Chapter 36

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Chapter 36: Human

Samuel was speechless.

He was greatly shocked when this suspicious woman called out the true name of the Staff of God, and he, as a chosen one of Saro, had no knowledge of it. Samuel could feel the response of the Staff of God – the Prideful Sun Rod, as the chosen one, there was no room for self-deception, not even a chance for it.

Then could the names of the Moon Goddess and the Star God be real as well? Do they really have names that Samuel knows nothing about?

Wait, could it be?

Samuel raised his head hopefully and asked, "Are you also a priest of Saro?"

He eagerly gazed at the top half of the mask, wanting to make eye contact with the eyes hidden in the hood’s shadow. But that part seemed to be wrapped in cloth, making people doubt if the mask-wearing woman could see outside. The woman nodded at Alan, gave a small bow, and then walked away. She turned to Samuel, shook her head to deny his question, and said, "I just happened to inherit an ancient legacy from hundreds of years ago."

"You must be a very knowledgeable person." Samuel complimented, still suspecting the woman was a senior member of the Cult of Saul; perhaps she was just preoccupied?

"’Knowledgeable’? Not quite." The woman smiled again, "The knowledge you have inherited has worn out over time, even lost the name of the Staff of God; while what I have inherited is preserved like new from hundreds of years ago, but there is a complete blank from the recent centuries. For example, I have no idea why humans would point such an evil weapon at their own kind, even if it means causing harm to themselves." She gestured towards the direction Alan had left, "Just because these people live in the forest?"

"There must be some misunderstanding here." Samuel insisted, "Madam, this is an abandoned dungeon…"

"This is the legacy I have inherited, without it, I would not be able to shelter these poor folks who have been innocently attacked." The woman replied.

"Um, I’m sorry." Samuel said somewhat awkwardly, feeling the broad sense of responsibility as the Pastor of Saro compelled him to associate all human issues as his own, "Perhaps some individuals mistook their target for something very dangerous… I have seen Orcs!"

As Samuel spoke, he became serious again. He had seen the dangerous Orc wandering around here several times, never appearing with others at the same time. Now he realized, they might not be aware of her existence! The underground space was vast, with many dark unlit paths, and many Orcs were said to have night vision abilities. Maybe she was a hidden Orc scout in this underground space? Or perhaps the ordinary people seeking refuge underground were unknowingly sharing a space with Orcs!

"Please, believe me!" He earnestly pleaded, "That is not some deformed person with hairy limbs growing in a jail cell. I have seen that Orc several times, she is very perceptive, almost caught sight of me a few times. I am a chosen one of Saro, blessed with the ability to see evil and sense danger. That Orc has certainly slaughtered countless, and she is still so young! If there were a large group of Orcs like her nearby, I think any sensible person would try to ensure their safety, just as everyone would destroy a hornet’s nest before it becomes a threat."

"Are you talking about her?" The woman said calmly.

Samuel turned around and almost jumped in surprise. The brown-skinned, white-haired female Orc was standing just two steps away, silently staring at Samuel with her shiny green eyes, sending shivers down his spine. It wasn’t just a cold gaze, it was filled with anger and a hint of murderous intent, making Samuel feel like he was about to be attacked at any moment.

With the stubborn pride of a Saro voter, Samuel bravely stopped retreating and instead turned to face the Orc assassin in front of him, refusing to show his back to the hungry beast.

"Meet Marion," the masked woman said. "She lost her loved ones for no reason, and now she lives alone in my dungeon, just like other refugees who have nowhere else to go."

"That’s not a person!" Samuel immediately objected.

"To me, it doesn’t matter," the woman replied. "Innocent victims without a home seek shelter, and I provide it."

"How can it be the same?" Samuel momentarily forgot his fear and angrily pointed at the Orc. "This is an Orc! Their ancestors have slaughtered many innocent people, how many ancestors have perished under the blades of these beasts! Have you forgotten? The Orc disaster was just over two hundred years ago, their evil caused great suffering to the whole Aryan race, can it now pretend to be innocent and erase that history of hatred and darkness?"

The priest quickly withdrew his hand as the Orc let out a low growl, showing its fangs and looking like it wanted to bite off his fingers. Even white fur was visible at the junction of its face and hair! The masked woman gently placed her hand on its shoulder, restraining the Orc as if holding an invisible leash, preventing it from attacking.

"There must be some misunderstanding here," the woman said, and Samuel realized she was using his own words against him. She casually remarked, "Just like how the once numerous followers of the Cult of Saul now only have you holding up their facade, there must be some unknowable misunderstanding."

Samuel felt deflated by her words and couldn’t muster the strength to continue berating the heretics. He muttered, "It must be a devil’s conspiracy, hiding among the Aryan elite."

"Maybe our goals overlap," said the woman wearing a mask, "We are all victims of these conspiracies, unable to tolerate the evil curses tormenting the unfortunate."

Samuel lifted his head and suddenly remembered the reason he started exploring, feeling ashamed that he had forgotten about the suffering people! The priest quickly asked, "Did you move those soldiers?"

"I need to find out why they are recovering without medicine," the woman nodded and replied, "I must understand the reasons for the curse to ‘disperse on its own,’ in case we encounter cursed individuals again and can only accept fate."

Samuel gained more respect for her responsible words, nodding solemnly, "Of course I will help them, it’s my duty!"

"What about after that?" the woman suddenly asked.

Samuel was puzzled by this question, unsure how to answer for a moment. Before he could respond, she continued, "Have you considered doing more? As a follower of Saro, you aim to bring back Saro’s glory to the land, but now few in Aryan have even heard of Saro. You are alone and powerless."

She hit a nerve – Samuel stood up to fight evil, fighting for justice, to spread Saro’s teachings and glory. While battling evil was challenging, the current tasks were specific, such as banishing curses and investigating underground conspiracies. But what more could Samuel do after that? He felt lost, as he was alone. Despite being recognized by all three Divine Artifacts as a chosen one, he still couldn’t convince even one soldier.

"You’re right," Samuel said, feeling discouraged.

"Well, maybe we can help each other," the woman suggested.

"How can I help you?" The priest shook his head with a bitter smile. "Even if you allow me to preach in your city, and even if everyone here becomes a follower of Saro, we are still far from the future where ‘the glory covers the earth’ as if separated by an insurmountable distance."

"I can offer opportunities for cooperation," the other person said. "Captain Halite is a understanding person. To protect his soldiers, he chose to cooperate with me – do you know that Deer Horn Town and Red Gum County have been blocked from the north? Those people are afraid of the curse spreading to them, they would rather build high walls, regardless of the well-being of everyone here."

"How can they be like this!" Samuel said in shock.

"Exactly, it’s so evil, there must be demons among them," the woman said cunningly. "Since the southeast corner of Aryan has been forgotten, and the captain, mayor, and county head are so kind, as long as I recommend, people on the surface wouldn’t mind who is around them, or who is saying what."

The description she gave made Samuel’s heart race. He imagined himself standing on the ground, under the sunlight, among the people, proudly proclaiming the name of Saro, the God of Sun, Light, and Justice. The name of the God should not be hidden, if those despicable conspirators and ignorant minions don’t stand in the way between the servants of God and the people, if the good people can open this place to those with faith, how wonderful it would be! The blinded good people would surely rush into the embrace of Saro, turning the place into a blessed land, the gate to heaven opening here…

Samuel floated in his beautiful fantasy until he suddenly saw the grim face of an Orc.

"Wait," he said uncertainly, "Are you saying that all ‘people’ can live freely here, excluding certain non-human evil creatures, of course?"

"I use ‘people’ for convenience," the masked woman said, "Marion will also be here."

"But it’s an Orc!" Samuel emphasized.

"We’ve talked about this before, you should say ‘she,’" the woman said calmly, still with her hand on Orc’s shoulder. "Orc is a native of the Primary Material Plane, just like you. Mister Priest, you mentioned fighting evil, I agree with that, but where did you conclude that Marion is evil?"

"Clear as day!" Samuel immediately replied. He wanted to say his own eyes saw this, but in fact, there was no evil aura on the Orc. While its hands were stained with blood, Captain Halite also carried a scent of blood, which is not conclusive evidence. Saro’s followers must be completely honest and trustworthy. Samuel hesitated for a moment, only repeating, "It…she is an Orc!"

"You are judging a book by its cover," the woman pointed out.

"I never judge a person’s character by their appearance!" Samuel got angry at this baseless accusation. "The only thing that can prove a person is their actions, but Orcs are not people, they are born evil, their cruel history has proven this! If you insist on protecting such dangerous creatures, then I will not work for you. I am ashamed to associate with beasts!"

He heard a deep growl rumbling from the Orc’s throat, staring fiercely at him, while he stared back unyieldingly. The masked woman sighed, patting the female Orc’s shoulder before withdrawing her hand.

"Do you think I am evil?" she suddenly asked Samuel.

"You? You shelter these displaced people, treat misled soldiers kindly even after being misunderstood, of course, you are a righteous person," Samuel said, "just a bit too trusting…"

The woman took off her hood.

Samuel’s voice lowered, his mouth dumbfoundedly open, his throat as dry as salt had sucked all the sound out. Under the hood, there was only a skull of a wild beast, seamlessly intact, no hair visible from behind the mask. His gaze followed the bone-white "mask" downward, instead of a neck below the bone, there was a spine without flesh. The woman removed the cloth covering her eyes, and now Samuel understood why she covered her eyes. When the cloth was removed, a dark red fire gleamed from the eye sockets of the skull, like two small lights turning on.

That is not a mask at all, it is the lady’s actual head.

"You know nothing about many things," said the woman with bones as her head, "Alan will take you to where the soldiers are, and of course, you can refuse to help them if you feel offended – well, that will simply reveal Pastor of Saro’s true nature to us. As for making me drive away the previous residents before you?"

The owner of the dungeon chuckled and said, "You are far from qualified for that."

She nodded and walked away.

The Orc’s expression softened immediately after this conversation, no longer appearing fierce, but far from friendly. The Orc named Marion looked at the priest, extended its thumb, fiercely drew a line across its neck, pretending to chop off the head. After making this gesture, it grinned (revealing too many teeth in just one smile) and quickly caught up with the woman.

——————————

"You failed," Victor said cheerfully.

He sounded pleased, genuinely hating Pastor of Saro this time aside from seizing every chance to mock Tasha. He didn’t mention anything like, "Aren’t you afraid he won’t help those people?" The former demon had great faith in his adversary’s character.

Tasha could deduce the character of Pastor of Saro through observation, a naive young man who sticks to his sense of justice without flexibility. His abilities didn’t match the heavy burdens and powers he carried; not easily persuaded but not difficult to deal with, like a diamond that is hard but fragile.

Then she simply said, "No rush."

No need to worry, for now they are only eager to use the priest’s ability to remove curses. Even if she misjudged and the other party really threatens not to heal unless compelled, they could resort to Captain to intervene. Tasha desired the innate power of the Saint Child, hoping to gain new skills or structures after signing a contract, but there was no rush for this matter.

Saint Child lives on her territory, relying on her support provided by the Captain, alone and poor, with only three Divine Artifacts but unable to speak the name of the god they believe in on the ground. It’s already tough enough for the born Saint Child. Tasha is patient, but she can’t wait in this matter.

"He’s lying!"

Tasha turned around and saw Marion frowning. They had already turned into a corridor, and the Worgen girl’s expression, enduring who knows how long, couldn’t help but speak out to her.

"You did well," Tasha said, walking on and reaching out to embrace Marion walking alongside her. Marion responded with a confused sound, feeling a bit nervous from this unexpected praise.

"You didn’t transform on the spot, didn’t bite him, nor did you turn into a wolf," Tasha said, "your control over your transformation has improved greatly."

The description of her skill "The Call of the Wild" was right on point. Since her bloodline was purified, Marion became more direct and aggressive, facing some issues with emotional and physical control. She easily turned into a wolf when excited, just like a person suddenly gaining strength could crush a water glass. It was clearly a waste of energy, so besides combat training, Marion’s recent focus was on self-control.

"Because he still has use for you," Marion whispered, "even though he really is annoying."

Her serious expression visibly softened just like every time Tasha praised her. Marion tried to hide her happiness, with ears perked and lips pursed, as if she would wag her tail if she had one. Tasha felt the tension in the girl’s shoulders relax under her hand, noticing some similarities to a canine in Marion’s love for physical contact and praise. Judging by her expression, Tasha doubted if Marion remembered what she wanted to say just now.

"Ah, that person lied!" Marion exclaimed, startled.

It seems she remembered.

"He said Orcs attacked the human kingdom, trying to steal their land and wealth and devour the people, but it’s not true!" Marion said indignantly. "That war was instigated by humans! They attacked the Orcs’ homeland to seize the treasures left by the Beast God, organizing armies to invade. If we talk about evil, they are the ones!"

The Pastor of Saro was exploring the dungeon sneakily, and Tasha needed to show him some harmless parts to make him lower his guard, while some areas had to remain off-limits to him. Allowing the dungeon to move on its own or revealing the gnome construction site was clearly not a good idea to hinder him, so Tasha shared some of her senses with Marion, enabling her to stop the wandering priest in the right places.

Through this sharing, Marion heard the priest’s argument about the Orc War.

"Saro’s doctrine does not condone lies, he is still a priest," Tasha stated.

"He must be a hypocritical fake priest," Marion retorted.

"If the naturally born Saint Child does something against the doctrine, he will lose the power to use the Saro God’s artifact," Tasha explained. "He simply uttered what he believed to be the truth."

Without Tasha asking, Victor quickly told her a bunch of stories about the followers of Saro, explaining all the weird rules and scandals, and how even former demons were more dedicated than any fan. The natural-born Saint Child and the high-ranking clergy of Saro possessed divine powers and strict rules. If they broke the rules, their powers would be taken away.

Talking about this, Victor smirked and said, "Judgments on breaking the rules and demonic pacts follow the same logic. As long as they don’t think they did anything wrong, then they didn’t."

If this Saint Child has been taught from a young age to believe what the teachers told them, even if it’s different from reality, they wouldn’t be punished.

"Then he’s been deceived," Marion said, "Everything he said was fake."

"What he said may not be entirely true, but how do you know it’s all fake?" Tasha asked.

"Because what he said is completely different from the truth!"

"And where do you get this ‘truth’ from?"

Marion stopped, understanding her point. The Worgen girl’s expression looked a bit hurt as she said, "I wouldn’t lie to you, and neither would my parents."

"But they weren’t there to witness it, right? It’s been over two hundred years," Tasha comforted her, patting her arm. "Have you ever played the game of telephone? Where a message is whispered from one person to the next, and by the end, it’s completely different. Just in a few minutes, the message changes. Imagine how much things can change over hundreds of years."

Marion’s conflicted expression wavered.

"A lot can happen in two hundred years, maybe what that person said is true, maybe demons are at play," Tasha said casually.

Marion sensed the teasing and comforting tone in it, she leaned into Tasha’s arm and complained, "I still don’t like him."

Tasha chuckled, "That’s just being playful, try not to kill him."

The little girl looked up and gave her a bright smile.

Victor made a disgusted sound.

"Seeing you all reminds me of the past," he mocked, "Everyone blaming demons, you should give us the Aryan Peace Prize."

Tasha ignored him, he stayed silent for half a minute, then couldn’t help but say, "You don’t actually think it’s the work of demons, do you? Just because of a few silly words from the priest? I used to be one of the most frequent demons to visit the Primary Material Plane, and look at me now, no other demons would stick around."

"Maybe," Tasha said.

How true are the priest’s words? The Cult of Saul in Victor’s words seemed like a typical group that could dominate an area, generally orderly and kind, good at disguising themselves. It could be seen from the illogical parts in the stories the priest told – the Aryan Declaration was not completed under the organization of Cult of Saul.

So, is what Marion said the truth?

The Worgen girl is only sixteen, her whole clan was wiped out early, deeply hating humans. Orcs have no writing, their history is passed down orally. Given the longstanding hatred between the two races, Tasha does not believe the Orcs’ stories because it doesn’t beautify themselves or vilify humans. This is like the Rashomon effect, everyone’s account tends to lean towards themselves, weaving completely different historical stories. Eventually, all parties firmly believe in their own versions. Tasha is an outsider, she doesn’t belong to the humans here, nor to the non-humans, so she can break free from the long-standing constraints of this world and look at Aryan’s past of blood and fire with a cold and objective gaze.

Seeing is believing, she didn’t believe anyone without seeing solid evidence.

As for Victor? Holding onto books with outdated knowledge of four or five hundred years, she dismissed his references casually.

Those affected by the withering curse found a solution, residents of the dungeon could come back to the surface. Saro’s Saint Child Samuel became a long-term task, as there were no other worthy candidates in Deer Horn Town and Red Gum County included in the territory plan, but just a few days later, the dungeon welcomed new members.

A plump aunt.

She had fluffy light brown curly hair, dressed in a sturdy and dirt-resistant travel suit, carrying a bundle, chubby and cute, reminiscent of the fairy godmother in Disney’s Cinderella animation. This seemingly friendly and harmless ordinary person suddenly appeared on the edge of Angaso Forest without warning, alone, looking around surprised at the open surroundings.

Then she pulled out a rolling pin from her sleeve… a rolling pin? She started tapping the ground with it, heading towards Deer Horn Town.

Marion caught up with the unexpected guest and told her to stop. To avoid any trouble, the Worgen girl wore a hat that covered her ears. The plump aunt obediently stood still, waiting for Marion to approach. Suddenly, with lightning speed, she snatched off the girl’s hat. Marion jumped a meter away from her swift movement, but her ears were still exposed as the hat fell off.

"Oh, thank goodness, I almost mistook you for someone else!" The aunt happily waved her rolling pin, "I can’t wait to see everyone!"

A strange light appeared at the end of the rolling pin. With a flash of light, her round chubby ears turned into two pointy ears.