Ketal and Baker headed toward the source of the commotion. When they arrived, they found a crowd of horrified onlookers forming a wide circle, leaving a space in the center. “Excuse me, may we pass?” Ketal asked them, his voice polite despite the urgency. “Eek!” The startled onlookers scrambled back instantly, pressing themselves against the nearby walls as if fleeing from a monster. After navigating through the parted crowd, Ketal let out a low whistle. “Well, this is quite a sight.” In the cleared space, Aquaz had a man pinned firmly to the ground. “I-I was wrong! Please!” the man sobbed desperately, tears and snot streaming down his face as he begged for mercy. “What’s going on here?” Ketal inquired, surveying the scene. “A pirate,” Aquaz replied coldly, not taking her eyes off the man beneath her. Baker’s eyes widened in surprise. “Huh? What’s a pirate doing wandering around here?” “I don’t know,” Aquaz stated flatly. “He decided to pick a fight with me.” Baker shook his head, a wry expression on his face. “That’s... quite the death wish.” Indeed, picking a fight with an inquisitor of the Sun God seemed like nothing short of asking for death. Ketal glanced between Aquaz and the blubbering man. “What do you plan to do with him?” “Since this happened within the estate, I’ll hand him over to the guards,” Aquaz said calmly. “He should be dealt with according to the local laws.” With that decided, they hauled the subdued pirate off to find the nearest guards. “We caught this pirate,” Aquaz announced upon finding a pair. “He was wandering brazenly through the city. Please handle his punishment accordingly.” Catching a criminal actively roaming the city streets should have earned immediate gratitude and praise from the guards. Their duty was to maintain order, after all. However, the guards didn’t seem as happy as expected. “Thank you...,” one guard replied, his expression strangely ambiguous, almost troubled. Despite them capturing a pirate known for causing disturbances in the estate, the guard looked inconvenienced rather than pleased. Aquaz found his attitude peculiar but chose not to comment further and simply stepped back. Only Ketal watched the odd exchange with a knowing, curious glint in his eyes. After handing over the pirate, the group decided to move to a teahouse to exchange the information they had gathered separately. Their entrance was mostly uneventful, aside from the chair groaning precariously under Ketal’s considerable weight when he sat down, earning an anxious glance from the store owner. Once seated, Aquaz muttered, still perplexed by the guard’s reaction and the pirate's presence. “How can a pirate walk around the territory so openly like that?” It seemed impossible for such blatant criminals to stroll freely within the domain of law. “It is peculiar,” Ketal agreed noncommittally, then smoothly changed the subject. “So, did you find any useful information while you were out alone?” “No, unfortunately, I didn’t learn anything significant,” Aquaz replied with a hint of disappointment. “What about you, Ketal?” “We didn’t find anything useful for our goal either,” Baker answered for him. Ketal had gleaned various interesting facts during their walk, but nothing that directly helped their quest to acquire a ship. Baker looked towards Ketal, seeking confirmation. Instead of simply agreeing, Ketal let out a soft sound of understanding, a low hum in his chest. Nodding slowly to himself as if fitting puzzle pieces together, he spoke. “I think I’m starting to get the picture now.” “Get the picture?” Aquaz echoed, leaning forward slightly. “I’m not entirely certain yet,” Ketal admitted, “but I might have stumbled upon something that could help us get that ship and crew we need.” “W-what?” Baker spluttered, completely baffled. He had been with Ketal the entire time and hadn’t noticed anything remotely useful. What did he figure out on his own? Baker thought. He could only feel a familiar sense of exasperation. “What is it that you’ve discovered?” Aquaz asked eagerly, her curiosity piqued. Just as Ketal was about to elaborate, a furious shout erupted from outside the teahouse. “There they are!” “So this is where you were hiding!” A group of rough-looking thugs barged into the teahouse. Their menacing glares immediately fixed on Aquaz. “Looks like they’re after you,” Ketal observed mildly, seemingly unfazed. “Indeed.” Aquaz sighed, a weary look crossing her face. The thugs started advancing aggressively towards their table, but suddenly froze mid-stride. Their eyes widened in unison. “...Huh?” Their collective gaze had landed squarely on Ketal. Ketal offered them a mild, almost welcoming smile. “You seem to want something from us. What is it?” “W-wait a second.” The lead thug held up a hand, and they hastily turned away, huddling together to whisper furiously amongst themselves. Amusingly, their hushed, panicked conversation was perfectly audible to the enhanced hearing of Ketal, Aquaz, and Baker. “What the hell? Nobody said there’d be a barbarian with them!” one of them whispered. “I-I didn’t know!” the other replied. “Should we back off? He looks tough.” “After coming all this way? N-no, it’s fine! Even if he’s a barbarian, this is our territory. He won’t be able to run wild here like he owns the place!” Having reached a shaky consensus, they cleared their throats awkwardly and turned back around, trying to regain their composure. Ketal grinned, clearly entertained. “Are you finished with your little chat?” “You stay out of this!” one of them snapped at Ketal, attempting to sound intimidating, though his voice trembled slightly despite the bravado. Ketal replied in a relaxed, unhurried tone, “Now, now, let’s not cause a scene. Why don’t we take this conversation outside? The owner looks rather worried about his furniture, doesn’t he?” Ketal gestured subtly with his eyes towards the nervous proprietor. “F-fine! Outside!” They quickly agreed and retreated back out the door. Aquaz followed them out with a resigned expression. Once outside in the street, the thugs immediately fixed their hostile stares back on her. “You’re the one who roughed up our mate!” the leader shouted accusingly. “So you’re pirates,” Aquaz observed calmly, her eyes narrowing as she noticed the small, tarnished emblem pinned to their collars – a sword crossed with a cannon. Her eyes turned cold as ice. The pirates seemed to take her lack of fear as an insult and nodded defiantly. “That’s right! We’re the Valkran Pirates! How dare you mess with our crew in this estate? You got a death wish or something?!” “That’s my line, actually,” Aquaz retorted, letting out another quiet sigh. “Why are lowlifes like you running rampant within a lawful territory?” A suspicion began to solidify in her mind. The sea route from this territory was currently blocked by dangerous creatures from the Demon Realm. Perhaps this pirate crew secretly settled here sometime before the blockage and now finds themselves trapped, she reasoned silently. It seems they’ve decided to cause trouble locally instead of lying low. This might actually be fortunate, Aquaz considered, a new resolve hardening her expression. She could capture these thugs, hand them over, interrogate them to find out where the rest of the pirates were hiding, and then coordinate with the authorities to eliminate the entire nest. That would be the best way to ensure this seemingly peaceful estate remained safe and tranquil. Just as she mentally prepared herself and gathered her power to subdue the pirate, one of the pirates suddenly broke into a malicious grin, baring stained teeth. “Hahaha! You wanna know why we can do what we want? It’s simple! The lord is on our side!” Aquaz’s face instantly hardened. “What did you just say?” “We’re all in it together, outsider!” the pirate crowed boastfully. “We’ve already got an understanding with the lord himself! Even the guards know better than to touch us! This whole estate is practically our den now!” Utter shock washed over Aquaz’s face, momentarily stunning her speechless. The pirate leader continued his taunting, puffing out his chest. “So hurry up and bow your head! Apologize properly for messing with our man! If you grovel nicely, maybe we’ll be generous and forgive you!” Then, perhaps still intimidated by the silent barbarian standing nearby, he quickly added, “You don’t have to, barbarian! Just her!” “Oh? How very considerate of you,” Ketal replied, a genuinely amused smile playing on his lips. Ignoring Ketal, the pirates intensified their pressure on Aquaz, gesturing aggressively. “Quickly! Bow your head! Now!” “Right now,” Aquaz began, breaking her stunned silence, her voice dangerously low. “There wouldn’t be any lies in your words, would there?” She paused, then shook her head slightly, a grim light entering her eyes. “No. Never mind. I’ll judge the truth of that for myself.” Aquaz raised her hand, palm facing the heavens. “Pillars of judgement upon the world's evil!” A brilliant, golden light exploded outwards from her. Five towering pillars of pure, radiant energy descended from the sky, slamming down around the pirates and instantly binding them in place. The pirates stared in absolute horror at the radiant columns of light pinning them down, unable to move a muscle. Even in their ignorance and thuggery, they could feel the overwhelming, sacred power contained within the light—power far beyond any normal magic. “Is she a priestess of the Gods?” one gasped in terror. “Inquisitor of the Sun God,” Aquaz declared, her voice resonating with divine authority that echoed in the sudden silence. “In my name, Aquaz, I ask you.” “I-Inquisitor?!” The word struck them like a physical blow. They knew the tales—the judges of heresy, the relentless punishers of evil. The pirates' faces turned deathly pale, sweat beading on their foreheads. They finally, truly realized they had picked a fight with someone far, far above their league, but the realization came far too late. Aquaz’s voice was cold as steel as she continued, “Beneath the light of the Great Sun, all shadows are banished, and only truth remains. Are your words true?” “Y-yes, it’s true!” the leader choked out, his eyes wide with fear. “Our pirate crew... we have a contract... with the lord!” The immense holy power binding them compelled complete honesty; they couldn’t utter a single lie. Their mouths opened and spoke automatically, revealing the truth against their panicked will, even as they wanted to scream denials. “We receive shelter and conveniences while staying in the estate,” another pirate confessed unwillingly. “And in return... we provide plundered goods to the lord.” This was the undeniable truth, forced from their lips by divine power. Aquaz’s expression crumpled in devastation, her face twisting as if in physical pain. Beside her, Baker also looked utterly shocked and horrified by the revelation. Only Ketal seemed relatively unfazed, murmuring thoughtfully, almost to himself, “So that’s why supplies seemed so suspiciously plentiful here. Makes perfect sense, actually. If you’re getting shiploads of goods for free through piracy, there’s absolutely no reason to be short on anything, is there?” “Ah! How could this possibly happen? The estate’s leadership colluding with pirates!” Aquaz cried out, her voice filled with anguish. She felt utterly crushed. Lord Bulkan, the sworn protector of the people and upholder of the law, was actively consorting with vile criminals and profiting from their bloody deeds. The betrayal was difficult to accept, and her face twisted in raw anguish. “It’s certainly a surprising turn of events,” Ketal remarked, his tone still oddly calm. “Indeed,” Baker agreed numbly, shaking his head. “How could something even...” “Hmm,” Ketal mused aloud, stroking his chin. “I wonder just how long they’ve had this little arrangement. Judging by how natural and open those thugs were acting, it must have been going on for quite some time.” “Is... that so?” Aquaz finally tore her gaze from the bound pirates and registered Ketal’s expression. She was taken aback. He looked thoroughly amused—intrigued, even. He was not shocked or outraged like her and Baker. Ketal noticed her looking and asked her casually, “So, what are you going to do now?” “There’s still a small chance these pirates might be mistaken about the details, or perhaps exaggerating the lord’s involvement,” Aquaz said slowly, clinging to a last shred of hope. Her binding spell forced the truth as the speaker knew it, but if the target genuinely believed a lie or misunderstood the situation, the spell wouldn’t necessarily reveal the objective reality. She decided she needed to confront the lord directly for final confirmation before taking drastic action. “And if their words are completely true?” Ketal pressed, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Then I will do what must be done as a faithful servant of the Sun God,” Aquaz replied, her voice turning icy cold, her resolve hardening once more. Ketal smiled, a genuine, broad smile this time. “I see.” “What about you, Ketal?” Aquaz asked him, perhaps wondering if he would join her confrontation. “What will you do?” “I have one last thing I want to check out myself,” Ketal said, glancing towards the center of the town. “I’ll do that quickly and then head back toward the castle area. I’ll leave confronting the lord to you two.” “Understood,” Aquaz nodded grimly. “We will have everything settled by the time you return.” “I-I’ll go with Aquaz,” Baker quickly interjected, perhaps seeing a welcome opportunity to put some distance between himself and Ketal’s unpredictable nature for a while. With the plan set, Ketal gave them a nod and headed off deeper into the estate’s main town area. Aquaz and Baker, steeling themselves, went directly to the lord’s residence. Once granted an audience, Aquaz sharply questioned the nobleman, laying out what the pirates had claimed under the duress of her holy power and demanding to know if it was true. Trembling visibly under her intense, righteous glare, the lord could only nod his head weakly in affirmation. Aquaz’s face contorted again, this time with righteous fury mixed with despair. “How?! How could this be?! Why would a noble sworn to protect his people collude with wretched pirates?!” “P-please, calm down! Please!” Lord Bulkan desperately tried to placate the enraged inquisitor, wringing his hands. However, Aquaz wasn’t listening anymore. In her eyes, his confession cemented him as being complicit in evil, little better than the pirates themselves. She had no reason to heed his pathetic excuses. Damn it! Those idiotic fools! the lord screamed internally, panic rising in his chest. He had specifically contacted the pirate captain as soon as he heard about the newcomers arriving. He had explicitly warned him that an inquisitor of the Sun God, a powerful mage from the Mage Tower, and a terrifying barbarian had arrived in port, and that the pirates should absolutely keep their heads down and not cause any trouble whatsoever. But it seemed some morons lower down the pirate hierarchy hadn't received the order, or were too stupid to obey it, and had acted on their own initiative. And now he was the one facing the terrifying consequences “This is unforgivable!” Aquaz raged, her voice echoing in the lord’s opulent office. “The estate’s leadership colluding with pirates! How could such corruption exist? Have you no shame?!” Pirates were vicious criminals who plundered from innocent civilians, stealing lives without remorse. They were undeniable evil incarnate. For the estate's appointed leader to secretly ally with such filth was unacceptable to Aquaz “Please, calm down! It’s not like that! It’s a misunderstanding!” the lord pleaded, sweating profusely as he tried desperately, and failing, to stop her tirade. “Lady Aquaz, you’re mistaken! This isn’t such a problematic issue! Really, it’s not even that unusual in these coastal estates!” “What are you talking about?! How can the lord of the land colluding with pirates not be a problem?!” Aquaz shouted fiercely, slamming her fist on a nearby table, making the Lord jump. “I will report this treachery to the church immediately! I will ensure every detail of your corruption is brought into the light, and you will pay the price for your sins!” The lord's face went deathly white, paler than bleached bone. Her reaction, her righteous fury, was far stronger and more dangerous than he had anticipated. He had thought perhaps a fine or censure, not utter ruin. “No! Please! It’s not like that! We even have the kingdom’s permission! It’s sanctioned!” he blurted out in desperation. “What utter nonsense!” Aquaz shot back, disbelief clear in her voice. “There is absolutely no way the righteous kingdom would ever permit collusion with pirates! That’s absurd!” “Why don’t you all just calm down for a moment?” A quiet, level voice suddenly cut through the shouting and accusations. Though spoken softly, it resonated clearly in their ears, instantly drawing everyone’s attention. “Ketal?” Aquaz turned, surprised to see him. “B-barbarian?” the lord stammered, his eyes widening further in fear and confusion. Ketal stood there in the doorway, having apparently returned, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips. “The lord probably isn’t lying about that last part,” Ketal stated calmly. “I went and confirmed it myself just now.”