A Familiar Voice of Karma
It was a familiar, benevolent voice laced with karma.
Lucia and Bell whipped around simultaneously.
"Priest?"
Lucia blurted it out thoughtlessly, then realized her mistake and hastily covered her face with her scarf.
"You must be seeing things."
Her strange voice made Bell clutch her head, while the man called Priest chuckled softly and descended with a gentle laugh. His serene smile and unhurried steps carried an otherworldly holiness.
How did he recognize us?
Bell scanned him carefully. His eyebrows, the shape of his eyes, his gait—nothing aggressive. A calm aura enveloped him, proving the title of Priest was no exaggeration.
"H-how did you know?"
The startled Lucia asked, and Raphael placed a hand lightly on her head once he'd reached the bottom of the stairs. He stroked the scarf fabric tenderly.
"I could tell just from your walk, Lucia. You're always so bright."
An expression bordering on awe lit up Lucia's face. Bell, figuring it was all for the best anyway, gave a short bow in greeting.
"Hello."
"Hello. I am Raphael, Priest of this church, though I am unworthy. You've had a long journey."
Bell looked up, meeting his eyes. At the mention of the long journey, she untied her scarf without hesitation—no point hiding anymore. The priest already knew Lucia was a proxy, after all.
"Captain Tiny Bell, dispatched from Lumen Guard."
Meeting the priest was actually a stroke of luck. A direct line to question about the situation.
Raphael bowed deeply at her words.
"Thank you for your efforts. You're chosen like Lucia, I see."
His expression remained gentle, but a faint sadness lingered somewhere in it. Catching that, Bell couldn't help but ask.
"I'm not sure I've done anything worthy of thanks. Chosen? What do you mean by that?"
Raphael hesitated for a moment. Then he turned to her and spoke softly.
"That Lucia became a proxy... I see it as proof she's loved by God."
He seemed exhausted choosing his last words, his gaze dropping briefly before rising again. A shadow of guilt flickered in his eyes.
Only then did it click for Bell. The process by which Lucia became a proxy. The pride instilled in her then, and the crushing responsibility weighing her down now.
So that's how he comforted her. But that expression... He doesn't seem like the type to lie outright.
As Lucia's mentor, Bell knew better than anyone. Proxies were supposed to volunteer. But Lucia was different. It had flashed through Bell's mind before—that she'd been pushed into it.
Bell narrowed one eye. Her conviction grew: not just the Intelligence Analysis Department, but the church itself was entangled with Rain Code. And annoyingly, Kyle Walker's guess was right. Luminot was involved.
But Bell clamped her mouth shut. She had no intention of grilling him here and shocking Lucia.
Raphael smiled gratefully at the silent Bell, nodding ever so slightly as if thankful she'd seen through it.
In that moment, Raphael faintly recalled that memory.
Raphael buried that memory deep in his chest and returned to the present. He smiled quietly at Lucia.
Lucia gazed at him anxiously and asked cautiously.
"Priest, everything really will be okay, right...?"
Noticing her eyes flick toward the militia, Raphael forced a gentle smile and shook his head.
"Just a momentary excitement, Lucia. Things will calm down soon. I'll tell everyone at the upcoming mass to stop all radical actions. Don't worry."
Lucia wanted to ask more, but Raphael patted her shoulder softly with a regretful look.
"Sorry. I can't talk longer. I have somewhere to be. Let's speak again next time."
Feeling the distance in his demeanor, Lucia descended the stairs first, disappointed.
Bell moved to follow, but Raphael's gentle voice held her back.
"Captain Bell, was it?"
"Yes."
Bell turned slightly to look at him. The rank of captain ill-suited her small frame as a proxy. Raphael felt an involuntary bitterness.
And the stories Cheisi had told him about the Grand Marshal. What Kseszbet was scheming now. His faith felt eroded.
"Could we speak privately sometime? Mass is tomorrow."
"You're asking me alone, so it's something Lucia shouldn't hear?"
"It's... something I'd rather she not know."
"I'm as good as a soldier. If I try to hide it, it won't stay hidden."
Bell averted her eyes from Raphael's. He replied with an apologetic expression.
"Still, you care for Lucia. You should know first."
Raphael recalled how Lucia had stuck close to Bell the whole way down the stairs, smiling faintly. Outwardly cheerful but inwardly deep—there must be a reason she trusted her.
And this proxy before him was the "Red Eye" from the proxy info Cheisi showed. The youngest, a 0th Generation like the Grand Marshal, White Wolf, and Shatter Light.
He could hardly believe such power dwelled in that petite girl. But his shoulders were too heavy to rely on God alone now.
He wanted help from this small proxy, at least.
"Details tomorrow."
As Raphael finished, Lucia's slightly sulky gaze turned to them. Bell nodded at his earnest expression and hurried to her side.
Heading back to the Management Bureau with Lucia, Bell couldn't shake Raphael's worried look.
Cheisi chased after Kseszbet, moving swiftly. She'd stormed out to cool off, but couldn't hold back anymore.
What had she said to Priest Raphael?
Cheisi knew what Kseszbet had done—from Raphael himself. No, she'd suspected it. Ever since Patrick Beloche uncovered the truth from his wife's death.
Yet she'd stayed silent. Even when Patrick suddenly met with an accident, sensing something off.
"Damn it. Damn it!"
Cheisi muttered angrily under her breath. Buildings blurred past; greetings from people went unnoticed.
The militia building had been renovated into something like a military outpost.
Cheisi flung the door open. Cigarette smoke, floating holograms, mercenaries with weapons. As a former commander, she could gauge their numbers easily. This was no mere church guard militia.
They'd crossed a line sometime ago.
"Lin Kseszbet!"
Swallowing her rage, Cheisi approached Kseszbet, who was shedding her robe amid the militia.
Kseszbet, whispering to them, paused at Cheisi's approach and grinned shamelessly.
"What brings you here, Cheisi?"
Lin laughed as if amused. Cheisi glared stiffly.
"Disband the militia. Now."
"Pfft—what?"
Lin burst out laughing; the militia glanced startled, then joined in.
One said, "Vice Priest, good one."
Cheisi shot back coldly at the chuckling man.
"Not a joke. Since when have you been arming up like this? Planning a war?"
As the militiaman faltered, a grizzled one replied.
"Vice Priest, rumors say Harkens are gathering around Shtafenberk."
"Lies. Even if true, we're escalating forces—so of course they react."
Lin smirked inwardly. Erasing facts from minds would take time. She watched Cheisi enjoyably.
"But Shtafenberk massacred our kind before. And he's a proxy. If he snaps, how do we stop that monster?"
"Hah—Shtafenberk isn't like that."
As Cheisi frowned subtly, Lin smirked and interjected.
"Can you guarantee it? Colluding with him?"
"What are you—"
"This militia protects the Priest, you, and all Bonac people. You're belittling their efforts?"
Cheisi countered smoothly.
"Excessive visible force breeds backlash. One spark could ignite everything."
"The Bureau isn't mediating—aren't you undermining self-defense?"
Snake of a woman, Cheisi thought, composing herself.
"Always grateful for the militia's work. As Vice Priest, I provide all support needed. Lin, aren't you belittling me?"
"Oh, sorry. My rudeness to you, Vice Priest."
"You seem sensitive about those Harken rumors. Care for some air?"
Cheisi smiled expertly and headed for the door. Lin covered her mouth, stifling laughter, and followed.
They reached a deserted alley. Cheisi immediately glared and snapped.
"You're plotting madness, Lin. What made you so desperate?"
"Aw, upset the militia won't disband on your whim~?"
"You set it up that way. Planted people."
Lin giggled.
"People just need belonging and pride—they motivate themselves. I just nudged."
"Not even hiding the nudging. That's why the Bureau didn't mediate?"
"Is Director Remar in on it?"
"Oh? Insulting the Bureau? I won't answer such rudeness."
Cheisi ground her teeth. Raphael trusted Remar. She assumed he was uninvolved.
But if the Bureau's non-intervention birthed this overarmed militia? Would barrier chief Remar not know? All reports verified through Aria.
If even Remar was deceived—or not—the church would be obliterated in the clash. Cheisi sensed it instinctively.
Hiding her trembling heart, she enunciated clearly.
"Luminot. That drug. I knew you were picking fights with the military over it."
"Oh? So you ignored and helped me? Figured you noticed eventually."
"Wasn't helping you. I just... no more of that."
Cheisi shuddered, recalling the bloodied Grand Marshal from total war. But her eyes sharpened.
"Needed power to stop it."
"Stealing Luminot? How to recruit subjects? Process them?"
Lin cackled, smirking.
"Acting noble. You're just like me. You let it slide, hoping a Luminot-compatible kid appeared. If not for Raphael's yapping, one did—Lucia?"
Cheisi snapped.
"Don't make me laugh. Unlike you, sacrificing innocents in clashes."
Just needed power to counter that unbound blade. Freigel's massive barrage flashed in her mind. Cheisi blinked hard to refocus.
Even that failed. Raising proxy kids secretly—could they act like holy knights against such might? What delusion?
Buried doubts tore at her. Was it obsession? Illusion of freedom?
Then Lin's words stabbed like a dagger.
"The Lildar goddess punishing a vice priest like you."
Cheisi seized Lin's collar.
"Shut up, Lin. That false prophecy of the red-haired knight's death—you spread it. Why? Knew too much, needed handling? Awkward with your position?"
Lin smirked, then glared coldly—not angry, but like eyeing a bug. Trivial, killable.
Cheisi flinched momentarily; Lin shook off her hand with proxy strength. Startled, Cheisi stepped back.
Lin glared icily.
"How dare a mere human."
Her words dripped razor threat. But veteran officer Cheisi held her glare.
Lin blinked, then smiled amiably.
"Impressive. My power's just this threat, but a normal person would've knelt."
"Knew you were Bureau's dog, but a proxy? Report to Bureau—what happens? Lumen Guard proxies won't spare you."
Cheisi was certain Lumen Guard wasn't Lin's ally. Hence the rush to contain. Not their intent. Grand Marshal—if not his doing, why? She dismissed the unanswerable.
Kseszbet stared, then laughed maniacally, echoing grotesquely off walls.
"They're military—Bureau, government. As you know. Barriers have systems now."
Cheisi's face hardened. Lin's voice dropped dangerously.
"No evidence on me, Cheisi. Just fallout for you."
Kseszbet sneered, closing in. Her black eyes gleamed, nearly touching Cheisi's face.
"Truth? I personally despise Bonac folk. Your fake kindness grated. Sick of it. And... think you can beat a proxy? Delusions have limits."
Cheisi panted in rage, shoving—but Lin was steel-solid, unmoving. Cheisi gasped.