Town was much more difficult to navigate than Claire initially anticipated.

The streets had been lengthy and winding with quite a few aspect alleyways and useless ends. It extra resembled a labyrinth than a correct highway community.

Sewage and filth had been scattered across the place and the soiled residents stared on the carriage with hungry expressions on their faces.

Luckily, Claire’s chilly aura and the hint of killing intent that was leaking out of her physique saved the scavengers away.

Elisa by some miracle was nonetheless sleeping within the carriage and Claire didn’t wish to get up the previous saintess.

Finally they arrived at a big open sq. the place dozens of stalls had been arrange.

The distributors on this market solely bought one sort of product however there have been many shoppers keen to purchase.

Subsequent to most stalls was a rack the place the corpses of monsters had been hung.

Blood nonetheless dripped off a few of the our bodies and a stench of loss of life hovered over the complete market.

Distributors puffed their chests and loudly known as out to the shoppers milling across the sq. hoping to draw their consideration.

“Flesh of a Meiruka fowl! Solely three silver cash!”

“The contemporary corpse of a Lrien beast! It managed to kill three mercenaries earlier than it was lastly slain!”

“Three bronze cash for a slice of meat! The primary batch is free!”

Monster meat was excessive in proteins and fats.

There have been even rumors that consuming this meat would trigger one to realize the energy of the beasts themselves.

Most dismissed these rumors as falsehoods however there have been data within the Varion Church’s library of some uncommon exceptions.

Nonetheless, it was unlikely that any meat on this market belonged to a catastrophe class monster.

Claire furrowed her brows as she noticed one buyer purchase a bit of meat solely to be instantly stabbed within the again.

The seller who simply bought him the meat continued to smile and started speaking to a different buyer as if nothing had occurred.

It appeared as if one wanted each monetary energy and the flexibility to take their product away from the sq..

As soon as once more Claire was reminded of simply how brutal this metropolis was.

The shortage of legislation and order created an environment of violence and savagery.

“Excuse me boss… can I curiosity you in visiting my stall?” a nasally voice known as out.

An aged man with a grasping smile on his face approached the carriage whereas rubbing his two arms collectively.

In comparison with a lot of the residents, this man was clearly effectively fed as his stomach was clearly seen by way of his garments.

He wore a plain white shirt and a pair of black pants that loosely hung beneath his belt.

Claire reached into the bag positioned on the ground of the motive force’s seat and rummaged round for 3 silver cash.

She picked up the cash and with one clean movement threw them over to the aged man.

He rapidly snatched the cash out of midair and positioned them in his pocket with a swiftness not normally seen in a person his age.

“Inform me the way to get to the church,” Claire coldly spoke.

The aged man froze for a second and Claire might see a touch of disgust floor in his eyes.

He appeared conflicted on whether or not or to not reply Claire’s query however ultimately he appeared on the cash in his palm and sighed.

“Go down that highway for round seven hundred meters after which flip left twice on the intersections,” the service provider defined in a low tone.

“Knock on the door thrice and the password for the latest batch of merchandise is ‘Sundown’.”

Merchandise? Latest batch of merchandise?

Was the Varion Church promoting one thing to lift funds?

It was not unparalleled particularly in areas the place the donations had been missing.

However there was one thing concerning the product owner’s perspective that immediately raised Claire’s suspicions.

Why would a password be wanted?

Claire needed to query the service provider about this, however he had lengthy disappeared into the gang milling across the open sq..

This metropolis was getting extra mysterious by the second and Claire was out of the blue struck by the urge to only pack up and go away.

Perhaps it was her intuition, however she might one way or the other inform that what was ready for them on the native temple wouldn’t be nice.

Nonetheless… a knight couldn’t abandon their duties so with a heavy coronary heart Claire gripped the reins of the carriage and set off within the course of the church.

The service provider pointed to the course of the internal area of town and as Claire drove the carriage additional inside…

The hole between the wealthy and the poor was clearly seen.

Homes and buildings had been now not produced from shoddy supplies however had evidentially been correctly constructed by architects.

The streets had been noticeably cleaner, and the scent of sewage couldn’t longer be detected.

Armoured soldier patrolled the streets and maintained order.

Any soiled resident who tried to enter the internal area was chased away.

This area belonged to the key crime households that managed town’s darkish underground. The truth that the native church was constructed right here was not excellent news.

“Okay so two left turns…” Claire whispered to herself as she nodded on the soldier staring on the carriage.

“The place are we?” Elisa requested sleepily.

The previous saintess poked her head out of the carriage window and stared at Claire.

Claire tugged on the reins and the horses stopped shifting. Elisa opened the carriage door and went outdoors.

She approached the motive force’s seat and Claire held out her hand subconsciously to assist her up.

Elisa smiled warmly and positioned her palm inside Claire’s agency grip.

She sat down subsequent to Claire and quietly appeared on the troopers sporting totally different uniforms who had been strolling across the road.

“Keep subsequent to me always. This metropolis is kind of the damaging place,” Claire warned as she pulled on the reins to get the horses to renew shifting.

Elisa hummed softly in acknowledgment after which rested her head on Claire’s shoulders. There was a cushty silence between the pair as they travelled by way of town.

It took round ten minutes earlier than a two-story constructing got here into view. This constructing was situated close to the tip of a road and had no different homes close by.

Its partitions and roof had been painted fully white, and a big statue of a golden solar had been positioned in entrance of the constructing.

There was a small plot of land behind the church and Claire might see vegetable fields and a livestock pen.

Because the carriage neared the church, the sounds of screams and cries could possibly be heard coming from contained in the constructing.

Claire urged the horses to maneuver quicker and hurriedly rushed in direction of the doorway. Elisa might additionally inform that one thing was mistaken as her eyes briefly flashed crimson.

“Keep in mind to remain near me,” Claire ordered firmly as she unsheathed her longsword and leapt off the motive force’s seat.

The phrases of the service provider echoed by way of her thoughts and Claire knew that what lay contained in the church most likely had one thing to do with the merchandise that he talked about.

Elisa nodded and adopted carefully behind because the paladin walked in direction of the door and closely knocked thrice.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Sundown,” Claire loudly known as out to whoever was behind the door.

She tightened the grip on her sword as a heat glow of holy mild enveloped her blade.

The sound of footsteps could possibly be heard coming from the opposite aspect of the door as somebody approached.

The door swung open and a ravishing lady in her late twenties with lengthy blonde hair and chilly inexperienced eyes appeared.

She wore the same old apparel of a nun, however her garments had been produced from imported silk.

Heavy gold chains hung round her neck and the diamond earrings in her ears gleamed underneath the afternoon mild.

“My apologies however we’ve got an vital shopper at present inspecting the kids,” the nun lazily spoke.

“Please come tomorrow and I can reserve some good younger boys… or women so that you can have enjoyable with…”

The nun’s phrases trailed off as Claire’s sword was at her throat earlier than she even had the time to react.