CHAPTER 15: HOLY HIJINKS AND DIVINE DRAMA

"Matthijs, you went without me."

I nodded, placing a reassuring hand on Fritz's shoulder.

"What if you'd died to the Royal Alchemist?"

"Nah, that would never happen," I said, pacing toward the group of Ubuians gathered behind her. "Merilla, what happened to the room of runes?"

She shook her head, crossing her arms. It made sense—there was no way that makeshift rune could've prevented the collapse of the sewers. The damage was inevitable, and now we'd have to rebuild. The books were likely torn apart or destroyed.

Damn it… They were all looking at me with a mix of familiarity and expectation in their eyes

Joshua stood by my side, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.

"Merilla! Pick seven Ubuians. Make sure they look the kindest. We'll allocate them jobs scattered across the kingdom."

"I'll give you a list by tonight."

"Thanks! In the meantime, get them ready for combat. Matthijs, Fritz, follow me."

We made our way through town, both of us wrapped in thick robes that only made the scorching heat more unbearable. Sweat clung to my skin, and I could see Fritz panting beside me, his tongue hanging out as he tried to cool down. Despite the stifling heat, the town was bustling with life. Vendors called out their wares, children played in the dusty streets, and every now and then, a villager would approach Joshua with a warm smile, offering him food or a small bouquet of flowers.

"Hello, Mr. Popular," Fritz joked, nudging Joshua with a playful grin.

Joshua accepted a loaf of bread from an elderly woman, flashing her a charming smile. "You're lucky I'm here. Otherwise, they'd be showing you faces of disgust," he said, handing me the bread. His tone was snarky, but there was a subtle chuckle behind it. He waved at a couple of kids who ran up to him with wildflowers, ruffling their hair before turning back to us. "Now, now, you're welcome."

"Ugh, where are we going?"

"Oh, we're here," Joshua replied, craning his neck to take in the grand structure before us. The church towered above, its weathered cobblestone giving it a rustic charm. Along the sides, patterns of stained glass hinted at some kind of design, but I couldn't make out what they formed.

"The priest here—what's his name again? Anyway, he's a strong alchemist, and so are the bishops. The nuns? They're even stronger fighters. Why? Beats me." He shrugged as we stood before a massive door that stretched five meters above our heads.

"Ready?" I glanced at Fritz. His face showed hesitation, but he nodded anyway. I knew Vadek had told me Fritz didn't want to be involved in this kind of violence; in fact, he was probably on the same path as me. That's why I felt guilty, dragging him into this mess.

Joshua stepped forward and pushed against the door, his face contorting with effort. Every muscle in his body strained as he tried to force it open, using his weight for leverage. We just stood there, watching him struggle in silence. Finally, with one last heave, he tripped and fell headfirst onto the ground.

"Uh, a little help?"

"Right."

Fritz and I exchanged a glance, both of us stifling a laugh. It was hard not to, considering we'd just let him go through all that by himself.

We pushed the heavy door open for him, and inside, at the far end of the church, a man knelt with a cross clasped between his palms. The grand interior was bathed in soft light streaming through the stained glass, and the cross at the front of the church stood magnificently, glowing in the ethereal light.

Right. God's pushing an agenda now.

"You were supposed to help me up—"

"Welcome," a deep voice echoed through the church, cutting Joshua off. The man before us slowly turned, his sagging cheeks and wrinkled eyes barely visible beneath the tall white hat and flowing robes.

Joshua stepped forward. "Priest Kolman. I am here today for one simple purpose."

Kolman's eyes narrowed. "Shall we have a seat first?"

Joshua shook his head. "No need. I have one question. Will you support my ascension to the throne?"

Kolman's gaze hardened. "What happened to the First Prince?" He scrutinized Joshua as if searching for hidden motives. I felt the quill materialize in my hand, fingers tight around it as I glanced at Fritz. His jaw was set, and his fists were clenched.

Joshua met Kolman's gaze steadily. "It's a coup d'etat. I will usher in a new era of peace, with the Ubuians."

Kolman's hand shot up, signaling the nuns. "I'm going to have to stop you right there. Nuns, escort them out, please."

As the nuns moved toward us, I stepped in front of Joshua. "No one touches the king."

Kolman ignored the gesture. "Don't bother negotiating. I will never side with the Ubuians."

Joshua tugged at my robe, his face showing resolve. "Matthijs, no. It's not worth the bloodshed."

I frowned, leaning in to whisper, "You just revealed yourself to the clergy. This is dangerous."

We turned and walked back through the church's grand doors, the silence between us growing heavier with each step. Outside, the air was a welcome relief from the tension of the church. Joshua shook his head, "You guys would've died in there. Bishops, the priest, the nuns... This isn't the same as dealing with some human guards."

Fritz glanced back at the church, his gaze lingering on the high stairs before shifting toward a nearby window, his face reflecting the weight of our narrow escape.

. . .

"Baron Thorne, you heard all that? You can come out now." The priest's voice resonated through the empty chapel as he knelt before the imposing cross. The nuns had already dispersed, leaving only him and the baron in the hushed, solemn space.

Thorne stepped out from the shadows, his face a mask of frustration.

"So, what do you suggest we do?" Kolman looked up from his position, his gaze steady as he listened on to what Baron Thorne had to propose.

"Joshua plans to integrate the Ubuians into society by assigning seven of them to various jobs across the sectors. Why don't we turn this situation to our advantage?"

"That is blasphemous."

"A holy sacrifice, my dear priest," Baron Thorne said, rubbing his hands together with a dark, calculating smile. His eyes glinted with a twisted sense of satisfaction.

"Nuns, take him out," Kolman commanded sharply.

Thorne's eyes widened in shock. "Priest, what are you doing?"

Kolman stood up, his expression unyielding. "I'm not evil, Thorne. I'm a realist. There's no way to integrate the Ubuians into society without chaos. Your plan—killing an innocent and framing an Ubuian—is far worse than my worst nightmares. You disgust me. I'll handle this my way. If I despise the Ubuians, then they alone must pay."

Kolman whispered a prayer for forgiveness, his voice barely audible as he clasped his hands in reverence. He straightened, "Call the nuns. We're going to eliminate them tonight."

. . .

"So, you're telling me they're planning to execute the Ubuians the night they start working?"

"Trust me, it's a cliché plotline. The first night the Ubuians start their jobs, boom—they're dead," I muttered as we descended into the dungeon.

Fritz was upstairs, coordinating the list of Ubuians for their assignments and ensuring Jean's safety—tasks I had entrusted to him.

"This is where we need to be extra cautious. I know it's not directly related to meeting the First Prince or the royal alchemist, but this is where the real danger lies. Your barons will start forming factions based on their opposition to your ideologies. Next time, wherever you go, I'm coming with you."

"Don't you already do that?"

"…"

"Good point," I conceded, gesturing for him to continue further down. The flickering torchlight cast eerie shadows along the dank stone walls of the dungeon. We passed by cells housing tortured Ubuians and human fugitives, their muffled cries echoing in the oppressive darkness.

In the final cell, we found the royal alchemist and the First Prince. The prince was unconscious, arms bound behind him, while the royal alchemist was in a similar state. Both were stripped to white undergarments, their emaciated bodies starkly visible. The runes on the royal alchemist's skin resembled tattoos more than traditional runes. Interesting…

"The concubine's son, Joshua Langs, and his closest aide, Matthijs Geiger…no... Vadek Thaloria, how can I assist you today?"

"Do either of you have any intention of working with me?" Joshua asked, stepping closer to the bars.

The royal alchemist's gaze turned fiery. "You? Free the Ubuians? Peace between Ubuians and humans? Hell no. They've already taken my family, and you want me to forgive these blood-sucking, family-killing, human-torturing bastards?" His voice grew louder with each word, saliva spitting through the bars onto my face. "You can kill me right here."

"How about a different question," Joshua said calmly. "Where is the Langs' Royal Runes collection?"

"And why would I tell you that?"

"Matthijs, are you specialized in torture?" Joshua asked, glancing at me.

"Nope." I shook my head. "Besides, with all these runes engraved on him, there's not much we can do."

Joshua sighed in relief. "Good. Torture's not really my thing anyway," he muttered, casting one last glance at his brother before stepping back.

"I WISH YOU ALL THE WORST! PEACE WAS NEVER AN OPTION! NOT IN THESE TURBULENT TIMES!" The royal alchemist's voice echoed off the stone walls. 

"Joshua, I think he has a point," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder as we began our ascent. "Peace during these times is almost unattainable, especially without sufficient power."

Joshua looked back at me, his eyes unwavering, as if he had absolute conviction and trust in his actions. "We're not giving up on this. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I don't intend to take a single life. That's a pledge I made, and I'll uphold it until the end."

"Then we need to get stronger."

"That's exactly what I'm trying to do, Matthijs. We gather resources and play our cards right."

"No…that's naive. We need overwhelming power—something so formidable that taking over a kingdom becomes effortless, with no risk to lives."

"And how do we achieve that?"

"Uhm, do you know anything about Dwarves?"