Chapter 208: The Saint Wouldn’t Leave, and Someone Was Buying My Bullets

Raven woke to the sound of leather straps being tightened.

For several seconds, he remained still and listened. Not danger, not someone approaching the camp, just movement nearby. He opened his eyes. Elise was already dressed.

She had cleaned her white-and-gold clothes as well as she could. Mercy rested beside her, and she was kneeling in front of her pack, tightening the final strap with the calm concentration of someone preparing for an entirely normal day of travel.

Raven watched her for several seconds, looked at the pack, then looked back at her. Elise noticed. "Good morning."

Raven sat up slowly. His ribs no longer hurt enough to interfere with his breathing, but Predatory Regeneration was still working on deeper damage from the fight. He could feel it every time he twisted his torso too quickly.

"Why are you packing?"

Elise looked down at her bag as though the answer were obvious. "Because we’re leaving this morning."

"We are."

"Yes."

Raven waited. So did Elise. This was starting to become a problem.

"Why are you leaving with us?"

She finally stopped adjusting the strap. Across the camp, Valeria was already awake. She sat near the remains of the fire with a cup in her hands and made absolutely no effort to hide the fact that she was listening. Roland was farther away checking the mounts.

Nyxara, meanwhile, had somehow claimed the most comfortable section of a fallen log without anyone knowing exactly when she had done it. She leaned against the wood with one leg crossed over the other, looking far too entertained for someone who had appeared uninvited the night before.

Elise looked at Raven. "We already discussed this."

"You talked. I disagreed."

"I remember."

"Then I’m trying to understand what made you think my answer changed while I was asleep."

Elise considered the question seriously. That was another thing Raven had learned about her. She rarely pretended not to understand an argument simply because she disliked it.

"Defeating me didn’t prove Predation is safe."

Raven dragged a hand down his face. "So we’re starting there."

"Where else would you like me to start?"

"Preferably with the part where you go back to the Church."

Elise ignored that. "Before our fight, I believed Predation was integrating foreign biological functions into your body. Now I know it is. It reconstructed part of a Penance Hound’s sacred architecture inside a human, allows you to survive sacred mana exposure that should have caused much greater damage, and created a functional response to lethal injury."

Raven looked toward Valeria. She raised her cup. She wasn’t going to help him. Elise continued.

"You also possess a regenerative system capable of prioritizing internal repairs, a defensive Trait that physically modifies your tissues, toxin adaptation, and several other things you still haven’t explained."

"I’ve explained enough."

"Exactly."

Raven looked back at her. "That sentence does not prove what you think it proves."

"It gives me more reasons to stay, not fewer."

Nyxara gave a quiet laugh. Raven closed his eyes for a moment. Of course. Elise glanced toward the Bloodborn, then back at him.

"There’s also the Church."

"You are part of the Church."

"Yes. Which is why I know some offices are going to interpret what happened very differently from me."

Raven’s expression changed slightly. That mattered, and Elise noticed.

"My report will state that you retain your judgment, that you deliberately chose not to kill me, that you protected civilians during previous incidents, and that you maintain rational decision-making patterns even under extreme stress. Other offices will focus on different facts."

"Such as?"

"You integrated sacred biology. You resisted purification techniques. You broke a Champion’s defenses. You defeated a White Saint, and you possess an Authority that expands its capabilities through biological assimilation."

Raven said nothing. Elise lowered her voice slightly.

"There are people who are going to stop asking whether you can be saved and start asking whether they should allow you to remain alive long enough to become harder to kill."

That was better. Not good, but better. Raven shifted slightly and felt a pull beneath his ribs. "And staying near me changes that how?"

"If someone decides to act without proper review, I can intervene."

"Against your own Church?"

"Against someone abusing the authority of the Church."

Nyxara tilted her head. "What a convenient distinction."

Elise looked at her. "It’s an important distinction."

Nyxara smiled. "I’m sure every institution says something similar right before explaining that the person causing trouble doesn’t truly represent the institution."

Valeria took another drink. Judging by her expression, she was enjoying this far too much. Elise didn’t take the bait.

"If an office ignores doctrine, procedure, and evidence because killing Raven is easier, then yes. I will oppose them."

Raven studied her. Predator’s Instinct gave him nothing useful, no hidden hostility, no false tension. Elise genuinely believed what she was saying. That made the problem harder, not easier.

"So your plan is to follow me indefinitely because some people in your Church might decide to kill me."

"Not indefinitely."

"Define when it ends."

Elise paused. "When I’m confident Predation isn’t destroying your soul, when the Church has enough evidence to stop considering you an unknown doctrinal threat, or when you stop doing things that make both objectives harder."

Raven stared at her. "That is indefinitely."

Valeria hid a smile behind her cup. Elise frowned slightly. "Those are concrete conditions."

"One of those conditions is you personally deciding that my soul is fine."

"Yes."

"Then it’s indefinitely."

Elise opened her mouth, then stopped. Raven nodded once. "Good. Now we understand each other."

Nyxara laughed again. "You two are going to be exhausting."

Raven turned toward her. "You’re still here."

Nyxara’s smile widened. "I was wondering when you’d mention it."

"I noticed last night."

"And you didn’t ask me to leave."

"You appeared after dark, made a conversation worse, asked how likely I was to be able to eat you, then claimed part of the camp. I decided sleeping was more useful."

Valeria lowered her cup. Now she was openly smiling. Nyxara looked delighted. "How practical."

"You aren’t part of the group either."

Valeria’s satisfaction increased immediately. Nyxara leaned forward. "Is there an admission process?"

"No."

"A vote?"

"No."

"Trial period?"

Raven looked at her. "You disappear for days without warning, pursue your own objectives, show up at the worst possible moment, explain half of what you’re doing, and occasionally threaten to kill people I need alive. You are not in the group."

Nyxara folded her arms. "That sounded less like a rejection and more like a performance review."

Roland laughed from where he was checking the horses. Raven ignored him. "The conclusion is the same."

"I don’t even remember saying I wanted to join."

Valeria cut in before Raven could answer. "Perfect. Then everyone is satisfied."

Nyxara slowly turned toward her. "You seem particularly satisfied."

"I enjoy clarity."

"Do you?"

Valeria’s smile didn’t change. Raven knew that expression. There was a knife hidden somewhere inside that conversation, even if nobody could see it yet.

Elise looked between the two women. "Am I missing something?"

"Several things," Roland answered.

Raven looked at him. Roland immediately returned his attention to one of the saddles. Coward.

Breakfast should have reduced the tension. It didn’t. Elise had prepared bread, dried meat, and an herb mixture she had acquired in the previous village. Nyxara initially refused a plate, reconsidered after smelling it, and accepted without comment.

Valeria noticed. Raven noticed that Valeria had noticed. That was information he did not need right now, so he focused on eating.

Elise sat across from Nyxara. Both Champions had spent most of the morning politely ignoring one another. Raven preferred that arrangement. It lasted less than four minutes.

Elise studied Nyxara’s horns, not rudely, but clinically. Nyxara noticed immediately. "If you want to ask something, ask."

Elise didn’t look embarrassed. "Your Bloodline is exceptionally dense."

Nyxara smiled. "Thank you."

"That wasn’t a compliment."

"In my homeland, it usually would be."

Elise considered that. "Your affinity is Night Sovereign, correct?"

Raven stopped chewing. Nyxara turned toward him. "You’ve been talking about me."

"No."

Elise answered before the conversation could get worse. "He didn’t tell me anything. Sacred perception allows me to partially recognize certain Bloodborn structures."

Nyxara’s amusement faded slightly. "Does it?"

"Partially."

"And what exactly does that perception tell you about me?"

Raven put down his bread. There it was, the conversation that should not happen before breakfast was finished. Elise remained calm.

"That you’re powerful, that your integration with your Bloodline is extraordinarily high, and that you possess a concentration of abyssal mana that would be considered dangerous in many jurisdictions across Asteria."

Nyxara narrowed her eyes. "Dangerous?"

"Yes."

"Corrupted?"

Elise hesitated. Bad decision. Raven saw it immediately, and so did Valeria. Elise chose her words carefully.

"Not automatically."

Nyxara leaned back. "How generous."

"I’m not trying to insult you."

"That’s what people usually say right before explaining why their religion needs to inspect my blood."

"I don’t need to inspect your blood."

"Good."

Elise paused briefly before continuing. "But if your actions endangered civilians or Raven, I would intervene."

Nyxara’s smile returned, different this time. Sharper. "You would intervene?"

Elise held her gaze. "If necessary, I would purify you."

The atmosphere changed. Not mana, not entirely, but Raven felt both women become more present. Both were Champions, and Nyxara stood above Elise. The difference mattered. It didn’t make a fight beside breakfast any less stupid.

Nyxara tilted her head. "You can try. At least with you, it might be an interesting fight."

Elise’s fingers rested near Mercy, not on the hilt, but close enough. "Being stronger than me wouldn’t make your actions right."

Nyxara showed the faintest hint of fang. "No. But it helps considerably when deciding who remains standing after the argument stops being verbal."

Valeria put down her cup. She wasn’t smiling anymore. Roland had discreetly moved two steps farther from the fire. Smart man.

Raven looked first at Elise, then Nyxara. Predator’s Instinct was no longer calm. He didn’t need it to understand the situation.

"Nobody is purifying, devouring, dismembering, or testing anyone’s durability before breakfast is over. If you still want to renegotiate who has the right to exist afterward, do it somewhere you won’t ruin the food."

Silence. Elise blinked. Nyxara stared at him. Roland lowered his head because he was trying not to laugh.

Valeria wasn’t laughing. She was looking at Raven. Weeks ago, he probably would have said don’t fight. Maybe enough. It would have worked.

Now he was still dry, still Raven, but the complete thought was actually making it out of his mouth instead of dying somewhere between his head and three words. Valeria found that unexpectedly satisfying.

Nyxara was the first to relax. "Fine. After breakfast."

Elise frowned. "I’m not scheduling a duel with you."

"You should. It would make the morning more interesting."

"No."

Raven picked up his bread again. "Perfect. Progress."

Elise looked at him. "You know I wasn’t literally planning to attack her during breakfast."

"I know."

Nyxara raised an eyebrow. "I might have."

Raven chewed once before answering. "I know that too."

Valeria laughed.

They broke camp an hour later. Elise packed again. Raven watched her again, and she noticed.

"We already discussed this."

"I’m checking whether repetition eventually produces common sense."

"Has it worked on you?"

Raven stopped while tightening a strap. Elise smiled faintly. This was getting worse.

"You spend too much time with Valeria."

Valeria looked up. "Don’t blame me because she’s improving."

Nyxara stood nearby adjusting one of her gloves. "I’ll leave before noon."

Raven looked at her. "Good."

Valeria’s smile returned immediately. Nyxara ignored her.

"Soren Vhal’s trail started moving north again. I have people investigating two Bloodborn intermediaries. I should know more in a few days."

Raven nodded. "Send some warning before appearing next time."

"You don’t like surprises?"

"Not when the surprise is a Royal Bloodborn appearing behind me without making a sound."

Nyxara stepped closer. "Three point one."

Raven immediately knew what she meant. "Still terrible odds."

"Better than before."

"Marginally."

"Progress is still progress."

Valeria folded her arms. "You seem far too pleased that his chances of eating you increased."

Nyxara looked at her. "Wouldn’t you be curious?"

"No."

"Liar."

Valeria’s eyes narrowed. Raven decided to intervene before they finished breakfast only to start a second argument.

"Nyxara."

She looked back at him. "What?"

"Go investigate Soren."

Nyxara’s smile softened slightly. "That almost sounds like you’re going to miss me."

"It sounds like I want useful information."

"Close enough."

She walked past him. Valeria followed her with her eyes. Raven noticed again. Still information he didn’t need. Not yet.

They had barely secured the final bags when they heard a horse on the road. Roland reacted first. "One rider."

Raven’s hand moved toward the Mk.I. Elise turned, and Valeria shifted her stance slightly. The rider slowed when he saw them.

A young mercenary. Judging by the way he moved and the presence he projected, Raven doubted he was above Awakened. There was no visible hostility. The man raised both hands away from his weapons.

"Raven Ashford?"

Raven didn’t answer immediately. The mercenary swallowed. "I’m not here for a bounty."

"That is usually what people say when they want to get close before trying to collect one."

"I’m serious."

Roland smiled. "That also sounds exactly like what one would say."

The man looked increasingly uncomfortable. "The Brackenford Mercenary House gave me your description. They said you might be traveling east."

Raven waited. The man understood that he needed to get to the point.

"I wanted to ask you something about the weapon."

His eyes went to the Mk.I. There. Not Raven. The rifle.

"What do you want to know?"

The mercenary hesitated. "Do you sell the bullets?"

Valeria frowned. "The bullets?"

"Not new ones. Used. Fragments, casings, deformed projectiles... anything recovered after a shot."

Raven studied him more carefully. "Why?"

"There’s a buyer."

Roland stopped smiling. Elise looked at Raven. The mercenary seemed to realize that he had changed the atmosphere.

"I don’t know who it is. I swear. The House posted a private collection notice. People are paying for pieces from the Thunder Weapon."

Raven lowered his gaze toward the rifle for a moment. That was new. He had expected nobles interested in the weapon, mercenaries trying to steal it, the Church investigating it, even merchants trying to determine its value. He had not considered how quickly a market would form around the debris left behind after every shot.

"How much are they paying?"

The mercenary gave him the number. Valeria raised her eyebrows. Roland whistled softly. That was too much money for deformed metal, far too much.

Raven looked back toward the road. Someone wasn’t buying souvenirs. They were buying information.

And if they were willing to pay that much for a broken projectile, then somewhere ahead of them, someone had already started taking apart the most dangerous question piece by piece.

How the Mk.I worked.