Chapter 51: The Letter

"In foiling the heretical conspiracy against Torrent City, one noble sister's contribution has been nothing short of extraordinary! It was she who tore through the Abyss cultist's disguise with searing flames in Emerald Port. It was she who shattered their delusions in the Lower Quarters with calm resolve! She is none other than the devout sister from Seth Territory, a faithful servant of the Radiant Lord—Sister Maria!" Devout. Holy. Compassionate. She claims no lofty title. Whether noble or commoner, she treats all with equal kindness and grace. The image of this black-robed sister had already etched itself into the hearts of every cleric in the Radiant Church. Indeed, nearly half the commoners of the district had seen Sister Maria offering charity and mercy. "Cleansing evil, loyal to the divine—that is your just reward." A finely crafted silver urn, marked with the holy insignia of the Radiant Sun, was solemnly presented to the kneeling Sister Maria. Archbishop Mark, when uttering words like devotion and faithfulness, wore a calm and natural expression—he clearly had no objections applying such praise to her. "The Lord grants His blessing." Since even the Archbishop called her devout, it would've been foolish for the black-robed sister to act unbefitting of her title. Following sacred rite, she extended her hands and respectfully received the reward that was rightfully hers. Two cunning foxes—one large, one small—shared a fleeting glance. "Work hard and there will be more rewards." — from the Archbishop. "Of course I'll work hard if there are rewards." — from Maria's subtle response. Then, the great prayer hall echoed with loud praises from the gathered clergy, their hymns lifting in honor of the Radiant Gods. Among them, the Steel Nun's voice rang out with particular clarity. From the sheer excitement on her face, one could imagine that if not for the solemnity of the occasion, she would've rushed forward and embraced Sister Maria in joy. "Praise the Sun!!" Having gracefully completed the lengthy ceremonial rituals, the ever-composed Miss Maria smiled and returned to her seat under the admiring gazes of the crowd. Next in line to receive commendation was the Flame Warrior, who straightened his clothes and hair before striding confidently up the aisle. As the black-robed sister elegantly took her seat, Su—seated just behind—let out a relieved sigh. "When you stepped away earlier, I honestly felt like I'd walked through hell," he murmured, flinching from the searing stare of the Steel Nun behind him. That woman's glare felt like a red-hot blade stabbing into him—he wanted nothing more than to flee far, far away. "Oh." Miss Maria let out a soft "oh," leaving it unclear whether she understood or was simply wondering. After a few days spent interacting with Maria—this high-intelligence NPC—Su had mostly figured out the kind of temper the kind sister had. Generally speaking, as long as you weren't offensive or malicious, she was much easier to talk to than most NPCs. By sheer luck, he'd managed to build rapport with her—and he was beginning to realize just how fortunate that was. "Your devotion... still needs time to prove itself," Maria gently reminded him after a pause. After all, he was still stained by the Abyss. While Su hadn't accepted Abyssal power during his time in the Kasath Reclamation Army, and remained a plain whiteboard-tier supernatural, that past still clung to him like a scar. The Radiant clergy only tolerated him because of that neutrality—but stain or no, NPCs on the lawful-good end of the spectrum often viewed him with suspicion. The Steel Nun especially seemed like she was ready to strike him down at any moment. Su was seriously unsettled! If not for Sister Maria, he probably would've ended up mysteriously dead in some alley the next morning. "I'll prove my devotion." Man... being a double agent wasn't easy. Even in a game, being a traitor got you treated like this by the NPCs. Su couldn't help sighing, though he didn't regret his decision—joining the evil faction just for thrills wasn't something someone with principles like him could ever stomach. "Right, today's January 15th, isn't it?" "Uh... yeah." "It's already been four months..." Maria's voice suddenly grew heavy. But what shocked Su more was that number—four months?! It had been four months since the closed beta started! 'Wait no, she's not referring to the closed beta period. That's not it... Her four months must mean something else entirely.' Su's expression shifted like a stage actor changing masks—from confusion to clarity to calm. Four months. Maria was referring to the game's progress, but not just that. That same four-month span also marked the time since she had left Seth Town, the small village she'd lived in for eight years. A double meaning—and Sister Maria knew how to wield it well. Soon, with this event concluded, the beta testers would likely begin compiling regional data on the forums, eventually uncovering the truth of the Radiant Gods' decline. And in Southwind Province, a certain Lord of Cinders was revived by testers as a joke—probably to test the Radiant Church's reaction. This game... was getting complicated. "Sister Maria, there's a young man named Liwei requesting to see you," said a servant as he approached with caution. "He claims to be an old friend, and Lord Phylin asked me to pass on the message." "Liwei...?" That name, long absent, made the black-robed sister falter slightly. Her memory wasn't bad, and she remembered the small political map of Seth Town like the back of her hand. A moment later, something seemed to click—she stood up abruptly and hurried toward the hall's exit. She had no idea why Liwei would come find her at a time like this. It could be good news. Or bad. But right now, with her mood already heavy, this sudden visit only made her anxiety worse. "Miss Maria, it's been a while!" When the shy young man Liwei spotted her black-robed silhouette, he wiped his eyes in disbelief. Compared to four months ago, Maria looked far more noble, elegant, and dignified—so much so that Liwei instinctively lowered his head in shame. "Good day, Liwei." The elegant sister's crimson eyes pierced straight through him—and landed on the envelope in his hands. "Maria, this is a letter from Pastor Lynn. He asked me to bring it to you..." Quickly handing over the sealed letter, Liwei let out a breath like a man finally completing his mission. "Did my father say anything?" "No... but your mother's health is..." BOOM!! A bolt of lightning split the overcast sky— and the gentle drizzle suddenly turned into a torrential downpour. Under the flash and rain, Maria's pale face looked especially still and cold, but her hands—her ten fingers—were unconsciously twisting together. ✦✧✦ ???? Support me on Patreon to access 25+ future chapters and exclusive content: /M0CLAW