Ansu, already blended into the night, carefully observed the uninvited guests under the hazy moonlight.
As soon as the group arrived at the village ruins, they began to search around eagerly. Their mana levels weren't high, mostly at the level of low-tier mages.
Ansu and Celia watched them for a moment and suddenly realized that this group belonged neither to the Church nor to the demons. Instead, they were all executors of the Echoes of Truth.
"Where is Elder John? I can't reach him through the Communication Amulet... did something happen?"
"How is that possible? So many of the cult's experts are here, including over a dozen elders. What could possibly happen to them?"
"Could they have already gone deep into the underground ruins?" One of the cult executors stared at the ruins, his tone urgent. "This won't do. This is an order from the Cult Leader herself. We must report the news to him immediately!"
"You don't need to report to Elder John anymore."
Ansu's voice suddenly rang out as his figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
Sweeping a calm gaze over the startled executors, Ansu continued, "If there's any important intelligence, just report it directly to me."
"Who are you!?" The executors aimed their weapons at Ansu.
Ansu's expression didn't ripple in the slightest.
In the next second, a wave of invisible mana erupted, knocking everyone off their feet. Their weapons were instantly confiscated by a deadpan Celia.
"It's... it's the Hermit and the Ash Witch!"
The executors quickly panicked. After all, the fearsome reputation of these two cult traitors was known to everyone...
Celia frowned slightly as she recognized a few familiar faces among them. "They seem to be executors responsible for intelligence within the cult..."
"Lord Hermit, Lady Celia! Please, please don't strike!"
A voice very familiar to Ansu called out in panic. "I'm not on Elder John's side! Please don't accidentally hurt one of your own!"
David, the cult executor who had once helped Ansu resolve the trouble at the horse racing track, scurried over eagerly. Seeing that Ansu and Celia clearly intended to hold back, his face broke into a sincere and harmless smile.
"David?" Ansu looked him up and down curiously. "Why are you here? I recall your jurisdiction was Benalu City?"
"That..." David didn't dare meet the Ash Witch's indifferent gaze and quickly explained to Ansu, "It actually has something to do with you, Lord Hermit... There aren't many people left in the cult who can be mobilized right now, so I was temporarily reassigned to support this area..."
"Oh." Ansu gave a knowing smile. Because of him, Samantha indeed didn't have many people left to use...
Seeing David surrender without hesitation and jump to the side of the two cult traitors, the other executors showed expressions of shock and even anger.
One executor couldn't help but curse, "David! You traitorous dog, how dare you betray the Cult Leader! How dare you betray the cult?"
David turned around and mocked them with disdain, "What do you know? Idiots!"
He looked toward Ansu with an incredibly 'loyal' gaze. "I was originally a soldier under the Deacon General. I've been Lord Hermit's man for a long time now!"
David's declaration of loyalty made Ansu and Celia suddenly want to laugh. It seemed this cult executor was quite eager to climb the career ladder...
"David, what exactly did Samantha want you to tell John?" Ansu suppressed his smile and asked seriously, "Report all the intelligence you know to me."
"Yes, of course..."
Just as David was about to speak, Celia suddenly interrupted him, "Wait!"
A terrifying surge of magical power erupted. In the next second, the heads of the remaining seven executors exploded one after another. Gray matter and blood splashed everywhere as the headless corpses slumped stiffly to the ground.
David was horrified. He lowered his head in terror and continued his report to Ansu.
"Lord Hermit, it's like this..."
"News came from Cult Leader Samantha that there's been a change in the Royal Capital! Pope Leo III died suddenly in the Cathedral of Radiant Radiance, and the Church of Holy Light has urgently summoned all cardinals back to the Royal Capital!"
Ansu exchanged a surprised look with Celia.
"The old Pope is dead?"
Ansu frowned. When he had asked Freya about Church matters, the most common thing he heard was that the old Pope was in poor health and might pass away soon, but he hadn't expected it to happen at this critical juncture...
"How did Leo III die?" Celia stared intently at David.
"I don't know that." David shook his head. "To be honest, it was already a miracle he lasted this many years. I wouldn't be surprised no matter when Leo III died..."
Seeing their deep gazes, David lowered his head and continued his report. "Because of the Pope's death, all cardinals from across the country must return to the Royal Capital for a secret meeting to elect the next Pope. Consequently, the Church's internal affairs are in chaos for the time being. The Cult Leader took advantage of the timing to escape the blockade in the Royal Capital."
"Her luck is quite good..." Celia narrowed her eyes slightly, a hint of sarcasm playing on her lips.
"It's fine that she escaped." Ansu squeezed her hand and comforted her with a smile. "Otherwise, how would we kill her with our own hands?"
Celia looked at Ansu gripping her hand, and her heart softened. She returned the smile.
"Don't worry, I'm not afraid of her! This grudge should have ended long ago. I'm actually looking forward to the moment I face her~"
"I'm looking forward to it too." Ansu nodded with a smile. "After all, if Samantha doesn't die, our plan to take control of the cult won't be able to move forward."
Hearing their conversation, David lowered his head even further.
He continued his report, "The Cult Leader wanted to contact Elder John immediately, but for some reason, there has been no reply from the Communication Amulet. The entire team seems to have lost contact..."
"So she sent us here. On one hand, it's to contact Elder John and the others to ask about the mission's progress. On the other hand, the Cult Leader seems unable to mobilize the other elders of the Council of Elders... so she hopes Elder John will come to meet her..."
"Oh?" This news satisfied Ansu quite a bit. It seemed the Council of Elders was finally losing patience with Samantha, and she was losing her grip on the cult.
It was quite funny, really. The cult and the Church were perfectly synchronized again. Last time, both sides had traitors, and this time... both sides were experiencing internal strife at once. These thousand-year enemies were truly racing toward each other in chaos...
After David finished his report, Ansu and Celia fell into thought.
Originally, Samantha being trapped in the Royal Capital was a good opportunity for them to take over the cult, but the old witch had suddenly escaped. Time would undoubtedly become much tighter... and they still had to deal with this hoard of demon army's treasure.
"How about you stay here and handle the treasure..." Celia pulled Ansu aside and said in a low voice, "After all, you learn magic quite fast. You stay here properly, and I'll go find Samantha..."
"That's not a good idea..." Ansu stared into Celia's eyes. He had been worried about Samantha's soul black magic and didn't want Celia to face the old witch alone.
Celia saw the worry in his eyes and was momentarily puzzled.
"Ansu... do you think I can't beat her? You're underestimates me way too much, aren't you?"
"It's not that. How could Samantha be as powerful as our Miss Witch!" Ansu chuckled. "But she has many underhanded tricks that are hard to guard against. I hope you'll take them seriously."
"What kind of tricks?" Celia blinked in confusion.
Ansu looked deeply at her, feeling it was time to reveal the old witch's conspiracy to use her as a vessel, just as he had done once in the simulation.
Celia had believed him last time, and she would this time too.
"I think you've already noticed that Samantha has always harbored ill intentions toward you, but you would never imagine..." Ansu said slowly, "She wants to sacrifice your soul to a demon to seize your body and extend her own life."
Celia's eyes suddenly widened.
"That is the true purpose of her training you, Celia. You are merely being used as a vessel by that old witch who should have died long ago."
Without questioning or asking anything, Celia stared blankly at Ansu and fell into a long silence.
Ansu knew that the current Celia wasn't unable to accept this, but he could empathize with her feelings. Once the truth was revealed, Celia's ten years of risking her life for that woman, and all her past moments of being moved by her own loyalty...
Would all become a joke.
"Ansu..." Celia let out a deep sigh and said with a bitter smile, "Did you know about this all along... You only told me now because you didn't want me to be sad, didn't you?"
Actually, I just forgot to say it... Ansu thought to himself.
He had intended to tell Celia right after returning from the simulation, but he had been so busy studying and overachieving to the point of exhaustion that he only remembered it now.
"I'm not sad, it's really nothing." Celia gave a soft laugh and firmly gripped Ansu's hand back.
Because this couldn't even be called a betrayal. A so-called 'teacher' with such sinister motives was no longer a teacher at that moment, but merely an enemy who wanted to murder her. And enemies were the one thing she never lacked...
She now had things she cherished even more; she wasn't as fragile as Ansu imagined.
As long as Ansu didn't betray her, it was fine.
Besides, she was actually quite happy right now because Ansu had kept this secret in his heart and had been working silently for her sake all along.
It was nice.
While the two held hands, David, on the other side, peeked over cautiously and spoke up with embarrassment to interrupt:
"Lord Hermit, Lady Celia... a colleague from Benalu City just sent me a message."
Ansu and Celia turned back and slowly walked toward David.
"What is it?"
David quickly reported, "A Church scandal is brewing in Benalu City. The Holy Maiden of the Church of Holy Light, Freya, is actually a dangerous demihuman!"
"A demihuman was actually packaged by Archbishop Paul as a revered Holy Maiden without anyone knowing! This matter has caused an uproar within the Church!"
"Paul, who was preparing to head to the Royal Capital for the meeting, has been detained by the Church. Meanwhile, Freya herself and her close associates, including your sister, Lord Hermit, are currently under house arrest at home and cannot contact the outside world..."
This unexpected turn of events caused Ansu's expression to change abruptly, his face darkening completely.
Rate on N.U.
