As dusk settled, EeDechi trudged back to the rented house. Her stomach growled fiercely, but Barrett had dinner ready.
Lifting the lid off the soup pot, wisps of white steam swirled up, carrying a rich, savory aroma that danced in the air. The broth inside was a tempting pinkish-red, topped with a thin, glossy layer of fat.
Tender braised beef brisket melted in the mouth, while peeled, cubed carrots and potatoes, soft and nearly dissolving, mingled in the broth. Sautéed celery bits and cabbage stood out like tiny green trees in a crimson lava flow. A quick sniff revealed the sharp bite of pepper and the earthy hint of basil leaves.
On the pot's inner rim hung a half-circle iron rack, holding fluffy white bread, puffed up from soaking in the steam, alongside a clear glass jar brimming with vibrant cherry jam.
EeDechi plopped down at the table, slathering jam on the bread, gulping down a spoonful of soup, and tearing into the bread with big bites. Halfway through, she paused, noticing someone was missing.
"Where's Franco?" She asked.
Barrett hesitated, then said, "He's off at a place where women make a living with their bodies, unwinding the tension from all our adventuring, easing his exhaustion, blowing off steam. Don't worry, he'll be back soon."
"Oh, got it," EeDechi nodded.
She wolfed down the entire loaf of bread, then picked at a few chunks of beef brisket and carrots, chewing them slowly, savoring every bite.
Suddenly, she jolted upright, as if struck by lightning, her face lit with realization. "Wait, you mean Franco's gone whoring!"
"Yeah," Barrett admitted, shrugging.
"Disorganized! Undisciplined!" EeDechi slammed her hand on the table, leaving a deep palm print in the wood.
"It's not all bad," Barrett rushed to explain. "Think about it—guys like Franco, with their raging hormones, if they don't pay for it, they'll just go after innocent women. Better he gets it out of his system this way."
EeDechi propped her chin in her hand, mulling it over. "Hmm… you've got a point there."
A while later, Daniel showed up for a visit, wide-brimmed hat pulled low, scarf masking his face—clearly trying to keep a low profile. After hearing EeDechi's take on religion and the Six Gods, he'd been blown away, his mind opened to new ideas. Now, he was back, eager for more of her "holy wisdom."
They sat by the fireplace, deep in conversation. EeDechi dropped a bombshell: the Six Gods were just regular people with extraordinary powers, who cooked up religion to make ruling the masses easier. She launched into a brutal takedown of religion, holding nothing back.
She said religion's core purpose was to discipline men, control women, and prop up the ruling class. It was riddled with outdated, rigid customs, exclusivity, and curbs on personal freedom. Churches raked in wealth, scared people with fairy tales like the end of the world, and preached morality while their leaders chased gold and power. Worst of all, they stirred up bloodshed over petty doctrinal disputes.
Daniel felt like his brain was taking a beating. As a devout follower of the Six Gods, these heretical ideas were unlike anything he'd ever heard—especially coming from the mouth of a Divine Envoy, revered even by his teachers. Her words stung, but they were maddeningly hard to argue against. Uneasy, he asked, "So, Divine Envoy, is religion completely worthless?"
"Of course not. Religion has its uses," EeDechi replied, catching him off guard again.
She leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. "Not everyone's like me, with an endless lifespan, never aging, forever young, or the power to defy death. Most people? They grow old, they get hurt, they die. For someone staring down the end of their life, what's waiting? Total nothingness? That's terrifying.
"Religion gives people comfort, a lifeline for the helpless. Without it, folks who can face their own death without flinching are rare as hen's teeth.
"Strangers can rally under one belief, fighting side by side under the same banner—that's another thing religion does. Say what you want, but an organized group will always crush a scattered one. Only those who stick together survive.
"Plus, religion nudges people to do good, to help the weak, to be kind and decent. That matters. Everyone's vulnerable at some point. If a society's all about the strong preying on the weak, it's a living hell.
"Religion also gets people to band together and help each other, which is crucial. Whether God exists or not is not important, because the power of God does not come from God, but rather comes from the mutual help and support among believers.
"And in the dark corners where the law doesn't reach, someone who believes evil gets divine punishment is less likely to hurt others than someone who thinks there's no god and they can get away with anything as long as they're not caught."
"I get it," Daniel said, nodding. The fog in his eyes cleared, like EeDechi had shattered his entire worldview and rebuilt it into something sharper, stronger.
"Uh, guys," Barrett cut in from the side, "I gotta warn you—your talk about the Six Gods being fake might be fine here, but the gods of the elves, the dwarves, or the Gaia? They're real enough to smite anyone who disrespects them. You'd better not say this stuff in front of their statues."
"Pfft, I'm not scared," EeDechi scoffed, rolling her eyes. She straightened up, sitting tall and serious. "Alright, Daniel, let me teach you a song.
"Debout les damnés de la terre !
"Debout les forçats de la faim !
"La raison tonne en son cratère,
"...
"Il n'est pas de sauveurs suprêmes,
"Ni dieu, ni César, ni tribun,
"Producteurs, sauvons-nous nous-mêmes !
"Décrétons le salut commun !"
…
Midnight in the outskirts of the Slien Theocracy's capital, inside the VIP room on the third floor of the upscale brothel, Enchanted Rose.
Soft orange glows from scented candles flickered in brass holders, filling the air with an intoxicating fragrance. The floor was draped in deep red velvet carpet, embroidered with vivid golden floral patterns.
Atop the lavish carpet sat a round bed big enough for five, covered in thick, silky satin quilts. A naked blond man lounged in the plush bedding, like he was sinking into fluffy clouds.
Three sultry women tended to him. One straddled his hips, riding him, her hands kneading her perky breasts as she let out seductive moans. Another knelt between his legs, her tongue teasing his balls. The third sat beside him, plucking juicy strawberries from a golden fruit tray, peeling off their leaves, and feeding the sweet-tart berries into his mouth.
This man, basking in such decadence, was none other than Franco.
Sure, he had a knack for charming and seducing all sorts of young women, but most were clumsy in bed, their blowjobs leaving teeth marks on his cock, needing his patient, hands-on instruction. Sometimes, though, Franco grew tired of playing teacher and just wanted to lie back and be pampered. That's when he'd head to a brothel—and not just any brothel, but a high-class one.
The service at Enchanted Rose had Franco grinning from ear to ear. The women's beauty, bodies, and skills were top-notch, giving him a rare, indulgent thrill.
Suddenly, a muffled ruckus broke through from outside—shouts and screams, barely audible. For a high-end pleasure house, especially a VIP room, the soundproofing was excellent, filtering out most of the noise. But from the faint, chaotic sounds that slipped through, something big was clearly going down.
"What's happening out there?" Franco asked lazily, the heady scent of the candles filling his nose, making his mind drift in a haze of lethargy.
"Probably some gang causing trouble," the strawberry-feeding beauty purred in a sugary voice. "A new crew called the Godblade Syndicate rolled in recently, butting heads with the old Mad Dog Gang over turf. They're shaking us down for protection money, showing up every other day to stir shit. Don't worry, though—our guards will run them off."
"Gangs, huh?" Franco's lips curled into a smirk. "I'll handle it. They won't dare set foot here again when I'm done."
"Sir, why don't you just keep enjoying yourself?" the three women cooed, urging him to stay put. "No need to fight. It's not worth getting hurt. The door's solid—those thugs can't get in."
"No sweat," Franco said, gently pushing the woman straddling him aside. He conjured a wand with a flick of his hand, twirling it between his fingers with a devilish grin. "I'm a high-level wizard, after all."
With that, he rolled out of bed, still buck naked. He pointed the wand, and a silk sheet flew from the bed, wrapping around his waist. His cock was still rock-hard, so the sheet tented out like a pitched canopy.
"A wizard, no less!" the three women gasped, their eyes sparkling with admiration. "You'll take care of it for sure!"
"Damn right. I'm not just a beast in bed—I'm a top-tier badass with magic too. Watch me show you what I'm really made of." Franco slipped on his sandals, sauntered off the bed, and strolled toward the door.
BOOM!
The door exploded inward, kicked open by someone outside!
The whole thing was forged from steel, reinforced with magic, thick and heavy as hell—and it got blasted off its hinges with one kick! The sheer force was terrifying!
The steel door hurtled toward Franco like a cannonball!
He barely had time to throw up a magical shield, deflecting the door's face-smashing impact.
"Who the hell is it?" Franco bellowed, brandishing his wand to pump himself up.
The kicker stood in the doorway, short black hair, scarf wrapped around the lower half of their face, gripping a giant sword, eyes sharp as daggers.
Franco couldn't see their face clearly, but those commanding, piercing eyes gave it away instantly.
His raging hard-on, tenting the silk sheet, went limp in a heartbeat.
"Captain! I fucked up!" Franco dropped to his knees with a thud.
EeDechi shot him a murderous glare, then barked at him and the three trembling women, "GET OUT! THIS BROTHEL'S SHUT DOWN! WHORING'S BANNED!"
…
Barrett was swamped. At EeDechi's insistence, he'd brought her to the brothel, and now he was juggling a dozen tasks.
He had to guard the main entrance to stop anyone from slipping out, keep an eye on stragglers trying to climb the walls or jump out windows to snitch, loot the wallets of the poor bastards EeDechi had knocked out, sneak peeks at the scantily clad women EeDechi was herding out, and watch the streets for patrolling sheriffs or other trouble.
If only Franco were here, Barrett thought, I wouldn't be so swamped.
It was midnight now, stars blanketing the sky. He'd figured Franco would've cleared out of the brothel by now, which is why he'd brought EeDechi along.
Wait a second—who's this buck-naked guy squatting with his hands on his head? Why's he look so familiar?
Barrett stepped closer and nearly choked. "Franco? What the hell are you doing here? I thought you'd split ages ago!"
Franco looked like he was about to bawl, crouched among a bunch of equally naked johns, all hugging their heads. He twisted toward Barrett, pleading, "Bro, put in a good word for me later, yeah? The captain's gonna chew me out big time. You gotta beg for mercy on my behalf!"
"…" Barrett sighed. "Fine, whatever."
EeDechi had finally rounded up all the johns and working girls, herding them out. Most were barely dressed—underwear, flimsy lingerie, or straight-up naked, clutching nothing but blankets. They obediently squatted, hands on heads, lined up along the wall in shivering rows.
The night wind was bitter, and plenty were trembling, but not one dared make a peep.
EeDechi, the giant sword slung over her shoulder, strutted through them like a farmer with a shovel strolling past a patch of mushrooms.
She turned, glaring at the brothel with a scowl of disgust, then raised her hand and unleashed a barrage of fire spells. She'd mastered these like second nature.
The whole brothel erupted in roaring flames, the firelight dancing in her clear eyes. EeDechi nodded, a faint smirk curling her lips, clearly pleased.
Franco, sensing a chance, shot to his feet. "Captain, hear me out! I wasn't here to screw around! I was working as a gigolo! I was just trying to earn some coin to cover our squad's expenses, so I sold my body! Plus, I was gathering intel, waiting for the right moment to report it all to you! I was gonna help you shut this place down!"
EeDechi's fists clenched at his words, her face burning with rage. She stormed up to him, fuming, "If you'd just owned up to your mistake, I might've let it slide. But now you've got the balls to lie to my face!"
THUD! She swung a fist, launching Franco skyward to join the starry night.
Barrett's eyes tracked Franco as he soared, climbing high, higher, then plummeted headfirst, crashing into the ground. His head and upper body were buried in the dirt.
Barrett strolled over, grabbed Franco's naked legs, and yanked him out like a stubborn carrot, slinging him over his shoulder.
"Captain, we gotta move," Barrett said. "Sheriffs might be coming."
EeDechi glanced back at the brothel, still engulfed in blazing flames, and nodded with satisfaction. "Yeah, let's go."