☀️ Arselia and Akonia

-- Your Highness, -- Ayko bows and waits for permission to speak before continuing. -- I am saddened to report that we failed to complete your assignment. There is no excuse for me, it all happened due to my carelessness... The gnome recounts in detail the fruits offered at the local inn and how the children use them, along with playing a musical instrument, as a trap against the guests. She explains that they attempted to carry out the operation covertly, but they were caught red-handed. She adds that the only useful outcome of the mission, unfortunately, was the intelligence gathered: according to it, the adults in the town were likely not cultists themselves, but rather worshipped Anush (judging by the examples of the blacksmith, Ho Yin, and the unnamed caretaker of the orphanage), while the children's minds had been poisoned with various dangerous beliefs (Lai Huang - Tevta, Carla - Sophia, Adele - Sophia, Antoinette - Gnosis, Xiao Bao - Risha, Chu Han - Rinze). -- What surprises me is not only this, but also the fact that... Although I don't know much about religions, I am almost certain that half of these deities are absolutely intolerant of each other. That is, the children's beliefs seem to be some kind of whim and paradox, imposed by someone among the adults with unclear goals. If they were enlightened, they could not coexist, acting in the interests of different malevolent entities that contradict each other. Unless, of course, they actually believed in something so dangerous. -- Despite this, I realize that our meager data cannot compensate for our terrible failure. I take full responsibility for this, as I failed to recognize the trap. I entrust myself to your hands and await further instructions... -- she bows her head to the ground. This time, the gnome's crown, unfortunately, did not scrape the floor...

- We will have to go back and burn them all.

During the audience with the Highness, Ayko expects to be told exactly that...