Fuu. The sigh escaped before I could stop it, as if the tension building inside me needed a way out. Who would've thought that debt wasn't the only thing I was carrying? Days had passed, but my mind kept circling back to the same place: my conversation with Vorax.
"Still thinking about that sin eater?" Aria's voice cut through my thoughts, sharp and knowing.
"Is reading minds another one of your holy powers?" I replied without looking at her, trying to sound more relaxed than I felt.
"Of course. Why do you think I don't let you manage my savings?"
Her jab caught me off guard, dredging up memories of that "business opportunity" I had once pitched to her.
"Hey, that was a solid investment," I protested.
"Solid enough that I didn't lose all my money," she shot back with a smug grin.
For once, I had nothing to say. My gaze drifted to the bus window. Outside, the scenery was as barren as my attempts at justification: dry fields, wind-bent trees, and a gray sky that promised nothing good.
After our meeting with Vorax, Aria had practically dragged me out of the Paradise, cutting short a deal I was making with a dancer—a deal that, in my mind, would have set me up for early retirement. But no. Here we were, en route to some remote village, following the Church's orders as always.
When we arrived, the place was worse than I'd imagined: dirt roads, crumbling houses, and an air of decay hanging heavy in the atmosphere.
"You know, sometimes I think you're not as important as you claim to be," I said to Aria, motioning toward the decrepit excuse for a building that was supposed to be our home.
"The Church isn't exactly known for its love of material possessions," she replied, her tone so pious it almost convinced me.
"I'm not asking for a mansion, just something that doesn't smell like... this."
Aria rolled her eyes and dropped our bags with a frustrated sigh.
"For a so-called renowned exorcist, you sure complain a lot," she said, mimicking my tone perfectly.
"Screw you," I muttered, walking off toward the village. I'd heard rumors about a nearby tavern—my only hope for salvaging the day.
The tavern's interior was a reflection of the village itself: grimy tables, dim lighting, and patrons who looked more like shadows than people. I headed to the bar, but something in the far corner caught my eye.
A hooded figure sat there, motionless. Their eyes glowed faintly, almost unnaturally.
"New in town?" the bartender asked, dragging out his words as he wiped a glass with a worn-out rag.
"Unfortunately. Give me the strongest thing you've got."
He nodded, but my attention stayed fixed on the figure in the corner. There was something unsettling about their presence, a quiet menace that seemed to radiate from them.
"Trouble already?" Aria's voice startled me. She'd appeared behind me, somehow hauling our bags and clearly annoyed.
"No trouble. Just curiosity," I said, nodding subtly toward the corner. But to my surprise, the figure was gone.
Aria frowned, her body visibly tense.
"What did you see?"
"Nothing. Or no one." My reply sounded unconvincing even to me.
The bartender placed my drink in front of me, his voice dropping to a whisper:
"If you're planning to stay here, be careful. There are things best left unseen… and unheard.