East Road Quest

Chapter 58: The Village of Fairbang

Jade acknowledged that her knowledge, memorized at a desk without real-world experience, was nothing but dead information. She had thought this limitation would only apply to physical challenges like finding one’s way in the desert or securing food and water. It had never occurred to her that geographical information could be incorrect.

The village’s name was not ‘Achilia’ as she had known, but ‘Fairbang,’ just as Ruby had said.

“I wonder how many centuries old the map I saw was?” Jade muttered, looking at the dilapidated ramparts.

“What does the name of the village matter?” Ruby repeated her earlier sentiment.

The old ramparts encircled the city, but most were so low and crumbled that even Jade could climb over them, leaving only their shape behind.

There was a gate, but given the state of the walls, it was practically redundant.

Still, there were guards on the ramparts, so Ruby had hidden her chains and shackles and covered up Sapphire’s horns and blue hair. However, the guards paid them no mind as they passed.

Fairbang was significantly larger than any other desert village they had seen. The town center was bigger than the fish market in Genoa but smaller than the permanent market in Pompeii.

“I don’t know where to start,” Jade confessed, feeling overwhelmed. She needed to buy supplies like food and water and find an inn, but she couldn’t decide what to do first.

Especially urgent was clothing for Sapphire. Jade wore borrowed clothes from the monastery, and Ruby was dressed in garments gifted by merchants, but Sapphire had only a coat and nothing underneath.

“Do you need money?” Ruby asked.

“We do. We don’t have a penny to our names,” Jade replied.

Ruby seemed to have a clever idea.

“Shall I get some?”

Jade frowned.

“Not if it involves stealing.”

“No problem! If I remember correctly, in towns with many shops like this, there are people who lend money and then get back double or triple the amount. If we take from those people, it won’t cause much trouble. They usually don’t rely on public methods like the guards but on mercenaries they hire. If we knock out just one of them, they won’t bother us again.”

Jade looked down at Ruby, who shrugged.

“Why?”

“You seem to know too much about everything, to the point where you can’t distinguish common sense from nonsense.”

“We just have different standards of common sense.”

“Of course, you do.”

Sapphire pointed to a star-shaped cross in the center of the village.

“There’s a cathedral over there.”

Jade wasn’t pleased to see the symbol of Caitlicism.

“I’m not sure if we can get pure help from a cathedral.”

“We might not get help, but we could at least get a copy of the scriptures.”

“Huh? Why the scriptures?”

Sapphire replied as if it were obvious.

“We promised to show them to Ruby.”

“Oh, that issue. Yes, we should. I’m curious to see what Ruby will say after reading the scriptures.”

Jade headed towards the cathedral, with Ruby following and asking questions.

“That star-shaped cross is the symbol of Caitlicism, right? How did that come to be?”

Sapphire explained eagerly.

“When Saint Magdalora was being burned at the stake as a witch, tied to a cross, a great star shone in the eastern sky. Everyone realized their mistake, and the judge, the onlookers, everyone knelt and prayed. Since then, the star-shaped cross became the symbol of Caitlicism.”

“Hmm, I feel like I’ve heard or seen that story before…”

Ruby tilted her head in thought.

Sapphire asked cautiously.

“It happened a thousand years ago… surely you didn’t see it yourself?”

“A thousand years ago, hmm, was I born then? Ah, I can’t remember. I would only remember if I had seen a burning or two.”

“If you had seen it, it would have been a special sight, surely memorable.”

“What’s so special about it to remember? If you’re talking about stars, maybe a shooting star just happened to fall at the right time during her execution.”

“To refer to Saint Magdalora as ‘that woman’!”

“What, was she a man?”

As the two bickered, they arrived at the cathedral.

Jade knocked on the cathedral’s door.

“Is anyone there?”

They waited, but no one came to greet them, nor was there any response.

“I’ll try,” Ruby offered.

Jade stopped her.

“Don’t break the door like you did at the monastery.”

“That was a good thing! Don’t talk about it like it was a mistake.”

Ruby rapped on the door handle, mimicking Jade’s manner of speaking.

“Is anyone there? If you don’t come out, I’m coming in.”

After waiting for about five seconds, Ruby pushed the door open with a flourish.

“Then, I apologize for the intrusion.”

Jade was momentarily taken aback by this odd situation and asked,

“What did you just do?”

“I was being polite.”

“Since when did you decide to start doing that?”

“Since my time at Saint Santirimo Monastery.”

“What prompted that?”

The chapel was pristine, with clean chairs and wooden pews that shone smoothly, and the paintings on the walls were of the latest style. It was better maintained than most churches in Rome.

“In battle, I always seek efficiency and fun. It’s similar in everyday life. There’s no less effortful way to end a situation without annoyance than to be polite. I had forgotten until it came back to me at the monastery.”

Ruby’s voice echoed softly off the arched ceiling.

“Hmm, if you mean you won’t cause any trouble, then I agree, but what you did just now wasn’t exactly polite.”

“I’ve traveled the world. I can’t learn all the customs. I just stick to the basics.”

“Your standard of common sense is really difficult. Then why did you fight with the angels knowing that…”

“Stop!”

Jade thought Ruby stopped her because she didn’t want to talk about that topic.

Ruby pointed upwards. A man’s voice came from the ceiling.

“Welcome. You have arrived at Zuphea Cathedral.”

Looking up, they saw a man cleaning a six-candle chandelier, suspended from the ceiling, having propped a ladder against a pillar.

“Hello. I am Father Jade, traveling nearby.”

Jade reflexively used a pseudonym but did not hide his priesthood. It was a way to lessen the wariness from others.

“Welcome. I am Deolon, the caretaker and priest of this cathedral.”

He greeted the uninvited guests without a hint of panic.

“This is Priest Soph, and this is my disciple, Ruby. I thought this was a well-maintained cathedral, but you’re cleaning it yourself, Father?”

“There’s no one else, so naturally.”

Father Deolon laughed heartily, then suddenly became serious.

“Could you please stop talking for a moment?”

“Why?”

“No, no! Don’t speak. And don’t respond.”

Deolon slowly descended the ladder while the three waited in silence.

Once he reached the bottom, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and spoke.

“Phew, talking while I’m coming down gives me vertigo. No, no, this isn’t the time! We have guests for the first time in a while, let’s have some tea.”

Deolon entered the sacristy before Jade could respond and soon returned, wheeling out a table prepared with food and tea.

“It came out so quickly, as if you had it prepared in advance.”

Jade was surprised, and Deolon laughed again.

“No, no! You’re just lucky. It was prepared for me to eat alone. But when I went to boil water for tea, there was none. Let’s use goat’s milk instead. I have some fresh from this morning. Now, now, please take a seat.”

Despite the chaotic atmosphere, Father Deolon quickly organized the space and served everyone a cup of goat’s milk and bread.

“But did you just say Zuphea Cathedral?”

Jade asked.

“Yes. That’s the name of this cathedral. Is something wrong?”

Deolon inquired.

Ruby sniffed the bread and goat’s milk, then took a bite and nodded.

‘Checking if the food is safe. How reliable.’

Jade continued the conversation naturally, not wanting to show Deolon this behavior.

“I thought this place was called Zuphea, but when I arrived, I saw it was labeled Fairbang Village.”

“Ah, you are correct.”

Deolon explained immediately.

“This village was once a city-state named Zuphea. And by the past, I mean several hundred years ago.”

As Deolon spoke while eating, crumbs flew everywhere. A piece landed in Jade’s cup of goat’s milk.

Soph discreetly moved his bread and cup away. Ruby had already finished eating.

“But after the Kuman army swept through, it declined rapidly and is now a peripheral city under the kingdom of Parns. That’s when the name Zuphea disappeared, and it was changed to Fairbang in the Parns style.”

“I see. My map must be quite outdated.”

“That’s alright. The people here take pride in being descendants of Zuphea, so many names have remained. If you ask any shop outside for ‘Zuphea’s tasty dishes,’ you might even get some food for free.”

Deolon looked at each of them in turn, smiling as he asked,

“But it’s surprising to see a priest and a priestess traveling together. Where are you headed?”

Jade hesitated, about to say it was ‘difficult to speak,’ when Deolon waved his hand dismissively.

“No, no, there’s no need to answer. Let me guess!”

Deolon, hand on his head, continued earnestly, “Since you’ve arrived covered in red sand, you must have crossed the red desert… then, you could only be from the Duchy of Lithuana or the Roman Empire. But no, no, don’t answer yet whether I’m right or wrong.”

He pursued his deduction with vigor.

“Normally, one would travel from Rome to this village via the Kingdom of Faren or along the main road, which is much easier than crossing the red desert. Your manner of speaking suggests… well, priests are mostly from…

Seeing this, it’s not Rome, so you must be from the Duchy of Lithuana, having studied in Rome,” Deolon spoke over Jade, not giving her a chance to respond.

“You’re from the Duchy of Lithuana, aren’t you? If you’re heading north from this village, it would be ‘Gran’ in the Kuman Steppe, or ‘Lumnia’ in the Duchy of Luna to the east. Let me take a guess. Is it Lumnia?”

“No, I’m heading to the Kuman Steppe. But not to Gran,” Jade replied, to which Deolon swung his arms in the air in dismay.

“Ah, what a pity! I thought internally you’d go to the steppe, but my prejudice against such a dangerous place prevented me from guessing correctly. And you’re actually going to the steppe…”

Deolon surveyed the three before focusing on Saph.

Saph avoided Deolon’s gaze and turned to Jade.

“The Kuman Steppe is three times larger than the red desert, with hardly any villages except for the Kun tribe’s nomads. People misunderstand; it’s not just horses on the steppe, but also predators. Kuman tigers and steppe pumas are large enough to hunt horses. It will be difficult to take a delicate woman and a young boy there.”

Deolon looked at Saph and Ruby alternately with a worried gaze.

“There’s also another problem lately.”

“What other problem?” Jade inquired.

Deolon whispered as if telling a scary story to frighten children.

“Demons have been appearing.”

Jade and Ruby exchanged glances immediately.

“Demons…”

Before Jade could say more, Deolon cut her off.

“No, no, I know. The ‘demons’ spoken of by barbarians like the Kun tribe aren’t necessarily demons to us. In fact, there was a time when the Kun tribe’s army itself was the very embodiment of demons to us.”

Deolon laughed, waving his hands dismissively.

Jade had many questions. Was this demon a real entity, or just a misunderstanding of a large beast?

But Deolon rambled on, reaching his own conclusions.

“There’s talk of the Kingdom of Faren sending scouts to exterminate the demon, but it will likely end as a minor happening. At most, it might be a large steppe puma that’s appeared. Just a word of caution.”

Ruby observed Deolon silently, her large eyes wide with childlike curiosity. Deolon reached out as if to pat her head, but Ruby lightly swatted his hand away.

It might have been light for Ruby, but Deolon seemed a bit startled.

Jade quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry. That child has had many bad experiences in her youth and is afraid of being touched by others.”

“Oh, my. There was no ill intent,” Deolon nodded, understanding, and Ruby turned a dissatisfied gaze to Jade.

Jade smiled, signaling to let it pass.

Deolon asked politely again.

“So, what will your journey be henceforth?”

“We haven’t decided yet.”

“If you think crossing the desert safely means the steppe will be no trouble, you’re gravely mistaken. Depending on the situation, crossing a steppe with nothing on it can be more dangerous than crossing a hell swarming with demons.”

“Yes, that part worries me too. But I’m not familiar with traveling and don’t even know what to prepare. That’s why I sought the cathedral first for help.”

Deolon stood up abruptly.

“Then you’ve come to the right place. This is surely the will of God. I will help you. Guides, food, water, I’ll prepare everything for crossing the steppe.”

“I couldn’t possibly trouble you that much. Just a few pieces of information will suffice; I can manage the rest.”

“Just a few pieces of information? I’ve seen too many enter the steppe with such words, only to die or return in agony. Leave it to me. I know many experts familiar with such matters.”

“Are you referring to the Kun nomads?”

“Don’t be hasty, brother. They are a dangerous folk. Though they live quietly as nomads now, weren’t they called the devil’s march, the heretics, five or six hundred years ago? Nature doesn’t change.”

“Then these experts are…?”

“The Achilia patrol. They don’t reside in Fairbang, though. Like the nomads, they roam the steppe. They’re a sort of private security firm, composed of men who were once mercenaries, and they’re very skilled. I can vouch for their prioritization of travelers’ safety in the name of the Archangel Gatriel.”

Jade looked into Ruby’s eyes again.

Ruby stared intently at Deolon, like a diligent student.

“Well, there’s something else I’d like to discuss… the truth is, I don’t have a single coin.”

Jade confessed.

Deolon gasped, as if he had taken a deep breath from shock.

“Oh dear. Did robbers in the desert…
“Have we met before?” asked Jade.

“Yes, we have,” replied Poe.

“It makes sense. The Red Desert is teeming with more thieves than scorpions.”

Jade meant a different kind of meeting, but she chose not to correct Poe’s assumption.

“Yes, completely penniless. That’s why I said I would handle it myself. Just provide me with a map marked with the path through the grasslands.”

“No, no, that won’t do,” Poe protested, waving his hands dismissively.

“We can’t send brothers and sisters in need away from this cathedral empty-handed. How about this? Stay here for just one day and wait. I’ll bring the patrol.”

“And the cost?”

“The people here respect me as the town’s only priest. The patrol is no different; without me, who would hear their confessions and pray for them? They won’t be so stingy as to refuse helping a cleric of the Catholic faith.”

Jade wondered if the mercenaries would be swayed by such persuasion but decided there was no harm in accepting the offer.

“Thank you.”

“There are a few empty rooms in the rectory; you three can share them.”

Poe spoke quickly, pointing towards the window.

“Oh! Now that it’s settled, I must hurry. The patrol doesn’t have a fixed residence, and if it gets dark, they might be hard to find. If I’m lucky and find them quickly, I can return before nightfall. Could you please watch over the cathedral until then, Brother Jade?”

“Of course, Brother Poe.”

Poe donned his coat, which was hanging next to the ladder, and left the cathedral.

“What a kind person. That’s fortunate,” Jade remarked as she watched him leave.

Ruby spoke up, “It’s not fortunate at all.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“That man is lying.”