First Encounter
I came out to the plaza to wait for a Journey member, but for some reason she never showed up at the designated spot.
Maybe she mixed up the time or the place?
I was about to go look when a girl hugging a stack of papers approached me.
Hey, you there!
...
Yeah, you! I'm talking to you!
...Me?
That's right. Got a minute?
Sorry. I'm busy right now.
Aww, don't be like that.
I'm doing a survey to see what people think of the Monolith Order.
If you take part, Lord Gaph will bless you so everything you're doing goes smoothly!
The Monolith Order?
Huh, you really haven't heard of us?
The Monolith Order worships the omniscient and omnipotent Lord Gaph.
Lord Gaph has prepared everything for us.
From trials, rewards, to the wisdom contained within the sacred relics.
So as long as you pay your offerings on time, you're rewarded with long life! Good fortune! Riches and glory!
Every wish you've got will come true!
So? Amazing, right?
...Sounds like a run-of-the-mill cult.
C-cult?! For your info, we're one of Lavistar's biggest churches!
Sounds shady...
Ngh...
Fine! You've been looking for someone this whole time, right?
If you help me with my survey, I'll help you find that person.
How's that? Not a bad deal, right?
Honestly, finding someone in this big plaza would be easier with two people than alone.
Fine. Hand me the form.
Heh heh, that's more like it.
Just read the questions and pick your answers.
Don't forget to write your name on the last page, okay?
The questions were normal enough, but there was something scribbled in tiny letters in the corner of the last page.
It looked fishy, so I didn't write my name...
I'm done.
Perfect!
Starting today, you're officially a member of the Monolith Order.
Welcome to the faith!
Huh? Member?
What? Don't play dumb now.
Look close. See that tiny writing in the corner of the last page?
That's the membership clause.
So the moment you write your name there, you're one of us!
Thanks! Because of you, I just climbed one rank higher ♪
So you're showing your true colors, you cultist!
I'm not a cultist!
And it's not like you lose anything by joining.
Just keep paying your offerings and show up to help whenever we need you.
That does sound like a loss to me.
Heh heh, well if that's how you feel.
But hey, not my fault you didn't read the contract properly.
Look. See your name right—
Huh? It's blank! Why?!
...
Geez, I told you not to forget! So clumsy!
You know I was joking, right? No true priestess would pull such cheap tricks.
Pretty sure you're pulling one right now.
Aagh, seriously! Don't be like that!
I need a hundred new followers to rank up!
You'd be my hundredth! Just sign it, please?!
This girl I'd never met before grabbed my pants leg in the middle of the plaza and clung on.
Let go! Even those who are already members will run if you act like that!
Let 'em run!
They don't count for my tally anyway!
Is the Monolith Order really okay with priestesses like this?!
Tch...! The others always fell for this...!
Fine. Who are you looking for?
Muriel Tiasi.
Huh?!
Wait... Are you the new Journey Captain?
You know who I am?
Of course I do.
Because I'm Muriel Tiasi.
The Savior you're looking for, and the future High Saintess making her way to the top of the Monolith Order!
So you'd better stay on my good side starting now.
Someday, when I become the next High Saintess, you'll only see my face if you're lucky!
Not sure that dream's gonna come true.
We'll see about that.
I'm already the 116th-ranked saintess, you know!
Once this Journey's over, I'll be way higher up.
Um... around 200?
Still, I've been moving up the ranks pretty fast!
...Right.
So anyway, this survey...
Once I recruit a hundred followers, I'll hit 115!
So please, just sign it for me! Please?
Just then, a strong wind blew through.
The stack of papers Muriel was holding flew high into the air.
Ah! No! My followers!
Come back! Come baaaack!
Muriel! Stop!
Stop? What do you mean stop?! Don't just stand there and help—
...There's a fountain up ahead.
Waaaah! You could've told me sooner!
Now I'm soaked! This is my only saintess outfit!
Watching Muriel bawl her eyes out in the fountain, I couldn't help but wonder.
Is this Journey really going to be okay?