Niren

Wait a second!

Right now, you're carrying

too many things with you.

Please come back after

using the Kafra Service

to store some of your items.

[High Priestess Niren]

So you wanted to talk to me?

I'm pretty tired right now, but

I can spare a moment or two.

What would you like to ask?

[Niren]

Veins smugglers...

Would you explain

exactly what you mean

by Veins smugglers?

Oh, them. Yes, I know

a little bit about them.

I'm afraid that I can't really

disclose certain information

about them since they're

a classified case...

I'm afraid that I cannot give you information about them easily

as they mean a lot to us.

[

Actually, I was curious

about who they kidnapped.

Oh, well, I suppose

I can tell you more

about their captive.

But first, I'd like to

ask you for a favor.

When we realized the

kind of hostage the

smugglers captured, we

didn't know what to do with

him. We've had too many

internal problems to handle...

Still, we felt that we

could use him in our plan,

so we held him in a secret

place whose location is only

known to a few people. But

then... We lost all contact.

We sent investigators, but

we still have no idea what

happened. All they found was

a message left by one survivor:

''They're all demons.'' The

hostage is probably dead.

He may have been a high

ranking official, but we

were too preoccupied

with other matters. In fact,

I haven't gotten the chance

to think of what to do with him...

I want to ask you to

go to that place, and

figure out what happened

there, and if that high ranking

official from Rune-Midgarts is

still alive. I doubt it, but...

The investigators we employ

in our temple usually pale

in comparison to you foreign

adventurers, so I have faith

that you can do it. Still,

it'll be quite dangerous.

If you can do this, I'll

tell you the location of

that place: we usually call

it the monastery. It used to

be an actual monastery, but we

use it to hold captives now.

I'm sorry, but I can't tell

you anything else about that

old place. It's located to the

southwest of Veins across the

sea. You should be able to find

a boat at South Veins Beach.

However... Never mind.

I'd like to help you more,

but I'd be compromising my

position. I'm sorry. Please

come back and tell me if

you learn anything there.

I'll send a message to the

magistrate of Veins. If you

talk to him, he'll provide you

with some useful information

for your journey. Good luck.

Going to the monastery

isn't the problem: coming

back here alive will probably

be the real challenge for you.

We can't send any troops

there until we understand

what they'd be confronting

there. That's why we need

you to investigate the area.

Still investigating the

monastery? Perhaps if

you found any records

left behind by one of

the residents over there...

You found this journal

in the monastery? Perfect.

Let me read it, and see

what we can learn...

Hmm, this sounds really

bad. This is tragic, especially

we kept so many important

people over there. I'll request

to dispatch troops there right

away. Something must be done.

There are too many problems

we have to confront now, but

this monastery issue needs

top priority. We won't be able

to handle it if another threat

comes from that place.

I suppose that Arunafeltz

and Rune-Midgarts will be too

busy with their own internal

issues to commit to war.

High Priest Zhed will be

glad to know about this.

I'm sorry...

I really don't want

to think about Zhed

right now. He's just...

You wanted to ask me about

Beken--High Priest Zhed?

I can't do anything for him.

He dug his own grave by

allowing you into the

holy ground, didn't he?

I thought I warned you

before to stay out of trouble.

I'm not here to discuss

that. But I happened to

hear that you're the only

person that can help him now.

...............................

It's true that Zhed and

I used to work well together,

but we no longer share the

same dream. You'd better find

someone else. Unlike him,

I actually want a war.

Weren't you guys friends?

Besides, you don't seem as

aggressive as those other

hard liner priests.

Aggressive? Hmpf. If you

take a good look at those

moderates, you'll see that

they oppose war, but they're

also totally corrupt. In fact, they committed worse atrocities!

The moderates conducted

inhumane testing on living

creatures, even humans!

And Zhed and I... Could do

nothing but pray to Freya.

Only war can this this chaos!

We need to start all

over again. I can't help

Zhed. Please leave...

It doesn't look like

you can change High

Priestess Niren's mind.

For now, you'd better talk

to High Priest Zhed.

I already told you

how I feel about Zhed.

We were wrong all along...

This time, war is the answer.

Fine. If you're so sure

of yourself, then you won't

mind reading this letter

from High Priest Zhed.

Niren angrily grabbed the

letter, ripped the envelope

open, and began to read his

message. Her stern face slowly

softened as she slowly scanned

what Zhed had to tell her.

.................

That Zhed... He always

did have a way with words.

I suppose the old saying is

true: the pen truly is mightier

than the sword. *Sigh...*

[Sippie]

High Priestess

Niren? Are you okay?

Oh, I'm fine,

thank you. I guess

I'm just a little tired.

I have to admit, there's truth

in what Zhed's saying. We

have a duty to protect our

people, the pope, our holy

ground. But I need to think...

Would you give me some

time to myself? I'll let you

know once I've made a decision.

...................

High Priestess Niren,

you must be really tired.

You look pale for some reason.

I do feel rather drained.

I don't know why I've been

holding on to this hatred for

so long. I guess I can finally

just cast it to the winds...

Adventurer...

What was your name?

My name is

You had the chance to talk

with our pope once, but I doubt

you'll be able to do so again

in private. You'll definitely

need our help for that end.

Does this mean that

you've decided to work

with Zhed again?

Niren quietly nodded

her head, and then

resumed talking.

I'm still not sure if

I can join him in the long

run. I mean, talking to the

pope might not result in

anything, actually. But

it's still worth a try.

However, I've never

doubted Zhed's dedication

to Arunafeltz. He deserves

another chance from me.

Our pope is always surrounded

by priests and followers sent

by High Priest Vildt. He always

manages to keep his eyes and

ears on her. We need to get

those spies away somehow...

What can we do

about them, then?

For now, just approach

the pope as if you just

wanted to leisurely chat.

While you're doing that,

try to gather information

from the priests around her.

Sure thing. You

can count on me!

Ugh, this is giving me

a headache. There's

too much to consider...

Too much at stake here...

Just approach the pope

for a chat, and see what

you can learn from the

other priests around her.

How is the pope?

I haven't had the chance

to meet her recently, so...

Well, she doesn't seem

very well, just like the

last time I saw her. I didn't

learn anything about all those

priests. Just that they've been

working in the temple non-stop.

Yes, they've been by her

side twenty-fours a day.

It's been like that for years.

Oh, High Priestess Niren,

I love working for you, but

sometimes I wish I could leave

just to see my family. Even

just once a year would be nice.

You're absolutely right.

That gives me an idea.

Huh? What is it?

You all need a vacation.

Yes?

I should reward everyone

in the Sky Garden for their

contribution. However,

they were hired by Vildt,

so I can't directly give them

leave for vacation. Hmm...

Sippie...

I'll need a pen

and some paper.

Yes, ma'am.

There you go!

*Scribble Scribble*

I administered a blessing

for a child from a native

family, and they were very

grateful since most of the

priests shun the natives.

It turns out that this

child is gifted at forgery.

She doesn't like being too

close to other people, but

that's beside the point.

Here, take this letter.

Ah, and take this file that

contains a sample of Vildt's

handwriting. Bring them to

a girl named Ishmael in a

village in North Rachel.

I hope she'll help us...

Please deliver my letter

and that file to Ishmael in

North Rachel. Hopefully,

she can use her talents

to help us out.

Have you met with Ishmael?

You handed Niren the

file forged by Ishmael.

Perfect! This forgery is

so well done, I'm sure

that even Vildt won't be

know if he wrote it or not.

I'm going to use this to

send the priests and followers

on vacation. Then me and Zhed

can talk to the pope without

any unecessary interruptions.

I really don't want to burden

our pope with what Zhed and I

have to say... But that's much

preferable to doing nothing

and experiencing the downfall

of our beloved Arunafeltz.

Sippie, please

deliver this vacation

approval to the priests and

followers in the Sky Garden.

Yes, ma'am!

please go back to Zhed,

and let him know everything

is ready. Then I want you to

meet us in the Sky Garden.

Yes!

We need to hurry and

do this before High

Priest Vildt realizes

what we are doing.

You seem to have

misplaced Ishmael's file.

Please hurry back

I'm so proud of our pope!

Did you hear her wonderful

speech? Well, I should say

those are the words of Freya,

but... Well, you know. Hohoho!

Our priests may have acted

selfishly, but they are still

committed to Arunafeltz's

welfare. Things should

change for the better now.

I'm ashamed that I strayed

from the path of peace and

almost endangered my country.

I'm glad Zhed brought me back

my senses. From now on, I'll

repent for my sins with Zhed.

I hope the goddess can

forgive me. Ah, and you

should know that Zhed is

waiting for you. Why don't

you go see him now?

Niren softly smiles

at you, and you realize

that it's the first time

that you've seen that

expression on her face.

Thanks to you and

Bekento, I think I've

finally found my way.