Henry walked through the halls of the Church of Liora. The corridor was dimly lit, by oil lamps flickering against the stone walls. He saw there the statue of God Liora smiling as He held the sun in His hands—a signature meant to show that Liora provided warmth to all. Dusty beams of morning light filtered through the stained-glass windows, coloring the statue in soft gold.
Henry trembled as he walked toward the stairs. The old wooden steps creaked beneath him, echoing through the quiet church. This entire church was something he took care of alone... the highest position in this place. So in normal cases he would go to his personal room, but he trembled today. Ever since the archbishop had come to light Liora's flames for the Rising Star Festival, he had been staying in Henry's room, despite Henry insisting on preparing a separate one for him.
'He wi-will forgive me…' he mumbled as he reached the door. He had been called for.
He knocked. A greasy voice replied, "Come in."
Henry entered. The room was dim, the curtains half-drawn. Archbishop Kaelis sat on a chair facing the window, the grey light outlining his wrinkled features. The room itself was minimalist—the only decorations were statues and paintings of God Liora, placed neatly around the walls.
Kaelis turned to Henry with a smile. "Henry, I saw something down there going on… What was that?"
Henry froze. His breaths turned shaky as he said, "Your g-grace…"
"Henry." The archbishop's voice was calm as he smiled. "Why are you stuttering? Am I going to eat you?" He chuckled.
Henry forced a small smile. "N-no, u-uhm—"
"Henry, I hope you can fix it, right? I'm sure you can figure something out… right?" Kaelis lifted a small whip-like stick from the table, tapping it lightly against his hands. "I'm sure you don't want lashes, do you?"
"N-No… I-I will do it… I-I will fix it…" Henry trembled, looking down.
"I know." The archbishop leaned back in his chair. "So go. I want it done before the festival tonight."
Henry ran outside the room, breathless. Fear clawed at his chest as sweat dripped down his temple. He looked at his hands—they trembled uncontrollably. He could still feel the lashes from years ago. All these years, he hadn't forgotten the fear.
'I need to do it… I somehow need to… I can't disappoint… the archbishop… I-I will somehow… No. I can do it. I know someone.'
He walked downstairs. The air in the praying hall felt cool and calm, smelling faintly of incense. The elderly filled the wooden benches, praying softly, their voices blending into a low hum. As Henry entered, he stood before the large central statue of Liora. The elderly turned to him immediately.
"Bishop Henry, how are you doing?"
"Bishop, it's good to see you."
"Bishop, are you going to start the prayer?"
Before they could ask more, Henry looked down, breathing deeply to steady himself.
"Everyone… I'm sorry, but today… I saw someone who seems to be preaching their religion in this town of ours."
One old man grabbed his stick, face scrunched with anger. "IS IT ONE OF THE SERAN FOOLS!! THEY KEEP COMING HERE!"
"No, it's not, Mister Maximus. It's a man who is claiming to be the messenger of a goddess."
"What?!" an elderly lady gasped. "Messenger of a goddess? Is that person ridiculous?"
"No… he seems to be able to heal… and he does it for free."
A stunned silence fell. Then an old man slapped his stick against the floor. "OH, EVEN DEVILS CAN HEAL, ALRIGHT! BISHOP HENRY, PLEASE TAKE US TO THE FOOL! WE SHALL SEE WHO THAT DEMON REALLY IS!"
Henry smiled softly. "O-Of course… just please don't get violent. I'm sure our God Liora wouldn't want that, right?"
They nodded, murmuring small prayers as they rose. "Let us go together, Bishop Henry."
Nine to twelve of the elderly followed Henry out of the hall. Their footsteps echoed behind him like a marching procession.
When he stepped outside, the entrance—usually filled with people greeting him—was strangely deserted. The afternoon sun hung bright above, casting sharp shadows on the stone pavement.
Henry approached a nearby man and asked nervously, "Uhm… do you know where the follower of Yaguya lives?"
The man looked at Henry with disappointment. "Henry, look, don't get too desperate… he is better than you. I know—I like you as a person—but in the matter of faith he is be—"
"SHUT YOUR TRAP, YOU YOUNG FOOL!" an old man barked, shoving his stick forward. The others joined in.
"TELL US WHERE THAT DAMN DEMON IS! WE AIN'T ASK FOR NOTHING ELSE!"
The man sighed, annoyed, and pointed at a distant building. "He's in that inn."
The elderly glared daggers at him while Henry swallowed nervously, adjusting his robe.
He walked toward the inn, each step heavier than the last.
—
"Saint, saint! He is coming here!" Diego said, peeking frantically through the window as Dilek sat on the chair.
They were all cramped inside a single inn room. Duja and Hela sat on the bed—its sheets slightly wrinkled—while Kelid lingered on the edge. Nandita stood beside the door, arms crossed, and Marcus, Ami, and Diego stayed near the window.
Dilek clasped his hands together. "Okay, so first off, any objections? I suppose I've explained it properly, right? That I really am a messenger? Because it seems like some of you don't buy it."
BP: 33 (+4)
Marcus rubbed his chin. "Well, I do believe you, but… it does sound ridiculous. And at the same time it doesn't. Is that weird?"
"Totally not," Dilek said casually.
Nandita sighed, leaning her shoulder against the wall. "Well, as much as it is ridiculous, it's the only explanation we have for why Dilek is mysterious…"
"Am I the cool mysterious?" Dilek asked.
"The dorky mysterious," Nandita corrected.
"Oh…" Dilek slumped for a moment, then straightened. "Well anyway, let me sum it up. I have been blessed by the goddess Yaguya, as she has told me to do that stuff. More than half of the things I say is mostly bullshit about Yaguya, since—well—she just gave me the power and didn't tell me what to do. Is that ridiculous?"
"Kinda, but then again it's not," Marcus said. "I mean, God being vague is pretty understandable."
"So that's what I mean by saying I'll be saying random bullshit to make people join. Stuff like, 'Oh, the goddess wants you to do this, that,' etc, etc. It's only to the others, but I won't say that stuff to you. Since you know about me."
Hela raised her hand, brow furrowed. "Are you scamming them?"
"What? Nooo… Okay, well, yea."
She stared at him with wide eyes. Dilek quickly waved his hands. "Now before you judge—it's scamming, with actual benefits! I actually heal people and… well… teach them to be a better person?"
Diego tilted his head. "But saint, isn't that not scamming them? You are helping them…"
"Okay! Let's stop here, this is getting more confusing for me." Dilek tapped his head. "So here, let me sum it up. I'll be growing Yaguya's name—don't ask me why. It's because I feel like I might get smited if I don't. And well… I'll be collapsing a couple of faiths on the way. So—anyone believes in Liora here?"
Nobody raised their hands.
"Good," Dilek said, cracking his knuckles dramatically. "Because I'm about to absolutely crush them."
A sudden knock echoed from downstairs.
Dilek stood up. "Okay, the bishop is here. Now, the ones who are going with me are Ami, Diego, and Nandita. You three will be going with me. Also, Ami—he didn't see your face in the morning, did he?"
Ami squinted. "Why me? Also, no, he didn't. I covered it fully."
"Because you are good at acting, and I paid you 2 Gisho."
"2 GISHO?!" Duja shot up, eyes wide. "Hold on, Dilek—I'll do better acting than her for just 50 Sisho!"
"Duja…" Dilek stared blankly at him. "I don't have 50 Sisho…"
Duja deflated instantly. Hela patted his back. "Why are you asking for money from kids anyways?"
—
Nandita opened the inn room door, offering a polite smile. "Hello?"
Henry smiled back, hands nervously clasped together. "Hello. I am Bishop Henry of the God Liora. I was hoping to see the messenger of Yaguya."
Nandita nodded and stepped aside. The hallway behind her was narrow, lit. "The innkeepers are actually outside helping to clean, so I was told to help them guard the inn."
Henry stepped inside, the group of elderly followers shuffling behind him, peering around suspiciously at every corner of the dim corridor.
"The messenger of Yaguya is in this room," Nandita said. She knocked lightly. "Saint Dilek, some people seem to want to meet you."
"Dilek, eh? That's such a devil's name," one of the old people muttered.
"Please enter," Dilek replied softly from within.
Nandita opened the door. The room was small and cramped, sunlight pushed through the window where Ami sat with her back straight and Diego sat on the bed. Dilek was sitting cross-legged on the floor.
Henry stepped inside. Dilek stood up with a warm smile. "Bishop Henry, what a pleasure to see you." He extended a hand—
Before he could finish, one of the old men shoved him aside. "DON'T TOUCH THE BISHOP, YOU DE—"
He didn't get to finish. Ami was suddenly at his side, eyes sharp with cold bloodlust, a small knife pressed gently to the old man's neck. The room froze.
"Don't touch the saint…" she whispered.
The old man staggered back, breathless, face pale.
Henry panicked. "N-No, t-they didn't mean any t-trouble."
"Ami, calm down," Dilek said. He reached out calmly and guided Henry into a chair, letting him sit. He gestured for the others to enter. "Ami, can you move out? You seem to be scaring the people," he said, glancing at the trembling elders.
"But saint—"
Dilek smiled patiently. "Ami, it's alright. They are not here to hurt me, and I'm sure you don't wish to go back to your old roots. Violence isn't the answer, Ami."
She bowed stiffly and left the room. Only the old people, Nandita, Diego, Henry, and Dilek remained.
Dilek sighed. "I'm sorry. Ami used to be a bandit before…"
"Hah! See? The devil has bandits by his side," an old woman spat.
"Please refrain from calling her a bandit," Dilek snapped—sharp for just a moment. "She is a reformed person."
The old woman stared, taken aback. 'I called him a devil and he wasn't bothered by that?' she thought in shock.
Dilek continued sadly, "Ami had struggles in her life. But she changed herself…"
Henry nodded slowly. "I understand… Saint Dilek, I wanted to talk to you."
Dilek sat down across from Henry, the wooden chair creaking. "Well, please continue."
Henry stared at him. 'I'll expose you… These people will be witnesses.' He cleared his throat. "Who are you?"
Dilek smiled. "I am Dilek Lugner…"
"No—I mean—"
"THE BISHOP IS ASKING WHERE DID YOU COME FROM, DEVIL?! WHY ARE YOU TRAPPING PEOPLE BY SHOWING THAT YOU ARE SAVING THEM?!" an old man roared.
Dilek only smiled softly. "It's a misunderstanding. I really am healing people. I'm not trapping them or even asking them to follow my goddess. I just want to treat them since the goddess asked me to do that…"
Henry held up his hands. "Please don't be rude, everyone." He turned to Dilek again. "Saint… Dilek, can you please tell us where you came from? Which part of the country?"
Dilek looked down, his expression dimming. "Frankly speaking… I don't know, Bishop Henry."
The old people smirked among themselves.
"He must be a terrorist!"
"An invader!"
Dilek's voice remained soft. "I don't know where I was from. All I know is it wasn't this empire."
Henry leaned forward. 'That's it… reveal more.'
Dilek closed his eyes. "I was… shipped here… as a slave."
"Huh—?" Henry's eyes widened. The elderly gasped.
Dilek continued, voice trembling. "When I was young… I didn't know much. I was happy with my parents, my friends. They were everything. Until we were raided by slave traders. They killed my family and friends. They captured me and tortured me… daily… until they decided to sell me because they were low on cash. I was shipped from one country to another. One buyer to another. Each time, new scars appeared all over me. I was on the brink of death… Until the goddess saved me."
The room grew still, heavy.
"I was saved by a light. A really bright light that brought me here a few years ago. I cried—I cried so much—because I was happy. The goddess told me I have a mission, to save everyone who is suffering. To make sure no one suffers like me again…"
Tears streamed down his face.
Henry sat frozen. 'He went through… all that… He… he isn't a conman… He is a good person…'
The elderly were in tears. An old woman stood and wrapped Dilek in a hug.
"I'm so sorry, boy… You had to go through all that. This world is cruel… yet you are so strong…"
The others sniffled, wiping their eyes. Diego's lips quivered, and Nandita covered her face with her sleeve.
In the old woman's embrace, Dilek thought silently.
'Damn… They really fall for any sob story…'
Then he straightened his face back into character.
"That's why… I heal others for free. People need to be saved… So I do it."
BP: 44 (+11)
He took the grandmother's hand.
Skill: Believe in me for super good heals (activated)
A soft glow bloomed from his palm. The old lady gasped as light washed through her body.
"It feels lighter…" she whispered, amazed.
She showed her arms, her posture, everything—excited. The other elders hurried toward Dilek eagerly.
"Of course, I'll help each of you," he said with a gentle smile.
A while later, Ami stepped inside. Her presence was calm this time. "Okay, everyone out. Saint seems to be tired."
The elderly shuffled out energetically, those who called her a bandit earlier bowing and apologizing to her. Ami gave them a polite smile. "It's alright."
Only Henry remained, standing stiffly while Nandita, Ami, Diego, and Dilek stayed inside.
Henry's thoughts churned. 'What do I do? He really is a good person… No—I still must find a way… But how? Should I spread lies? No… it's too late. The people will think he is innocent… What do I do…?'
He stood to leave.
But Dilek suddenly grabbed his wrist.
Henry turned.
Dilek smiled—calm, confident, almost serene.
"Bishop Henry," he said softly. "Today… by tonight… the people in Porustu will only believe in Yaguya."
Henry's eyes widened.
Dilek's smile didn't look saintly anymore.
"Liora will fall."
Henry stared at him, as dilek let go.
'He isn't a saint… He is not a good person… He is fooling them…'
The smile on Dilek's face no longer seemed that of a holy man.