<Seldoch City Hall >
“AND so, we are counting on you,” Caria said.
“Counting on you,” Maria echoed.
The bright voices of the twin girls echoed through the building, which had formerly been the holy church’s administrative office. Only the sign had changed.
“Uh-huh…”
The young woman, who was sitting on a sofa that was a little lacking in style for receiving guests but common in Qualia’s culture, which valued honorable poverty, responded to the sudden proposal with an indescribably deflated look.
The young woman’s name was Krähe Imlerith. She was a former clergywoman who held the important position of Qualia’s Inquisitor and accompanied the Scribe Saint Nerim. She was also a defector who betrayed the Holy God Arlos and showed allegiance to Mynoghra in a previous battle with the Scribe Saint over the territory in the Divine Nation of Lenea.
As a woman who found herself in a challenging position, Krähe struggled to process the proposal the Elfuur Sisters had just made her. Of course she would struggle with it, when what they asked of her was…
“It’s nothing complicated,” Caria said.
“Uh-huh. You just hafta teach us when we’re in a pickle,” Maria added.
…to serve as an advisor to the new Overseers of Seldoch, the Elfuur Sisters.
Krähe understood the situation. The territory Mynoghra had recently acquired was massive. Managing it would be more than these two young girls could handle on their own. They needed someone competent and knowledgeable about the customs and inner workings of the region to be their advisor.
But they want me for that job? It was this particular point that stumped the usually calm and collected Krähe.
“Um, are you absolutely certain about this?” she asked. “Not only am I a newcomer to Mynoghra, but I am also a turncoat. I believe there will be a backlash from others if I am placed in too important of a position…”
“There’s no one who’d object. Or rather, there’s no one in a position to…” Maria said.
Krähe was unwittingly convinced. The Elfuur Sisters held high positions in Mynoghra. Apart from the king, Takuto Ira, the number of people who could object to the decisions of these two young girls could be counted on one hand. And it was also a true statement that there was literally no one in a position to object.
Krähe was highly educated when she took up the mantle of Inquisitor. Even without the finer details, she could roughly guess the problems Mynoghra was facing. Simply put, the twins’ proposal was reasonable and difficult to contend.
“Even though Big Sista and I have learned lots at His Majesty’s side, there’s still muchest we don’t know. So, we’ll be in a real pickle if we don’t get help from you, Miss Krähe, with all of your practical experience,” Caria argued enthusiastically.
“But not all problems can be solved with logic alone…” Krähe countered, needing to give voice to her biggest concern, even if it sounded timid.
She knew firsthand the nightmares that could be caused later by disregarding the human aspects of an organizational body, such as a strict hierarchy and following the rules. Sure, she was speaking out of a desire for self-preservation, but since she was driven by the goal of getting Nerim back someday, she desperately wanted to avoid unnecessary problems.
But she had forgotten a fatal piece of information.
“But if you don’t help Cary and her Big Sista, it’ll be straight to Dragontan for you?” Caria pointed out.
“Hm? What’s wrong with that?” Krähe asked,
It was such a vital piece of information.
“That’s where the great perverted clown haunts,” Caria replied.
“That’s bad news…very bad news.”
Of all the things she could forget about, it had to be Vittorio’s existence. Since he primarily worked out of Dragontan, Krähe risked running into the Gleeful Spin Doctor if she turned down her assignment in Seldoch.
Krähe was one of Vittorio’s many victims. Ever since the day Qualia had dispatched her to Lenea as an Inquisitor, she had her life ruined time and time again by that unhinged Hero.