Cleaning the Filth (Part 1)

After two or three days of gloom, the city of Canfor finally welcomed long-awaited sunlight today. The high sun shone with a golden glow, and a brand-new day had begun in the church district.

"Another day blessed by the High God—"

Sister Latmimi woke from her bed. Though she had only just graduated from the monastery in the royal capital, and today was merely her first day as an official nun, she had already resolved to spread the High God's benevolence among the people of Canfor.

"Good morning, Sister Latmimi." Mother Lilila, who was responsible for the clergy's daily needs, entered carrying milk and bread.

"Good morning, Mother Lilila." Sister Latmimi smiled at the old woman. "May the High God bless you."

"And may the High God bless you as well," Mother Lilila replied. "You came from the monastery in the royal capital. I hope the milk and bread here suit your tastes. After all... Rosa Kevin's Curse has spread for far too long..." As she spoke, the kindly old woman revealed a sorrowful expression.

"Please don't say that, Mother Lilila..." Latmimi said. "Rosa Kevin's Curse is not your fault, nor anyone else's. It is the devil's lingering poison. As members of the Church, what we should do is guide the people to believe in the High God and fight the devil's curse. Please do not punish yourself for the devil's sins. May the High God be with you."

"May the High God be with you—"

After washing up, Latmimi gently pinned up her long brown hair and deftly put on the nun's habit she had brought from the royal capital. Today, Latmimi would attend worship at Mira Cathedral with Mother Lilila.

Yet on the way to Mira Cathedral, Canfor's decay and filth chilled Latmimi to the heart.

"People covered in pus-filled sores, dilapidated houses, crowded and narrow streets, lives with almost no hope... My God..." Latmimi said with her eyes closed. "How many innocent people has this terrible curse harmed...?"

"We'll be at Mira Cathedral soon, Miss Latmimi..." the coachman called loudly. "The road ahead is a little uneven, so it may get bumpy. I hope you'll forgive us—"

"It's all right. As long as we can reach the cathedral sooner, a little bumpiness along the way is of no consequence..." Latmimi said.

Sunlight shone upon the emblem of Otons Church. This ancient domed cathedral of Mira would welcome a new nun today. The choir children were neatly dressed, the priests polished the chalices and sacred relics, and the nuns held the emblems of Otons Church as they maintained order among the faithful and catechumens.

A white carriage slowly approached beneath the gazes of countless followers of Otons Church. The holy emblem and seal embedded upon it were privileges reserved only for high-ranking clergy, while two splendid steeds strode forward proudly under everyone's watchful eyes...

"May the High God bless you—"

Labrador, bishop of Otons Church in Canfor, offered the carriage's occupant his most sincere blessing.

"May the High God bless you as well—my esteemed father..."

The distinguished person in the carriage returned Bishop Labrador's blessing in equal measure. Latmimi stepped elegantly down from the carriage, her beauty resembling Alekalena, goddess of beauty among the Northern Old Gods. Her noble yet humble bearing made her seem as though the Holy Mother herself had descended.

"May the High God bless you—"

Aislanna stepped forward and bowed to Latmimi. "Honored guest from the royal capital, from today onward, you shall walk alongside me and deliver the High God's gospel to the poor."

"May the High God bless you as well..." Latmimi replied, returning the bow.

Although Otons Church led its many followers in worship, hymns, and holy water every seven days... today's service was more solemn than usual. As the annual Mountain-Sealing Day, it rightfully deserved the respect of all Canfor's residents, including everyone in Otons Church.

Canfor's oldest legends recorded:

Long before Qi, father of the Old Gods, was born, the entire world had been chaos. Countless brambles grew from that chaos, and innumerable shrubs sprouted from those brambles. After these shrubs had grown for thousands of years, the Forest Goddess Ellina was born amid a great snowfall. The first thing Ellina, the Forest Goddess, did upon appearing was scatter the melting snow across the other realms of chaos.

When the other realms of chaos accepted the gift of Ellina of the Forest, trees bore fruit, wild grass bloomed with buds, and the earth came to possess all manner of life. To commemorate the birth of Ellina, the Forest Goddess, December eleventh of every year became the so-called Mountain-Sealing Day.

Though Otons Church later came to believe in the new gods, Elrina Forest, where Canfor stood, was the first forest created by Ellina, the Forest Goddess. Thus, the influence of Mountain-Sealing Day could not be underestimated.

"May the High God bless you..." An old woman gave Latmimi an awkward, imperfect salute.

"Ah—may the High God bless you as well..." Latmimi returned the old woman's salute, then poured the holy water from her cup into the woman's bowl. Clear and pure, the holy water looked exceptionally beautiful and sacred beneath the winter sun. Amid the choir's heavenly singing, the old woman prepared to leave early.

"What a... pleasant... morning..."

Latmimi slowly drew the domed cross symbolizing Otons Church from her waist, gripped it in reverse, and smashed it into the back of the old woman's head.

Blood burst forth in an instant...

The old woman bit off one of Latmimi's fingers, while the domed cross in Latmimi's hand was now lodged in the old woman's throat.

"It's been a long time since I last hunted monsters... I'm still a little unaccustomed to one suddenly appearing like this..."

Latmimi retreated several steps, then drew a silver dart from her robes with her left hand and struck the old woman directly in the heart. Her assault was fierce and ruthless, without the slightest trace of her former dignified gentleness. Under Latmimi's attack, the old woman quickly revealed his true form.

"Ah... hateful humans..."

The old woman hissed, then pulled the domed cross entirely from his mouth. Black blood gushed from the wound, and massive joints burst through her clothing as a spider-like monster appeared at the Otons Church service.

In an instant, Canfor's many worshippers, nuns, and catechumens fled in all directions.

"Th-this is... what's going on..." Aislanna clutched her chin and staggered back dozens of steps. "How could a... monster appear at our service... Th-this..."

Bishop Labrador patted Aislanna's shoulder. "Ever since Rosa Kevin's Curse erupted, the monsters and elves living in the Forest of Decay have also fled the forest because they could no longer endure the power of decay. Quite a few of them have hidden in Canfor, this city of old... hidden among us..."

Bishop Labrador's voice grew heavier and heavier, as though his heart were full of secrets.

"But... I've been in Canfor's parish for so many years, yet I've never heard of monsters attacking humans..." Aislanna said.

"That is because they assumed other forms and hid among humans..." A terrifying gleam appeared in Bishop Labrador's eyes. "But no matter what, I will never allow these dreadful creatures... to hide within my city..."

"Tap, tap, tap—"

The monks' footsteps rang against the streets and alleys built of earth and stone. Brother Abelato was leading a group of church martyrs toward the slums outside Canfor to investigate.

It was said that an exceptionally powerful undead monster had been discovered yesterday in the black market connecting Canfor and Alderbu. This terrifying creature had disemboweled dozens of black-market merchants. The gruesome sight had been utterly horrifying.

"Monsters lurking in this decayed city of old, barely surviving only through the Church's holy miracles—what could be more ironic than that..." Eliyi sat high atop the cathedral dome, spying upon the decayed city like the High God himself. The threads of fate were firmly in his grasp.

"Who should I... make my move against next?" Eliyi's voice shifted unpredictably. "A hero's descendant? A mage? A witch... or that guest from afar?"

Eliyi looked toward the slums. A man dressed like a foreigner and carrying a greatsword had entered his field of vision, and at that very moment, the foreign man carrying the greatsword noticed him as well.