"h.e.l.lo what can I help you with?"

Mars gave a smile and spoke

"hi we're here to see a high priestesses.... Mary what's her name?"

"Annabel"

"right high priestess Annabel"

the receptionist gave a slight frown but quickly hid it behind a businesses smile

"in that case do you have an appointment? I'm afraid all the high priests and high priestesses are terribly busy"

Mary gave a frown and spoke

"but I'm her daughter"

the receptionist showed a slightly gloating expression and asked Mary while he looked at her with undisguised contempt

"and what prof do you have? am I spouse just to take your word for it? if you don't have an appointment I will have to ask you to leave before I call the guards"

"oh really... you know what I think?"

"....what?"

"that you are going to change your mind quickly"

"and why would I do---"

Mars unhurriedly pulled out his necklace of the apostle and showed it to the receptionist that instantly palled and shut his mouth, Mars gave a grin and asked

"I heard apostles are treated very well in this country, but perhaps I was wrong...? Mary let's go since we can't meet you mother here we'll try another kinder receptionist"

the receptionist paled even more and hurriedly stammered

"p-p-p-please wait your excellency!"

the receptionist inwardly cursed Mars for his twisted sense of humor 'if you were an apostle why didn't just say so!?' but outwards he only showed the most humble of smiles and hurriedly added

"if your excellency wishes I can show you the way to high prissiness Annabel's room at once!"

Mars showed a surprised expression

"oh so you know the way to her room? then why didn't you just say so?"

the receptionist hurriedly lead the way through the temples many pa.s.sageways all the while trying to flatter Mars, but seeing as Mars didn't respond well to random flattery he shut his mouth and just lead the way in silence, soon they arrived at a door where the priest gestured to before he said a little nervously

"t-this is the prayer room which high priestess Annabel is maintaining at the moment, please wait a moment while I announce your arrival"

Mars gave a nod and stood and waited with Mary a few moments before the priest returned and gave a bow before he turned and left, Mars looked at Mary and asked

"shall we?"

"....sure"

Mars gave another nod and lead the way into the prayer room where he found an elf kneeling in front of the crystal ball in the center of the prayer room, she did not look up when Mars entered instead she was wholeheartedly polis.h.i.+ng the crystal ball with all her might, although at the same time the gentleness of her movements slightly surprised Mars

'she applies all her force in all her movements but she still manage to have a gentle feeling about it... where have I seen this before...?'

Mary walked into the prayer room after Mars and stopped and stared at the elf that was polis.h.i.+ng the crystal ball and quietly muttered

"mom..."

the elf abruptly stopped polis.h.i.+ng the crystal ball when she heard Mary's voice before her body began trembling slightly and she turned around and looked at Mary

"Mary... my child..."

the 2 of them ran at each other and just when it looked like they were about to embrace each other both of them stopped and suddenly carried awkward looks on their faces, Mars gave a sigh and walked over before he suddenly gave Mary a push which made her fall into her mother's embrace, feeling her mother's warmth for the first time in who knows how many years Mary quickly teared up and warped her arms around her mother before she loudly cried

"mom..."

Mary's mother was confused for a moment before she wrapped her arms around Mary as her eyes also began silently to tear up as she tightened her embrace on her one and only child, Mars gave a smile and folded his arms as he watched the moving reunion...

Half an hour later both Mary and her mother had calmed down and under her mother's lead Mary and Mars was lead to a guest room where they sat down while Mary's mother severed some tea for them before she also sat down and looked over at Mars then at Mary with a clam slime on her face, Mars gave a silent sigh as he admired Mary's mothers beauty, it was clear for all with eyes to see where Mary got her looks from

"it's truly been too long since we last met Mary, how have you been my child?"

Mary took a sip of her tea before she spoke

"well mom I became a gold ranked mercenary a few years back... but what's most important is that I meet Mars a few months back"

while she spoke Mary grabbed Mars' hand and gave a warm smile, her mother gave Mars a glance and saw the silver star he was wearing around his neck

"an apostle huh..."

as Mary's mother muttered that the temperature of the room fell slightly before she gave a not-quite-smile smile and asked

"Mars was it? my name is Annabel... I wonder if I could ask, where did you get your status as an apostle?"

before Mars had a change to answer Mary yelled angrily

"mom!"

"I'm sorry Mary but this is one thing I most know as both a mother and a high priestess"

Mars was slightly confused but still answered truthfully

"I got it in the southern part of Destra, in a small town named Marlton almost a year ago"

Annabel gave a sigh of relief and quickly spoke

"I'm sorry for asking you such a question Mars.... it's just apostles form our holy union are.... how to say it..?"

while her mother was thinking Mary spoke

"trash"

"right Mary thank you, they are often trash that only know how to throw around their weight as apostles"

Mars gave a nod

"I see.... well I don't think I'm like them..?"

"no you're not Mars"

"thanks Mary, but is it alright for a high priestess to talk about apostles like that?"

Annabel gave a smile

"what ever the f.u.c.k I say about those pieces of literal garbage in my spare time have nothing to do with what I do when I work"

"I-I see"

"just thinking about how it one of the biggest pieces of trash that cursed my Mary makes me want to see blood"

Mars put on a thoughtful expression for a moment before a cold glint flashed in his eyes as he asked

"and who exactly is that piece of thrash?"

Annabel gave a sigh and spoke

"one of the biggest pieces of depravity in our holy union.... his name is Yrimir"

"Yrimir..."

Mars memorized the name and put it at the top of his must kill list and asked

"does he live here in the city?"

Annabel gave a nod

"yes he does, in the biggest mansion in the southern part of the city... why are you asking?"

"no reason, just some PKR"

"PKR?"

Mars gave a cold smile and said

"pre-kill research"

Mary looked over at Mars with shock in her eyes before she hurriedly spoke

"you don't have to kill him Mars, really you don't"

Mars gave a rea.s.suring smile and said

"don't worry Mary I'm not going to kill him today, today is set aside to getting to know your mom"

Mary gave a sigh

"good grief..."