Chapter 26: Ch. 25 – Secret Keeper

Jack just told me that 'someone' waits for me at the front of the church but not who or when they expect me there. I take this opportunity to make a detour to the library to return some old books and borrow new ones. I want to borrow some more books than before but the librarian tells me each customer is only allowed to borrow 10 books at the same time. Pity, but I'm not arguing about that.

I arrive at the church and one nun is standing in front of it. She approaches me, "am I right to presume that you are Jared?"
"That I am. I was told someone wanted to see me, would that be you?"
"Oh, no, the sister awaiting you is a very busy person. I'm just here to welcome you. Please wait a moment. I'll get her."
"Alright. Though I've no idea why this person asked for me specifically. I'm no one special."
"I'm sorry, I was not informed of the reason. It is best if you ask her yourself. Excuse me, it'll only be a moment."
"Certainly."

The nun goes into the church. I hide myself in the shade of a nearby tree. After a few minutes, a familiar face comes back for me, "ah, Jared! Couldn't get enough of me so you had to come and see me? Hehe~"
"Hi, Lucia. Are you the 'important' person that wanted to meet me?"
"Yes. Well, actually there's a different person I want you to meet."
"And here I thought you had come around to my charms. Mind telling me who this person is?"
"Someone who is not long for this world..."
"Ah, so you want to introduce me to one of your parents before they pass on."
"...please don't make such a joke. You know that we commoners aren't allowed to have a family. Now come, it is quite a distance to there."

We start walking and continue talking on the way, "sorry I was not aware of that. Where does that restriction on 'family' come from?"
"Powerhungry nobles. Some of them even made a sport of hunting down commoners that formed a proper family. Because of that most grow up in an orphanage and do not learn what parents or a family are until they are at least 12 years."
"That... would explain a thing or two. Is that a widespread problem?"
"Basically everywhere. Some areas like this one are technically spared by not having any noble in charge but it has been so ingrained into our culture that couples break up once the woman gets pregnant."
"What a loveless world..."
"Tell me about it..."
"So who are we meeting then?"
"One of our church's biggest donors. She's sick and we can't cure her no matter what we try."
"I don't see how that relates to me. You know that I can't use cure because of... my condition."

"Not specifically you. She was just always very curious about myths and legends, and here we have a life silver elf, supposed to be extinct or never have been real in the first place."

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"As long as you keep silent about the mythical vampire part."
"Why would vampires be mythical? There are several of them around. Too many of them, if you ask me."
"There were none where I'm from. Not that we didn't have other 'monsters' instead. But seriously, do you really think this is a good idea? You know what effect your... skill has on me and I'm not too keen on finding out what the unreadable part of it is."
"I'm confident you can deal with that. But if not, well, it would just mean my oracle came true. So, uh, win-win?"
"What did I tell you just a couple of days ago?"
"Right, sorry. It is just... as long as I have my divine class I will get pressured into following the path set out for me..."

(I doubt this is something I can change even if I make her a familiar.)
(I hate to say this but you can't save everyone. Not even your sweetheart.)
(Drop it!)

"So if you don't see a way to avoid the fatal outcome why not say 'screw it' and live your remaining days to the fullest?"
"That's not that easy. I can't just abandon those that rely on me."
"So duty-bound to the bitter end?"
"Pretty much."
"You really need to learn to live a little."
"Says the walking corpse."
"Touché."

After that, we just have some more small talk until we arrive at our destination, a collective accommodation. The woman we are to visit lives in a small two-room apartment or whatever the medieval equivalent is called.

"Hi, it's me, Lucia, I brought our guest. Can we come in?"
"Yes, please."
"Hello", I greet her as well.
"So it was true, you have actually found a silver elf."
"What?", Lucia pouts, "you didn't believe me?"
"So what am I to do now?"

"Nothing much *cough* I just wanted to see a silver elf before I leave this mortal coil."

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