Chapter 133: Chapter 116 – Searching for Clues

Unsurprisingly, Renya gave Kanae the locations of three churches suspected of stamping Rown Company goods, then sent them away to figure things out alone. She made it explicitly clear with those flintlocks that they were not to share that information with anyone else. Kanae and Esta returned to Aidenhall and would meet up with Edina at Radevic's adventurer hall tomorrow. 

The following day, however…

"You what?" Master Marwin gaped at Kanae after she gave a heavily omitted version of the events.

"Runald's in the hands of someone I trust. If I ever need to find them, chances are they'll find me first," Kanae said.

"Right, but you… you flew over Radevic? We're fortunate it happened during the dead of night! Fine. I won't pry. The less people know, the better. But at least promise me that Runald will be safe."

"He is," she answered firmly.

The wizard sighed. A little bit of his soul might have escaped with him from how pale he had gotten. Color was slow to return to his face. After a few deep breaths to regain his composure, he gestured to the stairs. Both of them descended the tower until they reached the front door.

"No lessons today. Wouldn't want junior knights to recommence lessons while recovering from a hangover. Maybe speak with Joap and Shireen in the cafeteria. I'm sure they can use some cheering up," Marwin said.

Kanae nodded. She opened the door and jumped right off the bridge connecting Marwin's tower to the palace. Strong winds coursing through her hair and wings carried her gingerly down to halls of Aidenhall, where she walked the rest of the way to the cafeteria.

Students stopped and stared wherever Kanae went. She had become something of a celebrity to the young knights, a curious enigma to the faculty, and a lion to be watched carefully by the clergy. For better or for worse, at least it was better than being attacked on sight.

Joap and Reen sat across from each other at a table. They were the only ones not chatting up a storm like the others, who were all eager to begin the next stage in becoming full-fledged knights. When Kanae joined them, the two appeared especially sad. Reen absentmindedly stirred the stew in her bowl, and Joap had his head buried in both arms.

"Are you two… okay?" Kanae reluctantly asked.

They glanced up at her, then to each other.

"You didn't hear? Runald dropped out. We got the news this morning," Joap said.

"I don't get it. He was the most excited about knighthood. We fought together and everything. I thought fellow knights stuck together. So much that…" Reen pushed the bowl away and sighed.

Dropped out? Archbishop Gretchen's doing, no doubt. Neither of them knew the truth, and Kanae agonized over not being able to tell them without jeopardizing their safety and Runald's whereabouts. 

"Having a friend suddenly disappear on you sucks," Kanae agreed and planted a hand on Reen. "I've had that happen a few times. Maybe he just needed some time for himself. Wherever Runald's gone off to, he probably wouldn't think it's very knightly of you two to mope over it."

"You know what? You're right. I'm gonna achieve knighthood and rub it in that quitter's face when I see him!" Reen brightened up and shoveled spoonfuls of food into her mouth.

"Reen… you're going to choke if you eat that fast," Joap warned.

"Nonsense. You gonna eat that?" She pointed to his untouched tray.

Glad that they were feeling better, Kanae headed out to meet with Esta and Edina. However, Joap caught up by the time she got to the cafeteria exit.

"Reen's too much of a goof to see it, but you know something about Runald, don't you?" Joap asked.

"You're that worried about him?" Kanae scanned the surroundings, hoping that no one was eavesdropping.

"That arrogant high elf can get too full of himself sometimes, but Reen and I wouldn't be attending Aidenhall without him. It's hard to be confident in yourself when there's so much talent around you. We almost dropped out during training lessons. Multiple times. At least until he insulted us to keep going and checking on us at our dorm. He's got an attitude problem for sure, but I know he means well. So, yeah… That's why I don't believe he dropped out."

Kanae bit back a smile. Runald was a tsundere through and through.

"Neither do I," she said. "Which is why I'm sure he'll come around. Until then, you better eat up before Reen does."

Joap spun around just as Reen snatched the bread from his tray.

"By the gods… Are you a dark elf or some gluttonous hellspawn?!" He raced back to fight over the food.

Kanae left the cafeteria glad that Joap and Reen were back to their lively selves. She went to meet up with Esta at the Aidenhall gates, then to the adventurer hall together.

"Sorry for always having you walk around with me, Esta. This probably isn't how you saw yourself after becoming the Knight of Silver, huh?" Kanae asked as they strolled down through the busy streets of Radevic.

"On the contrary, by your side is right where I want to be." Esta smiled.

"I get that's what you prefer, but what do you usually do in your free time when I'm not around?"

"I wait for you," she said.

"Right, but— wait, what? You mean to say you stand around and wait until I want to go somewhere?" Kanae eyed the drakeling knight.

"As a member of the Knights of Colors, our duties are many and varied. To name a few, Gold is serving as ambassador to Ortesia since she is a high elf. Copper, the dark elven branch, is infiltrating the demon domains— that's highly classified, please tell no one else. Red, the harpy branch, is leading an expeditionary team to the unexplored southern reaches of this continent. All of our obligations are ultimately to the wellbeing of this country. By the way, after the dissolution of the Protectorates, my current duty as Silver has since been to guard you, monitor you, and serve as your sustenance."

The Grand Eye was probably already aware of Esta's loyalty fixation anyway. Having her assigned to a succubus caused the least amount of tension with—

Kanae paused to gestate on the knightess' words.

"What was that last part?" Kanae asked to be sure.

"To serve as your sustenance? Indeed, the Grand Eye is well aware of our relationship and your needs as a succubus. That is why, Master, please do not hesitate to use me as your drain fodder and sexual battery!" Esta exclaimed aloud, drawing awkward looks their way.

"Shhh! I get it already! It's like talking to Lilith. God… I can feel the reputation of the Knights of Colors dying in real time…"

When they reached Radevic's adventurer hall, Kanae was disappointed to find a much less grandiose establishment than the one in Lograin. Even outside, her nose stung worse from the stench of alcohol than in Renya's underground tavern. One of the windows was broken. A man laid unconscious on the stone steps, covered in his own vomit.

Esta opened the door in time as two men locked in a fist fight rolled out and continued on the streets. Inside, adventurers were several cups deep. Receptionists lounged at their windows, waiting with their chins on their palms.

"What… am I seeing?" Kanae asked.

"In Radevic, most of the problems in and around the city are resolved by Aidenhall. That leaves little for adventurers to do. It has led to some unexpected consequences." Esta sighed.

Kanae was about to ask the receptionists if Edina had checked in when something tapped her on the shoulders. A skeleton. The undead humanoid pointed to the stairs, urging them to follow it.

They followed the undead to the second floor, then all the way down the right hall to the last room. It knocked twice in quick succession, paused, knocked three times more, and rattled its ribcage.

When the door opened, a heavily armored undead greeted them. Esta yanked Kanae back and drew her greatsword.

"Death knight! Stay behind me, Master!"

"It's mine! Don't hurt it!" Edina shouted from between the large undead's legs.

The intimidating death knight oozed with black mists. Two glowing purple lights that were its eyes peered out from the helmet. It donned black armor like scales of a dragon, possessed a jagged claymore currently sheathed to its waist, and wore a greatshield of bones attached to the left arm.

"The death knight makes me tense. Master, permit to slay it," Esta requested.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don't go slaying my death knight. It took me a whole year to create two! I'll de-summon, alright? Geez. Go on, back to the three hells with you." Edina patted her undead on the back.

If the undead could sulk, the broad shoulders of the death knight sank a little as it vanished into a fog of smoke, which also dissipated after a few seconds. Esta eased up and stowed her greatsword away.

"So, bone brute isn't your strongest summoned undead anymore?" Kanae asked on the way in and pulled up a chair in the small room.

"Child's play compared to death knights. These things are powerhouses because they take on the crown of the souls I put in them," Edina explained.

"Souls of the deceased," Esta chimed in, still glaring at the necromancer.

Kanae leaped from her seat. "Well, no wonder Esta didn't like it! Isn't this morally wrong?"

"You wanna talk about morality as a succubus and high priestess of the Eminence of Sin? If it makes you happy, I've stopped at two! Vanguard and Swordsman. They keep me safe since I'm just a spellcaster. Hey, we've got more important things to worry about than the dead, don't we? Like the churches we're supposed to investigate?" she reminded them.

They set aside the death knight issue. Kanae pulled out a map detailing the location of three churches outside of Radevic.

"Renya narrowed down these places. All three are churches of small villages worshiping the Supreme One. It's possible all or none of them may be doing the stamping. Won't know until we find out," Kanae explained.

Esta tapped on the farthest village of the three called Klineston. "I recognize one of them. Pastor Malthus was the priest at this church."

"Was?" Edina raised a brow.

"I've seen him serving a chapel within Radevic as of late. Clergy usually do normally downgrade," the knight said.

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They agreed to find Pastor Malthus first. Kanae incinerated the map over a candle light, and the three left the hall for the lower wards.

The chapel was small. At best, it served two dozen parishioners. The Eminence of Sin did better when it was starting out. A frail elven man dressed in priestly robes answered when they came knocking.

"Is that Estaline? Hello, and to your friends, hello! What brings you to this humble chapel?" Pastor Malthus asked.

"Forgive us for intruding, Father. Curiosity has been nipping at my tail. I've been meaning to inquire about why you left the church at Klineston?" Esta asked.

"Klineston? It's been a year now. I've put it at the back of my mind. More peaceful with a smaller congregation, you see. I had received a letter from Archbishop Gretchen, telling me that the church was in need of repairs. I thought it odd. The place didn't look like it needed repairs, but who was I to question the archbishop? While the repairs continue, she has me overseeing this chapel in the meantime," he explained.

They immediately smelled something fishy. 

After thanking Pastor Malthus, the three headed for a stable to hire a couple of horses.

"I think we have our place. Should we check the other two since they're closer?" Esta asked.

"Better thorough than sorry." Kanae nodded.

They rode for the closest church located in a village called Lobury. Quaint place with farmsteads spread out over a stretch of land and with the small church at the center. Unfortunately, the first place was a bust. The place had been abandoned and in disrepair. No signs of anyone, Rown, Outriders, or rats were around.

The second place was called Carmen, a close-knit village situated at the edge of a forest. Houses were bunched up together and children frolicked about. Instead of going right in, they decided to stake it out first just in case and hid in the forest

After a few hours, their patience was beginning to wane.

"I don't see any Rown wagons or carts around. Maybe this place is clean, too?" Kanae said to her companions.

"Won't know for sure until we do. Oh! I got an idea. How about I send forth an army of undead to spook 'em?" Edina asked.

The other two stared at her in befuddlement. 

"Why…?" Esta folded her arms. "I am the Knight of Silver. Master is the prospective Knight of Amethyst. We can simply speak with them."

Edina wagged her finger. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. If there happens to be Rown or Outrider goons in there, then we could be walking right into their trap. We're already disadvantaged because our succubus magic has been gamboozled by their potions. By sending my undead, those bastards will pour out to defend their goods no matter what."

"But if no one comes out to fight, then you will have terrified an innocent village," Kanae said.

With no better plan, they hesitantly agreed. Edina chanted under her breath, summoning shambling ghouls and skeletal remains to march toward the city. Her robes fluttered as magic poured from her staff and sank into the ground. She even brought back out the giant death knight, whose steps shook the very earth.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Esta muttered.

Kanae shivered. A fog of mists crawled through the forests alongside the marching undead.

Someone let out a blood curdling scream. "We're under attack!"

"Supreme One, save our souls!"

"We're all going to die!"

Carmen fell into chaos. Villagers ran for their lives. Others grabbed their children and headed into the church. A priest and two nuns poked their heads out of the church briefly. They returned inside and came back a second later with a smoking censer, a flanged mace, and a bowl of holy water.

"Stay back! We're not afraid of you!" the priest shouted.

The nun with holy water wet her fingers. She flicked droplets at the closest undead. It burst into golden flames and ran circles in panic until crumpling into a pile of bones. Since the rest of the undead weren't ordered to attack, they stood there dumbfounded as holy water and incense destroyed each of them one by one. They looked at each other, then to Edina for help.

"I think we just traumatized an entire village," Kanae said.

"Enough of this." Esta emerged from their hiding place, and they followed after her.

The clergy lit up as soon as they saw her coming.

"Knight of Silver! By the watchful eye of the Supreme One, your timing cannot be more serendipitous!" a nun cried.

When Kanae and Edina caught up, both nuns shrieked.

"A necromancer? Begone, foul undead! Sister Agwyn, Sister Mikaela, bring the holy water!" Father Marceus brandished his cross as two more nuns raced out of the church and splashed Edina with buckets of water.

Everyone stood there exasperated, Esta with a hand to her face, the clergy in mild confusion, and Edina dripping from head to toe.

Then one of the nuns panicked. "F-Father… the necromancer does not burn!"

"How do I say this… I, uhh… My bad," Edina apologized.

They splashed her again.

"Quit it, you dumb sack of nuts! I don't burn because I'm not un—"

Splash!

Kanae held Edina back as she struggled to claw at the clerics. Meanwhile, Esta spoke with them alone to clear up the misunderstandings. They became somewhat more understanding, but they only allowed the Knight of Silver into the church to investigate. The other two hung around outside, surrounded by undead.

"So, how's the knight life treating ya?" Edina asked.

"A little different from what I imagined. Honestly, I preferred it when it used to be me, you, and Arenade were going around collecting slimes to make sex toys out of. But I have to do this to protect the Commonwealth. It's not all bad. I got to see the greatest necromancer in the world again," Kanae teased.

"Oh, buzz off. I know I'm not the brightest bulb. Maybe if I'd been crowned with a knife in my hand instead, things would've been better. Whatever I can do, I just wanna prove that I'm worth more than the thousand gold my parents sold me off to Bardell for…"

Kanae looked sadly at her friend. Five years later Edina was still worked up about Bardell and the Outriders. They had to pop up again, too.

"Hey, about the Pillar of the Damned. I got info about it," Kanae said.

"Really?" Edina beamed like the sun.

Kanae explained that it was not an item that could be found. It had to be summoned into existence like an undead after reaching level 200. In order to do that, she also needed a requisite helmet piece called the Lich Lord's Skull.

"Ah, fuck my hybrid ass. I'm only 171 and Rifts are already hard to come by. It's a pipe dream after all, but hey. Thanks, buddy. You risked your neck finding me the detes. I'm just glad we're hanging out again." Edina flashed a toothy smile.

Maybe it was from the effects of being bonded multiple times, but Kanae sensed a pang of sadness behind her smile.

Esta finally came out of the church, looking not at all pleased.

"Did you find anything?" Kanae asked.

"No, Master. In fact, I've learned troubling news. A refugee from Klineston was inside. He told me the village burned down a week ago," Esta said.

They wasted no time and pushed the horses to go faster. Upon arriving, the dire news proved true. The burned remains of cabins and barns were all that was left. Klineston's church had collapsed completely.

Edina pouted. "Guess this means I don't get to show off my death knight." 

"Did the refugee say who or what set the village on fire?" Kanae asked and stepped past the doorframe which was the only thing left standing.

"Raiders that came in the night," Esta answered, sounding too sure of it either.

"Maybe Renya got bad info? Used to happen all the time with Outriders," Edina suggested.

Something in the rubble caught Kanae's attention. She started pulling debris away until she found a cracked-open chest wedged between two fallen roof beams. Shattered pieces of glass laid beneath.

"Esta, can you pull this out for me?" Kanae asked.

The drakeling knight easily wrenched it free. More shattered glass fell out of it, but others had been melted and fused to the interior wood. All three saw the stamp of a cross and singular eye on the lid of the chest. 

"I think Renya's info was right. Either they knew we were coming or someone got to them first," Kanae said.

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