Ren and the gang trot along the forest path, Agnus atop her white horse in the middle of the pack. Agnus shifts her weight, seemingly uncomfortable in her habit while riding a horse, "I understand the importance of getting to the Dark Elves' Capital post haste, but would it not have been better to rest at the church and depart in the morning? I don't think we'll save much time heading their now, especially one it turns to night". Elza, "you'd normally be right, but it's better not to stay around unfamiliar slaves. Demons are known for sneaking in human looking slaves among real ones and letting them escape, as well as conditioning human slaves to serve as their spies. As long as the slave isn't explicitly ordered not to be a spy...surely you get what I'm trying to say."
Agnus, somberly, "yes, you needn't say any more. Even if slaves are better managed than they have ever been before, there's still a risk of them being improperly managed and information leaking." Elza, "yes, and all the slaves there are masterless, or soon will be. It's just not as safe until they're inspected and verified. That's why we'll be staying overnight at a border village and depart for the Capital in the morning." Agnus grimaces, "a border village between the church and the capital? Surely you don't mean that village?" Elza, "it's most likely the one you're thinking off." Even if they can't see Agnus's face, everyone can feel the reluctance radiating off her.
Naturally, Ren wants to know why Agnus is put off by the village, "is there something wrong with that village?". Agnus looks to Elza, but sees no sign of her explaining. Although she is trepidatious explaining Elza's own territory in her presence, Agnus feels it's best if everyone knows, "...there are rumours surrounding that village. The village chief is a lecherous man with a harem of over 30 women. As if that's bad enough, it's said he engages in criminal activity. We've sometimes caught sight of weird movements from the Demons that we believe to be the result of smuggling. We've sent letters to the Dark Elves informing them of our concerns, but..."
Elza doesn't address Agnus's side-eye, simply looking forward as they trot on, "I'm sorry to say that the investigations were unable to incriminate him. I can look into matters while we're there and dispatch another investigation if you still feel it necessary." Agnus, "thank you. I'd much appreciate it if you do." Elza, "my pleasure. Now that that's out of the way. Any questions for Agnus, Ren? It's a rare chance to talk to a nun without prying eyes." Ren, "me? That came out of nowhere." Agnus, "I'm not sure if I like how you phrased that statement, your Majesty."
Elza: "I'm not saying that you in particular have something to hide. However, the Church's internal strife is well known. I meant it as you can share your opinion without worry." Agnus, "that may be the case, but I can't share such details with outsiders." Elza, "you're more uptight that I expected, but I respect your integrity. I won't ask you spill anything about the internal strife, but my husband grew up very sheltered and is quite ignorant in the ways of the world. I figure learning about the Church from someone directly involved is better than us, who are less knowledgeable about your religion."
Agnus eases up a little, "if that's the case, I don't mind sharing the Church's beliefs and teachings." Elza, "thanks. The Church is something everyone should at least know about to a certain extent, even if you're not a believer", and we'll probably get more involved with the Church going forward if Liza is right about her friend. Agnus, "you couldn't be more right, your Majesty. One couldn't become a believer if they never got the chance to learn much about the church", turning towards Ren, "how much does his Majesty know about the Church?" Ren, "how much? It's probably better to assume I know nothing."
Angus chuckles a little, "I see your Majesty is fond of jokes". Ren, completely serious, "no, genuinely notching. Zero". Agnus is so shocked from something so unbelievable that her expression freezes in place, almost like a painting. Elza, "well, 'quite' mightn't have been the right word to use. Extremely sheltered is probably more applicable." The gears start to churn in Agnus's head, allowing her face to regain its life, but even the most sheltered individual is at least of aware of the Church and some of its teachings. The only way someone wouldn't know anything is if they were completely cut off from society. Could it be...he's one of those boys who were imprisoned at a young age and used as a breeding bull? Cases of them have been on the rise, and they're completely cut off from the outside world. That could be the only explanation...poor soul. He's come so from after being released from that hell.
Agnus, having drawn her own inconceivable conclusion, wipes a tear forming at the corner of her eye before her voice wills with passion, "I see. So that's how it is. Then leave it to me. I'll tell you everything from the start. In the beginning, the world was full of women. It was strife with disorder. Murder, rape, pillaging...it was the epitome of chaos. This all changed with the arrival of the chosen one, the first man, Adam! Ada-". Ren interjects, "hold on. I was confused right from the start. When you say, 'full of women', do you mean only women? If so, that doesn't make any sense." Agnus, "yes, there was only women in the beginning. What's so confusing about that?" Ren, "what so confusing about it? How would women reproduce by themselves? It's biologically impossible".
Liza chimes in before Agnus can respond, "it's believed that women didn't need men to procreate in ancient times, and that procreating between women was lost over time after the introduction of man." Lorilay, "many find such a thing hard to believe, but it's hard to refute it due to the existence of Vampires. They're a female only race." Elza, "and although it's not recent, the Dark Elves have captured a handful of Vampires over the centuries. None of them were able to get pregnant no matter who their male partner was. When paired with women, the women got pregnant." Liza, "the Humans have only captured two Vampires in recorded history, but the records reflect what Elza said. That's why it's believed that Vampires missed their chance to mix with man due to their isolation."
Ren feels like his head is spinning, "wow, I never thought such a thing was possible. I just can't wrap my head around it." Elza, "you'll wrap your head around it in due time. Please continue, Agnus." Agnus clears her throat, "eh-hem. Adam brought order to the chaos with his appearance. Women are generally very selfish and self-centered creatures. However, when they're given structure, they become much more amicable and docile. Their submission to man lets them lead very happy and fulfilling lives. Complete freedom is like poison to women. This is the foundation that the Church's doctrine is built upon."
Ren is shocked by her statement, looking to the others in disbelief, there'd be uproar back in my world if somebody heard that! No way that's true. Elza, "I know what you're thinking. What she says is infuriating to a lot of people. That's probably why the Church hasn't been able to spread all over the Human Nation. To make matters worse, the statistics support her. With the decrease in the male Dark Elf population, there's been an increase in lesbian marriages. Infidelity, divorce, and domestic violence are at all-time high. 99% of these cases are from lesbian couples." Liza, "it's the same for us. It's actually probably worse back home than here. When the male population first started to decline, the number of bandits practically disappeared until a few years ago. Now, the number of female bandit groups engaging in the rape, kidnapping, and illegal slavery of other women is increasing every year." Elza, "those are on the rise for us as well. The numbers have been low for now, but they keep popping up faster than we can get deal with them."
Liza, "I'm conflicted on the views of the Church, but there are some women I meet that are just so obnoxious, arrogant, and insufferable that I want to kick their teeth in. And I know that unless someone puts them in their place, they won't learn, or contribute anything useful to society for that matter." Agnus, "this is actually a reason for the discord within the Church. We all agree that women need structure, and for a man to lead them, but the how is what people can't agree on. The faction that interprets the gospel as forcefully making women submit believe that their interpretation is God's will, and they have been steadily gaining power. However, I don't think force is the answer. I interpret it as a woman needs to make the choice herself to be below a man because she believes that is best, and to live with the outcomes of that decision, even if it gets a little rocky because she believes that's the right path. To trust the faith she placed in her husband. It shouldn't be forced upon her against her will. A husband shouldn't just be forced upon her...I'm sorry. We got into something we shouldn't have. I'll return to the history of the Church."
Elza, "don't worry. Ren was bound to come into contact with the ideology at some point. At least he knows about it now." Ren, "yeah, I'd rather know about it so that not knowing it doesn't cause trouble later down the line." Agnus, "thank you for your kind words. But it isn't my intention to involve you in our matters. Luckily, I only scratched the surface. To continue. Adam established order in this chaotic world. He established a common ruleset, settled grudges, and united all bar the Vampires under one banner. He ushered in an era of unprecedented peace until his ultimate demise. It was said that upon his death, he was enveloped by golden light, and the world itself wept as his soul started rising into the heavens, signaling his ascension back to the Upper Realms of the Gods, just as it had when he descended. Adam's peace continued for a few generations under the guidance of his children, but with time, things started to deteriorate. Discord started to settle within the races once again, and they spit off into their own factions once again. It was once again like ancient times. Adam's descendants created to church to preserve his teaching and try spread his words. However, only Humans answered his call. The Elves turned to the spirits, the Dark Elves established their own traditions, and the Demons were too fractured to unite into one. That state of imbalance has been maintained till this day despite the Church's efforts for reunification. That is the basic summery of the Church's history."
Ren, "there's so many things to address I don't know where to start." Agnus, "my summary was very brief. I'm sure any answers you seek will be in the bible. You would need to go to a church to read one, but I can answer any questions you have to the best of my knowledge." Ren, "you don't carry one around with you?" Agnus, "a bible? Such a thing is prohibited. They're also too big to be easily carried around." Ren, "oh, I see", books may exist, but it's not like they can be mass produced. Creating normal sized bibles by hand would be long and audacious work that wouldn't be worth the effort, "first of all. How did Adam unite all the different races? I doubt just his existence as a man was enough to make them stop fighting."
Agnus, "it was a big factor, but you're right that it wasn't everything. Apparently, Adam was very skilled at negation, and it was recorded that his voice was softer than the finest of silks, yet more firm than anyone else at the same time. He also had great knowledge, showing women how to use animal hide for clothes, how to make fire, and how to sharpen weapons. It's also written that he created lights from the palm of his hands that illuminated the night. He is God for a reason". Ren, it's hard to imagine we're talking about the same person, "ok, I'm starting to see why he was revered as a God, and it's also answered some of my other questions...I have to put my thoughts in order, but is there any other reason why he was considered God? He could've just been a smart man, or an otherworlder, with a Unique"
Agnus, "Uniques didn't exist before Adam descended upon the land. It was the children born after Adam descended that Uniques started to appear." Ren, "that'll do it." Agnus, "I understand your scepticism, but you mustn't look at it from your perspective as a modern man. Only then will you understand what he has done to make the world the way it is." Ren, "well, I can see how that'd help put things in perspective. However, what are your thoughts on the current state of the world? Do you believe it's as God intends?" Agnus, "we are not Gods. We believe Adam descended to show us the ideal we should strive for, leading us by example. We should all aim towards that ideal."
Ren, "ah, so that's how it is. So following the Church is striving to achieve this ideal of the past. Just having blind faith in Adam isn't all there is to it" Agnus, "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't understand what you're trying to say." Ren, "don't mind me. It's not relevant", form the viewpoint of my world, it's better to think of Adam as something closer to Christianity's Jesus rather than God. They have something that their aiming towards, rather than believing in God being the end all be all.
Lorilay, "I'm not well versed with your religion, but there has always been something on my mind. Adam was the first man, right? I think it was impossible for him to only have one wife, so why does the Church preach monogamy?" Agnus, "that's a very good question. You are correct. It's not listed in the Bible, but ancient texts say that Adam did have multiple wives. However, he left a list of Commandments for us to live by. The first Commandment, 'bar extinction, a holy union should consist of one man and one woman', is very clear. There are multiple hypothesises that conjecture why this Commandment came to be the way it is, but all of them are unsubstantiated."
Liza, "I'm pretty sure we're on our way to extinction at this rate, yet the Church is still maintaining its stance on monogamy." Agnus, "it's due to how extinction is interpreted, which is the only unclear part of the first Commandment. Some believe now is the time that the first Commandment is referring to, some believe it's when there is only a handful of humans left, and some believe it's when only when there's almost nobody out of all the races left. The church can't seem to come to a consensus." Lorilay, "it's so complicated, but I see why now. I knew there were Commandments, but I've never actually heard them before." Agnus, "it's no surprise. The church has tried to expand to the Elves, but apart from letting us establish one church on the boarder due to the treaty, we've been shut down at every turn." Lorilay, "yeah, the elders wouldn't let the Church in till their dying breath."
Agnus, "we received an oracle about the land of the Elves many times in the past, and we would try to extend to their territory, but we were met with heavy resistance each time. The past Saints and Saintesses would lament at being unable to follow Gods guidance." Ren, "oracles? Would they get visions of the future or something?" Agnus, "the oracles come in many different forms. As you said, some get visions of the future, some get divine whispers, the most common being holy markings appearing in some shape or form, such as on their body or something they were holding at the time". Ren, "has there been a recent oracle?" Agnus, "unfortunately, the last oracle was over 50 years ago. And the Saintess only ever received two oracles. She unfortunately passed away two years ago. Some belief the lack of an oracle is proof we're on the right path, while others believe we have been abandoned because we were unable to fulfil the last two oracles...".
Ren, "the church and its situation is far more complicated than I thought". Elza, "if you have any more questions, you'll have to ask them later. The village is just up ahead." The village is small, with about 20 houses of simple design made out of wood. Adults and children can be seen in the distance moving about the village. As they approach, a teenage looking girl adorning leather armour and carrying a spear blocks their path, "halt. What business do you have at our village?". Elza, "we're on our way to the Capital, but it will soon be night. We wish to stay overnight and depart in the morning". The guard narrows her eyes in suspicion, the capital? Our village is the only settlement south of the Capital. There's no reason for them to be out here apart from visiting our village. We've got trouble on our hands. The other guards should have noticed we have visitors already. I'll need to stall these guys until their ready, "you've really gone out of your way to visit here. May I ask-"
Out of nowhere, a Dark Elf with a solid build rushes up to the guard from behind, smacking her on the head, "YOU IDIOT!!!" The guard's quickly recovers, holding the back of her head, "ow! What the hell are you doing you old fart!!! I swear I'll arrest you!" The man forces the guard to bow, also bowing with her, "I'm George White, your Majesty, the chief of this village. I sincerely apologise for my daughter's disrespect. She takes her job quite seriously, which I'm proud of as her father, but she's a bit ignorant. Please forgive her."
The visitors quickly gathered the attention of the village, a small crowed observing them before they even approached. George quickly shoots the crowd a glare, and they all also bow. Elza, "enough. Raise your heads. I'd never punish a guard for simply doing their duty. They're correct to be suspicious of visitors. However, as you can see, a member of the church is with us. Your daughter should follow the proper procedure before anything else." George, "of course, your Majesty. I'll retrain her myself so a mistake like this doesn't happen again", then whispering to his daughter, "go and check her signet ring and send a report to the Church."
The guard quickly does as instructed while George addresses Elza, "may I inquire as to the nature of your visit to our humble village?". Elza, "we wish to stay the night and depart in the morning. While I'm here, I'll conduct an inspection. Please guide me around the village while you have someone escort the others to our lodgings." George, "of course. I'll assign one of my wives to them. I'll also have one of my wives take care of your horses. They'll be treated with the utmost care, so please rest assured". As the group dismounts their horses, George signals for two women from the crowd to approach, "this is my 1st wife, Wilma, and my 6th wife, Grace. Wilma will see to your horses, and Grace will escort you to our village's inn. You're of course welcome to use my residence instead if you so wish, your Majesty." Elza, "I appreciate your offer, but we'll use the inn. We'll pay for any resources used for our stay."
George starts to bow before Elza cuts him off, "enough with the pleasantries. I'll inspect your residence first, lead the way." George turns to the side, gesturing her towards the largest house in the village, "my apologies. This way please." Elza starts walking as she looks back over her shoulder. giving the group a wave, "I don't know how long I'll be, so don't wait up." The group waves back, watching them as they go. Wilma, a Dark Elf, steps forward, "welcome to our humble village. Please leave your horses to us. I'll personally oversee everything and make sure they get the best care." A couple of young girls step forward from the crowed, taking the reins of the horses. Grace, a human, elegantly gestures to one of the buildings in the village not far from them, her voice calm and clear, "please follow me."
The group observes the village as they walk, Ren asking something on his mind, "the capital had a lot of houses and stuff built into the trees, as well as houses in the trees. How come that's not the case here?". Grace, "I'm not a Dark Elf, so I can't answer with certainty. However, from my understanding, it takes considerable knowledge and resources to utilise the trees for structure unless they're naturally suitable for it. The three big cities and some big towns utilise the trees, but almost all villages resort to building freestanding structures due to lack of expertise." Ren, "ah, that makes sense."
Grace holds open the inn's front door, "please, come inside." Inside, a teenage looking human girl is unable to hide her surprise upon seeing the group, "human guests?". Grace gives the girl an ominous smile from the back of the, it disappearing as she steps forward, "Geraldine, these are some very important guests. Please go and check everything is in order in the VIP rooms. And ensure that the others don't disturb our guests." Geraldine quickly runs off, almost like something is chasing her. Grace, "excuse my daughter's rudeness. We don't get very many guests of high standing."
Liza, who's been eying Grace occasionally, "don't worry. None of us are bothered in the slightest. However, excuse my rudeness, may I ask why a human noble is in a place like this? You're clearly educated in noble etiquette". Grace isn't surprised by the sudden question, "you're very observant. I'm the daughter of minor countryside baron. My parents' village was raided by bandits. I was captured and made into an illegal slave. After being traded around a few times, I ended up with my now husband, George. Because of my upbringing, I've been entrusted with the hospitality of guests. If you need anything, then please don't hesitate to ask."
Agnus wants to speak, to offer safe heaven, but seeing the lack of a slave collar, and seeing how Grace herself seems perfectly fine, refrains from saying something untoward. Liza, "it seems like you're here of your own free will, so I won't say anything more. Sorry for prying." Grace, "it's quite alright. I've come to terms with my past long ago. I've grown fond of this place, and I've been blessed with three daughters." Liza, "that's good to hear. Most liberated slaves have trouble adjusting, so I'm glad to hear you're doing well." Grace, "thank you for your concern. My husband was very patient with me, as well as my sister wives. They cared for me greatly, so I've grown extremely fond of them. Please don't worry about me." Geraldine returns to the reception, Grace using that to naturally move away from the awkward topic, "please allow me to show you to your rooms."
After escorting Elza into his residence, George closes the door behind her. As soon as they're behind closed doors, George's demeaner completely changes, all the tension leaving his body, "you bloody gave me a heart attack! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you on your horse." Elza, "sorry, the situation has been every changing. I didn't think I'd end up needing to come here.". George, "I heard the news. You're planning to defeat the Demon King. The two coastal cities are apparently in a big uproar." Elza, "don't remind me. I left the palace before any complaints could come in."
George lets out a boisterous laugh, "that's just like you. And I hear you're married now. Was it that lad from before? By human standards, he seems a bit scrawny" Elza, "he's just not a musclehead. His strength lies in his Unique. But enough about that. The Church has noticed suspicious movement multiple times and suspect this village of smuggling." George, "I know. The problem is the Demons. They don't care if they get seen. There's not much I can do about." Elza: "make it clear to them that if they're not careful, you'll stop trade altogether. It's better to shut things down before it gets to the point of the Church sending their inquisitors".
George scratches his cheek, "that'd be a problem. If you're willing to shut things down, even if it means losing the network we've slowly built, then I'll make sure they know how serious the situation is. I don't want to lose this place." Elza, "good. I'll need to pretend to inspect the village to appease Agnus. Do you have any merchandise at the moment? I hope it's not out in the open." George, "no, we're lucky as of right now. I'm expecting a shipment of raw Silver Spider silk within the next couple of days, but I don't have any other large shipments we need to be mindful of. But you know how these things are, it could be here tonight, or it could be three days from now."
Elza, "if they show up tonight, have them hide and wait till night to accept it. I'll keep the others distracted if need be." George, "got it. But since it's the Church we're dealing with, you should know I have one slave at the moment. She's ordered to not make a sound, but she's a dangerous one, so who knows what she might do." Elza, "all the criminals I send you are dangerous." George, "yeah, but this one is crazy. She's that serial fisting rapist that was sentenced to execution a while back." Elza eyes narrow dangerously, "the one who violated the wombs of 7 victims to the point that they're unable to conceive? She was caught a while back. Why do you still have her?". George, "calm your horses. Pretty but feisty one's like her attract high-end clientele. I've got a deal going through a major broker. We're getting four captive Dark Elves in exchange."
Elza eases up from the news, "that's a good exchange for one criminal...they're not giving us criminals you've sold them in the past, right?". George, "of course not. I wouldn't let them pull that shit. They're apparently all border guards. Two of them have only been caught recently and interrogated for information" Elza, "alright, make sure deal goes through. Where are you holding her?" George points to a door over his should, "in the back. There's a trapdoor hidden under some removable floorboards that leads to some cells."
Elza, "alright, I'll steer things away from there if needed. Do you have any new information for me before we head out?". George, "There's news of another rebellion, but those are always floating around. There's no news of any large-scale troop mobilisation near us. The new Commander taking over for Vall is apparently the Demon King's daughter, a Red Fox-kin. I don't have any information on her abilities unfortunately. Other than that...I'm not sure if it's relevant or not, but there's apparently been less monsters recently. The Demons are glad they're getting attacked less on the way here." Elza, "so there is less monsters, it wasn't just my imagination. I don't know why that's the case, but I'll have it investigated. Keep up the good work. Now, let's put on a show of investigating the village".