Day 234- 9:38 PM - Red Light District, Shinono, Koto City, Tokyo
Mark remained sitting on the ledge of the building overlooking the Red Light District of Shinono, although his attention was now focused on his unexpected stalker as he stared at her.
Since the first ti Mark saw this person, he already felt suspicious. During Mark's encounter with the mbers of Dawn outside the restaurant, she appeared as that Shito Priest. At that ti, it felt like she appeared out of nowhere, as his detection could barely detect her at all. That was more the reason he closed his doors on her without hesitation, aside from the fact that he had no intentions of interacting with the Temple. At least, not too early.
But as Mark saw that Shinto Priest as she transford into a teenage-looking girl, together with her extrely expensive clothing and accessories, Mark began to have thoughts about who this stalker was.
It was no surprise Mark could barely detect her. This girl's aura and energy enveloped the entire Reclaid City.
The Reclaid City was this young-looking girl's territory.
"So, what does the Priestess want with ?"
Mark asked, voicing his assumption.
And seeing that Mark recognized her despite this ti being their first eting with her true appearance, the girl, no, the Priestess blood with a childlike smile.
The Priestess. She was a mysterious entity in the eyes of the common people within the Reclaid City. She was a symbol of worship and was rumored to be a magical entity even before the outbreak. But since she barely interacted with anyone in public, almost no one knew her outside the Temple.
However, it was no secret that the Priestess was responsible for the Reclaid City's safety during the recent catastrophe. She was the pillar of Japan's last line of defense. Even if all kinds of sches and troubles happened within the Reclaid City, no one would try to offend her or the Temple she led.
It was known to those with enough status that the Priestess was recuperating. Protecting the Reclaid City was said to have weakened Priestess' strength. That was how the information circulated.
Mark continued to stare as he waited for her answer. As he could see, this girl was in no state that needed recuperation. Was it false information so she could lay low while roaming around in disguise?
"You are really asking ?" The Priestess responded with a question as she tilted her head and bent her shoulders sideways in a cutesy manner. "You and your people stirred up the hornet's nest the mont you arrived. Everyone is focusing their attention on your group. There is no way I can ignore it, can I?"
And then, the Priestess vanished from Mark's eyes as the continuation of her words entered his ears.
"Especially when it turned out to be soone powerful. Furthermore, a Demon."
As those words echoed in Mark's ears, he stared at where the Priestess initially was, although he already knew she was standing on the ledge he sat on just a step behind him.
"A [Shukuchi], huh?"
Mark murmured as he nonchalantly turned to face the Priestess as she looked at the situation below.
"It's unexpected to see a Demon capable of utilizing dead souls. You really did them nasty."
The Priestess said with a laugh while watching the commotion below.
At this point, Mark could only look at the Priestess with a strange expression in his eyes.
The Priestess, the protector of the Reclaid City, was laughing at the murder of the people living inside it. It was strange, not to ntion that her behavior so far was way different from what one would expect from soone called a Shrine Priestess and the head of a religious temple.
It felt more like Mark was talking with a bratty delinquent.
"I just killed people inside your territory, and you're actually laughing." Mark could not help but ask in curiosity. "Aren't you supposed to protect the city?"
The Priestess turned to Mark with that cutesy tilt of her head that would make one question how the heavy ornants on her head had not fallen yet.
And then, the Priestess replied.
"I am protecting the city. But not the ruffians living in it."
Due to the Priestess' posture while replying, Mark's eyes locked stares with hers. And from those eyes, Mark could feel a state of serenity. She was calm. There was no anger or hate from her towards him even though he killed people in front of her.
Those eyes told Mark that the Priestess cared for the city and those who were living peacefully inside it. However, those who had no respect for the peace and protection she had brought had no right to expect anything from her.
The Priestess was like the sun for good people, while she was the darkness for evildoers.
"Amaterasu..." A sudden shocked voice inside Mark's head made him snap. "Be careful about the person in front of you. She carried the aura of a Goddess."
Mark listened to the warning inside his head. It seed that Magwayen had checked on him only to see the current situation. Still, it was quite a surprise.
"Is she an incarnation?"
Mark asked Magwayen inside his head.
"No, her soul is of a human," Magwayen imdiately replied. "But it seed that her bloodline carried a direct connection with that country's gods."
It was another surprise. The Priestess was likely the sa as Mark, having a bloodline directly connected to a God of the past. However, unlike Mark, who was connected to an unknown evil god, it seed that the Priestess carried the bloodline connected to a major Deity of the Shinto Religion.
"What's wrong? Why are you silent? Is there sothing on my face? Do I look cute? Did you fall for , perhaps?"
Mark's sudden silence caused the Priestess to barrage him with questions, so being utter nonsense.
This girl... She was annoying.
Mark did not respond to her stupid questions. Instead, he continued the previous conversation.
"You didn't mind killing those pricks. You don't really seem to care that I'm a Demon, either. Then what are you here for?"
"Hmmm..." The Priestess tapped her chin. "Yep, I don't care if you're a Demon. Anyone is welco to enter the city if they don't desire to create evil within. Demons, Spirits, everyone is welco as long as they bring peace. But it is far rarer to find Demons who want peace. You and your people might be causing waves, but you haven't done any evil. Your group also helped during the previous hornet attack. It prevented many casualties and circulated materials needed by the people. So far, you haven't done any evil."
"I just killed people."
Mark retorted.
"Killing evildoers might be wrong, but that is not evil. If you ask , you are contributing to the peace of this land by removing the roots of evil. It might stir so chaos. A storm among the people. But it is just like nature. After the violent storm, the saplings will begin to grow."
"If it's peace you wanted, can't you just deal with guys like those?" Mark asked. "You have the power and status. Yet, there's the Blood Lion Troupe, Dawn, and those businessn and politicians scheming around."
The Priestess turned at Mark with puffed cheeks. That expression told Mark she wanted to do that but could not.
"The Temple is forbidden to be involved in such trifle matters involving humans. That had been the rule since ancient tis."
The Priestess said.
"And you're trying to get involved with since I'm not human."
Mark stated the intent with the Priestess' words.
"You got my aning. Good!"
The Priestess seed to be delighted. However, there was more reason why she better not interact with humans, although there was no reason for her to share it with Mark, whom she had just t.
As so novels had described, the top was lonely. Being the strongest would make one stand on that peak alone. It was the sa for the Priestess.
Being a mber of the Temple and as the core, she was forbidden to et anyone without authorization. She could not involve herself with most humans as they only saw her as a stepping stone to pull their ranks upward. A connection with her ant a great deal to these people. It was very rare for her to et people, much less get soone she could call a friend.
It was already a fortunate thing that the Priestess had a good old friend, although he died several years ago due to old age. He left his grandaughter, however. And that girl was more or less her grandchild, too. It was a pity that the Priestess could not et that girl recently now that she was all grown up.
"So, you only want to have soone to talk to?"
Mark was appalled by the Priestess' reason for eting him.
"That is just a part of it?" The Priestess tilted her head again. "I actually wanted to request sothing..."
The Priestess jumped forward closer to Mark. And there, she uttered two words.
"Fight ."
Mark could not help but stare even more at the Priestess after hearing her request. One would think that she was trying to pull sothing off. However, Mark could not detect any kind of hostility or ill intent behind her childish face. There was no facade. She just wanted to fight.
One might assu that the Priestess was a battle junkie. But it did not seem to be the case.
"I said it before. I know you're powerful." The Priestess continued to speak. "I don't know how powerful, but you might be far more powerful than any other person in my city, human or not."
"That is why I want to test how strong you are and how far I have gone."
In other words, the Priestess had no other people to test her strength. It might be because of the restrictions placed upon her due to her status or just that she never t anyone else within her level of strength. And now that she t Mark, who she deed strong and not a human, she decided to take the opportunity to asure Mark and her strength.
Mark stared at her for a bit before slightly shaking his head.
"Not interested," Mark answered her request. "There is no rit for to do so."
It was not like Mark was not really interested. However, he would not reveal his strength to soone he t for the first ti unless it was a crucial fight. Furthermore, he would not get anything out of it, and his strength would end up getting asured instead.
Not to ntion that the Priestess carried the aura of Amaterasu. Magwayen was sure about it. It could end up being an annoying fight.
"What if I gave you a rit?" The Priestess began to make a proposal for Mark to fight her. "I'll give the Temple's protection to your group. It should stop those ruffians from trying to ss with you and your people. And..."
The Priestess began tapping her clothes, looking for sothing. And she found it soon. It was a small ornate box about the size of a ring box.
"I'll also give you this. This should be of use for your [Sylph]."
The Priestess opened the ornate box, revealing its content. A small marble-sized crystal with a greenish color.
Mark was appalled. This girl sure gave him a lot of surprises in the short ti they talked.
What was that crystal inside the ornate box? It was a [Wind Elental Energy Crystal], a small crystal that contained wind-attributed magical energy.
And what was surprising about this?
Well...
Mark raised his right hand without saying a word. Between his fingers, four crystals, the sa as what the ornate box contained, showed their luster in the darkness of the night.
The Priestess' jaws fell. She sure showed funny expressions.
"I'm pretty sure that also ca from ."
Mark said as he pointed at the crystal in the Priestess' hands. He was quite sure that it was one of the three crystals he sold to Val Flora in exchange for information. It was quite a surprise that it ended up in the hands of soone who would try to offer it back to him.
The Priestess retracted her hands.
"I made a mistake. Not this one." The Priestess then took another box of a similar size from her clothing. "This."
The next box contained a not-so-good-looking gemstone. It was not polished, its shape was irregular, and its color was even cloudy.
Mark was not interested.
But at this ti, Magwayen's voice echoed inside Mark's head.
"Accept her request. You will need that gemstone."
Mark was confused. However, Magwayen had been helpful to him so far and would not say anything without a proper reason.
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