Auriel was sitting in the garden of the Weaver mansion, sipping his tea with Elise on his side.
In front of him was a man with an excessively gloomy atmosphere and dead eyes that gazed into his soul. Or Auriel felt like that.
This man had short greasy black hair that fell on his extremely pale face, and dark circles covered his lifeless green eyes. He was wearing a flowing dark red robe with a black cape on his shoulders, which signified that he was one of the bishops of Afterlife Church.
With a glance, Auriel understood that speaking with this man was going to be a big hassle.
He knew that the knights and clergy of Afterlife Church were a bit strange, and 'unique'. Most of them didn't care about others' lives other than men of faith and spreading the religion. And to make matters worse, they were complete loners as they were practicing celibacy.
The reason they practiced celibacy wasn't something about being pure in body and avoiding worldly desires. It just was not to do the act of becoming one with someone else, commonly known as intercourse or sex.
Lovemaking was essentially creating a life and this fell into the domain of the Church of Life, which was stationed in the Dalinnor kingdom where the protagonist, Silas was currently living. And this religion was the opposing religion to the Church of Afterlife.
In short, knights and clergy in the Church of Afterlife don't fuck. Officially.
Auriel assumed that this bishop in front of him was a devoted believer that he shouldn't talk. Hence he decided to not speak more than necessary and finish his job with this dog of the church.
"So, how can I help you, Bishop Kastor?" Auriel asked as he brought the cup of tea to his lips.
"From what I heard, you sent Priestess Sabrina to the afterlife?" Bishop Kastor asked monotonously. There wasn't any ounce of emotion in his voice, it was empty.
Auriel flinched as he didn't like the voice of Bishop Kastor and on the contrary, it gave him chills.
He was about to deny Bishop Kastor's claim, but he remembered Clint's words 'You can stay silent but don't ever lie.' Auriel didn't exactly know the reason for this but he decided to listen to Clint for now.
"It was unintentional, Bishop Kastor," Auriel explained. "My brother and sister called Priestess Sabrina, may she rest in peace, to look at my condition after I lived through an assassination attempt. But she died for some reason that I still don't completely know."
Bishop Kastor nodded as a dark smile appeared on his face, showing his pearly white teeth.
"May Priestess Sabrina find peace in the embrace of our Lord." Bishop Kastor prayed. "She was a faithful sister and it wasn't her time to die but it seems Lord called her to his side."
Then Bisho Kastor lingered a second while looking into his teacup, then sharply turned to Elise. "So, what do you know about how Priestess Sabrina died?"
Elise trembled and tried to hide behind Auriel after hearing Bishop Kastor's emotionless tone that was directed at her instead of Auriel.
Auriel wore a confused expression and coughed into his hands. "I am sorry for the intrusion but Elise wasn't even living in the Weaver mansion when the incident happened."
Bishop Kastor narrowed his eyes at Auriel.
"Did I ask you the question?"
"You didn't but-" Auriel's answer was cut in half by Bishop Kastor as he slammed his hand onto the table.
"Then shut up!"
Immediately Auriel's eyes turned cold as he didn't like to be yelled at by a measly Bishop, not even Archbishop or Cardinal, a fucking Bishop!
"Watch your words BISHOP." Auriel coldly said. "You are nothing in the grand name of Weavers. Do you really think that church will back you after you piss off an heir of the Weaver? Know your place, you are just a bishop, a disposable pawn, nothing more."
Harsh words of Auriel made Bishop Kastor clench his teeth and tremble with anger, but all he did was just sit down.
Bishops were pretty much important to the Church of Afterlife, as most of them were Grandmasters like Bishop Kastor, but they weren't important enough for the church to go into a war with Weavers. That would cause the Macien kingdom to side with Weavers and crush the church while they were weak.
Hence all Bishop Kastor could do was hold his anger and continue to question Auriel.
Auriel answered all of the questions truthfully with an arrogant smirk on his face that boiled Bishop Kastor's blood. Though he didn't forget to omit a few important parts.
Bishop Kastor understood that there was no way for him to get the proper information from Auriel, and turned to Elise. However, he couldn't get a word from Elise, who was acting like a scared kitten that hides behind her owner.
All of these things lasted for more than an hour and it was time for the bishop to leave.
But before leaving he looked at Auriel and Elise. "Show me your abilities. I need to confirm that you aren't a spy of that disgusting church."
Auriel nodded as he knew that Life Church and Afterlife Church were like mortal abilities, hence he found this reasonable.
Though this couldn't be said the same for Elise as she began to sweat profusely while her legs began to shake slightly.
And Auriel noticed this. 'So she has some connection to the Church of Life, huh.' Auriel thought and pushed Elise onto the chair from her shoulders.
"Her ability has a long cooldown and requires sacrifices, so she can't show it right now." Auriel lied naturally and before Bishop Kastor said something, he pulled one of the ethereally black, ominous black strings.
Then he swung this thread in front of Bishop Kastor's eyes like a toy and smiled mockingly.
Though, contrary to Auriel's expectations, there wasn't any annoyance or anger on Bishop Kastor's face, but something different. A pure, child-like smile filled with zeal.