The splash of blood on her cheek was just the beginning. Serafine wiped it off with a lazy swipe of her fingers, examining the smear like it was some cheap paint. She didn't flinch, she didn't gag. Honestly, she felt more annoyed that it had dared ruin her face.
"They just don't make men like they used to," she quipped, tossing a glance at the carnage.
The tavern floor was a mess of overturned chairs, broken mugs, and bodies sprawled in various dramatic poses. Blood pooled and splattered everywhere, creating an unintentional abstract masterpiece on the walls. If someone walked in now, they'd think it was a butcher's shop gone wrong. Except, of course, for the saintess standing calmly in the middle of it all, dabbing her cheek as though this was her morning skincare routine.
"Lady Saintess, this is…" Calix's voice wavered as he bent down to inspect the nearest corpse. He had a cloth in hand and was… cleaning? Oh no, wait. He was turning them over and… doing something unspeakable to their faces.
"Uh, Calix?" Serafine leaned closer, watching him with morbid curiosity. "What exactly are you doing?"
Calix gave her a nervous glance, his sky-blue eyes wide. "Oh, just… tidying up. They're dead anyway, so I figured… might as well repurpose them."
Serafine blinked. "Repurpose? Like a DIY project?"
"Exactly!" he chirped, far too cheerfully for someone elbow-deep in corpse maintenance.
To her absolute horror, the "repurposing" involved stripping their faces—leaving behind smooth, faceless heads that looked like horrifying mannequins—and then doing some kind of weird magic that made the bodies jerk upright like puppets. The end result? A small army of faceless zombies swaying awkwardly in the tavern.
"Ta-da!" Calix beamed, clearly proud of himself. "Now they're harmless. See? No weapons, no thoughts, no… well, faces."
"No faces, Calix?! Are you kidding me?!" Serafine hissed, backing away from the twitching abominations. "What am I supposed to do with an army of faceless zombies? Play charades?"
"Oh, no need to thank me," Calix replied, brushing some nonexistent dust off his hands. "They'll clean up the mess and then wander off into the woods. Completely biodegradable."
Serafine groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This… this is why I'm stuck babysitting you, Calix."
Meanwhile, the woman—the lovely, curvy tavern keeper whose name Serafine hadn't bothered to ask yet—was trembling behind the counter. Her eyes darted between the saintess and the grotesque scene as though questioning her life choices.
"Don't worry, darling," Serafine cooed, casually stepping over a severed hand to approach her. "All this blood? Not yours. Promise."
The woman didn't look convinced, but Serafine placed a reassuring hand on hers, flashing a dazzling smile. "I couldn't stand to see someone like you hurt. You deserve so much better than…" she gestured vaguely at the corpses, "this mess."
The woman blinked, her trembling slowing just a fraction. "R-Really?"
"Absolutely," Serafine purred. "You deserve someone who sees your worth, who treasures you for the gem you are. Someone who… appreciates your generous… assets." Her gaze lingered a little longer than necessary, and the woman blushed, her fear giving way to flustered confusion.
"Y-You think so?" she stammered.
"Oh, I know so," Serafine replied smoothly, leaning in just enough to be intoxicating without being invasive. "And if you stick with me, I'll make sure you never have to deal with men like him again." She tilted her head toward the faceless zombie that had once been the woman's husband.
"You… you'd do that for me?"
Serafine took her hand, holding it gently but firmly. "Darling, for you? I'd burn down the whole damn tavern."
Calix, who was trying to sweep up blood with a broom he'd found, muttered under his breath, "That's… not comforting."
Ignoring him, Serafine continued to pour on the charm, her politician instincts kicking into high gear. She spun a tale of how she was a misunderstood wanderer, cast out by corrupt officials, and now on a quest to bring justice to the downtrodden. The woman's eyes sparkled with hope, her fear dissolving into admiration. It was almost too easy.
As the woman gazed at her with newfound devotion, a familiar golden screen appeared in Serafine's peripheral vision:
[Ruination System Notification] Mission Complete: "Break Their Bonds" Reward: 100 Ruination Points. Bonus: 10 Ruination Points for exceptional theatrics.
Serafine smirked. "Well, that's a nice little cherry on top."
But the system wasn't done yet. Another notification popped up:
[New Feature Unlocked: Belief System] Description: You now have the power to gain strength through believers. The more people who worship or follow you, the stronger your Ethos and Soul Sigil will become. Steal faces, grow your following, and harness the power of devotion to ascend to greater heights.
Serafine's smirk turned into a full-blown grin. "Oh, now this? This I can work with."
"Lady Saintess?" Calix's hesitant voice broke through her thoughts. "Why are you smiling like that? It's kind of scary."
"Oh, nothing," she said breezily, tossing her hair. "Just planning our next move. Let's go, darling," she added, turning to the tavern keeper. "You're coming with us."
The woman blinked. "M-Me?"
"Of course," Serafine said, linking arms with her. "Someone has to keep us grounded. And besides, you're far too lovely to stay in a place like this."
As they stepped over the last of the bodies and headed out into the night, Serafine's mind raced with possibilities. Faces to steal, followers to gain, power to amass… The Ruination System had just turned life into her own personal chessboard, and she couldn't wait to start playing.
Behind them, the faceless zombies shuffled off into the woods, their empty heads bobbing like strange, macabre balloons. Calix hurried to catch up, glancing nervously over his shoulder."Lady Saintess, are we… really just going to leave them like that?"
"Why not?" Serafine replied with a shrug. "They're eco-friendly now. Nature will handle the rest."
Calix sighed. "I really hope you know what you're doing."
Serafine's grin widened. "Oh, Calix, trust me. I always know what I'm doing."