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1:30 p.m.
Vivian and Juana were walking through the dark and maze-like underground tunnels of the Holy City.
Vivian was at the front, while Juana was behind her with her [Halo] activated.
The tunnels were about 7ft tall and 4ft wide. The walls seemed to be made out of bricks, the ceiling was also made out of bricks but had a curved design, and the floor was nothing but dirt and stone. Moreover, the walls and ceiling also had nothing to indicate that they had something for light bulbs or torches. And although there were some scratches on the walls and some walls looked older compared to the others, if a person didn't have a map or had no idea where they were going, the probability of them getting lost was very high.
In the case of Vivian, although she didn't have any map, thanks to the number of times she was called to the Inquisitory Division's Headquarters, she had grown familiar with the path leading to the headquarters -- just with this specific path, though. And as for why she wasn't carrying any light with her and leading the way, she was using her demonic eyes.
"Is this your first time heading to the Inquisitory Division's Headquarters?" Vivian asked.
"Yes, Sister Inquisitor," Juana replied.
Juana was still donned in her Crusader armor, but she had her helmet on the side of her arm and she was wearing a "Visitor Mask", which was a full-mask that had a red-colored sun on the forehead.
"You don't seem to be afraid. You're used to places like this?"
"My uncle and aunt have a home outside of Orion City and they had underground tunnels like this. I used to visit there as a kid and would play Hide and Seek, Treasure Hunt and Test of Courage with my cousins."
"You have family at the Orion Kingdom?"
Juana nodded.
"Yes, from my maternal side. The sister of my grandmother married a Brother from the Orion Chapter Temple."
"Priests and Priestesses tend to marry each other, don't they?"
Juana blinked a couple of times, unsure what Vivian was trying to say. From her point of view, given Vivian's strength and talents, she must be someone from a High-Tier Noble Priest family.
"I believe it's because of how Chapter Temples are set up, the Holy Crusade, and to make sure that the chances of their children having the Light Affinity are high."
"Do you have any siblings?"
"I have two older brothers in the Infantry Division, Brother Captain Izan and Brother High Lieutenant Carlos."
"So you're the precious little sister?"
Juana was caught off guard.
"I guess so…"
"Are they married?"
A pained and sad expression flashed across Juana's face.
"Brother Izan used to be married to Sister Andrea from the Catalan family. And Brother Carlos is engaged to Sister Elia from the Laenas family. Sister Elia is the older sister of Brother Eutimio."
"Brother Eutimio? The one who married your friend, I mean, former friend behind your back?"
"Yes…" Juana said that was almost a whisper.
"Oh…"
There was an awkward silence in the air.
"Is that legal?" Vivian asked, breaking the silence after almost a minute.
"To marry someone else behind their back?"
"No, I mean, Elia and Eutimio are siblings, while you and Carlos are siblings."
A confused expression appeared on Juana's face.
"If it's blood relation you're talking about, our great-great-great grandparents are siblings, so our children won't have any issues if we married and had children with each other."
"Ah, I see."
"Do you have any siblings, Sister Inquisitor?"
"No."
Juana was about to ask another question, but Vivian cut her off.
"Turn off your [Halo], we're already close."
Juana quickly deactivated her [Halo] and then noticed that at the end of the tunnel was a wide and open space, overlooking a small settlement.
***
1:46 p.m.
Main Office Building, Inquisitory Division Headquarters.
Ka-cha!
A door opened and Vivian stepped into Pen's main office. She made her way to Pen's personal assistant or secretary, Nina.
Nina got up and lowered her head.
"Good afternoon, Honored Priestess Inquisitor," she said and then raised her head. "How may I help you?"
"I wish to speak with Brother Inquisitor Pen. Is he in his office?"
"Yes, I will inform him of your arrival. May I ask for your name?"
"Sister Inquisitor Monad."
Nina nodded and then went over to the door of Pen's private office. A few seconds later, she came back to Vivian.
"He is ready to see you now."
***
Pen was sitting behind his desk and he was arranging some documents.
Ka-cha!
A door opened and Vivian entered. She went over to the front of his desk and saluted.
"Brother Inquisitor."
Pen nodded and then gestured to one of the vacant chairs in front of his desk.
"Please take a seat, Sister Inquisitor."
Vivian sat down.
"The grandson of Viscount Lozario and the grandson of Duke Freca from the Marbleam Kingdom are harassing me. I want to file a restraining order that would make sure they won't ever harass me or come near me ever again."
Pen was taken aback for a moment. He wasn't expecting that this was the reason why Vivian visited him.
"Who exactly among the grandsons of Viscount Lozario and Duke Freca are harassing you?"
"The same ones that harassed me back in Plano Town. Alejandro and Ferdino."
"Them?"
"When can I expect the restraining order?"
"How are they harassing you? Did they attack you or something?"
"Alejandro is trying to court me even though he already has a fiancée. Meanwhile, the fat one is requesting for a duel, but he brought someone, an older family member, to fight me. And when I told them to leave me alone and leave the Third Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint, they told me that I don't have the power to drive them away."
"I'll send a letter to the Fifth Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint to stop them from harassing you."
"Is that really enough?"
"What do you mean?"
"Not long ago, or I mean, last night, something happened near Mount Vald'mir. I can just imagine the people in the Fifth Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint would be busy focusing on that. I won't even be surprised if those 2 idiots would use that to stay at the Third Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint to pester me."
Pen contemplated for a moment.
"You have 3 choices:
"I will send a letter to the Fifth Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint to inform them about Lord Alejandro and Lord Ferdino bothering you, and then you can wait until they get bored and leave.
"I will still send a letter to the Fifth Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint, and then you can tag along with Brother Inquisitor Blanch and Brother Inquisitor Freed, who are currently doing an investigation at Mount Vald'mir.
"I will send a letter to the Fifth Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint to inform them that you will be transferred here to the Inquisitory Division's Headquarters for the remainder of your Holy Crusade Contract."
Vivian's jaw dropped.
"Ha? That's all you can do? I'm an Inquisitor of the Holy Crusade. Why isn't the Holy Kingdom or the entire Temple of Priests punishing those 2 for literally harassing an Inquisitor?"
"They haven't physically assaulted you, right?"
"One of them is asking for a duel."
"If Lord Ferdino and the person he's ordering to fight you in his place attack you even though you didn't accept the duel, they would immediately be arrested and punished. But for Lord Alejandro, there's nothing I can do except for sending a letter to the Fifth Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint to stop him from bothering you."
"But I'm an Inquisitor assigned to the Third Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint and they're not only bothering me, but they're bothering everyone there. That Alejandro even brought a group of musicians and dancers to serenade me."
"Unfortunately, like I said, that's the only thing I can do unless they lay a hand on you or your companions."
"But they're bothering us."
Pen let out a sigh.
"Sister, what I'm trying to say is that they're Aristocratic Nobles. Moreover, they're Aristocratic Nobles of an independent kingdom. Had they been an Aristocratic Noble of a Subsidiary Kingdom, or just a Noble, or a Priest, they're would've been dealt with immediately. But unfortunately, they're not."
"So you're saying I have no choice but to just tolerate them or just transfer here?"
"I can transfer you to a different station if you don't like it here."
Vivian's eyes turned to slits.
"Brother, no offense, but shouldn't you take responsibility?"
"What do you mean?"
"The only reason why those 2 idiots even knew about me and decided to harass me in the first place was because I was sent to Plano Town because of you.
"I never asked for this special treatment or attention from you or from anyone, or bringing back the glory of the Inquisitory Division and correcting the trajectory of where our Temple has been heading for a couple of generations now. All I wanted was to do my Holy Crusade Contract peacefully as a no-rank Inquisitor.
"Also, you said it yourself last time: The Inquisitory Division is the best place for me to hide or maintain a low profile and that you will protect me from anyone who tries to bother me.
"Or were all those things you said to me nothing but lies?"
Pen stared at Vivian for a moment.
"Give me a few days to settle this. In the meantime, you can go back to your station or you can stay here."
"And if you can't settle it?"
"It will be settled."
***
Knock, knock.
Vivian knocked on a door.
"Sister High Sergeant, it's me, Sister Inquisitor Monad."
Ka-cha.
A few seconds later, the door opened and it was Juana, who was now dressed in a White Cloak and civilian clothing, but still had a Visitor Mask.
She saluted.
"Sister Inquisitor Monad!"
"May I come in?"
"Of course," she said and then stepped to the side.
As Vivian entered the bedroom, Juana continued standing on the side near the door.
Vivian turned to her.
"This is your room. Close the door and take a seat."
"Yes, Sister Inquisitor," she said as she closed the door and then sat at a chair in front of the desk mirror.
"So I just finished speaking with the Chapter Master," Vivian said. "You have 2 choices:
"The first one, since you're in charge of the aerial security of the Third Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint, you may return there.
"The second choice, you can stay here for a few or a couple of days while we wait for the Chapter Master to deal with Alejandro and Ferdino.
"However, if you choose to stay here, you can stay here at the Inquisitory Division's Headquarters, or you can stay at the surface, somewhere here in the Holy City, perhaps near your Draghorn pet.
"But regardless of whether you choose to return to the Third Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint right away or stay here with me, once the Chapter Master is done dealing with Alejandro and Ferdino, I will call for you to come pick me up and escort me back to the Third Inner Stanza Border Checkpoint.
"So, what's your decision?"
Juana gazed at the floor and the memory of the incident last night flashed inside her head. She then she returned her gaze at Vivian.
"Sister Inquisitor, can I ask you what your honest thoughts are about what happened last night at Mount Vald'mir?"
"What about it?"
"Is it safe or dangerous there? I mean, it's not that I don't want to do my duties and responsibilities as a Crusader and abandon our companions, but I also don't want to die because I also have my family and I want to come back to them."
Vivian touched the chin of her mask and pondered for a moment.
"It's safe. There's nothing to worry about. And if someone tries to accuse you of running away or abandoning your responsibilities, tell them to say it to my face as well, because I'm the one who ordered you to come with me here."
Juana nodded.
"I have decided…" she said and then balled her hands into fists. "I wish to stay here with you in the Holy City, but not here in the Inquisitory Division's Headquarters, because I need to spend time with Pipi -- I mean, my Draghorn mount."
"I see. I'll have someone escort you back to the surface. And by the way, do you have coins to spend? I've already asked the Inquisitory Division to cover our expenses while we're here.
"And now that I think about it, since you'll be staying at the surface, I'll have to ask the Chapter Master to write you a letter or a document that you can present to the shops."
Juana waved her hands.
"It's fine, Sister Inquisitor, there's no need."
Vivian waved her hand.
"Nonsense. This is the Holy Kingdom, the prices are expensive. And plus, they're rich, the very least thing they could do is spend their wealth on us Crusaders who are literally risking our lives for the Holy Crusade. Even I'll be pissed if a corporation or company expects us to risk our lives, yet tries to low-ball us. I'll literally destroy that corporation or company myself, or betray it without a second thought, the moment I get a better deal or offer from another corporation or company."
Juana's face turned pale behind her mask.
Although she doesn't know what "corporation" meant because she has never heard of that term, she has heard and knew the term "company", not the "company" where it meant "a military group consisting of 4 Platoons", but the word "company" from a business perspective.
She bit her tongue and prayed that Vivian would stop saying heretical things. After all, Inquisitors are the ones in charge of uncovering corruptions and heretics within the Temple.
Nevertheless, a part of her was still surprised that there were Inquisitors like Vivian. But another part of her also wondered if it was because Vivian was powerful and talented, which why she's able to say such heretical things without any fear.
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