Chapter 312
It was somewhat like a “naive young lady, unfamiliar with the world, asking the residents of a slum why they don’t eat cake when they’re so hungry.”
However, considering that Shaer was merely comforting herself, Aivina chose not to point it out and simply responded with a casual remark.
“I’m planning to apply for admission to Ogesfu or Ansu United University College. Want to join me?”
Shaer asked, “Go to school together?”
“School?”
Aivina blinked in surprise.
“Isn’t it… not the enrollment season right now?”
After hesitating for a moment, Aivina continued, “In Ansu City, the academic year is divided into three terms. We just finished the ‘Trinity Term,’ and the next term, ‘Michaelmas Term,’ won’t start until early October… Didn’t you just graduate not long ago?”
Shaer: “…”
Lost in thoughts about enrollment, she had completely forgotten that it was still vacation.
Seeing Shaer’s adorable, dazed expression, Aivina couldn’t help but smile slightly. With a hint of amusement, she said, “It wouldn’t hurt to get a head start. Once I finish the factory handover, we can set off.”
“Probably… within a week or so.”
“Yeah.”
Shaer nodded and casually remarked, “Perfect timing. I can persuade others to come to Ansu…”
Persuade others?
Did she mean to bring others along?
Aivina seemed to catch the underlying meaning in Shaer’s words and asked, “Is Berlun City… going to be unsafe for a while?”
She knew Shaer well; Shaer was fiercely protective. Anyone she considered her own would be safeguarded, as evidenced by her previous attempts to dissuade Adele from going to North Ansu.
If Shaer wanted everyone to leave Berlun City, and considering the information organization behind her that was more accurate than prophecies, Aivina couldn’t help but think something bad might happen in Berlun City.
“Yes.”
Shaer didn’t hide anything from Aivina and directly revealed the danger: “The people from the Joy Society have set their sights on Berlun City, not because of the large-scale sacrificial activities of the Holy Ascendancy, but because of the Church of the Savior Goddess.”
“Even if the Bell Tower Church manages to avoid disaster this time due to my plan, there will still be other members of the Joy Society coming to carry out their tasks… We can’t stay here for long.”
“There are too many resources to exploit: the mass migration to North Ansu, the Orlando Republican Army hiding among them, the grain merchants wanting to lift the grain export ban, and the workers who have been protesting non-stop… the list goes on.”
“Moreover, I obtained their previous confidential documents. The original plan of the ‘Subverter’ was to guide the Orlando Republican Army to assassinate you and then frame it on the Church of the Savior Goddess.”
The Church of the Savior Goddess? So they were targeting the Church of the Savior Goddess? And planning to assassinate her? Why?
Aivina fell into deep thought, and soon, a possibility struck her.
Among all the orthodox religions, only the Church of the Savior Goddess was currently struggling under the famine in North Ansu, making it the weakest. Not long ago, even the Bell Tower Church couldn’t muster a single Tier 2 Extraordinary and had to rely on the Holy See to send someone to resolve the issue.
Now was indeed a good time to undermine the Church of the Savior Goddess.
Moreover, most members of the Orlando Republican Army were followers of the Church of the Savior Goddess. If they caused trouble, the Church couldn’t escape unscathed, and she had countless ties to William, who signed the legal documents…
It was indeed a clever framing plan… too bad it ran into Shaer’s organization.
What surprised her even more was that the church behind Shaer had already grasped the movements of the Joy Society to such an extent… as if they were watching them in action.
“I understand. I’ll speed up the handover process.”
Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Aivina nodded and immediately stood up. “I’m going to change clothes.”
Aivina was incredibly proactive; when she said to speed up, she was ready to set off right away.
“No need to rush. With a ‘Subverter’ dead, we can probably buy ourselves a week or two…”
Before Shaer could finish her sentence, Aivina had already left the studio, closing the door behind her.
Swift as the wind.
Shaer, who had intended to ask Aivina if she was thirsty, redirected her gaze and stood up as well.
But just as she got up, Aivina, who had already walked out the door, took a few steps back and looked at Shaer. “Shaer, when are you going to find your sister?”
“Ah?”
Suddenly asked this question, Shaer was momentarily taken aback. After hesitating for a moment, she replied, “I was just about to…”
“Let’s do it tonight. We can have dinner together, and I’ll go with you to meet your sister.”
Aivina seemed to have made up her mind as she spoke to Shaer.
“Why?”
Shaer instinctively asked.
“I’ve never formally met your sister… and you can’t really explain your money and our relationship to her, can you?”
Aivina replied, “I’ve already thought it through, so we’ll go together tonight.”
“What have you thought through? What explanation??? Hey, Aivina!”
Before Shaer could clarify, Aivina had already left, leaving Shaer in a state of confusion… But soon, Shaer seemed to realize something and straightened her back slightly.
This wouldn’t be… meeting the parents, would it?
Thinking of this, the usually composed Shaer felt a flutter of nerves.
Calm down, Shaer… Maybe Aivina really has a good plan…
Since they were going to meet her sister together tonight, she might as well check in with the others first…
Adele, Aimi, Tara… her mind briefly flitted between these names.
Aimi was uncertain; after all, she was just an ordinary, innocent girl who had only slightly peeled back the veil of the extraordinary. She might not agree to go to Ansu City with Shaer and the others, and even if she did, her parents would be a hassle.
As for Adele, she was easier to deceive; getting her to Ansu City shouldn’t be a big problem.
And Tara…
She would definitely have no objections to coming along, but the issue lay with her identity.
Did she have a perfectly concealed identity? Like the disguise of the Keybearer? And would she be discovered by other high-ranking individuals? Would cultists come looking for her?
These matters were crucial to whether Shaer could live peacefully in Ansu City.
Shaer decided to find Tara first to clarify these issues.
In reality, Shaer hadn’t seen Tara since their last meeting, and she had no idea if Tara had left after being neglected for so long…
Since she was meeting someone from a cult, Shaer didn’t use Aivina’s carriage but walked to the Gem District instead.
…
Berlun City, Gem District, at the entrance of Cat’s Eye Stone Street, No. 132.
Many pedestrians passed by Shaer from behind as she raised her hand and gently knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock—
Shaer took two steps back, waiting for the door to open.
No response.
Knock, knock, knock—
Shaer knocked again.
Still no response.
Had she gone out?
Just as Shaer was beginning to think Tara wasn’t home and was about to come back another day, the wooden door slowly opened a crack.
“Shaer… da…ren?”
A weak voice came from inside.
Tara?
Shaer pushed the door open and walked in, finding Tara dressed in a thin nightgown.
Her once slightly chubby face was now deeply sunken, her dark circles were heavy, and even her lips were pale.
Her dark green hair was simply tied back in a ponytail, the ends slightly curled and already showing signs of dryness and split ends.
After entering, Shaer closed the door and supported the swaying Tara, guiding her to the dining table. Frowning, she asked, “What happened? Who did you fight?”
If Tara had encountered someone and was mentally traumatized to this extent, it likely meant she had been exposed.
“I… didn’t… fight… Shaer da…ren…”
Tara struggled to straighten her back, her eyes shining as she looked at Shaer. “I… have been… following your orders… waiting for your news… cough, cough, cough…”
Shaer: “…”
“So, you haven’t left the house at all?”
Shaer asked quietly.
“No… Shaer da…ren…”
Tara looked at Shaer, the fear surging in her heart giving her a bit of energy.
The power of the Mother Goddess… seems to have grown stronger… that’s wonderful…
At this moment, hearing Tara’s response, Shaer was utterly speechless.
So she had been cooped up here all this time, and when her food ran out, she didn’t even go out to buy more? She had just been surviving on water?
All just to follow her orders, to not miss Shaer’s potential visit?
But in reality, Shaer hadn’t come even once…
Okay, Shaer admitted, she had previously thought Tara had left or gone out, which was disrespectful to Tara’s faith.
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