11 An Execution

Half a week passed after we were released from the headquarters. Adrian and Iris were kind enough to allow me to stay with them. I insisted on journeying alone to find master, but they were worried about how I would survive with a broken core. Adrian would've also gotten into trouble for my disappearance. As a result, I began working as the detective's assistant, accompanying him to meet his clients and take notes for him.

As we were on our way to meet a client one morning, I noticed a large crowd gathered at the square. People were pushing each other just to get a glimpse of the wooden stage in the middle of the flat area.

"Adrian, what is happening there?" I asked.

"A public execution?" Adrian appeared deeply disturbed by the scene. "Aliciel, let's go. I really can't handle executions."

"Are you not used to seeing corpses from your line of work?"

"Corpses and a man's life ending in front of my eyes are two different things. The latter is more traumatizing." Visibly embarrassed by his weakness, he looked away for a moment to take refuge from my gaze.

"Well, they are both meeting death. I will go have a quick look." I walked closer to the noisy crowd.

"Aliciel! I beg of you. I would like to keep my good appetite for breakfast. Aliciel! Come back here!" Adrian frantically followed behind me and quickly took hold of my wrist to pull me away from the crowd of onlookers. "Let's go. We have a client to meet."

From the corner of my eye, I noticed a band of men on horseback approaching the stage. They were clad in white armor with a large blue cross embroidered on the chest area. The flowing capes they wore also had the same blue cross dyed onto the creamy white fabric. This very symbol made them easily recognizable in any crowd. Each man had a sheathed sword with an elaborately shaped hilt bearing the image of a cross and a white dove. I concluded with much certainty that these men were knights.

"Adrian, something is happening," I said while keeping my gaze on the stage.

"I dare not turn my head." The death-fearing detective stubbornly faced the opposite direction.

"Some men are trying to stop the execution."

Immediately, Adrian turned his head with absolutely no hesitation and moved close behind me to see the commotion. "The Order?" He whispered to himself.

"What is the meaning of this?" asked the executioner as the band of knights drew closer.

"This man is under the protection of the Sariyan Order. He shall not be hanged." One of the men on horseback presented a scroll with paragraphs written in traditional black ink.

The executioner was unmoved by the scroll. "This execution is under the orders of our king."

"The Order bows down to no man. We serve only the will of the goddess. Your king is fully aware that members of the Order are not to be punished by execution unless permission has been granted by Her Holiness Marianne XIII."

The Sariyan Order.

I heard very little about them, but their influence appeared to be prominent in this kingdom.

"The execution shall continue," the executioner asserted himself.

"An act against the treaty will render this nation's government as an enemy of the Sariyan Order. We will withdraw our support in the event of war. You know very well that your kingdom is dependent on our army to defend against the Eastern Kingdoms and the Northern Empire."

The executioner paused to consider his decision. "Let the man go."

The guards obeyed the command and handed the prisoner over to the knights.

The Sariyan knight bowed slightly before he and his men departed with the prisoner. "Thank you for your cooperation. We will review his actions at our own courts and await the judgment of Her Holiness."

The executioner and the guards stood defeated. They eyed the departing knights with such intense contempt that their eyes appeared as if they were mentally beheading them.

"Adrian, what is the Sariyan Order?" I asked curiously.

"The Sariyan Order is almost like a landless kingdom. They are a powerful group. Their people are everywhere. Their businesses spread throughout several countries. With them in control of the banking system, they certainly have control over the world economy. It makes you wonder whether they really are the true rulers of the world," replied Adrian without taking his eyes off the holy knights.

"They mentioned about serving a goddess."

"Yes. They are a religious order. They worship the goddess Sariya and live according to her will."

"There was a church and orphanage in my village that taught children to worship a goddess. The people running it weren't very nice people. Are they part of the Sariyan Order too?"

"I doubt it. The Order mainly operates in major cities. A faraway place such as Ebernhard is highly likely a different sect."

"There are other sects?"

"Almost every disagreement on specific beliefs results in division. I believe it happens to every religion."

"That is unfortunate. Even when they all preach unity, they are still divided."

"The world is full of irony, Aliciel. When times change, tradition that was once practical becomes impractical. Why do people still continue the practice? Because it is tradition. They refuse to embrace change. And people that do are ostracized despite the fact that they all preach about reaching out and accepting others." He paused in embarrassment. "Forgive me. I seem to be such a chatterbox this morning. We should make haste and meet the client."

I followed behind as Adrian walked briskly to The Blue Feather. Miss Clementine was behind the counter showing customers her fine wares and the café menu. The place was unusually packed with people. The execution appeared to be that day's most interesting topic.

"This is the third execution they interrupted in a week."

"Why were members of their order being executed?"

"The reason is confidential. It almost makes you believe that this was plotted by the monarchy to provoke the Sariyan Order."

"But what for? The monarchy gains nothing from making the Order its enemy."

"Perhaps there really is some corruption within the Order?"

I was listening closely to the loud conversation from the table next to ours. Adrian noticed.

"I never imagined you'd be interested in public affairs, Aliciel," said Adrian.

"Of course. Master told me to see the world with my own eyes. I am closely observing events," I replied.

"Most of the occurrences these days are only worrying."

A middle aged man dressed in a clean suit approached our table. Adrian recognized him and shook his hand. Earlier, the detective told me we would be meeting a well-known merchant who needed someone to investigate the affairs of a certain individual, possibly a person who was a threat to his business.

"Mr. Latrell," he greeted the detective. Upon seeing me, he greeted me as well. "I see you have a new assistant."

"Why yes I do. Her name is Aliciel. She will be taking minutes of the meeting for me," replied Adrian proudly. He probably wished to have his very own assistant at some point during his career.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," I said politely.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Aliciel."

The meeting began. I struggled to keep up with the dialogue and note down the details as much as I could. My hand was no longer used to writing. It never was. The orphanage didn't give us the privilege of constant writing practice. I had to practice it on my own after Master taught me all the basics.

After the meeting ended, we bid goodbye to the client before he left the shop. Adrian sulked in his seat and drew a sigh. "I thought it would be serious investigating work. He only wanted us to spy on his own daughter!"

"Is that not investigating as well?" I looked at Adrian.

"I would rather not involve myself in family affairs."

"Working hard, are we?" A familiar voice followed the sound of the entrance door's bell ring.

"Iris! You didn't say you would drop by." Adrian was surprised by the sudden appearance of his twin sister. He straightened his posture.

"This was merely on whim. I needed some parts from Miss Clementine." Iris approached the counter.

"More gears, darling?" Miss Clementine placed an aged case on the counter top and opened it. "I just replenished my stocks yesterday. Durable gears and screws from the finest metalworkers of Anbernel! If I were you, I would purchase more than a few before the local clockmaker comes to buy all of them."

"Thank you, Miss Clementine." Iris looked through the contents of the case and picked out the parts she needed.

As Ms. Clementine waited for Iris to finish selecting, the lady shopkeeper's bored gaze fell on me. "Aliciel has been wearing the same dress for half a week. The poor girl. You ought to get her some spare clothes or two."

Iris glanced at me. "My clothes were unfortunately too large for her."

"She is a small girl. Best get her new ones."

"I will take Aliciel shopping," declared Adrian as if he was my designated guardian.

Iris raised a brow at her brother's declaration. "You? A man selecting a young lady's wardrobe? I can't imagine what tacky combination you will choose for poor Aliciel."

"It will be anything better than your usual selection of clothes. That I can assure you."

"My outfits are perfectly fashionable for a lady mechanic. Someone with a poor taste such as yourself simply cannot appreciate its style. This is why I must escort her."

Miss Clementine leaned on the counter and rolled her eyes. "If the two of you are unable to settle this matter, I will take Aliciel out shopping. She will wear the finest and most fashionable dresses in all of Eriden."

The twins paused. Their gazes were at first fixed on Miss Clementine's coquettish style of dressing and then on me. Immediately, their opinions synchronized.

"Iris, perhaps it is you who should take Aliciel out shopping."Adrian placed his hands on my shoulders and pushed me lightly to Iris.

"I will gladly escort her, dear brother," replied Iris.

Miss Clementine stared at the twins in disbelief. "How quick of you both to come to an agreement!"