“Alright.” Samimi was still groggy from her midday nap, lost and unsure where to begin in this labyrinth. Suddenly, an old friend appeared, and her whole being instantly revived as she hurried over.
Qi Qi led the way, bringing Samimi to a secluded small church. They entered an unused room, inside which heaps of all sorts of church materials were stacked.
“This is the map for the Sheep Cleric Symposium. With this, you won’t get lost again.” Lian Qi produced a detailed map and handed it to Samimi.
“Thanks.” Samimi took the map for a look. There were densely packed words, more than lines on a spiderweb, and every church was marked by name. It was practically a maze within a maze.
“I vaguely remember enjoying some tea together before. Sorry I left last time without saying goodbye.” Lian Qi brewed a pot of jasmine tea and came over to reminisce.
“Have your heart’s wounds healed?” Samimi asked, “You don’t look like you’re under the effects of an illusion.”
“My appearance here is to resolve my heart demon,” Qi Qi replied in a low, serious voice.
“What did you see in that illusion? I can help you.” Samimi asked.
In truth, she was very concerned. She had mentioned before that Qi Qi seemed to have seen through the Queen’s illusion, yet something had changed this week, as if her story had already shifted before this round.
Now, seeing Qi Qi’s real official attire and her race, the only thing Samimi could surmise was her connection with Nancy, the one she seemed to have argued with in secret.
“It’s about that S-rank Elf Archer Nancy. She approached the Half-Elf Patriarch for ulterior motives. She was your former teammate you remember, don’t you?” Qi Qi didn’t bother to hide anything and spoke directly.
“Ulterior motives?” Samimi asked in confusion.
“She wanted to uncover the Half-Elf’s father and then assassinate him. This was an order from the Elf Chief,” Qi Qi explained.
“…”
Samimi’s brows furrowed deeply. She sat up straight and pressed her hands on the table.
“I’ve investigated the Holy See’s confidential materials and learned the secrets of the [Hero Party]. If the Half-Elf’s father is assassinated by Nancy, the Jingling Tribe will surely be plunged into chaos. I have to stop this from happening.” Lian Qi revealed her objective.
“So, you’re here to prevent the Half-Elf’s father’s death?” Samimi asked.
“I don’t know who the Half-Elf’s father is. I only know he’s an influential figure in the Kingdom. If he dies, it could shake the very foundation of the Kingdom,” Qi Qi’s gaze turned sharp as she pressed further, “You were teammates with the Half-Elf, do you know her real identity?”
“You’ve investigated us, so you should know our backgrounds. Except for me and Fabiana, the other three have rather mysterious origins,” Samimi analyzed.
“You’re here because of the Pope’s death, right?” Qi Qi could tell she didn’t understand, so she changed the topic.
“More or less. The next Pope is from my family.” Samimi smiled, “Word has it the Pope was murdered, so I came to investigate the truth.”
“I don’t know if the Pope was murdered, but I do know someone is plotting to seize power.” Qi Qi said.
“Who is it?” Samimi pressed.
“I don’t know for sure yet, but soon, we’ll find out.” Qi Qi started speaking more patiently.
“Don’t talk in riddles!” Samimi slapped the table in annoyance.
“At the upcoming [Funeral of the Pope], someone will surely voice their claim to authority. I don’t know who it is, but that’s the conclusion I reached from piecing together various clues.” Qi Qi revealed her analysis.
“That’s good news. Looks like I don’t need to investigate too deeply, the mastermind will reveal themselves.” Samimi looked up and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m also sure the Half-Elf’s father will attend the Pope’s funeral. Nancy will definitely appear then. That’s why I joined the [Valkyrie Order], a female clergy knighthood specially formed for grand ceremonies. When the funeral comes, I’ll be on duty as a guard.” Qi Qi introduced.
“Valkyrie Order? Yet another knight order? Just how many knight orders does the Church have?” Samimi joked.
“You can think of it as an honor guard, female knights carefully selected to serve as the face of grand events. Just like how this place handpicks pretty female clerics to act as companions for the nobility and the rich,” Lian Qi explained.
“What do you think of this system?” Samimi asked.
“If it could not exist, that would be best. Frankly, it’s just pleasing to those in power,” Qi Qi shared her opinion.
Samimi heard this and her heart tightened, then she smiled faintly.
“What’s wrong?” Qi Qi asked.
“I’ve been here two days and almost got numbed by the atmosphere. I almost thought this system was normal—I almost assimilated into it and lost my former conviction. Luckily, you showed up. Your words revived my faith. Now I know what I’m doing is right,” Samimi said with a smile. “I know I’m doing the right thing.”
“That’s not like you. In the alternate space, you never once hesitated. You could even resist advanced illusion magic—how could you lose your way over something so small?” Qi Qi teased.
“So, shall we work together?” Samimi took a sip of tea, feeling refreshed and clear-headed.
Because she finally knew what she needed to do next, no more confusion.
“Aren’t you curious about my hooded appearance? Aren’t you afraid of me?” Qi Qi asked.
“You’re my best friend and sister, what is there to fear? I’ve met plenty of oddballs; you don’t even count as unusual.” Samimi waved her hand dismissively.
“I’m a criminal exiled by the Jingling Tribe. A spirit who loses their guardianship becomes a Fallen Elf. For hundreds of years, I’m the only one,” Qi Qi explained.
“That’s great. I’m a criminal of the Holy See too two birds of a feather flock together,” Samimi said with a laugh.
“Are you planning to help that Chief? The Pope’s granddaughter? I think it’d be best if you handed her over, don’t make things more troublesome. The Holy See won’t harm her, just wants to make her a puppet Pope.” Qi Qi analyzed.
“Didn’t you say you don’t care about the Jingling Tribe’s affairs? They exiled you, so why bother with their fate?” Samimi countered.
For a moment, Qi Qi had no response. She straightened up, looked at Samimi, and, for the first time in a while, revealed a faint smile, everything was understood without words.
But Qi Qi’s smile could only be described as alarmingly measured; if Samimi didn’t know better, she’d say it looked like the sort of smile someone would wear just before silencing a witness.
“You should smile less, it’s too scary. I, on the other hand, can smile freely; my expression is under control,” Samimi quipped.
“Sigh, the Pope’s granddaughter’s power is all show, no real threat. You people aren’t even worthy to take the stage.” Qi Qi cleared her throat, straightened her expression, and solemnly analyzed.
“Your actions are practically challenging the old guard of the Church. You’re asking for trouble!”
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