Chapter 12: Elina of the 16th Order

CLANG!

A piercing metallic sound rang out, pulling Lyne back from the brink of despair. Before her, Crambell's blade had been stopped dead by a radiant golden wall of light.

"A golden barrier...?"

Behind her, a figure in a priest's robe had appeared. The person slowly pulled back their hood, revealing a familiar face. Crambell's face contorted, the sick amusement replaced by a scowl of anger.

– Hey, hey, hey! What the hell do you think you're doing here?

– My apologies. This is my client, and my work is not yet finished.

– Who do you think you are to do as you please, Captain of the 16th Order? Elina Van Gerina!

The newcomer was none other than Elina, the cleric who had healed Kaega. Now, she had appeared again, blocking Crambell's attack, preventing him from killing them right before her eyes.

– Crambell, these are the people I will protect. If you touch them again, I will not hesitate to initiate a purge of heretics in the name of the Holy Kingdom of Agenel, right here.

– You dare threaten me? Do you think you're still a legitimate captain of the Order?

– But my family will not let you go unpunished. Now, get out of here.

– You've got nerve...

Crambell growled, shooting one last hateful glare at Lyne before turning to leave. The entire purging squad quickly retreated in Elina's presence.

– Ha... they're gone...

Elina sighed in relief.

– Now, little girl, about the young man... uh...

Before she could finish, Lyne collapsed. Elina looked at the two unconscious children, wondering if her choice was right or wrong.

– Alright, so be it.

Elina single-handedly carried both children on her shoulders, quickly disappearing into the dark alleys...

Lyne didn't know how much time had passed when she slowly opened her eyes.

– Where... is this...?

As consciousness returned, she shot up, warily scanning her surroundings.

– Wh... where is this?

The door opened, and a person walked in.

– You're awake?

– You... the cleric? Why am I here? Where's Kaega?

– You are at my place. As for the one named Kaega, he is in the special treatment room. His condition is quite bad, but he has stabilized.

– You mean... he's already healed?

– Not exactly. His body is too weak, so the treatment couldn't achieve the ideal effect, and his wounds were too severe... – Elina paused for a moment. – ...Even though I used high-level Holy Art in Saint Rank, he can only be considered temporarily stable. However, there will be after-effects from the curse...

– You're... Saint rank? Wait... a curse?

– That's right. He is under a curse. Although I don't know who cast it, I can feel that it's very powerful, and there's nothing I can do about it.

Lyne was stunned. Kaega had never mentioned this.

– He's still unconscious. Let him rest, or you can visit him if you wish.

– But we have to leave. They'll come for us tonight...

– It's alright. I've magically fortified this place into a secret sanctuary. It's fine if you two stay for a day; they won't find you.

– But we're out of money... Why are you helping us?

Hearing this, Elina smiled gently.

– You tried your best to protect him. That proves this place hasn't swallowed you whole yet. I can't let people like you die so senselessly.

Lyne was flustered by this unexpected kindness.

– Thank you... ma'am... I'll go check on him now...

– Of course. Food has been prepared. Please help yourself if you're hungry.

– Yes...

Lyne got up and followed Elina's directions to the treatment room. Inside, a young boy with orange hair in a cleric's robes, his eyes dark-ringed like a panda's, was monitoring Kaega.

– Hmm... are you the one Mother Elina saved yesterday?

– And you are...?

– I'm an orphan adopted by Mother Elina.

– Miss Elina adopts other children too?

– Yes. Mother Elina has been searching for children like us and gathering them here. She even teaches us how to read and use healing arts.

Lyne was speechless. In a country like Braum, where morality had collapsed and fanaticism and heresy were rampant, there was still a sanctuary for good children to live...

– You're here to visit him, right? Then I'll leave him in your care. I was up all night helping Mother Elina treat him... I'm going to get some rest now...

– Alright...

The boy left, leaving the two of them alone. Lyne approached and used her right hand to check Kaega's body.

– The bruise on his chest is gone. The bones in his chest and shoulder have healed, but it seems they'll need time to recover completely.

"As expected of Saint Rank. Such a severe wound stabilized in just one night." She then thought about the cost of using it. "A novice-level spell can exhaust a normal person. I can't imagine how strong Miss Elina must be to maintain it all night."

Thinking about it, Lyne felt she had benefited immensely. That healing effort would have cost at least 10 gold coins, and even then, some clerics wouldn't perform it for such a cheap price.

– Hey, don't you think it's weird to just touch someone's body without permission?

Kaega had woken up to find Lyne groping him.

– You think so? – Lyne asked back, her face cold. But Kaega wasn't done.

– You're a beautiful girl. I never touched you while you were sleeping, but you did it first.

– Has anyone ever told you you're terrible at telling jokes?

– Is that so? My apologies...

Kaega tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in his left shoulder and a wave of fatigue hit him immediately.

– Lyne, how long was I out? Where is this? What's the situation? – Kaega quickly fired off a series of necessary questions.

– You're quite the workaholic, aren't you?

– I need to know the current situation to plan our next steps.

– Alright, I'll explain in detail...

Lyne recounted everything that had happened after Kaega passed out, from his injuries to the war between the factions in Aquila, and all the information she had gathered.

– That's everything.

– Understood. I have a clear picture now.

– Hey Kaega, what was that thing you used to blow the fake Head Measurer's head off?

– I made it after the second night, while you were sleeping.

– But what is it?

– Based on the mechanism of a flintlock. I took the leg and arm bones from Erpert, sawed off one end, stuffed a large amount of Thunder Powder inside, and packed it tight. Then I meticulously ground down some hard stones from the ruins and put them inside.

– You won't even spare someone who's been dead for seven years...

– You flatter me, thank you... – Kaega replied to Lyne's concerned gaze.

– So the broken shoulder was from the recoil of that weapon?

– Such a terrifying thing, do you have any more?

...

Kaega looked at Lyne and said:

– No. It's too difficult to make, and the one you retrieved after it was used doesn't seem to be recyclable.

Lyne stared at Kaega's face, trying to read his thoughts. But his face only ever showed the expression he wanted others to see.

– It's because your face is always like that, it's hard for people to trust you.

– You flatter me again... Lyne, can you tell me in detail about the Head Measurer? And the secrets you've been hiding from me.

– Why...?

– I'd rather not die without knowing the reason...

– Fine... In return, you have to tell me about your curse.

– How did you know about that?

– The cleric told me.

– Alright. I'll tell you, though it's quite a long story.

– Coincidentally, my story is also very long...

– No problem. This place is protected by magic today. You can take your time.

With that, he took out a book, opened it, and said:

– Go on, tell me.

– Could you show a little respect?

– I can process four streams of information at once. Reading while listening to you is nothing.

– Sometimes I wonder if you're even human...

– Thank you...

– That wasn't a compliment... Alright, listen carefully. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask...

And so, in their temporary sanctuary, the two began to learn about each other's pasts...