"You have returned safely. It seems the Ten-Lords Commission's fortune is not too poor today."
"Lady Xueyi, I'm so glad you're alright!"
Only then did Xueyi notice Bertnis standing at the very back. "Who might you be?"
"Since this automaton lady has asked so sincerely…" The corner of Bertnis's mouth lifted, ready to deliver a flawless self-introduction.
"This guy's the Knight-Captain of the Eternal Church." Stelle ruthlessly cut him off.
"Hah? No way… Miss Stelle, I was just about to give a super cool introduction!"
Stelle glanced down. The Eternal scripture etched on Bertnis's gauntlet was emitting a faint glow.
"Are you really the church's Knight-Captain? Does the Book of Eternal Doctrine or the Book of Eternal Virtues say nothing about the duty to help others?"
Bertnis shook his head. "Miss Stelle, the church worships Eternity first and foremost. Second comes treating guests with utmost sincerity."
At the Eternal Church's headquarters—the water planet Perixia—every single visitor is greeted with the fervent hospitality of the faithful.
Every restaurant offers discounts; you can eat gourmet meals for half price (even followers of Destruction get a bone and call it a deal).
Kindly grandmothers hand out local specialty soap—not for weapons, but the edible kind.
Adorable little girls passing by will sweetly call you big brother or big sister and offer food-grade laundry detergent that can be steeped in water and drunk.
Even a complete stranger of a maiden will fabricate an entire fake identity just to strike up a conversation with you. Very enthusiastic.
The church's famous hot springs come with skilled masseurs who, while helping you relax, will also put on a magic show…
Ah, all of this is conditional on willingly joining the Eternal Church.
Sign on the dotted line, and you will receive the aforementioned full-body enthusiasm from the faithful!
At the same time, you will be granted the blessing of the Aeon of Eternity—immortality unattainable by ordinary mortals…
"Ah~ That's exactly why I need an introduction attractive enough!" Baptised in doctrine and serving as Knight-Captain, Bertnis was resolute. To pull in converts, you have to start strong!
Besides, someone like Xueyi—an automaton—would be wildly popular at the church… though she might get mistaken for an exhibit.
Those Herta puppets are all displayed in the church museum, released on schedule every day.
Lady Herta herself has no objections. As long as the church is happy—and as long as a certain milk-tea-loving fellow visits more often—she'd happily donate another hundred puppets to the Eternal Church.
"Good to have you back. Nothing unusual on the way, I take it?"
Stelle instantly switched gears: "I got possessed—save me!"
"Heehee, as expected of a judge~ So vigilant."
Huohuo recounted everything to Xueyi in detail… including how Cirrus claimed to be getting beaten senseless by milk tea and a masked guy.
"I understand the situation. But now is not the time to worry about Cirrus. The entire Fyxestroll Garden has been dragged into an illusion by an even stronger Tayzzyronth. The heliobi-subduing bailiffs sent ahead have all gone silent."
"Huohuo, if Cirrus and I together still cannot suppress that monster, the burden will fall on you."
Huohuo had a very clear understanding of herself:
"Huh? M-me…? I can't. I'm not capable like you two… In battle I just hide in the corner trembling."
"Do not sell yourself short. A Tayzzyronth cannot seize a body already occupied by another Tayzzyronth—that is your absolute advantage as a judge."
Stelle patted Huohuo's head. "Yeah. Even the weakest person has their strengths."
"I know Miss Stelle is trying to comfort me… but that doesn't exactly make me feel better."
Huohuo smiled helplessly, though she knew the intent was kind.
"Quit whining and listen to the part you like."
Bertnis stepped forward, wrapping the shapeshifted Cirrus around his neck like a scarf.
"Hey! What do you think you're—"
"Shh~ Adults are talking. Children should stay quiet." Bertnis pinched Cirrus's mouth shut with one hand. "Automaton miss, suppose I got possessed too—wouldn't that be an advantage against a stronger Tayzzyronth?"
Xueyi was stunned. How was he grabbing a Tayzzyronth barehanded? And why wasn't Cirrus resisting at all?
"Well said. However, Huohuo has undergone rigorous training and has far more experience resisting Tayzzyronth… So the fact that you all returned safely means the Ten-Lords Commission's luck truly isn't bad today."
Mr. Tail flew up to hover above Huohuo's head, encouraging her. "Hear that, coward? Snap out of it. Out of everyone on this Ten-Lords team right now, not one of them is stronger than you in this!"
"Tayzzyronth may be ferocious, but they can never escape their craving for mortal flesh. Yet you have kept this monster under control and stayed sane for thirty-eight years in service to the Ten-Lords. You are already a qualified judge. Be more confident."
"Among us judges, no one surpasses you in this regard."
"Keeping the monster under control… but I don't think I've ever really tamed Mr. Tail? Actually… are he and I kind of… friends?"
Seeing the earnest look in Huohuo's eyes, Mr. Tail tsundere'd hard: "Ptooey! This old man doesn't make friends with food."
Cirrus, currently being single-handedly scrunched by Bertnis, had something to say.
"Heehee, Mr. Tail~ Little fragments like us have long since lost the power of Blazeheart. Even this little girl can easily subdue you now. Stop pretending."
Mr. Tail fell silent and exchanged a glance with Bertnis.
"Cirrus, you don't get a turn to speak here."
Faced with Bertnis's incoming giant hand, nonexistent veins bulged on Cirrus's nonexistent forehead. But since she was attached to Stelle, she was utterly helpless against the red-haired youth in front of her.
"And you—did you just call me a child? Hilarious. A puny human dares compare lifespan with the Tayzzyronth race? Did I hear that right?"
"Oh?" Bertnis's interest was piqued. "Since you mention it… care to see who lives longer—you or Eternity?"
"How could that possi—mmph mmph mmph!"
Before Cirrus could finish, Stelle clapped both hands over her mouth.
Nope, not saying that out loud. Bertnis was a new church character—did that mean the two Emanators hadn't come along?
Stelle guessed that besides Bertnis, at least one more high-ranking church member had returned to the Luofu.
Bertnis was clearly here to save the people of Fyxestroll Garden from disaster. The other one…
Well, maybe they were just sightseeing on the Luofu. They'd grown fond of the place during the last Stellaron crisis.
...
"A—ACHOO!"
A single crystalline tear flashed at the corner of Freesna's eye. She hurriedly covered her mouth and nose, her snow-white cheeks instantly flushing like clouds kissed by sunset.
Her silver hair swayed gently with the motion, the tips shimmering with an almost imperceptible light.
Adrian watched Freesna sipping milk tea beside HIM. HE seemed to recall tossing quite a few cups of milk tea toward the church recently. Had they been intercepted mid-flight?