Present
An awkward silence can say a lot about the people present. If there was no mutual understanding between all parties to a conversation, or they had just met and could not find ways to communicate, then such an unpleasant thing as awkward silence was formed. Both sides either did not want to escalate the conflict or, on the contrary, were confrontational with every word they said.
The meeting between demons and exorcists was probably meant to be something like this. When two historically irreconcilable enemies meet, this is the most "peaceful" outcome there is.
After all, the job of an exorcist is to kill demons. No, the official purpose is to protect people, but anyone with the rudimentary rudiments of cognitive function should realize that killing the undead is their real job. Of course, by uncleanness you can assume many things, such as vampires or a member of any other supernatural faction, but demons have always been the priority target.
In fact, there has been a fundamental difference in abilities between demons and humans since the beginning of time. Demons lived almost indefinitely, could use magic through imagination, and at least had greater resistance to damage than ordinary humans. Such a confrontation would have no place if not for one fatal flaw of demons.
It was a weakness for the Light, or rather for all that was holy. Such weakness was embedded in the foundations of their being and could not be bypassed. Of course, as Emeric had said once before, this weakness diminished with strength, but not because of the demon's "resistance" to light, but rather because of the complex resistance to any damage at all. Light had always been a prioritized way to fight demons, even incredibly strong ones.
Exorcists appeared on the basis of this weakness. Yes, humans were weaker, but they were much, much more numerous than demons, plus they could "nurture" new additions much faster than demons. They had the fatal weakness of any demon in their hands, and the humans themselves were never as helpless as they seemed to others. Yes, in their majority they were nothing, but some representatives had long ago left their name on the lips of long-lived races.
So, exorcists were the weapons of the Church. Do not confuse the Church with Heaven, the former is formally subordinate to the latter, but there everything is much more complicated than it seems. The main engine of the Church, as well as the "steering wheel" has always been a man, even if this man often had to follow orders from "above".
The structure of the Church was incredibly complex and intricate. It was permeated by many factions of influence and various departments. The only thing that bound them together was their common subordination to the "top".
Therefore, it was not always possible to equate the actions of some exorcists with the intention of Heaven.
An example of this sort of thing was right in front of Emeric.
Across from him and Sona, as his 'co-chair' of this city, sat three exorcists with very, very challenging abilities and backgrounds.
In the middle sat a young guy, about their age, very handsome, who had blue eyes and blond hair. His smile was friendly and relaxed, as if he wasn't sitting across from his enemies.
Emeric would have liked to believe that smile, and his gut said it was a normal attitude, but he just couldn't do it. On his chest, in addition to the usual cross, there was also a red-colored cross with a silver border.
Isaiah de Guisor was an official knight of the Templar Order. One of the most infamous ecclesiastical orders of the Middle Ages.
The Order of Templars was founded right in the midst of the Crusades and was created specifically to strengthen them. The full name of the Order: "The Brotherhood of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon". The Order has always stood out for its strict religious vows, military discipline and financial power, which came from outside, mainly from the rich aristocracy, of course, not for nothing.
The Templar Order was able to leave its mark on history through excellent military campaigns and achievements. With each decade, they grew in strength until at one point they got caught up in the Church's intrigues and lost. Emeric didn't know what information to believe, but the fact was that in the fourteenth century, many of its members had been arrested on charges of heresy and other crimes.
The Order itself has been dissolved. Or so Emeric had thought until now. After all, the sensible one on the contrary showed that the Templar Order was alive and well, and even sort of working under the Vatican. That is, it was not just a bunch of people who wanted to revive the glory of the past, but an official structure within the Church.
The Templars had always been an incredibly ambitious order, and Emeric didn't know what the fuck their representative was doing in their town. He would have let it go, or at least he wouldn't have been so wary if it hadn't been for the other two members of the "delegation". After all, they were not members of the Templar Order.
The first, a redhead with two long ponytails and a slender figure. She was pretty with a touch of some Slavic and Asian roots. She had a rather cheerful smile on her face, but nevertheless the wariness in the depths of her gaze was still there. Irina Shido. Ichika's childhood friend who turned out to be an exorcist. Just a coincidence upon coincidence.
The second, a beautiful girl with a rather "imposing" figure. Short hairstyle, dyed blue, not the most "traditional" variant for a representative of the Church, but now it's not the Middle Ages. The gaze is intense, direct, looking for confrontation. Practically the main reason for the awkward atmosphere in the room. It was becoming clear that any form of 'cooperation' with demons was not to her liking. Zenovia Quarta.
The two girls were very uneasy, both wielding Excaliburs. Irina had the Excalibur Mimic, and Zenovia had the Excalibur of Destruction. They were the last Excaliburs that had not yet been stolen by Cockabiel. They were representatives of the Catholic Church, that is, the Vatican itself.
Izaya wasn't simple either, Emeric sensed not one Sacred Mechanism inside him, but two. Something to do with swords.
A complicated company with its own secrets and peculiarities. There was something wrong with all three, but it was Irina that attracted Emeric. He needed a way he could nail them down and squeeze information out of them.
Some form of dialog needs to be established first. Izaya, being the most open, will do better.
«Mr. de Guisor," Emeric took his mug carefully and sipped a little. - I couldn't help but notice your unusual surname. Are you related to the Grand Master of the Templar Order, Jean de Guisor?
His sudden question seemed to confuse the knight slightly. He scratched his cheek slightly and began to answer:
«What, you Señor Gremory, it's just tradition. I have no kinship with the Grand Master. - Izaya began to explain with a smile. - I am just an orphan...
«I apologize," Emeric interjected.
«No, not at all," the knight shook his head. - I'm not offended. It's just that our order has a tradition. Orphans they take into their care are given the surname of one of the great members of our glorious order. As you may have noticed, I got the name of the Grand Master.
«A worthy surname for a worthy man," Emeric smiled.
«Thank you, Señor Gremory," Izaiah answered him in the same way.
In fact, he only knew the name, which was Jean de Guisor. Emeric had no idea what exactly the man had done, but decided to just praise. Hobby circles like this treated their history with great piety, so just praise probably wouldn't go wrong.
«And how long ago did you become an exorcist?
Emeric had no idea what exactly this Order had forgotten in his city, and it was infuriating. So one would need to pull as much information out of their representative as possible. If he asked directly, he would most likely get either a rejection or an increase in the degree of the relationship. The very fact that they haven't killed each other yet is pretty amazing.
«My order took me in as a child," Izaiah began to answer his questions calmly. - I've only been an active exorcist for a few years....
Typical Church recruitment program. Nurture and nurture young talent at a very young age. In this way both loyalty and strength can be secured.
Emeric wanted to continue pulling out information, but Zenovia was apparently against the usual conversations with demons.
«Enough! - She glared sternly into his eyes while the rest of the demons in the room, meaning Ichika, Shinra, and Akeno tensed up. Valerie, for reasons of not feeling well, did not show up for the meeting. - Whatever you're up to, demon, we're not falling for your game!
«Uh, Zenovia... - Izaya wanted to interject, but the exorcist prevented him from continuing.
«Enough, Izaiah," she snapped. - I realize you take 'love thy neighbor' very literally, but it has nothing to do with the demon...!
«О? - Emeric smiled mockingly. - It turns out there are exceptions in the New Testament? I didn't know...
Zenovia began to blush naturally, not from embarrassment, but from her heavy temper. And Emeric was beginning to realize that this meeting would not be as boring as he had originally thought.
«By the way, I did sin," Emeric shot his eyes straight at Zenovia. - As a part-time nun, can't you atone for my sins?
«This kind of thing is unforgivable! - The blue-haired exorcist hissed.
«But you weren't even listening," Emeric made a sad face and turned to Irina, sighing. - Maybe Irina can help me with my penance.
«Uh, I... - Irina was a little confused by the question, shifting her gaze from him to her friend. - Well, it depends on what you did....
Emeric sighed as sorrowfully as possible and began to look at his feet.
«It was right before we met. Before Ichika called me," Emeric hid his face in his hands. - I wanted to check on Akeno, as always, you know, to see if she was sinning. Well, you know, we demons always keep an eye out for that sort of thing... - Akeno's cheeks were starting to blush. - As it turns out, she had sinned, and she had sinned big time. - Emeric slightly out of the image of a very "repentant" man, but quickly brought himself to order. - And I couldn't resist sinning and joined her! - He looked up at the slowly blushing trio. - I've done things with her! And we're not even married! But I've done her this way and that...!
Irina, who had lost control of herself from excitement, could not refrain from asking.
«How?
It seemed like Emeric was just waiting for that question.
«I "rapped" right into her on this very couch! - He saw them stare in shock at their location. - Yes, yes! On this very couch!
The trio of exorcists instantly jumped up from the couch. Zenovia tried to draw her sword, but the trembling in her hands made it impossible to do so.
«You are! - Zenovia couldn't find the words. - I'm you!
«By the way," Emeric leaned back on the back of his couch with a smile. - Would you like me to lead you down a theological blind alley?
Irina, still reeling from the shock, once again couldn't keep her mouth shut.
«What's the impasse...?
«Could he create a rock he couldn't lift himself...?
«AAH!
Izaya and Irina had to urgently restrain their friend who had gone off the rails.
As the saying goes, you do a bad thing and your heart is glad.
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