When Cipher returned with the food she had obtained, Feidric, Douglas, and Aria were stunned.
Feidric blurted out, "Wait a minute! Didn't we say the Blazing Fire Gang Boss has lie-detection abilities? How did you just waltz in there and fool him?"
Cipher nodded. "Exactly! Whatever his plan is, it's doomed to fail without my part."
Douglas countered, "No, no, no! The real question is, how on earth did you manage to trick him in the first place?"
Cipher clasped her hands behind her back and smiled mysteriously. "That, my friends, is my little secret. I'll tell you later~"
Feidric then cast the Water Walk spell again. With him leading the way, the four adventurers set off toward the Death Priest's headquarters.
For Cipher, the impending reunion with another version of herself raised a crucial question: should they reveal their shared identity?
After careful consideration, Cipher decided to stick to the same strategy she'd used when she first met Mydei: to conceal her true identity for the time being. The reason was simple: Aria and the others had all read Mydei's Legendary Feats, which included mentions of Castorice. This meant Mydei and Castorice definitely knew each other.
If Castorice were to reveal that she knew Cipher, but Mydei didn't recognize her, it would be highly suspicious.
In a way, to maintain one lie, Cipher needed to keep weaving more falsehoods—precisely her current predicament. She still hadn't decided when to reveal that she was a Demigod "from Okhema." For now, she would continue to keep her true nature a secret.
After a long journey, the four finally arrived before a tall, spire-topped building that resembled a cathedral. Feidric and Douglas exchanged puzzled glances. Feidric said uncertainly, "I... I don't think I took a wrong turn, did I? Could the informant have made a mistake?"
Douglas added, "Something must be off. In my experience, Death Priests are supposed to be solemn figures in black robes."
The reason for their surprise was immediately apparent: a dozen shirtless barbarians were shoveling snow with their shields at the entrance, grunting and sweating as they worked with surprising vigor.
Having come this far, Feidric stepped forward and addressed the nearest barbarian. "Excuse me, is this the Death Priest's stronghold?"
Nathaniel, the barbarian boss himself, immediately dropped his shield, puffed out his chest, and grinned. "That's right! I'm the Death Priest. What can I do for you?"
Douglas was the first to freeze in disbelief, question marks swirling above his head as he stared at the hulking "Death Priest." "Huh? Is... is this right?"
Death Priests are supposed to be assassin-types, aren't they? When did they reclass as Berserkers?
Before anyone could speak, Nathaniel's eyes lit up as he looked at Douglas. He strode over and clapped an arm around Douglas's shoulder.
What stood out most was their height. Both men were towering figures, nearly two meters tall. Nathaniel grinned menacingly, radiating aggressive energy, while Douglas remained utterly oblivious, his face a mask of confusion and bewilderment as he wondered when the Death Priest had adopted such a style.
Even though Cipher knew Douglas's sexual orientation was perfectly normal, watching the two men standing so close—one so clearly dominant and the other so clueless and submissive—she couldn't help but let her imagination run wild.
Two muscular giants wrestling on a bed... A sudden chill ran down her spine. From Aria's perspective, it was even clearer: every hair on Cipher's tail stood on end.
Cat mode activated!
Just then, an exasperated voice cut through the air. Aisha stormed out, pushing the door open and shouting, "How many times do I have to tell you? You're not a Death Priest!"
The moment Douglas saw Aisha, his face lit up with sudden realization. Now that's more like it!This is what a Death Priest should look like!
Aisha glanced at Douglas and casually remarked, "Oh, and War Priest, just a friendly heads-up: the guy groping your butt right now is gay."
Douglas froze, then slowly turned his head. The first thing he saw was Nathaniel's wild grin, flashing a mouthful of pearly white teeth. As his gaze drifted downward, he realized Nathaniel's hand had somehow ended up on his rear.
Wearing full plate armor, Douglas hadn't noticed before, but now his sphincter tightened. He cursed loudly, "Holy shit!"
Nathaniel's eyes lit up. "Coincidence! That's exactly what I was thinking!"
Douglas stared, dumbfounded. "Huh?!"
Panic-stricken, he shoved Nathaniel away, clutched his backside, and fled behind Cipher and Aria with the speed of a startled deer. "Save me!"
Admittedly, the sight of a towering two-meter-tall man scurrying away with such a terrified expression, clutching his butt, was rather absurd. But Cipher completely understood. Anyone who wouldn't run at this point would be insane, she thought, glancing at Nathaniel.
Aisha's lips twitched slightly as she took in the surreal scene before her: a War Priest, a Catwoman Thief, a wide-eyed, innocent-looking little girl, and finally, Feidric, who appeared the most reliable of the group. "Who are you?" she asked.
Feidric bowed slightly, his voice polite and seamless. "We are adventurers from the Grand Duchy of Kandela, having traveled across half the Alliance. We came here to inquire about the legend of the Demon Lord and the Hero from three centuries ago."
He didn't directly reveal their true purpose—to obtain a Divine Artifact—opting instead to establish rapport first.
After a pause, he added, "We also wanted to warn you about the Blazing Fire Gang in Chaos City. They seem to be colluding with demons from the Nine Hells and are plotting something dangerous. We thought you should know."
Despite seeking the Death Priest's help to deal with the Blazing Fire Gang, Feidric framed it as a "friendly warning." Such was the power of persuasive language.
Aisha considered his words. "I see. Come inside and tell me more."
The four followed Aisha into the Death Priest's headquarters. As Douglas passed Nathaniel, Nathaniel grinned and raised his hand as if to pinch Douglas's rear again, causing Douglas to shriek in terror.
Clutching his backside, Douglas bolted forward. Despite having been at the rear of the group moments before, he overtook Aisha and burst into the building first.
Aisha shook her head in exasperation. "That man's name is Nathaniel," she explained. "He used to be one of the three local tyrants of Chaos City, but the Holy Maiden subdued him recently. Now he works for her."
"Don't listen to his nonsense," Aisha added. "He's no Death Priest—at best, he's just the Holy Maiden's thug."
Feidric nodded as if understanding, but in truth, Castorice, through her divine perception of her believers, could see Nathaniel and the others as glowing points of light. This confirmed that the Barbarians were genuinely worshiping her.
Theoretically, these Barbarians could be considered Castorice's priests. However, a crucial issue remained: for a priest to wield divine magic, fervent faith alone wasn't enough. A high Perception attribute was also essential.
Castorice hadn't previously noticed this because the Death Priests she knew all possessed exceptional Perception. They were all highly qualified priests. But these Barbarians were different; their Perception attributes were woefully low.
If a believer's faith determined the width of the channel connecting them to their god, then Perception dictated the signal strength.
Granting Aisha divine magic was akin to transmitting data over a 5G network, but attempting to bestow it upon Nathaniel felt like sending information over a 2G connection—utterly sluggish and unreliable!
Even though Nathaniel was deeply devoted and his channel was wide open, the magic simply couldn't get through.
(Base Attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Perception, Charisma)
Soon, Aisha led Cipher and the other three to the dining hall on the first floor. They had nowhere else to entertain guests. The main hall was reserved for prayers and stood empty, devoid of furniture. After much deliberation, the only suitable place for a seated conversation besides the priests' private chambers was the dining hall.
After they sat down, Aisha said, "Let's talk about the Blazing Fire Gang first. How did they get involved with demons?"
Feidric immediately pulled out his notes and the pouch of Red Earth, explaining the situation. With the physical evidence presented, Aisha quickly grasped the gist of his story. However, her expression remained unchanged as she calmly nodded and said, "I understand."
Aria, startled by her reaction, exclaimed, "Hey! We're talking about demons here! They're plotting something sinister! How can you be so calm?"
Aisha replied, "With the Holy Maiden here, what can demons possibly do? They won't cause any trouble."
Feidric couldn't help but feel a growing curiosity about this Holy Maiden of the Death Church. He had frequently heard passersby mention her during his time with the Blazing Fire Gang, and now even the Archbishop placed unwavering faith in her. What kind of person was she?
As if summoned by his thoughts, a young girl with purple hair entered the dining hall, her footsteps light and clear. After scanning the room, she softly asked Aisha, "Aisha, what's for lunch today?"
There was no doubt—it was Castorice. This wasn't a deliberate appearance; it was simply lunchtime.
In that instant, Feidric clearly saw the Archbishop, who had moments before been radiating an aura of aloof dignity and imposing authority, instantly lose her composure. With astonishing speed, she darted to Castorice's side, adopting a familiar, ingratiating expression—the kind Feidric recognized all too well from Dio's interactions with Cipher. He had grown accustomed to seeing that fawning expression on Dio, but he never imagined he would witness it on the Archbishop herself!
The stark contrast between her earlier demeanor and this display nearly made Feidric lose his composure. When he glanced at the object of her fawning affection—Castorice—his first thought was, How utterly adorable! She looked like a little hamster foraging for food.
But in the next moment, Feidric suddenly realized the purple-haired girl's face seemed strangely familiar. After a few seconds of frantic recollection, the memory surfaced, and he froze completely, cold sweat breaking out across his brow.
Douglas, stunned, stammered, "She's the young girl from the legendary tales of Mydeimos, the Demigod of Strife! The one who fought alongside him against the Lance of Fury, Nikador!"
Undoubtedly, a friend of the Demigod of Strife could never be an ordinary person, especially one who had stood shoulder to shoulder with Mydeimos against the Lance of Fury. Her strength was beyond question. Could this Holy Maiden of the Death Church also be a Demigod?
Even more terrifyingly, could she be an Ancient God who had ascended to divinity through god-slaying?
In that instant, Feidric suddenly recalled the rumors he'd heard from the Blazing Fire Gang. Now, their claims seemed increasingly plausible. If she were indeed a Demigod, or even an Ancient God, riding a dragon for a leisurely stroll wouldn't be so outlandish after all.
But if this young girl had been Mydeimos's companion, she should have originated from the "Eternal Holy City" Okhema. Why would she be the Holy Maiden of the Death Church? That made no sense!
As if hearing their conversation, Castorice turned her gaze upon Feidric and his companions. At that moment, Feidric felt as though he were being targeted by a top-tier predator, a primal fear of death surging through him.
The next moment, Castorice blinked her adorable eyes and said in a gentle voice, "You... know Lord Mydei?"
Her expression and words were so charming that they momentarily dispelled the fear in Feidric's heart.
Castorice clasped her hands demurely in front of her skirt, adopting a graceful and polite demeanor. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Please, call me Castorice. As for Lord Mydei, don't let his intimidating appearance fool you. He's actually quite kind. If he frightened any of you, I apologize on his behalf."
"K-kind?" Douglas recalled the scene of the colossal spear crashing into the ground, shattering an entire Imperial unit with a single strike. He couldn't believe the word "kind" could possibly describe that godlike warrior.
Feidric was stunned into silence, unsure what to say. Cipher pretended to be invisible and quietly logged out. Only Aria blinked her own wide eyes and exclaimed, "Sister Castorice, you're so pretty~!"