Chapter 23: Vestarch Elian Veris
The tension in the square had turned sharp.
The Deacon stood tall, flanked by his attendants, one hand still raised like he were delivering divine judgment.
Riku, ever composed, wiped his hands on a cloth and looked up at the man with a pleasant, almost curious expression.
"You say this food is a blessing of the light," he said calmly.
The Deacon smirked. "Clearly. Any fool with a tongue can taste it."
"And you say that, because it is a blessing," Riku continued, "it must belong to the Church?"
"Yes," the Deacon said firmly. "All miracles are meant to serve the divine. That which uplifts the spirit must be sanctified and shared by those who shepherd faith."
Riku tilted his head thoughtfully. "Interesting."
He stepped out from behind the cart, hands behind his back.
"But tell me, good Deacon—if a man shares his bread with his neighbor, does it stop being his bread the moment it warms another?"
The Deacon frowned. "What are you implying?"