I was in Seclusion for so long that everyone forgot about me

"And then they summoned the current heroes! They're still in training, so there's a good chance we might be able to see them! Isn't that exciting?" Nelua—the young moon elf—finally concluded her hour-long history lesson, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.

‘You never should have asked her…’ Aska's voice rang in my mind, filled with regret. ‘She just wouldn’t stop talking. I’m sure she didn’t even blink once the entire time. Moon elves are scary.’

‘Yeah, but at least we got some useful information.’ I sighed internally, ‘Sadly, nothing about the System. It seems so deeply ingrained here that nobody even discusses it—at least not these elves. But gods, humanity really messed up with that Beast-kin Empire.’

Asche exhaled, her tone thoughtful, ‘What surprises me the most is the existence of a Witch Queendom and that place called the Realm of Origins. Especially with how small Nelua described it, I’m astonished it hasn’t been conquered yet. And the witches establishing a safe haven after the Hunts? That’s expected. They’re a force to be reckoned with. But why would they remain neutral to humans? I would've thought they'd seek revenge. Maybe it has something to do with those summoned heroes...’

‘Maybe?’ I mused. ‘I don’t fully understand how the hero system works. They get divine blessings that enhance their 'stats' and grant them special skills, but what does that actually mean? We need to dig deeper.’

‘It's bizarre,’ Asche admitted. ‘A System that governs an entire world—even divine beings themselves? Why would they allow this? According to Nelua, even regular mortals have managed to ascend to lower deities because of it. Just what are these so-called 'New Gods' getting out of this?’

‘Who knows?’ I responded. ‘Maybe it's a self-sustaining spell—one that empowers the caster as others grow stronger. Or maybe the System feeds on faith, strengthening those worshipped by the masses. Whatever it is, it's tied deeply to Soul Magic. That’s what concerns me most. It’s an entirely foreign concept to me, and I don’t like the unknown... but at the same time, it’s an opportunity. Something within it could be useful to me.’

‘So we gather more intel,’ Asche concluded. ‘Figure out how it works, how it influences people, and most importantly—how to manipulate it?’

‘Exactly.’

She let out an amused hum. ‘You know, this whole instant-knowledge-sharing thing is unnerving. Soul-linked communication feels... unnatural.’

I smirked. ‘Not everyone’s soul is built for it. In mild cases, it just causes confusion or minor brain damage. In severe cases? The soul shatters outright. The process depends on the knowledge being transferred, the recipient’s existing understanding, and the speed at which it's done. Oh, and the caster’s skill, of course.’

‘Right...’ Asche hesitated. ‘So... are you an expert?’

‘Don’t insult me!’ I scoffed, feigning outrage. ‘Soul Magic is my specialty! I come highly recommended. Nine out of ten test subjects would suggest finding another soul mage!’

‘Oh, that’s re—wait. ‘Would’ suggest?’ Asche’s voice sharpened. ‘What happened to the tenth one?’

‘Oh, look!’ I interrupted brightly. ‘Isn’t that a dragon flying overhead?’

‘Nonono, answer my—'

A knock on the carriage frame saved me from further interrogation. One of the elves outside called out, “Just a heads-up, we’ll reach the village by late afternoon.”

'How late is it, anyway?' I added, bulldozing whatever thought process she had left.

‘Uuh... midmorning, maybe?’ she answered after flickering out of the carriage for a second in her spectral form.

‘Great. Guess we’ve still got a few more hours…’

About an hour later, once the wagon finally stopped groaning and most of the passengers were asleep, Nelua shuffled over, eyes gleaming with nervous excitement.

“I-I have something for you,” she said shyly, holding out something unexpected: a small, hand-bound book.

The pages were uneven, the ink slightly smudged, but her careful handwriting filled every line. Human words.

“I thought it might help,” she murmured, ears twitching and cheeks flushed. “It’s just basic stuff—greetings, food, signs… a bit about customs. I added some notes too. It’s my personal notebook and how I learned the language.”

Before I could thank her, she scurried back to her place.

'She's really a nice girl, huh?' Asche noted.

'She is,' I said, the weight of how I’d toyed with their souls brushing against the edge of my thoughts.

I hadn’t really cared about books yet—but with the village getting closer and the human language creeping in from all sides, I figured it couldn’t hurt to open it. Might as well see if it was worth anything.

The letters were easy. Too easy. I skimmed whole pages without stopping. What used to look like scribbles now made sense. Crude, but effective.

Between this book and overhearing the elves—especially how they spoke to Nelua—I’d picked up more than I thought. Common phrases, strange expressions, the way they bent meanings sideways and called it clarity. I still tripped up sometimes, but I could speak. I could read. Close enough. I’d probably ask Nelua later if she had something more advanced.

At some point, another knock came, "We've reached the village. We'll be resting a little further down the road at a designated camp. The Elder is meeting with the village chief, so please keep the children from wandering off. Even if we’ve passed through here many times before, you can never fully trust these people."

At the mention of the children, the women in the carriage hushed them quickly. I had nearly forgotten that the caravan was hiding them. After what happened with the bandits, they were even more cautious now—whether because of outside threats or because of me remained unclear. Probably both.

As the wagons rolled through the village, something pricked at my senses—something divine.

‘I’ve found some lowly ants skittering about,’ I noted.

Asche glanced around. ‘Ants? Where?’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Really? You still haven’t adjusted to your new form? Can’t you feel it?’

She eyed me warily. I sighed. ‘There’s divine energy here, and it’s vile. Not like that elven paladin’s weak blessing—hers was hardly worth noticing. But this? This is the presence of true believers, pawns of the gods.’

‘You sound... angry?’ Asche observed.

Instantly, my gaze flicked to my hand. No cracks. Good. But something was off. Was I... angry? Why? The System was stirring something in me, something buried deep within the seals. I took a slow breath, forcing the feeling down. Worrying over minor irritations was pointless. I could adjust the seals later to compensate for this unexpected influence.

Still... maybe these divine insects could be useful. Willingly or not.

Asche floated back slightly, hesitant. ‘Okay... now you’re smiling creepily again. I assume you figured something out?’

‘Something like that,’ I dismissed her concerns with a wave of my hand, my grin widening. ‘Let’s go meet some paladins.’

"How long do we have to stay here, Richard? The pope ordered everyone back inside the city," the middle-aged woman behind me asked with an impatient edge to her voice.

"I know, I know," I replied, trying to remain calm. "But as you can see, someone troublesome arrived today. We need to inspect that caravan before heading back. After all, these people are associated with the infamous Marika."

"Come on, Anna. When the boss says we stay, we stay," chimed in Karl. He added with a wistful grin, "I just miss having a proper meal. You think those elves might have something tasty with them?"

"Stop it, both of you!" pleaded the petite priestess who had just finished her evening prayers. Her voice carried its usual zeal. "You’re only making more work for Richard with your behavior. Especially you, Karl. Wanting food from those… things is simply heretical. Those creatures are not made in the image of our true goddess."

Here she goes again, I thought. Maria had always been like this. Her heart was in the right place, but instead of spreading the goddess's word to non-believers, she just wanted to kill them. Like many others from the Holy Kingdom, she was a zealot. If the goddess were against other races, the pope would’ve started another Holy War by now, like the first pope did against the wicked witches.

Marika’s presence always triggered certain agents in our ranks. She had once been an apprentice to a High Council witch and reportedly still had friendly ties to her former mentor. Who knew what they might be plotting in the shadows? Even though the High Council claimed to control their witches and punish rogues, history had taught us otherwise. That’s why we needed to inspect the goods her caravan was bringing into the capital. I just hoped they had a proper register.

"The elves are ready," announced the village chief, hurrying over to us. "They say they’ve also captured a bandit who tried to attack them in the forest."

"Bandits attacking elves in the forest? Wild times," Karl commented, shaking his head.

True enough, bandit activity was becoming a major problem. Who was I kidding? The nobles wanted more slaves for their brothels and entertainment. It was sickening that we were forced to turn a blind eye, but unfortunately, it was outside our jurisdiction.

"Have them bring the bandit with them," I ordered. "Everyone knows about the Grey Dryad in this area. I doubt they made it into the forest without someone feeding them information. Those bandits might be working with heretics."

"Sir, are you sure about that? I mean—" Maria began.

I cut her off. "They have a paladin with them. Attacking a caravan under the protection of a knight of the goddesses is an affront. And I don’t need to remind you that our temple shares a good relationship with theirs. Those bandits had no right to attack her in our territory. An attack on her is an attack on our beliefs and jurisdiction."

Maria nodded meekly. "Yes, sir. You’re right."

It wasn’t enjoyable to lecture her like that, but she needed to learn to rein in her fanaticism.

The two elves arrived faster than expected. Yet, oddly, they weren’t alone. Between them walked a human—a young woman who appeared just shy of adulthood. Her noble bearing and commanding aura immediately caught my attention.

But what struck me most was her ashen hair. Such hair was rare, usually the byproduct of failed magical or alchemical experiments. However, those cases always carried traces of their original hair color. Hers did not.

"Greetings, Richard. I didn’t expect to see you again so soon," said Marika, the elder elf, as she approached.

"I had hoped we wouldn’t meet again until next year, but here we are," I replied. "Luckily, you know the procedure. Please have your paladin stand down and assist my people in inspecting your caravan for anything illegal or heretical."

Marika nodded and spoke to her paladin in her own language.

"She’s telling her to behave and not cause trouble," whispered Anna, stepping beside me. "She wants the inspection done quickly so they can rest."

I sighed in relief. Dealing with Marika was always precarious, but she had never caused outright trouble—except for that one time an idiot tried to touch one of her girls. I just hoped Karl wouldn’t stir the pot too much.

While Karl and Maria followed the elven paladin to inspect the caravan, Marika turned her attention back to me. She dragged the shackled bandit forward, a man whose spirit seemed utterly broken.

"This bastard tried to attack us and enslave us. It would be a pleasure if you could take him off our hands. He should have a bounty on his head," she said bluntly.

"He probably does," I agreed. "We’ll check his status records and match him to the record stone we carry. If there’s a match, we’ll give you a receipt so you can claim the bounty at the capital."

Marika nodded, seemingly satisfied. My gaze shifted to the human girl. "I’m surprised to see a human with you. I never thought I’d see the day when Marika traveled with one."

Marika glared at me and then spoke in elvish to the girl. To my surprise, the girl replied in a language I didn’t recognize.

"What is she saying, Anna?" I asked quietly.

Anna’s face scrunched in confusion. "I… I don’t know. It sounds like elvish, but also not. I don’t like it, Richard."

I felt a chill run down my spine. Anna’s intuition was never wrong. "What language is that, Marika?" I demanded.

Marika smirked. "A tongue too old for you to understand, human?"

I instinctively hovered my hand over my sword hilt as the girl began speaking fluent elvish. Anna translated with gritted teeth.

"She says she’s amused that your divine aura couldn’t interpret her words. Apparently, she had more faith in our goddess to manage such a simple task," Anna relayed.

The girl added, "It would also be polite if you could regulate your divine aura. It’s like a beacon—somewhat irritating."

Before I could respond, Anna drew her sword and pointed it at the girl. The human didn’t flinch. Marika, on the other hand, looked terrified—not of us, but of the girl.

"Please," Marika begged me. "Tell your paladin to sheathe her sword."

"Step down!" I barked at Anna.

"But, sir, she insulted—"

"Quiet! I didn’t order you to draw your weapon. Step down. Now!" I commanded.

Reluctantly, Anna obeyed. Marika seemed visibly relieved, but I couldn’t ignore her fear.

Then, the girl laughed—a sound both melodic and eerie. She spoke again, her voice carrying an otherworldly resonance. "Himins nargar shange. Ilwus tze zime. Miiruka, tislite fu mi."

Marika translated hesitantly. "You may call me Aska von Asche, the last of the proud Asche family, part of the Jaeger Families."

I felt the blood drain from my face. A Jaeger.

"Could you demonstrate your family’s magic so we can confirm your identity?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Marika relayed the request. Aska smiled—a smile that chilled me to my core.

I was about to press further when I noticed my breath turning visible in the air. The temperature had dropped sharply.

Then, out of nowhere, snow began to fall. But as I reached out to touch it, my stomach twisted. These were not snowflakes. They were ash. My gaze snapped upward to the sky, only to see the sun swallowed by an eerie gray haze. Its warmth vanished, and with it, the world itself seemed to dim. The colors drained from everything around me, as though an unseen force was siphoning the very essence of life. The ashen snowfall thickened, smothering the land in its grim embrace.

Suddenly, Anna collapsed to the ground, coughing violently. It was only then that I realized Marika, too, was struggling to remain upright.

Horrified, my gaze flicked back to the girl. She was dancing. Like a specter of death, she swayed with the falling ash, reveling in the moment. In my mind, I could almost hear the deep, somber notes of a cello, playing a dirge to mark the end of an era.

I fell to one knee. This was just the beginning. How could a single human possess such power? She could slaughter thousands in an instant. And if she—

Then, at last, the realization struck me like a hammer to the chest.

"You’re a damn Matriarch!" I growled through gritted teeth.

This girl—no, this woman—was far, far older than she appeared. The way she carried herself, the sheer weight of the power she exuded—it was undeniable. She was no ordinary noble. She was a Matriarch of the Jaeger Families. Perhaps even centuries old.

FUCK. I should have known. Anyone traveling with Marika was bound to be dangerous. And yet, I had let myself be caught off guard.

My vision blurred as the oppressive weight of her presence bore down on me. How was it fair for anyone to wield such overwhelming power?

Then, with a single, crisp clap of her hands, the world snapped back into place.

The sky cleared. The color returned to the world. My strength surged back as if it had never left. With shaky knees, I forced myself to stand. I was the first to recover. Anna remained unconscious, and Marika, though still standing, looked like she was barely holding herself together.

I could only pray that none of the villagers had died. Not that it mattered. Even if they had, what could we do? We had no authority to detain her. The Holy Empire didn't touch the Jaegers. Some of them even worked under the pope himself—as bodyguards, as assassins. Shady, untraceable, unstoppable. The Inquisitor himself despised their influence, yet even he dared not challenge them outright. They existed outside the law, their sole purpose shrouded in mystery.

The One Evil—that was what the Jaeger Families sought to destroy. Yet even among them, no one could agree on what it truly was. Some swore it was the demons, others claimed it was the witches, and still others whispered of something even older, even darker. 

But in the end?

In my opinion, it was nothing more than a wild goose chase. Even our own Goddess had never once proclaimed the Demon Goddess to be that great evil. Whatever the Jaegers were searching for, I could only hope they’ll never find it.

Marika, at last, steadied herself and rose to her full height.

"Thank you for this demonstration of Ash Magic," I forced myself to say. "I’ve confirmed your identity and will prepare an official proof of verification for you. The Bishop will be eager to welcome you to the capital, as will every other noble and figure of power."

Marika translated, and the Matriarch’s lips curled into an amused smile. She thanked me for my 'cooperation' before turning away, flicking her hand in a casual gesture for Marika to follow.

The old elf offered me a tired but polite smile before trailing after her.

I watched them go, exhaling slowly. A Matriarch in the capital? This was going to be a problem.

-------

Anna’s head still throbbed from the encounter earlier. The others had returned shortly after everything happened, their inspection mercifully brief thanks to the elves’ thorough preparations. Lucky us, I thought.

As it turned out, some sort of elemental spirit was wandering around the caravan. Maria, after hearing from me about the Matriarch, concluded that the spirit was likely drawn there because of her presence.

"We’ll head back tomorrow to report to the Inquisitor. A confirmed head of a family is reason enough to return to headquarters and plan the next steps. I won’t be here to clean up her mess," I said, already dreading the journey.

"Unlucky, running into a Matriarch like this," Karl commented. "She’s here for a reason, no doubt. And with her connections to the moon elves, I’d bet something big’s about to go down in the capital. I’m glad we won’t be around for it."

Maria nodded. "Agreed. Those people are monsters in disguise. The bandit probably deserved what they did to him, but the gibberish he was spouting… something about a thirteen-tailed kitsune controlling shadow beasts in Grey Dryad territory? It’s terrifying. I hope they leave early in the morning."

I shared her sentiment. The Jaeger Families were unpredictable, working outside the law and above reproach.

Sighing, I added, "Tomorrow, we’re gone. Let’s just get some sleep. Thankfully, we’ve got the freshly renovated church to rest in. Those backrooms are surprisingly comfortable. After today, we need the break."

Karl frowned. "Where’s Dennis, by the way? He went to grab wine for dinner but hasn’t come back yet. How long could it take?"

He was right—it shouldn’t take this long. I felt a cold knot of worry tighten in my chest.

"Maria, can you sense his aura?" I asked.

Maria closed her eyes briefly. "Yes, but… something’s wrong. His aura feels… diluted."

"Diluted?" I repeated, alarmed. "How is that even possible? What’s it mixed with?"

"I—I don’t know," Maria stammered. "I’ve never felt anything like this before."

"Shit," I muttered, thoughts racing. Could it be a necromancer or a soul mage? "Maria, could a higher elemental cause something like this?"

"Maybe? I don’t know for sure," she admitted, her voice quivering. "We were never taught this in the monastery. It’s possible, but why would it?"

I shrugged, trying to mask my unease. "I don’t know, but we need to check on him immediately!"

The urgency lit a fire under us, and we quickly gathered our gear. Fully armed, we left our rooms and made our way into the main hall of the church—though calling it a church was generous. It was more of a chapel, recently renovated after years of disrepair due to its dark history.

Beneath the chapel lay a sealed cellar—a place once used by heretics to worship false gods. It had been so deep and dangerous that the Cleaners declared it a dungeon and ordered it sealed. Many who ventured inside never returned. The Inquisitor had deemed it too hazardous to clear entirely, so it was locked away. I only hoped the recent renovations hadn’t disturbed anything best left buried.

By the time we reached the entrance to the cellar, Maria spoke again. "I can still sense his aura, but it’s growing fainter… moving further away."

"Let’s hope there’s no dungeon breach," Karl muttered darkly. He had every reason to be wary—both of us had lost friends to a breach years ago. It was a lesson that had taught us to remain calm, no matter the situation.

Maria cast a few protective spells. "Be careful. We don’t know if it’s a rogue elemental or a dungeon monster, but either way, we’re going in prepared."

Anna smiled faintly, trying to lighten the mood. "Glad to have you with us, Maria."

Maria returned the smile briefly before turning back to her spells. I couldn’t help but notice a strange tension between them. Had something happened that I wasn’t aware of? They’d been roommates for years but had never acted like this before.

"All right," I said, clearing my throat. "Let’s move and hope for the best."

We descended into the cellar. The renovations made access easy, and we quickly took defensive positions.

"There's a cold draft," Anna murmured.

Now that she’d pointed it out, I felt it too. "Damn it. A wall might have collapsed. Let’s follow it, but stay on high alert."

Maria cast [Holy Light]—the perfect spell to illuminate the dark corridors and deter any undead or miasma we might encounter.

We moved swiftly but cautiously through the narrow passages. The cold wind intensified until a piercing wail shattered the silence.

We froze. The sound wasn’t human. It was primal, otherworldly.

"Wendigo," Karl hissed.

"Why would a Wendigo be here?! Those are—" Anna began, but another scream—this time human—cut her off.

"Dennis’s aura is fading fast. We need to hurry!" Maria urged.

Without another word, we sprinted towards the source of the disturbance.

We reached the main cellar where the wine was stored. A gaping hole marred the floor, and an eerie fog seeped from it.

"A dungeon breach," I whispered, horror tightening my throat.

We exchanged grim looks. Each of us knew what this meant. There was no time for hesitation. Sending a silent prayer to the goddess, we steeled ourselves and leaped into the unknown.

We wouldn’t let anyone else suffer the horrors of a breach—not like we had before.

‘Oh, it seems like they’ve ventured into the deeper parts of the ziggurat. Shouldn’t we do something about it? I thought you still wanted to question them about the System,’ said Asche, returning from her scouting mission.

She had been trying to gather information about the System and its usage, but apparently, no one discussed it openly. Whether that was due to sheer bad luck or because the knowledge was so secretive it remained hidden from all but the privileged few, I couldn’t tell.

‘I’m not so sure,’ I replied, biting into the overly “crispy” apple Marika had given me. Its texture left a lot to be desired. ‘Ziggurats are awful places. They were built by fanatics who genuinely believed their culture was the pinnacle of the entire world. Yet, those fools couldn’t even withstand the mediocre curse of that wannabe fae queen.’

Asche tilted her head thoughtfully. ‘Oh, I vaguely remember someone from the Winter family mentioning that. Weren’t the leaders of that culture turned into Wendigos?’

I nodded, chewing deliberately before answering. ‘Yeah, but even for cursed creatures, they pack quite a punch. Real Wendigos, though? Entirely different beasts. They’re natural disasters waiting to happen if they grow too strong.’

‘Never crossed paths with one, thank the gods,’ she added, her voice tinged with relief.

‘Don’t sell yourself short. You’re more powerful than you give yourself credit for. Your magic could’ve made you a real contender. Well, unless you stumbled upon an Emperor. Those are a different story entirely. Stronger than even a Greater Lichlord.’

‘An Emperor Wendigo?’ Asche repeated, her tone skeptical. ‘That sounds… surreal.’

‘It does, doesn’t it?’ I said, shrugging. ‘But it’s more of an evolutionary title than anything political. They can command other Wendigos and grant them ludicrous powers. And when I say ‘ludicrous,’ I mean straight-up absurd. For instance, one of them had a curse where it multiplied every time it got wet after midnight. Each copy was smaller than the last—until they were no bigger than a cat—but they retained all the original’s strength. Ever seen a tiny monster hurl an ox halfway across a field?’

Asche gave me a look that screamed disbelief, yet morbid curiosity got the better of her. ‘You’re joking.’

I shook my head, smirking. ‘Nope. Of course, direct sunlight would kill the copies, but since Wendigos carry their own blizzards, most folks never got the chance. Then there was another Wendigo Emperor who could summon sandstorms in a bottle. Throw one of those, and the sandstorm mixes with the blizzard. It’s an absolute nightmare. Thankfully, they couldn’t jump higher with those bottles strapped to them.’

Asche raised an eyebrow. ‘Jumping higher? What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘N-Nothing,’ I stammered, heat creeping up my face as an old memory flickered in my mind.

The nostalgia faded as quickly as it came, replaced by a growing unease. The System, with its mysteries and influence, gnawed at my thoughts. The voices that usually lay dormant began to stir, insistent and grating. They were unhappy, and so was I. They weren’t supposed to bother me. They existed to serve, to enable me, not to distract me with useless fragments of memory from a life long past.

I clenched my fists as frustration boiled inside me. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. They weren’t meant to hinder me, to impede my work. I didn’t need these interruptions, these useless thoughts clawing their way to the surface.

My simmering anger sharpened as a sudden surge of divine energy erupted from within the ziggurat. The aura was overwhelming, suffocating, and utterly nauseating. It had the stench of those meddling divine beings, always trying to manipulate the fates of mortals.

"Damned divines," I muttered under my breath, my disgust palpable.

The oppressive aura was a clear sign that I couldn’t ignore this any longer. I needed to act swiftly—to intervene and learn what I could about the System and the divines before my seals faltered. If they broke, it would force another cycle upon this world. And that was something I could not allow.

I glanced at Asche, who hovered nearby, watching me with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Looks like we’re questioning some paladins," I said, a wicked grin curling at the edges of my lips.

"Damn it!" I shouted. "[Divine Heal!]"

Karl’s eyes fluttered open. "It nearly got me... thanks," he said weakly as I helped him to his feet.

A loud gong reverberated inside the holy barrier Maria had erected.

"I don’t want to add pressure, but does anyone have an idea how we get out of here—preferably alive?" Anna asked, glancing around anxiously.

"This barrier will hold for at least half an hour," Maria interjected, her voice taut. "Well, as long as no more Wendigos—or stronger ones—show up."

I nodded grimly. We needed to escape quickly and send an entire army back here. This wasn’t just a simple dungeon; it was a catastrophe-class ziggurat, infested with undead and Wendigos.

"If we die here, let’s hope that Matriarch’s still around. She could probably solo the whole thing," Karl quipped, trying to lighten the mood.

"True," Anna agreed, though her tone was far from cheerful. "But people like her couldn’t care less about what happens here. They only look after their own and that mysterious 'Great Evil' they’re always hunting, whatever that is."

"Rude, but go on," said a familiar female voice.

Weapons drawn, we all turned towards the voice, only to see the Matriarch standing calmly in the middle of the barrier. Beside her hovered an elemental, resembling an older, more battle-hardened version of herself.

"What. The. Fuck?" Maria shouted, mirroring the collective disbelief.

"Right? What she said!" Anna added, equally bewildered.

Karl simply looked stunned, his weapon still raised.

"How?" I managed to ask.

"Teleportation. Or maybe blink? Something like that," the Matriarch replied nonchalantly.

"What does it matter how?" Maria snapped. "Just get us out of here!"

The Matriarch tilted her head, repeating Maria’s words slowly. "Get. You. Out. Of. Here." A sly smile played on her lips. "Hmm. And why should I do that?"

The others started to argue, but I raised a hand to silence them. Gritting my teeth, I asked, "What do you want?"

She clapped her hands, clearly delighted. "Oh, we’ve got a smart one here! Wonderful! What could I possibly want? Information, of course! I’ve been away for quite some time, and some interesting changes seem to have happened. Who better to ask than the faithful little pawns of the divines?"

"You—"

"Shut it, Anna!" I barked, cutting her off as I locked eyes with the Jaeger.

"Eep, scary!" the Matriarch teased, taking an exaggerated step back, mock fear written all over her face.

The elemental rolled its eyes. "Goddess, you’re impossible," it said before turning to us. "Listen, we’ll help you—but only if you give us information about the System."

"The System?" I echoed, genuinely surprised. "Why would you ask us? Aren’t there more qualified people you could question?"

"And who might that be?" the formless elemental countered, its tone sharp.

"Are you stupid or something?" Maria burst out, her frustration overriding her fear.

I froze, holding my breath and praying the Matriarch wouldn’t react violently.

But to my shock, the eerie woman remained composed. "Not stupid—just... uninformed," she said with unsettling politeness.

Maria, undeterred, continued, "How can you not know this?! You just go to a temple and ask a priestess if you’ve got questions! Parents or teachers usually explain the basics during the coming-of-age ceremony. Where the hell are you two even from?"

She wasn’t wrong. The System’s workings were common knowledge—self-explanatory, even if no one laid out every detail.

I narrowed my eyes, turning my full attention to the girl. "Who are you, really? A Jaeger Matriarch would already know this."

"Oops, busted!" she said playfully, though her smile carried a dangerous edge. "Or not entirely. Technically, I’m the Matriarch. Just… not the one you were expecting."

The elemental’s voice broke through, exasperated. "Why would you expose yourself like that? They could’ve been more useful if they trusted us!"

The Matriarch shrugged, her tone chilling. "Does it matter? They’re not leaving this place alive anyway."

"We’re not?" Karl growled, raising his weapon.

Before I could stop him, he vanished in a blink—teleported outside the barrier, directly into the horde of Wendigos. He didn’t even have time to scream.

"YOU BITCH!" Anna screamed, ready to charge.

"Stop!" I ordered, desperation lacing my voice.

I turned back to the Matriarch, trying to steady my breathing. "You came here for another reason, didn’t you?"

Her eyes glinted with interest. "Clever. Yes, I was drawn here by your disgusting divine aura. And I don’t mean that in a good or evil sense. I mean the raw energy those meddling parasites radiate."

"A-Are you talking about the gods?" Maria stammered, her voice trembling.

"Bingo!" the Matriarch chirped. "The goddesses and gods, the divine intruders ravaging my lands and molding them into this… abomination."

"I-I see," Maria said, her face pale. "What do you truly want to know?"

"How do we access the System—or deactivate it?" the Matriarch asked, her tone deadly serious.

Maria hesitated, but I stepped in. "We don’t know. The System is a gift from the divine beings and the world itself. We’re born into it, connected to it. Some have even risen to become lesser gods through it. Many have tried to destroy it and failed. If you want answers, you’d need to consult a chosen priestess."

The girl nodded slowly. "Born into it… so it’s tied to the soul. That’s good to know. Is there a priestess in King’s Garden who specializes in this?"

"Yes," I replied, my voice steady. "Follow the road into the town, and you’ll find a church. Priestess Alicia oversees System-related matters—class changes, curses, and the like. If anyone can help, it’s her."

The Matriarch smirked. "Thank you for the information. Now, one last question: does it hurt to lose your divine bonds?"

"What do you—" Pain seared through my chest, cutting me off mid-sentence. It felt as though something vital was being torn away from me.

Anna moved to attack, but I shot her a warning look. Acting recklessly now would doom us all.

"Fascinating," the Matriarch murmured, her voice detached. "It’s similar to my sword—a connection between the System, the soul, and the divine. But can I… relocate it?"

Maria collapsed to her knees, trembling.

Anna rushed to her side. "Maria, what’s wrong?!"

"S-She’s manipulating the divine bond like it’s a mere thread," Maria stammered, her voice barely audible.

Before I could process this new information, a fresh wave of agony tore through me. I screamed—a raw, guttural sound, the worst pain I had ever known. My vision blurred, my senses faltered, and through the searing torment, I felt it.

My connection to my goddess was unraveling, fading into nothing.

It—

Countless red [System Errors] flashed before my eyes, filling the space around me like cracks in reality itself. My perception wavered, distorted, and then—

Everything went black.

When my vision sluggishly returned, my gaze fell upon Maria. She was still cowering, her body trembling, her breath ragged. Blood trickled from her ears, nose, and eyes. And her irises—

They glowed. Golden. As if—

My attention snapped to the one responsible.

The Matriarch's eyes gleamed with unrestrained excitement. "Fascinating! The threads resisted me but latched onto another host with such ease... mhmm. No, it seems only the divine one remained bound. How curious. What makes them different?"

A moment later, I felt something return—pieces of myself reassembling—yet my divine energy was absent. It was gone.

I tried to push myself upright. A cough racked my body, and dark blood splattered onto the ground.

Black blood.

Shit. Without my divinity, this place was consuming me.

"What did you do?!" Anna's voice rang out in a furious shriek.

As if jolted from a trance, the Matriarch turned her attention to them, blinking as if she had only now remembered they were there.

"Oh, I forgot about you," she mused, tilting her head. "Honestly? I'm not entirely sure what I did. But your little girlfriend should be quite the powerful priestess now. Or perhaps something else entirely... A Paladress? Some sort of amalgam, at least. I took his divine energy and—" she gestured lazily at Maria, "—shoved it into her. Isn't it amazing? Don't worry, she's stable. She won't die." Her lips curled into a smirk. "Your boss, on the other hand... well, he doesn't seem to be handling it quite as well."

"You—you're a monster!" Anna spat.

The Matriarch's smirk widened. "Oh my, thank you."

She clapped her hands together, as if delighted, then added, "Since you've all been so very helpful, I suppose I’ll return the favor."

With a snap of her fingers, an eerie silence settled over the ruins. The wendigos froze mid-motion, their twisted, nightmarish forms locked in place. The ever-present growls, the scraping of claws, the guttural howls—all of it ceased in an instant.

"Finally, some peace. What an annoying bunch of cursed creatures," she muttered, shaking her head. Then, she turned back to us. "So, I’ll be taking my leave now. The wendigos won’t attack for about thirty minutes—the ones here, at least. You might want to put some distance between yourselves and your boss, though."

She turned on her heel, ready to leave, but desperation clawed at my throat. I couldn't end like this. I couldn't—

"W-wait." My voice cracked. I forced the words out. "I don’t want to lose control and kill my friends. I beg you—kill me instead. In exchange... I’ll give you something useful. A secret code for the information guild. And whatever else I can offer."

She paused. Slowly, she turned back, studying me.

"Oh?" A pleased glint flickered in her gaze. "Now that’s an interesting trade. Fine. You have my word—you won’t kill your friends."

Something was wrong. But I had no choice.

I swallowed hard. "'The Willow and the Ant are fighting a war'—tell that to the thief guild’s bartender. He’ll handle the rest."

The Matriarch let out a delighted laugh. "His soul will make an excellent test subject later. And to think—he even sold it willingly."

My stomach lurched.

"No! I didn’t—" My words were cut off as I felt my mind slipping away.

My consciousness frayed, and I knew I was losing myself. I’m sorry, my friends. I hope at least two of you survive…

"Nooo!" screamed Anna, her voice echoing with fury and despair. "You tricked him!"

"I didn’t trick him," I replied evenly, my tone devoid of emotion. "And I will keep my word. You have twenty minutes until the monsters move again. Cry, run away, or die here—I don’t care. If fate wills it, we’ll meet again."

With a flick of my finger, Asche and I were back outside.

"That was rather brutal," Asche commented, her disapproval evident.

"They only have their goddess to blame for giving them false hope. There was none to begin with," I replied, dismissing her judgment.

"And you wonder why the Families call you the 'True Evil' of this world," Asche said, her tone laced with accusation. 

I turned to glare at her, my voice low and sharp. "I’m as evil as your feeble mind imagines me to be. As evil as you are to the pigs you slaughter. I’m the devil they blame for their failures—nothing more."

Asche sighed, her expression softening into something almost pitying. "You hate humans and loathe gods, for reasons I don’t entirely understand. Whatever crimes you believe they’ve committed, wouldn’t it be better to rise above them instead of stooping to their level?"

A laugh escaped me, bitter and hollow. "You haven’t seen me at my worst. The fact that they still exist is me being generous. Humans, I can tolerate—to a point. But the divine? Never. They are a pest that must be eradicated."

Asche’s gaze turned sorrowful. "Then why bother with this charade at all? If you’re as powerful as you claim, why not attack them outright?"

I turned my eyes to the moons above, their light cold and distant. "Because I won’t risk losing my chance—or all my work—just to satisfy my dead emotions. Destroying them won’t solve my problem."

The elemental studied me closely. "What kind of work are we talking about?"

I smiled faintly, a smile devoid of warmth. "That’s not for you to know. But I’ll tell you this: I’m neither all-knowing nor invincible. This System... even I must admit its brilliance. The knowledge it spawned and the power hidden in this world are too valuable to destroy.  To act without understanding would be a fatal mistake. Even the strongest can be defeated, caged, or destroyed. I won’t gamble everything until I’ve learned more."

Asche crossed her arms, her expression skeptical but conceding. "So, despite all your arrogance, you’re cautious. Wiser than I gave you credit for."

"Call it what you like," I replied, neither confirming nor denying her observation.

The first light of dawn began to break over the horizon, the sun chasing away the night. "Let’s go. I want to talk to that priestess as soon as possible. Hopefully, nothing interrupts this tedious carriage ride."

"Alright," Asche said, falling into step beside me. After a moment, she asked, "Do you think those two down there will survive?"

"Most likely. Fusing those two divine threads together turned her into a walking holy torch. No mid-tier cursed one or undead would dare go near her."

"Should we be worried if she makes it back to the city?" Asche asked, her voice tinged with unease.

I waved her concern away. "Who would believe an amalgam like her? If she does make it back, they’ll probably hunt her. And if not... well, we’ll deal with that problem when it arises."

Doubt lingered in Asche’s eyes. "Let’s just hope you’re right," she murmured.

"I'm telling you, it was like this when I came!" protested a young female voice, her tone sharp with frustration.

"Something must be bugged. The System works flawlessly," argued another, softer voice, filled with a girlish insistence.

"Or maybe one of the others has finally grown tired of your humans and decided to launch a first strike?" chimed a third voice, elderly and dripping with sarcasm.

"I don’t care who it was; I want it fixed! Send Azmael and Oryl," commanded the first voice, now trembling with anger.

"As you wish, my Goddess!" came the swift reply.