[Author's note]
Phew — finally managed to update before twelve. Today's condition was really rough — writer's block, as they say — but I pushed through and sorted out the plot to get it written.
Anyway, it's getting pretty late now — no time to write tomorrow morning's chapter. Tomorrow's first update will be pushed to 1 PM. Don't worry, still three updates~………………………………………………………………………
The Joker's mask always bore an exaggerated smile, but his voice was unusually low: "No. Lucian Evans conducted himself openly and without reservation. He made no secret of why he privately had
"Captain, could it really have nothing to do with him? He's the only person we can currently investigate who might have a connection to the 'Professor'..." Battle Priestess
The Professor was a codename, and one that apparently hadn't been used much lately. If this lead went cold, they'd have to rely on spies within the Arcane Council to steal his files. But using a spy who could access such classified intelligence on something like this would be a terrible waste — the Cardinals would never approve!
"Red Dragon" Minsk roared like a great dragon: "Impossible! Lucian Evans absolutely has a connection to the Professor! When the Professor first appeared, it was because a Magic Apprentice went to him for intelligence. The Professor engineered our encounter with the Silver White Horn — while killing the traitor, Lucian Evans's uncle and aunt were successfully rescued. In the years Lucian was gone, the Professor never appeared..."
Juliana and "Demon Hunter Knight" Lunde both shook their heads slightly. Among these reasons, some were quite far-fetched and even seemed stitched together. For instance, it was the Professor who had killed the traitor and then disappeared — yet the gap between that event and Lucian's departure from Altor was nearly half a year.
"Minsk's reasons are indeed hard to use as an indictment against Lucian Evans, but don't forget the intelligence submitted by the Djibouti Diocese: two well-known figures from the Purification Sequence —
The Joker regarded his three companions with his comically grinning mask.
The Church had never known about the "Death Banquet," nor had it conducted any investigation into the matter. But Felipe's brazen act of forcibly breaking through the
Even though Felipe had made arrangements for those necromancy apprentices before his departure, facing such an intensity of pursuit within a region under tight Church control, one Magic Apprentice finally slipped up and was caught by the Night Watch.
Although the Tribunal's examiners had failed to break through the strange magic contract Felipe had signed and thus could not learn what had happened at the Death Banquet, they still managed to extract the simplest fact: two "well-known" figures — the "Restorer" and the "Professor" — had been present.
Because it involved the Purification Sequence, the Duchy of Djibouti had submitted this intelligence to the Holy City of Reims, and the Cardinal responsible had expended considerable resources to transmit it through normal channels to every diocese and every Tribunal.
"Others may not have known, but we've been watching Lucian Evans the entire time — how could we have missed that he was also in Djibouti, in the former Wilfred territory, at that very time? It aligns perfectly with the Professor's attendance at the Death Banquet!" The Joker's voice rose, thick with fury. "But when we submitted this matter to the leadership of the Vaolet Tribunal, they dismissed it for lacking evidence and being unworthy of attention — they wouldn't even conduct an investigation! Don't you understand why?"
"I think the Judge makes a reasonable point. The most likely explanation is that Her Highness arranged for the Professor to provide protection for Lucian Evans along the way." Unlike the Joker, "Demon Hunter Knight" Lunde remained calm and offered his usual defense.
Each diocese's Tribunal had three leaders: the Proxy, the Examiner, and the Judge. However, many powerful dioceses, in order to maintain control over their subordinate Tribunals, typically had a Cardinal overseeing the entire operation — the Tribunal's true master. Amorton of the Vaolet Diocese was one such figure.
Minsk roared: "And what about the string of coincidences before that? If Lucian Evans doesn't have some kind of close connection to the Professor, I'll willingly descend into
"Lunde, have you forgotten about Salvador's death? He died inexplicably while going to rescue Natasha — his body was reduced to ash!" The Joker spoke in a desolate voice. "At the time, only a few Great Knights were pursuing Natasha. Do you really think Salvador, who could fly and possessed powerful Divine Arts items, could have been killed so easily by them, without even having time to call for help? Guess who he actually saw? And who killed him?"
Lunde's facial muscles twitched as he lowered his head, overcome with grief and frustration: "I don't know..."
Of the four, Juliana was the most deeply moved and saddened by this mention. Her voice drifted like a lament: "But the fall of Salvador — a fifth-circle Bishop and Night Watch Captain — prompted no Tribunal leader to order a thorough investigation. All it earned was a three-year imprisonment for Natasha in the Holy City of Reims. Was a faithful dark guardian of the Lord worth only three years of a great person's time?"
"I chose to become a member of the Night Watch because I believed a passage in the Holy Scriptures: 'Under the Lord's throne, all devout lambs are equal.' But now it seems some are more equal than others."
She sighed deeply, her tone bordering on defiance: "I believe this is not the Lord's true will, but rather someone has corrupted the Church..."
"Only truth is eternal." At these words, the Joker, Minsk, and Lunde all traced crosses over their chests in response — though the Joker's and Minsk's gestures more closely resembled the classical straight-cross style from before the Holy Calendar.
"What do we do next? From what angle do we investigate Lucian Evans?" After the prayer, Lunde had calmed down. He had now succeeded Salvador as Night Watch Captain.
The Joker turned his extravagantly grinning face toward Lunde: "Naturally, we test him directly."