The city of Oreol.

Located in the southern part of the Holy Kingdom of Jardalk, this city had a population of about 140,000 people.

"Please, go ahead," said the gate guard, allowing a hooded girl to pass after showing the amulet that marked her as a follower of the Irigamite faith. Without much scrutiny, she was let through.

As the girl—Everina Fodd—passed through the towering city gates and gazed at the sprawling streets before her, her mind was occupied not with the scenery but with other, more pressing matters.

(So, this is where Cheza Tamha Borzima is hiding, huh.)

Everina, the former warden of the Hilfe Prison, had traveled a great distance on her own to speak with Cheza Tamha Borzima.

"It's cold here too," she muttered, glancing up at the sky before looking down at the cold, hard earth. While there was no snow, the land was as frigid as frozen ground, making it hard for crops to grow. Most of the city’s food supply came from imports from other countries, as local production was insufficient.

Despite its population rivaling that of a small country, Everina felt an odd lack of vitality in Oreol.

As a candidate for sainthood, Everina could have easily requested an escort and traveled to Oreol safely under the protection of guards. But she chose not to. Preferring to keep her identity hidden, she made the journey on her own, under the guise of a regular follower of the faith. This decision stemmed from a conversation she had had with Yu in the city of Kamar. He had hinted that by investigating Hilfe Prison, the truth about the Holy Medicine could be uncovered.

(I thought it was a ridiculous lie at first...)

But the more she investigated Hilfe Prison and the more she spoke with those who knew about it, the more her once-steadfast faith began to waver. Yet Everina was not the type to give up easily. Her resolve remained firm, and her physical endurance was formidable enough to handle the dangers of such a long journey alone.

Avoiding the bustling central streets, Everina made her way discreetly toward her destination. Eventually, she reached a large mansion surrounded by high walls.

(How could someone own such vast property and not feel ashamed?)

As a follower of the Irigamite faith, which emphasized modesty and humility, Everina found the extravagant estate to be a direct contradiction to the teachings she held dear. Her heart was filled with disdain.

"I’ve been expecting you, Sister Everina," a voice greeted her.

Standing by the entrance was a stout man dressed in luxurious robes and a gown-like coat. His hair was white, and his beard was thick. He must have weighed over 100 kilograms.

(He looks much younger than I expected.)

Though the man appeared to be in his 40s, Everina knew from her research that Cheza Tamha Borzima was actually 91 years old. A common person of his age would struggle to walk, yet this man moved and spoke with remarkable vigor.

"Welcome to my humble abode, Sister," Cheza said with a grand gesture, leading Everina into the mansion.

"I’ve given my servants the day off, per your request for discretion," he added casually as they walked deeper into the house.

"Lord Cheza, isn't this a dead end?" Everina asked as they reached the end of a corridor.

"No, this is exactly where we need to be," Cheza replied with a knowing smile.

He placed his hand on the seemingly ordinary wall, causing a hidden door to slide open, revealing a doorknob. With practiced ease, Cheza inserted a key, unlocking a concealed passage that led to a secret room.

"Surprised? Sometimes, using old-fashioned methods like this is better than relying on magic to hide things," Cheza explained with pride.

Everina’s eyes widened as they entered the hidden room. The lack of windows wasn’t shocking—it was a hidden room, after all. What astonished her was what covered the walls.

"How do you like my trophies?" Cheza asked with a smug grin.

"This...these are tails?" Everina whispered in disbelief.

"Yes, they are! My most prized possessions," Cheza replied with satisfaction.

As Everina had noted, the walls were lined with preserved animal tails of various species, all meticulously treated. To most, it would be an unsettling sight.

"Please, have a seat. I won’t offer you alcohol, of course, as that would be inappropriate for a saint candidate. Tea will have to suffice," Cheza said, gesturing for her to sit.

"I don’t need any refreshments," Everina responded sharply.

For a moment, Cheza’s hand paused as he prepared the tea, and his eyes narrowed slightly. But he quickly resumed his actions, pouring the tea and placing a cup in front of her with a seemingly amicable smile.

"Well, I insist. After all, for someone of your status to come all this way to see me in secret, it must be for something serious," Cheza said, lightly patting his belly as he let out a hearty laugh.

"How do you find it?" he asked again, eager for her reaction to his "trophies."

Everina, though repulsed, gave a neutral response, "It’s… very well done."

Her words weren’t intended as flattery but merely an observation of the craftsmanship in preserving the tails.

Cheza, however, took it as praise. His face beamed with pride, and he clenched his teeth as he exhaled sharply through his nose in excitement.

"I knew you’d appreciate it. Some people like to collect ears, but I find that in poor taste," Cheza continued, his tone growing more animated.

"Ears...?" Everina repeated.

"Yes, yes," Cheza went on, his voice rising with enthusiasm. "Some people have a strange fascination with collecting the ears of long-eared races like elves and dwarves, but that’s just distasteful."

"Wait," Everina interjected. "These tails you’ve collected… they’re from—"

"Beastmen, yes. Is there a problem with that?" Cheza replied nonchalantly.

"You... you monster!" Everina gasped, her body trembling with revulsion.

Cheza looked at her with a confused expression, as if he didn’t understand why she was upset.

"But I do have one regret," Cheza continued, ignoring her horror. "It was about twenty years ago, while I was exterminating beastmen in a forest. There was one that got away, just a young pup."

Everina’s throat went dry as she listened, her body tensing up.

"Wolves are said to be the most loyal creatures, but that’s a lie. I learned that lesson well that day. I killed its mother, held up her severed head, and shouted for the pup to come back if it didn’t want her to die," Cheza recounted with a sickening grin, acting out the scene with his hands.

"But the pup ran. It ran, howling like a coward, and I was left in shock. Where was their pride? Their loyalty? Beastmen are nothing but scum," he concluded, laughing.

Everina felt a chill run down her spine as Cheza’s words echoed through the room. His monstrous nature was laid bare, and the weight of the atrocities he had committed pressed down on her.

"You have no shame as a follower of the Irigamite faith!" Everina finally burst out, her voice shaking with anger.

"Shame? Why would I feel shame? Everything I’ve done has been out of love for my country," Cheza replied, his tone smug.

"Where is the love in this madness?" Everina demanded, her voice growing louder.

"You naïve child," Cheza sneered. "Who do you think has been protecting this holy land for over 1,300 years? It’s been the nobility, spilling their blood to keep the beastmen, elves, and other filth from defiling our lands. We’ve sacrificed everything to protect people like you, so you can preach to the faithful without dirtying your hands."

The sheer weight of Cheza’s twisted logic almost overwhelmed Everina. But it was that very irrationality that allowed her to regain her composure.

(I can’t let myself be intimidated by someone like him.) she thought, resolving to stay strong in the face of his wickedness.

Everina steadied her breathing, silently reciting verses from the Irigamite holy scripture in her mind to regain her composure.

However, Cheza, noticing her calmness, immediately moved to his next tactic.

"I apologize if I got a bit too excited. I don’t intend to oppose or belittle the Irigamite faith. In fact, I already know why you’ve come here," he said with a knowing smile.

"Then—"

"This," Cheza interrupted, placing a small vial on the table.

"And what is this supposed to be?" Everina asked, her voice sharp.

With a theatrical gesture, Cheza clasped his hands together, pretending to be humble.

"There's no need to play innocent. I know you’ve been investigating the Hilfe Prison. I mean, even with your cloak and attempts to hide your identity, a young and beautiful girl like you traveling alone from town to town is bound to attract attention."

Everina remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"So let’s not waste time. I’ve brought what you're after," he said smugly, pushing the vial toward her.

The vial contained a shimmering liquid, clear and slightly glowing. Everina’s eyes narrowed as she examined it. This didn’t resemble the Holy Medicine she knew, which was usually red, blue, or black. This was entirely different.

"What is this vial supposed to prove?" she asked.

Cheza's expression darkened, his patience wearing thin. "This is the Holy Medicine, the very thing you’ve been investigating. Isn’t that what you’re here for?"

"Wait… This is… the Holy Medicine?"

"Yes! Don’t act so surprised. You came here to uncover secrets about the Holy Medicine. Well, here it is! It’s not the foul concoction made from the souls of filthy demi-humans that you might have heard about—no, no. This is the pure, unadulterated version, created from the souls of true believers of the Irigamite faith," he explained, his tone growing more arrogant.

Everina was horrified. The Holy Medicine… made from human souls? Her heart pounded in her chest, disbelief shaking her to the core.

(No… This can’t be true. It can’t be… If this is true, then the medicine I’ve distributed all this time… No, no, no!)

The calmness she had fought to regain unraveled completely.

(And this man… He talks about processing corpses and selling them? How can anyone do such a thing?!)

Everina’s thoughts spiraled in confusion, her body trembling. She felt her throat dry out as her mind raced, and without thinking, she sipped from the cup of tea in front of her. After two, three sips, she suddenly noticed Cheza staring at her with a sinister smile.

"Sister Everina," he began again, his voice low, "I heard a rumor that Archbishop Stella passed away recently."

"Who told you that?" she demanded, her eyes widening.

From her reaction, Cheza confirmed the truth. "So it’s true… Archbishop Stella has passed… Hah… Hahaha… HAHAHAHAHA! She finally kicked the bucket!"

"Cheza! Have you lost your mind?!"

Cheza ignored her outburst, continuing to laugh maniacally. "Oh, I’m perfectly sane, Sister. Stella was the one who was delusional. She thought she could go against my brother over something as trivial as abandoning a town. She got what she deserved!"

"You should be more concerned about your own situation, Cheza," Everina shot back, rising from her chair.

Cheza grinned, unaffected by her threat. "The same can be said for you, Sister," he replied, his tone darkening.

Suddenly, Everina felt a sharp pain in her chest. She coughed violently, blood spurting from her lips and staining her robe a deep red. Her body weakened, and she collapsed to her knees.

"HA! So much for being a saint candidate!" Cheza shouted gleefully, jumping around like a madman. He stepped toward her, placing his foot on the back of her head, forcing her down further.

"You thought you were immune to poison because you’re a saint candidate, huh? But this poison is special—given to me by a man who said it even worked on Stella! And for you, my dear, I didn’t dilute it at all. How does it feel? Hurts, doesn’t it? But that’s the punishment you filthy Irigamites deserve. To me, you’re no different from the demi-humans. You’re all trash. Now, what should I do with you? Let you suffer until you die, or maybe sell you to a slaver?"

Cheza had despised Everina from the moment they met. Her behavior, her attitude, everything about her grated on him. To him, she had no right to act superior to someone of his noble blood.

"Well, I’ve thought it over carefully. I’ll kill you here, for my own safety," Cheza sneered, stepping away to retrieve a hidden sword. But as he reached for the hilt, his body suddenly froze. No, he wasn’t frozen—his entire body was being squeezed by an immense force.

"What… is… happening…?" Cheza gasped, struggling to breathe.

Looking down, he saw a massive hand gripping his body. The pressure on his chest made it impossible to inhale, only allowing him to exhale.

(What… is this?)

He turned his head with great difficulty, and there, standing behind him, was—

"Eva… is it okay to… squish this bad man?" asked a deep, rumbling voice.

A giant stood in the room.

(This is impossible! A half-giant? No… a quarter-giant?)

The giant was about seven or eight meters tall, its enormous body barely fitting in the room.

(How did this creature even get in here? The door was too small for it to… I can’t… breathe…)

The giant’s hand tightened around Cheza’s chest, cutting off his air supply. He struggled to stay conscious, but his vision blurred as his mind raced.

(Help… I need… help…)

But the servants he had dismissed earlier were long gone. There was no one left to save him.

"That’s enough," Everina said calmly, her voice filled with quiet authority.

"Bad man… hurt you… Can I squish him?" the giant asked again, its grip loosening slightly.

"No, it’s fine. Thanks to you, I’m okay now," Everina replied with a soft smile.

(Why is she still alive?!)

The blood on Everina’s robes had dried, and despite the earlier poisoning, she stood tall and unharmed, as if nothing had happened.

"The poison wasn’t as strong as you thought," Everina mused. "Or maybe it’s just deteriorated over time."

(Impossible! That poison worked on Stella, even in diluted form!)

As Cheza’s consciousness faded, he recalled the man who had given him the vial of poison. That man had understood him like no one else, even when no one else sympathized with his loss. Yet, now it seemed that the first batch of poison might have been real, and this one… a trap.

(That bastard… the so-called 'Wandering Savior'… he tricked me!)

The giant, its hand still gripping Cheza, extended him toward Everina.

"There’s a lot I still need to ask you, Cheza," Everina said, her voice cold. "You won’t escape your sins by dying here."

"Wa-wait… let me… explain…"

"Be quiet for a while," she said, cutting him off.

The giant squeezed harder, and Cheza’s vision went black as he lost consciousness.

"Is this good?" the giant asked again, still holding Cheza.

"No, not yet," Everina replied, stroking the giant’s head as if comforting a child. As she did so, she began to think carefully about her next move and the steps she would take going forward.