The Executioner and Her Way of Life, Vol. 5: The Promised Land

“Oh, good thinking, Momo. Would you mind cleaning mine, too?”

“And one more thing…,” Momo continued, still beaming. “I absolutely must have a separate room from
her
, please.”

Self-sufficiency was the core tenet of a monastery. Momo’s attitude clearly said
Do it yourself
to Ashuna, even if she didn’t speak the words.

Smoothing out the wrinkles with a snap, Momo hung her laundry on the rope to dry.

Her one-piece priestess robe, tights, gloves, and underwear were all generally white, which made it exceptionally difficult to get stains out of them completely, but she managed somehow. Cleanliness was a fundamental requirement of fashion. She nodded with approval at her own work.

“That’s a bit better, at least.”

Having rinsed off the filth from her journey with a shower, Momo changed into her spare priestess robes.

Her hair was still damp, which was likely why she felt a slight chill with every shift in the air. She sat down on the bed. After a moment’s hesitation, she decided to retrieve the tights from her luggage, since the sun hadn’t yet set.

She pulled the tights on one leg at a time, carefully stretching them to avoid wrinkles. Her clothes rustled as she drew the tights up to her knees, then she stood and used both hands to firmly pull them on up to her waist without any hitches.

The tights snapped into place against her skin. Momo stretched out her legs to ensure everything was evenly distributed, completing her fashion check. She had to be certain she wouldn’t be embarrassed to show herself before Menou at any moment.

Momo normally wore her white gloves for protection in battle. For the moment, she decided not to bother donning them.

The holy land was right before their eyes. Just by arriving here, Momo had already accomplished the bare minimum of the role Menou had assigned her.

Menou had said she would prepare to take care of Akari. As an Executioner, that could only mean one thing.

According to Menou’s prediction, Master Flare’s reason for taking Akari away was to let the Otherworlder become a Human Error before killing her.

If that was correct, their Master was trying to bring the Pure Concept of
Time
into the world as a universal time conjuring. Thus, Menou’s goal was to put an end to things by her own hand before Akari stopped being Akari.

And if that was Menou’s choice, Momo would follow her.

“Now, my darling wanted me to…” Momo began to mutter to herself before stopping when she heard creaking floorboards and leisurely footsteps that had not been disguised at all. That alone was enough to reveal who was approaching.

Still, she observed common courtesy by knocking three times at the door.

“Are you done getting dressed, Momo?”

“…Fine, come in.”

It was Ashuna. Momo promptly retrieved her gloves from her luggage, since the odds that she might use her coping saw were now drastically increased.

The door scraped open, and the princess entered. Momo put on her best death glare to make her dissatisfaction with the situation perfectly clear.

“What do you want?”

“Oh, come on now. I just thought we could chat a little.”

Easily brushing off the question as Momo donned her gloves, Ashuna shamelessly plopped down on the bed beside the assistant Executioner.

“So some of the girls raised in monasteries like this become priestesses and get deployed throughout the continent, is that the idea?”

“As usual, you’re reading too much into things. The majority are educated out in the world.”

Young priestesses in training were only brought to a monastery near the holy land if they displayed a high aptitude for conjuring or some other special reason.

“I see… Momo, you were born to the Noblesse, correct?”

“…Yes, although I don’t recall ever mentioning that to you.”

“It’s easy to tell. You were clearly reared to be well-mannered. I’d wager you were brought up by Noblesse parents until around five years old.”

“Well, aren’t you sharp?”

Momo’s brow furrowed. She didn’t like being analyzed. And it felt all the more insulting because the guess was correct.

Ashuna’s guess was perfectly on the mark. Momo was born into a Noblesse family, then eventually taken in by the Faust for various reasons. She possessed naturally high levels of Guiding Force and an aptitude for conjuring, yet she was quite mentally unstable, which was why the young Momo ended up at Master Flare’s monastery.

“Not that it particularly matters that I came from the Noblesse, as far as I’m concerned.”

“Really? I’d say the circumstances of your birth are just as important a factor as how you were brought up. After all, no one else but yourself can take interest in your background and draw meaning from it.”

Born of the Noblesse. Ashuna, who was a true princess, crossed her arms and grinned dazzlingly.

“In that way, I think Menou is especially interesting. Where was she born anyway?”

“My darling was of the Commons, as I recall.”

“Is that right?”

Ashuna sounded surprised, as if she had surmised differently.

Menou was indeed born to a third-caste family.

Momo had once investigated Menou’s background. As a young girl, she was the sole survivor of a village eradicated by a Human Error.

“Where did your animal instincts tell you my darling was born, Princess-poo?”

“Well, for whatever reason, I always felt like she was a child of the Faust.”

“Pardon?”

Ashuna scratched her head as if she, too, knew her statement was nonsensical.

The Faust was a caste composed entirely of women. Only young girls were chosen to be raised in monasteries, the precursor to becoming priestesses and joining the Faust. None of them were related, either. Occasionally, a priestess got married, but registering a family member meant immediate disqualification from the Faust.

This was different for the Noblesse, who were linked through bloodlines, or the Commons, who were connected by the economy. The Faust were considered holy precisely because they did not have anyone else’s interests at heart.

Thus, suggesting someone could be born into the Faust was absurd, but Momo stopped herself from mocking Ashuna for the remark.

Momo had been selected for her natural aptitude, but Menou had been raised by their Master because of her unique circumstances.

Menou had her soul and spirit bleached white as a child because of a Human Error that Archbishop Orwell unleashed in Grisarika Kingdom.

Since Menou was given to Master Flare with her memories erased and personality hazy, it wasn’t entirely wrong to state she’d been part of the Faust from birth.

“…My darling is unlike anyone else, that much is certain.”

What was Menou doing right now?

Momo thought of her beloved, who had chosen to rebel against Master Flare for Akari Tokitou’s sake.

Menou had always been clever and dependable, but this time, she was willing to put her life on the line.

“I don’t know what she’s trying to do, but…in my experience, people who get too intense about something tend to get crushed for it.”

“…I don’t need you to tell me that.”

Menou was pushing herself too hard, but that wasn’t necessarily the wrong move.

In the holy land, she would have to face Master Flare. An opponent who knew everything about her. There was no being too cautious in such a case. If Menou didn’t push herself, she would die meaninglessly.

So there was only one thing for Momo to do.

“It’s my job to support my darling no matter what.”

Ashuna suddenly smiled. “Menou sure is loved, huh?”

“Unlike a certain Princess-poo.”

What could any of them do for that Otherworlder?

As the sun set, Momo’s thoughts and feelings wandered.

The dim light of dusk poured through the windows onto the station platform. The Dragon Gate connected to the end of the mysterious train station within the cathedral of the holy land began to ripple.

From the almost two-dimensional portal shining with golden Guiding Light emerged a five-car locomotive. It smoothly came to a stop at the platform, then the passenger doors opened.

There were very few people permitted to use the highly unusual transport. This time, the one who emerged was a formally dressed man in his mid-fifties. His cane, bowler hat, and impeccably clean and high-class suit actually made him seem rather shady.

The Director, Kagarma Dartaros.

His name was known worldwide as an instigator of protests against the three-caste system. Despite being among the most wanted criminals on the continent, Kagarma stepped into the cathedral and was greeted by the glasses-wearing priestess who was permanently based at the station building.

“Welcome. You must be Mr. Kagarma.”

“It has been quite some time since I last visited. Truthfully, I had never planned to come again… I see the station manager has changed.”

“Yes, my name is Hooseyard. My predecessor left me in charge of the Dragon Gate. I’m honored to make your acquaintance. Now, I believe we were told you would have a guest today…”

“I do indeed. My beloved daughter. She begged me to bring her here, you see.”

At that moment, a girl in a kimono gracefully alighted from the train. Hooseyard gave her a smile.

“Welcome to the cathedral. Might I ask your name, please?”

Anyone who entered had to identify themselves. The girl smiled placidly, unbothered by the question.

“My name is Manon Libelle.”

“Mr. Kagarma and Miss Manon, then. Very well. Please come in. I’m afraid the north tower is currently in use, though I’m not apprised of the details. You’ll be staying in the south tower, if you please.”

“Wonderful, thank you. That being said…”

Manon glanced back curiously at the locomotive that had brought her here.

Normal Guiding trains ran on rails placed along the earthen vein, drawing Guiding Force from the earth to power the Guiding engines and move the wheels.

This one did not follow any track, however. Partway through, the train itself turned into Guiding Force and sank into the earth, navigating through the astral vein. Even a seasoned traveler like Manon had never known such an experience.

“…I’ve never ridden anything like this before. It’s quite strange.”

“Oh?” Hooseyard’s glasses gleamed when she detected Manon’s interest. “Although the car’s interior design is modern, it was in fact created by lost technology from the days of the ancient civilization. When it travels, the locomotive becomes Guiding Force and enters the astral vein, enabling it to move at extraordinarily high speeds, thanks to none other than an ancient relic! This is undoubtedly the only one in the world with surviving and functional train cars!”

“An ancient relic… No wonder it’s so unusual.”

Ancient relics had been created at the height of human development. Small ones were still discovered on very rare occasions, but a functional one capable of transportation was unheard-of.

Manon nodded along as Hooseyard explained her area of expertise at great length.

“So it turns into Guiding Force and travels at high speeds along the astral vein…,” Manon remarked. “I assume that wall of light there is what transforms it, but how is it reconstructed, and what part of the device protects the passengers inside, I wonder?”

Kagarma smiled wanly. “I imagine it would be difficult to analyze the structure with modern conjuring technology.”

Hooseyard was all too thrilled to elaborate.

“It’s all marvelously impressive, isn’t it? That includes the Dragon Gate. We call the vast channel of Guiding Force we use today the earthen vein, but there are some who believe it was actually a route created by the ancient civilization for trains like this. It really speaks to the imagination, don’t you agree?”

“Why, I had never heard of such an idea… I suppose I still have much to learn.”

The three mused about the advanced developments of the ancient civilization until they arrived at a chamber in the south tower of the cathedral.

“Well then, please come see me whenever you must leave the cathedral or return home.”

With her duties completed, Hooseyard returned to her post.

Manon and Kagarma watched her depart and sank into the leather seats.

“The Elders have the right to stay here anytime. Please make use of this facility however you wish.”

“Thank you very much, Mr. Kagarma. You’ve been a great help.”

Manon bowed her head politely. Kagarma looked strangely put out by her uncharacteristically cordial treatment.

“No one is watching us now. That’s quite enough. Drop that look, would you?”

Manon tilted her head at this.

“Oh…is that so?”

Her tone changed abruptly.

The air trembled, and Manon’s face transformed. Her kimono remained the same, but her placid complexion became wholly different, though still beautiful. The deep-blue braid became a pale chestnut. Her mature-looking eyes shifted to a shape that conveyed a strong will and determination.

It was the Executioner known as Flarette.

Having arrived in the cathedral of the holy land before Momo, Menou crossed her legs.

“Again, I do appreciate your assistance, Director.”

“Come now, you are my old friend’s pupil. Please feel free to call me Uncle Kagarma.”

“…I’ll pass, thank you.”

The way this man tried to get closer with her was curiously off-putting.

Menou suddenly felt like she understood why Manon always disparaged Kagarma, if only a little.