Lyra’s eyes glimmered at Erin’s assistance.

Rosemary looked to Lord Howard who was gritting his teeth and sweating his brows.

“Howard?” The Guild Master gauged.

The town’s chief clicked his tongue. “Yes,” he admitted. “They are in town.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know, I swear. I just know they are in town.”

Rosemary glared. “Since when?”

“...A week ago...”

Rosemary narrowed her gaze. “We will discuss your reasons for the secrecy later. For now,” she turned to Erin and Lyra. “As the Guild Master, I humbly ask the two of you to seek out the Corvus Twins. If you’re looking for a place to talk, invite them to Rosemary’s Diner and ask for the corner seat.”

“Rosemary’s Diner?”

“A family business that has existed long before I became the Guild Master in Maven’s Creek.”

“Why us?” Lyra asked. “Shouldn’t this be a job for the Guild?”

“People of their profession try to avoid officials the best they could. If I sent a Guild official, we won’t even find them. But the two of you, a Fae and a… person of the same former profession, I think they will at least be curious to hear what you have to say.”

“I understand,” Erin said.

“I believe that will be all, Lady Erinthea, Miss Lyra. I bid the two of you good fortune for your future endeavors. Now, if you will leave us two here alone, we have much to discuss.”

Erin and Lyra returned a silent greeting and promptly left the room. A sharp sound of flesh hitting flesh resounded from the beyond the door as soon as they left the room.

****

They left the Guild in a hurry as Celia was waiting for them. As always, Erin’s appearance drew in fresh gazes as they made their way across the lobby. They let not those gazes hinder their pace. Erin had half a mind to change her appearance with Spirit Magic but she still wasn’t at a level where she could use it without any heed to the Mana expense.

Their pace eventually slowed down when the pair noticed a commotion in the distance which had garnered a crowd of attention around it.

Lyra proposed to take a look but Erin stopped her when she saw a familiar emblem on one of the knight-looking individuals involved in the commotion, he was a Ruvan Paladin. Peeking through the gaps in the crowd, Lyra was able to perceive the commotion with her Eagle Eyes.

“Oh...” Lyra muttered.

“What is it?”

“It’s the slavers that you have caught. They are being confronted by the Ruvan Paladins.”

Hearing that, Erin strained her ears to the commotion.

“Oi oi! You can’t do this, we aren’t even tried yet!” One of the slavers shouted.

“For scums like you, a trial is unnecessary. They’ll just throw you in a cell and let it fade from their memories. For the lives you have ruined, that sort of punishment is simply too lenient.”

“This ain’t the holy state or something, you faith manics! You can’t do this!”

“Divine judgement is not impeded by the laws of man.”

“No! You can’t—”

The slaver’s plea was cut short as the sound of a sword streaked the air. The audience gasped. The other slavers began whimpering, sobbing, and begging for their lives. The town guards were only watching them from the sides, without any intention to stop the Paladins.

Lyra looked on in terror. “They just killed them in front of a crowd without any hesitation...”

Erin grabbed Lyra’s hand. “Come on, we need to leave before—”

“Before what?” said a knight donning a cloak. Under the cloth, Erin could see that the knight bore the Ruvan emblem. The Paladin stood in their way but since his armor was covered and the crowd was too focused on the execution, not much attention was drawn to the confrontation. The Paladin was a man of around his thirties, dark brownish hair like most of the people Erin had met, and a height that stood the same as Erin’s.

“We have no quarrels with you, Sir,” Erin retorted. She stayed her hands away from her sword but she was prepared to draw it at any moment.

“I’m no sir, milady. I am but a humble warrior of her ladyship, Ruva.”

“Fascinating but it’s no concern of us and we have no intentions for it to be.”

“Why the rush then, Lady Erinthea?” The Paladin asked.

Erin frowned. “You know who I am?” She slowly positioned herself in front of Lyra.

“Of course, I do. You were the one who caught these scums. For that, I gave you my gratitude.”

“Your gratitude would have meant something if you weren’t in our path.”

“As I have asked, why the rush? You tried to run when you saw what we did to criminals. That’s pretty suspicious, wouldn’t you say?”

Erin knew words would not be able to convince the likes of him. They were those who could only see their own narrative and would only interpret all kinds of situations to suit their own convenience.

“What’s this? No response?”

“I know you have been watching ever since we left the Guild. We have been in a rush then. Your suspicion is forced and unfounded.”

“So… you ran despite knowing you’re under the watch of a Paladin… what do I have to make of that?”

“You’ll make nothing of it, Lucan,” said a dark-skinned man who approached them. The man was wearing a robe befitting a clergy and necklace of a queer design, resembling a plump snake coiling into a ring and biting its own tail. The emblem the priest bore on his garb however, was different to that of his necklace and the Paladin. “Suspicious or not, she is a Fae and you are not in your holy state. Lay a finger on her, you’ll answer to her employer, Iris of the Eternal Moon.”

“Iris of the what now?”

The Paladin named Lucan chuckled softly. He locked eyes with the priest for a while before backing away a few steps. “Well miladies, if you’re in a rush, I will be on my way. Try to be less shifty the next time we meet, until we meet again,” Lucan said and disappeared into the crowd to rejoin his brothers.

The Priest sighed. “These damnable Ruvans.”

“Thank you, Father,” Lyra bade.

“You have my thanks too, Father, but… who are you and why did you help us?”

“I am known as Father Rorkin. I was without parents as a child. I was cared for greatly by a Fae. Therefore, I held a genial disposition towards Fae.”

“Orphan… raised by a Fae… must be the orphanage Nivia talked about. And he’s a priest of a different Faith, huh...”

“What’s more, I can see you are offered the grace of the same god I devote myself to.”

Erin raised a creased brow and gulped. “I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean, Father.”

“You will, in due time. Since the two of you are obviously in a hurry, don’t let me stop you. Good afternoon, ladies,” Father Rorkin bade and ambled his way down the street the other way.

“What was that about?” Lyra asked as her eyes followed Father Rorkin until he disappeared down the streets.

“I don’t know. It’s certainly not about the Goddess who gave me this second life.”

“You’re sure about that?”

“I don’t know why but… I think I would know if someone is a follower of Nyx.”

“Then which god is he referring to?”

The image of the necklace Father Rorkin wore flashed across Erin’s mind. She didn’t get a close look but she became certain the plump snake must have been a dragon, a dragon chasing its own tail in which it succeeded. The face of a certain person surfaced into her mind. She scoffed.

“Erin?” Lyra called out.

Erin smiled faintly. “I guess it is as he said, I’ll know in due time.”