The Freed Slaves Are Obsessed

Antonious Ortega.

The Pope of the Order of Balance and Harmony.

A former Pope.

Having grown weary of his long clerical life, he voluntarily abdicated his papal duties and set out on a pilgrimage of self-reflection, wandering across the continent.

That was the setting.

While progressing through Elise's story, Antonious eventually returns to the Holy Kingdom, where he and I can cross paths. I figured we'd meet eventually if I stayed put, but Elise brought him to me first.

From the looks of it, Elise didn’t seem to know his true identity. But why did she bring him to me?

Feigning ignorance, I asked,

“Sister? What brings you here at this late hour? And who might this gentleman be?”

“He’s an old man I found wandering the streets. He seemed to have nowhere else to go, so I brought him here.”

“The Holy Kingdom is littered with shelters. Why, of all places, did you bring him to my inn?”

Elise gave a soft smile.

“There weren’t enough vacancies.”

Ah, I see.

That smile was her mischievous one.

I knew it well—she’d worn it often enough to play pranks on me.

She must’ve brought this old man here just to mess with me.

“Tsk tsk, would a shabby old man like me even deserve to stay in such a fine room?”

“Of course, sir. This gentleman here is the kindest soul in the world. He’d never refuse, so please don’t feel burdened.”

“Hohoho, a fine young man, indeed. Then I’ll impose upon your generosity.”

I hadn’t even said anything, yet the two of them carried on, as if they’d gotten my permission. Antonious, apparently satisfied, made himself comfortable.

“Hahaha, the wine here is excellent. I’ll enjoy it thoroughly.”

Wonderful.

The cunning old man helped himself to my wine as if this were his private chamber.

“Let’s see... my cane—”

“You bastard?”

Bastard?

“Yes, I’m certainly kind, but men, especially old men, aren’t part of the deal. You seem close to meeting God; perhaps you should ask Him to reincarnate you as a cute young girl. Then, I’d be more than happy to take care of you.”

“Well, you’re certainly not right in the head, are you? Tsk. What a pitiful fellow.”

Despite those words, he had no intention of getting up. He seemed quite set on clinging to this “pitiful fellow.”

“I’ll leave him in your hands, then. It’s late, and I should retire.”

With that, Elise dumped the heavy burden of a Pope onto me and left. Before departing, she glanced back with a smirk, clearly enjoying my predicament.

“Are you really not leaving? Should I summon the guards to escort you out?”

“Do your worst, you scoundrel. If they find out you enslaved a nun, you won’t escape unscathed either.”

Had he figured it out?

Honestly, these old folks in this world—whether it’s him or others like him—are a nightmare to deal with.

They’re not just people; they’re monsters. Right now, I was sitting across from a monster in the guise of an old man.

But I couldn’t afford to back down.

“It’d be troublesome for you as well if your identity were revealed, wouldn’t it, Your Holiness?”

“Ah, so you knew who I was and still treated me like a vagrant? You’ve got no sense of self-preservation. If I so much as lift a finger, ending you would be child’s play.”

Antonious grumbled like any old man you’d find on the streets.

“So, you’re the one they call the Slave Reaper. And that girl—she’s the slave in question.”

“That’s right. I paid 3,000 gold coins for her.”

“I don’t know what you’re scheming, buying that girl and keeping her as a nun, but I’ll warn you: she’s a pitiable child. Release her.”

Antonious fixed me with a firm gaze.

The atmosphere shifted in an instant.

The wine in my glass quivered.

Goosebumps rose across my skin.

This must be the aura these monstrous beings exude.

But retreating wasn’t an option.

“Release her? After the investment I made? Will Your Holiness reimburse me?”

“If your life is worth less than 3,000 gold coins, you needn’t release her.”

“Haha, I’m no slave. How could I compare my life to a sum of money?”

“Then—”

“Is it because Elise is meant to be a sacrificial pawn for the Order?”

Antonious’s eyes widened.

“How do you know that?”

“There are ways to find out.”

I offered a gentle smile.

No one could possibly know Elise’s true nature.

Even Antonious must have only pieced it together after sensing her vampiric aura in person.

Revealing such things was undoubtedly risky. Already suspicious, I’d only invite further distrust if I exposed too much.

The proper approach was to remain enigmatic, working behind the scenes.

But a calculated risk often yields a higher reward.

In a world teeming with monsters, where I lacked any real power, my survival hinged on my ability to wield words like weapons.

Taking control of the conversation requires an assertive approach.

“If I release Elise, what do you think will happen next? Do you believe she’ll live happily ever after, free and joyous?”

Antonious stayed silent, seemingly waiting for me to continue.

“She’ll continue conning people to survive, just as she always has. She’s not ready to break out of her shell and face the world yet.”

“And you think you’re the one to prepare her for that?”

“That’s the role of her owner, isn’t it?”

Antonious looked at me with a mix of doubt and disdain, as though I were incapable of saving even myself, let alone Elise.

“Unless, of course, Your Holiness has a better plan for her freedom. Surely you’re not asking me to release her without any viable solution?”

“Ahem...”

Exactly.

I could understand his perspective. From his vantage point, I must’ve seemed like a villain who bought Elise to mistreat her.

But he needn’t worry. No one cares more about her well-being than I do.

“So, please, don’t concern yourself with Elise and feel free to leave.”

“Hmm...”

Antonious mulled it over, seemingly unable to come up with an alternative. Finally, he nodded.

“You seem to have made up your mind. Will you leave now?”

“...”

“What are you doing? Still here?”

At my insistence, Antonious finally lifted his heavy frame. But instead of leaving, he lay down on the bed, pulling the blanket over himself.

“Must be my age... staying up late is quite the ordeal.”

The audacity.

This man pulled the covers over himself as though he were in his own bedroom.

Alright, then. Two can play this game.

I opened the window.

“Guards passing by! There’s a man claiming to be Pope Antonious in my room, and—”

Clang!

The window slammed shut as if a violent gust had forced it closed.

Antonious had extended his hand toward it.

“What are you doing? If the window breaks, are you prepared to pay for it, Your Holiness?”

“You insolent wretch. Are you so bored that you’d sell out a defenseless old man?”

“Weren’t you the one who said it didn’t matter if you were caught? What’s the matter now? Getting cold feet? Sweating bullets?”

“Hahaha! Sweating bullets? I must’ve misjudged you. You’re not just crazy—you’re completely unhinged.”

“Thanks for the compliment. You have to lose your mind to survive in this insane world.”

You’re the ones who made me this way.

“So, what will it be? Will you leave on your own, or shall I call a crowd of clergy to escort you out?”

Of course, “escort” wasn’t the right word; they’d likely give him a hero’s welcome. But to Antonious, it was all the same.

Antonious clicked his tongue repeatedly, glaring at me with undisguised irritation.

“Fine. Just this once, I’ll make you a deal. If you’re ever in need of help, I’ll lend you my aid.”

“Are you sure you can keep that promise?”

“Only if your request doesn’t disrupt the balance. How about that?”

It was quite the generous offer.

Even though he had abdicated, having his support could be immensely beneficial.

Using the authority of a former Pope just to secure lodging—how absurd.

Well, he’s probably planning to keep an eye on Elise.

Her existence was a stain on the Holy Kingdom’s reputation, an enduring regret for Antonious.

There was no way he could leave her unchecked.

“If Your Holiness is willing to make such a concession, it would be rude of me to refuse. I accept.”

“Bah. You’re late in learning manners, you scoundrel.”

***

A Dark Chapter Known to Few High Clergy

The experiment involving the nun candidates—an unspeakable secret.

Consumed by excessive zeal, they sought to create a being of perfect balance, abandoning morality and leaving innocent children as casualties of their hubris.

Antonious had stepped down from his position as Archbishop out of guilt and a sense of responsibility.

The higher he climbed, the further he drifted from the people. He had reached a place where he could grasp the stars, yet the ground beneath him had vanished from view.

And so, Antonious embarked on his journey.

He traveled across the continent, pondering the true nature of balance and order, while searching for the children who had been sacrificed.

One day, in Haarlem, he heard a rumor about nuns being sold into slavery. Who would dare traffic in nuns under the protection of God?

He rushed to Haarlem but arrived too late. A man known as the Slave Reaper had already purchased the nun.

The irony was that a “saint” was with them.

Learning that they were headed toward Kassilon, he returned to the Holy Kingdom.

Years had passed since he’d last set foot there. On the surface, the Holy Kingdom seemed unchanged, but beneath the facade, /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ it teetered on the edge of chaos.

By chance, Antonious encountered Elise.

A pitiable child, irreparably scarred by misguided faith. Should he consider it a blessing that she’d survived at all?

At the same time, he realized:

She was the nun sold in Haarlem.

And she was now in the grasp of that despicable Slave Reaper.

Antonious tried to rescue Elise, but it wasn’t as simple as he’d hoped. The Slave Reaper was a man even Antonious couldn’t fully grasp.

Despite being human, he had received the blessing of the World Tree, the Elven guardian deity. Many other enigmatic beings also protected him.

Acting recklessly wasn’t an option.

So, Antonious decided to observe.

If the man stepped out of line, he’d intervene then.

At least, that was the plan.

“Here you go, old man. Hold this sign and give a thumbs-up.”

‘Even a former high priest of the Order of Balance and Harmony acknowledges the Reaper Church. Want to join? Smash that like button.’

This lunatic was using a former Pope as a marketing gimmick for his cult.