"You're transferring to our school?" Ansu repeated, wanting to confirm.
"That's right!" Freya chirped, happily imagining the future. "Archbishop Paul has already handled the paperwork. Come next Monday..."
"I'll be studying at the same school as Lord Ansu. We can see each other every day! No more sneaking around!"
While Freya was over the moon, Ansu was already breaking out in a cold sweat...
This was bad!
"Freya, a transfer is such a big deal. Why didn't you discuss it with me? This is so sudden..."
Ansu looked at her helplessly. He wondered how the witch would react when she heard the news.
Would he be honored with the title Master of Modification Resistance again, or would the little holy maiden lose her head...
Or perhaps both.
"Hmm? Is something bad going to happen if I go to the Benalu Royal Academy as a guest student?"
Freya clearly noticed Ansu's concern. She blinked curiously, her pale gold eyes filled with confusion. "Lord... Ansu?"
"More than just bad..." Ansu gave a forced laugh, then suddenly asked, "Wait, a guest student?"
Freya nodded. "It is the Benalu Royal Academy, after all. It wasn't easy to get permission to audit classes as a guest student. The principal only approved my application as a favor to Archbishop Paul."
"If it's just as a guest student..." Ansu thought to himself. That was a bit better. She wouldn't technically be a student of their school, just visiting more frequently than before...
Moreover, this gave Freya a better excuse to be out and about. As a double agent, Ansu really couldn't afford to lose the holy maiden's intelligence sources right now.
"Ever since Archbishop Paul brought me back to the Church, my life hasn't been very free..." For some reason, seeing Ansu again made Freya want to unburden herself.
"Now I finally don't have to stay in the cathedral all the time, living a life where I can see the end from the beginning. Lord Ansu, isn't that a good thing...?"
Freya felt that this past month had been more exciting and interesting than the rest of her life combined.
She had been busy working for Lord Ansu, the Chosen One, helping him identify the big villains within the Church and saving countless people. Although she had lost weight from the stress, she felt incredibly fulfilled.
It was because Freya had found her sense of purpose and value. She could help, she had even helped a lot!
She wasn't just a mascot holy maiden placed in the cathedral for the faithful to worship and pray to...
All these changes happened after meeting Lord Ansu.
That was why she cared so much about his opinion.
"I think... it's a good thing." Ansu truly couldn't bring himself to dampen the little holy maiden's spirits. More importantly, it was already a done deal...
"Then...!" Freya's eyes widened in surprise.
Ansu pondered how to report this to Celia while extending his hand. "Then... welcome, Freya, guest student of the Benalu Royal Academy."
He smiled at the overjoyed holy maiden. "The academy is going to be in an uproar. You're very popular there."
"Am I?" Freya didn't seem to realize the magnitude of the sensation she would cause. She nodded, only half-understanding.
Then she gave a soft smile and shook Ansu's hand. "Student Ansu, I look forward to your guidance!"
As they chatted, the Church's convoy arrived at the Black Harbor District.
Ansu looked at the noisy streets outside the window and turned his thoughts back to the Squirrel Party.
"Freya, I need you to do this in a moment..."
...
Upon reaching the destination, the Church's armed personnel immediately surrounded West Street Tavern. Ansu jumped down from the carriage.
"Church of Holy Light investigation! No one is allowed to leave!"
With their clear numerical advantage, the Church secured every entrance almost instantly.
Stepping through the main doors, Ansu saw the tavern owner pinned to the ground. The customers were looking at the intruding Church personnel with terror and confusion. The scene was already in chaos.
"Take them away! Take everyone for questioning!" a field commander from the Inquisition of Heresy ordered coldly.
"Damn it! These idiots from the Church! Fight them!"
Although the owner was restrained, others in this secret Squirrel Party stronghold were unwilling to surrender. Ansu saw several burly bartenders charging forward with a roar, clutching sharp knives as they lunged recklessly at the clergy.
Most of these Squirrel Party members were large and hairy, clearly possessing the features of those from the Northern Empire.
As they displayed their combat techniques, some bared canine teeth while others sprouted wolf-like ears. Their identities as demihumans could no longer be hidden.
Soon, the glow of Holy Light divine arts lit up one after another, and a massive brawl broke out in the tavern hall.
"Be careful, Lord Ansu!" Freya nervously grabbed Ansu, trying to shield him.
But Ansu shook his head. Taking advantage of the chaos, he walked straight into the depths of the tavern, his eyes constantly scanning the faces of the customers.
Freya could only follow closely behind.
A gunshot suddenly rang out, and a woman among the customers screamed. Ansu quickly looked back to see another group of people rushing out of the tavern's basement, all armed with revolvers and lever-action rifles.
The tavern descended into even greater chaos.
But this chaos was exactly what Ansu wanted. He continued to observe the terrified crowd, his gaze eventually landing on three people sitting in a corner. Though they had stood up, their expressions were noticeably less afraid than the others.
From his cultist subordinate Karl, Ansu had learned the aliases and general appearances of these three executors. After a careful look, he quickly walked toward their table.
Seeing Ansu and the famous holy maiden of the Church heading toward them, the cultists exchanged glances and immediately reached into their coat pockets, where weapons were clearly hidden.
"Don't get excited. I'm one of you!"
Ansu approached them and gave them a steady look. "Also, don't act so calm. What decent person wouldn't be scared in a scene like this?"
The three cultists were stunned.
One... one of them?
The leader, a cultist wearing a flat cap, looked at the holy maiden beside Ansu in shock.
No matter how much they tried to stay calm, they couldn't maintain their composure now...
Are you pulling my leg, brother? The holy maiden of the Church is one of us? Even if you're trying to bait a confession, this is too fake!
Ansu knew they wouldn't believe him. He glanced at the brawl by the bar and then back at them.
He lowered his voice. "Long live the Echoes of Truth. Long live the God of Magic!"
"My code name is Hermit... You should have seen me at the seaside winery. I am now taking over all operations here on behalf of the cult."
The looks in the three cultists' eyes changed instantly.
"David, Henry, and Ryan, follow me." Ansu gave them a look and then walked straight toward the tavern's back door.
The three cultists' minds were currently in a state of total confusion.
But seeing Ansu and the holy maiden about to leave, they quickly whispered among themselves for a moment.
In the end, they chose to follow.
"Halt! Where are you going?" A member of the clergy suddenly blocked Ansu's path, eyeing the departing group suspiciously.
"Which department are you from?" Freya put on a stern face, staring seriously at the clergyman.
"H-Holy Maiden?" The man recognized Freya, and his expression shifted instantly into a friendly one. "I am Deacon John from the local parish enforcement team. How may I... be of service?"
It was Ansu's first time seeing Freya look so serious. This was likely her first time abusing her authority, and she was clearly a bit rusty.
"Ahem..." Freya mimicked the usual cold, authoritative demeanor of Terry and Leonard. "These three are unrelated to the terrorists, but their identities are special and must not be exposed to outsiders! I need to take them back to the Holy Dome Cathedral!"
This script was taught to her by Ansu, designed to plant a psychological suggestion in the other party's mind.
These three are important. Don't ask questions. Mind your own business!
The clergyman thought for a moment and seemed to understand something immediately.
The holy maiden meant these three were likely Church informants or undercover agents...
"Do not interfere with my mission!" Freya huffed. Her soft, lovely face struggled to maintain a fierce expression. "Or will you take responsibility if something goes wrong?"
"Yes, yes! I understand!" the clergyman nodded quickly.
"Go support the Inquisition. Act as if you saw nothing just now," Freya instructed with a meaningful look.
The clergyman nodded again and rushed off to support the fight at the bar without looking back.
After shaking off the clergyman and leading them out the back door, Freya clutched her chest and let out a long sigh of relief.
"That scared me to death... I thought he was going to see through us..."
"You did great!" Ansu looked at Freya with praise and chuckled. "You actually had a bit of that archbishop aura just now."
"Really?" Freya gave a soft smile. "As long as I can help Lord Ansu."
Bringing the three bewildered cultists into a small alley, Ansu looked them up and down, thinking this should do it...
If these three unlucky executors weren't caught by the Church, the cult's stronghold wouldn't be exposed, and the scene from the simulation wouldn't happen.
"Deacon General Hermit?" David, the one in the flat cap, stared at Ansu in astonishment. No matter how much he had doubted before, now that Ansu had rescued him and his colleagues, the truth seemed self-evident...
Furthermore, the man knew the secret code and the headquarters at the seaside winery. Aside from the holy maiden of the Church following him, there was indeed nothing wrong...
Wait... no, it wasn't that there was nothing wrong. The problem was massive!
David stared in shock at the holy maiden standing at the mouth of the alley, keeping watch for them.
Has even the holy maiden of the Church... been recruited into the cult? This newly promoted deacon general's ability is simply too terrifying!
Rate on N.U.
