A crowd is gathered in the temple. Supposedly, there will be some sort of announcement as to the recent demon issue that have everyone worried. However, it seems that the staff at the temple haven’t been informed of this.
“Please, the temple is a place of faith and prayer. Do not loiter here.” a nun tried to shout.
“We’re going to finally receive salvation from the demon hoard!” a townsfolk said to another.
“Anyone know what’s going on?” a priest asks one of his fellows.
“They’re here because there’s some sort of announcement.” another priest said.
“This is a temple! Not a park or a square.” a third priest said.
As the temple try and usher people out, one priest in particular stands before the crowd.
“Greetings, people of Blue Pine!” he said. “I am Parnidot, no! Father Parnidot! I have come to offer you deliverance from the demons that stalk our very streets. But I cannot do so alone. I need you! The people of this town to protect it! When demons trample on our homes, it is clear what we must do!”
The priest who introduced himself as Parnidot turns to a pedestal behind him and takes a beautiful golden shield inlaid with gems into his hands and raises it above his head.
“We go on an inquisition!”
As he speaks, golden light from the stained glass window shines down on him. The shield glows as he presents it before the crowd. The crowd cheers at the promise that their homes and family will be safe from the threat of demons.
“Finally! Safety and salvation!” a townsfolk said.
“After our incompetent town guard got trampled by a bunch of thugs, a hero finally arrives!” another townsfolk said.
“Wait, we can just start an inquisition?” a priest asked one of his fellows.
“Wait, isn’t that the weird priest that’s all about the god of nobility?” another said.
“Who cares! I can finally live safely.”
“Stop right there Parnidot!” the head priest speaks. “As head priest of this temple, I will not allow you to do… any of this! Taking Elofraye Shield of Divine Dominance! Starting an inquisition! You cannot just take what you want and demand that the people of this town join you in an inquisition!”
The temple becomes silent as he speaks. After the head priest had spoken, the townsfolk begin screaming and booing him. Then the crowd approaches him, grabs him and throws him out one of the stained glass windows in the temple. Once he is thrown out, the crowd cheers again. They even start chanting Parnidot’s name.
“Head Priest Parnidot!”
“Glory to the new head priest!”
“My family can finally be safe!”
“If he can promise that demons won’t dropkick my door and steal my collection of spicy romance novels, then I’ll die for him and whatever sick cause he has!”
“I can’t wait to start an inquisition!”
“Yeah! I’m going to pull out my neighbor from his home and beat him to see if he spits out a demon!”
“Me too!”
“Wait, but you’re both each other’s neighbors.”
Parnidot stand before the crowd and makes a proclamation.
“I know you all have questions and I have answers. For I am a noble! That makes me right and righteous. Never will you know the sting of incompetence so long as I lead you all. And I know what demons lurk in our fair streets! They are guests! Welcomed in by those who would see you harmed for their own gain. The whisper of demonic promises and power have tempted you and your neighbors and they have welcomed the demons inside our town walls. They are sinners of the highest magnitude! Look not unto the guards or the head priest before my ascension. Place your faith in me! Rest assured, for I will bring upon your deliverance. I hereby swear to you that the power vested in me by our mighty lord, Yerl God of Nobility, that I shall be your shield!”
Parnidot stands proud as he holds the holy shield at his side. The crowd grows in excitement about the inquisition they’re about to join. Parnidot, or high priest Parnidot as it seems, basks in the glory of it all. As he does, Mona the nun arrives at the temple and begins speaking to one of her few friends here.
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
“Hey. So what’d I miss?” Mona asked her fellow nun.
“Wha-! Mona! Where were you?” the nun asked in tones switching from shock to appalled.
“I was breaking into Mackamer’s private home and looking for stuff. I didn’t find much? Anyway, what’s all this?”
“Ugh! I think Parnidot just had the high priest kicked from his position and started an inquisition.”
“Wait, we can just start an inquisition?”
Ren is taking some days off after her most recent quest that let Warumasa bathe in fresh mortal blood. She has regained some use of her left arm, but the wound is still inhibiting her movements. With her arm injured, the voices in her head have puppeteered her to do two things. The first is to spend some money on buying a new ring. The ring is copper with a small green gem inlaid. It cost Ren a little over half of her money, but that is to be expected with jewelry and Ren’s budget. Ren will then use her magic to enchant the ring so that it becomes a magic item. To Warumasa’s dismay, Apherwad refuses to tell it what the ring is for. However, enchanting a ring on the magic tablet that Ren has will cause her to fill with magic. She needs to take a break frequently. This leads to Ren’s second endeavor. Ren will also be visiting the town’s gym club called the Iron Church. It is here that Ren spends time and effort working out. Only her legs and core, though. There is still a gash on her left arm. This has been Ren’s routine for 2 days.
“Keep up the good work, kid!” one of the coaches says to Ren.
“I will. Now I need a drink of water.” Ren says back.
“Yeah! Go take a breather kid.”
Ren heads over to a lounge area. The gym has teens about Ren’s age fetching pails of water from the river for the gym patrons. It’s not a living, but it’s a paying and easy job for able bodied teens. Outside the building also has street vendors usually trying to sell something meaty for gym patrons who just happen to be leaving. The men and women at the street side grill use paper fans to fan the wood and coal in their grills. This also wafts the aroma of meaty snacks towards the gym entrance. As men and women leave the gym after a workout, they are assaulted by these aromas. These stall vendors are indeed devious.
“Have a good day, kid!” a coach waved goodbye.
“I’ll be back tomorrow.” Ren said.
With her workout finished for the day, she would find something to eat, and then return to her room at the inn to work her magic on the magic tablet. She would be back to work out even more. Ren stepped out into the streets of Blue Pine town. There she was met by a sea of townsfolk with pitchforks, torches and other household tools that could be used to cause harm. More notably, they’re blocking the food stalls, clogging up the street and generally being a menace.
“Down with the iron church!”
“They’re not a church, and the body isn’t a temple!”
“It’s an affront to Yerl!”
“They are a plague upon us!”
“Bodybuilding is unholy! That is why demons often appear muscular!”
“Yeah! Nobles are often fat, and they’re righteous and stuff!”
“Wait, have you guys seen a noble? I’ve never seen one.”
“Oh yeah. I’ve seen Lord Albrinter when his wife died giving birth to one of his kids. He wasn’t fat, but he certainly wasn’t like a muscle man.”
Ren stared out at the crowd with a blank expression on her face, as though she were unimpressed. Someone in the crowd took offense to this.
“What are you looking at, girl?”
“Oh, dude, that’s Ren. You know, Blue Pine’s Favorite Adventurer.”
“Oh right! Forgot about that.”
“Anyway, we’re going to lynch her, since she came out of that gym club.”
“What? No!”
“What do you mean, no?”
“We’re supposed to burn them at the stake! Pay attention, man.”
“Aww, okay. I’m sorry.”
Ren stared blankly as a discussion about lynching or burning her at the stake took place before her.
“I gotta do it.” Warumasa said.
“No you don’t.” Apherward shot back. “With my power, I can give her an invisibility spell. Hang on.”
Ren learned Invisibility Level 1. Level capacity has been met. Level up to increase level capacity.
“There! It’s not going to last long, but it’s enough to get her home.”
“Are you kidding me? Look at them! They’re just begging to bleed all over me when I stab them.”
“We’re not getting involved with a bunch of madmen, and that’s final!”
“Relax, we’re going to- I’m sorry, she’s going to kill this bunch of madmen.”
“I will not risk the girl’s health any further than we already have. What’s the status on her left arm?”
Ren
Level 10 Samurai
Strength: 21
Magic: 27
Agility: 15
Vitality: 17
Magic Capacity: Clear
Titles: Blue Pine’s Favorite Adventurer
Skills:
Swordsmanship Level 3
Housekeeping Level 1
Netami Style
Netami Style: Form 1: Flash
Netami Style Form 2: Swallow Dive
Netami Style Form 3: Helm Splitter
Netami Style Form 4: Blade Wave
Martial Arts Level 2
Netami Style Form 5: Horizon
Spells:
Ice Bolt Level 2
Fireball Level 1
Haste Level 1
Raise Zombie Level 1
Stone Wall Level 2
Water Arrow Level 2
Blind Level 2
Locate Location Level 1
Project Mind Level 1
Magic Soft Fall Level 2
Chain Lightning Level 1
Basic Barrier Level 2
Whisper Sanctum Level 1
Magic Sense Level 2
Invisibility Level 1
Status: Injured
Left Arm Gash Severity 2 Bandaged
“Yeah, see! She still hasn’t healed from her injury from that fight with Floga- wait, was his name really just the words ‘flog a lot’?”
“What? Did you just notice?”
As voices in her head argue, Ren just gives the guy in front of her a front kick. He doubles over in pain and clutches his stomach after the impact. She just finished a workout, wiped away sweat and was ready to leave. However, it seems that Ren still has some energy and adrenaline to spare. With her arm still injured, Ren draws her katana and points it at the crowd.
“There is nothing wrong with self improvement! Any who would challenge this challenges me.”
The man who she gave a front kick to weakly stands up and brandishes a cleaver.
“We will burn you at the stake and everyone who vaguely represents something not noble! Everyone, with me!”
At those words, a horde of misguided people rush at Ren. She only speaks in a flat tone of voice as what seems to be nearly a hundred people rush at her.
“Oh boy! I can’t wait to let my sword taste all that fresh blood.”
