𝒲𝒾𝓃𝓉ℯ𝓇 𝒲ℴ𝓃𝒹ℯ𝓇𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒹： 𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓌 ℴ𝒻 𝓉𝒽ℯ ℱ𝓇ℴ𝓏ℯ𝓃 ℋℯ𝒶𝓇𝓉

𝓖𝓵𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓜𝓪𝓼𝓺𝓾𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓭𝓮: 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 14

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"Then tell me, Maria! Why I see her dancing there? Why her smoldering eyes still scorch my soul? (cogitatione)"

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Fleur City - Topsy Turvy Square

"Since you don't know, then I will tell you the tale of the Kindly Bell Ringer..." The Clown says, beginning to tell the famous tale about the Ringer. "Our tale begins in the small city where the Righteous Judge lived. The Righteous Judge was fair and just. Everyone respected him and abided by his judgments."

"That's the personage Flamme told us about at Noble Bell College." Malleus recalled.

"Oh yeah, there was a big stone statue of him in front of the school, right?" Grim asked.

"So you remember. I'm surprised." Malleus says.

"Hey, I resent that! Of course I remember somethin' I learned today! Unlike with Y/n!" Grim exclaimed.

"....hmph." Y/n huffed with puffed cheeks.

"Shut up you annoying weasel." Isfrid hissed.

"But there was no one who adored him more than his own disciple—the Kindly Bell Ringer!" The Clown revealed.

"Ooh, so the guy on the horse had a student." Grim mumbled.

"Interesting..." Y/n hummed as Sebek's made sure his hold on her was balanced and secure.

"Indeed." Rollo nodded. "The Kindly Bell Ringer is beloved throughout the Shaftlands, much like the Righteous Judge." he told Grim who grew more interested like Y/n.

"Neither rain nor wind would deter the Bell Ringer from ringing the bells to announce the time throughout the town." The Clown says before his demeanor darkened. "But one day... Disaster struck the peaceful city."

"You know, I've been wondering about this since I first heard anecdotes about the Righteous Judge. What exactly was this disaster?" Azul questioned. "I tried looking into it before the trip, but I couldn't find any useful information."

"I should think not, since no one knows for certain. None of our literature goes into detail about it." Rollo stated. "The only writing we have on the matter is this... 'Disaster struck, enveloping the city in a shroud hued the same as a fiery crimson lotus.'" he recited.

"A crimson lotus...?" Y/n tilted her head a bit.

"Crimson, hm." Malleus thought about the analogy. "Does that perhaps suggest a great fire?"

"I would assume so." Isfrid muttered.

"Oh, yes, I understand fires can be devastating on land. It's a frighteningly powerful element." Azul says, shuddering just thinking about the mass destruction a small fire could cause.

"Plus, back in the old days they didn't have any building codes or regulations, so the buildings were probably crammed way close together..." Idia added. "The fire must've been worse than anything we could imagine nowadays."

"The fiery crimson engulfed the city, throwing the people into terror and chaos..." The Clown continued. "But the Kindly Bell Ringer rang his bell and gave courage to the people. He then valiantly fought to protect the city."