Ellie came forth to introduce herself first. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Grand Preist. My name is Ellie Agustine."
Next up was Ameria. "Your Grace, it's a pleasure to meet you as well. My name is Ameria Faberos, S-Rank archer of the adventurers guild."
"Mofu!" Nirra heard the small fox say from her shoulder.
"Since you have called for me, I'm assuming you already know my name, your Grace?" Nirra stepped forward in front of the desk.
"Indeed, please sit down, all of you, so we may begin." He then motions for them to sit down on the chairs that were readily prepared.
"Then, let us begin. The reason why I called for you." Then he leaned forward on his seat with his hands above the desk and fingers interweaved with one another. "It is about what we discovered in a mine about a month away from here, near the border with the wastelands."
"What is so special about this mine?" Nirra asked.
"We have found something ominous on the walls of one section. It detailed something about the return of the demon lord." He then slid a piece of parchment paper in front of the young blacksmith.
The old man sighed. "It is written in words we could not decipher."
'Wait a minute… This is Deutsch.' Nirra looked closer at the words that contained letters like "ä" and "ü."
"Der Held hatte die Dunkelheit verbannt, aber eines Tages wird er in die Welt zurückkehren. Der Schlüssel zur Schwärze liegt in der roten Jungfrau."
Nirra cursed in her mind that she had forgotten all about the language. While it is true she spent some time with German firearms manufacturing, that was a lifetime ago. So she had completely forgotten how to read it.
Mikhail spoke up again while Nirra was scrutinizing the piece of parchment paper she held. "I have already assigned my scholars to try and decipher the language."
"I see, did your preists find anything more under that mine?" Nirra asked before she slid the parchment back to the grand preist.
"Yes, they did. They found a cave painting on the wall. It portrayed the picture of the demon lord leading his army out of the underworld. That is why we assumed that if we managed to decipher the words on the wall, we could discover the catalyst to his return and stop it." He then looked at Nirra. "And we believe it is you."
"What?!" Ellie shouted behind Nirra, who had started the latter.
Nirra turned to face her sister and said, "Ellie, calm down; this is a formal meeting, remember?" She then faced the grand preist once again. "Is this because the few summoned demons from our previous encounters have all been trying to take me to the underworld?"
"Indeed, we believe that you require more protection. Until more evidence emerges, I implore you to take residence here, inside the grand cathedral, so you will be better protected," he announced, which made Ellie's jaw drop.
"How about my companions?" Nirra asked before she turned to look at her two other party members.
"They can stay with you; you can also go out into the city." His smile turned serious for a second. "But you will be required to have a Paladin accompany you whenever you decide to leave the cathedral's grounds."
"This is outrageous! You can't just imprison her inside of here!" Ellie tried to march forward to file her complaint, but Ameria held her back.
"I apologize, but we need to take certain measures. This is the revival of the demon lord we are discussing. We cannot take any chances. I did say she is free to leave and explore the city whenever she wants, just that she requires a Paladin to follow her around to do so," Mikhail explained, which only caused Ellie to get even more agitated.
"But how about the guild!? We are still adventurers, for goodness sake!!" Ellie tried even harder to march forward, but she was still being held back by Ameria, and this time, Mofu as well. The latter's fur turned green before he jumped down and helped Ameria hold her back.
"It is the same as leaving the cathedral. A paladin from the house of Hawthkins shall accompany you on your quests. Along with Ms. Faberos, this should guarantee her protection." The old man stayed firm as he looked at Ellie.
"Ellie, please calm down. This is not only for our own good but the good of the world." Nirra looked at her sister with a pleading expression, a far cry from what Ellie is used to seeing that stoic impression.
"Alright… fine…" Ellie relented. She was then let go by Mofu and Ameria and proceeded to sit back down with her arms crossed.
"Excellent, now Miss Agustine." He then turned his attention back to Nirra. "Since I know you're a blacksmith and would rather spend your day in the forge, I have already asked the nuns to prepare a room for your needs; it only needs the equipment of your choice. Preist Benedict here will show you your residence and forge later on."
"Thank you, your grace," Nirra said while already making the list of equipment she needs.
Then he switches to the next topic. "Also, I have heard you have the darkness attribute elemental mana. Correct?"
"Yes, you have heard correctly, your grace." Nirra replied.
"Then, I will give you the highest level of access to the Grand Library, which is located adjacent to the cathedral."
Nirra couldn't believe it. She now has access to knowledge regarding the mysterious darkness attribute of elemental mana.
"Thank you so much, your grace." Nirra stood up to bow.
"Now, any more questions in your minds before we conclude this meeting?" Grand Preist Mikhail said as he smiled softly.
"Nothing more." Ameria answered.
"No…" Ellie said with a deep voice, still clearly frustrated.
"Nothing else, your grace," Nirra answered.
"Good," he said briefly. He then turned to Preist Benedict and said, "Preist Benedict, please show these girls their new recipes, and afterwards show Miss Agustine the room where she could build her forge."
"It shall be done, your grace." Preist Benedict said as he placed his hand above his chest and bowed.
"Now, you are all dismissed. I thank you all for attending." Mikhail thanked them before he picked up a book from the pile near his desk and started writing as they exited his office, one by one. Ellie was the last to exit. She glared at the Grand Priest before exiting.
Ellie came forth to introduce herself first. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Grand Preist. My name is Ellie Agustine."
Next up was Ameria. "Your Grace, it's a pleasure to meet you as well. My name is Ameria Faberos, S-Rank archer of the adventurers guild."
"Mofu!" Nirra heard the small fox say from her shoulder.
"Since you have called for me, I'm assuming you already know my name, your Grace?" Nirra stepped forward in front of the desk.
"Indeed, please sit down, all of you, so we may begin." He then motions for them to sit down on the chairs that were readily prepared.
"Then, let us begin. The reason why I called for you." Then he leaned forward on his seat with his hands above the desk and fingers interweaved with one another. "It is about what we discovered in a mine about a month away from here, near the border with the wastelands."
"What is so special about this mine?" Nirra asked.
"We have found something ominous on the walls of one section. It detailed something about the return of the demon lord." He then slid a piece of parchment paper in front of the young blacksmith.
The old man sighed. "It is written in words we could not decipher."
'Wait a minute… This is Deutsch.' Nirra looked closer at the words that contained letters like "ä" and "ü."
"Der Held hatte die Dunkelheit verbannt, aber eines Tages wird er in die Welt zurückkehren. Der Schlüssel zur Schwärze liegt in der roten Jungfrau."
Nirra cursed in her mind that she had forgotten all about the language. While it is true she spent some time with German firearms manufacturing, that was a lifetime ago. So she had completely forgotten how to read it.
Mikhail spoke up again while Nirra was scrutinizing the piece of parchment paper she held. "I have already assigned my scholars to try and decipher the language."
"I see, did your preists find anything more under that mine?" Nirra asked before she slid the parchment back to the grand preist.
"Yes, they did. They found a cave painting on the wall. It portrayed the picture of the demon lord leading his army out of the underworld. That is why we assumed that if we managed to decipher the words on the wall, we could discover the catalyst to his return and stop it." He then looked at Nirra. "And we believe it is you."
"What?!" Ellie shouted behind Nirra, who had started the latter.
Nirra turned to face her sister and said, "Ellie, calm down; this is a formal meeting, remember?" She then faced the grand preist once again. "Is this because the few summoned demons from our previous encounters have all been trying to take me to the underworld?"
"Indeed, we believe that you require more protection. Until more evidence emerges, I implore you to take residence here, inside the grand cathedral, so you will be better protected," he announced, which made Ellie's jaw drop.
"How about my companions?" Nirra asked before she turned to look at her two other party members.
"They can stay with you; you can also go out into the city." His smile turned serious for a second. "But you will be required to have a Paladin accompany you whenever you decide to leave the cathedral's grounds."
"This is outrageous! You can't just imprison her inside of here!" Ellie tried to march forward to file her complaint, but Ameria held her back.
"I apologize, but we need to take certain measures. This is the revival of the demon lord we are discussing. We cannot take any chances. I did say she is free to leave and explore the city whenever she wants, just that she requires a Paladin to follow her around to do so," Mikhail explained, which only caused Ellie to get even more agitated.
"But how about the guild!? We are still adventurers, for goodness sake!!" Ellie tried even harder to march forward, but she was still being held back by Ameria, and this time, Mofu as well. The latter's fur turned green before he jumped down and helped Ameria hold her back.
"It is the same as leaving the cathedral. A paladin from the house of Hawthkins shall accompany you on your quests. Along with Ms. Faberos, this should guarantee her protection." The old man stayed firm as he looked at Ellie.
"Ellie, please calm down. This is not only for our own good but the good of the world." Nirra looked at her sister with a pleading expression, a far cry from what Ellie is used to seeing that stoic impression.
"Alright… fine…" Ellie relented. She was then let go by Mofu and Ameria and proceeded to sit back down with her arms crossed.
"Excellent, now Miss Agustine." He then turned his attention back to Nirra. "Since I know you're a blacksmith and would rather spend your day in the forge, I have already asked the nuns to prepare a room for your needs; it only needs the equipment of your choice. Preist Benedict here will show you your residence and forge later on."
"Thank you, your grace," Nirra said while already making the list of equipment she needs.
Then he switches to the next topic. "Also, I have heard you have the darkness attribute elemental mana. Correct?"
"Yes, you have heard correctly, your grace." Nirra replied.
"Then, I will give you the highest level of access to the Grand Library, which is located adjacent to the cathedral."
Nirra couldn't believe it. She now has access to knowledge regarding the mysterious darkness attribute of elemental mana.
"Thank you so much, your grace." Nirra stood up to bow.
"Now, any more questions in your minds before we conclude this meeting?" Grand Preist Mikhail said as he smiled softly.
"Nothing more." Ameria answered.
"No…" Ellie said with a deep voice, still clearly frustrated.
"Nothing else, your grace," Nirra answered.
"Good," he said briefly. He then turned to Preist Benedict and said, "Preist Benedict, please show these girls their new recipes, and afterwards show Miss Agustine the room where she could build her forge."
"It shall be done, your grace." Preist Benedict said as he placed his hand above his chest and bowed.
"Now, you are all dismissed. I thank you all for attending." Mikhail thanked them before he picked up a book from the pile near his desk and started writing as they exited his office, one by one. Ellie was the last to exit. She glared at the Grand Priest before exiting.
