﻿\setgamedatatitle("Jessica_01")

\text
A lone woman walks, her steps crunching through the snow.

\endtext

\text
For a woman to travel alone in Kiros―a place far from
safe―was practically suicide.
\endtext

\text
But the golden, gleaming pendant she wore on her chest―a
holy emblem―made it possible.
\endtext

\text("？？？")
So, I've finally entered Kiros, but it's really nothing but
snow everywhere.
\endtext

\text
From the shape of her holy emblem, it was clear she was a
priestess of the Raspha faith―and of fairly high rank at
that.
\endtext

\text
She brushed her beautiful black hair, swaying in the wind,
out of her face with annoyance and sighed.
\endtext

\text("？？？")
I guess it'll take about a week to reach Denfrosk.

\endtext

\text
The black-haired woman took a map from her luggage and
murmured with lips glistening a sensual crimson.
\endtext

\text
Even such a simple gesture seemed like a scene from a
religious painting―her beauty and the air around her were
strikingly unique.
\endtext

\text("？？？")
I suppose I'll need to stop and rest at Kazatoria along the
way...
\endtext

\text("？？？")
Still, there really are so many more monsters now. I can't
even count how many I've had to kill just to get here.

\endtext

\text
There was no fear in her tone or expression.
\endtext

\text
If anything, she almost seemed delighted.
\endtext

\text("？？？")
E-eek! Hiiiii!
\endtext

\text
Suddenly, a man's scream rang out from ahead of her.

\endtext

\text
She put away her map and looked up to see a man running
toward her, clutching his shoulder.

\endtext

\text("Injured Man")
A-are you a priestess!? P-please, I beg you, help me!!

\endtext

\text
The man collapsed at her feet and pulled out a holy emblem
from his chest.
\endtext

\text("Injured Man")
I-I'm a follower of the Winga faith!! My goods went wild
while I was doing business...
\endtext

\text
Before the man could finish explaining, those 'goods'
appeared on the scene.
\endtext

\text("Diabolica Men")
There's no point in running!! We're gonna kill you for
sure!!
\endtext

\text
Dragging what looked like broken chains, one, two, three men
gathered, each armed with a weapon.

\endtext

\text("？？？")
Indeed, I am a priestess. But you―are you a slaver?

\endtext

\text
Jessica looked down at the injured man and asked him that.

\endtext

\text("Injured Man")
Y-yes! My job is to transport slaves from Shuka and sell
them in Kiros...
\endtext

\text("？？？")
I see. So you were attacked by your cargo along the
way―that's what happened?
\endtext

\text
The priestess nodded in understanding as she rummaged
through her belongings.
\endtext

\text
What she pulled out was a large crossbow known as an
arbalest.
\endtext

\text
As she nocked a bolt, she fixed her gaze on the Diabolica
men surrounding them.

\endtext

\text("Jessica")
I am Jessica Pruene, priestess and enforcer of the Raspha
faith.
\endtext

\text("Diabolica Men")
R-Raspha's... e-enforcer!?
\endtext

\text
Just hearing that name sent a shiver down the men's faces.

\endtext

\text
An enforcer is the embodiment of the doctrine.
\endtext

\text
Granted great authority by the church, they are allowed to
punish, at their own discretion, anyone who violates
Raspha's teachings.
\endtext

\text
Their power and authority extend across the entire
continent, and it's said even lords and nobles fear them.
\endtext

\text("Jessica")
You lot have harmed your master, killed him, and tried to
escape. Is that not true?

\endtext

\text("Diabolica Men")
T-that's... but he never treated us right!!

\endtext

\text("Diabolica Men")
Yeah, that's right! From Shuka to here, we barely got any
food!!
\endtext

\text("Injured Man")
They're my slaves! I can treat them however I want!!

\endtext

\text("Jessica")
That's right. Slaves are personal property. The owner is
free to treat them however they wish.

\endtext

\text("Jessica")
Drop your weapons and wrap your chains around your necks.
\endtext

\text
Jessica said this as she aimed her arbalest at the men.

\endtext

\text("Diabolica Men")
Wha... How can you side with such a filthy bastard? And you
call yourself a priest!?
\endtext

\text
That alone made the surrounding men step back.
\endtext

\text("Injured Man")
Haha, fuhahaha! Now, get those chains on quietly! You dare
defy an enforcer!?

\endtext

\text("Diabolica Men")
Damn...
\endtext

\text("Jessica")
You know Raspha's doctrine, don't you?
\endtext

\text("Diabolica Men")
P-purification... of the world...
\endtext

\text("Jessica")
Exactly. To bring stability and peace to this world, we
abhor, hate, and reject chaos.

\endtext

\text("Jessica")
You are slaves. Slaves belong in chains. Those who disrupt
that order... will die equally.

\endtext

\text
A bolt was nocked in the arbalest.
\endtext

\text
It radiated pure, unadulterated killing intent.

\endtext

\text
Sensing that, the men dropped their weapons.

\endtext

\text("Injured Man")
Heheheh, that's right! You're slaves! Stay quiet until I
sell you off!

\endtext

\text
The slave trader stood up beaming with joy, bowing
repeatedly to Jessica.
\endtext

\text("Injured Man")
Thank you so much, priestess! It's not much, but...

\endtext

\text
He pulled out a few small gold coins from his pocket and
tried to press them into Jessica's hand.
\endtext

\text
...But.
\endtext

\text
The crossbow in Jessica's hand was now aimed at the slave
trader.
\endtext

\text("Injured Man")
Ahh!?
\endtext

\text
And then she pulled the trigger.
\endtext

\text
The slave trader, struck in the head by the bolt, died with
a look of utter confusion on his face.

\endtext

\text("Diabolica Men")
Hii!?
\endtext

\text
Seeing their dead master, the men gasped.
\endtext

\text("Jessica")
Those who cannot control chaos have no right to call
themselves followers of Winga.
\endtext

\text
The faith she followed was the Church of Raspha.
\endtext

\text
It was the original religion from which the Winga faith,
worshipped here in the Kiros region, was derived.
\endtext

\text
Therefore, the doctrines of Winga, which branched off from
Raspha, are not so different.
\endtext

\text
Annihilation of those who belong to chaos.
\endtext

\text
Maintaining stability and peace is the law of both Raspha
and Winga.
\endtext

\text("Jessica")
As slaves who attempted to escape, you will be handed over
to the ruler of the town of Kazatoria up ahead.

\endtext

\text("Jessica")
Now, once the chains are on, walk ahead. If you want to see
the sunrise alive, don't even think about running.

\endtext

\text
The slaves walked, the heavy chains clanking loudly.

\endtext

\text
Holding one end of those chains, Jessica began to pray.

\endtext

\text
May tomorrow be more peaceful than today.
\endtext

\text
May the days to come be more tranquil than tomorrow.
\endtext

\text
With the law called chains and the fear called weapons in
her hands.
\endtext