"Lisi, just tell us what to do."
Marco and Wei'en exchanged a glance. 'As expected, the Secret Investigation Department doesn't want the Dawn Church knowing about the forbidden item either.'
"Mm,"
Having said her piece, Lisi turned to Alianna. "Your mission this time is simple: assist me in investigating the whereabouts of several missing persons in the slums."
"...Alright. Is that all?"
Lisi nodded. "Your abilities are perfectly suited for this task."
Alianna looked at her, clearly displeased. "But your tone... doesn't sound in the least like you're 'requesting assistance.'"
"Request? Aren't you here on Yegor's orders?"
"That's true," Alianna retorted stubbornly, "but if something like this happens again, I'm definitely refusing."
"Suit yourself."
Lisi said nonchalantly, "If this case weren't so urgent, I would've asked Yegor to assign Lord Nifa. Compared to him..."
"Lisi, you're just as infuriating as ever! Damn you!"
Still, Alianna had to admit that his own abilities were nothing compared to Lord Nifa's prophecies.
"Got a problem with that?"
Alianna pursed his lips. "...Nope."
'Damn violent woman,' he thought. 'If the power gap between us weren't so massive, I'd turn around and leave right now.'
'Fight her?'
'Are you kidding me? That's just asking to get killed.'
"So, that's the situation."
Lisi continued walking forward at a brisk pace. "When we get to the Laos District, Marco, you'll notify the Garrison Army and have them secure the perimeter. Wei'en, you and Tina will enter with me."
Marco nodded. "Understood, Officer Lisi."
Wei'en grunted in acknowledgment and continued on in silence.
As for Tina, she made no sound at all, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on Wei'en.
The group left the Dumitru District, bypassed the Central City where Krimms Cathedral was located, and headed directly for Golden Street and the Laos District.
Alianna looked at Krimms Cathedral and said irritably, "The Dawn Church is so high-and-handed. They don't even let non-believers pass through the Church District."
"Not happy about it?" Lisi glanced at him. "You can go take it up with Bishop Andrews and demand he retract the decree."
"This is the Shetland Kingdom, the Caster City State! This is supposed to be where the Storm Church preaches,"
Alianna decided to ignore her and muttered to himself, "and the Governor actually allows the Dawn Church to get away with such arrogant behavior."
"The Dawn Church's power is on a completely different level from the Storm Church's."
"I know that, of course, but I still think..."
"Have you forgotten the Director's orders?"
Lisi said sternly, "We are strictly forbidden from clashing with the churches. If a follower of the Dawn heard what you just said, it would cause huge trouble for the Secret Investigation Department."
"Hmph. You don't need to tell me that."
Alianna pouted and fell silent.
'The Caster City State has rules like that?'
Wei'en searched through his predecessor's memories but found none of him ever entering the Cathedral district.
'He'd long known the Dawn Church was powerful, but he never thought the entire area around the Cathedral would be off-limits.'
Seeing the atmosphere growing stranger, Marco spoke up to break the tension. "Speaking of Dawn, did you all see the Dawn Church's Holy Favor ceremony yesterday?"
Alianna immediately nodded. "Of course. That light was so dazzling, my eyes nearly underwent a 'distortion'."
"You should make fewer jokes like that," Lisi said, looking at him with displeasure.
"...Has anyone ever told you that you have absolutely no sense of humor?"
"What did you say?"
"Nothing! I was just saying, the Dawn Church's new Holy Favored must be the next Saintess Candidate, right?"
"Saintess Candidate? I doubt it!"
Marco looked like he was thoroughly enjoying the drama. "This Holy Favor ceremony was too sudden. I'm afraid those who have their eyes on that position won't allow this new Holy Favored to spoil their plans."
"You know about that too?" Alianna looked at him in surprise. "Then do you know the identity of last night's Holy Favored?"
'The Holy Favored's identity?'
Wei'en's ears perked up. If they were going to talk about this, he was suddenly very interested.
Marco said grumpily, "I wasn't there, how would I know something that secret? You do?"
"Of course!"
Hearing his confident tone, even Lisi couldn't help but look over. "Let's hear it. I'm also curious who the new Saintess Candidate is."
Seeing that he had piqued her interest, Alianna smiled smugly. "Lisi, your First Division really ought to keep in better contact with the Intel Division. You don't even know about..."
Lisi shot him a glare. "Spit it out."
Wei'en also found himself glaring. 'People who drag things out are the most annoying.'
"...The people at the Intel Division didn't tell me who exactly, only that the Holy Favored is one of Bishop Andrews's students."
Seeing their faces fall, Alianna quickly added, "Somlay from the Property Management Department was there for the ceremony yesterday. He must have seen her."
Lisi snorted. "So you basically know nothing."
Marco chimed in, "So that's all you know? And you call that knowing the Saintess Candidate's identity?"
Alianna retorted indignantly, "I also know she's a student at the Dawn Church School, and that she's gorgeous!"
"What a great piece of intel, Captain Alianna," Marco said sarcastically.
'A church student, and one of the Bishop's?'
Wei'en thought to himself, 'That sounds a lot like Sister Kali...'
After Alianna's rambling, the group lost all interest in idle chatter.
Soon, they arrived at the slums of the Caster City State—the Laos District.
Wei'en had been here a few times before, and if not for being broke, he would never have wanted to spend any more time here than necessary.
Filthy streets, walls covered in strange graffiti, ever-present piles of garbage, and black, foul-smelling sewage running along the sides of the road...
These were the characteristic "attractions" of the Laos District.
And yet, the long-term residents, aside from being thinner than people from other districts, seemed completely... normal.
At least, Wei'en couldn't detect anything amiss, even with his superhuman senses.
But when he consulted his panel—
[You have been corrupted by Nightmare Realm Power. Evaluation: You won't be so lucky next time! Reward: Survival Points +2.]
[Due to your Spirit Level being greater than 20, the Nightmare Realm Power's corruption has failed! Special Reward: Spirit Level +1.]
[You have received the affection of an Abyssal Creature—the Bone-Eating Mother Worm. It deeply desires to reproduce on your body! Evaluation: Sensing your aura again has only increased its desire. Reward: Survival Points +1.]
[Due to your Resilience Level being greater than 8, the Bone-Eating Worm's attack has failed! Reward: Survival Points +1.]
"Just as I thought!"
Wei'en looked at the notifications on his panel and sighed in resignation. He knew those Bone-Eating Worms were still around...
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