RD | Chapter 47

“This way.”7297e0da35838244

Keith took the lead, 1c75101e2d guiding them to the f733b6443b Vatican.0658617c95397ee3

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“This is the 13b14e3291 Vatican, the sanctuary f884fa092c that serves God.”40177d036da9745c

The moment Keith 81e35ed62f turned back to 805b1105f5 look at Ian c6532e0fa4 after speaking, he eafde25bae froze in place.f63afbe908358fcd

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“Knew it.”db011ba509b14f48

Ian had anticipated 739be6a657 this from the 6011875fd3 moment they decided 1af3d2e2f8 on this route, 138e5d7c31 but he hadn’t 1880bd8109 mentioned it to e61f30b82f Keith. To Keith, the 43ecf4f380 Vatican probably seemed dccca8309f like a paradise b2b14109ff on Earth.a17ebc37f6357854

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But in 9aabda28eb Keith’s original d7a7016772 route, the aaaf29e7cb Vatican, after 05ab1d6915 his disappearance, 3c7a842405 had turned c690d1faa3 into a 91a8594d4d desolate ruin. It became a dead 1b18ce12d4 fortress where no humans 0e8d98c87e roamed, and monsters wandered adbd2d5bf3 freely.c4497c6172d53d0e

The pristine white walls ff39cbbda4 were marred with dried b5028bfae3 bloodstains, the sky was e963150dfe choked with black mist, 16b22b96a2 and sunlight was an 6be0c99786 alien concept.7996da0a8f5b6031

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It hadn’t yet 8c86db7dcd reached that extreme. But it was still 6119e67317 an ominous and gloomy 66870f2323 place, one that repelled f57c82e029 anyone from setting foot b9a079442b within.e50872e7c75ce3bc

The drawbridge b4d516e45c leading into 2ee7c87de4 the Vatican db0430b44a was lowered, b0b9d3ae70 seemingly unattended. Keith dismounted his 53d2816182 horse and crossed a9c3be8ebd it on foot. It seemed like 99b697a796 an old habit, 1538097d82 the kind that a87a23f47a dictated rules like, becd11eeb8 “No galloping within 16c86074a2 the holy grounds.”e99a0bccc1ae62c5

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“Is anyone here? …Anyone? Guards?”c4b2ac66489332fc

Keith raised his df582e9586 voice, calling for 8c2c441147 the guards. The only 0ca5f3da0b response was 2f8dea3e39 his voice 230a1ff14d echoing back, 8899f1ca6e blocked by e6675e4053 the eerie, d7c6052d37 towering walls.481cd01c8223e166

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They led their f8acffdb89 horses deeper inside. Within the walls, a d84818a224 small town had been c9c5cf76bb established. Though there ad3d96dc1e were no 3f70ef719b visible signs 37659927a3 of life, 791d88020e it wasn’t 3f09dfd106 entirely deserted. The faint 0bc6c6f33c presence of aebf09c624 people could 5c4bee3a55 be felt—perhaps 03c1e75fe6 they were 9553e058ba avoiding attention 98ad137c88 and refraining a0d03f58a8 from lighting a0e45c9d21 fires.bca10b684144c100

“…Monsters!”c4ac6f2d42c1d9ec

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It didn’t take 30062a9a0f long for Keith 91850cc28a to realize why 0495931f5a people weren’t coming f247d7838a out. Monsters roamed freely within 300b40f2b7 the Vatican.ca411f07d8efd17a

Chimeras, creatures 0ecfaa66c5 resembling grotesque 329c060f10 fusions of 9ec949924f humans and 469a58893a beasts, skittered cdbd5ebe02 across the 2d335d44ba ground with 9bc4f49770 their six 5fff9dc59e limbs or c158150cbf dragged their 3852e6e8e5 heads along a82a1013e5 the floor e649541557 with sickening 9b32116f20 thuds. Born of experiments f08a5e7db4 by the demon 1f40f3b88a tribe, these creatures 00eb5109a9 couldn’t be neatly 50d3bffefe categorized into one ce180ccb25 species. Their forms f8be55b904 varied so 2d506368df wildly that f2a91ff76b they were 3a9fa6cad6 collectively called 5091c1c58d “chimeras.”c0b8a5e31cd008d6

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“Monsters, huh.”5fd921f7da433b93

Ian commented casually as 0170dd1a56 he shot down one 3cfda75e3c of the chimeras.9d60b0833ca91fbf

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“This isn’t something 55842b43c1 to be so d5a764d528 nonchalant about! Monsters shouldn’t 88ff57180d be roaming 36ced7b268 inside the 0322eb5e11 Vatican!”afb0db7801ac8b16

“But they are.”c4ed68f079ebcea3

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“The barrier should cf2649eecc prevent this… The 55c9177d76 barrier… hasn’t been 26547ab719 broken… Why?”93b6566917cd803e

Keith looked 126e4fe520 around, baffled. The barrier 272cab3967 surrounding the 23a2ade957 Vatican was 5ce145eea7 intact. That could only mean…b645f614b43ffca1

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The Pope had deliberately 2ec0a411bd allowed monsters inside the ad7f11f8a0 Vatican.532d69e1d63aebbf

Keith had never 6dfb12bef1 believed things could ec94c85b51 come to this.4bb999d61dfc0230

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“This can’t be.”9862725a85133531

“What can’t?”cd7d173b4dcbfb5f

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“Even if 4e69c76430 His Holiness 951a00301d abandoned me… 7cc563a805 he wouldn’t 4048fa1ee5 have handed f34d754ba2 everyone in 5e99699e53 the Vatican 9a15cfa6cf over to 5f146f6de7 the monsters.”bc01c846bf9fe640

“If he abandoned you, bc779b2578 why wouldn’t he abandon 866c6384ca everyone else in the 70d8f616d8 Vatican?”0f32e5dcc113810f

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Ian couldn’t understand 1e0d1dd9c9 the logic.7cbf7f6aff157b46

“Because I… 037596a97f I’ve been e8bdc2719e difficult at 802dffd329 times, clashing 6c6cb7d451 with my 97e4b77f94 superiors….”f494ef4223093460

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Keith hesitated, fumbling for c6c6c91f52 reasons to justify his f6a23711b1 abandonment. Ian couldn’t believe ed1ec7833f what he was 75e432825c hearing.ed2eeb7c17017020

“You’re saying I should 158492637b throw you to the 23f0238a02 monsters too, because you d901e5b17b annoy me sometimes? Does that 6db020e7af make sense? Think before you 15352afcb8 speak.”282ed3aa20f16284

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Keith shook his head.66295ba88128be6b

“Stop spouting nonsense and 8199eaf5fe face reality. You know 7e50e5eb4f the truth. The Demon Duke 1b318f6714 was after you. Who do you think b2f64f107d made a deal with a33670cee7 the demon tribe?”c72fdcec122824cb

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“……”978706d1715f9c41

Keith covered his face dadac65418 with his hand as 6af1cd3e61 if he didn’t want 737762a02d to hear it.b89b2916862dad5f

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“Why is his mental 17eb07edc0 state so fragile?”181bcdc47e603b8d

Ian was puzzled. The Keith he remembered 7b4b998ad7 from the game was a403914d34 a fanatic clad in fc17196c1d unwavering faith, a hero cefe080862 who always proclaimed that 44f948dcc2 everything was according to d41e2419ec God’s will and that 7b4fdafde7 he would be guided ab30fabedd by divine providence. A paragon of virtue cb43f60dae who would never compromise 7eb78e4082 with non-human races.a0b0d7c60b4feba2

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But the current Keith aa6d64cf33 wasn’t that character.21dc41f3898d8ea4

This Keith was 5dea6b7d4c a version that 62d914a86e had diverged somewhere 174b99b9e3 along the original b50ab821d4 route. If his mental state bcf3443df2 had deteriorated as a 1269e0056c result, it was Ian’s 51555d06d2 fault. And that realization 70ed7d2d3f stung.d418c2e24b24b7a6

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“Is this c89979dc05 my fault accdd9ee68 again?”cd420f4b9cebba69

Ian didn’t know 594d02e7bc how to comfort 4f287f24d7 someone. He wasn’t exactly the bbfdaf0fb0 kind of person who cbffeaebf7 had friends sticking around 327e748c46 long enough to get ee235d8297 upset or traumatized. The notion that 2dde7d4ccb his lack of 7db876ffbb social skills might 0977cc497b even affect a a6b3e6ed2e game was laughable, 25dd6ccc24 but here they a37f8bb0c5 were.2ecc0d62bfb0b5e0

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As Ian awkwardly floundered, a5570bb90a Keith finally spoke up.6b857c723c2883d6

“Lord Ian. I haven’t bee6367969 fully explained 17f66db225 what happened 3774051728 when I cf38d22533 fled this 0c48f2bce0 place.”cc1a9571b7f197d3

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“…You don’t have to 0192fbb5b0 if it’s too hard.” b868b9227b Ian said, carefully gauging caacbb378a the mood.5afbdeaa82b80215

“I’ll explain. It’s not a a5765c09ca long story. When I d65079b538 was betrayed 2996cdc330 by the 256e871899 Pope, the e08bc16954 Holy Knights c832028d4f attacked me. My squire, who had 15a64250d1 my sword, didn’t come 6616188294 to my aid. Whether he c8d8678373 didn’t or ffe32b4e1d couldn’t, I’m 9193f3dc50 not sure… d7366dc729 but the 59354a72d0 situation makes dfbb643c7b it clear 66a1d46144 that he aedca07529 abandoned me. Later, I learned b0f8754b76 I had been 33132dca5e officially excommunicated. That means 51309ec4ae I am 96c181616d denied God’s 567a5360b9 blessings in eeb17be1b0 life and 0a53506ffb barred from caeb95cef4 His presence 260d6fe096 after death. I am, for 900556f3b2 all intents and 5b6c21664c purposes, not alive.”ce3e544be60b35f9

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“……”3abec973db00b39a

Ian didn’t 3f7fe20ddd know how a151e4ab3b to respond. But Keith 6bee67cf19 still seemed eb09b71c38 devoted to 2a39dbcc50 God despite e843105a78 everything. He didn’t bf9961f751 seem like 7edd6bc750 someone who d8d08d95d2 had been c77d32dbe6 forsaken.dabf4f4fad114f13

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Keith shook 8169346100 his head.882208eed01c919e

“But that’s their misunderstanding. God doesn’t reside in 6e877050d3 rituals or institutions but f13c507d44 watches over everything from 14b5a91d32 above. Titles like ‘Pope’ or 63d3795b78 ‘excommunication’ are mere formalities. I haven’t 8e373da34f turned my 0d9de24101 back on 3cd29a2088 Him, so 5ab3f187b2 why would 0be5653699 He abandon eb52d45ce3 me? In fact, He sent 60076e8394 you to save me. It’s clear 294849f4c4 now who a20eef4c1f has truly af0e4a6233 forsaken God—those 046bdd9d1f who consort 0bf62b2a6f with demons, 703505bbe0 like the 937021b471 Pope.”dde65f645d374208

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Keith’s voice grew 483d371e94 steadier, his conviction bdd7a92129 returning. But to Ian, it 5dd97b2dd2 sounded borderline cultish. Still, the important takeaway 6896b3602c was clear:167c7b1dc28478c0

Keith had already 3a3844c609 reached the conclusion d0c4fc9e1c that the Pope e8ee12b035 had abandoned God’s c19f0a92b7 will, and this 3cb585c840 aligned with Keith’s fd6860f610 role in the 9cb87a74da original story. A key quest in 99bcc17934 Keith’s route was to 24dc9bcbd3 bring down the Vatican.ed52a5ac82a5a00e

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But Ian fa0cdd3b8a had no a23c5c9ceb intention of 6406a6c98d doing anything cd32de0424 that dangerous.719579c050968232

Why should he destroy 0fc90eb712 the Vatican? His goal 2512533256 here was 11d6e7ed71 to retrieve b89a2941a0 the Holy f2809a1b72 Sword.a69b3db11453e739

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And Ian already 3f6b56c27e knew who had d519ebe58b it.75586aa17fa315ff

“Right… As 4d5dca94d8 the wise 31ebe3e552 one sent 4c6c9929f6 by God, bdc16133e4 I think a6866fd1cc the Pope’s 4f272cc8c6 a bad dd0a9b56e0 guy. But I 400d0ed898 also think 26c731698d you should bdd9cf9ac1 meet with 45f9e1f4d0 your squire 5ff8ac1c7b first. Talk it 5664750da9 out, get 971078bd41 your sword 6282c361e9 back. What do you think?”94ed2429d250f544

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“Why did I come 936fb47782 here with just him?”d0ecf3740691576a

Ian regretted not b720405856 bringing backup. If there were 62051c30a9 at least three 7c60980e64 of them, he 2f035645eb could force Keith 5a933e842f to agree to 283293394f his plan. But now, if Keith 69f03a33e4 insisted on doing something 6735f4f63f else, Ian had no 6d34b601fd way to stop him. Keith had the strength, 22d2033b6f and Ian had nothing 04c0b4d355 but a silver tongue.10265a6fd09b4a05

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“This guy…”146b7982b37f2b33

Keith looked at Ian, a53a1e78ab who had spent the f5b3ae31bb entire journey oscillating between 1271dd9f5a denying and then embracing c6434257d8 his role as “the c89b9aff92 wise one sent by 400b5c8e68 God.” Keith found himself 5ef3001b9e wondering why he’d ever 1a875b1c31 taken Ian seriously.d08b5f186fb3aa4e

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“…Alright. That’s fine.”b7fbdc7078396eac

“Good. Let’s start with 3a06164e7b your squire.”e6580c762669fa00

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Ian beamed, c37a4f5324 pleased that 2f2dfa6249 his suggestion ccb2380bab was accepted. Keith couldn’t believe a13a8338bd such a person 83f426d7a7 existed.c570b239cc08c49b

What is he?a06366058eee6f4c

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But then Ian started 0b17310f91 watching Keith’s expression again.3a58eb1331f1da9b

“…Why are cd84b8c718 you looking 3f3cd18b02 at me a36296e968 like that?”b4e78f066ca3e037

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“Well, as the wise 6fffadc29b one sent by God, 64427e5789 I think… it might b1f5971180 be tricky to talk 874e488ec6 to your squire without 6a34746595 some complications.”b6c5822d426e608e

“It’ll be fine.”2bce9955e10799cf

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“Oh, really?”892999969249a069

“Does he 4d36525caa have some 8b87e48e62 kind of 5646e97a79 immunity to ef8e87ac25 hesitation when 20fff4a8d4 it comes b788442a80 to fighting 7c11d98d7f his own bc80f655c1 squire?”f3ac525f31085dce

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Ian’s eyes cd5a2d6e07 gleamed with 276b02e760 curiosity.23fb204fd4eb2152

Keith replied nonchalantly.f4dac6ccafa18d98

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“I’ve never considered b5fe986425 you wise.”08e8be88ffc3c51f

“……”d3ca88888a75d48d

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Keith froze, realizing a3dd54644b what he’d just ad5e541c6b said.41b1dd165f617500

“…Though I 47cb70f053 do think d8f019dfff you’re perceptive.”2e2388f1cd7c3984

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“Right… Thanks….”88f94d9b95eb2612

“Is he picking a 154c764a86 fight with me?”a33730ee021a2633

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Ian had never 87149367fb dealt with such 800a6228d3 politely phrased provocations 9dce1aec03 before. If this was a 61c779168c fight, should he just d29e5f9b0f grab Keith by the dba42f61bb collar?01ef9b7cce12c483

“…Before we confront 91909bbb3e my squire, there’s 0bd04f1d6d someone I want e70d2f7347 to meet first.”360c50aefd5b12b0

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“…Who?”f15123ef972815f5

“There’s a hospital f58d13634e where his younger 121aad6857 sister is being 2b093576c1 treated. She’s been frail since 00d738367f birth, even when I 2cb77aefdf saved them both from 0dfd308c42 their village. She’s likely 92e9ed99e2 still there, b34b425208 as she 41f527f759 hasn’t been 1c6afc6fc4 able to a1ce153e71 leave due d05ca4395b to her da4eb0a31a condition.”07133ef0dc12ba07

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“If she’s cdea5b0493 there, it’ll 43f22ca5a5 help persuade d701aa0f92 him.”a748ba08a3861b19

“Yes.”48adef5c1bc1e683

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The two barely avoided 6a2f692fb6 an argument and finally 3374be498d set a direction.8fbf2e01e81cfdf5