by Michael Sisa
The Cardinal must have been a strong magician in his prime. Otherwise, he would have long perished in his current state.
“Ah, now that’s a surprise!” said Cardinal Roschal as he tried to sound lively, but the occasional coughs in between gave him away. “Faith! I’ve missed you so much! Come here! Come here!”
The priest called Rolgar chuckled.
“There you go! Luckily, I’m no woman! Go on, High Priestess. Hug the Cardinal,” he joshed.
“Priest Rolgar!” said Faith. Even now, the Cardinal’s arms were wide open, clearly asking for a tight hug.
Aside from his occasional grumpiness and stubbornness, Cardinal Roschal was known for being a lover of beauty. He loved giving hugs to women, especially those that were close to him. Still, Faith and the rest of the Order knew that there was no malice behind that act.
After a few more jeers, Faith conceded. She hugged the Cardinal tightly, as though not willing to let go. She murmured, “You stink. When’s the last time you’ve taken a bath?”
“A week ago?” replied the Cardinal. This statement immediately made Faith break away from his tight embrace. She sniffed her chasuble. She now smelled like a mountain goat.
“Hahahaha! It’s fine! It’s fine!” said the Cardinal. “You can take a bath later, anyways!”
There was a momentary glare from Faith, which quickly turned into a soft smile.
“Cardinal, you called for me?” said Rolgar, changing the topic. He knew that the Cardinal would not ask him for a hug, but he wanted to be sure, regardless.
Cardinal Roschal’s chuckle turned into a cough. He wiped his mouth using his sleeves. “Ah, that’s right. I’ve received a message from the Kingdom. They told us that Prince Ibrahim and the Second Division of Knights are going to attend the Infernal Sword Festival.”
“I see,” said Rolgar. “Then, you want me to convey this message to the City Lord, I suppose?”
The Cardinal nodded once. “That’s right.”
Jiablu amusingly listened to this. He said, “Infernal Sword Festival? You are pertaining to that sword, right?”
The attention of everyone turned to him.
“Yes, the sword we saw on our way here,” said Faith. “Every three years, the city holds a festival in commemoration of the great hero.”
“A youngster,” said Cardinal Roshcal. “Who is this fine young man, Faith?”
“Ah, his name is Jiablu, Cardinal,” said Faith. The old man slowly approached the kid, and Jiablu held his ground. “I’ll explain later… Some things happened… He has nowhere to go.”
Cardinal Roschal nodded in understanding. He leaned closer, and it was only then that Jiablu realized something. But it was too late.
The Cardinal was blind. Those pair of jewels were open, but no light shone through it.
Why had he not noticed it earlier? Then, the overflowing amount of miasma in the air was not entirely because of the Cardinal’s soul dissipating. It was not entirely because this human was so close to dying.
It was a form of magic. A rare kind. Something that would not normally fall in the hands of a mere human.
Jiablu could not believe he made such a crucial mistake. If he had known, he would have tried a way to counter it.
The Cardinal’s next words confirmed his suspicions.
“The moment I’ve lost these eyes,” said the Cardinal, smiling. “I’ve come to see many things.”
Unheard by everyone else in the room, a voice spoke through Jiablu’s mind. It was almost a whisper.
“I’ve noticed it the moment you’ve entered the room. You’re not human. What are you?”
Chapter 23: Jiablu and the Cardinal
Jiablu’s body stiffened as he felt a surge of magic envelope the room they were in. The dusts and detritus in the air stopped midway, as time slowed down a hundred fold. This human before him was close to dying, Jiablu was sure, but he was still capable of casting such High Rank magic. Moreover, it was done without runes and incantations. Surely, a genius.
Jiablu had decided. If this human tried to attack him, he would retaliate and kill everyone in that room.
“Now, now,” said Cardinal Roschal. The people behind him were slowly moving, almost frozen in place. “No need to be stiff. I merely want to ask you a few questions.”
Warily, Jiablu said, “What is it, human?”
Cardinal Roschal coughed. For some reason, his breathing was heavier than before. He said, “What are you? And why are you assuming the form of a human?”
As Jiablu had expected, casting this magic was putting too much strain on the Cardinal’s body. If this continued, it would not come as a surprise if the old man died right there. In a way, this reckless act was amusing.
“Very well. It seems useless to hide things from you,” said Jiablu. He proudly added, “I am an Undead. An Elder Lich. A personal creation of the One True God, Thanatos.”
He was expecting the Cardinal to be flustered and cower in fear upon hearing this, but reality gave a different picture. Unmoved by what Jiablu had said, Cardinal Roschal remained his calm.
“A powerful one, I see,” the Cardinal mumbled to himself. “That explains it. Even among monsters, it is rare to find someone capable of the Soul Morphosis Spell.”
The last part took Jiablu by surprise. So, this human had not only realized his true origin in an instant. He also knew which spell he had used to assume his current form. What the hell was this Cardinal? In his entire years of his existence, this was the first time Jiablu encountered such a human.
Were there others like him? If yes, then he might have to reevaluate his view of the Human Race.
“Kukuku! Impressive!” said Jiablu. “What you have said is correct. But even if you knew, what could you do? Human, if I will it, I can reduce this city into ashes—”
“No, you won’t,” said Cardinal Roschal, his voice full of confidence. “If that really is your goal, you could have done it the moment you entered the City. You mingle with humans, going as far as pretending to be one. Whatever your goal is, slaughtering those inside this city will prevent you from achieving it. I am sure.”
Like a master tactician, this human put together the pieces of the puzzle one after another. Jiablu was impressed. It was just like the Cardinal had said.
For a moment, the Cardinal’s legs wobbled, and he almost lost his balance. Just casting the magic that enveloped the room was a great feat by itself, but the human was actually able to maintain it this far. But it seemed that he was nearing his limit.
Cardinal Roschal suppressed a cough. He said, “Normally, the Order would have purified and subdued an Undead like you. But I know that is nothing but foolishness. Casting the Soul Morphosis spell needs an astronomical amount of mana, something that would never be attained by human hands. If we fight such an entity, the Order will have nothing but casualties.”
Jiablu nodded upon hearing this. This human was wise, indeed. There was nothing more foolish than fighting a battle you could never win.
“It is good that you understand, human,” said Jiablu. “Even if you pool the strength of everyone in this city, you will never be able to kill me.”
Another coughing sound was heard. This time, it accompanied blood. The Cardinal said, “Then, tell me. What is this goal of yours?”
If it was another person that asked, Jiablu would have not given an answer. But this was the Cardinal. A surprisingly strong human. His first lead towards his goal. Someone that knew the meaning behind the so called Love.
“I am on a journey to fulfill the last wish of my master,” said Jiablu, his voice without a hint of embarrassment. “I am on a journey to find my purpose in life. The purpose of my existence.”
Silence descended the two. For a moment, the Cardinal was in deep thought.
“And you’ve come to the conclusion that a Race with limited lifespan is best to learn from,” concluded the Cardinal. “Humans.”
“Correct,” said Jiablu.
To Jiab
lu’s surprise, a loud chuckling sound reverberated. The Cardinal was smiling from ear to ear. “I see! I see! Then, that solves the problem! For a moment, I was worried that this city will fall to ruins!”
Worried? Jiablu had not felt even a hint of fear from the Cardinal. He brushed the thought aside.
The Cardinal continued, “I have lived for long, and I’ve come to learn many things. This old man can guide you through your path.”
Those words kindled a flame of hope inside Jiablu. Finally, he could fulfill his master’s wish.
“—But, I need you to promise me one thing,” emphasized Cardinal Roschal.
The Cardinal’s voice was stern, and this somehow irritated Jiablu. He spat, “What is it?”
“Do not harm those that are living in this city. And that applies not only to humans, but also to beastmen,” said Cardinal Roschal.
“Conditions are made by those in power. You are nothing but a mere human,” said Jiablu. “You do not have the right to order me around—”
“—But this puny human holds the key. The answer,” said Cardinal Roschal, smiling. “How about it? It’s not a bad offer, is it?”
For a moment, Jiablu glared at the Cardinal. He did not like this setup. He had seen how disgusting humans could be. Insects that never knew their bounds.
An Elder Lich like him always upholds his promises, and this one was something he was not sure he could protect. Surely, this human was not expecting an Undead like him to merely watch as he was maltreated by a lower species?
Cardinal Roschal was psychic. He said, “Look, I am simply asking you to refrain from killing anyone in this city. With your power, you can surely afford to defend yourself and at the same time subdue your opponent, no?”
It was a statement worth pondering about.
Jiablu fell into deep thought. Should he abandon his pride as an Elder Lich and pursue his God’s wish? Should he abandon his pride as a Muhar'Tava? There was only a single answer.
For his God, he was prepared to do anything. It was the conclusion he had come up with.
“Very well. I accept the conditions, human,” said Jiablu. “But if you fail to show me the path, I will slaughter everyone in return. It is shall be the payment for wasting my time in this abhorrent place.”
Cardinal Roschal nodded, relieved. Luckily, this powerful creature that assumed the form of a human was reasonable. He inwardly prayed and thanked God Aquina.
Jiablu felt the magic enveloping the room vanish. Time returned to its glory. The dusts on the air fell down the ground.
Priest Rolgar, with a pocket watch in his hand, said, “Cardinal, it’s almost time for lunch. I’m sure the kids in the Orphanage are waiting.”
Cardinal Roschal, who seemed more pallid than before, was smiling. “Just perfect. We can introduce Jiablu to the rest of the kids.”
“That’s great!” said Faith, delighted. She leaned closer to Jiablu and whispered, “Don’t glare too much, okay? I know it’ll be hard, but you can finally again start making friends your own age.”
The acolyte courteously opened the door, and their group went out of the room. After leaving the Great Cathedral, they went towards the orphanage.
Along the way, the voice of the Cardinal once again spoke through Jiablu’s head. He asked an unexpected question.
“Young man, do you like flowers?” said the Cardinal.
The question seemed odd, but Jiablu decided to answer regardless. He remembered that his master loved them. He replied, “Yes. I do.”
“Oho! That’s a surprise!” said the Cardinal. “You do look like someone who tramples those little things with his feet. We really shouldn’t judge someone by their looks, eh? Kohoho!”
Jiablu did not like the chuckling sound inside his head. He spat, “What is it, human? This has nothing to do with our agreement.”
“It does have something to do with our agreement,” corrected the Cardinal. “Tell me, boy. Why do you like them?”
Using all the power of his mind and soul, Jiablu tried to squeeze out an answer. “My master likes them. As a mere servant of my God, I also like those little things—”
“I see,” said the Cardinal. “It seems you still have much to know. That is not a bad thing in itself. It just means that there is plenty of room for improvement. Once you’ve arrived to a different answer, come to me.”
Cardinal Roschal did not elaborate further. Eventually, their group arrived at the orphanage. It was surprisingly huge, and just the garden itself was larger than the entire Great Cathedral. It would have been mistaken for a mansion of a wealthy noble if not for the bronze placard at its gate.
They had yet to enter the gate when a shout was heard. It was quickly followed by squeaks and sounds of footsteps.
“Everyone! Stinky is here!”
“Stinky!”
“You’re late, Stinky! We’re hungry!”
One after another, children came running at them the moment they stepped foot into the garden. They surrounded and hugged the Cardinal, making the pallid old man almost stumble from the impact.
Cardinal Roschal lifted one of them. “What’s for lunch?”
“Hehe! I think it’s called Beef Stew?” said the child. For some reason, Jiablu could not understand, the children flocked to the Cardinal. Their eyes were gawking, like a fan that had just met his or her favorite celebrity.
“Stinky! Me too! Lift me up too!”
“No, you had your turn yesterday! Stinky, you promised me! It’s my turn!”
The noise in the air escalated, and this greatly displeased Jiablu. This continued for a few seconds more until a cold voice rang out. All of the children froze, and they firmly shut their lips.
“What are you kids doing? Get off the Cardinal this instant!” snarled an old lady. Her nose was uselessly long and pointed, giving her great semblance to a witch. Those slanted eyes behind her spectacles made even the Cardinal stiffen.
“And Cardinal Roschal… I know that the children like you, but you shouldn’t spoil them like this,” she reprimanded. “If we don’t instill discipline at an early age, they’ll grow up rotten. Unruly ruffians.”
Cardinal Roschal was clearly flustered. Even Jiablu could tell. Who was this woman? At the back of his mind, he took note that he should be wary of this one.
“I-I’m sorry, Madam Agwen,” said the Cardinal, his coarse voice stuttering. In an attempt to change the conversation, he added, “I-It’s time for lunch, right? The children told me it’s Beef Stew! Oh my!”
“Boiled Potatoes,” corrected Agwen. She turned to the kids, “As for you lot… aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Y-Yes, Madam! We’re going to prepare lunch right away!”
“Right away!”
“That’s right!”
She glared at the children, and they immediately backed off away, before scampering like rats.
After she had made sure that they were no longer around, she heaved a sigh. Her ferocious glare vanished entirely.
“Faith,” she softly said, her voice a stark contrast from before. “You’re back.”
“Yes,” said Faith. Jiablu noticed that tears started forming at the corner of her eyes.
“I was really worried when I’ve heard that the Kingdom sent the First Division to investigate the Qavan Mountain Range,” said Agwen. Moments later, she roared, “Seriously! The King knows that that area is absurdly dangerous! Even the United Grakas Alliance refuses to invade us because they can’t afford for their troops to pass through that Mountain Range! It’s home to dangerous monsters! And they dare send you and the knights there?! They dare?!”
Faith smiled wryly at this. She knew that Agwen was merely concerned about her safety, but seeing her like this squeezed her heart.
“Now… now,” said Faith. “Calm down, Madam Agwen. I’m fine. See?”
Agwen breathed in then out. She said, “I’m sorry. I really get always carried away when the children from this orphanage are involved. I guess I sh
ould send a letter of thanks to Commander Lancelot later? I should thank him for bringing my beloved Faith safely back to me.”
Faith fell silent upon hearing this. There was a pained expression in her eyes, which she quickly hid away moments after.
Madam Agwen’s gaze fell on Jiablu. “And... he is?”
“Ah, he’s someone we’ve picked up in one of the villages near Qavan,” said Faith. She had decided to omit the “burned down” part. It could wait for later.
She whispered to Jiablu, “Introduce yourself.”
Seconds passed. Thankfully, Jiablu complied.
“I am Jiablu, human,” he said. “Be grateful and honored. Starting today, I shall be living in this place.”
Chapter 24: A World Full of Silence
Kirsten silently savored the food on her plate, as she listened to the chatters of the kids around her. She had long accepted that she was different from others. She was born mute, unable to speak even a single word. And as though the Gods had played a terrible prank, both her eyes could hardly see. Even with her large spectacles, which covered half her freckled face, her world appeared as nothing but a wisp and blur.
“Hey, have you heard? Gomery’s been sent to the Room of Punishment again!” said one of the kids.
“Haha! Serves him right! Really… Can’t believe he’ll dare go against the Madam's orders!”
“Guess we’ll just have to be thankful we’re not included in that list. The Room of Punishment… I’ll go crazy without food and water for two days.”
Eavesdropping to the conversation of other people had been her routine. Well, she did not mean to. But her keen hearing made her capable of detecting even the slightest of sounds. An ability she had probably gained after losing her voice.
Ah, the Madam’s coming, she thought, as she heard the familiar sound of heels striking the cobbled ground. Judging by the footsteps, Kirsten knew that the Madam was not alone. And she was right.
The moment Madam Agwen entered, the entire Dining Hall went silent. The kids that were chattering before stiffened, and they all intently listened to what the Madam was going to say.
