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"I am Ikanos Bernard, Deacon of the Steam Church's Backlund Diocese, and Captain of the Machinery Hivemind assigned here."
The slightly disheveled but composed Deacon introduced himself with polite restraint.
"Bennett Maynard, youngest son of Councilor Maynard of Tingen, currently a student at the Backlund Theological Seminary under the Night Church, and undergoing clerical training."
Eli Walker—using his current identity—held the Night Revelation in both hands and offered a standard, formal ecclesiastical bow.
"Good evening, Deacon. I am Martin, Mr. Bennett's personal valet."
Martin, brushing his hair back into place, bowed in sync with Eli.
"I'm Alice, a low-Sequence Beyonder from the Eternal Blazing Sun Church."
Alice declared her identity directly and without subterfuge. After all, this was the Steam Church's domain, not the Storm Church's. There was no need to posture.
The members of the Machinery Hivemind nodded—clearly understanding Intis—and turned to report their findings.
"Captain, there are signs of Werewolves, and a faint aura of undeath still lingers in the vicinity."
"Captain, all checks complete. The weapons are standard. The blood on this gentleman's cane most likely belongs to a human mutated by a Werewolf."
Ikanos Bernard turned toward the trio.
"I'll explain," Eli offered calmly.
"The weather in Backlund hasn't been particularly uplifting of late, and I've been under some internal strain. As a devout follower of the Evernight Goddess, I stepped out tonight to seek peace of mind. A night walk seemed fitting."
"Concerned for my safety, my valet Martin arranged for Miss Alice to accompany us as a bodyguard."
"We met at Backlund Bridge, chatting while enjoying the scenery. By the time we reached the Bridge District, it was already quite late, so we decided to find a tavern for a drink before heading home."
"However, as we turned into this street, Miss Alice sensed something abnormal. A creature resembling a Werewolf lurked in the darkness, poised to attack. We assisted her in defending ourselves, during which another—clearly stronger—Werewolf appeared."
"To drive it off, Miss Alice used radiant force, causing some disturbance."
"That's the full account, Deacon. Martin and I weren't carrying our firearms permits at the time, but we're willing to cooperate with any necessary inspection."
His tone was composed yet deferential—deliberately framing the late-night encounter as a spiritual exercise rather than a tactical pursuit.
After all, who would question a follower of the Evernight Goddess for seeking serenity under moonlight?
Ikanos raised a brow slightly. "That second Werewolf wasn't killed? Just injured?"
"Yes," Eli replied frankly. "That second creature was significantly more resilient. Frankly, I doubt our bullets could have done much. Werewolves—especially stronger ones—can survive far worse injuries."
He wasn't exaggerating. Even with entrails spilled, a high-Sequence Werewolf could reassemble itself given enough time.
Deacon Ikanos shifted his gaze to Alice.
"I'm only Sequence 8—a Light Supplicant, not a Solar High Priest," Alice said, her voice even. "Without a formal ritual, I can't fully imbue weapons with divine power. What I applied was merely a spiritual trace of holy light—more deterrent than destructive."
Ikanos nodded, understanding. "Thank you for your clarification."
He turned to Eli and Martin, his expression relaxing.
"Gentlemen, you acted with remarkable composure. While Miss Alice's presence was surely helpful, not being a burden in such moments is commendable."
Had they not already been tied to the Night Church, Ikanos might have offered both young men a place within the Steam Church or the Hivemind.
"But please, in the future, exercise greater caution," he added kindly. "If you must walk at night, stay near your local parish or known sanctified grounds."
He did not scold them for being in the Bridge District rather than the wealthier West Borough.
To do so would be an implicit admission that the Hivemind couldn't maintain security in its own jurisdiction—a loss of face for the Steam Church.
"Thank you, Deacon Ikanos," Eli said sincerely. "Had your team not arrived when it did, we might've suffered greatly. If that Werewolf had reinforcements, our situation would have been precarious."
He paused, then spoke again with slight hesitation.
"Forgive me for being presumptuous, but... may I ask a small favor?"
"Go ahead, Mr. Maynard," Ikanos replied with a patient smile.
Eli made a note to himself: once home, he would advise Arrodes to stop pestering this Deacon. He seemed like a good man—deserving of some peace and privacy.
"It's just... if possible, I'd appreciate it if tonight's incident remained confidential. I don't wish for my mother to worry unnecessarily."
Ikanos blinked in surprise. He had expected some complex request—perhaps even political maneuvering. But this?
"Of course," he said, chuckling softly. "Rest assured, Mr. Maynard. Matters concerning the mystical world are rarely disclosed to uninvolved civilians."
He was mildly amused. Here stood a young man who had stared down a Werewolf with gun in hand, and yet was still afraid of his mother.
"Thank you for understanding."
Eli bowed again with sincere gratitude.
"However," Ikanos added, "while we'll certainly keep your family out of it, I must report this to the Nighthawks. That's standard protocol among the Orthodox Churches."
"Naturally," Eli replied, unconcerned.
In fact, this was perfect. A commendation from the Machinery Hivemind would only speed up his progress through the seminary. With a bit of luck, he could bypass graduation altogether and be directly recruited into formal Church service.
"May we leave now, Deacon?" he asked, eyeing the slowly brightening horizon.
"Of course. Would you like assistance with purification or recovery?"
"No need, thank you," Eli answered politely. "Miss Alice will perform a purification rite for us shortly."
"If anyone feels unwell," Ikanos offered helpfully, "we can hold it here under controlled conditions—or you might bask in sunlight for a while. That tends to dispel residual corruption quite well."
He said it like he was recommending a sauna or a steam bath.
Eli nodded graciously. "Thank you, Deacon. We'll take care of it."
Then, as if suddenly struck by inspiration, he added:
"Sunlight purification... hmm, that really does sound like cupping therapy."
Alice, who had been quietly observing, turned to glare at him. Her golden eyes burned holes into the back of his head.
*Thank you for the power stone LordOzzy and Lives954
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