November of the Sainted Year (Second Civil Month) - Tuesday, Days Ago

Perhaps it was because of the coup prepared by Masha and her associates, but security in the Slums had changed—abruptly and unmistakably. That Tuesday had shown many how much things had shifted around the City.

Walls had begun to rise without warning, first dividing parts of the Slums, then extending outward into distorted spaces. Newer, taller structures appeared on the North and North-West sides, imposing and abrupt, cutting through familiar paths and surrounding certain areas like fortified rings. Tasha Bimal had learned that the hard way. Movement through the Slums had grown more complicated, and checkpoint controls had intensified around these new barriers.

Now, access to the Northern Gates and the Gentry Districts to the northwest had become nearly impossible. The walls in those directions had been built thick and high—more like a military bulwark than civic infrastructure.

Many among the Gentry welcomed the news warmly. Their districts had always bordered too closely on the Slums, and the few blocks allocated to lower Commoners had never been enough to stop the intrusion of thugs and petty criminals. The recent spike in serious incidents did not helped. One such case had even involved one of the few cousins Tasha shared with her husband, and even a grandson of Grenar had ended up being named.

There was at least some silver lining for the authorities. Portal Doors had been installed at several of the new checkpoints, allowing transit to intermediary zones controlled by dominant Enclaves and Semi-Enclaves connected to the Saints.

Tasha had seen the walls for herself. The Magic hanging over them was unmistakably Divine and interlaced with Sacral power. This was not something that could be erected by Mortals.

Next to her, her friends Carla and Liedsa stiffened. Just two days earlier, new walls had appeared in the North-East, smaller but no less serious.

Tasha and her friends had expected to see Masha here. Perhaps even the older Sylia.

Instead, they saw Seyka Megumi, the Sainted One.

They had believed her gone. Yet here she was, calmly selling potions at the foot of the new walls, attracting curious Gentry and uniformed Soldiers with equal ease.

Tasha had cursed at the sight of that woman. Seyka was trouble.

She was worse than Syl Celia. Because unlike Syl Celia, Seyka Megumi acted like a Saint. And for that, she earned admiration.

Too much of it.

Among the Slums, there had always been rumors about Syl Celia and Sylia. Many had never believed they were real Saints. Some claimed they were Celestials—playful, bored beings that had fallen into flesh just to amuse themselves.

Liedsa was the first to frown, her irritation quick to rise as she caught a few of her boys alongside Pullina eyeing the nearby market stands like starved beasts. Their attention was fixed on the bright array of meats and Mana-saturated fruits, each one neatly arranged under the critical gaze of Lady Syhana, the Sainted One herself. She had clearly hauled the goods in from that strange little Enclave she was rumored to inhabit. Some of the fruits and vegetables looked so dense with Mana, one might drop dead just from biting into them. They clearly came from lands saturated in Divine and Sacral Magic—places warped by old Blessings and Church rites. No normal soil could birth things like that. She must have brought them straight from one of the strange places she was known to wander in.

Jimmy wiped a string of drool from his chin and leaned toward Pullina.

"Maybe we can get some," he whispered, "like last time, after she extracts the Mana for her potions or Crystal stock."

Pullina nodded sagely, as though this were a strategy meeting and not shameless begging.

"Maybe." she said. "We stay here. Look as pitiful as possible. Lady Syhana has a kind heart and loves children. She'll cave within the hour. Miss Sylia told me so herself."

She straightened her shoulders and turned to Jimmy. "Look hungry, even if you're not. Like you did earlier. That was good acting. Convincing. Especially since Miss Sylia just fed us all sandwiches earlier."

Her eyes flicked to Zacharia. "Though clearly someone overdid it. Look at him. He can barely breathe. Still, you're learning well, Jimmy. I bet Miss Sylia trained you."

Jimmy beamed. "Really? But those were sweets. That's different. I just want a taste now. I'll save the rest for later."

Pullina gave a satisfied nod, the quiet pride of a general watching her troops fall into line.

Lady Syhana, who had been silently judging them from across the stands, finally sighed and snapped.

"You over there. You little Sylia Squad. Go sit by the empty stall. Yes, that one. With the chairs." She waved a hand, already half-annoyed and half-exasperated. "You're scaring my customers with those orphan eyes."

The children perked up. She added, "If you behave and don't ruin my sales, I might even feed you. Later. But only if you say I'm awesome. Just like you do with Seyka."

Zacharia blinked and tilted his head. "But Lady Seyka is awesome. You're just… cute. And small."

Syhana froze. Her fists clenched.

"You've been spending too much time with Master Mathias and Sylia!" she growled. "I'm not fully grown!"

Jimmy looked at her critically. "Are you sure? You look fully grown."

Two guards standing by the wall, Sylia's Spiritus in disguise, nodded solemnly, only to freeze as Syhana turned to glare at them. They quickly shifted their gaze to their boots, as if the ground might save them. Then to the Crow Guardian, who was watching from the corner with clear amusement and made no effort to hide his laughter.

Syhana threw her hands in the air. "I still have an inch to go! Maybe half. That Chipmuck Mascot Guardian told me so. Said if I prayed enough, it'd happen!"

Jimmy turned to Pullina, eyes wide with disbelief.

Pullina didn't say anything, but her expression matched his exactly—disbelief laced with quiet pity.

The Crow, lounging nearby, confirmed their suspicions with a loud laugh.

"She's being tricked." he said. "If she keeps praying to Lord Schester, he might make her smaller instead. He does like them cute and small, after all."

Syhana growled under her breath.

One of the local soldiers standing near the stand, along with a passing Priest, stepped forward and asked Syhana if she was setting up her own stalls today or if it was just Lady Seyka selling her usual potions and medical items.

She brightened instantly. "No, I'm putting mine out soon. I was just waiting until Seyka finished some of her sales. My potions are lower grade and cheaper, so hers are often overlooked."

The soldier smiled. "I appreciate it, my Lady. Ever since Lady Syl Celia left, we've been low on stock at the North Gates. We need more supplies to hunt the Sangliers in Burkestom Forest. What we get from Lady Smerriti at the Forest Security Post isn't nearly as good, and she sells them at a higher price since she's so close to the Forest."

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Syhana smirked, clearly pleased. "Flatterer. If you do me a favor, I'll even give you a discount. Maybe a few vials for free."

The soldier beamed and nodded, while the Priest from Sigmura Church, standing nearby, frowned and leaned in, listening more intently.

Lady Syhana gestured toward him, already half-busy with something else.

"I need you to drop off a Sanglier at my father's place. You're taking the Stone Portal to that forest, I assume? I'll give you a medallion and the code for the one that leads to his area. I'll pay you a hunting fee for the Sanglier, of course."

She paused, then added with a flat sort of affection. "My father is Johan Dwarions. He lives in isolation. He doesn't like the Forest. He's afraid of combat and even the creatures there. Especially the Chizkun Rabbits."

She didn't laugh.

"I'll add a little something from Saintess Shuhana if you're willing to bring a few extra things. Another Sanglier, some birds, maybe a few rabbits delivered to her father, John Dwarions. He lives closer, and I can give you access to another Portal for that one too. We made it together, my siblings and I."

She exhaled and adjusted a basket behind the stand. "Anyway, what do you think? I'm overwhelmed with work right now, especially since Syl Celia is gone. So is Shuhana. Neither of us can visit our fathers' homes as often anymore. If we don't make arrangements, they'll likely starve. And Mother's been… distant. Absent-minded. She sent many of her Divisions away."

The soldier blinked. "Wait, my Lady. You are Johan Dwarions' daughter?"

Lady Syhana nodded. "Yes. That's why I'm smaller than my siblings. My father isn't very tall either. Do you know him?"

The soldier looked stunned. He stammered, "My parents buy vegetables from one of his farms. My uncle lives near one of his properties. Honestly… his crops improved a lot this past decade."

Lady Syhana straightened with quiet pride. "That's because I lent him land and blessed some of his fields. I can't help every year, so I gave those plots a more permanent Blessing. I even improved the seed quality myself. My specialties are plants and Magic Herbs. I learned from the best. Syl Celia and my mother Sylia."

Katie Bimal dropped her basket in shock. Her cousin Tasha stared wide-eyed and clutched the parcel in her hands.

The soldier blinked again. "Wait… you're Saint Sylia's daughter?"

Syhana nodded matter-of-factly. "Yes. She had to regress her body several times and split into Divisions. All of that was done to keep Masha locked down."

She glanced toward the guards, but her voice remained even.

"Masha is a piece of the one known as the Evil Queen. The Goddesses tried to salvage what they could and crafted Masha from the Evil Queen's fragments. They even used a piece from the Goddess of Ruin to create a Saintess capable of tearing down the Royal Family and their enemies. Mother kept her locked down and retrained her so she could free her later. That won't happen now. She's far too corrupted—tainted by her monstrous mother, and likely by the very Goddesses who made her. A few of those are already falling, and they're trapped inside the embodiment they share with her. They want out."

She gave a cold smile. "They raised a little army. Fifty men, can you believe that? Just fifty, to take down my mother. That wouldn't even be enough to get through her Dark Rat Summons. Those things regenerate, eat flesh, Spirit, and Soul. Some are vicious enough to bite through Godly beings. Especially from certain foolish Goddesses who might not even remember they lost something. The Rats report to a discreet Dark Spirit. One who doesn't like being remembered."

One of Jimmy's companions looked at Syhana in wonder. "Lady Seyka and you… are Sylia's daughters?"

Syhana nodded, but leaned in and whispered, "Don't go saying that too loudly. Sylia is an old lady, and she's conceived plenty of Saints. It's actually one of her tasks in this life—making new True Saints with unsuspecting men from different churches."

The soldier standing nearby blushed and murmured, "A very commendable task."

Syhana tilted her head with a slight smile. "A difficult one. I'm glad I was spared such fate. Seyka wasn't so lucky. She had to take multiple spouses and match with several candidates just to conceive the Sainted and the Saint Knights. My job is, thankfully, just to be cute and small. Nothing else. My father is probably relieved. This world might not survive the cuteness of my children. So it was spared."

One of the Priests waiting nearby chuckled, which made Syhana glare at him. "I can show you my card from Lord Schester! I was born from one of his Blessings, the kind he gives when Lord Chester's breathing down his neck demanding he make someone small and cute. So here I am."

Jimmy and Pullina looked visibly impressed.

Lady Seyka had started visiting the Slums regularly since last August. Lady Syhana had only joined her more recently. She had begun her regular visits in early October, though she had appeared several times over the past few years. She was no stranger to the City, or even to the Slums.

Lady Syhana was especially popular with the Soldiers, young and old alike, who found her adorable and endlessly amiable. They had doted on her from the very first day, almost as much as the elderly did. Among the old women, her remedies were praised beyond words. She was far more sociable than her quiet, reserved sister, who spoke very little.

Still, it was Lady Seyka who had left the deepest impression.

She was known for summoning flocks of brown squirrels and clouds of butterflies, endearing her instantly to the children. But beneath the charm lay formidable power. A natural summoner of Multi-Drakes and Wyverns, she was often spotted soaring with eagle wings or riding her favored Drake across the skies. She wielded all Elements with ease, though Earth remained her undisputed strength. Her Golems alone could level small fortresses.

Unlike many Saints, it wasn't just her command of Magic that marked her, it was her martial prowess. She bore several blessed armors and combat garments, wielded multiple weapons, and stood out as a master of both high summoning and lethal melee combat. Her Combat Dragons alone had unsettled more than a few veteran Priests. Because of her prowess, she was once considered a candidate for the All-Saints Saint title, though the Spirits had withheld that honor, believing it demanded more than skill alone.

Perhaps, the most astonishing fact about her was that she had divided multiple times. One of her Divisions now ruled as Queen over a newly created Kingdom, while others held titles such as Guardian Queen or Regent in several Enclaved Nations. When she had invited some of the Slums' children to visit her lands, the shock on their faces had been priceless.

Now, having learned about the Saints' relationship with Sylia, Jimmy's brother Luxsion asked, hesitant. "Lady Syhana, why does Sylia stay here instead of living in her daughters' kingdoms? She'd be treated better there."

Syhana laughed. "You don't know her. She'd be bored to tears and probably try to shoot herself in the head. Even Seyka fled and left only her Divisions to handle it. Most of Sylia's Divisions wouldn't go near a throne, let alone rule a kingdom. Mortal politics? She calls that kind of nonsense 'silly bickering.'"

Syhana glanced at the children and called out warmly, "Come on, Little Sylia Squad. We're having a celebration tonight. You're invited if your families let you stay."

Jimmy perked up. "What are you celebrating?"

Syhana smiled. "Seyka will make the official announcement, but I'll tell you this much. A Portal Gate to the Third City of Nekamar is opening this afternoon, just beyond that wall. We're inviting some of the people here to join the new Enclaved territory, which will be connected to Chesderya Enclave now under the protection of Lord Chester's Flock. We're bringing in food from both Nekamar and Chesderya. Something to look forward to the birds from Nekamar are quite popular. Not as much as the Sangliers from Chesderya, though those might be too strong for some, given the higher Mana Level in the region."

One of the nearby soldiers lit up. "Really, my Lady? Would you be willing to sell some of that Sanglier blood like last time?"

The Priest beside him nodded eagerly, also smiling.

Syhana chuckled. "That's something you'll need to ask Seyka and Sylia. They're managing the new territory. Lord Chester requested the Enclave be expanded, and now it's enormous. This new area is slightly less Magical, which makes it better suited for hosting more people. It's one of the designated Exit Areas they've built for assets who can't travel to the mainland. The Sanglier blood this time might not be as potent, but since we had to dilute and extract the Mana last time, it may actually work better for you. This batch will be pure and unaltered."

The Soldier nodded appreciatively.

Jimmy asked, eyes wide with excitement, "So what are you serving at the celebration?"

Syhana's expression turned sly. "You'll see soon enough. Most people will have to pay a small fee but I'm sure your little squad will be fed for free, as always. My father and uncle will be joining with some of their relatives. We're opening an Exit Town for the Third City to link this area to the Enclave. That's where most of the festivities will be held, but some folks might not make it due to corruption levels. So the Spirits are setting up a temporary zone here. It will be scrapped afterward. Expect skewers, stew, roasted Sangliers and boars, and those Semolina and Couscous dishes you liked last time."

The children erupted in cheers, eyes glowing with anticipation.

But Syhana suddenly grew serious. "Now don't make me late on my work or none of you will get anything."

The kids immediately nodded and hurried back to their table, wide-eyed and on their best behavior.

***

That Tuesday, Tasha Bimal returned broken and disheartened to her home then recounted to her husband all that had transpired during the day. Grenar paused, weighing his strategy. Lady Seyka posed a formidable obstacle, and her presence threatened to obstruct their plans.

Yet he remained committed to his carefully devised course. He bore the protection not only of Masha's Patron Goddesses but also of many other deities who had rallied to his noble cause.

Yes, he thought with a faint smile, it mattered little whether Lady Seyka aided Sylia or not.

In the end, his side would prevail, thanks to his overwhelmingly powerful Divine allies.

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