"So, mister, why have you been snooping inside our territory for months?" Esther asked, her star-like eyes glowing inside the dark chamber.
"Won't tell you, kid. Get an adult so I can negotiate my release with him." Elias answered confidently, although he is scared as hell inwardly. 'There is no way this is a newly established religion! These chambers look like they have been used for centuries! Which church has a torture chamber?! He sent me to a demonic cult that was there before the kingdom was established!'
"Hoo, and why do you think you can leave? I can't remember telling you that you even have the option to leave?" Esther questioned with a creepy smile. It really pisses her off if someone calls her a child.
"You don't have a choice, I act on behalf of Mister Gausling. Either you let me go, or you will provoke the ire of Mister Gausling and that will be the cause of your death. You don't know who the true mastermind really is."
"Oh wow, I truly didn't think that fatty and his friends of the Ambrosius Church would make a move so soon. Mind telling me, if fatty lost some weight, after I stole his food?" Esther smirked.
"W-Wh-What?? You know that the Ambrosius Church is behind Mister Gausling?! How?? Why? Why are still here and not leaving the kingdom, no, even if you leave the kingdom the Ambrosius Church will find you! You need to leave the continent! Maybe the beastmen or th-"
"Why should we be afraid if we have the backing of a real God? I thought you gathered Informations about us? And you don't even know that?" Esther interrupted his mumbling
"Naturally, I know that you believe in some new God, but that is all bollocks. Gods don't exist, or the Ambrosius Church would never be able to kill, rape and exploit innocent! You are just like them - a cult of some sort! Look around you! What Church has a torture chamber in the basement?" Elias became furious as he remembered the evil deeds of the Ambrosius Church
"Well, it looks like we share the same opinion about this filth. So why do you still work for them if you don't support what they do? But before I answer your questions, let me show a fellow comrade that we truly believe in an existing God." As Esther finished her sentence, she activated her condenser and the same szene unfolded itself that already convinced many people that her deity truly exists.
Esther closed her eyes, focusing her energy on the men's body. Soft white light emanates from the silver crescent in her hands as she channels the healing abilities.
As the sacred light intensifies, his frail form, caused by extensive malnutrition, began to regain strength.
Tears streamed down his face as he never thought he could feel this warmth again. He lost every hope to reunite with his wife and little girl long ago. But after witnessing how his frail body regained his strength, how his bones vanished beneath his skin, Elias could only cry.
There was no way for him that an evil cult could produce such an holy and warm feeling. It must be the work of an divine being or at the very least a being with good intentions.
"Finally," he thought. Finally, there is hope, hope to reunite with his family and to get back at Gausling and the Ambrosius Church for what they did to him and all the innocent.
Elias fell to his knees and could only beg Esther and whoever being she is worshipping
"Please, Miss, I am sorry for what I said earlier! Please help me rescue my family. I only work for Mister Gausling because he is holding my family hostage! I will do anything for you! So please, I beg you!"
While Elias continued to beg Esther to help him, Kami, who had been watching the conversation since the beginning, has been wondering since the moment Elias entered the Cathedral why a very faint, barely noticeable light surrounds him from the moment he entered the building.
As a last resort, without being able to find a plausible explanation, he hopes to find something in his status
[ Name: Elias Olsson ]
[Age: 23 ]
[ Potential: Sacred Knight ]
[ Occupation: Slum dweller, Spy, ]
[ Skills: Stealing lvl 3, Concealment lvl 1, Observing lvl 5 ]
"System, what's the difference between Sacred Knights and Holy Knights?"
*ding*
[Sacred knights possess unique powers or abilities granted by their deity or their association with sacred objects. They might wield divine weapons, possess healing capabilities, or have mystical defenses.
Holy knights, in contrast, may be characterized by their exceptional moral character, righteousness, and unwavering faith. They display extraordinary courage, display strong leadership qualities, or possess advanced combat skills.]
"I need to have him at all costs! A Knight with Magic! He's just like a Melee Battle Mage! He will dominate the battlefield for sure!", Kami thought and wanted to turn towards Esther, before another notification interrupted him.
[&%$§ ERROR &%&$]
[ Critical System Function Missing ]
[ Attempting Installation... ]
[ Installing...13%...27%...34%...52%...67%...70%...ERROR]
[ Installation incomplete: Unable to install full Divinitas Protocol ]
*ding*
[ System adaptation in progress... ]
[ Due to partial installation, host's autonomy will be restricted to ensure compliance with divine behavior ]
[ Host confinement activated to compensate for incomplete emotional suppression: Direct communication with mortals is now strictly prohibited ]
[ Emotional output capped at 30%: Non-essential emotions will be dampened to maintain divine detachment ]
[ Host movement restricted to sacred zones only: Cathedral Towers, Divine Chamber, and Celestial Meditation Areas designated ]
[ Unauthorized attempts to leave designated zones will trigger corrective measures ]
*ding*
[ Modified Divinitas Protocol (v.70.2) operational: Host behavior will approximate divine standards through enforced confinement and emotional regulation ]
[ May the host fulfill the essence of the divine within the limits provided ]
---
Unaware of what is happening right besides them, Esther continues her interrogation with Elias
"You are lucky, my will Lord ensures you that we will do everything to help you reunite with your family. In return, you will be eternally loyal towards him and will serve him as a soldier of the God of Salvation! You will either fight in wars or secure our borders. Understood?"
Elias stood up and bowed to Esther
"Yes, your Holiness. I will be eternally loyal to the God of Salvation and will do anything you command me to do. Even if I have to kill someone."
[ Name: Elias Olsson ]
[Age: 23 ]
[ Potential: Sacred Knight ]
[ Occupation: Slum dweller, ]
[ Skills: Stealing lvl 3, Concealment lvl 1, Observing lvl 5 ]
"With all due respect, your holiness, how did you know that I was a spy sent by Mister Gausling?" Elias asked, because he still couldn't figure out, how they knew that he was a spy.
"You are truly hopeless. I hope you won't be as bad as a knight as you were a spy... Okay, listen:
First, do you really think that if you question everyone for 3 months about facts that even babies know in our territory, you will remain undetected? Second, every resident in our territory is a believer in our God and goes to the Cathedral to pray every week. And you? You came near it for the first time after 3 whole months! And third, as you may have already noticed, our Cathedral is truly sacred and connects us to our God. Our Holy Knights could easily sense that you share no connection with our Lord." Esther answered honestly.
"You opened my eyes, I was foolish, your holiness. I beg your pardon, " Elias bowed again.
"As long as you know"