Theron looked at her as she complained with a raised eyebrow. Almost like… an older sister.
"That’s good," he remarked.
Fria frowned. "What’s good? That he gets into fights or that he’s almost expelled?"
"Neither. That he’s got a friend. And that he’s studying well."
"Well, I’m not even sure if they’re friends. Not for her, at least," the Inquisitor muttered under her breath. "But he’s one of the top in his class. Could be the top if not for history and language. He keeps questioning his teachers history, and he refuses to speak with manners. And he does struggle with reading the Venerable Language, since it’s his first time learning it. But why are you asking me this? Is he still… not talking to you?"
"I’m afraid not," Theron exhaled deeply. "I believe the last time we spoke was when we first boarded the flying ship. And I think that was an accident. He seems intent on not acknowledging me or my existence."
The young woman snorted. "He should be more grateful. I don’t know why he’s so stubborn."
"Who knows?" the Saint said. He closed one eye, and peeked at her. "Maybe he gets it from you?"
"Hey, wait, I’m not stubborn! I—"
Theron laughed as the redheaded woman protested. Then, after they finished speaking, they parted, and the Saint felt his smile fade away.
He enjoyed that moment of reprieve. Where he did not have to worry about what happened in Villamcreek. What the Fiend had said. And that’s not to mention the whole situation in the Free Lands—
Then the man bumped shoulders into someone. He spun around and began to apologize. "My apologies, I—" Then he froze.
"Hello Theron, what a coincidence to meet you here."
Another young woman regarded him. She smiled as she greeted him. The Saint did not return it.
"Saintess Lilith," he spoke coldly.
"Please, Theron. We’re friends, right? There’s no need to use titles here. Just call me Lilith." The Saintess put an arm out, and the man shook her hand after eyeing it for a moment.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, as he backed away from her.
"Here? I was just enjoying a stroll. The Xan Palace is lovely, don’t you agree? Named after the Great Hero Xander. Ever wonder why he named everything after himself? Sometimes, I think he might be a bit of a narcissist, you know? Just a little."
"No," Theron answered.
"No?" Lilith spoke innocently, as she tilted her head. "To what? That the founder of our Empire is a huge egomaniac, or that the Xan Palace isn’t a very nice place?"
"I did not ask why you’re here. I asked why you’re here. In Xanderia. You should be in the Gates of Hell."
"Oh!" the Saintess exclaimed as she pressed her cheeks with both hands. "You’re wondering why I’m not on Hell duty? That’s because they called me back."
"What? Explain."
"Come on, Theron. You’re being awfully rude to me. You know I hate demands," she said, and her eyes flashed.
They stared at each other for a moment, before she finally shrugged.
"But if you must know, I was doing my thing. Killing any of those Abomination-thingies that tried to cross the border. Keeping a tight lip on them, so word doesn’t spread about how these terrifying worse-than-Monsters have existed for decades, and could possibly overrun the world in a moment's notice. You know, so people don’t panic and start rioting and all that stuff. When suddenly, I get the news that these same Abominations popped up in the Free Lands and destroyed Bys, all because poor Theron failed his mission to stop the Cult."
"We did not fail. There was a complication," the Saint growled.
"Right, a complication. I wonder, what kind of complication leads you to where you enter a random village, kill their herbalist, orphaning a little girl."
"We did not just—" he cut himself off as he realized what Lilith had said.
Saintess Lilith leaned over to him, and winked. "Come now, did you really think I would not hear about this little girl that you oh, so conveniently, omitted from your reports? I thought you were an honest man, Theron. I’m sure you’ll get in a lot of trouble if people hear about this. It would certainly crush a lot of young women’s perception of you, the infallible, handsome Saint."
"...how did you find out?"
"It’s a secret. Unlike you, I know how to keep those." She grinned, then took a step back. "Anyways, to answer your original question: since you failed to catch those Devil worshippers and allowed them to unleash the Abominations on another continent, they called me back."
Theron stared at her, aghast.
"They’re sending you to Bys?"
"They’re sending me to clean up your mess. Which, the Grand Inquisitor, the Archbishop, and the Emperor seems to have forgotten just because you killed an innocent woman in her home."
He clenched his fists, but he ignored that comment. "But why would they send you? You’re supposed to—"
"It’s because of that, I’m the best for this job. Do you really think the Church cares about the Free Cities? Of course not. If it were up to them, both the Free Lands and the Abominations could be wiped from this world, and it would only be a better place."
Lilith waited for his reaction, and when he scowled, she laughed.
"They could’ve sent—"
She cut him off.
"Plus, I’ve been doing nothing but fighting Abominations for the last three years. Ever since it got too much for just Inquisitors or the Holy Knights to deal with. So, they’re sending me along with some Inquisitors on extermination duty. Then I’m supposed to return after that’s done."
Theron felt relieved at that. "Good," he said. "The sooner you return, the better. I don’t trust you, Saintess Lilith."
"Aw you’re hurting my feelings," she said merrily as she
