Chapter 438: Study, Study

Events always break out with exceptional suddenness.

When Ariel was wrapped in layers upon layers of bindings and shackles by ranks of strapping, tiger-tough knights—thick, long iron chains coiled around her who knew how many times—and, as if afraid she might further disturb the Holy Seat, was briskly hauled away without the slightest dithering, with those knights even flashing the Saintess a wholesome smile of “leave everything to us” before departing, Muen and Liya were still stuck in dazed bewilderment.

So this is the Sanctum Knights’ efficiency? Love it, love it.

Couldn’t they at least let people finish talking first?

It felt like Ariel had something odd she hadn’t finished saying just now... “don’t look at me” what exactly did that mean?

Liya and Muen looked at each other, half laughing, half crying.

But since Ariel had attempted to assassinate her in front of so many people, because of her status, even knowing there must be some misunderstanding, Liya couldn’t simply speak out.

She had no choice but to summon Lin, who was currently directing people to clean the battlefield at speed.

“Help me tell them not to make things hard for Ariel.”

“Ariel... you mean that assassin from just now?”

Lin also looked baffled.

“With respect, Your Holiness, attempting to assassinate you is a capital crime at any time, much less in full view of the public. Even in your name, it won’t be easy to explain to the Tribunal Sanctum... May I ask why you’re taking her side?”

“She’s my friend.”

Liya rubbed her temples with a headache.

“There’s definitely a misunderstanding here. Tell them that before the truth is clarified, under no circumstances may they harm Ariel.”

Even the newly installed Saintess had heard of the Tribunal Sanctum’s methods. She feared that if she didn’t give advance warning, by the time she fished Ariel out of the Sanctum’s black dungeon, several important parts might already be missing.

“Friend...”

Lin froze at that. What kind of “friend” shows up to do an assassination on such an important day?

Are you sure the “friend” you mean isn’t the type who stabs you in the back?

No—this was stabbing you right in the open. Lin truly couldn’t fathom Her Holiness’s standards for making friends. Even the man she’d chosen didn’t look like any good news!

Though she couldn’t understand it, it was still an order from the Saintess. Lin bowed respectfully all the same.

“Understood. I will inform them. The interrogation of Miss Ariel will be conducted personally by Your Highness.”

“Mm, thank you.” Liya smiled.

“No, this is my duty. There’s no need to thank me—moreover, Your Highness’s status is exalted; please be sparing with words of gratitude.”

Lin’s expression grew solemn as she earnestly advised:

“Otherwise, a casual word from you might trigger a grave incident. In the Church records, there was once a believer who, because of a single word of praise from the Saintess, became so excited his heart burst and he died.”

“...I understand.”

Liya then reined herself in and entered “Saintess mode.” Only, that effortful little serious face was especially cute.

“It’s best that Your Highness understands. Also...”

After straightening Liya’s Saintess etiquette, Lin quietly turned her gaze to Muen, who was trying hard to minimize his presence at the side.

“Sir Knight, the matter is over. The assassin has been captured. The palanquin is about to move again. Why are you still here?”

“...”

A light breeze came. Muen sat to the side, ignoring Lin’s question, resting his head, like a quiet, artsy gentleman, fingers brushing the white gauze swaying softly in the wind.

“I suddenly realized even this gauze is a magical material. Truly worthy of the Church’s deep pockets.”

“...That has nothing to do with deep pockets.”

As much as she wanted to throw him out on the spot, Lin still had to maintain courtesy before the Saintess. So she answered, with strained patience:

“This gauze ensures that, whenever Her Highness is inside the grand palanquin, believers from any direction can clearly behold the Saintess’s silhouette projected through it, while also shielding against fanatic gazes and sensing.

After all, lighting, temperature, wind direction, shadows... many factors affect the believers’ adoration. So of course we can’t use ordinary gauze.”

“I see.”

Muen nodded.

He’d already noticed earlier that while he was inside, he never sensed when the outside knights had surrounded them. So there had to be something here that blocked perception.

“Eh? Wait, then doesn’t that mean... the silhouette projected onto the gauze from within the palanquin can actually be controlled?”

Muen rubbed his chin in sudden enlightenment, like discovering a new continent.

“...Mr. Muen.”

Sensing something ominous—and at the end of her patience—Lin ground her teeth, face darkening:

“If you have something to say, say it plainly. Do not delay the Saintess’s ceremony!”

“In that case, I won’t beat around the bush with Miss Lin. I’ll put it bluntly.”

Muen turned his head, sighed lightly, then arranged his face into three parts concern, three parts sincerity, and three parts helplessness, and said in a deep voice:

“Though Miss Lin previously patted her chest and guaranteed the Church’s security work, it seems it’s not as flawless as imagined. The enemy nearly succeeded.”

“We...”

Lin had planned to retort as before, but the words choked off at her lips.

At that moment, two knights were carrying the black-robed man out. Lin’s peripheral glance fell on them—and she found nothing to refute.

Facts spoke louder than any defense. No matter what the Church had invested openly for Her Holiness’s safety, in reality...

By just a hair, the Saintess had been put in danger.

“You see—if I hadn’t reacted in time, Liya would’ve been in real trouble. That black-robe was terrifyingly strong. I only dealt with him with the strength of nine bulls and two tigers.

Of course, I’m not saying this to claim credit. I only want to offer a perfectly measured suggestion...”

Muen slapped his knee and, wearing a handsome face full of sincerity, said:

“We can’t guarantee there won’t be more surprises ahead. So for safety’s sake... shouldn’t we assign someone to guard Liya at close range?

Naturally that someone can’t be just anyone. He has to be strong enough, close enough to Her Holiness, and most importantly—handsome enough...

Don’t misunderstand—this isn’t me talking about myself. But, thinking it over, the only one here who fits the bill is...”

“...”

Muen kept on with smooth, steady patter.

And Lin—who, having served a second Saintess, prided herself on her excellent composure—still couldn’t stop the furious throb in her temples.

She watched Muen’s little mouth flap-flap-flapping, the abacus beads practically bouncing off her face. Her fingers dug hard into her own thigh, terrified that if she relaxed even a bit, she’d whip out a knife and stab this mutt to death.

But she couldn’t stab him—because that other shy yet expectant gaze beside her rendered her utterly powerless.

“By the rules, at Her Holiness’s side, one cannot—”

“By the rules—can you protect her?”

“If we’re discovered—”

“Who would discover us?”

Muen craned his neck to peek around and saw everyone busy, no one paying attention to them ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) at all. He winked.

“This magic gauze, I assume, doesn’t just block perception—it also insulates sound, right? You could even project a false silhouette on it if you wanted, yes? Isn’t that exactly how you set it up? Don’t worry—I’ll only be responsible for Liya’s safety. Nothing else. On my teacher’s—”

“You said the same last time.”

“Then this time, I swear on my old man’s manor!”

Muen lifted his chin, four fingers raised to the sky:

“If I do anything else, let my old man, upon his return, find that his entire manor has gone poof!”

“But the rules—”

“Safety.”

“We’ll be found out—”

“We won’t be found out—”

“This kind of outrageous behavior is really—”

Sneak a peek, sneak a peek~~

“...”

Lin shut her eyes.

She had anticipated that once this mutt got on the palanquin he’d be hard to pry off—but she hadn’t expected... it wasn’t a matter of “hard” anymore. He was like a plaster dogskin patch, dead set on sticking here.

And she had to admit that, to prevent possible accidents, this was the best solution...

In twenty years as a High Sister, this was the first time Lin felt the urge to resign.

......

......

“High Sister.”

The moment Lin stepped out of the palanquin, a knight came over to report.

“The cleanup is complete.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

Lin nodded lightly and looked around.

It had to be said—the Sanctum Knights’ efficiency truly was beyond reproach. In the few minutes she’d spent inside the palanquin fantasizing a thousand ways to murder that mutt, the battlefield that had been a wreck strewn with beastified limbs and corpses was now spotless—not a single extra drop of blood left.

Cleanup—these people were professionals.

“Then begin. Don’t delay the hour. We only reserved twenty minutes.”

“Yes.”

The knight answered solemnly, then suddenly tugged his charger’s reins, turned back, glanced past Lin with curiosity, and asked:

“By the way, Lady Lin, do you know where Lord Muen is?”

“Muen...”

Lin’s eye twitched, almost imperceptibly.

“What do you want with that mut—... that man?”

“Oh, nothing much. It’s just that, as the person involved in Her Highness’s assassination, we hope he can cooperate in filling out the details, to help clarify the truth.”

The knight scratched his head, troubled.

“I don’t know why, but on that black-robed fellow we couldn’t sense any trace of a soul at all. We can’t use soul-searching to drag out the handlers behind him. So we can only seek the direct parties for more intel.”

“...I see. But it’s inconvenient at the moment.”

“Inconvenient meaning...?”

“Muen Campbell has another important task right now.”

Lin’s face was impassive.

“He can’t get away.”

“Is that so?”

Respect bloomed on the knight’s face at once; he clicked his tongue in admiration.

“No wonder he’s the Honorary Sanctum Knight personally bestowed by His Majesty. Having just completed the great duty of protecting Her Holiness, he’s already throwing himself into the next task. Such diligence—it’s truly admirable! My subordinates have grown lax lately. After this, I must tell them to learn from Lord Muen—study, study!

Lin: “...”

Lin glanced at the great palanquin behind her and pressed her fingers to her brow.

Please don’t. I mean it.

That mutt’s “methods”—they’re not anything you can learn.