Letter Addressed To The Fire

Poppy Contract: The Nunnery

"Find them and bring them to me," the Pope ordered yesterday when he dismissed me.

That's easy. But I am guessing I should do so much more than that. I admitted to the Pope himself that I still do not know enough, that I still do not have concrete evidence. I told him myself that all I have is essentially a guess. Quite irresponsible of me, I sigh.

So, in addition to finding them, I have to know more especially if the Pope decides to deliver judgment himself. If he ends up killing them all and it turns out everything I surmised is wrong, then I will end up responsible for all of them. Not only will I end up having innocent people killed, but I will also end up failing the whole mission, putting the whole Chapel in danger, and have myself killed.

I leave my abode and make my way to the nunnery as I plan for the Pope's order. The nunnery is a Chapel stronghold located south of Hoxwell where the Church might no longer have the upper hand when left alone. Waterlily the Nun and Mother Heidi; yes, the nunnery first. By the time I reach the train station, I already decided: spy on their 24-hour schedule each. But that begs the question: what the hell is my business in the nunnery?

Suddenly, a thought occurs to me. I speed out of the station and briskly walk to the Church. I nod to the reception table and climb the stairs two steps at a time. I calm myself and knock on the Pope's door.

No one answered. Is the Pope not in?

I listen and hear murmurs in the room. Then, I hear footsteps. I step away from the doorway as the door opens.

"As you see, Suarez, I still have other business to attend to today," the Pope fakes his lament, "Let us continue this some other time."

Perfect.

"Please consider my proposal." Cardinal Suarez sees me, and quickly says, "I shall schedule another meeting with you soon."

"That will be best," the Pope dismisses him, and then acknowledges me, "Azure, come."

I close the door behind me and follow him to his desk. When he settles into his seat, he asks, "I presume you need assistance."

"Yes, sir." This time, I get straight to the point, "Can you banish me for three days to the nunnery?"

The Pope laughed, "And for what reason?"

"Disturbing your meeting with your closest aide, Cardinal Suarez."

To this, the Pope thinks. So, I continue, finally making up my plan as I go, "This will throw Cardinal Suarez's suspicions off our track, if he has some. For some time, you can keep him close, and keep an eye on him and his plans. In the meantime, I can investigate Waterlily the Nun and Mother Heidi. If all goes well, you can also order me to serve Cardinal Suarez for a day as an apology."

"...You must understand, sending you out to serve him is a bit extreme. You're one of our best, if not the best. That would impact your image, and mine," Pope warns.

"Perhaps, if we make it as you asserting your authority, that no one must disrespect you, regardless of their position, it would not be so bad?" I end my sentence like a question. I need him to send me. "Besides," I feign confidence, "in the end, when all these come to pass, the tides will turn against them. It will be worth it."

The Pope smirks. "I like your guts. That's why you're one of the best." He deeply inhales, lowers his head, and rises from his seat.

Then, he shouts, "YOU DISTURBED ME FOR THIS RIDICULOUS NONSENSE???" Despite already half expecting this, my heart still skips a beat and pumps faster. The Pope is scary. "YOU THINK I HAVE TIME TO SPARE FOR YOUR STUPID WHIMS???" He aggressively points to the door.

I rush out of his office, putting on an act, "Sir, please! Calm down!" I immediately think of something stupid I like that he hates, "I merely thought—"

"I don't need your fucking explanation!" He declared, "Do you know how shitty things are going right now? I dismissed Suarez to entertain you, and this is what you bring me?" That emphasis brought back to the hall Cardinal Suarez himself. "Is this the 'best' the Chapel has been saying to me?" The Pope looks around as if asking for explanation. "If you're the best The Chapel has to offer, then go fuck with the nunnery instead."

To this, Cardinal Suarez seems to beam with delight

The Pope turns to make his way back to his office, so I plead, "Pope, please!"

The Pope glares at me. "GO!" Then he slams his door shut.

For a moment, I stand there, half stunned. Hm. Cardinal Suarez, on the other hand, smirks at me.

He knocks on the door, "Pope? I heard a commotion."

"Come in."

I can only imagine his tired sigh, I think.

Cardinal Suarez gives me another smirk, as if delighting with the fact that he is in good terms with the Pope and I am not, then closes the door behind him.

Even then, I hear their conversation. "Whatever did the Knight do?"

"Don't even ask me."

"Well," Cardinal Suarez says, "good thing you put him in place. I, too, have been thinking he's getting a bit arrogant, being the 'best' and all that."

I shake my head and leave for the nunnery.

-

"What brings you here, Knight Azure?" Mother Heidi greets me.

I was expecting someone else to greet me, and more than this, I was expecting to meet Waterlily the Nun first. This is fine, I guess.

"The Pope sent me," I give a short answer, just as an upset person who is also ashamed would.

Mother Heidi laughs, "Well, well, who would expect that even the Knight himself would get on the Pope's nerves?" She looks at me, then says, "Now, now, don't look so upset. The Pope really has his temper. Nothing to be ashamed of!" She smiles sweetly, "I think we're all really bound to face his temper at least once." She laughs and leads me inside.

The nunnery is a wide one-floor building encircling an incredibly spacious "yard". The one-floor building serves as a dormitory to all its inhabitants, while the yard serves as the training grounds of new recruits to the Chapel, whatever their role and purpose may be.

Mother Heidi leads me to the opposite end of the place from the entrance, and opens the right-most room. "Here. you can stay here for... three days, I suppose?"

I nod, my eyes on the floor. "Yes, three days."

Mother Heidi laughs, "It's okay, don't worry about it. I'm sure the Pope will forget about it soon."

"Thank you," I weakly smile. "I guess I'll rest for now."

"Of course." She smiles and closes the door behind her.

So that's how she is. I can see how she is a good negotiator and manipulator. She is good at interacting with people.

I can't go around for now.

I just got here, and I am supposed to be upset. That also means I should to feel tired. I look at the clock and decide: stay here and "rest" for at least three hours. Three hours to plan. That will give me the nighttime to poke my nose around with little surveillance.

I walk around the room and observe the standard objects and furniture pieces in a nunnery room: steel-framed bed, plain white sheets, one pillow; wooden desk, chair, desk lamp, candle, sheets of paper and a pencil in the drawer along with a matchbox; wooden closet, a full-sized mirror on one of its doors, five hangers, two empty drawers placed side by side at the bottom. The bathroom is small: a shower area separated by a shower curtain from the toilet and sink area. Toiletries are also provided, and below the sink, a stainless bin.

Okay, I sit on the desk and pretend to write"reflections". Then, I take another sheet of paper and lay out aplan.