HC:Pacifist | Ch. 92 - Ethos (Patreon)

Hello everyone,

I hope you're doing well! I just wanted to let you know that from now on, instead of posting on Saturdays, I'll do so on Thursdays. Therefore, here is what my release schedule will be like in the next couple of months:

HCP - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri

AMBYSSUS - Tues

Thank you all for your support. Enjoy!

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After many conversations with multiple officers, they stood in front of the city’s magistrate's office doors. Even though Jack had maintained a confident posture and a fearless demeanor throughout his whole march here, Roth could see how he was tapping his foot nervously at the prospect of meeting the magister. His nervousness was starting to rub off on Roth.

The door opened.

"Come in." The voice wasn't loud or quiet. It was filled with certainty and authority, and Roth was moving before he realized he had unconditionally obeyed the command. Was this some sort of mind-control skill? Or did the woman who had just spoken have such a high charisma that he couldn't help but do what she said?

Coming through the door, Roth was met with a stately chamber. As he entered, the first thing that captured his attention was the figure of the magister. It wasn't every day that Roth met people much taller than him, but such was the case here. She was more than two meters tall.

She was a thin woman who seemed to be in her thirties. She had blonde hair that cascaded down her shoulders over pristine white robes.

In the back, large windows filled the room with light and afforded a wide view of what Roth guessed was the academic district. The office could more appropriately be called a courtroom due to its large size. The walls were lined with towering shelves filled with countless volumes of legal tomes, jurisprudence, and constitutional texts. In the few places where there weren't shelves, there were paintings depicting what Roth assumed were old magisters.

Flags of the city and the nation fluttered gently, standing tall on flagpoles strategically placed around the room. Roth couldn't understand how the flags were fluttering when they were indoors, and he couldn't feel any breeze. What was going on in here? His wandering gaze refocused on the woman waiting for them.

The magister stood behind her desk, giving Roth and Jack enough time to make it all the way from the door to her desk. She signaled invitingly to Jack and Roth to sit in the chairs facing her desk, and once they sat down, she waved her hand, closing the door. She's an esper, realized Roth. She opened and closed the door with telekinesis. That's why the flags keep fluttering even though there's no wind here!

Now sitting down, the tall magister regarded them with a blank smile.

"Peacekeeper Jack."

"Your honor, thank you for seeing me."

The magister studied Roth for a few seconds.

"A martyr. And a zoomorph too. I thought they had gone extinct. You've brought an interesting guest with you today, peacekeeper Jack."

"Your honor," greeted Roth respectfully.

"Now, what can I do for you today?"

"Your honor, we've uncovered some disturbing information. It seems that the Gazpacho family has managed to infiltrate the peacekeepers. They have Ethos on their payroll."

She regarded both for a few moments. "Do you have any evidence?" Jack gestured to Roth to speak.

"Your honor, I infiltrated the Gazpachos' hideout and found many mentions of Ethos in their books. I couldn't bring any documents, but I saw what I saw. For what it is worth, I know a merchant called Soros. He's been a victim of the Gazpachos racketeering schemes for many years and is willing to testify against them. He's tried to find help with the city's officials but keeps getting blocked at every turn."

The magister drummed her finger.

"Ethos, come here." It was almost a whisper, but Roth felt his mind shake as if she had just shouted the command into his ear. What power was this that others did what you wanted them to just by speaking?

Not long after, a man in a black uniform stormed into the office. His heavy breathing and twisted facial expression told Roth he had run here after hearing the command. By the look on the man's face, he had run here, too, against his will. Roth could see how he tried to fight every step he took toward them.

"Ethos, stand still over there." Ethos was the shortest man in the room right now. His girth and belly told Roth that he was probably an officer that spent most of his time behind a desk. He had a bald head and looked like a big baby to Roth. The complex engravings in his black leather uniform and the stars on his shoulder pauldrons went in line with the information that Jack had given him earlier. This man was Jack's superior officer.

"Your honor. What seems to be the matter?" Ethos tried. She didn't respond. A piece of paper was picked by invisible hands, and so was a pen. The pen started scribbling on its own on the piece of paper. Roth looked at the penmanship in the letter. Such fine control. This woman was a powerful telekinetic.

"Jack? What is the meaning of this?" Ethos said through clenched teeth.

"Ethos," hearing the magister's voice, Ethos calmed down instantly, "It has been brought to our attention that you are in the Gazpacho's pockets. Is that true?"

“Lord Magistrate, these accusations are outrageous.”

"In that case, you won't mind if we search your office and home. Will you?" As she said this, the piece of paper was sent flying out the door. Roth saw how Ethos's face was completely drained of blood and became sickly pale.

*

Gary and Xana were pacing in front of the fortress, waiting for Wilson's punishment to finish. While in jail, players were completely excluded from contact with other players. There was no choice but to do one's time. If a player logged out and back in, they would still have to do the rest of their time. There was no escaping punishment inside of the game.

Wilson had been careful just to lightly strike a player once and had immediately turned himself into the soldiers. He'd only been sent to jail for an hour. Finally, Gary received a message.

"Done my time. Stepping out."

Gary and Xana waited until they saw their black-armored friend stepping out of jail with a defeated look.

"He isn't there?" asked Gary, shocked.

"No, he isn't. But I found a possible explanation for his disappearance."

"Go on," prompted Xana.

"Did you know that the jail of the garrison is the same as the Peace Corps?"

"Damn it!" Gary knew this, but he hadn't connected the dots. "If he attacked a guard and not a player..."

"He would be under the jurisdiction of the Peace Corps!" completed Wilson.

"That damn slayer. Wilson, stay here. Xana, come with me. We're going down to the peace corps."

*

“Be silent, Ethos. If you’re innocent, you have nothing to worry about. Let’s see what they find in your office. You can be at peace if nothing incriminating is found against you.”

Ethos was sweating profusely, and his voice was shrilled and broken.

“I have nothing to hide! For 15 years, I have been serving as a peacekeeper, and I have never neglected my duties. This is an offense. I'll have peacekeeper Jack and this foreigner whipped for their insolence.”

Ethos didn’t forget to spare Roth furious glances at every chance he got. Roth prayed that this was just a cute cinematic and that he was off the hook. He was already under much pressure, being hunted by his former team and the Gazpachos. Now that they hated him, he didn't know what this entailed.

If factions treated him better with each progressive positive level of relationship status, he guessed that the opposite would be true. What would it be like if the Gazpachos went out of their way to make Roth's life miserable?

A knock on the door. Two guards waltzed in. Roth noticed how these NPC’s weren't wearing black armor but golden armor. Maybe they were under the direct command of the magisters?

They crossed the room, holding a folder in their hands. Ethos looked ill.

“Your honor, please look at this.” As she opened the folder and Ethos got a look at the papers that the guards held, Ethos’ shoulders slumped.

The magistrate calmly went through the documents, reading them carefully. She didn’t make a sound. As soon as she finished, she calmly gestured toward the guards.

“Take Ethos away. I want him in solitary confinement.”

“No! Noooo!” They dragged him away. "I'll get you for this, Jack. You too, you stinky fox." His screams became increasingly distant, and Roth sighed in relief. They had been able to catch Ethos.

“Well done, Peacekeeper Jack. If there’s anything I hate, it is these lowlives who sully our justice system.” Jack performed a curt bow. "From now on, you'll take Ethos' place. I trust that with you in front of the organized crime department, our city will be able to extinguish this evil."

"Your honor, I'll do my best." Roth smiled. With a righteous man like Jack, the Gazpachos would have a much shorter leash, and Soros would finally have some peace. “I couldn’t have done it without the help of this righteous citizen, sir. He was the one who found out about Ethos' involvement.”

The arbitrator studied Roth again. She stood up and walked toward him. "Your hand," she commanded. Roth was helpless. He complied without controlling his body. She felt his wrist, and Roth's body began glowing after a few seconds.

"I knew I had felt light. Haha. It's been a while since I met a child of light. Jack, leave us. I have business with this foreigner."

Jack bowed and spared a surprised respectful look toward a speechless worried Roth. He marched out of the office without looking back.

"You're peculiar. You are a martyr, a righteous man, and a child of light. On top of that, you've become a zoomorph." Roth was lost as to what to say. Had he triggered a quest of some kind? "However, I can tell you haven't chosen a path yet. Why is that?" A path? Did she mean a class? Roth's heart raced, and he felt butterflies in his stomach. According to what Jack had explained, magisters were among the most powerful NPCs in the cities. It made sense that he'd be able to unlock a class here! He thought carefully about how to respond.

"Your honor, I don't know what path to take. All I want is to live a peaceful life. I like to help others, but I don't have it in me to hurt another soul. I've thought about becoming a medic, but that would mean I'd have to go out with hunting parties who hurt others. I don't know what to do."

“Why is it that you don't want to hurt others?"

"Because I used to be a bad person. I've worked very hard to change who I am."

"I see; now imagine the following," the magister walked to the window and studied the view, "A village is sick. To make medicine to save them, you have to kill a ratan. What would you do?"

Roth was lost for words. The fact that she had used a ratan as an example only made it harder to answer. He thought furiously and finally concluded.

"I can transform into a ratan with my zoomorph race. I'd die; that way, the village could be saved without killing the ratan." The magister burst out laughing.

"You got me. I wasn't expecting you to say something like that."

Magister Mildred is impressed by your wit and selflessness.

+10 righteousness.

+1 charisma.

"Young martyr, you've chosen a path of absolute neutrality. I'm curious to see how long you'll be able to stick with it," the magister walked back to her desk and sat. "I admire your bravery and your strength. Since you've done this city a favor and you're feeling lost, let me point you in the right direction."

Secret Conditions Fulfilled:

Righteous Alignment;

Light Affinity;

Level 10+.

Would you like to accept the hidden class [Pacifist]? [Y/N]

Ch. 91 - Witness

INDEX

Ch. 93 - Flags