Are You a Divine Being?

While his heart ached, Jack decided to give Leslie the time and space she needed to digest her mother's story. He had to admit this was heavy stuff, as even he as an outsider, felt like beating up her father.

He was left with a still teary-eyed Jade, and Jack wasn't exactly sure what to do. His consort just ran off to collect herself, so he couldn't comfort her. So, Jack could only do the next best thing.

"Jade... I know it's a waste of words to say not to worry about such an issue, but I did want to let you know, if you want to talk about it. I am here." Jack could only say helplessly.

Jade sniffled a bit, "That's alright. This isn't something that should burden you. I'm just an old lady who made poor choices."

"That's not true. If you didn't have Leslie... Then I wouldn't have a consort... Right?" Jack said rather matter of fact, but was quickly countered.

"But how many ladies would want to die again to be your Consort? You've always been the most eligible bachelor in the kingdom." Jade finally laughed for a moment, though it was a slightly wretched sounding laugh after crying.

"Ahhhh?" Jack found it hard to counter this.

"I know what you're trying to say, but only being thanked for having a child doesn't really cheer me up you know?" She said again with a voice of laughter, that was gradually recovering some vigor.

"Well, does it help for me to say that I think you're a great conversationalist, and have vastly better social skills than me?" Trying to compliment Jade, he could only find these words.

"So, I talk a lot? That's what your trying to say?" She put on a slightly unhappy face, though it looked a lot sadder with the tear stains on her cheeks.

"Alright, how about I tell you that I think you're pretty." Jack was at the end of her rope here...

"Even if I believe you, which I don't, there is no woman that doesn't like compliments on her looks." Jade made a better face. She stood up to go to the side of her room. From her luggage she had brought, she fished out a makeup cloth, and cleansed her face. She knew that she must have looked like a wreck... And she looked like this in front of The Holy Witch King no less.

"It's true. I do think you're a very pretty lady." Jack didn't like that she didn't believe him, and so pressed the issue.

Finishing her face, she came back to sit down, "You do?"

"I do. So, you shouldn't feel too worried. With looks and a personality like yours, you can definitely get a better husband." Jack nodded his head.

"Who would want a widow?" Jade made a displeased face, despite feeling slightly happier inside her heart.

"Does anyone even pay attention to that when it comes to a pretty lady. It's a wonder you haven't been snapped up already." Jack continued.

"...I'm going to ask you a question... Could you answer it?" Jade asked, while looked intently into the flaming eyes of the Witch King. These eyes always got her.

"Ah... Okay?"

"If you hadn't met my daughter... Would you court me?" Jade asked in almost whisper of a voice.

[WHOA!] Jack couldn't stop his mind from going... Where did this question come from!? How does he answer this he wondered? His mind was in full swing!

[If this was a manga... How would I answer??? I would... I would just tell the truth. Fine!] Jack made up his mind, quickly.

"If I didn't know Leslie, and I knew you instead... I would indeed court you." Jack decided that the truth as it could set him free.... Or damn him to hell.

"I want to say your lying... But does The Holy Witch King lie?" Jade asked while her face blushed.

"Everyone is able to lie, but I can at least say I am not lying." Jack said with confidence.

Jade must have felt his confidence, as she nodded her head.

"Alright. I'll think on it."

[Think you what?!] What did this mean... What was she going to think on...? Did he just stub his toe?

Before Jack could ask her, Jade changed the topic, "If I could be bolder still, I'd like to ask a favor. That is... if you could grant me one."

Taken back, "Of course. What is it that you need?"

"Well it's actually the girls I brought with me. Like you suggested, I proposed for them to become my hand maidens, but they refused."

"Well... It's not something We can force." Jack could only reply.

"No, it's not that they don't want to per say, it's because they don't feel worthy. In fact, they feel issue with staying here in the first place They believe that they are too sinful to stay here in the Holy Palace."

"Too sinful?"

"Well... I mean, you know what they did for a living. They feel they are tainted, and not worthy of a place to stay here in the palace." Jade said helpless with the matter.

"I see. I said they can stay here, but they refuse to listen... And this is because they believe they have sinned so badly, they are unworthy of Me or the Holy Palace. That about sum it up?"

"That's exactly right." Jade nodded her head.

[Should I introduce absolution? I can't clear the sin on their souls, but I can make them think I did...] Jack mulled it over in his head. Sin could only be absolved by the Creator or a divine being. A white lie to help them recover and reform, but it was founded on a lie, after all. Could it be harmful, but then again What harm would it do?

In all of Jack's readings on the soul, in cultivation or in his faith, he hadn't read up on how to detect sin. In fact, this was a question he wondered. How did undead know there was sin marked on the soul to begin with if you couldn't detect it.

Jack could only figure that at one time they were able to, but it was lost to the passage of time.

[Fine... A white lie to fix their life.] Jack came to a decision.

He looked to Jade, as he spoke, "I will absolve their sin."

Jade snapped to look at Jack... While she wasn't super religious, she knew quite a bit about the Faith of Deagoth... but she had never heard of absolving.

"What is absolving their sin mean?" Jade stared intently at Jack.

"It means I can and will remove their sin. If I remove their sin, it will be a spiritual rebirth for them, and they would be worthy of working here as your hand maidens and remain in the Holy Palace." Jack said resolutely

"You can do that?"

"I can."

"...I've never heard of this before; why isn't this a thing?" Jade said speechlessly.

"Well... I've improved my connection with the Holy Light. It's only now I can do this." Jack said a half-truth here.

"Oh." Jade wasn't really into cultivation study or anything like that, "So when should we do this 'absolving.'"

"Hmmmm. If they want, We can do it right now." Jack said lightly.

"I'll call them then. The sooner the better." Jade nodded.

"Alright. Let me get the Grand Minister. He will greatly aid Us." Jack said as he contacted Lucius, [Lucius can you hear me?]

[...I can always hear you, haha!] Lucius responded in a happy mood.

[Oh ho! What's put you in such a fine mood?]

[Your cultivating illuminated the sky above Saigunrai all day! It doubled church attendance!! We had record turn outs for the past thousand years. I was even beginning to believe we were in decline.]

[Oh...? Well. That's great!] Jack figured as the supreme pontiff he should be happy about this, but he needed to get to what he wanted to tell Lucius.

[Lucius do you know about absolution?] Jack decided to start with this question.

[...Yes... What have you done?] Lucius sounded in Jack's mind with a grim tone.

[No, no, no. Not me. Jade, Leslie's mother, brought with her some ladies that use to work... Well they worked in a Grimnight brothel.]

[...Okay...]

[I suggested that they become the hand maidens of Jade, and work here in the palace. Jade seems to be very attached to them.] Jack went on.

[Well that's not a bad suggestion, but is that really proper with their previous work?] Lucius couldn't help but comment.

[And that's what the absolution is for.]

[Jack... Only the Creator or a divine being can grant absolution...] Lucius said rather flatly.

[Don't worry about that Lucius. I can absolve them.]

[What?!] shocked, Lucius could only question.

[Yeah. With my connection to the Light, I can absolve.] Jack said some interesting things here.

Lucius mulled it over in his head. He had to say that with all the funny effects surrounding Jack... The Angel of death... The smaller angels of death that time he lit up the whole sky... The beacon of light this morning, and the occasional out burst from him that would produce sparks of Light... His flaming eyes...

[Jack... Are you a divine being now?] Lucius had to ask the first question that came to him after he thought this over.

[I wouldn't say that. I just have a stronger connection with the Light. I'm sure when others here have a connection as strong as mine, they would be able to do the same.]

[Humble!] Was the only word that Lucius could think of to describe what Jack just said. If Jack could absolve sin, then he had to be a divine being. A divine undead! A Holy Undead!

[So, you wish to absolve these ladies of sin, so they can work in the palace?]

[Yes. They feel they are unworthy of Me and the Palace. I can fix this up.]

[Understood.]

[Any suggestions to where to hold this. While I can do this anywhere, I'm sure the ladies would feel better if it was more official feeling.] Jack went on.

[Well, here in the Grand Cathedral would be the best choice, or the Court as a second.]

[Yeah. The Grand Cathedral has a bit of a ring to it, doesn't it.] Jack said nodded his head. Only Jade could see Jack just nodding his head and doing nothing else. She could only guess he was talking to someone.

[Alright. I was just about to head out, but I'll await your arrival.]

[Okay... Could you send some priests to escort us over?] Jack asked this, but his intentions were only clear to himself. He had no idea where the Grand Cathedral was in the City.

[Only Priests? I'm sending a force of Holy Dead Templars to escort you!] Lucius felt slightly uneasy about Jack leaving the Holy Palace, even if it was just across the square to the Cathedral.

[Thank you, Lucius.] Jack said some heart felt words. This could only be this smooth because Lucius could lend his aid.

[It's what I should do. Don't mention.]

Jack looked over to Jade, "Gather your ladies together, and bring them-" A knock sounded on the door of Jade's room.