Chapter 650: Reputation (2/2)

Been a while since I visited, she thought, remembering the empty streets and siege weapons between the Baralia invaders and the hunkering Imperials. Back then it had almost seemed like a stalemate. By now she couldn’t really think of a way for Baralia to have pushed through. Calculated probably. The Empire surely knew about the political situation in Baralia and thought it more effective to wait out the siege.

It must’ve taken some iron willed commitment and control of the nobility to allow for a one year shutdown of the capital. I wonder what the Empress is like. Maybe she’s a secret three mark?

Ilea ran the rest of the way, now wearing a set of casual clothes. She reached the city walls a few minutes later, the guards letting her pass immediately when she showed them her Emerald adventurer badge.

“Looking for the closest Order of Balance temple,” she said to one of the guards.

“Half an hour in this direction. Too many alleys, just ask on the way for specific directions,” the woman said, pointing southwards.

“Thanks,” Ilea answered, walking through the streets as she took in the sights. Some of the building had people working on them, others being painted anew. There were beggars on the streets but not more than any other time she had visited. Hardly seems like there was a war.

It had been a while since the siege had happened of course, and Lys was likely the most powerful country in the plains. They had thousands of mages to throw against any problem or infrastructure issues that may crop up. And probably thousands of mages more from Baralia.

A few minutes passed as she continued on her way, healing anybody with injuries she saw within her dominion, distributing some silver to the beggars she saw and buying some street food.

Ilea soon found a temple of sorts, a line of people queuing outside. She could tell that everyone had a malady of one sort or the other. Those she could heal she did, likely robbing the temple of a significant part of their work. Or their business, but she hardly cared. “Is this the Order of Balance?” she asked an older gentleman sitting on a nearby bench, a tree providing him shade.

“Hmm, yes. Indeed,” he said, looking at her. “Are you going to join?”

“I don’t plan to,” Ilea answered, glancing behind when she saw something flicker at the edge of her dominion. She just barely managed to see the line of the teleportation spell. Watching me? Well, we are in the capital. Probably one of the Lily’s goons, whichever member found me first. Or an imperial?

She didn’t particularly care, turning her head when she found a cloaked figure staring at her through a distant window. The man opened his eyes wide when she cocked her head to the side a little, staring right at him. He vanished too.

A group of adventurers walked by in that moment, their body language somewhat tense and angled towards her. None of them made a move however, simply passing through and entering a nearby store.

“Is that her?” one of them whispered.

Ilea listened to the conversation, concentrating to focus on the subdued voices in the sea of noise.

“Can’t be… she looks too normal,” a woman said.

“Don’t let it fool you. Her description matches. We’ll keep an eye on her and inform the captain if she does anything suspicious. Don’t engage under any circumstances. You know what she can do,” a third voice said.

So much for anonymity. Maybe I should wear plate armor and carry my hammer. Next time I guess, she thought and entered the temple.

Ahead of the line stood a healer wearing dark gray robes, a sheathed short sword hanging from a belt around her waist. She seemed a little confused, checking the man in front of her with a healing spell. Some of the people in the queue were already leaving, thanking any nearby Order members for the help.

The woman looked around before her eyes fell on Ilea.

“Greetings,” the Shadow said, waving as she ascended the stairs. Most of the temple inside was made of stone, simple and sturdy. She assumed few if any had been destroyed in the war. The doors are super sturdy too, and enchanted.

“Greetings. I assume you’re responsible for this?” the healer asked, gesturing to the leaving people.

[Pure Healer – lvl 112]

“You think I just healed about sixty people?” she asked.

The healer looked at her and nodded lightly. “You are quite a high level healer. So yes. I ask you not to interfere with our business any further than this, though I suppose I can’t stop you.”

“I thought healers were supposed to heal,” Ilea answered.

“They are. But compared to you, I can’t heal fifty people in the span of a minute. It’s valuable experience and I can earn some additional coin. What can I do for you?” she said.

Ilea considered the answer and found she didn’t really care. Healers would find work easily enough, even if she healed literally everyone in this city. Maybe then a few more would actually join adventurer teams.

She thought about the prospect, covering the entirety of Virilya with her dominion and healing every person in it. The idea seemed both impractical and like a bit of a waste of her time. Maybe once the teleportation gates were around, the Sentinels could do a sweep through large cities every few months. Would piss off the Orders though.

“Are you still there?” the healer asked, not having received an answer to her question.

“Ah, sorry. I’m looking for Minister Genesis,” she said, noticing a few glances her way when she said the name.

“Minister Genesis? What business do you have with her?” the healer asked, obviously a little suspicious. “If you want to join the Order you can do that with Minister Veer, he’s in his office down the hallway.”

“That’s not why I’m here,” Ilea said, summoning the invitation and handing it to the woman.

“Y… w…,” the healer stuttered, gulping as she looked between Ilea and the letter. “Ye..s let me… I’ll bring you to her.. immediately. Apologies,” she fumbled and bowed. “I meant no offense, Lady Lilith.”

“Calm down,” Ilea said and took the letter back. “Just tell me where I can find her.”

“The main western temple, overlooking the lake. It’s really no issue. I can show you there,” she said.

“What’s in it for you?” Ilea asked, making the letter vanish. More healers had gathered around them, murmuring to each other.

“I… I’m an… admirer. It’s… an honor to meet you!” the woman finally got out, her whole body language coupled with the shade on her cheeks having morphed her into an entirely new character.

“I… see,” Ilea said. “Alright then, show the way, I guess.”

She watched the woman downright squeal in glee as she walked down the stairs. “Is it true that you met General Ryse? And that you fought the monsters in Seyna? I heard you infiltrated the Order of Truth before they could cause even more damage to their own cities.”

“You heard a lot of stories,” Ilea said, walking next to the woman who led her westward through the city.

The healer smiled. “Everything I could find… oh I’m sorry… this must be kind of uncomfortable,” she said and laughed awkwardly. “I just… when I heard about the Medic Sentinel Corps… I was overjoyed!”

“You could always go an try to join,” Ilea suggested.

“I… I don’t think I can go through that kind of training. If the rumors are true. And I’m already in an Order. We’re not supposed to just switch. I’m Julia by the way, I don’t think I’ve mentioned that yet. The training with the Order of Balance was already exhausting. I don’t know if I could go through that again… and actually fight each other… and monsters… no. No that’s not… not for me. I like the songs though! And I love to hear about your stories. Did you know that a few writers in the city have started to collect tales about you from front line soldiers and adventurers?”

Please, god.

Julia bit her lip and looked to the ground. “Hmm. I suppose it’s impossible to tell if the stories are actually true. Not if you don’t confirm or deny them. But you’re probably very busy so it wouldn’t make much sense. We have to go left here,” she babbled, leading them towards the walls.

“It’s just outside the wall, where the fishing port is. Did you really fight a demon horde right outside the southern gates?” Julia asked.

“I took part in a battle like that, yes,” Ilea said.

Julia squeaked, both her hands raised to cover her mouth. “I knew that one was true! And then you rallied the Shadows in the city to go and retake Ravenhall, didn’t you?”

“I had information from Ravenhall, but it wasn’t me who rallied them,” Ilea said. She didn’t mind answering some of the excited woman’s questions, if she actually led her to the Minister.

Julia smiled knowingly. “No need for modesty. I know it was you. Either that or you pulled strings from the shadows. The battle in Ravenhall must have been incredible. I heard there were tens of thousands of demons. Even creatures as large as our walls are high!”

Scouts must’ve shared that story. Or some of the Shadows who took part. I suppose it’s understandable to take some credit after being part of that battle.

Ilea had simply experienced things by now that entirely overshadowed the battle for Ravenhall. She would certainly not share them with the young woman next to her, already entirely overwhelmed by her presence. She checked her surroundings but only found two rogue types following them. No sign of Maro. Don’t pass your cult curse onto me.