After two or three gloomy days, Canfoer City 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 a full-fledged nun, she had already resolved to spread the High God's benevolence to the people of Canfoer.
"Good morning, Sister Latmimi." Mother Lilila, who handled the monks' daily needs, entered carrying milk and bread.
"Good morning, Mother Lilila." Sister Latmimi smiled at the elderly woman. "May the High God bless you."
"And may the High God bless you as well," Mother Lilila replied. "You came from the royal capital's monastery, so 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 lingering poison of demons. As members of the church, what we should do is guide the people to believe in the High God and fight the demons' curse. Please do not punish yourself for the demons' sins. May the High God be with you."
"May the High God be with you—"
After washing and dressing, Latmimi gently pinned up her long brown hair and skillfully put on the nun's habit she had brought from the royal capital. Today, Latmimi would attend worship at Mira Cathedral alongside Mother Lilila.
Yet on the road to Mira Cathedral, Canfoer's decay and filth chilled Latmimi's heart.
"People covered in pus-filled boils, crumbling houses, tangled 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 soon arrive at Mira Cathedral, Miss Latmimi..." the carriage driver called loudly. "The road ahead is a little uneven, so it may get bumpy. I hope you'll excuse it—"
"It's fine. As long as we can reach the cathedral sooner, a little bumping along the way doesn't matter..." Latmimi said.
Sunlight shone upon the crest of the Otons Church. The ancient domed cathedral of Mira would welcome a new nun today. The choir children were neatly dressed, the church priests had polished the chalices and holy relics, and the nuns held the Otons Church's crests as they maintained order among the believers and pilgrims.
A white carriage slowly approached beneath the gazes of countless Ouston Church believers. The holy emblems and seals set into its frame were privileges reserved only for high-ranking clergy, while two magnificent steeds strode proudly beneath everyone's watchful eyes...
"May the High God bless you—"
Labrador, bishop of the Canfoer Otons Church, offered his most sincere blessing to the person in the carriage.
"May the High God bless you as well—my esteemed father..."
The distinguished passenger returned Bishop Labrador's blessing in kind. Latmimi gracefully stepped down from the carriage. Her beauty resembled Alekalena, the goddess of beauty among the Northern Old Gods, while her noble yet humble bearing made it seem as though the Holy Mother herself had descended.
"May the High God bless you—"
Aislanna stepped forward and saluted Latmimi. "Honored guest from the royal capital, from this day onward, you will walk alongside me and carry the High God's gospel to the poor."
"May the High God bless you as well..." Latmimi returned the salute.
Although the Otons Church led many believers in worship every seven days, singing hymns and drinking holy water... today's service was more solemn than usual. As the annual Mountain-Sealing Day, it rightfully deserved the respect of all Canfoer's residents, including everyone in the Ouston Church.
Canfoer's oldest legends recorded this:
Long ago, before Qi, father of the Old Gods, had even been born, the entire world was chaos. Countless thorns grew within that chaos, and from those thorns emerged innumerable shrubs. These shrubs grew for thousands of years, until, amid a great snowfall, Ellina, goddess of the forest, was born. The first thing Ellina, goddess of the forest, did upon appearing was scatter melted snow into the other realms of chaos.
When the other realms of chaos received the forest goddess Ellina's gift, trees bore fruit, wild grass blossomed with buds, and the earth came to possess all manner of life. To commemorate the birth of Ellina, goddess of the forest, December eleventh of every year became what was known as Mountain-Sealing Day.
Though the Otons Church later came to worship the New Gods, Elrina Forest, where Canfoer stood, was the first forest created by Ellina, goddess of the forest. Thus, the influence of Mountain-Sealing Day could not be underestimated.
"May the High God bless you..." An old woman gave Latmimi a less-than-proper 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 old woman's bowl. The clear, pristine water appeared exceptionally beautiful and sacred beneath the winter sunlight. Amid the choir's heavenly singing, the old woman prepared to leave early.
"What a... pleasant... morning..."
Latmimi slowly drew the domed cross symbolizing the Otons Church from her waist, gripped it in reverse, and smashed it toward the back of the old woman's head.
In an instant, blood burst forth...
The old woman bit off one of Latmimi's fingers, while the domed cross in Latmimi's hand was now embedded in the old woman's throat.
"It's been a long time since I hunted monsters... I'm still a little unaccustomed to one suddenly appearing like this..."
Latmimi staggered back several steps, then drew a silver dart from her robes with her left hand and struck the old woman squarely in the heart. Her assault was fierce and ruthless, utterly devoid of her previous dignity and gentleness. Under Latmimi's attack, the old woman quickly revealed her true form.
"Ah... hateful humans..."
The old woman screeched as she yanked the domed cross completely from her mouth. Black blood surged from the wound, massive jointed limbs tore through her clothes, and a spider-like monster appeared at the Otons Church's worship service.
In an instant, Canfoer's believers, nuns, and pilgrims fled in every direction.
"Th-this... what is... going on..." Aislanna held her chin as she backed away dozens of steps. "How could a... monster appear at our worship 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 been unable to withstand the force of decay and fled the forest. Many of them hid within Canfoer, this city of old... hiding beside us..."
Bishop Labrador's voice grew heavier and heavier, as if his heart were filled with secrets.
"But... I've served in Canfoer's parish for so many years, and I've never heard of monsters attacking humans..." Aislanna said.
"That is because they took 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 rattled through streets paved with earth and stone. Monk Abelato was leading a group of the church's martyrs toward the slums outside Canfoer City to investigate.
It was said that an exceptionally powerful undead monster had been discovered yesterday in the black market connecting Canfoer and Alderbu. The dreadful creature had disemboweled dozens of black-market merchants. The gruesome scene had been beyond horrifying.
"Monsters lurking in this decayed city of old can barely survive only by relying on the church's sacred miracles. What an irony..." Eliyi sat high atop the cathedral dome, peering down upon the decayed city like the High God himself. Destiny's threads were already firmly under his control.
"Who should I... make my move against next?" Eliyi's voice was unfathomable. "A hero's descendant? A mage? A witch... or that visitor from afar?"
Eliyi looked toward the slums. A man dressed as a foreigner, carrying a greatsword on his back, had entered his field of vision. At the same time, the foreign man with the greatsword noticed him as well.