Before him, the knight who kept his head bowed suddenly felt a chill, as if a cold, slender snake were slithering up his spine.
However, he quickly thought of something.
“But the Saintess is a high-ranking member of the Church. Using the Eye of Truth to investigate a high-ranking member requires paying with one's life if it fails. Captain, do you really want to do this?”
This was a dogma of the Church, meant to protect the status and dignity of its high-ranking members.
Morris narrowed his eyes, having made up his mind.
“Of course. But before that, there is one more thing I need to do to prevent any unexpected issues.”
...
The next day.
Inside the solemn church cathedral, the gilded candelabras burned with a cold white light, reflecting off the marble floor in a way that made one's heart tighten. The bishop had changed his usual attire today, donning a deep purple robe embroidered with silver threads, his expression solemn.
Upon seeing Lovene's arrival, he nodded and bowed, lowering his voice with gravity.
“Lady Saintess, someone insists on using the Eye of Truth to investigate you.”
Lovene paused. Her pure white holy robe draped down like a flawless lily, and her long eyelashes fluttered slightly as she asked in surprise, “Who?”
“It is I.”
A tall figure stepped out of the shadows, his silver-white knight armor gleaming faintly. Morris gripped the sword at his waist, deep-seated hatred and paranoia swirling in his eyes.
Lovene raised her eyes, a trace of astonishment flitting through her clear gaze as she softly repeated:
“Morris?”
Morris took a step forward, his gaze like a poisoned blade pinning her in place, his tone filled with accusation.
“Lady Saintess, before the Eye of Truth is summoned, you had better confess to the crime of murdering my brother, Seth! Perhaps the Church will take your status into account and show leniency!”
His chest heaved violently. The pain of losing his brother had long since burned away his rationality, leaving him firmly convinced that the Saintess before him was the true culprit.
Lovene's expression remained calm and undisturbed, her tone indifferent.
“I don't know what you're talking about. Besides, using the Eye of Truth to investigate a higher-ranking believer of the Church carries a price of the caster's life if the accusation fails.”
She looked directly at Morris, offering a final warning.
“Morris, do you really want to risk your life?”
Morris sneered, his eyes filled with mockery and certainty.
“Are you implying that I will fail? Lady Saintess, you know best in your heart whether you have a guilty conscience! The one who should be afraid right now is you!”
He firmly believed in his judgment. His brother's tragic death could not possibly be an accident; this seemingly pure woman before him must have secretly struck the blow.
Lovene sighed softly, her tone carrying a final trace of gentleness.
“Morris, you still have a way out. Stop this...”
“There is no turning back!”
Morris abruptly interrupted her. He dropped to one knee, pressed his right hand to his chest, and looked up at the statue of the deity deep within the cathedral, shouting:
“In the name of the Morning Light, with blood as my guide, let the hidden be revealed and the false stripped away—I, Morris, swear upon my life! If the one I accuse is innocent, the light I behold shall return to the Lord, and my soul shall be utterly destroyed!”
The moment the incantation fell, a golden rift suddenly tore open in the center of the air above the cathedral. A giant eye with a vertical pupil slowly emerged, its pupil shimmering with a cold, divine radiance. An invisible pressure enveloped the entire area, making even the air turn stagnant.
The Eye of Truth, originating from an ancient god, could pierce through all lies in the world without exception.
Morris stood up, glaring intently at Lovene, and questioned sternly:
“Now, I ask you! Lovene! Did my brother, Seth, die by your hands?!”
Lovene met the gaze of that divine, giant eye, her expression completely serene.
“No.”
As her voice fell, the golden light of the Eye of Truth did not react negatively at all; instead, it grew even gentler.
This was the proof of truth!
Morris's pupils contracted sharply. As if struck by lightning, he stumbled back a step, his face filled with utter disbelief.
“What? How... how is this possible??”
Lovene actually hadn't killed his brother?!
How could that be? There was clearly an irreconcilable grudge between them! Lovene also had the perfect capability to kill his brother. Why? Why wasn't this the truth?!
A lie! This must be a lie!
He whipped his head around to look at the Eye of Truth hovering above the cathedral. The bizarre and terrifying aura belonging to the ancient god forced him to abandon his delusions. Clutching his head, he felt as if everything was completely surreal.
It was the truth. This was indeed the truth, but... but he...
Seeing that Morris could not accept this, Lovene drove the blade in further:
“I have never thought of killing your brother. Not just him, but Croy as well.”
Every word she spoke was the absolute truth.
From beginning to end, she had never wanted to harm Seth and Croy. Though they were bent on torturing her, doing so had actually only helped her increase her mana. She wished there were more of such "kind-hearted" people, so how could she possibly resent them?
As for their deaths, that was the work of the territory's commoners. What did it have to do with her?
Morris was in complete disarray. He pressed desperately, his voice trembling:
“Then do you know who killed Seth??”
Lovene shook her head. “No, I don't.”
Of course she didn't know who the specific killer was. Even the idea that the commoners of the territory had killed Seth and Croy was merely her own speculation.
She gently smoothed her skirt, her posture elegant and composed.
“If there is anything else you wish to ask, I can answer you truthfully.”
Morris froze in place, his deep hatred dissolving into sheer bewilderment. He scratched his head, his tone dejected:
“Could it be... I really misunderstood you?”
Lovene said peacefully:
“After Seth and his companion arrived in the city, I indeed disliked their behavior, and they did torture me during the Blood-Bestowal Ceremony. However, I have never harbored any resentment toward them.”
“After all, when it comes down to it, they didn't do anything too excessive to me, did they?”
As she said this, the Eye of Truth silently watched her without making any movement. This caused Morris's face to flush red, his heart filled with shame.
“What? Could it be that I was... too narrow-minded?”
So after hating her for so long, she wasn't even the culprit who killed Seth?!
Then why on earth had he been opposing Saintess Lovene?
With the questioning concluded, the Eye of Truth in the sky above the cathedral dissolved into flecks of golden light and vanished, and the heavy pressure permeating the air dissipated along with it.
The bishop stepped forward, his face stern as he pronounced in a deep voice:
“Enough, Morris! You have obtained the truth and now know that the Saintess is not the one who killed your brother. Now, you must pay the price for your reckless use of the Eye of Truth and your blasphemous actions against the Saintess!”
In an instant, Morris's face turned ashen. He collapsed to the floor, shaking his head in a panic and pleading:
“No! No, no! My brother's death has not been avenged yet. I... I cannot die like this...”
He had never feared death, but his brother's killer had not been brought to justice. How could he die like this?
Gritting his teeth, a flash of cold steel gleamed as he prepared to flee the cathedral directly. But in the next second, Lovene suddenly spoke, her voice gentle:
“Wait a moment, Lord Bishop.”
The bishop turned to look at her. Understanding her intentions, he advised her with earnest concern:
“Lady Saintess, are you going to plead for him? Summoning the Eye of Truth to blaspheme the Saintess should carry the death penalty. Even if your plea spares his life, he must still be heavily punished.”
“Furthermore, sometimes excessive kindness is not a good thing. It will only invite controversy and ultimately lead to your own ruin. You must think this through carefully.”
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