The Monolith Order
...Due to certain circumstances, I've caused you trouble without meaning to.
As a saintess of the Monolith Order, I wish to offer you a formal apology and proper compensation.
I humbly request that you visit our church on this date.
...That's what it says.
Do we really need to do this when it's already over?
I heard she was pestering you even before the last fight.
What if this apology is just another scheme?
Come on, Asherah. You always take the cynical view of people's intentions.
She's still a saintess—a woman of the cloth.
It's not like she's going to dig a pit in her own church and wait for us to fall in.
Who said anything about going that far?!
You're always saying never to trust people's goodwill blindly, yet you're oddly enthusiastic today.
Be honest.
You're just trying to get out of training, aren't you?
N-no way! Is that how little you think of me?!
Con artist. Fraud oracle. Gambling addict. Social misfit.
...
Hey, I'm not a fraud oracle...
So, we're turning down the invitation?
Excuse me? What are you talking about, Captain?
I've already sent our reply saying we'll attend.
What...?
The Monolith Order is one of the largest religious groups in Lavistar.
They pull in enormous sums in donations and offerings.
Meeting with a high priests from a group like that doesn't come easy.
Shouldn't we be making connections and securing patrons while we can?
Do we really have to go that far?
*Sigh* Oh, Captain...
You may be the Journey Captain, but the Voyager Savior Party is still a fledgling group with barely any support.
We can't survive forever on pocket change from petty quests.
At this rate, you'll be sleeping on the street when we can't pay our rent anymore.
Remember, Captain.
Keeping our finances healthy is also part of the Savior Party's job.
And I hear they made some mistake toward you, didn't they?
This is our chance!
Don't let them off easy. Try to push them for a donation if you can.
Understood?
And so, on a sunny afternoon, we made our way to the church in NOA's downtown area.
Hmm... If this map's right, it should be around here.
This way. Come on, everyone!
Wait, you've been here before?
Hehe, guess you didn't know, Asherah.
The Monolith Order runs a free soup kitchen out front on a regular basis.
Back when I was broke, I used to come here to eat sometimes.
It's pretty good for free food, too.
Really?
Mister! Can I have another bowl?
Hey! That's already your third!
Lord Gaph might punish you if you keep that up!
Haha, it's fine.
Lord Gaph doesn't get angry over children eating.
He'd rather see you eat more and grow strong.
Come here, I'll give you a big serving this time.
Heheh, thanks mister.
You're welcome. But thank Lord Gaph, not me.
Thank you, Lord Gaph!
...Guess it's not the cult I thought it was. Looks pretty normal to me.
So maybe it's just those two saintesses who were weird...?
There it is.
At the end of the path cutting across the food line stood a massive church.
Elisa!
Elisa! Elisa! Elisa! Where are you?!
S-Saintess Muriel? You called?
Do you even know what day it is today?
It's the day [he] is coming!
Hey. Long time no see.
Eek!!
Y-you're early... The bane of all women...
What...?
I-I mean, Mr. Cold City Man...
I staggered a bit at the incomprehensible string of words.
By then, Asherah stepped forward.
Hey, that soup kitchen over there. Does your church run it?
H-huh?!
I-I mean...
Serving the poor yourself like this... that's impressive.
Maybe I've been wrong about you.
The Monolith Order seems like a fine place.
Uh...
That's right! That's right! That's right!
As saintesses, we help people carry the seeds of hope.
This kind of charity is just part of our daily lives.
Saintess Muriel...?
Since you joined, there hasn't been a single record of you volunteering...
Q-quiet!!
Anyway, why did you call us here?
Ah, right!
So the reason I asked to meet today is...
Is?
I'd like to offer the Order's treasure in exchange for borrowing your sword for a while.
What...?
Aah, Saintess Muriel...!!
Throwing away the Order's treasure when it's not even yours, just for a promotion...
That shamelessness... It's making something inside me burn!
The Order's treasure...? Out of nowhere?
Yes! It's a huge treasure!
Normally, the higher-ranking saintesses manage the Order's sacred relics.
But it's such a hassle that they usually pass it down to lower saintesses.
And the lower ones push it further down to those beneath them...
Is the Monolith Order... really okay with that?
Anyway, it got passed down a couple of times until it landed with me.
It's one of the top five sacred relics in the entire Order!
The [Cube Palace].
Sell it at an underground auction and you could buy an entire town with the money!
At Muriel's gesture, Elisa brought something forward.
It was a black crystal cube, glowing with an unearthly light.
Is it really okay to hand something like that over?
Of course!
...Well, technically no...
B-but if it means securing the [grand sacred relic] you have, even for a while...
Wouldn't you call that a gamble worth taking...?
Grand sacred relic? You mean this sword?
Yes, that sword...
Well... I'm not even sure it's a sword, actually...
But it's listed in the very first chapter of our scripture as the holiest of the sacred relics.
The grand sacred relic known as the [Star Piercer].
The scripture says it's the key to awakening our great Lord Gaph...
I don't know the details myself...
But it's something our Order has sought for generations!
So please, if you could just give it to us...
...
If you can't, then let us borrow it for even just a few years or months, maybe...
...
Th-then at least let me touch it!!
After making this much trouble, I need something to report to the Order!
Otherwise I'll really get demoted to rank 200!
I received it from someone else, so giving it away is out of the question.
But letting you take a look for a moment... I can do that.
I'm gonna touch it! Touch it! Touch it! Touch it!
Touch—hmm?
R-really? You're letting me touch it?
Without a word, I handed the sword to Muriel.
F-finally...
I finally have it in my hands!
The grand sacred relic! The key to Lord Gaph's awakening!
The [Star Piercer]! The legendary sword said to have been wielded by the Star Savior!
And now... it's mine!!
C-congratulations, 116th Saintess Muriel!
You shine so brightly in this moment, I can't even look at you straight!
I didn't say you could keep it...
Heh... Hehe... Hehehe...
The grand sacred relic... is mine now... I'll never give it to anyone!!
Hey! You said you'd only hold it for a moment!
That's the Captain's sword! Give it back!
N-no!
This is my ticket to promotion!
I now have it and I'm never letting go!!
Asherah and Muriel grappled over the Star Piercer.
But Asherah is a trained swordswoman, and the underdeveloped Muriel is no match in strength.
Realizing she was losing, Muriel called for backup.
E-Elisa! Elisa! What are you doing?!
M-me?!
Yes! Don't just stand there! Stop her!
When I become the High Saintess, I'll make you rank 2!
B-but she's really strong... How could I possibly—
Swing whatever you're holding at her!
Huh? Th-this...? But it's the Order's treasure...!
NOW!!
At Muriel's shout, Elisa squeezed her eyes shut and swung the [Cube Palace].
Of course, there's no way such a clumsy attack would hit Asherah.
Missing Asherah entirely, the Cube Palace slammed straight into the Star Piercer.
*Krrrshh*
...Did it...?
S-Saintess Muriel!
The sacred relic... It broke! W-what do we do?!
U-uh...? It broke that easily?!
Th-this wasn't in the plan...