The morning sun had barely begun to filter through the tall windows of Vel's office. The sky outside was overcast, and a lingering tension from the previous night's chaos clung to the air like dew.
Vel leaned against his desk, arms crossed, gaze fixed on the city map pinned on the wall. A red marker circled the area near the infirmary — a reminder of how close the enemy had gotten.
"Shin," Vel said without turning, "we need to act fast. If the intruder got that close, they may have caught wind of our investigation."
Shin, standing near the window, nodded, his face unreadable as usual. "Understood. I'll dig through every alley and every whisper in the city. If they're still around, I'll find them… or at least what they were after."
Vel finally turned, his expression sharpened. "Good. Catch them off guard if you can. Get the upper hand. We can't let them think we're scrambling."
Shin gave a firm nod. "I'll start with the path they used to escape. There might be someone who saw something. If we're lucky, they left behind more than just a blade."
"Good," Vel replied. Then his voice softened slightly. "I'll be heading to the Church. We need their expertise to analyze the curse. If we wait too long, the effects might deepen."
Shin raised an eyebrow. "Going alone?"
"No. I'm taking Shuri with me," Vel said. "Her research is critical to this."
"She stayed in the medic staff quarters last night," Shin said, glancing toward the hallway. "It was late, and I insisted she rest here for the night."
"That helps." Vel straightened up. "We leave immediately. You do your thing. I'll go get Shuri."
With that, the two men left the office, heading down the corridor. At the stairwell, they split paths — Shin veered toward the rear exit, disappearing into the city streets, while Vel turned toward the quieter hall that led to the staff wing.
The staff quarters buzzed with activity, a stark contrast to the usual morning calm. Voices overlapped and footsteps echoed through the narrow halls as guild staff hurried to prepare for the long day ahead. The aftermath of last night's incident had left a mountain of reports, and the tension hung heavy in the air. Vel stopped in front of a door marked with a small wooden plaque: Medic Team A.
He knocked twice, firm but polite.
After a moment, the door creaked open.
Shuri stood there, her long silver hair a tangled mess, eyes half-lidded from sleep. She blinked at him in confusion, still dressed in her oversized sleeping robe.
"…Vel- sama..?" she muttered, rubbing her eyes. "It's still early morning…"
Vel smiled slightly. "Morning, Shuri. Sorry to wake you up this early, but we've got a trip to make."
She squinted up at him, still trying to process. "Trip…?"
"To the Church. I'm meeting with the High Maiden. We'll need your findings and insight on the curse. It's our best shot at saving the patient."
Shuri's sleepy expression sharpened instantly. "Ah—of course! Give me just a few minutes. I'll get ready!"
"I'll wait outside," Vel said, stepping back. "Carriage is waiting at the front. Meet me there when you're ready."
"Right!" she called out, already scrambling back into the room.
Vel turned on his heel and walked down the hall.
Moments later.
The carriage wheels creaked gently as Shuri climbed aboard, holding a small satchel close to her side. Vel, already seated, gave a short nod to the driver.
"Let's go."
With a lurch, the carriage began rolling out of the guild's stone courtyard.
Inside, Shuri let out a soft sigh, brushing her silver hair back. "The guild staff seem to be early birds."
Vel gave a slight smirk. "After what happened last night, everyone's on edge. We've got plenty of reports to file and not enough hands to do it. The infirmary staff barely slept, I heard."
"I see…" Shuri murmured, glancing down at her satchel.
Vel's eyes flicked to it. "Did you manage to get the blood sample from the patient?"
Shuri gave a light nod. "Yes. I stopped by before heading out to the carriage. That's why I was running a little late."
"Good thinking," Vel replied, the serious tone in his voice returning. "Let's hope this gives us something. We're running out of time."
As the carriage turned toward the heart of the city, the towering structure of the Church of Algora came into view. Shuri leaned slightly toward the window, eyes wide with awe.
The morning sun gleamed off the pristine white spires, with gold accents catching the light like fire. The central dome stood like a guardian above the city—an ancient testament to Algora's enduring presence.
"It's more magnificent every time I see it," Shuri whispered.
Vel didn't respond immediately. His expression was calm but resolute. He'd seen the church countless times, but today, its divine grandeur felt like a distant comfort.
The carriage rolled to a stop outside the main hall. As they stepped inside, their boots echoed on the marble floor. A few priests moved through the corridor, whispering quiet prayers and bowing slightly in greeting.
Inside the main hall, the light filtering through the stained-glass windows cast long colored streaks across the polished marble floor. Sister Arienna stood near a tall bookshelf, hurriedly sorting scrolls with a furrowed brow and tense shoulders. The usual serenity of the church felt faint today, thinned by unease.
As she noticed Vel and Shuri approaching, she stepped forward quickly, her face filled with concern.
"Vel-sama," she called out, her voice laced with urgency. "Are the sisters…? Have they awakened? What is their condition?"
Vel raised a hand calmly. "They're still unresponsive. No changes."
Arienna's lips pressed together. "I feared as much…"
"But that's why we're here," Vel continued, his tone firm.
Sister Arienna's eyes widened slightly, but she composed herself quickly. "Understood. Please, come with me. We'll speak in one of the private chambers."
She turned on her heel and led them swiftly down a corridor. Her pace was brisk, the hem of her robe whispering across the stone floor.
They soon arrived at a small chamber nestled near the inner sanctum. She opened the door and ushered them inside. Sunlight streamed gently through a narrow stained glass window, casting golden patterns over the stone table in the center.
Once the door shut, Vel spoke again. "We're dealing with something buried deep. Healing magic gives temporary relief, but the symptoms always return. And… worsen."
Shuri opened her satchel and retrieved a sealed vial of dark crimson blood, along with a weathered notebook filled with precise handwriting and arcane notations.
"I've documented the subject's reactions to various treatments," she said softly, placing them on the table. "None of them worked."
Arienna took the notebook, flipping through it with a frown. She examined the blood sample under the light, whispering a quiet incantation to detect dark or corrupted energy. A moment passed. Then another.
She slowly lowered the vial, eyes narrowing.
"…I can't sense any curse directly," she admitted. "If it's there, it's masked too well. This is beyond standard purification. We should take this to the High Maiden."
Vel nodded. "Lead the way."
Without another word, Arienna turned toward the door again and began walking deeper into the sacred heart of the church. Behind her, Vel and Shuri exchanged a glance—calm, yet determined—as they followed.