3.17.

Arriving at Dimitri Guild, Sequence was greeted by a confused crowd of knights. Schwii who had been standing before them rushed over the moment she saw him.

"My apologies Sequencee," Ensel appeared from behind and held Sequencee's shoulders.

"Thanks," there was no feeling as if the world spun around him.

"Iona. You weren't affected by the gift too?" Schwii asked.

"I presume no as I lack any symptoms."

"May I? I have a gift which removes system afflicted alliements," Ensel offered.

Iona merely nodded and allowed Ensel to place his hands on her shoulders. There was no reaction or change either.

Lowar and Procto stepped forward.

"Thank you," Procto lowered his head in Iona's direction. Lowar too followed the gesture.

"I was only doing as my master requested."

"Could I ask what happened after the incident?" Procto asked.

"What is the status of the quest? Do I need to pay a penalty for the failure or because the cardinal wasn't killed I won't be receiving the payout in full?" Sequencee returned a question of his own as if to interject.

"The quest?"

"The rewards will be issued appropriately– it would be the minimal rate as stated in the contract." Lowar said.

"Then there's no penalty fee involved, correct?"

"There won't be."

"Right. Then I'll stop getting involved between the conflict of the church and cult. That was the condition for my release."

"What?" Procto blurted as if he couldn't believe it.

"I'm on neither side. Just a mercenary, so the cardinal let me go," Sequencee confessed.

"Where did the cardinal restrain you?"

"Iona, where was it again?" Sequencee signaled with his eyes.

"No comments."

"There you have it. I don't know where the place is because it was so dark; all I know is that Iona helped me get out. The cardinal simply turned a blind eye," he shrugged.

"No. No. That can't be true," Procto glared at Sequencee.

'To process the reward for this quest is a pain..'

The many conflicting practices between the two religions is something Sequencee would never understand. But what stands clear here is that if he gets himself involved in any more than this, there'll come a time where he'll have to pick a side.

"It's up to you to believe if it's true or false. Speaking of which, the two siblings are part of the cult, so there's no reason to spare them if you think they're too much of a threat."

"Ensel, is he really cured?" Lowar asked.

"Yes.. he should be.."

Perhaps Sequencee hadn't realized it, but to them, it looked as if the cardinal had successfully manipulated him to switch sides. Their fears only deepen seeing how the aftereffects of the system spell lasted even after it was dispelled.

===

Total rewards received from the last two quests: 40,500G

Current number of soul points in Sequencee's system: {SOULS AVAILABLE: 30.1}

"Sequencee. I was really worried, you know.."

"My bad."

In each other's embrace, they spoke to one another in his room.

"What did that vixen say?" Schwii asked.

"She's from this religion called the Savior's religion who worships the return of Hero Rika."

"Hero Rika? Hadn't she passed away some five centuries ago?"

"Maybe.. or maybe she found a way to preserve herself. If not, it might just be a random superstitious belief. Though.. I think it might really be possible."

"That the hero is still alive?"

"After all, Shiro's system points are derived from discovering traces of Rika's past."

"Hm.." Schwii pinched a tuft of Sequencee's hair between her fingers.

"It's a guess by this point. And, she's apparently a third year student."

".. That's quite surprising. She was able to best you in magic? That doesn't sound reassuring.."

"Well, that's because I had to protect twenty something knights and mages behind me. I think I could've won if they weren't there."

Schwii nodded. Slowly she pulled away– and closed in.

Leaving a light kiss mark on his lips.

"I heard Leticia tried to help you. Did it work out?"

"Why her all of a sudden?"

"Talk to her after this. She's in a bad mood."

"???"

Schwii got up from bed and straightened out her clothes.

"Iona and I will be leaving now. If you have anything, don't hesitate to notify us okay? Please take care and do your best– love you."

"Right.. love you too Schwii."

When Schwii left the room, Sequencee felt an odd sense of incongruence.

'I need to get stronger..'

Was having strong comrades you can depend on part of what it means to be strong? The answer should be a resounding yes, if not for the fact that Sequencee found it deplorable how he had to always turn to Schwii for help.

She had done everything for him, what had he done for her?

'..And this self blame too..'

After a while, Sequencee got up and left his room.

===

Leticia sat on her bed alone in a quiet room.

Self-deprecation and insufficiency riddled her mind. Recalling the many times in the past where she was ridiculous, scolded and ignored. The doubts people had towards her, the doubts she had towards others– how could someone as weak as her end up with a scholarship?

If not for Nynim, Leticia's student life might've become one of the worst periods of her life.

The only thing she was good at was nature magic. Combat, skills, emotional support, survival– she was dependent on others to fulfill those shortcomings.

As an ex-slave once, she wasn't particularly pertuberted by pain and struggle. What did bother her was how she always dragged other people down.

Could she ever be useful? Why was there always someone better than her?

"Leticia."

Sequencee's muffled voice echoed in through the door.

She grabbed her knees and pulled them together.

"I know you're in there. Can you unlock the door?"

She remained silent as melancholy filled her mind.

"Thank you for the seeds. If not for that, someone would've died."

'You're lying.'

"It also saved me a lot of mana."

'It doesn't matter anyways.'

"When you're feeling better, you can come and talk to me. I've talked to Nynim earlier, and I'll be joining you for any future quests you're taking."

'Why..'

"..."

Leticia pushed her face into her knees.

Her green hair scattered.

'.. He already has Schwii.. so why..'

===

"Are you really not going to divulge anything else? You should recall something from it, can't you?" Procto asked.

"What else do you want to know? The fact that she just told me how the conflict is caused by a difference in ideology?" Sequencee questioned.

"A cult that sacrifices people to fulfill their goals. In what religion is that considered appropriate if not a cult? All beings are equal before the Goddess of Creation Ra, how could they simply take away people's lives like that?"

"I don't deny that it's a cult if you look at it from that angle. As someone who isn't particularly religious, after hearing the explanation from both sides, it just looks to me like a conflict between two factions of believers. As a side note, the other cardinals of this cult are against this cardinal manner of sacrificial rituals."

"Come again? This is a faction war you say?" Procto's voice turned sharp.

"At least, that's how I see it."

".. Blasphemy. People like you are really blind to the truth."

"So be it."

"I see how that cardinal is able to persuade you out of things now. Does that mean you're siding towards them?"

"I simply don't want to get involved with someone who enjoys murdering and occult stuff," Sequencee stated plainly.

"A spectator of crime from afar."

"As a mercenary, people avoid dying every day for a living. That's just how it is."

"Thank you for teaching me something new. Next time I shall refrain from hiring mercenaries to do our bidding," Procto got up from the counter.

Tipping the bar a silver, he left with a sneer.

The true enemy here? There was no true enemy– just a difference in values and wants. Reese who thinks she's contributing to the greater good by raising her influence; the church who wants to stop the spread of another dangerous religion to protect the people.

'That's that.'

"How did it go? It didn't sound too promising to me," Nynim said.

"At least I'm clear from having to do anything related to the church now."

"That's good to know. I really don't like the way that knight managed the thing. You saved their butts yet he's here ranting about their purpose."

'True. While the church's purpose to save people sounds convincing, Reese's personal story was more persuasive because of the human aspect involved.'

"Leticia is still not coming out. Can't you pass me the key or something like that?" Sequencee asked.

"No way. I'd rather she open up the door herself."

"I'm concerned though.."

"She'll be fine. It happens every so often. It's part of who she is– though I wish she could be more confident in herself," Nynim muttered.

"Yeah.."

===

"Leticia and Nynim are not here?"

"Nope," Quora said, stuffing her mouth. "Nynim will accompany her until she's ready to eat. I think this is the worst it's gotten so far.."

"What's bothering Leticia anyways?" Daizo asked.

"Herself," Dorry said as he tore a piece of bread.

"Did she not tell you anything? Quora?" Sequencee asked.

"Nothing. Normally the reason she becomes like this is obvious. Like when she gets scolded by a teammate, or when people talk bad about her behind her back– the normal stuff. She gets back on track after crying a little while."

'So it wasn't really smooth sailing for Leticia the past semester.'

"Maybe she feels guilty that she couldn't do anything. The shock we felt when we heard you went missing– that hit hard. If Schwii didn't come, I think I would've blown up," Quora said with a tee-hee tone.

"Seriously though, how do you come up with plans? These unexpected things occur yet you're able to get yourself out of the situation. Teach me your ways senior–," Daizo pleaded.

"I'm not your senior.. jeez.."

"You're the most experienced in this field compared to all of us," Dorry said.

"Yeah, but you've been in this industry longer than I have."

"Time and experience are two different things."

"Oh right. If you're an A-rank at this sort of age– then it must mean you joined a pretty strong party in the past, right? Where are your party members now?" Daizo asked.

"Dead."

""...""

'Yeah. My mom is dead after all..'

"I see.."

"Sorry for asking, I didn't mean it on purpose.."

"It's fine. Good to get it off my chest anyways," Sequencee sighed. "My mom was once an S-rank adventurer."

".. What? Your mom was an S-rank adventurer?"

"Wait, Anna.. as in The Rending Wind?" Quora's eyes opened wide.