Chapter 166
Gusi's tone rose slightly, her voice brimming with dissatisfaction, as if she were on the verge of erupting in violence.
Lucy knew that to avoid confrontation, she needed to provide a reasonable explanation. Otherwise, it was likely that Gusi would resort to force and conduct a lie detector test.
"You can see for yourself, Your Excellency Gusi."
Lucy began, "I sustained a life-threatening injury while investigating the Saintly Sect, that cult. Given my current condition, I need to rest properly."
"And besides... your colleague, the judge who saved me, is already able to assist me. Doesn’t that prove I don’t need to undergo any further scrutiny?"
A judge had come?
At that moment, Tara, who was disguised as Gusi and had even altered her hair color, felt a cold sweat trickle down her back.
How did I not have this information? "Nail" didn’t report this to me; at least not before today, no judge had come to Boren City or Dedun Manor.
Could it be that she just arrived? That would be terribly inconvenient...
"Where is she? Where is she now?"
Tara remained calm, continuing, "I need to discuss the details with her."
"She..."
Lucy initially thought to say that she was likely dead, but reconsidered and opted for a more tactful response. "You should be able to see her message by dawn."
Lucy’s words made Tara keenly aware that Lucy seemed to have a reason for avoiding scrutiny.
To fulfill the Mother Goddess's mission, Tara decided to take a gamble.
Tara reached into her pocket and pulled out a simple pocket watch. After glancing at the time, she said, "Well, morning will be here soon. I’ll wait here."
Upon hearing Tara's words, Lucy, already feeling drained, felt as if the sky were about to fall.
She couldn’t dare to sleep under the watchful eye of this judge.
"You could try to find that judge... Aren’t you supposed to be working together? If you find her, you’ll know I’m not lying."
Lucy sighed and added, "I’ve been here for over a month. I’m not going anywhere."
"This is just a precaution, Miss Lucy."
Tara looked at Lucy and slowly said, "My creed is to never overlook a single cultist... I hope you understand."
Here it comes, the classic creed, the classic belief, the classic faith, the classic obsession.
Lucy had heard more than once that the judges of the Goddess of Salvation were as stubborn as mules. When faced with such a situation, she couldn’t help but feel a bit helpless.
"Your Excellency Judge,"
At this moment, a flicker of anger ignited within Lucy. She spoke, "I respect you, which is why I address you as 'Your Excellency.' I do not oppose your investigation; you may investigate other employees first instead of disturbing me during my rest."
"I am a senior investigator of the Dedun Group. If you wish to investigate me, please present the official letter from the group. Thank you."
By the end of her statement, Lucy's tone had grown noticeably impolite. After all, she was a key figure in the Dedun Group, not someone who could be casually interrogated by an investigator from another organization.
"Here."
A letter sealed with a golden wax stamp was produced by the judge in front of her and handed over.
"Ah?"
Lucy was momentarily taken aback upon seeing the letter.
There really is one?
She took the envelope, opened it, and unfolded the letter. The heading indeed addressed her.
Information, date, seal... everything was included. The envelope also contained an attachment: a contract from the Order of the Eye, with the main text obscured, to corroborate the girl’s claims.
"Sigh..."
Lucy turned away helplessly and walked into the room, saying, "Come in. If you have any questions, please ask quickly."
Tara entered the room, turned to close the door, and sat down on the sofa opposite Lucy.
"Then I’ll ask directly."
Tara looked at Lucy and said, "All assessments, compensations, and investigations should have been concluded by now. May I ask why you haven’t returned to the Dedun Group to report?"
"The recent investigations into the church have also made no progress. If you continue to give vague answers, I have reason to suspect that the Saintly Sect has received your protection."
Hearing Tara's blunt questioning, Lucy's brows slowly furrowed. She looked at Tara and said, "You can ask your church members. Since arriving in Boren City, aside from the banquet initiated by Prince Opode, I haven’t left Dedun Manor even once."
"They can all see that I’ve been conducting investigations in the underground chapel. I might as well have lived there. Everyone on duty in the underground chapel can vouch for me."
"If you cannot provide evidence for your baseless suspicions, then this conversation is unnecessary."
Though Lucy's face was pale and her breath shallow, at that moment, her fierce demeanor was no longer concealed, her eyes sharp as blades piercing into the judge before her.
That was Lucy's nature; like the previous red-haired judge, who, despite her cold tone, had saved Lucy and refrained from prying too deeply into her privacy, earning Lucy's respect.
But this one, who came in trying to intimidate her, would find Lucy unwilling to back down.
"Unnecessary?"
Tara leaned back slightly, reclining on the sofa, and said, "The Goddess never taught me that."
Tara snapped her fingers, and the door swung open, two "Ascetics" escorting a man whose face was covered with cloth entered.
"What are you doing? He’s an employee of the group."
A cold glint flashed in Lucy's eyes as her right pupil began to swell and split, dividing into two. Her hand had already reached for the pouch at her waist.
"Why don’t you two go back to your business?"
Tara waved her hand, and the male and female Ascetics released their grip on the man. After performing a church gesture towards Tara, they turned and left the room, closing the door behind them.
"Simon, are you okay?"
Lucy rushed forward, using a small dagger to cut the ropes binding him, then removed the blindfold from the man’s face.
This man named Simon was one of Lucy's capable assistants. Though timid and cautious, he was efficient, often writing most of Lucy's documents and letters.
But to Lucy's surprise, the usually timid Simon appeared remarkably calm after being bound.
This gave Lucy an unsettling premonition.
"I won’t say a word from now on,"
Tara said, calmly looking at the man, "You can ask him yourself."
The Mother Goddess's test has come, child.
Tara stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the thunderclouds and torrential rain over Boren City... Was it her imagination, or did those thunderclouds seem to be swirling closer?
"What’s wrong? Simon, they didn’t hurt you, did they?"
Lucy raised her hand, about to help Simon up, but at that moment, Simon's eyes grew increasingly fervent.
He reached for his waist, pulling out a revolver already loaded with bullets, and quickly pulled the trigger in Lucy's direction.
Bang!
At the moment the hammer struck the primer, the bullet exploded in the chamber, shrapnel flying towards Simon's carotid artery, slicing it open.
The remaining fragments scattered, but fortunately, none landed on Lucy.
"Guh..."
A mouthful of blood erupted from Simon as he clutched his wound, pulling out a small knife from his waist and stumbling back several steps.
"Long live Sadana!!!"
With a roar, Simon plunged the knife into his own heart, piercing through.
Watching her former subordinate collapse in a pool of blood, Lucy knelt on the ground, overwhelmed by dizziness.
He was one of them? Right by my side all along? How did I not notice?
In disbelief, she searched Simon's belongings until she found a secret letter he had written to the Saintly Sect, and finally fell silent.
Lucy, feeling dazed, rose and slumped onto the sofa. After a long pause, she said, "Do you have any more questions?"
The forceful demeanor she had earlier was gone, replaced by exhaustion. All she wanted was to send this judge away as quickly as possible.
At this point, Tara had completely taken control of the conversation. A smile curved her lips as she began to steer the topic toward the misfortunes Lucy had recently encountered.
As Tara gathered more details, her brow began to furrow slightly.
The reason she had been here all along was... the rules of misfortune?
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