(So where are we off to?), Elly asks me.

(There's something I wanted to confirm. Supposedly the connection from this world to the afterlife is cut off. I want - I need to know if this is true.)

She questions me, (How do you want to do that?)

(Simple. We'll go to the church. If there's any place that has the highest chance of still having 'signal' it is there.)

She scoffs, (...I don't like where this is going. Have you considered that the church is a 'holy place'? It is possible that it would burn you as much as direct sunlight.)

(The [Undead] skill didn't say anything about that in specific. And if it was just generic holy damage regular people would probably also not be able to endure it. Well, that is the second thing I want to find out.)

She warns me, (Just... be cautious. If you feel anything off let us return immediately.)

I agree, (Yeah, sure. That was the plan.)

I check the map I got from Chloe and find where it lists the church's location. I make my way there, it is basically on the other end of the fortress. I lose my way a couple of times but Elly course corrects me again.

I arrive where the map said the church should be. I guess 'church' is a generous term. It looks like it is ten minutes away from being declared a ruin.

(Are you sure this is the right place, Elly?)

She answers, (At least according to the map it is.)

I shrug, (Well, it's either that or we're off to raid a tomb. Both work for me.)

I step towards the door and try to open it, then my hand is overcome by pain again. My HP has dropped to 850/852.

(Dunno. I was expecting that if the church hurts me it would be a bit more damage. Like ten times the amount.)

Elly agrees, (Yeah, two damage per second is not a good deterrent in case of a zombie apocalypse.)

(I guess I can just bear with it? I'd have seven minutes I think.)

She tries to dissuade me, (Honestly, I'd rather not...)

"Hey", I hear a familiar voice, "what are you doing here? This is not your feeding ground!"

I turn around and see the girl from the weapon shop again, this time dressed in a more religious dress, "Me? There's something I have to confirm if the gods are willing to answer."

She thinks for a moment, "Are you perhaps... no, never mind."

"Am I what?"

The girl sighs, "...a recently created vampire? It is strange, you seem to know too little even for the normal... memory loss of getting turned."

"Oh, that... it was not even a week ago."

She doesn't believe me, "Right, right. So let me spell it out for you, Jared, the divine voice doesn't answer undead. And... recently it has even been silent for normal people."

"I never introduced myself, how do you know my name?"

She scoffs, "Eh, hello? You're a silver elf and a magic user. I've heard rumors of only one magic user recently. Real casters are so rare that every single one is noticeable."

That worries me, "Why 'real caster'? Is that to differentiate from those that only have magic skills from their race but have no class that supports it?"

She confirms, "Yeah, exactly. Just like... people like me. Err, before I forget again, I'm Lucia."

"Nice to meet you, Lucia."

She tells me off, "Screw that! I know that... you vampires aren't really attracted to 'me', but to... my skill", she sounds sad while saying that.

"Huh?"

She plays it down, "Yeah, it is a... curse. Don't bother using [Appraise], it doesn't show up there."

(Ha! We'll see about this!), Elly is a bit too eager to prove her wrong.

And we were only talking about divine classes recently...

Oh, hey, glitches again, (That's a tough one to swallow...)

Elly sneers, (So much for romance.)

(Yeah, yeah. But what's the point? I thought a 'divine class' was something super special with powerful fate-defying skills. This reads like a death wish.)

(No idea), Elly is also clueless.

"Holy Maiden?" Shit! Wait, I shouldn't be able to see that!!

Lucia is confused, "Huh? You can see it?"

"Well... uhhh... maybe I was allowed to see it because you wanted to show me?"

"Hmmm...", yeah she clearly doesn't buy it.

"So what does your skill do?", as if I hadn't already peeked at it.

She sounds sad, "...undead become highly attracted to me, in one way or another. Disappointed?"

"A bit. The feeling reminded me of a crush I had before. Was nice while it lasted."

She shrugs it off, "Yeah, sorry, it is just a skill, not... really real."

"Say, how do you deal with that? It sounds like half the ghouls in the slum incident would make a beeline for you."

She grabs her shoulder, suppressing a shudder, "I try not to think about it too hard. Neither about that skill nor about the oracle I got some years ago", it seems like life has left her eyes.

Do I dare ask what it was about?

"Wanna tell me what it was about?"

"No, I don't want to", she looks like she's about to cry, "but it doesn't matter what I want. The oracle was about my... death. I am to die the same year the next Demon Lord awakens."

(Then it is a good thing I didn't take that title, RIGHT ELLY?)

My mind's roommate apologizes, (...sorry.)

I go over and hug Lucia, "No it is not. Some crap like destiny is not real. This 'oracle' can only come true if you give up. Be strong and fight against it."

"Don't be dumb - and let me go", she frees herself from the hug, "oracles are from God himself, they are never wrong."

"The gods are never wrong? Then tell me, why did they need to send multiple Lost Ones over the years and we still have to deal with this doomsday scenario to this day? Trust me, the future is not set in stone. As long as you live you can change it!"

She starts laughing, "You're funny. Do you even realize where we are?"

"In front of a church, so what? Just because the gods are powerful doesn't mean they know the future."

She gets lost in thought for a moment, "I think you're right. The teachings of the 'god of balance and refinement'", she points at the status to the side of the church I oversaw earlier," tell us to better ourselves each day. Just accepting defeat would go against this. Thanks, I guess, I needed that."

"And this statue?", I point to the stone figure in front of the church.

She answers, "Supposedly depicts this church's god."

"Kinda looks like Jeff."

...shit, this [Undead Bait] skill screws with my ability to keep my thoughts in my head...

Lucia is confused, "Uh... why is it that you don't know the most basic things but have an idea of what our god is called? Most people don't know it. Basically, only the upper church ranks do", she whispers, "Well, the pronunciation is a bit different from what they used."

"Maybe just a vague memory from before? But I feel like 'balance' is clearly not his department, that goes more towards Graham, I think."

She looks like she caught someone reading her diary, "...fine be that way. You wanted to try your luck with a prayer?"

"Yes but the church burns me alive. I'd have like six to seven minutes."

She offers assistance, "Well, I could give you another minute, maybe two, if I use my single heal spell of the day on you. Want to give it a try?"

"Are you sure you want to waste it on me?"

She nods, "Yeah, why not. I feel like I owe you after your encouragement."

"Thanks. I'll tell you when I'm below half HP."

Lucia gives me instructions, "Great. So just head over to the altar, kneel down, fold your hands like this", she shows me the procedure, "and then just... pray. If the gods want to answer you'll know it. Wait, give me a minute I'll check with the reverend mother to make sure we don't get a problem with your... condition."

She runs into the church.

Thinking back, (I think I may have said too much there.)

(About what, Jared?), asks Elly.

(The whole Jeff thing. I've seen that she has the Nun job. So me name-dropping their god like it was nothing just has to tip her off.)

She responds, (If you're that worried about that you can still show her your Lost One title. Though I'd be more worried about this being a trap.)

(Not sure. I don't get the feeling that she is hostile but that might just as well be the [Undead Bait] skill messing with my head more than you are. Didn't the patch notes say that I'd be immune against such mind effects?)

Elly explains, (No, only against generic mind effects. This one seems very specific to me.)

(Great. Then I'm counting on you to keep my head straight while near her.)

She agrees, (I'll do my best. Regular or yandere style?)

(Regular please.)

Lucia returns a few minutes later, "Ok, no one is present currently. They are teaching some of the orphans in the classrooms."

"More questions for later."

She urges me to start moving, "Yeah, yeah, get going."

I enter the church, it burns as expected. Lucia leads me towards the altar. It is devoid of any decorations, just a scale with a miniature sword on one side and a hammer on the other scale.

The whole atmosphere feels uncomfortable.

I kneel down and try to perform the gesture Lucia showed me earlier.

I silence my thoughts and try to 'pray'...

...

Nothing happens.

...

Ah, now!

Yeah, as expected. So that part was true at least.

632/1066 HP left.

I rise from the pose and try to leave again so I tell Lucia, "Yeah, no response as expected. But thanks for indulging me anyway."

Lucia accepts my thanks, "Sure, how you're holding up?"

"I lost a bit more than 400 HP."

She asks, "No intense pain?"

"Just the continuous burning from being in this place."

Lucia concentrates for a moment. Then a green light rushes from her hands towards me.

"Thank you."

She follows me outside, "So what are you up to now?"

"Not sure. I'm out of MP and SP so not really sure what I can do today anymore. Why do you ask?"

Lucia answers indifferently, "Nothing special. I've just duty in the church today but the reverend mother is still busy so I have to wait before I can do anything. Just... wanted to waste some time with a little chat if you don't mind."

"Sure why not. Is your duty here related to your special class?"

She nods, "Yeah, I got it about five years ago and when someone from my neighborhood found out they condemned me to work here. Claiming I NEED to prepare for my 'destiny'", she air-quotes and sighs, "At least they allow me to continue with my smithing apprenticeship."

"Huh, I thought you'd help here voluntarily."

She gets agitated, "Are you joking? I was literally BORN to be a blacksmith. Sitting around, listening to people and trying to help them turn their life around is... not something I'm good at. Which doesn't even get into the main problem...", she averts her eyes from me.

"And that is?"

Lucia explains, "Just because I have this special class people expect me to accompany the 'chosen hero' once the real one is found and inevitably fall in love with him, urgh", she sticks her tongue out in disgust, "I mean do you get it? Nothing I do now matters. I 'must' play the damsel for some haughty jerk just because our two classes say so. That's... not fair."

"Harsh. Sorry, no idea how to defeat peer pressure. That might be the one enemy harder to slay than a Demon Lord."

She scoffs, "Yeah, tell me about it. At least I'm 'lucky' and will be through with it soon."

"Hey, are you still going along with that stupid oracle? I thought you'd decided to fight against it?"

"Yeah, true", she doesn't really sound confident, "I have the choice between dead-dead and only mostly dead because my choices are not respected. What a great prospect for my future. I hate it."

"But what if you meet the hero and he isn't an insufferable jerk? What if you actually fall in love with him for real?"

She teases me, "What? You got hopes that it'll be you and you can win me over? Puh-lease."

"Don't worry, I have it on the highest authority that I can't be a hero."

"...", she looks at me questioning my sanity.

"What?"

Lucia shakes her head, "You talk the weirdest things."

"Yeah, maybe I do. Do you feel like talking about your religion here?", I don't really care too much about it but if they have Jeff as their figurehead it can only be a big joke, wonder what the punchline will be?

"Eh, sure why not", Lucia shrugs it off, "not sure I can tell you anything you shouldn't already know."

"I'm sure you can at least get me back up to speed. Half the time I'm not sure if I just don't remember or never knew in the first place and my brain just makes shit up."

Lucia explains, "Riiight... so the main tenets are pretty simple:
one) be willing to help those that ask for help if you're able to
two) strive for improvement of the self and the community
three) no one knows exactly what is meant by 'balance' but the current consensus is to avoid the extremes or keep everything in moderation."

"That sounds way more reasonable than what I'm used to. No mandatory prayers, weekly mass or forced conversions of 'unbelievers'?"

She mocks the idea, "No, why? Who'd want such barbarism?"

"Don't ask me. A religion with actual practical guidelines instead of just wasting everyone's time with preaching, hundreds of laws and demanding tribute sounds like such a novel concept to me."

She suppresses laughter, "That... sounds like a poor way to live if you ask me."

"Yeah. So if I wanted to keep it short: assistance, self-improvement and moderation?"

She thinks about it, "Hmm... good enough for me."

"So how exactly does this church 'work' then?"

She explains, "We help with the orphanages, give the young ones some education or try to offer advice to anyone who seeks it. And if no one here can help there's always what you tried - prayer. "

"Ok, but what does that have to do with your... class?"

Lucia responds, "Uh, absolutely nothing? I think most people just have no idea. They probably think just because my class has holy in its name that I MUST belong to the church. The reverend mother disagreed but was overruled somehow, I don't really understand what happened back then. It just... kind of happened and then I was never in a position to go somewhere else..."

I don't really know what to say to this...

"Say, shouldn't you hurry back soon?", she asks me. It seems this discussion has hit a sore spot... she's looking for any excuse to end it, "As far as I know you got a ring for joining the military that only protects you for about an hour from the sun."

I really should pay attention to the luxury my cloak grants and not take it for normal, "Oh, yeah, true. Thanks for reminding me. I blame the effect of your skill for that! Well, see you around, Lucia."

I take my leave and wave her goodbye.

3QGN73

80% of the time of writing this chapter went towards the skill description. Needed to avoid spoiling 40 chapters and wanted to write a bit more than just 'plot happens when I feel like it'.

Given the combo of Lucia's 'undead bait' and Jared's 'familiar' any potential relationship between the two could only be messed up, they have to be extra careful when 'embracing' each other... I'll see myself out >.>