alwaysunqualified

  Chapter 45.1 – Sin (2)

  [Selen's POV]

  I gently removed the device fitted over my index finger, an artifact I had painstakingly acquired. It had the ability to subtly alter any recorded information, seamlessly integrating changes to appear as if they were always part of the original record.

  If not for a fortunate event, locating such an artifact would have taken centuries. It would have taken even longer had I needed to wait for someone with the right combination of Blessings to create a comparable magical object.

  'Truly, the Goddesses guide my path,' I thought, deeply grateful for their guidance.

  I pushed my chair back, allowing my stiff shoulders a moment of relief. It had been weeks of relentless effort to modify all the records concerning my dirty little Liev. These alterations wouldn't withstand scrutiny from the higher tiers, but as long as no one examined them too closely, they should hold. If not, I had expnations ready.

  I rifled through the books once more, searching for any discrepancies. These records chronicled Liev’s accomplishments, documented by the church’s investigative branch. Revisiting the pages, it struck me that my "little" Liev was no longer little. He had grown into a man, bold and brash like his contemporaries. Despite the many eyes on him, he dared to funt his prowess—yet, I couldn't compin. In fact, I was relieved he still possessed traits deemed normal by the Goddesses, though he would scoff at such a notion.

  A soft knock on my door interrupted my thoughts. "Speak," I said.

  “Sacred Sister, um, it is the children’s pytime,” a hesitant voice called into my office.

  “It is that time already?” I remarked, surprised by how quickly time had flown while I was absorbed in my work. These past weeks, my only respite came from pying with the orphaned children, a priority even amidst my busiest schedules. They were innocent, untainted by sin, embodying what we all should aspire to, deserving praise and guidance, not neglect.

  I stood and meticulously tidied my space, restoring every object to its rightful pce before opening the door and stepping past the girl who had come to fetch me, making my way down the familiar corridor to our pyroom.

  Upon arriving, I took a moment to ensure that all the py sections were adequately restocked with cores—if the sister had forgotten again, I would ensure the lesson was carved into her.

  Soon, a group of children were ushered into the room. Some rubbed sleep from their eyes while others burst with energy, racing to their favorite py areas.

  As I sat watching these sinless beings, I reflected on how the world ought to mirror this purity. My pleasure only grew when the very epitome of sin in our city stepped into the room. Yet, even his presence could not taint these innocent sparks. I caught myself picturing how radiant he might look once purified, but I quickly diverted my gaze, mindful not to jeopardize my future pns.

  His siblings joined the children, distributing candies. Even from a distance, it was remarkable that his sisters maintained such purity, despite their constant proximity to sin. The sole exception was his guard dog, a figure marred by sins since our first encounter, who made it a point I acknowledge her presence, before disappearing again.

  I half listened to his fabricated stories, a trait he seemed to have morphed from his mother, the Keeper. It's fascinating that even the church couldn't trace her origins, despite her life here in the church. The strangest aspect to me is that his mother, Amelia, remains as sin-free as these children. Despite my ever-growing ability to discern it, she remains untainted, or at least as pure as any adult could ever hope to be. Mystery also surrounds his other mother but that is far more understandable.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed two children beginning to quarrel. Their race was naturally aggressive, but I couldn't let them disrupt the others' py. With a flick of my wrist, my whip snapped out, effectively separating them and redirecting their attention.

  I returned to listening to Liev's stories, now surrounded by a group of captivated girls. He had just returned, already married, and likely to father a child after perhaps fifty years of trying. I briefly pondered whether our child would inherit his taint, but I dismissed such thoughts. It was better to wait for his purification before entertaining such prospects, even if it took a thousand cycles. Worth the wait, undoubtedly.

  My attention once again shifted back to the boisterous children cmoring for my focus, and I indulged them for the third part of the quarter, until Sister Fran arrived to take the children to their lessons. As much as I cherished their carefree moments, it was the divine mandate that we prepare them for their journey, ensuring they do not stray too far from our Goddesses.

  Once the children had left, I turned to the awaiting group. "You are back, I see," I greeted Liev, letting my Blessing envelop him to assess any changes over the past five years. To my delight, his sins had deepened more than I had initially sensed. "And more full of sin than ever," I remarked, unable to resist reaching out for a brief taste, his pained expression sending a thrill through me. Truly, he was a gift from the Goddesses.

  A second surge of delight came as his eyes roamed over me, even while his face contorted. A new sensation coursed through me, unfamiliar yet vaguely reminiscent of the feeling I get when purifying sinners, but mixed with something else.

  Observing Liev, I decided to simply allow myself to experience this novel sensation, feeling my temperature rise with the intrigue. We would have ample time together in the future, enough for me to discern the nature of this feeling.

  “And with wandering eyes, you exhibit at least one normal trait,” I commented, savoring the warmth spreading through me.

  "Good morning, Sister Selen," Angelica greeted, while little Alice waved cheerily, perching atop Liev’s head.

  "Hello, my dear sisters," I responded warmly. I had anticipated his visit, though he arrived sooner than expected. Everything was already in pce. "I see, today's visit is more than just casual, and I also have something I wish to discuss. Follow me to my office," I continued, leading the way with a spring in my step, eager to begin my analysis.

  I briskly moved through the halls back to my office. Once there, I allowed my mana to surge, deactivating the office's defensive measures and admitting those following me inside.

  Once inside, I walked around to the other side of my desk and settled into my chair but didn't push it back in. Instead, I crossed my legs, once again enjoying the sensation from Liev’s lingering gaze.

  "So you have your own office now?" Sakura commented, taking in the surroundings of my office with a curious gnce.

  "Yes, I've been promoted and am now in charge of our outreach to the Octaves in the surrounding area. Something I was going to discuss with you and your adventurer group upon your return," I expined, activating the artifacts around us. Sakura, with her sharp senses, immediately noticed one that leaked a bit of mana.

  "They have a nasty rebound effect, but if you want to try them, be my guest." I cautioned, addressing both Sakura and the elusive watchdog.

  "You want us to help guard you as you move?" Liev inquired, observing Angelica curtailing Sakura's curiosity.

  "Yes, I will be setting out every few years to a different location and would like your team to accompany me," I detailed, gesturing to the floating map. We'll start in the north where the church's influence is minimal and gradually extend to the ancient ruins there, avoiding direct contact with them.

  "Why us?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.

  "You are affordable, have relevant experience, can fight well above your tier, and you make some nice faces when in pain," I expined, the smile on my face broadening as I recalled his pained grimace. "I would say that one is the most important."

  "We'll need to discuss this with Ellie and Lucy. Their moms are quite protective," he said, his shrug mirrored by little Alice on his head.

  "I'm sure they'll fold if you're the one asking," I replied, knowing they were too committed to back out now.

  "Is that everything you wanted to discuss?" he asked, his expression even more puzzled.

  "Yes," I confirmed, noting silently that my artifacts had finished collecting the necessary information.

  "Couldn't this have been discussed in the py area?" he questioned.

  "Business should be conducted in the appropriate setting," I stated firmly, quietly deactivating the artifacts as Sakura's keen gaze detected another. I made a mental note to invest in better dampening; I had underestimated their capabilities.

  "Now that my business is concluded, for what purpose did you seek my presence?" I inquired. Although I had plenty of information to sift through and a report to prepare for mother, the lingering excitement made me add, "If you're just looking to py, I've heard tales of husbands who enjoy being whipped."

  "Actually, I wanted to show you something," he said, his expression turning uncharacteristically serious, a look reserved for moments of absurdity.

  "Go on," I said, my attention completely captured. Suddenly, I was transported to another pce, one under an endless white sky with a grass-filled ground, but marred by filth—a filth that was eerily familiar yet distinctly alien. It demanded my focus, compelling me to bend down and closely examine it, running my finger around its outer yer as I let my Blessing penetrate deeply.

  Once I determined its distinct nature, my interest waned, and I stood to face Liev. "This pce doesn't suit you. It's dirty, yet it somehow cks your... let's call it charm." I remarked, distinctly unimpressed.

  "You don't seem impressed," he noted, a tinge of disappointment in his tone. Had I not been aware of his special status, this revetion might have surprised me, but even the grandeur of a Dominion pales in comparison to the individual it reflects. "And you look disappointed, at least one of us got what we desired," I added with a smile, resisting the urge to trace the contours of his lovely face.

  "So, what's wrong with it?" he asked.

  "A Dominion is a reflection of you and your faith in your Goddess, made manifest in our world. Yours does not suit you," I expined, simplifying my words as if speaking to one of the children from the church—really, it was the only way he would grasp it.

  "What do you think mine would look like?" he inquired, curious about my perception.

  "Something that would be an affront to our Goddess," I mused, surveying the surroundings with a critical eye. It puzzled me that he could even manifest a Dominion, given his views on the Goddesses—unless, perhaps, the Goddess of Love had granted him an exception. "Then again, maybe it's just not mature. You are still tier 1," I added dismissively, my interest in the pce waning. The imitation sins drifting through this space did nothing for me, especially with Liev so near; it was merely a pale reflection.

  Moving past him, I entered the building where he intended for us to talk. Noticing his continued confusion, I beckoned him forward. "Hurry along, we have much to discuss."

  Inside, I found a sofa already positioned for our conversation. Taking a seat, I gave Liev a moment to settle himself.

  "Yeah, I think I'd rather not be in pain during our entire conversation," he commented, eyeing a seat opposite me. I could extend the range of my Blessing so that even sitting across from me would be like sitting right next to me, but I decided to keep that as a surprise. "Then come, little Alice," I called her over.

  "Just to check before we start, you're not under any contract to report everything back to your leader, are you?" he asked. His questions remained as bizarre as ever, even after all these years, but as usual, I responded with a giggle, "No, the only thing that binds us Sisters is our faith in the Goddesses. Though it's a bit of a foolish question because if I were, I would be under no obligation to tell you that I was."

  "That’s good," he said, settling into his seat before beginning his story. It was quite intriguing: the Goddess of Love had been communicating directly with him, guiding his destiny while he grumbled every step of the way. She had bestowed upon him a remarkable set of Blessings, yet his enhanced ability to perceive information was concerning. It seemed I would need to procure high-tier deception devices, specifically designed to counter those Love Blessed.

  Furthermore, the manner in which the Goddess of Love appeared to him deviated from our teachings. This discrepancy served as further evidence that mother was following a misguided interpretation of the Goddesses' will.

  His narrative helped many pieces fall into pce, prompting me to adjust my pns and perspectives accordingly. I realized I would need to further alter his records, and I began to understand the intentions of his first wife and sisters. We were indeed witnessing the dawn of a legend that would resonate throughout our pne.

  "I see, then nothing has changed. I was pnning to help you anyway," I said once he finished. Though much was revealed, my core objectives remained unaffected.

  "Just like that?" he asked, his surprise evident.

  "Yes, helping you helps myself," I replied truthfully. "Our church has a rge influence, much grander than just this small city. It’s an influence you will need in the future. And it’s one where I would like to position myself."

  "I would rather not," he said, his expression indicating that dealing with the matters would be unbearable.

  "It seems to me you have little choice in the matter. It is time for you to go from boy to man and face these challenges head-on. That is why you chose to finally confess to me, is it not?" I asked, feeling the heat inside me grow as he recounted his sins against the Goddesses. If I weren't so busy, I'd relish the opportunity to spend all day 'pying' with him, but I mustn't be shortsighted. "If you require extra motivation, I am trained in such methods." I added pyfully, I could spare some time if necessary.

  "I think I'll pass on that. We can discuss the details after I complete my adventurer's assessment and consult with my team," he replied. It was probably for the best. I wasn't sure I could restrain myself at the moment, and I'd hate to rush things.

  "I am in no rush; it will be a few years before I depart. I have three girls coming who will be permanently assigned to me," I expined, setting Alice aside and standing up. "Now, take me back. I have much work to do."

  Once back, I noticed immediately that the artifacts were in the exact same state as when I left, and none of my devices had been tripped. This would make future communications much more convenient.

  I let Liev and my sisters see themselves out as I resecured my office, preparing for the weeks of work ahead reediting documents.

  Remembering Liev's pained expression and the persistent heat driving me, I was reassured that all my efforts would be worthwhile.