Chapter 962: Efficient

Vask looked at her for a moment before glancing toward the bishops gathered behind her. A few appeared uncomfortable with the remark. One cardinal looked almost offended on behalf of a dead man he had probably disliked while alive.

"So do I."

Titania’s eyebrows rose, while Pedri remained perfectly still beside him. The answer seemed to confuse the clergy more than offend them. Vask had seen enough of Hiro’s shit to know what they expected from a newly appointed Hero: reverence toward the gods, gratitude toward the Order, and questions about divine weapons, companions, ceremonies, titles, or accommodations. Perhaps even an inquiry about what privileges came with the position.

Hiro had asked about most of those things within his first few days. Vask had more important concerns, beginning with the obligation now attached to him.

"The obligation transferred with the title. The Demon King."

The change in Titania was small but immediate. Her arms remained folded, though her attention settled more firmly on him.

"What about him?"

"I’m required to kill him."

One bishop stepped forward with a smile, apparently relieved to find something familiar in the conversation.

"Indeed. It is the greatest sacred duty bestowed upon the Hero by the Four..."

"I know."

The bishop stopped. Vask continued looking at Titania, waiting until he was certain the man had finished before asking his question.

"What do you know about him?"

That silenced more of the room than he expected. Titania studied him again, while Pedri’s fingers shifted slightly against his staff. Vask noticed the movement and recognized the satisfaction behind it. The old bastard was pleased, which was mildly irritating when Vask had merely asked something he needed to know.

Titania eventually turned toward one of the cardinals.

"Bring everything we have on the Demon King to the western archive."

"Everything?"

"Yes."

"Your Holiness, some of those records are restricted."

Titania looked at him. The cardinal swallowed and abandoned whatever objection he had been preparing.

"I’ll have them prepared."

"Good."

The man hurried away, and Vask watched him leave before turning back toward her.

"That easy?"

"No. You haven’t been allowed to see them yet."

Titania smiled at his expression, apparently enjoying the distinction.

"That was just to save time in case I decide you’re worth the trouble."

Vask almost smiled himself. He preferred that to another speech about sacred duties from people who would not be the ones fulfilling them.

A bishop cleared his throat, drawing Titania’s attention before Vask could answer.

"Your Holiness, perhaps the formal acknowledgment should come first. The people have already gathered outside, and once word reaches the city..."

"Let them gather."

"The return of a Hero is a matter of enormous importance."

"So was the last one."

Nobody answered that. Titania allowed the silence to settle before looking toward Vask again.

"How much do you know?"

The question was direct enough that Pedri finally moved, though only slightly. Vask ignored him and kept his attention on Titania.

"Of what?"

"The previous Hero."

Vask could lie, but he had already learned enough about Titania to understand that she disliked evasive answers far more than unpleasant ones. Pretending ignorance might delay the conversation. It would also give her a reason to distrust everything that followed.

"More than I should."

Several heads turned, and Titania’s expression sharpened. Whatever answer she had expected, that had apparently not been it.

"Explain."

Vask considered exactly how much truth he could safely use. He needed to account for what he knew without inviting questions about how he had acquired it.

"When the Heroic Mandate transferred, some information came with it. Pieces of memory, knowledge of the system, parts of his experiences."

Murmuring spread immediately among the clergy. Pedri looked appropriately surprised, as though this explained some private concern he had been too humble to mention. He was very good at pretending to learn things he already knew.

Titania, however, remained focused entirely on Vask.

"You have some of Hiro’s memories?"

"Enough."

"How much is enough?"

Vask’s eyes moved briefly through the hall.

Hiro had shouted at commanders and bishops because they refused to give him soldiers, bragged about quests, and raged whenever somebody questioned his judgment. The room had changed, but those memories remained clear enough to make Vask understand why several people seemed reluctant to discuss its former occupant. He was next to him after all when he was throwing most of those tantrum, he was next to him as Hoyo Drak however.

"I remember why you hated him."

For the first time, Titania laughed. It was short, sudden, and genuine, which seemed to make several bishops wish they had followed the cardinal to the archives.

"Hated is a strong word."

"You threatened to break his legs."

"He deserved it."

Vask simply nodded.

That earned another small smile. Pedri finally joined the conversation, stepping in before their shared opinion of Hiro could become any more explicit.

"Your Holiness, perhaps this inheritance explains why the young man appeared somewhat prepared when his blessing manifested. We believed he had suffered some form of revelation along the road."

Titania glanced at him, taking in the worn robes and the staff resting in his hands.

"And you are?"

"Pedri. A priest from the eastern parish of Valens. I encountered the young man after noticing signs of divine activity and brought him here once we confirmed something unusual had occurred."

The lie was clean and simple, mostly constructed from things that could be verified independently. Titania gave him little more than a nod before returning her attention to Vask.

"Do you remember his abilities?"

"Some."

"His mistakes?"

"More."

"Good. Then perhaps we can avoid repeating them."

Vask nodded. That, at least, was something they could agree on without either of them needing to pretend.

"That was the idea."

A bishop looked between them, apparently unwilling to surrender the possibility of a ceremony.

"Your Holiness, surely we should celebrate before beginning an examination."

"No. I don’t need a celebration."

The bishop blinked, and an entirely different silence settled over the room.

Crowds had cheered for Hiro. Women had smiled at him. There had been titles, ceremonial armor, and songs written by priests who had never watched him fight. Hiro had loved all of it, while Vask found the prospect of enduring even a fraction of it exhausting.

"I need information. I need to know what the previous Hero failed to learn, what enemies he encountered, what resources the Order possesses, how the Demon King’s forces are structured, what abilities have historically worked against them, and which ones haven’t. Ceremonies help no one do any of that."