Vivian continued holding onto Mrs. Belfair's hair with her left hand as she dragged her through the streets.
Earlier, when they stepped out of the Adventurer's Guild building and walked in the public streets, the old woman tried to struggle and cry out for help. But after noticing that no one dared to even lift a finger, including the Guards, she eventually gave up resisting.
In the eyes of the people, the situation was too complicated.
Aside from Vivian being a Priestess, both she and Mrs. Belfair were women. Had Vivian been a man and Mrs. Belfair still a woman, there would still have been some leeway. The only person or people they could think of who could "safely" get in between them was another member of the Temple of Priests or someone on the of an Aristocratic Noble at the very least.
"YOU! STOP! LET GO OF OUR MOTHER!" a male voice shouted.
Vivian stopped and turned to face the person who shouted.
There were three men.
The first one was in his early 40s with a Gold I Rank pendant around his neck. He was wearing a gold-colored breastplate engraved with Runes, leather paddings, and had a belt pouch around his waist, but wasn't carrying any weapons.
The second one was in his late 30s. He didn't have an Adventurer pendant around his neck, he was wearing an expensive-looking set of civilian clothing, and he had a sword on his hand.
And the third one was in his early 30s. He had a Gold I Rank pendant around his neck, he was wearing a gold-colored breastplate engraved with Runes, leather paddings, a belt pouch, and had two long curved daggers on his hands.
Mrs. Belfair's eyes widened.
"My sons…!"
When the three men saw their mother's face covered in tears, snot and other bodily fluids, the faces of the son in his early 40s and the son in his early 30s immediately twisted with murderous intent.
Meanwhile, the son in his late 30s who wasn't carrying any weapons, his face twisted for a moment before wearing back a normal expression and stepping forward.
"Honored Priestess, what has our poor and old mother done to deserve such treatment?"
Vivian glanced at the son in his early 40s and the son in his early 30s.
Gold I Rank Adventurers…
She focused on the son in his early 30s.
But only this one is carrying a weapon…
She focused on the son in his early 40s.
Is this person like a mage or something…?
She then focused on the son in his late 30s.
This one I'm not sure what's his story…
He isn't wearing any gear except for the sword on his hand...
And his clothes look expensive…
"She's suspected of being a demon-worshipper!" Vivian answered loudly to make sure that everyone around watching heard her. "And as a Priestess, a devoted follower of the Temple of Priests who serves the God of Light, it is my solemn duty to protect humanity and this world from such heretics!"
"LIES!" the son in his early 40s shouted. "I, RAMUS, AND MY FAMILY HAVE KILLED DEMON-WORSHIPPERS AND THEREFORE CANNOT BE DEMON-WORSHIPPERS!"
The man in his early 30s got into a fighting position with his two long and curved daggers.
"I don't care if you're a Priestess, a High Priestess or a Light Saint. You don't throw baseless lies and hurt any of our family members, especially our mother!"
The man in his late 30s quickly turned to his companions.
"Ramus, Ranz! Do you want to condemn our entire family?! Calm down!"
Ramus, the son in his early 40s, activated a skill.
[Mana Hammer].
A two-handed large war hammer made out of mana appeared on his right hand. But instead of holding it with two hands, he held it with only one hand as he got into a fighting stance as well.
"RELEASE OUR MOTHER AT ONCE!"
Mrs. Belfair's face was painted in horror.
On one hand, she hated Vivian at her very core and wanted her sons to not only save her but also teach Vivian a lesson. But on the other hand, she knew that if their family clashed with the Temple of Priests, they would have to leave Luxen City or any place that the Temple of Priests resided in.
And that was assuming that they could escape.
"Ramus, Rook, Ranz…!" she cried out as tears ran down her cheeks.
Rook, the son in his late 30s, was about to speak when Vivian suddenly moved.
Chud.
Woooh!
She grabbed Mrs. Belfair by the back of her neck, spun around, and then threw her to Ramus.
Vooom!
[Poison Strike].
As Mrs. Belfair was flying in the air over to Ramus, Vivian was closely running behind her as she drew out her sword and a green water-like aura appeared on her blade.
Got to take down the eldest first…!
***
Ranz, the son in his early 30s, focused and the world began to slowly move through his eyes. And although he was already expecting Vivian, a Priestess, to be strong, it still surprised him that she was as fast as him because she was moving at a normal speed.
He placed one of his long and curved daggers away and raised his hand forward, aiming at Vivian.
[Steal].
Chud.
A bright white light flashed on his palm. The moment he felt something, he immediately grabbed onto it and then checked what was on his hand.
It was a black-colored underwear.
***
Ramus, the son in his early 40s, had already been focusing and was viewing the world in slow motion. And just like Ranz, although he was already expecting Vivian to be stronger than the average person at her age because she was a Priestess, it still caught him by surprise that she was as fast as him and he felt the usual pang on his chest.
He and Rook, the son in his late 30s, only had one True Magic Art Affinity. Meanwhile, their youngest brother, Ranz, had two True Magic Art Affinities. But despite that, unlike his younger brother, Rook, who pursued the life of a merchant, he pursued the life of an Adventurer when he was younger and then changed his Class from Warrior to Blacksmith once he reached his mid-30s to pursue the life of a merchant. Because whether he chooses to accept it or not, as someone who only has one True Magic Affinity, there was a clear-cut limit to his potential as a fighter.
He pushed his feelings away and focused on what was happening in front of him.
"CURSE THIS EVIL PRIESTESS!!!"
While his mother was flying towards him, he could see Vivian running behind her with her sword drawn out and its blade covered with a green water-like aura. And as a veteran in his early 40s, he knew what exactly Vivian was planning, but he still had to try because it was his mother.
[Earth Golem].
A 3-meter golem made out of mud started to manifest next to where he stood as he rushed forward to catch his mother.
Chud-craaack!
Ramus caught his mother and he heard the sound of her bones breaking due to the momentum of the force. He turned his and his mother's body to the side in order to lessen the impact.
Chaa-psssh!
Without any hesitation, Vivian thrust her sword forward and green mist exploded as her blade penetrated Ramus' head and Mrs. Belfair's chest, skewering them both.
Crack, crack!
And then twisted her wrist, causing the sound of bones breaking to erupt from their bodies.
The Mana Hammer on Ramus' hand and the Earth Golem that he summoned and was still in the process of manifesting vanished.
Pa-sliii!
Thud, thud!
Vivian kicked Ramus and Mrs. Belfair away from her sword, unskewering them both.
Whiiip!
And then whipped her sword to remove the bloodstains on her blade.
"MOOOTHEEERRRR….!!!" Ranz shouted.
***
Rook, the second son of Mrs. Belfair, was left confused. All he could see was Vivian, his mother, Ramus and Ranz moving in a blur.
Unlike Ramus and Ranz whose Physical and Magic Force was Mithril or around 90s points, he, on the other hand, a person who dedicated his life on being a merchant, only had a Physical and Magic Force of Iron or around 30 points.
"MOOOTHEEERRRR….!!!" Ranz shouted.
Rook quickly turned to him and then turned to where he was looking.
Vivian was standing with her sword on her hand while looking at Ranz. And lying on the street a few feet away from her were his mother and Ramus.
Thud.
His face turned pale and he fell on his knees.
"Elemental Gods…"
When they first heard about their mother being dragged around by a Priestess, although they immediately moved without thinking, there was already an unspoken agreement between them that they would try to solve the issue as peacefully as possible. After all, they were all fully grown men with years of experience in their respective fields.
Ranz cast a series of spells.
[Light Step].
A pair of light green aura appeared on his feet.
[Lesser Presence].
His entire body turned transparent.
[Enchant Fire].
A fiery aura enveloped the blade of the dagger on his right hand.
Voooom!
***
Vivian's brows knitted together.
So I really wasn't imagining things…
Although the world was moving slow through her eyes, she more or less noticed that Ramus and Ranz were moving normally.
But now…
He became faster…
Voooom!
Ranz appeared in front of Vivian and he thrust the dagger on his right hand that was engulfed with a fiery aura.
[Explosive Dagger].
Boo-brgh….!
Vivian tried to parry the attack. But as soon as their blades clashed with one another, an invisible sphere with a diameter of 1 meter exploded around Vivian's body, most of her skin and clothes, and then her whole body was engulfed in flames as she was was pushed a couple of feet away.
When the flames on Vivian's body dispersed, her hair was half-burnt and cut short, she was completely naked, her skin covered in blisters with smoke coming all over her body, and her blue-colored blood was burnt to crispy brown while still attached to her skin.
Ranz ran out of mana and the fiery aura on his dagger vanished. However, his [Light Step] and [Lesser Presence] were still in effect.
Vooom!
He was about to rush forward and continue attacking when a blurry figure appeared behind him.
Chud!
BRAA-KAAAK!
The blurry figure grabbed his hair and then violently shoved face to ground, shattering the cobblestone surface.
"HOW DARE YOU LAY YOUR HANDS ON A SISTER!"
It was Gerald, the White Cloak Priest in his early 30s assigned at the Temple of Priests Public Office building.
As he pulled his hand away and got up, Ranz's skull was cracked open and the magical effects of the [Light Step] and [Lesser Presence] vanished. When he turned his attention towards Vivian and went over to her, his brows knitted together.
As a veteran Priest, he had his fair share of violence. But looking at Vivian, he wasn't sure what he was looking at. Her skin was completely exposed and it was covered in blisters with smoke coming out of her body, but there was something he was confused about -- the blood. Thanks to the flames of Ranz, the wounds she suffered from the [Explosive Dagger] got closed and all of the blood that came out of it either got boiled away or turned into crispy brown. And although fresh blue blood still leaked out of her body, it was only a tiny bit.
He shook his head and turned his gaze away after remembering that Vivian was completely naked. When he finally got to her, he untied his White Cloak, wrapped it around her body, and then cast a series of spells.
[Greater Heal].
A yellow light enveloped Vivian's body and most of her wounds were cured. Even her hair grew back to its original length.
[Greater Heal].
A yellow light enveloped her body once again and her wounds were now completely healed.
[Cure].
This time around, a green light enveloped her body.
"Are you okay, Sister?"
Vivian lowered her sword and fixed the White Cloak covering her naked body before looking at the person in front of her.
"Brother Gerald…?"
He nodded and smiled.
"A Guard went to the Temple of Priests building's office to inform us what was happening. But before you tell me what happened here, please find some proper clothes first," he said and then turned to the remaining son.
Thud!
"Aiiiyyyeee…!" Rook shrieked as he fell on his rear-end and his face was pale as a ghost.
"And then we will bring these people to the office building for further questioning."
Thud!
Rook scrambled to get to his knees.
"Honored Lord Sir Priest…! I am innocent…! I didn't come here to fight…! I came here to stop the fight…!"
Gerald raised an eyebrow.
"Stop the fight?"
"I mean, prevent the fight or any violen--"
"Silence! Your chance to speak will come when we're all of you are at the office."
"Brother…" Vivian said.
Gerald turned to her.
She pointed at Ranz with her sword.
"During the fight, someone stole my underwear… I think it was him…"
Gerald's jaw almost dropped and he turned to Ranz.