Bab 95: Chapter 95: The Play Begins
Late at night, at 53 Amber Road.
This detached small building had been protected by Veronica with a protective array, making it impossible for ordinary people to intrude or peek inside. Ryan had also inscribed many grey runes filled with purifying and sacred power in numerous hidden spots.
At the end of Amber Road, the towering wizard's tower stood at the end of this block, guarding all the nobles living on Amber Road.
Thus, Amelia felt very safe living here.
Dressed in a complete maid outfit, the girl sat quietly on the side, waiting. She possessed a strange ability that seemed to allow her to perfectly blend in with her surroundings whenever she was still, making it difficult for ordinary people to notice her existence.
Veronica lay on the sofa, reading a magic book, covered by a white wolf fur blanket that concealed her beautiful figure, revealing only her jade feet wrapped in flesh-colored silk stockings.
After a while, with Ryan still not back, Witch Garen felt a bit bored and tried to start a conversation: "Amelia?"
"Yes, Witch Your Excellency!" Amelia answered cautiously.
"Do you understand Gothic? Who taught you?"
"It was a tutor hired by my father when I was a child."
"Tutor?" Veronica pressed on: "Which tutor, what's his name, and where is he from?"
"He's a tutor from Nul..." Amelia began, but Ryan returned.
"I'm back, Veronica, Amelia... Where's Catherine?" Ryan looked around, not seeing the young apprentice.
"Catherine went to sleep. I sent her to bed." Veronica didn't mind being interrupted and pointed at Ryan's face with its heavy philosophical aura: "I warn you, don't come near me with that face."
Amelia stood up: "Let me help you remove the disguise, Mr. Ryan."
"Thank you, Amelia." Ryan, still in his "Van Dakholm" guise, sat on a wooden chair in the dining room while Amelia helped him remove the disguise bit by bit.
Veronica flipped the blanket off and sat up: "What did you find out, Ryan? Was there anything?"
"I've confirmed it. If nothing unexpected happens, the Chaotic Altar of the Aesthetic Society should be established inside the orphanage outside the city! And Berte is most likely hiding there as well." Ryan spoke calmly.
"Are you sure?" Veronica's beautiful almond eyes shimmered: "Tell me, Ryan, what did you encounter at the art salon tonight?"
Ryan briefly recounted his experience.
"White meat... sacrifices, the Aesthetic Society is using those orphans and infants for sacrifices!" Veronica immediately understood: "What's left after the sacrifices is the white meat!!!"
White meat, the flesh of young children, human flesh!
The confirmation of the Chaotic Altar being inside the orphanage was certain because no one would be foolish enough to move orphans from the orphanage to another location for sacrifice ceremonies, as that would be too easily noticed.
Their conversation made Amelia listen in, but the young maid showed an age-inappropriate calmness as she helped Ryan remove the last bit of his disguise, revealing the handsome Aachen man once more.
"Orphanage... orphanage... orphanage." Veronica pulled over a wooden chair to sit down: "So, shall we investigate the orphanage now?"
"Calm down, Veronica! Investigating the orphanage isn't that easy... Amelia, thank you, you can rest now." Ryan first took the towel from Amelia to wipe his face. The man seemed a bit weary, even as a corruption-resistant primordial being, witnessing the Chaotic Sect's gathering was unsettling.
"It's okay, Mr. Ryan, I'm not busy." Amelia took the towel back, gently shaking her head.
"Alright, let's continue, Veronica. Do you know how difficult it is to investigate the Aesthetic Society's orphanage? The Marlinburg Senate has two nobles involved in the orphanage's establishment, and they also have nominal positions there. If we dare to directly investigate the orphanage, they have the right to refuse us entry." Ryan continued, pacing in the dining room: "The orphanage hosted by Anieda isn't an organization open to the public to begin with, so we can't just barge in."
"Can't you ask the Duke for the authority to investigate the orphanage? You're on good terms with him, right?" Veronica knew this was difficult, so she tried asking.
"Getting authority from the Duke is easy, a word from me is all it takes. But I'm sure the moment I step out of the city hall with the authority, someone will immediately inform Anieda, and in the end, we'll still find nothing." Ryan frowned, raising a finger: "We only have one chance."
"If we make a mistake once and fail to find evidence that the Aesthetic Society is a Chaotic Cult, we will be expelled by the Aesthetic Society and then be listed as unwelcome in Marlinburg, expelled from the city. Lord Schultz may be a Duke, but in Marlinburg, business is business, and the Senate is the main organization controlling the city." Ryan's eyes darted around.
"So... we need to satisfy the following conditions," Veronica raised three fingers.
"First, we need to obtain the authority to investigate the Aesthetic Society's orphanage, otherwise, they have a reason to refuse us entry."
"Second, we only have one chance. Failure means mission failure, and we will be expelled from Marlinburg."
"Third, during the investigation, at least we can't arouse the Aesthetic Society's suspicion from the start, as that would immediately alert Anieda, and the Aesthetic Society would definitely move the Chaotic Altar and Berte himself."
Veronica immediately summarized the three key points of this operation.
The dining room fell silent as Ryan and Veronica carefully considered several action plans, but the success rate of each was not high.
Ryan and Veronica faced two problems: first, they and Witch Garen were definitely on the Aesthetic Society's blacklist, and the Aesthetic Society would be immediately alert to any movement from them.
Second, it was easy for Schultz to authorize them to visit the orphanage, but it couldn't be kept secret. Schultz couldn't authorize them privately without at least getting the agreement of the two senators involved in the orphanage's establishment.
"We definitely can't appear directly, and we definitely can't get direct authorization from the Duke. This feeling of knowing there's a problem with the orphanage but being unable to do anything about it is really frustrating!" Veronica stomped her foot in frustration, the situation of having grasped the key point but being helpless was truly vexing for the witch.
"Calm down, let me think some more." Ryan held Veronica's hand, signaling her to calm down.
Seeing her man's calm demeanor, Witch Garen sighed softly: "It's not like I can just summon a meteor, right?"
"Pfft~ How long would it take you to chant for summoning a meteor? Would the two legendary wizards stationed in Marlinburg not feel it?" Ryan gestured for Veronica to sit down, to calm her frustrated mind: "And how big of a meteor can you summon? Big enough to breach the city walls?"
After a long silence.
"I say... Mr. Ryan, Miss Veronica?" Amelia suddenly spoke up, having listened to the entire conversation, then timidly suggested: "May I make a suggestion?"
"Go ahead," Ryan nodded.
"Mr. Ryan, there are some things you don't need to do yourselves. Instead, the key is how to prove to the nobles of the Senate that the Aesthetic Society is a Chaotic Cult." The young maid gently spoke to them: "If the evidence is in the Aesthetic Society's orphanage, then just let everyone know, that's all."
"Let everyone know?" Ryan thought carefully and then his eyes lit up: "Got it!"
"I have a way now! I have a way to make Anieda voluntarily open up the Chaotic Altar!" Ryan stood up, having thought of a good idea.
"We need to make use of Lopes and Alfred for this," Ryan smiled exaggeratedly, almost grinning ear to ear.
A day later, in Marlinburg's temple university district, Amber Road, the city hall, and the Duke of Marlinburg's office.
"Edmund, Graeme, there's something I want to discuss with you." Duke Vanderguber-Schultz took out an application: "This is a request from the Justice Church's Marlinburg branch. Templar Bierhoff expressed concern about the high mortality rate of children in the Aesthetic Society's orphanage and is willing to donate some medicines and clothing, as well as provide divine aid to the orphans."
"What's with those tin cans always preaching about justice and boring disciplines suddenly showing kindness?" Edmund-Huron muttered: "I always feel like they're up to no good. Maybe this Templar is one of Anieda's admirers?"
"Edmund! What are you babbling about?" Another senator, Graeme, frowned and scolded: "Can't the Justice Church's initiative be a good thing? The donations they're offering could save more orphans' lives! Since when did you start suspecting everything to be related to Anieda? Is this how old Huron taught you?"
Edmund realized he might have been too sensitive, and the young count could only apologize: "I didn't mean that, Lord Graeme."
"Since you both think there's no problem, I'll approve this request." Seeing no objections from both men, Schultz approved the request.
Both senators nodded, showing no objections.
"Oh, by the way, since that's the case, I might as well take some time to visit the orphanage myself today."
Templar Bierhoff successfully obtained permission to enter the Aesthetic Society's orphanage.
Thus, a team composed of a Templar, two priests, and a dozen holy warriors, carrying a cartload of medicines, food, and clothing, proceeded very conspicuously to the Aesthetic Society's orphanage outside the city. The holy warriors were proud, wishing to tell all passersby that they were doing good deeds.
Templar Bierhoff was in a great mood.
Just yesterday, the gladiator and wandering knight Lopes, who had made a name for himself in the arena recently, suddenly came to the Justice Church, proposing to donate a large sum of his gladiator earnings to the church, hoping they would help him with this favor. The donation was for the Aesthetic Society's orphanage.
Lopes's reason was that he had heard about the high mortality rate of orphans in the Aesthetic Society's orphanage, possibly due to lack of food and clothing. Thus, the wandering knight donated a sum of money, hoping to donate anonymously to the Aesthetic Society's orphanage through the Justice Church.
These days, it's rare to find people willing to do good deeds anonymously! The Justice Church was, of course, very happy. This matter was beneficial to them without any drawbacks, and it could greatly enhance their reputation and ease the tension with Marlinburg's nobility.
Thus, Bierhoff took this commission very seriously and generously declared he would not take any commission, happily agreeing to Lopes's request to complete it as soon as possible.
Things also progressed smoothly. Holy Guard Alfred said he knew the Duke of Marlinburg and volunteered to apply for permission. Alfred did not disappoint Bierhoff; he obtained the permission in less than half a day, and the ready holy warriors set off openly and aboveboard.
After calculating the time in the city hall, Schultz, feeling it was about time, called out in his empty office: "Muller?"
"What can I do for you, Your Grace?" The courtier appeared like a ghost at Schultz's side.
"Please ask Sir Robert-Bayo-Candrew to wait at the city hall entrance with my personal guard. I want to personally visit the orphans at the Aesthetic Society's orphanage." Schultz ordered: "Also, please invite Archbishop Odric of the Sea God."
"Yes!" Courtier Muller immediately acknowledged.
After watching Muller leave, Schultz smiled, slowly opening the drawer under his desk.
Inside the drawer lay a short musket meticulously crafted by a dwarf rune master.
"It's been a long time since I've taken action personally. I wonder if there will be a chance this time?" Schultz took out the short musket, then removed a golden sword from the wall. Few had seen the Duke's skills because most who had were dead. As the Duke of Marlinburg, Schultz faced at least ten assassination attempts a year, but no assassin had ever harmed this wealthiest merchant of the Old World.
Golden flames flickered in the Duke's eyes: "Only death is to be feared, the Emperor's ambition, to extinguish all evil spirits!"
"If not doubted, then the Emperor blesses it! To die for the Emperor's cause, I am willing to lay down my life!"
...
When the group of holy warriors arrived at the Aesthetic Society's orphanage, they found the orphanage, shrouded in fog and legend, to be incredibly lavish. This "orphanage" outside the city was more like a castle, with high walls heavily guarded and even a moat surrounding it.
Although the holy warriors found it strange, they still knocked on the orphanage's grand door, brimming with enthusiasm, believing they would naturally be welcomed.
However, they were disappointed. The orphanage did not open its doors to welcome them. Only the gatekeeper opened a small window on the main door, his murky eyes filled with suspicion and hostility: "May I ask what brings you here?"
"We are holy warriors! The Justice Church has come to bring warmth!"
Bringing warmth!
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