Chapter 251
At this moment, Shaer gently turned the ritual knife in her hand, its silver surface shimmering with cracks. The knife bore an eyeball, which sizzled under the flickering candlelight.
Noticing Tara's arrival, Shaer slowly lifted the eyeball with the knife, bringing it close to her nose to take a delicate sniff.
Shaer's movements were exquisitely graceful; if one overlooked the blood on her face and the horrific eyeball she held, one might think she was merely savoring a fine dish of roasted escargot.
"Failure."
Shaer frowned slightly, setting down the knife. She took out a white handkerchief, wiping the blood from her hands while glancing in Tara's direction, offering a faint smile. "I'll invite you next time."
As she smiled, her row of teeth, sharp and serrated like a shark's, gleamed coldly, as if they could tear through any living thing.
A chill crept up Tara's spine. She lowered her head slightly and replied, "Yes, my lady Shaer."
Another pathway, perhaps...
In recent days, Tara had witnessed Shaer step into more than one extraordinary path, and each time, she managed to return.
Mother Goddess... Is she preparing to reclaim all her authority?
Tara took a deep breath, unsure whether the tremor in her heart stemmed from excitement or fear.
"By the way, bring her along. I have more questions for her."
After leaving this remark, Shaer walked toward the door, prompting Tara to quickly step aside and clear a path.
Crack—
The ritual knife, shimmering with silver light, suddenly shattered, scattering into countless fragments.
Even the blade, originally forged from extraordinary properties, had turned to dust, devoid of any trace of its former power.
Can even extraordinary properties be extinguished...?
Staring at the remnants of her ritual knife, Tara felt as if she had just remembered to breathe. After several deep breaths, she lifted the candlestick and walked deeper into the chamber.
At the end of the dungeon, two corpses lay neatly arranged on the floor.
Like a butcher slaughtering livestock, their blood had been drained, and their entrails completely removed, laid out beside them. Even their muscles had been sectioned off, stripped away... as if they were ingredients waiting to be cooked.
Did Shaer kill them directly because the third stage of brainwashing takes too long...?
In the corner, the high priestess of the Savior Goddess Church huddled, cradling her head in her hands, trembling uncontrollably, clearly in a state of great shock.
As Tara approached to help her up, the high priestess seemed to find a lifeline, disregarding Tara's affiliation with the Holy Ascendancy, and clung to her arm.
It was only upon getting closer that Tara heard the silver-haired woman’s teeth chattering, and she realized that if she had arrived even a moment later, the priestess might have gone mad from fear.
Imagining herself in complete darkness, trapped in the dungeon, listening to someone methodically carving flesh from others while commenting on the quality of the meat... she would likely be just as terrified.
Thank goodness the Mother Goddess is on our side.
"Let's go."
After helping the high priestess to her feet, Tara spoke coldly.
In truth, since following the Mother Goddess, Tara had harbored little hatred for the Savior Goddess Church.
Her previous animosity stemmed from their adherence to misguided doctrines, but now, the appearance of the Mother Goddess had proven that she and the Holy Ascendancy were in the right. There was no need to continue despising the Savior Goddess Church.
Their status was now above that of the Savior Goddess Church; compared to the Holy Ascendancy, which was like a beloved daughter, the Savior Goddess Church was merely a goddaughter.
There was no need to hate a failure; one simply had to wait for the right moment to reveal the existence of the Mother Goddess. Those in the Savior Goddess Church who had not lost their sanity would naturally turn to the Holy Ascendancy, and in the end, they would still be sisters.
As she nearly dragged the high priestess out into the narrow corridor, Tara saw that the door at the end had been opened, soft light illuminating almost the entire passage.
She helped the high priestess to the door, and as they reached the threshold, she spotted Shaer standing by the conference table, listening intently to the discussions of the other bishops, a glass of red wine in hand.
Upon seeing Tara, Shaer raised her wine glass slightly, as if inviting her to join the conversation.
It felt less like a dungeon and more like a gathering of high society.
Tara assisted Yulis to a stool in the corner.
At that moment, Shaer approached them, still holding her glass of wine.
"My lady Shaer."
Tara greeted her softly, stepping back slightly. She split off a white shadow that darted into another room to fetch a suitable outfit for Shaer.
"Have a drink, warm yourself up."
Shaer swirled the wine in her glass, smiling as she offered it to Yulis.
But just hearing Shaer’s voice sent Yulis into a panic, her body trembling uncontrollably. She tried to retreat, but her back was already pressed against the wall, with nowhere to go.
Ignoring whether Yulis consented or not, Shaer brought the wine glass to Yulis's lips, tilting it slightly to pour the red liquid into her mouth.
At that moment, Yulis seemed to have lost all sense of resistance. Tears streamed down her face as she swallowed the wine that was forced into her.
"Relax, Yulis, we’re friends."
Shaer spoke softly, then recited a date, "Year 739, January 17."
At the mention of that date, Yulis shuddered slightly, looking at Shaer in disbelief, murmuring, "Who are you...?"
"We’ve met many times in dreams... You might not recognize me."
Shaer explained with a smile.
Meanwhile, Tara, who had been listening, straightened her back, instantly adopting a vigilant posture.
What?! The Mother Goddess gave her a revelation?!
Impossible! I never received one! Absolutely not!
This must be a trick from the Mother Goddess! Yes, that’s it!
"Really...?" Yulis murmured.
"Really."
Shaer gently placed her hand on Yulis's shoulder, giving it a reassuring pat.
The anger, fear, and dread from her imprisonment began to transform under the soothing tone, gradually shifting in nature.
The warmth of the wine in her throat and stomach felt like a lifeline, making Yulis instinctively believe that Shaer was on her side, and that she needed to help her—even if Shaer was the one who had imprisoned her and instilled fear.
"Tell me, did the Savior Goddess Church really not participate in this attack?"
Shaer asked softly.
Upon hearing this, Yulis sniffled, unable to contain her inner worries and frustrations any longer. Her voice came out hoarse as she replied, "Yes... We were completely caught in an unwarranted disaster."
"A month ago, Bishop Xiu and I were summoned back to the church and told to halt all church activities for the time being, to keep a low profile and avoid provoking nobles and wealthy merchants... But trouble kept coming one after another."
"The church I was responsible for was demolished... I had only taken over here for a little over a month. I prayed day and night to the Goddess for forgiveness, but received no response... I have been abandoned by the Goddess..."
Shaer raised her hand, gently brushing aside the disheveled silver hair that fell across Yulis's face. "It's alright; this is just a test from the Goddess... Once we uncover the truth behind the attack, the church will naturally be restored."
Yulis, whose faith had already begun to waver, slowly opened her eyes at Shaer's words, her silver gaze devoid of spirit as she stared ahead.
In recent days, she had been running around dealing with church matters, and with Bishop Xiu missing for several days, no one had come to guide her. The pressure had pushed her to the brink of collapse.
Shaer's words were like a lifeline to a drowning person; she had no choice but to cling to them tightly.
"Yes... Yes, I will help investigate..."
At that moment, Tara watched Shaer's actions with a rising fury, her chest heaving with indignation, nearly ready to explode.
What sisterhood is this?!
This is an enemy!!!
My lady Shaer has never treated me this way! She has never been this gentle with me! Why does this woman get to have it all?!
Clearly, I am the most loyal one!
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