Chapter 20: Behind

Sitting on a leather couch, priestess Mala drank the tea served by a maid. She looked at Draon with the same cold gaze, but her lips were curled upwards.

Biting into a piece of bread, Draon handed Mala a thin stack of papers. In the papers, it read 'Spire Construction Material Management'. This was a paper about the ongoing construction of a spire at the Holy Mother Church.

Despite being in line with producing metal wares, this Factory is also involved in constructions and metal production, and hence their involvement in the construction. Draon was untrusting of his aids as he gained information about a spy, and he could not let that spy know the dealings he had on the church.

"So Mala, what does the church need this time?" He asked while leaning casually to the side. In front of the priest, his actions were obviously disrespectful, but he didn't care an inch.

Mala placed down the teacup. "Silver cutlery, Draon. Specifically, a thousand silver spoons and forks, plates, and five hundred candle holders."

Hearing the request, Draon sat straight with a smile on his face. The Church's request was large, but he could handle it. What made him smile was the smell of money. The church is rich, and they would undoubtedly pay handsomely for this.

"I could handle that request, but what is the deadline?"

With a smile, Mala responded, "Ten days."

"WHAT!? THAT'S ABSURD!" Draon got up from his seat and pointed at the absurdity of such statement. No matter how he thought of it, finishing such request in such a short time is impossible.

Mala looked at and simply nodded softly. "If the Factory cannot handle such request, the Church will therefore contact other Companies. So it is recommend that you consider it thoroughly." She commented with a smile.

"Tsk! Is that how you bite the hand that fed you? Threatening with those words, and forcing me to agree." His face hardened.

"That was the advise of the Church, Draon. I can't do anything to that. It is your choice wether to accept the deal or not."

"FINE! Just don't go to those bastards!" He sighed in reluctance.

'You are a bastard yourself.' She commented inwardly, recalling the man at front of her had done to get where he stood now.

"Why is the Church suddenly needing so many utensils anyway? Is someone coming?" Draon spoke after calming down.

"Yes. But even I don't know who it is." She shook her head.

"Fine then, let's negotiate with the price." He sat on the sofa again and gulped the tea.

"The Church offers a deal with 5% above the market price." She stated. She saw Draon relaxedly placing the cup down.

"Ten percent." He offered.

"I am only a spokeswoman, Draon. I can't change the terms set by the Church, and the only authority I have is to influence the prize at a small degree. Six percent." She muttered while showing a conflicted expression, but inside she was grinning.

'I just need to distract him.' She thought.

***

Inside the factory, in a room that resembled an office, two figures cladded with tight-fit white robes from head to toe were carefully opening the drawers.

"Palladian Drealer, I think I found something." Said the other man. He was holding a thin book that had a grey cover.

Drealer popped his head and looked at his companion. "Read it carefully and then copy it, Soone." He said and ducked again behind the table. He fiddled with the papers placed inside.

"Alright." Palladian Soone nodded and scanned the book again to be certain. After a while, he confirmed the connection of the book to a specific individual they were tasked to find.

Sooner held a flat and thin metal card with complicated engravings and placed it above the page he found important. The card glowed and after a minute, he closed the book.

Looking at the card, Sooner wondered how such an tool was developed. He always was curious of Mages, and he wanted to become one. But, his mana was limited to a knight. And hence he chose to serve the Church instead of a Nobility. But he didn't become a Paladin, but a Palladian. A type of Paladin that acts more like spys and assassins.

He briefly remembered his dreams as a child, but he was interrupted by Drealer's exclamation. Hearing his companion, he went over to take a look. And what he saw made him frown.

Necro crystals. These types of crystals are both dangerous and advantageous to a Necromancer. Dangerous because of its ability to possess a person and give untapped strength, and advantageous as it gives the Necromancer Death Mana.

These crystals are frowned and banned by the Church, as the person possessing such an item is certainly connected to the mortal enemy of the Church.

Drealer carefully grabbed the crystals and placed it above a ring in his finger. The ring glowed and the crystal disappeared.

"This confirms it. Draon Actrou is not only connected to the mysterious slaver from Paragon, but also dabbed in Necro Arts." Drealer said.

Palladian Soone nodded in agreement. "May the Holy Mother judge him." He muttered, hoping the man will be burned by the Holy Flames.

"May the Holy Mother judge him." Palladian Drealer repeated, and stood up. He looked at Sooner and signalled with a nod.

They carefully placed the objects they fiddled and left no traces of their existence being in the room. They opened a window beside the room, and quietly left by jumping off. They vanished as they descended.

***

Mala felt the object hidden in her robe vibrate. Looking at Draon, she smiled genuinely. She heard Draon banter again, and this time up to 15% above the market price. She shook her head and bargained again. This was to buy more time for Them to arrive.

***

An hour had passed since the slums saw the woman from the Church. Despite knowing that it was impossible to have the priestess, many men fantasized her as their wife.

This was to take their minds of the life they have, a bit of relief from all the suffering they faced every day. To these men, the sight of such a beauty was enough for them to forget suffering for a short moment.

One of these men that had a smile on the face, Casim. He was a miner and laundress's son. Due to lack of money, he worked for many people for various purposes to feed himself, and it was honestly exhausting. He felt that his life is meaningless and he was only a tool for jobs. He was not happy with what he does, but he still did it to feed himself as he did not have choices.

Thinking about the beautiful priestess, he couldn't help but smile in wonder. What does her hand feels like? Is it softer than silk? Her voice, is it melodious and enchanting? He wondered. For a man like him, a man of the slums, all he could do was dream about it.

Walking towards his shabby house, he sighed while looking at the crude structure. The house was a mismatch of different materials he could obtain. Thinking back of his house and the priestess, he laughed wryly.

He opened the entrance and saw his feline companion — a stray cat. The cat gazed at him indifferently, and turned around.

Looking at his pet, he shook his head. His cat had always been like this, and would often act like the owner of the house instead. But, Casim didn't mind the attitude, as this cat was his only companion.

"Casim, are you home?" Someone called from behind the door. The voice was audibly distressed, which made him frown.

He ran and opened the door. "What's wrong?" He asked in concern seeing the young man, Denny, visibly shaking in fear and anxiety. Looking around the street, he hastily grabbed the kid and dragged him inside.

"Calm down, what's wrong?" He inquired while feeling anxious. He was also affected by the kid's reaction.

'Did he offend some gangs? Or did he steal from people he should not messed with?' He wondered in worry. This kid had been like his brother, but they live apart from each other. He knew Denny was someone mischievous, so he thought he may have offended someone.

"The Church, there's hundreds of white armoured men heading towards Xexus!" Denny relayed in fear. The expression of the kid paled.

"WHAT!?" His eyes widened in shock. Why would hundreds of Paladin come here, were they not searching for the Necromancer in all parts of town? Maybe... the Necromancer is here!

'Calm down. Calm down!' He took deep breaths. Looking at Denny, he was certain the kid was telling the truth. It was not the first time this kid told him some questionable information of who knows where he got, but it would always be reliable.

"Denny, is your stuff packed?" He asked. He was already stuffing his things inside a bag hurriedly.

"Y-Yes..." The kid stuttered in response.

Running around the house, Casim grabbed his cat and stuffed objects to his bag. He didn't care if it was damaged in the process, as mostly all his things are damaged, but he was in great haste.

After the clattering, he slung a heavy sack on his back. "Let's go!" He dashed out the backdoor, and Denny followed behind with anxiousness.

They both ran in haste around the alleys and jumped over the barricades of tattered clothes, and rusted metals. While doing so, Casim focused on his hearing. At the distance, he heard the clanging metal and the shouts of men—the Paladins.

Casim gritted his teeth while thinking about them. He was afraid of what these people would do if they found him. He was not connected to the Necromancer, but he hid a deeper secret than that.

Glancing behind, he saw Denny getting slower by the second. He frowned, and thought why. Slowing down, he grabbed the wrist of the kid and took a look.

Denny winced, but he was unable to resist. He also wondered why he was getting slower, but he did not know the cause. But looking at Casim's grave expression, he felt that something was definitely wrong.

"D-Denny... Don't move." Casim muttered while sweat covered his forehead due to nervousness. He held the wrist and did not dare to move it.

Denny was bewildered by his reaction. They were currently in a small dark alleyway, and they needed to escape the Paladins as soon as possible. Denny knew Casim's secret, at least a portion of it.

Unbeknownst to Denny, in his wrist, there were seven small scars. And Casim knew these scars, and how dangerous it is. Staring at these scars with fear, he began to feel cold in his body.

Denny also felt the sudden change in temperature. He wanted to ask Casim, but seeing his expression, his eyes widened shock. Shock because he knew something horrible was going to happen.

Above the two men, mist started to invade the secluded alley. As the two looked above, they were greeted with the horrifying sight.

Above them, the space seemed to distort and eyes popped out — Hundreds of eyes with colourful irises. These eyes stared down at them with indifference behind the fog.

Thud.

Denny gave in and fell to the ground with horrified expression. Looking at him, Casim clenched his fist and stared intently at the eyes.

"Don't fuck with me, Leviathan. You had your fun, so release us." He growled at the eyes. The eyes arched and seemed amused while looking at him.

One by one, the eyes vanished and the fog disappeared like it never had been conjured.

Casim slung Denny to his shoulder, and ran towards the area he deemed safe from the Paladins.