CHRONICLES of a PC Gamer Stuck Inside an RPG (Book One: Duelist)

Chapter 67 - Return to the Church

Once I stepped foot outside, less five silver pieces to cover the cat girl's meal plus tips, Kalistra started racing up the street on all four paws. "Hey, wait up!" I yelled as I started to run after her.

However, the evil minx ignored me and kept running through the growing crowd of pedestrians on the streets.

I had to slow down in order to avoid running into the common folk and soon, I lost sight of her. Well, no matter. After all, I already knew her destination was the street in front of the church building. Sure enough, a few minutes later I found Kalistra waiting for me. As I approached her, I saw that she was sharpening her claws with her teeth.

With her free paw, the cat girl wordlessly waved for me to step forward and enter holy ground; she acted as if I was interrupting something important. The little minx caught my eyes rolling at her and Kalistra even hissed at me!

I was still wearing my white robe under my borrowed studded leather armor. For good measure, I decided to pull out my truth stone from underneath my tunic and displayed it publicly.

The guards immediately took note of the cross-shaped stone around my neck, and they saluted sharply as a Watchman opened a side door and allowed me to enter the administrative section of the building.

As I walked in, I had an interesting thought. Even though I was an apprentice with the Church, I had never attended a formal church service and entered the formal congregation section of the building. And since I'll be away for the Melee Tournament, I will miss the next service as well. Thus, it was ironic for me to come here to demand a promotion from the bishop despite never having partaken in an official church service.

While I was present at the gathering at the Public Square to expose the turned wererats amongst the residents, this did not count as an official service. After all, I was locked in a steel cage and thus my attendance wasn't voluntary.

Fortunately, my possession of a church artifact was sufficient proof of membership in the Church of Britannia as a highly ranked official because only they would possess such an item. And given that each truth stone was personally bound to the possessor, with a fealty to Order attached to the stone, it was no wonder that the Watchmen were very deferential to me.

As I walked along the administrative hallway, I was accosted by Deacon Manfeud again. What a coincidence! Not! At this point, I was very suspicious of any NPC who wore a church robe, especially the higher ranked, red-robed clergy like the deacon here. Nonetheless, I remembered my manners. "Good morning, Brother Manfeud," I greeted warmly.

"Good morning to you, Brother Mulligan," the older man replied as he stared quizzically at my truth stone. The deacon's brows were furrowed as he pondered why the color of the stone was different from his own. Must be a trick of the light, Manfeud thought to himself and dismissed it from his mind. "May I be of service to you?" he asked politely.

I looked at the cleric for a moment and nodded. "I need to meet with the Bishop. Unfortunately, I don't know how to go about making an appointment to see him. Perhaps, you could show me the proper way to do so?" I asked. At this point, I was willing to barge into the bishop's study if I didn't encounter any high-ranking church official. But alas, I couldn't simply dismiss the deacon because he knew my true ranking within the organization and thus, I couldn't bluff my way past him by showing the truth stone.

Deacon Manfeud studied my expression for a moment and then offered a polite smile. "As it so happens, His Excellency has passed the word to our brothers that you have been appointed by the goddess Musa to conduct a critical mission on her behalf. And we are to provide whatever aid we could at your request." The man bowed deeply before me.