Gracebearer

[Code Name] Gracebearer

[Gender] Female

[Combat Experience] 10 years

[Place of Birth] Bolívar

[Date of Birth] Feb 18

[Race] Undisclosed

[Height] 162cm

[Infection Status]

Medical tests have confirmed that no infection is present.

[Physical Strength] Standard

[Mobility] Standard

[Physical Resilience] Standard

[Tactical Acumen] Standard

[Combat Skill] Excellent

[Originium Arts Assimilation] Standard

A nun from Bolívar who joined Rhodes Island at Sankta Miksaparato's recommendation. She has returned to Bolívar and serves as guard operator at the local branch.

Imaging tests reveal clear, normal outlines of internal organs, and no abnormal shadows have been detected. Originium granules have not been detected in the circulatory system and there is no sign of infection. At this time, this operator is believed to be uninfected.

[Cell-Originium Assimilation] 0%

Operator Gracebearer shows no signs of Originium infection.

[Blood Originium-Crystal Density] 0.08u/L

Operator Gracebearer shows strong awareness of Oripathy prevention, and has managed to stay uninfected despite spending considerable time in high-risk areas.

On the subject of piety, the first person that Rhodes Island members think of is not someone from Laterano or Iberia, but Sister Nueda of the Bolívar office. She never breaks the rules, never gossips, and always appears by the side of the people who need her, asking nothing in return. Even when simply standing in a corner with her head bowed, others can sense her love and kindness, and receive strength and comfort from her presence.

She follows a strict schedule every day, going to bed at 11 p.m. and waking up at 6 a.m. no matter where she is. She prays nine times during the day, then a tenth time as she mutters in her sleep.

Sister Nueda's faith is highly respected, but it has also made people hesitant to approach her, other than listening to her sing in the Rhodes Island Choir.

Some operators believe that, underneath the pious surface, there is a side to her that she does not let others see.

[Audio Log]

I had the pleasure to join Sister Nueda on a field mission. She cared for us meticulously, patted our heads after battle, and even told us bedtime stories. We're all very grateful to her... but... we're adults who can take care of ourselves.

—Dobermann

Sister Nueda has a wonderful voice. Even the most mundane song becomes incredibly moving when sung by her. But her love for hymns borders on obsession. Ever since she came to Rhodes Island, she has been studying the musical styles of different countries, and uses them to make new hymn arrangements.

Honestly, most of them aren't bad, but I'm still trying to figure out how she came up with the idea of St. Ambrosius's Passion in Yan's xiqu style...

—Czerny, Rhodes Island Choir Organist

Sister Nueda?

What about her? Did you assume we'd have spoken simply because we're of the same race?

Does it matter whether her story about a Gallic princess traveling to Sargon in search of wisdom is true or not?

Did it ever occur to you that I might provide an even more ambiguous answer?

And what of it? Just because the K'uk'ulkan have millennia of knowledge in our heads doesn't mean we have to treat it as our religion.

—Ho'olheyak

[Post-Action Report]

We were ambushed while transporting medicine, and lost contact with Sister Nueda, who had gone deep behind enemy lines while assisting us. We were making urgent plans to rescue her when she stumbled into the office with blood all over her before passing out on the floor.

Fortunately, her injuries were not serious. When she woke up, she said that an armed group rescued her from the enemy camp and delivered her to the office. She left after a few days of rest to continue her journey. Later, we got news that the hostile encampment on the medicine transport route was captured by a Singas faction friendly to us, which we believed to be the group that rescued Sister Nueda.

Strangely, no sooner had we sent a letter thanking them for the assistance that a letter arrived from that very group, thanking us for weakening the enemy forces and allowing them to capture the encampment with ease.

If there is an unknown faction in the area that is friendly to us, we would like to request an expert scout to help us locate them, as we could use all the allies we can get...

[News Excerpt]

A group of guerillas consisting of deserters, farmers, and mercenaries has been active in the hills east of our position. They do not have any permanent encampments, and the identity of their leader is unknown. No one knows why they're here. While most of the soldiers believe them to be a group of disorganized rabble, our limited combat records indicate that they are quite tactically proficient.

—True Bolívar Military Communique

If we knew you could deal with it on your own, we wouldn't have needed to risk exposure. But I'm curious: how did you get those soldiers to turn on their own?

And don't give me that crap about 'those who live by violence will die by violence'. You're responsible for the most violent situations I've seen in my life.

—Letter from Sister Nueda's friend

[Interview Log]

I began wandering Bolívar after my parents died. War, conflict, and dead bodies were always by my side.

The heritage of the K'uk'ulkan taught me how to survive on the battlefield, but life was hard. It made me an isolated child, always keeping silent and never interacting with others. Besides, I had no need for language with the vast repository of K'uk'ulkan knowledge at my disposal.

I never spoke until the age of thirteen, when I saved a gravely injured Sankta nun. We had no interaction to speak of. She was completely disfigured beneath her bandages, yet she continued to sing her hymns calmly every day, with no hint of pain in her voice. Most people in that situation would have been unable to do anything but scream.

The calm and courage with which she faced her pain taught me how faith can help the soul pull through unimaginable suffering. That was when I began to dream about Laterano. I wanted to sing with her, but I was too stubborn, and only took up her melody after she had passed.

By the grace of God, that was the first time words came out of my mouth.

—Column 'Faith in the Fires of War', Laterano Weekly Issue 12

...Along with a group of war orphans, Sister Nueda arrived at a Holy City that had just emerged from a nightmare. Many were still missing, and the survivors had to face the complete collapse of the foundations of their faith. Many chose to end their lives with their guns, unwilling to accept the truth.

Sister Nueda was someone who had never known the beauty of the Holy City. People assumed she would turn around and leave, never speaking of faith or the Law again, but she stayed behind, walking amidst the rubble day after day, comforting all the broken souls who sought help, and guiding the lost back to the Law with the depth of her piety.

As the rebuilding of the Holy City progressed, and the wounded souls of its people began to recover, her contribution caught the Lateran Curia's attention. But rather than accept the cardinals' commendation, and despite the attempts of many to persuade her otherwise, she decided to leave Laterano and return to her war-torn homeland.

When I asked why she stayed and why she left, she told me that a nun had planted the seed of faith and hope in her heart, and she was simply doing the same for the Holy City. Now that faith and hope have once again taken root here, she will plant those same seeds in a soil that is even more barren.

She believes that this is the revelation God had given her.

—Twelve Apostles From Afar and Their Lives, Chapter 3, 'Seed of Faith'

It is public knowledge that Sister Nueda has a close friend by the name of Aurela, whom she can hardly stop talking about. She describes Aurela as a brave, polite, and approachable Sankta paladin, but no one else had ever seen this 'Aurela'.

It was only when a young man who knew about Sister Nueda's past came to find her at the office that we learned the real Aurela was almost nothing like what she had described. Aurela was an intimidating figure who frightened the children of the monastery, and took delight in dealing with soldiers and bandits who invaded the monastery in the most cruel and brutal manner.

Sister Nueda, however, turned a blind eye to Aurela's brutality, and treated the Sankta not just as a close friend, but someone whom she could entrust the monastery to. The young man sighed and said, 'I think Sister Nueda deserves better friends.'

'She doesn't need better friends. She needs the right friends. How's she supposed to protect you guys without a friend who knows how to fight?' A logistics operator patted the child's shoulder and left the room.

The operator in question had narrowly escaped death in battle half a month ago.

[Private Letter]

I've been dreaming about the time before I met you. I had to play the kind and gentle nun in front of the children, while dealing with invading soldiers out of their sight... The double life I led almost broke me.

Then you came into my life, and took the burden of cruelty from me. Finally, there was someone who could carry my violent dark side.

Stay, Aurela. You won't have to hide your true nature in front of me. Who will accept you for who you are, besides me? Your mentor? Your husband?

No, I'm the only one. The more brutal you are, the more relieved I feel. I will not project any unreasonable expectations onto you. All I need is for you to be yourself.

—Letter from Sister Nueda to Aurela written several years ago, imploring Aurela to stay at the monastery

[Confidential Record]

Aurela was a Lateran gun-knight who fell after killing a colleague, and was exiled from the Holy City. She became a mercenary in Bolívar and was responsible for numerous assassinations and attacks. It is believed that she maintains ties to Laterano, and that they had planted her there to be their... Has a close relationship with Operator Gracebearer. Her motives are currently unknown, but it is possible that she may establish formal contact with us in the future. We should continue to monitor...

—Operator Gracebearer's background report

'I never meant for you to see me like this, Doctor.' Her robes are soaked with blood. Her apologetic smile does little to mitigate the terror that her appearance inspires.

'I warned you... but you came to find me anyway,' she sighs. 'How unfortunate. You're such a good person.'

She touches your cheeks with her hands, which are cold and sticky with blood. Darkness begins to fill her normally kind and compassionate eyes. You remember that her friend, Aurela, looked at you with the same cold gaze.

'Keep this a secret, won't you, Doctor? Please?' Her fingers wrap around your skull like a predatory fowlbeast's claws. You cannot help but tremble.

'Please don't look at me like that, Doctor.' She lets go and takes a couple of steps back.

She sees no fear in your eyes, only pity.

It terrifies her.