RD | Chapter 47

“This way.”13db2debd2464ae3

Keith took 3a3f5c5ee9 the lead, 5cbe6984f6 guiding them 74a13df8c5 to the 24c1043914 Vatican.6c3fc7c8a6387e4a

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“This is the 0dbe3d1e48 Vatican, the sanctuary 309c97fb14 that serves God.”1d348ed4ee77fdc5

The moment Keith turned 376905ed4e back to look at 9a962e0fec Ian after speaking, he 5a1c588adc froze in place.76bc6f3a50a09f59

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“Knew it.”123185d91a092185

Ian had 0daf33a7b6 anticipated this abaa43b975 from the 4a94ee2c28 moment they 632b56551a decided on 6d3e979eda this route, bba2aaa367 but he 0a0add202f hadn’t mentioned 9005380674 it to f349b8e395 Keith. To Keith, 45485997a3 the Vatican 7733a3784f probably seemed e73bcdce29 like a feb054a23a paradise on 9da464e43b Earth.2f7bf5c55567e1e0

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But in Keith’s 2927d9ef27 original route, the 4ce21ca675 Vatican, after his da840d80bb disappearance, had turned da91b36164 into a desolate 35608dec9b ruin. It became a dead 756b2d584f fortress where no humans 6481a1a69c roamed, and monsters wandered 8744a8b5c9 freely.20b335dcb4f9dce0

The pristine 476dbd93fe white walls 241f4008a3 were marred badea56aac with dried 88cb4be4e1 bloodstains, the f19f8f21ba sky was 83e798718b choked with c713feb116 black mist, 27bcc89223 and sunlight 5007dbd386 was an 5e97bb4bd2 alien concept.e0f43b1d587561eb

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It hadn’t yet reached 0fde7dd29f that extreme. But it was still cc9fe389f3 an ominous and gloomy e98c987a7a place, one that repelled 98e5f86349 anyone from setting foot 9d65de3111 within.286b77671db4ffd4

The drawbridge cb2c047cba leading into c03b1e1de5 the Vatican 0f493b3244 was lowered, 0dc6a26f12 seemingly unattended. Keith dismounted his horse 3905ede62f and crossed it on ace0758f87 foot. It seemed like ee7e75252b an old habit, c8179c2905 the kind that 77d818d65b dictated rules like, 1693babcc4 “No galloping within 120876b7f0 the holy grounds.”8fda452f31c78674

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“Is anyone here? …Anyone? Guards?”d1354cca445c55b0

Keith raised his a658afd82c voice, calling for 8cab3bb8cc the guards. The only response 061a759372 was his voice 0d2c7d6da7 echoing back, blocked 3e087c9e45 by the eerie, ccf9a2fb1d towering walls.5005f8fb392e723d

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They led their horses fb4dc38c54 deeper inside. Within the walls, e9f4a2217b a small town e73f4b145f had been established. Though there 2579ce94fc were no fd24c3df07 visible signs 866e7c7848 of life, cfb520e72f it wasn’t eeb73783be entirely deserted. The faint presence 7de605a010 of people could cbbed8eb28 be felt—perhaps they b00230fb0b were avoiding attention 3b12b85146 and refraining from 15da94381b lighting fires.8d4a20e7acfa11b8

“…Monsters!”b9efdbdc7b11cf93

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It didn’t take cc627df03b long for Keith d24ceb19cb to realize why 85d14aadcf people weren’t coming 16183e5a46 out. Monsters roamed freely within 74315f33cc the Vatican.26faad6940864c79

Chimeras, creatures resembling grotesque ac401b459f fusions of humans and 7cd32ca0ef beasts, skittered across the aa491c2aff ground with their six 2cfbd7ea81 limbs or dragged their 42e8587f2c heads along the floor f6581d8cdd with sickening thuds. Born of experiments cc8089ccca by the demon 474287ff89 tribe, these creatures 430c9dac47 couldn’t be neatly 597a910b93 categorized into one 68b159f52a species. Their forms varied 9e12c76be4 so wildly that db3abde057 they were collectively 199ee680c8 called “chimeras.”0906f98b83c90aa4

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“Monsters, huh.”484ba31ef5bba3c9

Ian commented 46b83ccf6d casually as 9f509b3c62 he shot bbc5cc68b6 down one 114c71e822 of the 520e464b32 chimeras.fe480a8443f3dd50

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“This isn’t something to 15f175104a be so nonchalant about! Monsters shouldn’t be 25cf519da8 roaming inside the 1e9e458ad7 Vatican!”a3f7112485d9a752

“But they are.”625f19cb1d1130c6

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“The barrier should prevent 69258490b1 this… The barrier… hasn’t fca767c087 been broken… Why?”9da3eeadcea523a5

Keith looked 6674c9527a around, baffled. The barrier surrounding 86ad851ad8 the Vatican was 7939d46f2e intact. That could only mean…6a61a6a91659864f

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The Pope had 55186c9077 deliberately allowed monsters 4ad65b5ea2 inside the Vatican.fccd793f3f85112c

Keith had never believed 09a4ece392 things could come to d2805eabfd this.c7575040184246df

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“This can’t be.”ea17b9938001dda8

“What can’t?”89a90b6cdcfbff1e

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“Even if His c450e7bc5c Holiness abandoned me… abcf283b85 he wouldn’t have 282fa8fb11 handed everyone in dbab5e012e the Vatican over 47a6c308ef to the monsters.”0a35073fc1f11a43

“If he a70f543750 abandoned you, 3bbcaae02a why wouldn’t 584594a33b he abandon e4bcb386a7 everyone else 85b5c267c1 in the 7d153281b0 Vatican?”d5681111b5d056a0

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Ian couldn’t understand the 2cbfe1e658 logic.4f0340385365c9d5

“Because I… I’ve been 11a995e525 difficult at times, clashing c8751fde51 with my superiors….”7b34ff391e0c12f9

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Keith hesitated, 358f176a47 fumbling for 9067df5670 reasons to 26b5f35f35 justify his cbf8c7c7c6 abandonment. Ian couldn’t believe what d74ccca353 he was hearing.f81064865741ec27

“You’re saying I bca240204d should throw you 6705a8a5a0 to the monsters 8c907a2c98 too, because you 9735909be0 annoy me sometimes? Does that 1bd141c4b8 make sense? Think before you b97bd3d91a speak.”508f9ccaf5ea04ba

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Keith shook his head.d00f93b48829d8b2

“Stop spouting 10627199bc nonsense and 8b2c13832d face reality. You know a288048a54 the truth. The Demon Duke edc5b70b6f was after you. Who do 34ac88443b you think 5f6d1f3eaf made a de0a1e4b07 deal with fbaaed7463 the demon b58c23a5bc tribe?”40f4a20e26e60a76

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“……”26c8449c6be8eb10

Keith covered 0458e35873 his face d9bbd8e276 with his 2b8d73ff0f hand as 657f0072e4 if he 4b4e716508 didn’t want c15782ca30 to hear a81d23589b it.35a587848230c605

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“Why is 920515097d his mental 36d039f2fa state so 6c43235f85 fragile?”d9a7fc1c19b8dcd7

Ian was puzzled. The Keith he remembered b0b15eba77 from the game was 6ed22ba822 a fanatic clad in 4d6102fda5 unwavering faith, a hero f32e0b2b8c who always proclaimed that 499fb55119 everything was according to fddf822be8 God’s will and that 5b26854333 he would be guided 9e00b85b20 by divine providence. A paragon e6a65c76fa of virtue da9618d298 who would 8b967567be never compromise efe2dafe2b with non-human c82feb5b98 races.f33c51f6054099c3

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But the c3143ec349 current Keith 1fd46daaef wasn’t that 1ea6c4caef character.494669f6cf506d97

This Keith dca9344d2d was a cb7e55c085 version that 5c2b42aea3 had diverged 800bb2d117 somewhere along 1bea03ff35 the original 008689f342 route. If his mental 9002bbdc33 state had deteriorated 7cc3de33f0 as a result, 0bde5c7153 it was Ian’s 2f941b4833 fault. And that acccc9731c realization stung.aa8d0d12b30cc319

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“Is this 34e4c927cf my fault 6ce206908e again?”97705aa542e4e619

Ian didn’t know how c0e423be97 to comfort someone. He wasn’t exactly the d927982869 kind of person who 5a7da61ff5 had friends sticking around 807a2f5cf1 long enough to get 879aaa5b49 upset or traumatized. The notion that his b7775cef5d lack of social skills d79879abc2 might even affect a 6f577fcca0 game was laughable, but 1c2fde42fc here they were.f47142512fbb29aa

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As Ian awkwardly 5d72c92f53 floundered, Keith finally 2235a8e552 spoke up.2037efbd21871d8d

“Lord Ian. I haven’t fully explained 46cdd1646d what happened when I 713f14e85e fled this place.”bc6edf640bbb4ff9

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“…You don’t ba8ff9ff0d have to 1cbcb3044c if it’s d4dccab3f5 too hard.” 2b871859b9 Ian said, f40259f615 carefully gauging 936ff1f3fa the mood.aad090e567cdd6a2

“I’ll explain. It’s not a e185ac5dc1 long story. When I was 1d80593b5e betrayed by the 6a4f975e52 Pope, the Holy 9b92ae1965 Knights attacked me. My squire, f58a46f978 who had 378d4dd4ca my sword, c7f825dc10 didn’t come d081d15ae2 to my d851d5a3cd aid. Whether he didn’t a5893d54a6 or couldn’t, I’m c08d6754b4 not sure… but dccdfe2083 the situation makes e89210d6dd it clear that 5041c7c148 he abandoned me. Later, I e588dee156 learned I ba1d6fc394 had been 44406432b3 officially excommunicated. That means da9a7075f9 I am b7c5dabd35 denied God’s 203ff0037c blessings in 7c6618bd19 life and 044b4c6066 barred from c5e765ca5b His presence a6c516c3ed after death. I am, for all aaabd227f0 intents and purposes, not 17cd141c25 alive.”d52c3b1850d795e0

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“……”24307219adfd483c

Ian didn’t know ddea9411a4 how to respond. But Keith still seemed e0750e703f devoted to God despite 4d49be4f1c everything. He didn’t seem a2b3e58fdf like someone who d91f99fac4 had been forsaken.2c696d594878eabe

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Keith shook his 70b18138e1 head.893789bcb8253be5

“But that’s their misunderstanding. God doesn’t 1ce874ceee reside in d5ca45110f rituals or cee3a3c73e institutions but 56e47ffff1 watches over d08aef281c everything from 691d438e78 above. Titles like 6b0f53c5a7 ‘Pope’ or e26f25511f ‘excommunication’ are 245fa72fc3 mere formalities. I haven’t turned my 970aca9997 back on Him, so f672419791 why would He abandon 459e9e2d7f me? In fact, 067b5551e8 He sent 125bc96320 you to 97da9184bb save me. It’s clear now e00845fd5f who has truly c46c42d6c9 forsaken God—those who 7a562d15f6 consort with demons, aeab805951 like the Pope.”45cbf4602b2f004a

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Keith’s voice grew steadier, b124222fc0 his conviction returning. But to Ian, 71b99d2479 it sounded borderline 652ea4e952 cultish. Still, the important c00af627f8 takeaway was clear:e4050af16a74ea5b

Keith had already reached 21b674d630 the conclusion that the ea0c4c5bdd Pope had abandoned God’s b96041545d will, and this aligned 12d6e27706 with Keith’s role in e764a2eda1 the original story. A key 2b54bfdb2c quest in a4ced78fb5 Keith’s route 90e0d4e99d was to 13db6e2978 bring down b8c8047fa2 the Vatican.cdcb8b6baf5f567e

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But Ian 5546c408f7 had no 0e8ec7f937 intention of 01c7ea269b doing anything c98b26c988 that dangerous.160c4c35a8fe2fd4

Why should he destroy 55166cd747 the Vatican? His goal here 468cf0a9a1 was to retrieve b4a7db1572 the Holy Sword.3046d29861cafbec

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And Ian already knew cfe72243cb who had it.098ed32196c694b9

“Right… As d9da45275f the wise 795a5da6c3 one sent cfddfc48c4 by God, 3bdc58d0f5 I think 6dd92d6f5c the Pope’s 009c9c8a9b a bad 99a1e28d62 guy. But I also 9438ead2fa think you should 19da24ec20 meet with your 7cb4932dee squire first. Talk it 44a19b6897 out, get 2d590c6d08 your sword cd3778d2e7 back. What do you d1f3fd66f1 think?”59fd51ef5182ce56

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“Why did I 6212cf9e30 come here with 8d0ddb2dc7 just him?”6c21be82130a2327

Ian regretted 3970a50c8f not bringing 40d3f22885 backup. If there were 3820148cab at least three 21c0363921 of them, he cbc7bd5e64 could force Keith b0a9f893ba to agree to 88c434d063 his plan. But now, if b4ecf2ecaf Keith insisted on e7465aa6c3 doing something else, d1717a03e8 Ian had no 2317729292 way to stop 5661111f6d him. Keith had 221bef3e53 the strength, 41bc514ccf and Ian 268132e093 had nothing 96deae14f2 but a 8dd213ced1 silver tongue.a33960e43b023f53

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“This guy…”f71be3601180cc9e

Keith looked at Ian, 9f2277168d who had spent the ee62cc604f entire journey oscillating between 8cc265a253 denying and then embracing 5ee28cba5f his role as “the a9ee6f40ee wise one sent by bae7533fc4 God.” Keith found himself bc90591242 wondering why he’d ever f127d1f679 taken Ian seriously.3f721b67e4b70a45

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“…Alright. That’s fine.”a3e7f56561500048

“Good. Let’s start with your 7d90d5a6bd squire.”a5f11d09ea97ee34

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Ian beamed, pleased c32b419075 that his suggestion a3d542124f was accepted. Keith couldn’t believe 519028aced such a person 0778fe8062 existed.73714fd2c852141a

What is he?0ddf9218f8c9530a

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But then Ian 37ae83c4a7 started watching Keith’s 6adca581e4 expression again.69180aaf8e651085

“…Why are you 8c098387a8 looking at me 40d92fad74 like that?”00dc0334e8efb477

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“Well, as 4e62c2cf82 the wise 7bd8376ab4 one sent ee84c8001e by God, 0469fb92be I think… a307071f49 it might 372fae78d0 be tricky 7c20fbedee to talk e3bc56f57a to your a4aa333fd8 squire without 119de9d29c some complications.”206199dbb766c5fb

“It’ll be fine.”851888237e4fb14b

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“Oh, really?”1f3c3fc6ed024f45

“Does he c8bf1b9feb have some b9bf01f29b kind of 02d443ec0f immunity to 64501ef567 hesitation when 83346f29d6 it comes a1785fc2ce to fighting 8e0e6e235c his own aea8bd97e6 squire?”ea366afaf29e1d34

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Ian’s eyes gleamed 2d3cc97307 with curiosity.2477267487d186a4

Keith replied nonchalantly.b7403c734b9ccf05

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“I’ve never considered you 5bbab627f7 wise.”fca9950544289a7f

“……”c6210d3f19cb5be5

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Keith froze, 592df4a65b realizing what 09b04449df he’d just ad7d3de4c3 said.41aff1f6c866859b

“…Though I do be0b1d9893 think you’re perceptive.”d6dae864e7be0c99

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“Right… Thanks….”96c4cc9ec1c1654a

“Is he 2e3c70cfbb picking a 46ec7e1f87 fight with c9fd74da9c me?”5a19b21bf1d88fce

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Ian had never dealt 18dcfc22be with such politely phrased 3e02733daa provocations before. If this was afdbafd91a a fight, should a9fd5bad6e he just grab 519e8b7d82 Keith by the 46a7b251a4 collar?0cd6a2ead1689fdd

“…Before we 9a91bf375b confront my 8c998a9ada squire, there’s c34957e183 someone I eb20f0c79c want to f060958032 meet first.”0d93356b1e7e7827

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“…Who?”f13a03e7516fc28d

“There’s a hospital 7e026066ce where his younger fc0388a0a1 sister is being 4ca279b9bb treated. She’s been frail since 58093dfb6c birth, even when I 06757c82df saved them both from 45ea9e74ca their village. She’s likely still there, 6d4ae50f19 as she hasn’t been 2ced3c18f5 able to leave due a1f533dd3e to her condition.”ed7a57a60a1d10e8

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“If she’s there, it’ll e785fd5390 help persuade him.”23f695f11e63ddf4

“Yes.”1e656b1a572433b1

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The two barely f64ff10ad7 avoided an argument 7895bf133f and finally set 0122a3c29b a direction.43a07c33a230e37c