You are Lorinda de Lindan, Princess, Inquisitor, and soon-to-be Tournament Champion! Well, not really, for you see the Inquisition is sending you into the Grand Tournament of Bloodgrave’s Fall as an agent to see if any otherworldly Strangers from the wicked and barbarous dimension of Earth sneak in to gain lands and glory right from under your father’s nose. Regretfully, the Inquisition has banned you from seeking victory as once your analysis of the competition is complete, it will be time to make a dramatic exit fitting of your desire to be the tournament’s underdog hero. Currently, there is a mere 14 days before the preliminary rounds begin for the duels where you shall compete. Now if only you knew the best way to prepare…Archive: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=The%20Isekai%20Inquisition
>>6322099The public grounds of Lord Fortuen the Unfortunate are a good place to clear your head, especially after days spent doing nothing but your superior's paperwork. The grounds themselves are comprised of a few acres of preserved gardens and forest that was once the Fortuen estate; however, after the impotent Lord died without children, he organized a knightly order to maintain and defend his lands. Seeing as mere peasants bump into you during your stroll, Fortuen’s Order has not done a very good job of it. Though after a few days of doing nothing but sort through and summarize papers, even relaxing near lowlife refuse is almost an appealing thought. Though that brings you to why you’re here. While you've never been particularly devout other than what is required of your station, as all of noble blood must be Goddess-loving to set an example for the peasantry, the thought of a simple prayer leading to an end of your troubles is an exceptional one—a bargain of which Cathrine would no doubt have taken in a heartbeat. So, as you find a spot near the river, you kneel down, clutch your fingers, and- is that Asher? Your eyes narrow as you look at your summer mentor sitting on a bench with a well-dressed blonde woman. Your eyes narrow further- no, it's not Alyssa. Also, why is Asher drinking to blazenly in public? At noon no less. Was your impression of him wrong? No, that can't be you, you’re excellent at reading people. You must investigate this.“You’re drunk.” “Thanks, detective, you really earn your pay.” Asher’s snidely remarks.The woman next to him nearly leaps from her seat and between you two, “I'm really sorry about Oliver! We'll move if he's disturbing you.”“It's barely past noon. Is this any time to be drinking?”“Come on, Oliver, let’s-”“And what would you know about day drinking in a public park, kid? Hey wait, you got any cigarettes?” “You know for a fact I don’t know what that is.” Asher mock eye rolls, “Worth a shot.”“Oliver, you can't just-” “Pah! What's it to ya?!” He overplays his drunkenness as he slaps his girlfriend(?)’s shoulder.“Why are you here, Asher?”“Oliver lets- Uh, Wha- do you know each other?”“Why, I’m just spending some good bonding time with the lads- er, lad.” “Can't tell me?”“You know the answer to that, Lorina. Honestly, I should be asking what you’re doing here, Princess.” “Wait Lorina? You’re a princess?!”“Wait Lad? You’re a guy?”“H-huh? W-wait, Y-your Highness, I’m so sorry I didn’t- I should’ve-!” The “lad” says as he stumbles to perform a rather subpar bow.“Who is this?” You say, completely disregarding his effort at subservience.“Why, that would be Inquisitor Siegvald you’re pointing at. I’m currently mentoring him, seeing as he’s got quite a bit to learn about working in these areas.” “I thought you didn't have a habit of taking apprentices.”
>>6322100“First, he’s not an apprentice. Second, Tell that to the Lord Inquisitor. He said you were such a success, he's going to shackle more unfortunate souls to me.”“My success was born from my own abilities.” You state that you are not willing to give the current town drunk a compliment. “That's what I've been telling him!”“Wait, Sir? You really did teach Her Royal Highness?” Siegvald inquires.“Huh, wait, dude, you didn't believe me?! Douchebag.“I would have thought it'd have been a rather large rumor at least.”“I- er, sorry?” he says with the kind of expression someone in one of Marie’s books would make, “I’m usually not in places where the news or rumors regularly flow.”“Could’ve at least have taken my word for it..”You nod you did notice that most reports involving this Inquisitor were from rural parts of the country, “Right, the case of the possessed child was rather recent, and Halfwater is quite away from things.” Siegvald's eyes widen in shock, “You know about that?” Again, you nod but don't elaborate. It's better for you if he constructed an elaborate caricature of you in his head than to admit you’ve been reading the Inquisition’s reports as homework. “I've actually been curious about that case. Though I suppose my question applies to Asher as well. How does the Inquisition handle children who are suspected of being Strangers?”Asher's eyes dart to a far corner of the garden, “Damn, Lorina. Fucked up thing to ask without any warning.”“Siegvald, your mission involved one, did it not?”“Y-yeah, but it was pretty obvious she was possessed by the time I got there. By then, the elder in her body turned the house into the scene of a massacre. Some of the local clergy even got caught up in the mess when they tried to perform an exorcism for a ghost instead of a Stranger.” He shudders as he speaks, “I tried not to harm her too much since the Stranger used the fact she was still, well, inside her body against us, but-” “There’s no need to go any further. That’s all I wanted to know, thank you.” You say, as it is probably best you don’t force a man to relive his recent blood-soaked past. You’ve learned this is a sore topic for some people, though you’re not exactly sure why. You’ve seen people explode in front of your eyes and you have turned out fine.He takes a deep breath, “No, it's fine. I was able to use some of the scattered blood and parts he left around, along with the pantry's salt, to complete a purifying ritual. But should I not have had the knowledge to- well…” He trails off.“His next best move would have been to kill the child, taking the Stranger along with her.” Asher finishes. “You've already been told all the freedoms we have with dealing with nobility before, right? The same privileges apply when dealing with all manner of people. Sure, most of us aren't heartless monsters or bloodthirsty maniacs, well, at least one of us isn't.” “Thank you.”
>>6322101“Whatever. All of it is up to the Inquisition's own knowledge and initiative. I know of a case where Lord Beneger simply grabbed a child from his home because his parents reported him as ‘too gifted,’ and well, he was never heard from again.” An Ironic example considering you’re hearing this from the child himself. But that's your question answered, more or less. “One more thing I wish to ask, do you know of an Inquisitor Leontine?”Asher groans, “I don't want to talk about her. Siegvald, you do it.”“Um, but I don't know that much? I hear she's a pretty capable Inquisitor and a real ‘old guard’ if you well.” *Snrk* “Yeah, she’s old all right.”“She's hunted down quite a few Strangers, so that's a testament to her skills, I think. She's also known as the ‘Lioness’ because of her skills-”“Because her name sounds like Lion, that's why. Look, Lorina, she's about as pure as a puritan gets. If you think everyone is a Stranger like she does, you’re bound to find at least a few. Been trying to get her off my ass for years. Unluckily, she's spending some leave in the Capital right now, so the chances I bump into her aren't zero.”“If you try to avoid her so much, then you should at least know where she's staying.” “Yeah, west side of the city. If you know where the Ravenett Estate is, it’s near there. She lives in the building with the tower. Good luck if you’re trying to find her, though not that I envy you, especially because she no doubt knows your reputation.”“My reputation?” Is he talking about the results of the Honor Duel?“Lorina, you were bunkmates with Marie. You can put together the pieces.” Ah. “Ah.” While you've never officially interacted with the “factions” of the Inquisition, there is no doubt most would label you as a “radical” one who works with Strangers instead of executing them. Though you don't doubt the “puritans” would love a chance to try and convert you to their side, you are, after all, Lorina de Lindan, the Kingdom’s Princess. “I see, thank you both,” you say with a curtsy, causing Siegfried to have another near-panic for courtly manner and Asher to shrug you off and take another gulp from one of these bottles.>”Though I still wish to discuss…” [Write-in]>Though you need to finally pray>Though now you plan to seek out Inquisitor Leontine>[Write-in]
>>6322102>Though now you plan to seek out Inquisitor Leontine
>>6322102>Though you need to finally prayIf we're here anyway
>>6322102>>Though now you plan to seek out Inquisitor Leontine
>>6322102>Though you need to finally prayMight as well if we’re here already
>>6322102>Though you need to finally prayWelcome back, OP.
>>6322102>Though you need to finally pray
4 to Pray 2 to Greet more coworkersWriting (Well, written).
>>6322456You bid the Inquisitors adieu before finding yourself a nice and secluded part of the park to kneel and pray. You are very methodical about the process, and there is a decent chance the Lord Inquisitor has some way to tell if you do it properly or not. So why risk your chances of not having to finish the paperwork by slacking off? You’re not that type of person, unlike some you know. So with careful precision, you clasp your hands, close your eyes, and part your lips, “O’ Goddess-”As you say the prayer, you tune out the world around until you can hear nothing else but the calmly flowing river and rustle of leaves just starting to turn color. Even your own voice is drowned out by the all-consuming void of nothingness, though it is not an unpleasant feeling, as a gentle warmth flows through your mana circuits and you continue to pray. You feel invigorated, powerful, yet not powerful enough to challenge the great being near you. Nor are you powerful enough to escape the cage keeping you contained. Wait, what?Your body is sent flying back and forth as the birdcage is rocked with extreme malice. The being, Dorothy, isn’t it? Seems to be bearing a grudge, though she says nothing as you send careening from metal bar into metal bar. It is painful, but not. Your bruises are immediately healed, and you find the whole ordeal to be little more than an annoyance. As of this moment, you are powerful, but it is not your power. Someone else is flooding mana through you, keeping you alive and sane, but denying you your right to handle your own problems. Annoying.You cannot see nor hear the second presence, your benefactor, and no doubt the little girl with blonde hair and an ego the size of the planet. But you can feel her presence, and you can feel her fighting with Dorothy over your cage. Your eyes remain closed; they won’t let you, a mere puppet, even witness them. Annoying. Then, as you're thrown back and forth and back again, something breaks. It’s no surprise that when beings of immense magical power fight, things are bound to break, even if they’re only a singular bar. “This way, follow me!” A little girl shouts, “Sister, please!”“Dammit, stay put! If I’m to build Utopia, I need-”“Just run, Ina!”The voices demand and plead, though it is not your ears that hear them. Though you know if you’re going to do something, it needs to happen now.>Follow the voice of Alice to a land far, far away>Stay in your cage for at least Dorothy is honest in her intentionsBut that’s not all, is there? You sit high above the land, floating in a balloon made of hot air. You could always reject them both, refuse their power and their decrees. It would be a hard path, no doubt, one where even answers would be a luxury. But it would be your choice.>Fall
>>6322457Alice only barely wins for me, but I’m still not happy that they’re throwing Lorina in this mess with no advice or backstory.>”No answers, no explanations, just both of you trying to use me as a vessel for what you want for your playroom with no care for how I feel! Sisters or whatever the hell you two are, you both are awful brats and deserve each other! NOW GET OUT OF THIS STORY AND GO BACK TO YOUR OWN!!!”
>>6322474Oh, and if the vote wasn’t clear, I’m for following Alice for right now, because while she may be a brat, she didn’t stuff us in a cage. So that gives her five minutes to make a pitch.
>>6322457>Fall
>>6322457>>Stay in your cage for at least Dorothy is honest in her intentions
>>6322457>FallSolo ending
>>6322457>Follow the voice of Alice to a land far, far awayI want answers god damn.
