The girl's expression turned blank.
Sect Follower—wasn't that the term used for the cultists wanted throughout the Kingdom?
Such an accusation wasn't something one could casually voice. If it were leveled between Nobles, it was quite ordinary for the matter to escalate into a duel to the death.
But more than feeling offended, the girl's first reaction was confusion.
She looked at her best friend's serious face tinged with worry, knowing that the other was neither joking nor harboring any dissatisfaction toward her.
So the girl replied to her solemnly.
"It's not like that, although Father is indeed terrifying, I've never seen him do anything bad."
After pondering, the girl hesitantly added another line.
"At least when he's at home... that's the case, and I've never seen anyone strange, like a cultist."
"That's good to hear..." Her best friend let out a sigh of relief, but a trace of concern still lingered in her soft, pale red pupils.
"But why would you think that?" Having answered her best friend's question, the girl finally voiced her own doubt.
"Could it be because of our family crest? Although there's a bit of a connection between a key and a gate but..."
But her best friend wasn't the sort to suspect others without good reason over such tenuous links.
The girl waited for her best friend's response.
"Why, you ask..." Her best friend let out a bitter smile, unconsciously stroking her Sky Blue hair.
[Best Friend's Family Circumstances]
"We've known each other for so long, haven't you been the one always coming to see me?"
This friendship, precious like treasure, had lasted for several years; they knew each other inside and out.
She was the daughter of the Viscount's House, and her friend was a commoner girl.
Despite the vast gap in their statuses, it did not affect the purity of their friendship.
But the objective difference could not be ignored, so it was always the girl who sneaked out of her home to visit her best friend.
"But I always felt I should take the initiative for once, so recently, I secretly went to the Noble District and found your house."
The girl covered her mouth in surprise.
"How did I not know this?"
"That's because... I got scared away," her best friend replied with another bitter smile. Despite usually being cheerful and bright, her face was etched with a hint of fear.
The look of surprise on the girl's face swiftly changed to tension.
"Don't worry, nothing happened to me," her best friend reassured, shaking her head and holding the girl's hand.
"What exactly is it—" The girl could feel her best friend's hand still trembling slightly.
She knew her friend was perceptive, always in tune with others' feelings, which made her more sensitive than most to certain things.
The girl tightly clasped her best friend's hand in return, trying to calm her down.
Her best friend smiled at her, then took a deep breath.
"It was just when I was about to ring the doorbell, I saw your father passing by the window."
She continued to speak.
"You know, I have a Spiritual Talent, and I've been going to Church for studies, encountering the Bishop a few times.
"But no one has ever given me the vibe your father did.
"It felt like... an endless Abyss..."
Her best friend sniffled.
"I couldn't bring myself to get any closer to your house, and before I knew it, I had turned around and fled."
After hearing her best friend's account, the girl's expression became complicated, unsure of how to react.
"Father can be scary, but is he really that terrifying..."
She wanted to defend her family, but found no words to counter, and her best friend's fear seemed all too real to be fake.
Seeing the girl's dilemma, her best friend smiled again, shaking her hand.
"It's okay, I feel much better after talking about it. Since you say your father is a good person, it must be that I'm just too scared."
Um, she had never actually said her father was a good person...
"It was probably because I had just learned about the Sect, and was frightened by your father's aura, which led me to imagine things."
Her best friend shook her head as if to convince herself.
"Now that my doubts are cleared, let's go have a big meal!"
She took the girl's hand and walked towards the commercial district.
All things in the world have their Gates.
The human body has gates, dwelling places have gates, the Spirit has gates, thoughts have gates, knowledge has gates, so does the world.
Refuse unwelcome visitors, select those who enter.
But a gate should not possess will.
Because of one's tyranny, aspirants are kept outside the Gate.
How sinful, how cruel, how unfair and unjust it is!
Why refuse others, why close one's heart, why not open everything?
Precious thoughts go unrecognized because people close the doors of their Spirit and hang locks of ignorance.
Valuable knowledge is placed out of reach, barriers erected, merely due to the scholars' pride in their scraps of wisdom.
The world too closes its gates, denying pilgrims of their longing, showing not the slightest acceptance or tolerance.
How shameful, how agonizing, how rage-inducing!
Gates, they impede freedom.
We are the keys, we are the key holders, we are "Openness" itself.
We shall open the gates of the Spirit until all thoughts are embraced,
We shall open the gates of truth, letting all knowledge spread,
We shall open the gates of the world, making everything unhindered.
Sect: True Saint Disciples, commonly known as Black Gate
Most of these self-proclaimed True Saint Disciples are adept in Teleportation Magic, and also skilled at Unsealing spells and breaking Prohibitions.