The nun sat across from her, crossing her arms with a familiar spark in her eyes.
"Don’t sound so shocked. Just because we aren’t dripping in gold coins like those peacock adventurers doesn’t an we’re starving. The Capital Church is rich in nature, not just wood."
Maddy looked around the hall, noticing the way the architecture integrated with the landscape. Through the large windows, she could see the flourishing interior farm and the heavy branches of fruit trees swaying in the breeze. The air here felt alive, untainted by the smog and noise of the city streets.
"You’re right," Maddy agreed, taking a careful sip. "This place feels completely different from the rest of the capital. It’s quiet. It’s fertile. It feels like it belongs to the earth..."
"It stays that way because soone makes it stay that way. The Guild Master... she doesn’t just manage the warriors. She makes sure the church’s lands are protected and that the soil stays rich. She says a city that can’t feed its most vulnerable is a city that’s already dead."
Maddy felt a prickle of curiosity about this Guild Master... A powerful figure who seed to have a hand in every act of kindness in the city.
"Nature and power... this woman possessed more than strength; she had vision."
As she ate, Maddy felt the eyes of the children on her, their faces finally bright with the comfort of a full stomach. She felt a rare sense of peace... As she finished the last of the soup, Maddy leaned back, feeling a warmth that didn’t just co from the broth.
"This... it feels like ho."
She thought, her eyes softening as she watched the children laugh around the table.
"These Protheans are like people from Earth too. They laugh, share food, care for one another, and keep going no matter how hard life gets. Sitting here and sharing soup with them... it makes feel like I belong. It feels like they are not born to... kill."
Her gaze lingered on their smiling faces.
"They’re real... just like ."
Maddy stood up, smoothing her travel worn cloak. She took one last, slow glance around the hall. Her Thermal Awareness swept the room one final ti, searching for that one specific, familiar heat signature she had burned into her mind.
"Empty... Hoppy was not here."
The priest and the nun walked her to the heavy doors of the chapel. Part of Maddy wanted to ask them about the girl, to describe the orange hair and the notebook one more ti but... she bit her tongue.
"No. Asking again will only draw attention. If word gets back to the rchant that an adventurer is hunting for a specific ’orphan’ from the south, he’ll move her, or worse. I can’t risk the rchant’s family putting up their guard."
The priest reached into the folds of his robes and pulled out a small, humble pouch. As he handed it to Maddy, his expression was tinged with a slight, lingering guilt.
"I’ll be honest, child, I was pessimistic when I posted this quest. In this city, gold speaks louder than prayer. We have no real coins to offer—only a food that we grow. I feared no adventurer would ever look at a slip that didn’t promise a fortune."
Maddy accepted the pouch, feeling the light weight of the food. She offered a small, firm nod.
"To , every paynt is fair as long as the work is done. By giving this, we’ve settled. No debt remains between us. I gave you my labor, and you gave what you could. We both got exactly what we wanted."
The father’s eyes widened, a look of genuine adoration crossing his weathered face.
"Such a rare mindset... especially for one so young. Most who carry a blade see the world as a debt that can never be paid. We truly need more adventurers like you, Maddy. You carry a wisdom that doesn’t belong in the F rank."
"Thank you, Father. But honestly? It was you and the sisters who helped . You made feel that not all people are bad... and in this world, that’s a harder thing to find than gold. I hope more people learn to think the way you do here."
She paused at the threshold, the warm afternoon air kissing her face.
"And the lunch? It was more than just a al. It made my heart full, too."
The priest and the nun watched her with smiles of profound gratitude as she stepped out. As the heavy doors finally groaned shut, Maddy’s posture shifted. The warmth of the church remained in her chest, but her eyes turned back into the sharp, predatory... of a avenger.
"They are good people, Lucy. It just ans there are Protheans who deserve my... rcy."
Lucy responded,
[Agreed. This world often demands blood for blood, but your perspective is evolving. Avenging soone is morally complicated; it is not simply a matter of good or bad. When an enemy strikes at those you love, the desire for revenge cos from a place of deep grief and anger. It is an act of love to want to restore balance when sothing so deeply wrong has happened.]
Maddy tightened her cloak around her. She had spent the better part of her afternoon subrged in the lives of others. She had listened to their rants and their fears of the distortions.
Finally, she moved toward her last quest of the day.
She arrived at the Grand Square, the pulsing heart of the capital. It was massive, teeming with people—rchants shouting their wares, street perforrs juggling fire, and weary citizens crossing the plaza to get ho before the bell tolled.
In the very center of the chaos stood a towering wooden statue, its grain polished to a deep, honeyed glow. Maddy paused, her eyes narrowing as she watched the scene around it. Unlike the rest of the square where people hurried past one another, here, the crowd slowed down.
Everyone was bowing their head, so even whispering prayers and showing deep respect. It wasn’t just a monunt; it was a shrine.
"Who is that supposed to be?"
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