November of the Sainted Year (Second Civil Month)

(Brown Misso Soup with shredded Bird meat)

One might wonder how Sylia had found herself in such a mess. She had, after all, been dragged into a devious scheme orchestrated by Grenar.

Yet Sylia knew it wasn't just Grenar's doing. This was the convergence of many forces. Even some of the Slums' residents had joined Grenar. One could almost laugh about that. Sylia wasn't sure if she should laugh. At the very least, the experiment had produced something of value. Mathias was likely rejoicing. He had conducted it with his usual precision.

While some of the people in the Slums didn't truly belong there, the majority certainly did. The rest might have deserved slightly better accommodation. The corruption in many of them had been difficult to contain. The Spirits had already drained enough from them without endangering the Souls' existence but it was still not enough. If the usual process had been followed, many of those Souls would have been extinguished by now.

It had started strong in September and intensified in October.

People began openly criticizing the Saints and Mathias. Many of those who spoke of the latter were dealt with by Mathias's Spiritus, who let them feel the taste of the corruption suppressor's true power. They wouldn't be talking anymore—save to the Soul Trash can. They had been long buried. Forgotten.

For some of the Slums' residents, it seemed that everything they had received over the past fifteen years—from Saint Sylia, from Cesylia, and later from Syl Celia, the Sainted Priestress—had either never been enough, or had long since been consumed and forgotten. Perhaps it had simply whetted appetites that would never be satisfied. Greed was, after all, one of the earliest signs of corruption.

Sylia and the others had first been criticized for their behavior. They didn't act like Saints. They weren't benevolent enough. It was apparently acceptable to criticize those who had been feeding you. Then, as October began, the complaints accelerated. Now the Saints were accused of greed, of making money off the backs of the poor. Of profiting. And all this over a few added cents to the price of meat and a handful of vegetables, added only to pay the transport from certain regions.

How could the Saints not pay for the transport themselves?

It wasn't enough that meat and some vegetables of good quality were sold two to three times cheaper than in other Districts, because they were subsidized by half or more by the Saints.

Sylia smiled. They would be very shocked once she left and the prices returned to normal. Some of the Slums' residents had fattened up too much. Got too lazy. So now they had enough time and energy to speak ill of those who had supported them. The saying "A corrupted dog bites the hand of the master who feeds it" must have been true.

Sylia knew they were truly upset that she had cut most of the supplies. She had still allowed twenty to thirty percent to slip in. They would feel it, without question, when everything returned to the way it had been for the majority of them. They might even begin to understand what hell felt like when she started relocating entire areas of the Slums to the Capital of the Province. And they would understand it even more clearly when the Capital itself was moved to a newly created, small, and impoverished province—stitched together from scraps of territory that no one wanted. They would return to thirty years ago, when all they had was Leekius and Brewn Mushroom soup.

Sylia listened with glee to the chatter coming from the Slums and the Lower Commoner quarters. Many had rejoiced at the news that Saint Sylia had fallen. A large number of them were housewives, afraid their husbands might leave them for the "unclean woman." That was the word being used now—unclean. It had caught on. Sylia rather liked it. She truly didn't understand what they were so afraid of. Most of those men wouldn't stand a chance with her. Her standards were low these days, but not that low.

Her mind drifted back to early September, when she had made a special edition of Leekius and Brewn Mushroom soup to remind people of what they used to have. The experience had backfired. She had overdone it. Mathias was likely to blame. He had influenced her too much until she had that Deberkyus Enclave created along with the Desfunges Beans that had become so popular with the Brown Misso made from them. Whole workshops made that Misso now since the demand had risen.

Then had come the Space-Wrapped and Hirf-Enclaved Forest of Defrezgo—created so that she could get Xerrafi birds. Finally, the small Enclaved Countryside to raise some Purigalsi was a bit too much, but that one had been created by some of Lord Chester's Spirits. Surely, she couldn't be blamed because of that?

Mathias had stuffed his mouth with that food anyway, enjoying the new taste of ingredients he never had and the new recipes she had created to fix those.

Grenek Krevoski-Sigmund and his uncle, Tamren Syrmundi, freshly arrived from the Province Capital, were watching Sylia. She stood in her young teenage form, calmly cutting ingredients while a few curious children and adults nearby observed. On a table a few yards away, Mathias Herves sat surrounded by some of his Bunnies. The man was stuffing himself. On another smaller table sat a few others.

One of them was Julend, unmistakable for once in a Noble Gentry suit. He looked stiff in it, and even stiffer in front of the strange food he'd been served. Someone could have told the two newcomers that his discomfort came from the new Stranfeld Enclave that had just opened a few hours earlier. Sylia hadn't mentioned it, though. Mathias's knowing smile was annoying enough.

She knew how she looked. She'd guessed they might show up, but not together. Then she stiffened. Dio Krevoski-Sigmund was standing further off with a few of his children. He spotted her immediately and waved cheerfully. She just frowned. The man's smile was far too much. Even Tamren gave Dio a dirty look, which confirmed he thought the same. Dio had always been a hopeless optimist unlike his son, Dio Sigmond, who shared his first name but none of his personality.

Sylia's frown deepened as she caught the look Grenek was giving her. They were no longer friends. There had been too much bad blood between them. Too much betrayal. She was certain Grenek didn't get along with Tamren either. She knew Tamren well enough to be sure of that. Grenek must have used him just to get close without being outright ignored. He had changed so much since she'd first met him. Corruption, and his own choices, had turned his life into this mess. She couldn't be blamed. She had tried to help him and failed miserably. She knew now he was too tied to Masha and her Goddess to abandon either of them. And it was worse now. Masha had seduced him fully and turned him to her side. That rotten piece of trash had gotten to him quickly, and he seemed happy about it. He likely had no idea what that new path meant for him or his family.

Tamren blinked. "Are you still cutting Leekius? You've been at it for three days."

Gasps followed. Tamren stepped back as a group of people turned to glare at him. Some were from the Slums, but most were Commoners from other areas. Normal Folks or Gentry. Even a few Shifters and Gavilzers were among them, which surprised him. He hadn't expected to see any this close to the City.

Sylia followed his gaze and answered his unspoken question. "We made a new Door Portal in that rock over there, with Mathias. We thought they might like it. Some came from Mikalus Continent."

A few louder gasps followed, and several people now turned to look at the small group on the side.

Sylia returned to her work with her Summons. Soon, Mathias's starving little Bunnies would be hungry again. She didn't want to disappoint them. They were so adorable. She smiled at them, and a few of them flinched as their ears folded. They had noticed the predatory grin. Mathias turned to the Mathew Two and Mathew Bunnies and said, "Chill. She probably wants to use you to build a few new Enclaves, likely in another Region this time. Don't let her fool you. She only feeds you to enslave you later."

The ash-blond, almost pink Bunny called Mathew Two frowned and returned his stare. "That's only true for you. She feeds me and the Mathew Bunny because she thinks we're adorably cute and wants to play with us."

Mathias yelled. "That's why you keep doing things for free! She's got you fooled!"

The Mathew Bunny replied. "No, she had you and your brown Slime fooled. She'll enslave that one again. She even summoned one of her Darlking Blugish Slimes to feed him. When it comes to us, she really just wants to play. Mathew Two might be game, but the kind of games she plays with me and the others are quite dangerous. A few of my kids still have nightmares over it."

Mathias pursed his lips. He couldn't deny it.

***

Tamren kept watching Sylia, who continued to ignore him. She had more little workers around her now. One of them he recognized—Pullina, if he remembered correctly. His adoptive niece. He often got their names mixed up. There were too many of them.

Tamren said, "Are you going to keep doing that for long? After the Leekius, now you're starting on cabbage, I see."

Sylia replied, "We're making Sausage Pot-au-Feu. It's gotten popular around here. It'll be mostly vegetarian, though. Pullina is just helping with the chopping—she can't cook. We have a few who can lined up. Julend will help with the big pot for Mathias. We're using Ikery Elk for that one."

Tamren narrowed his eyes. "You're still seeing that boy?"

Sylia didn't look up. "That's none of your business. Why are you here?"

(Sausage Pot au Feu)

Tamren said. "I heard Gruntag is on his way."

Grenek nodded quietly and glanced toward the black-blue haired girl sitting off to the side on a wooden case. She wore a plain Slum-like dress. Her hair was unkempt, her eyes dull, and she looked underfed. He barely recognized his daughter Taryna. She looked filthy. He flinched as he caught sight of one of her teeth—rotten. Another was missing. Sylia hadn't been taking care of her exclusively for that long, yet this was how she looked. His eyes turned to Sylia, dark with hate. She had done this to punish him. She was upset about Tashna. He knew that but he'd had no choice. Tashna and Mashtaka had nowhere else to go, not after Sylia had blocked their passage to the Dark and Karakov Empires, even after Masha had managed to get them accepted there.

Stolen novel; please report.

Sylia, still working, said, "What are you thinking? That's my puppy, Tyeo. He changes appearances often. He probably showed you what Tashna will look like once the rot settles in."

Grenek's eyes widened. The girl shimmered and turned into a small Biceps Puppy, wearing a dark, cute outfit and playing with his food. Grenek's expression darkened. He suddenly wondered just what Sylia had been up to.

Sylia laughed. "I'm sorry. That's his ability. He shows people the corruption in others but not everyone sees the same thing. Tamren saw the opposite of what you did. His Soul must be in better shape than most here. Or maybe the puppy was just playing with him."

The puppy gave Tamren a smug side-eye. Tamren returned the look, frowning. "Oh yes. I recognize him. I thought he was gone."

Sylia said, "He visits sometimes. So why are you worried about Gruntag?"

Tamren replied. "I heard he's settling in one of the Darkling Queens' new towns—Domurslva, eighty miles northeast of here."

Grenek turned to Tamren, stunned. "What?"

Sylia nodded. "Oh right. It's better for him and his family. He's getting too old to stay in the Capital, especially with Frieze acting out the way he is. We've lost some of our grip on him now that he's powered up with a God's help. Izrahyvein had stayed neutral up to now, but that seems to be changing. I guess Mathias annoyed him too much. He's showing his fangs." She chuckled. "Oh no, I shouldn't have said that. How terrible of me. I'm so very naughty."

Tamren grimaced.

Sylia coughed lightly and continued, "Dio and his son Dio are sending some of their kids and grandkids there too. It's getting dangerous around here. Taryna will be settling there from now on, with her uncle and cousins who have been impatient to have her around."

Grenek gasped and looked down, overcome with guilt and shame.

Sylia's voice sharpened. "What's wrong with you? You're the one who told me I was dirty. You're the one who filled your wife's head with lies about me and Taryna, which is why she's now confused. She thinks I'm a whore. Not a Saint. A woman from the Slums thinks that of me. A Bimashelle whose family fell four centuries ago when one of their Noble ancestors turned into an Abominy Monster and started eating all the villagers. The whole area was abandoned. Only a few daring Spirits and Spiritus still go sightseeing there and visit her family's fallen Gods—who are still imprisoned."

Grenek's jaw dropped. Around them, several people had heard Sylia's words. Their eyes turned toward Grenek, full of disgust.

Sylia looked unimpressed. "Imagine that. I, whose body, spirit, and Soul were made by the ruling Gods, have to endure sneers from a woman whose family turned cannibalistic centuries ago. Hell, some of them started millennia back." She glanced at a group nearby. "You do know I didn't send you meat just to be kind. It was to keep you from being eaten by her, her relatives, or possibly even some of your own children."

A few women gasped and clutched their children protectively. Grenek threw Sylia a look full of hate.

She shrugged. "Granvak's not the only one. I removed his leash, like you asked, since Masha decided I was being cruel and inhumane."

Grenek stepped back, suddenly wary.

"I actually feel bad for your other wife. At least Shuna Hemario managed to escape. She trusted me more than she trusted you when it counted. Though I doubt she still does, not after you turned her head with Yana. I did what I could. I gave her a chance."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Grenek's voice cracked.

"I did. Seven times. But Masha makes you forget, every time. She wants to keep you for herself. She thought she could control that one. The problem is that he was holding pieces of the Celestials at the origin of the corruption that led to a tragedy three and a half millennia ago. Your son was the reincarnation of a mass murderer who was responsible for a true massacre. He and his siblings, led by a few corrupt Spiritus and Celestials, absorbed the Souls and flesh of a thousand people within Crystals they used to create a Protection Domain for themselves where they thought they would be safe."

Grenek turned pale. "How… how do you know that?"

"Because one of my Divisions or should I say my Source was born over five millennia ago. She gutted them all and later imprisoned the Gods, one by one."

"What?" Grenek was barely audible.

"She's a Higher Celestial Being, blessed by the Quiet, Cute, White and Green Turtle. She carries the tiny Hammer of that High Spirit. That Division alone has accumulated a hundred thousand years of knowledge, across Realms. But I suppose that's meaningless next to the few years you, Masha, and your wife have racked up." She gave him a long look, then laughed. "Yes, you're probably right. You know best."

Grenek looked down, ashamed. "You could have explained."

"You insulted me and refused to listen. A lot of people witnessed one of those confrontations. You lost it—probably helped along by your hot-blooded temper, Masha's meddling, and your wife's growing madness." Sylia picked up a knife again. "Now, step aside. I'd rather not be seen next to a man whose children might go snack on others with help from him and Masha."

Around them, more people tightened their hold on their children. Grenek slumped and walked to a seat near a group of known outsiders.

Tamren, watching, finally asked, "Is that true? Why didn't you stop them?"

Sylia didn't look at him. "What would they do when I'm no longer here? Should I take the blame? Masha already convinced many that I was the monster. All I did was make sure that, when the monster finally came out, it would eat the people who called me one first. A fitting end."

Tamren sighed. "I see. That does sound like you."

Dio pushed through the crowd and said cheerfully. "Honey, are you done with Master Mathias's food?"

"Not yet." Sylia replied, still working.

Dio frowned and pointed at the melon she was cutting. "What's this?"

"Melon. We're making desserts and sweets for Mathias. But you can have some of the melon ice cream and sweets we're preparing."

Dio lit up, nodded quickly, and turned around to shout at his family. "We're getting melon sweets and ice cream!"

Cheers erupted from his side. Tamren raised a brow at Sylia.

She smirked. "You can have some too. I saved the other varieties you like. We'll enjoy them together with some alcohol, like the old times."

Tamren smiled and nodded.

"What are Grenek's people eating?" he asked.

"Some stew and soup we made with venison from the Tarnac Enclave. Mathias and I prayed for it last night. It's not as Magical or Mana-rich, and it's under Lord Schester's supervision. A good place to get ingredients from."

Tamren gasped. Dio blinked. "Aren't you adding a bit too many lands?"

Sylia looked away, pouting. "It's not my fault. Blame Mathias. Anyway, it's not just for this Province. We'll keep the supply low for non-followers. Your family should benefit, though. Schester's known for his cocoa and sweet beans. His ingredients feed the Magical muscles well."

Just then, Grenek returned, accompanied by one of his sons, Jezielus.

"Can we have some of that stew?" Grenek asked. "The Bunny over there said I had to ask you. It comes from Lord Schester and Chester's new Enclaves, right? That Bunny looks like one of yours. Maybe that's why it was so mean to us."

(Venison Stew)

Sylia frowned at the smiling Bunny nearby. "Not at all. That one belongs to one of my sons. You should be happy. His name is Dominian. He is just like your wife always claimed my sons would turn out. I heard the others believed her."

Jezielus's eyes widened. He trembled.

Grenek stared. "What do you mean?"

"Dominian is a Knight in charge of a vast territory in the Dermacos Enclave you mentioned." Sylia said, "It's one of Lord Chester's. He was blessed by some Chipmucks of Lord Chester. He fell for a man. Isn't that what my degenerate children were supposed to do, since I liked men so much?"

She gave Tamren a sidelong look. "One of his proved that point well enough. We're the degenerates, after all. We don't go snacking on our own."

Tamren coughed to hide a chuckle. Grenek's expression darkened, but the desperate look on his son's face made him hesitate. He couldn't let the boy down, not when his children and their mothers were starving and needed that food. The mothers' bloodline required highly nutritious food. Since the children also carried the accursed blood of the Sigmundi, their need was even greater. The maternal family, which descended from pure Mage-Shifters, had been enslaved just a few years earlier by the King's forces after a rebellion broke out in one of the regions near the Royal lands.

"Please. They meant nothing by it. Jezielus's mother couldn't have said anything. She died months ago."

"She was the one who started that talk and spread even worse lies about us eating people." Sylia said coldly.

Jezielus looked suddenly afraid. He lowered his eyes and spoke quietly. "My adoptive mother was wrong. We all know what she did now. We're sorry. Please take us back."

"Hardly an apology and far too late." Sylia replied. "I'll still allow your children and their mothers to have that food today. But you only get a half children's ration."

Jezielus nodded sadly, his face heavy with shame.

Tamren's brow furrowed.

"What did they do?"

"Some of his siblings tried to kill me and my children." Sylia answered, her voice even.

Tamren inhaled sharply.

"What?"

"He wasn't among the attackers." she said, glancing at Jezielus. "However, not only did he intervene far too late, but he had been the one stoking the fire in the first place. So much like his father."

Grenek clenched his jaw.

Tamren's voice dropped.

"And the children and their mothers. What happened to them?"

"I returned them to where they were before I offered them my protection." Sylia said. They are now overlooked by the Sovereign Duke's men who stationed all around the Province to prevent a new rebellion. I allowed a few of his to move into the shacks provided by the Region Lord, whom they respect unlike me. The rest are located eighty miles away. One of the women and some of the children are Grenek's. He visits them during his longer patrols."

Grenek said nothing. His teeth were clenched. Sylia watched him in silence, smiling softly.

She let out a sudden laugh when she noticed Tamren's growing irritation. "Two of the women reported me to the Sovereign Duke's men, hoping to prove their loyalty. They claimed I was a degenerate pretending to be a Saint—one who fed on people."

Tamren nearly stumbled. Even Dio, who hadn't known the full story, now looked stunned and turned to his brother with something close to fury.

Pullina, who had paused in her chopping of cabbage and carrots, turned to Sylia.

"Miss Sylia, the group of children and adults for the cooking class will be here soon. You're teaching them that new recipe, right? Do you need me to help like this morning?"

Sylia shook her head.

"No, just focus on your task. I've called in Jimmy and some of his relatives and friends to assist. Keep an eye on his cousin Miladine. I don't want her sneakingly eating any sausage beignets or rolls. Last time, she even tried eating the dough."

Pullina nodded.

"You can count on me."

Tamren smiled, a bit indulgently.

"Sausage rolls and beignets? That takes me back. We used to make those often over twenty years ago, before Sasha came to live with me. She never cared for those. The children and I would sneak out for some when you visited."

Grenek blinked, clearly surprised. Dio looked puzzled.

"You used to make those, Sylia?"

Sylia nodded.

"Well, it was a different sibling Division. I only inherited a piece of her. She really liked frying things."

Grenek stared.

"What?"

"She arrived thirty-one years ago," Sylia continued. "I don't have access to all her memories before twenty-seven years ago, so I'm not sure what she did earlier."

Grenek repeated, more bewildered.

"What?"

Sylia blinked, then chuckled. "Oh my…I did give out important information. We did eat some Celestials and Spiritus attached to that fake Queen of Night before we started peeling her off layer by layer. She knew it was coming. We took our time. Even merged her with some of her Siblings to make it last much longer."

Grenek looked as if he might be sick.

Sylia went on, unbothered.

"Masha didn't lie completely. I'm a Spirit—not a human, and not a Saint in the way you'd expect. I'm a Saint Spirit. Mostly Dark. We ingest fragments of fallen Gods and Spirits to preserve the world's stability and recover whatever's still salvageable. In short, we recycle trash. Masha, by the way, is now classified as non-recyclable."

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