October of the Sainted Year (Third Civil Month)

(Diams)

The Bird grinned. "Oh, it's fine. Most people are surprised. She didn't want you to panic about the number of children. Many do. So she blocks minds now. Cesylia is a Division of someone called a Goddess' Saint. Cesynda is only one of her Divisions, and—well—I hate to break it to you, but several of her Divisions go by that name… maybe as a joke. The one you've been keeping company with lately is the Red Dragon Queen of Nights, Lights, and Brights. She's exceptionally dangerous in combat. Her embodiment is… special. She must know you like the doll-like ones, so she sent you that Division in her Doll body."

Kensington said curtly, "Diams, let's go. Time is of essence here."

Diams nodded, though Kareena still clung to his arm, as if letting go would mean surrendering him to death itself. Her aunt, Desziel Skaramish, and her cousin, the Countess of Gladyris, their gracious host, watched them with mild indulgence. That was, until the Guardian Bird on Kensington's shoulder opened his beak again.

"There's no need," he said with a sharp gleam in its eye, "to assign your son such an unpleasant and undeserved task. Kareena is clearly of far too low a status to be entertained or escorted by a Marquess. You overestimate her. Her blood is quite base. She would be better suited to sit among the lowest Noble castes. Truly, she would be honored to share a seat with one of your lowliest Gentlemen attendants and even he would bear finer lineage than her."

The Bird tilted his head slightly. "The woman clearly doesn't know her place. To accost an Over-Count in such a fashion? To cling so openly to her Baron husband? One might think she'd been placed under some silly charm."

Kareena gasped, her grip releasing as she collapsed to her knees in sobs. Her husband, Diams, and her cousin Hermon rushed toward her, both visibly alarmed. Diams, however, did not move to comfort her. His gaze remained fixed on Kensington and the Bird, shock and pain battling in his eyes. With a handful of words, they had just shattered Kareena's standing, perhaps permanently.

The Bird's eyes glittered again as he resumed, voice now colder, deliberate.

"Let's put Henries to the task. He's a Gentleman from Noble stock. And for her escort, Pierce will do. He's young and Under-Viscount class, so he won't take offense at being assigned to someone of such Common blood. Naturally, we'd never allow him to walk unshielded into this den of corruption like we just did while surrounded by many Divine Protections. I've no interest in cloaking our subordinates from the corruption brought by the sort of crass and vile company Kareena seems fond of."

He turned its gaze to Hermon.

"In fact, her cousin Hermon Lesgraf seems like a decent escort. Even as a Baron, he is likely the best of the lot. We cannot fault him for being born to a family of thieves and mongrels. The Lasgravio line was doomed from the start, unlike the Lesgraf. No, we can't fault him or a few of his kin for being tangled in such lowly ties, whether to the Lasgravio or to their wretched allies. So long as he stays true to his path under the Protection of his Goddess… and refrains from defending those who dared insult the True Saintesses. That is."

Hermon let go of Kareena's arm without a word and took three steps back. His face had gone pale, deathly so, and Kareena stared up at him in disbelief. Several of his Lesgraf relatives had already begun making their way to the doors, some with visible haste. One of them, who had been chatting only moments ago with a powerful Lasgravio guest, had leapt from his seat and disappeared into the hallway without a backward glance.

The Bird's voice rang again, each word sharp as a blade. "In fact, it is an excellent idea. We shall ask Hermon or perhaps one of his close kin to escort her. He could even assign Hijer. They tangled last summer, didn't they? She plays the prude in polite company, but behind closed doors? She can be quite the tramp."

The air seemed to tighten as the Bird went on, unrelenting.

"I could name a dozen men she's slept with in the last two years. Some of them are sitting right here in this very room. Others linger comfortably in the adjoining salons. If I wanted, I could name every one of them and there are many. Yet, no one called her out on her behavior. Not once. But they find the gall to question the conduct of Saints and Sainted One. Kareena is, after all, only a very lowly woman with a single Soul. She does not carry thousands of powerful Souls within her like Cesylia or any of her Divisions."

Kareena choked on a sob, her breathing shuddering into hiccups as her crying grew louder. Her mother and aunt Moreen rushed in from an adjoining chamber, having missed the worst of the scene but not the Bird's voice. His words had carried through every room of the Countess's house like divine proclamation. It was, after all, the voice of a Celestial Bird renowned for his piercing Wisdom and unflinching Clarity. His words were often said to echo the thoughts of the God himself, the one whose domain he served.

In a shadowed corner of the room, Count Sefraz, Kareena's other husband, remained seated, unmoving. He had not risen at any point, though his gaze never strayed from the Bird, following every syllable of the Guardian with great attention. Around him, his relatives sat in uneasy silence, visibly perturbed but paralyzed. Only one Baron had made to stand but at a sharp glare from his uncle, he promptly sank back into his chair. The man had long been rumored to hold a particular fondness for Kareena. The reasons for that affection had long been suspected by many, but confirmed, for the Bird's piercing gaze had rested briefly on the Sefraz Baron when he mentioned he could name Kareena's lovers in the room.

A few of the man's cousins had looked just as nervous. Their eyes darted, their postures stiffened. It was no secret that some of them had shared Kareena's bed. The Sefraz men were known for their incredible physical stamina and their insatiable sensual appetites. Carnal pursuits were just sport for their bloodline, which had once been created by a sneaky and mean Wolf Spirit's Subordinates—the very beings who had funded their family and whose influence still carried weight to this day.

Diams stood frozen, silence locking his expression in place. At last, he understood.

He had warned Kareena repeatedly not to get involved in the gossip surrounding the Saints or Cesylia. At several gatherings, when her tone turned too sharp, he had cut her off with firm conviction, making it clear the subject was closed before she could press further with her friends. Her behavior had shifted noticeably since her cousin, Lady Gladyris, had come visiting. Kareena had never spoken openly against Cesylia before. Not beyond the occasional passing remark, a bitter quip to soothe jealousy or retain dignity. Women vented, he knew that, especially when their men were said to have turned their eyes toward another. But this? This had gone far beyond that.

It must have started with Count Sefraz's desertion.

Their own marriage had never been more than a practical arrangement, designed, executed, and concluded with the birth of a child. They were never the passionate sort. That distinction, unfortunately, belonged to Teyron Sefraz, a man whose presence bewitched more women than Diams cared to count.

Diams had known that Teyron Sefraz had begun to enjoy Cesylia's company, but the man remained utterly ignorant of who she truly was. He knew nothing. He didn't even know she lived in the Slums. Didn't know how drastically her appearance changed between forms. Or how the persona of "Cesynda" was a mask entirely distinct from the woman beneath. Not just in appearance, but in taste, in presence and in personality.

If Teyron had met the other her, the true her, he'd have flung himself headfirst from a cliff. That man needed to dominate every relationship. Control it. Shape it. And Cesylia, that version of her, would have shattered him with a glance.

She could lift him and any of his proud bloodline with two fingers.

Diams had recognized her. Years ago, in the Clamdel Region, she had confronted a few overbearing men from the local Sefraz branch—Teyron's family branch. Some of them had died that day. She had tossed them around like sacks of flour, hoisting a few by the ankle and teaching them what it meant to be struck by a woman who didn't flinch.

And their Guardian—yes, their own ancestral Wolf Spirit, who scarcely appeared even in crisis—had arrived not to defend them, but to cheer her on. His summoning flags fluttered with zeal as he bellowed:

"Go, go, girl! Show the boys a good time! They've been playing with dolls so long they forgot how to fight or how to behave in front of a real woman!"

Some of the men dropped their heads and knelt, knowing they were finished. Their own Guardian had abandoned them. Worse, he had taken her side. Whatever they had done, it had been enough.

They had accepted the lashing. Endured the light torture meted out by their Guardian's Executioner for hours afterward.

Cesylia had sat quietly nearby, watching.

Beside her, Mathias Herves had smiled faintly, enjoying the show while sharing the late lunch they decide to have at past four in the afternoon.

The Guardian Bird's next words shattered Diams' trance like a crystal goblet cracked by thunder.

"Kensington," he said smoothly, "I believe we should have Kareena's father escorted by Pierce instead. The man may carry mostly Commoner blood, but it's of the better sort—and his connections are inconveniently useful. He could serve Diams far better in the long run, considering some of his extremely high relations."

He tilted its head, feathers glinting like old relics.

"Master Mathias Herves is unusually fond of him. And his twin brother sired Sainted Arch-Dukes with Summons I happen to adore. High Drakes and Dragons, the kind I wouldn't mind perching on for once, instead of hauling you all around like some feathered carriage beast."

A pause.

"I could just sit there. Like a proper Bird. Let someone else do the divine heavy lifting for a change. Sip some celestial rice wine. Maybe a vodka. Invite a few old friends. Laugh a bit."

He gave a sniff, disdainful.

"You know, the other Guardians have been mocking me lately. Whispering behind my back. I think it's time we trained Diams and Cesylia's little ones properly and get them Summoning early. Let them learn it's normal to carry me on their backs. I've grown frail as of late."

Kareena stared, horror blooming slow and cold across her face. Her mother quietly released her hand and stepped back, retreating with the silence of someone who knew not to speak before thunder struck. The Count straightened in his seat, spine pulling taut at the words.

Kensington turned, alarmed, voice cracking with disbelief.

"Sir, how could you say that? You—frail? Aren't you one of the higher Supremes? The kind who command the Supreme Gods themselves in this Realm?"

The Bird nodded, looking bitter, and showed his wing. "I only project myself here through the embodiments of the few children I dropped into this lower world, at my Lords' command. I need my kids to learn to do less work and let Diams' children handle more. They'd enjoy some rice wine."

Diams watched as Kareena's mother fainted backwards, her eyes rolling out of her head. Count Sefraz had begun to tremble. One of his cousins wept, gripping his pants in frustration.

The Bird glanced around. "We should finish this quickly. I think I'll add a new castle region not far from here—say, a hundred miles off, near the castles of the Lady and the son she had with Diams. I might've overdone it earlier when the Province Lord claimed we were invading. I said I'd make a thousand soldiers but I made ten thousand, and far too many war vessels. I started a small Enclave to hide them, but then my Boss said it wasn't enough. So now we're making a hundred thousand and three hundred more by tonight, within a new, larger Enclave attached to my smaller one. We still want it as an intermediary zone. Nothing too bad. My Lord will finish the rest. A few million people to populate it won't be hard for his Spirits. He'll twist time, and we'll have several cities by tomorrow morning. Wouldn't want the local Gods to feel insecure about their powers.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

We could do it in seconds, but that would look like boasting—wait, Boss! What? You already made one just now, this very second? A new Enclave with millions of people just to underline my words and land the punchline? You say it doesn't count in the usual credits? Because it comes from the unlimited pranks credit line of the High Lords? That endless budget to crack jokes?

Okay… ah! So you're still building the rest, but we can head to this one first. There are little rabbit Guardians and creatures the Sefraz Guardians can visit? Oh, great—they'll be thrilled. I think they were about to go on strike from having to protect losers who sleep with a woman bold enough to speak about such a Sainted One. Some even opened their mouths… or laughed."

Diams' eyes widened as a few Sefraz men went on their knees begging. Teryon was not among them. It was mostly an under-branch of the Sefraz, one mixed with another family that seemed to be the problem. However, soon after, an Over-Count from Teryon's own branch knelt this time and offered his neck. Diams did not know what the man had done or said wrong, but he had heard rumors of actions so serious they had angered both Mathias Herves and Cesylia alike. A very bad combination.

Kareena shook her head, crying. She understood what that meant.

The Bird nodded. "Well, you know—some of you will have your Souls extinguished. Others, just your powers. I might keep one of you with Souls merged from all your branch. I've had enough."

Only then did Count Sefraz rise and murmur. "What?"

The Bird smiled. "Yes, that'll do! How many are in the Soul vaults? On this continent? No, let's take a few more from this world. I need a new slave to carry out the Saints' errands. Someone close to a Celestian. Master Mathias Herves warned you long enough. This is purging day for your family and the Gods who bred the taint that poisoned the noble Sefraz bloodline. The Spirits have agreed. Herdokan, I trust you understand that you will depart in semi-mortal form to the Plane I mentioned earlier, just before I made you fall into the body of your own creation. Enjoy crushing that Soul as much as you like; your fate is already sealed. You may take some of the Souls from that branch your Flock created to keep in Magical Lamps. Do not expect mercy. The area you are heading to is managed by one of His servants. Since you have upset Him too much, you shall now pay for your crimes."

The man trembled and bowed his head.

The Bird nodded. "Excellent. He's saving a piece of you for much more torture, right here."

The man looked up, terrified. A Shadow ripped free from his body and was dragged away by other Shadows, screaming.

The Bird grinned. "Oh please. You'll be cut a thousand times before you arrive. Now divide again. I'm flashing you through the Light Column to the Master of Blood Lords himself. Our Lord wants a word. His kid came complaining. He said you were mean to him for being small and cute, when He was the one who made him that way. Now you'll answer to him directly! He dragged your maker and your maker's makers, just in case. You know the drill… oh wait, no. You don't. You were too low-ranked. You didn't even know who you were standing against. Sayonara, baby!"

Diams swallowed hard as the man split, his Division was flashed out through the Light Column, screaming. The remaining one dropped to his knees, pinned by invisible force, and was beheaded. His body disintegrated, replaced by a terrifying brown Wolf-Dog… and a tiny black puppy, who promptly pissed on the floor through an open Water Portal.

***

Long moments passed before the Bird turned to regard his newest Creature with quiet satisfaction. He nodded once.

"This," he said, "is one good thing done."

His voice sharpened slightly. "Kensington—time to clean house."

He gestured toward Kareena, who sat sobbing on the floor—now in an even worse state than moments before, when several of her lovers had been reduced to nothing.

One of them had been remade into a Slave, now under the control of a cheerful, panting black puppy in a strange costume, tail wagging, eyes bright with excitement. The man was still held on a leash by yet another Creature—this one a black-haired woman in a provocatively indecent dress, also freshly fashioned by the Bird.

The Bird's tone was cool and decisive.

"We shall revise those marriage contracts immediately. There is no world in which a creature like this can remain the official wife of your son Diams. She is to be retrograded to Fifth Wife status, with a Third Wife delegation. No more than that. See it done by tonight."

He paused, then added coldly.

"I will redraw the contracts myself. I want it published on the front page of every newspaper in this Region. And send notice to all your contacts. Let them know of her new status… and her complete lack of decorum."

Kensington bowed with crisp obedience.

"Yes, my Lord. I shall see it done."

The Bird's expression turned almost clinical.

"I shall contact a specialist to remove what remains of the rotting part. She's been exposed to too much corruption—it's degrading her by the day. If it continues, we'll have to bury her within months. Still, it would be a shame to lose someone of a bloodline once considered wise."

He tilted his head.

"I'll have one of my men inject a proper dose of Neutral Soul Matter from her own bloodline. That should keep her functioning for several more years. If necessary, we'll remake her entirely. She's so far gone, there's little else we can do. The woman she once was… is all but gone."

His voice lowered.

"If even a fragment of her can be preserved, it's better than watching her be tossed whole into the Soul Trash Can where such contaminated Souls are sent."

Across the room, Diams and Kareena's mother stared at her in stunned silence.

Diams spoke at last, stammering:

"My Lord… Kareena—what happened to her?"

The Bird's eyes didn't move.

"Many things," he said softly. "She came into contact with the Malevolent Spiritus who possessed Lyane, for instance. But not just that one. She never truly stood a chance."

He shook his head.

"What destroyed her, I suspect, was standing against the True Saint of the Dark Lord's Crow."

His voice took on a mournful cadence.

"Truly… a matter of bad luck."

He looked directly at Diams.

"You see, enemies of the Dark Lord are often used to absorb corruption and Malevolence at an accelerated rate. For them to stand against the Dark Lord or his people in the very world he created… well, that already marks them as contaminated. And so they are sacrificed."

He paused.

"What's true of the Dark Lord is just as true for his Flock. The only difference is in the level of curse the enemies must endure. She was lucky Cesylia is but a much lower Division. You should see what happens when you try it with the Source."

His expression turned solemn.

"It's a double-edged sword. Those who fight off Malevolence, who push back against the poisoned thoughts it spawns, are protected. Kareena could have had that protection. She did, once—under the Saint she later betrayed… for her family."

Kareena trembled, tears streaming as her sister clung to her, trying to keep her upright.

Diams whispered, hesitant.

"My Lord… I don't believe Kareena was under Cesylia's protection. She was… under Mathias Herves'."

The Bird laughed, almost gently.

"You know so little, child. Cesylia is a much older Division of the Source. She was so refined, other Divisions were made in her image. Some even carried her name."

He folded his hands behind his back.

"She manifested over two decades ago, originally as a Division of another. But she grew, gained independence, power, divinity. She encountered Kareena nearly twenty years ago. At the time, she was involved with Kareena's father, John. Cesylia blessed him for protection."

His voice lowered, more measured.

"Over the years, she spent millions on his children from different women. Over a decade ago, she provided extraordinary financial support to Kareena and her mother's household who were drowning in debt. She helped launch Kareena into society. Even now, she still provides a modest sum… for Kareena's clothing. Cesylia had always insisted the girl be dressed with dignity."

Kareena looked up at him as if she'd been struck.

Her mother gasped then collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably as she sank to her knees. Her sister clung to her, trying to hold them both steady, though her own face was stricken with shock.

From the doorway, Under-Count Erdogan, the woman's son, stood frozen, eyes wide, lips parted in silent dread.

The Bird's voice turned soft, almost elegiac.

"This is where true tragedy strikes, you see, Kensington."

He looked down at the sobbing woman with something like pity but distant, clinical.

"Kareena was never meant to rise so far. Her ascent was only made possible through the Blessings of Cesylia, who had by then risen to the rank of a Goddess—one with formidable power. The Goddess of the Delighted Nights, also known as the Queen and Princess of Delights and Moony Nights."

He paused, letting the names weigh the silence.

"Kareena owed everything to that one. But jealousy… greed… and most of all, the guidance of her family—those are what led her to ruin. Cesylia had done all she could to help her. The divine Protection she granted shielded Kareena from corruption for many years. But it could not shield her from herself… from her own festering feelings."

He exhaled quietly, as if lamenting a misstep.

"It may have been a lapse in judgment on Cesylia's part but who could blame her? Kareena had once been a bright child. Untainted. Not yet poisoned by her mother's twisted thinking."

The woman collapsed fully, overcome by sobs.

The Bird's gaze did not soften.

"And to think John had taken the girl in as his own. He could have left her with her true father… Johan, his brother, whose maternal lineage was of a much lower class. That alone would have been enough to ruin Kareena's standing in society. To be known as Johan's daughter, tied to that family? A stain no court would forgive."

He tilted his head slightly, voice still even.

"Yes, Cesylia had her reasons. Reasons Kareena could never have guessed. She intervened not merely for Kareena's sake but for John's. To free him from burdens that weighed too heavily. To unshackle him from a debt that was never truly his."

He turned toward Diams, who stood frozen in place.

"But there was another reason. A darker one. More personal. One that compelled Cesylia to aid Kareena and her siblings again and again."

Diams stepped forward.

"What reason, my Lord?"

The Bird's expression did not change.

"The children Cesylia bore. Not only with John Dwarions but with Johan Dwarions as well. She had not yet reached Goddesshood then, but she was close. Almost a Celestial."

He paused, his voice low and deliberate.

"The reason… is Seyna and Syhana Megumi, Johan's secret daughters. The first of them, Seyna, is a Saint. She was raised alongside her half-sister, Seyka Megumi, daughter of Jordan Makarin, Johan's son. A Baron-class noble. His mother, as you know, is a Declassed Noble from a respectable Gentry line."

Diams stared, stunned. Kensington, normally composed, had started to sweat.

He knew the names Seyka Megumi and Seyna Megumi.

The first was the most notorious one: the Saint of the Dreyzekan Kingdoms.

The one who had abandoned that Union of Kingdoms, calling its King a fool.

Since then, the King had been locked away in a tower, condemned to write endless apologies to the Gods who had sent the girl to his country in good faith.

They had not expected their Saint to be scorned because of her looks and her Commoner's blood.

To be passed over for a false Saint, elevated by another Church. A woman with no Sanctified Powers, who had pretended to be holy while becoming the whore of the King's son, Kyliam.

The story had spread far.

Many Kings had heard of it and now feared falling for the same kind of trick.

Kyliam had not only looked down on the true Saint who possessed Divine powers and was the Avatar of a new Goddess but had also publicly defied, insulted and threatened her.

The King had apologized for his son's behavior, but had refused to correct it.

His closest aides had even defended Kyliam, calling him kind-hearted, well-intentioned, and casting doubt on whether the Saint was a Saint at all.

After all, she wasn't Noble.

The Gods had been so moved, they ordered the execution of Kyliam and several of his companions who had been used to threaten and attack the Saint.

They locked the King in a tower where he was condemned to write endlessly letters apology to the Patron Gods of the True Saint, since that was the only thing the Gods deemed him still capable of. Apologize.

A wise White Crow Guardian had told him. "If apologies were enough, there wouldn't be something called war."

The King's former advisers and aides—those who had defended Kyliam—were exiled to a new land created by the Gods.

There, they were stripped of their titles and privileges and forced to farm. Their families were sent with them to this Greenfiernald Land, a place where the Mana clashed violently with their own.

As for the Kingdoms, they had reverted to having three Kings or Princes, as in ancient times.

The main ruler now was a Sainted Pope, sent by Izranaga to restore the people's faith.

The God Izranaga had granted him new Sacred Lands and ordered the creation of multiple fake Saints, each possessing only strong Sacred powers.

"He said," one whispered, "those foolish Nobles wouldn't even know the difference. Sending a gem to those used to filth had been a mistake."

The false Saintess Daphne, who had been sent by that other Church and allowed higher Gods to be humiliated through their Saint, was now imprisoned.

She had to beg the guards for food—sometimes lie with the unscrupulous Merchants they sent her.

As for Saint Seyka, she had packed her bags and left the country.

She was said to live now in the Enclaves, Semi-Enclaves, and Half-Enclaves created by her Patron Gods.

She had divided herself multiple times and now led a quiet life in the country.

Kensington hesitated, then asked, "Lady Seyka Megumi, my Lord? The funder of the Drakezan Kingdom?"

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