https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-158-Lanchi-s-First-Step-into-the-Church-of-Rebirth/12584101/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-160-Lanchi-and-Hiberlian-s-Intertwined-Fate/12584107/
Chapter 159: Lanchi's Lucky Star, Hubertian
Chapter 159: Lanchi's Lucky Star, Hubertian
In Room 203 on the second floor of Lichten's Castle.
Apparently finding the ambiance of Room 202, which had been transformed into an interrogation chamber, unsuitable, Lanchi had Hubertian move the female priest, chair and all, to the pristine Room 203 next door.
The room was illuminated by bright, steady lights that cast a golden hue over every inch of space. The wooden floor was covered with a dark carpet, offering a haven atop the deep mountain cliffs in the wee hours of the morning.
Hubertian had already removed the gag from the female priest's mouth and unlocked some of the iron chains binding her, ensuring she wouldn't feel uncomfortable even while seated in the chair. He also handed her a blanket.
In just a few short minutes, the female priest had gone from hell to heaven, and her expression reflected her dazed state. The only exception was the look in her eyes when she glanced at Lanchi, which now held an even deeper sense of reliance.
Seated across from her were Lanchi and Hubertian.
"Let's start with a brief self-introduction. I've already turned off the 'Shadow World Recording Program,' so the Resurrection Church won't find out that I gained any information from you. As for the fact that you'll be imprisoned by the Krexi Empire after the Shadow World ends, I'll ask Princess Alexandria to protect you as much as possible. I'll try to ensure you're spared from interrogation and have a better time in prison."
As Lanchi spoke, he stared at the notebook in his hands and began to write.
After the Shadow World ends, all challengers will return to the location of the Void Gate through which they entered the Shadow World.
This time, the challengers had entered the Shadow World through a large Void Gate site controlled by the Southern Continent Shadow World Management Association, rather than through a temporary "unstable void gate" that appeared in the wild.
Therefore, the female priest, whose identity as a member of the Resurrection Church had been exposed, would be immediately arrested by the heavy troops of the Krexi Empire as soon as she left the Shadow World.
Upon hearing this, the female priest nodded heavily.
Ever since she no longer had to view Lanchi as an enemy, she felt as if her heart had been filled with a sense of security.
Without openly betraying the Resurrection Church, she wouldn't have to live in constant fear in a Krexi Empire prison, as the church's doctrine was to do everything in their power to retaliate against traitors, even those behind bars, and sentence them to capital punishment.
Now, even with the knowledge that she would be imprisoned, she had something to look forward to.
All she had to do was wait for this terrifying man, Lanchi, to infiltrate the Resurrection Church.
By the time he arrived in the Krexi Empire, he might already hold an unimaginably high position within the church.
She believed that Lanchi would definitely be able to rescue her and protect her from the Resurrection Church's threats!
"My name is Stessera. I'm from the northern part of the Krexi Empire and grew up in an orphanage in a village outside the northern border's main city, Granwythe. After the village was destroyed by Bishop Ivanoth, I was spared because I still had potential. Later, after five years of cultivation by the Resurrection Church's Destruction Bishop branch, I rose from the pile of corpses to become the partner assisting the Destruction Saintess in infiltrating the upper echelons of the Krexi Empire."
The female priest spoke rapidly.
Lanchi listened to her story without interrupting to ask questions midway.
According to rumors, among all the cardinal bishops, Destruction Bishop was known for being the most ruthless in slaughtering innocents. To him, massacring large numbers of commoners was like stepping on an anthill.
Ivanoth even often enjoyed doing things that went against "logic"—without any reason, he would cruelly burn to death civilians with whom he had conversed pleasantly. His notoriety even surpassed that of the Extinction Bishop Askesang on the Northern Continent.
"How difficult would it be for us to infiltrate Destruction Bishop's faction?"
Lanchi asked, gesturing to himself and Hubertian, addressing the female priest, Stessera.
Each of the ten branches of the Resurrection Church was under the command of one of the ten cardinal bishops. For example, the heretic priestess, Lelyate, whom they had encountered in the Corridor of Purgatory last time, belonged to the Decayed Bishop. And this time, the Destruction Saintess, Adelis, and the female priest, Stessera, were followers of the Destruction Bishop.
Even though they were all members of the Resurrection Church, their methods and styles could differ greatly depending on which bishop they served.
Sometimes, when the relationship between certain bishops was less than amicable, their followers would even engage in civil wars.
Once this shadow world episode ended and Lanchi returned to the real world, his goal for the winter vacation was to seek out Askesang, the Extinction Bishop and possessor of the [Original Stone Slab-Seal], in the Northern Continent to complete his research report, "In Search of the Stone Slab Possessors."
If he could first infiltrate the Destruction Bishop's faction and then transfer his allegiance directly to the Extinction Bishop's faction when he arrived in the Northern Continent, it would save him a lot of steps and trouble!
"It will be challenging," Stessera replied, looking at Lanchi and Hubertian. "The Resurrection Church is particularly vigilant against young people like you who have already made a name for themselves. So, I suggest you capture a member of the Resurrection Church and assume their identity."
Hubertian was already a red-listed figure on the Resurrection Church's bounty list.
And after this incident, Lanchi's achievement of outsmarting the Destruction Saintess would be enough to put him on the same red-listed level as Hubertian.
"But as you may know, it's challenging to find members of the Resurrection Church in the Kingdom of Horton... unless you can provide me with some crucial intelligence here." Lanchi said calmly as he listened to Stessera's response.
Firstly, the Kingdom of Horton was a significant base for the Church of the Fate Goddess, and they had carried out numerous operations to sweep out heretics.
The Kingdom of Horton was also one of the most aggressive nations in the Southern Continent when it came to cracking down on cults.
Even the members of the Resurrection Church within the Kingdom of Horton's borders were likely to be elite infiltrators with impeccable covers, like Destruction Saintess Adelis or the female priest Stessera herself, making them extremely difficult to capture.
"There may be an opportunity," Stessera said, her expression turning solemn as she looked at Hubertian. "In the next few days, a very dangerous individual will arrive in Ikelyte in the Kingdom of Arolan. If he fails to encounter or kill Miss Hubertian, the Duchess, during this shadow world episode, he will stop at nothing to create an 'accident' in the campus to take her life."
"... "
Despite her unchanging expression, Hubertian's heart began to race as she heard this.
She hadn't expected the Resurrection Church to be so determined to eliminate her!
It seemed that someone within the church was adamant about her death.
The fear and gloom that had begun to dissipate due to Lanchi's presence now crept back into Hubertian's heart.
She gradually recognized the fact that she might never find peace until she became stronger.
In the past, every time she found herself in a perilous situation without Lanchi by her side, it would have been a hopeless scenario.
Although Lanchi always made it seem effortless to resolve those situations, if the intensity of these incidents continued to escalate, even Lanchi, no matter how strong he became, might not be able to protect her!
Her eyes gradually darkened, and she lowered her head.
Each time, she was the one who invited calamity, and Lanchi ended up being implicated and burdened because of her.
The more Lanchi unconditionally protected her without ever blaming her, the more guilt and indebted she felt.
She was nothing but a burden.
(End of Chapter)
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