Chapter 417
The influence behind the girl named Xia'er was indeed substantial...
Xia'er settled onto the empty sofa, her gaze sweeping over Eleanor and Cardinal Madeleine. She spoke, "Have you reached a conclusion? We have about 50 minutes left."
Madeleine and Eleanor exchanged a glance, and after a moment, Madeleine slowly raised her hand and removed the white faceless mask from her face, revealing her normal human features beneath.
"Your Excellency Xia'er," Madeleine began, her voice steady, "we have come to a conclusion."
Madeleine no longer harbored any doubts about the issues of time reversal and uniqueness; all the evidence lay within that powerful brain. She had even seen the new saintess Eleanor had mentioned... that noble girl protected by divine servants.
Everything pointed to the fact that Xia'er had no possibility of lying... As for the theories proposed by Qiangyin and Mengde that Xia'er was the "Keybearer," they naturally held no water in front of her.
For they could see through the "Subverter's" disguise; they recognized that Xia'er was merely an ordinary "Queen Bee," whose body had been altered by potions at the second tier.
They had also confirmed that this lady named Xia'er wished to promote the merger of the Holy Ascendancy and the Church of the Savior Goddess, and they knew that at some point, Xia'er had summoned the Annihilation Worm.
However, Madeleine had come this time to verify the truth of it all—no lie could escape the scrutiny of a "Penance Scholar," especially one as powerful as Madeleine, who had reached the fourth tier.
Following the results of their previous meeting, Madeleine directly inquired about the merger of the sects and the "Annihilation Worm," receiving straightforward answers devoid of deceit.
Once the simple tests were concluded, Madeleine let out a long breath.
It was all... true... The saint had indeed been summoned by this girl before her at some point in the future...
"Your Excellency Xia'er, what I am most curious about now is... Do the people of the Holy Ascendancy know about the merger?" Madeleine asked, voicing her concern.
Previously, the conflict between the Holy Ascendancy and the Church of the Savior Goddess had escalated to a point of near irreconcilability, not to mention the horrific attacks and sacrifices targeting the followers of the Church of the Savior Goddess executed by the Holy Ascendancy.
What would be the outcome of merging a reformist sect embracing a new era with an extremist, increasingly radical cult after their separation? No one could predict what such a combination would yield.
Xia'er seemed disinterested in answering this question; she merely waved her hand in Tara's direction.
Tara stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the two before her. "The Holy Ascendancy will naturally abide by all of Your Excellency's decisions."
At this moment, both Madeleine and Eleanor turned their eyes toward Tara, their expressions revealing a hint of confusion.
Who are you?
Why are you representing the Holy Ascendancy?
"We shouldn't be meeting for the first time," Tara said expressionlessly. "Perhaps if I mention my name, you might recall something... Tara."
Tara...
This name originated from Mount Tara, and while it was rare in Beian Su, it wasn't entirely obscure.
But...
Once this name was associated with the Holy Ascendancy, it could only refer to one person.
"It's you..." Madeleine instinctively furrowed her brow but quickly regained her composure.
This name was one of the most detested among the upper echelons of the Church of the Savior Goddess.
She had been rescued by the Church of the Savior Goddess's monastery, dedicating herself to the study of sacred texts, but had become increasingly extreme in her thinking, lost in ancient tomes.
Originally, Tara had been transferred from Beian Su to the Ansu Holy See for focused training, but this woman, who excelled in both potions and theology, had directly defected to the Holy Ascendancy.
Not only that, but she had also published several theological papers that caused quite a stir within the Church of the Savior Goddess, awakening many to "enlightenment" and leading them to join the Holy Ascendancy, even swaying a cardinal.
One could say that Tara's ability to dismantle the cohesion of the Church of the Savior Goddess posed a significant threat, rivaling the terror wrought by the Holy Ascendancy over the years.
Yet, it was unclear why she now appeared in this childlike form, and why her advancement in potions had stagnated...
Logically, a talent like Tara should have been vigorously cultivated by the Holy Ascendancy.
What was illogical was not just this.
It was also Tara's excessive deference toward the girl named Xia'er... intriguing.
"It’s an honor to have attended your class, Your Excellency Madeleine," Tara said, looking at Madeleine.
Though she wanted to criticize Madeleine's one-sided understanding of the Mother Goddess, she held back for the sake of not disrupting Xia'er’s plans.
"How fortunate indeed... Because of your betrayal, I endured three months of scrutiny from the Tribunal," Madeleine replied with a cold smile that didn't reach her eyes.
Then, seeming to lose interest in continuing the conversation with Tara, Madeleine turned her attention back to Xia'er. "I understand the Holy Ascendancy's intentions now... Your Excellency Xia'er, please review this holy contract."
Madeleine produced a parchment scroll made of sheepskin, rising to present it to Xia'er, who sat across from her.
Xia'er took the scroll and unfurled it, scanning its contents.
It contained various clauses aimed at preventing harm to the Church of the Savior Goddess... primarily designed to limit the time and scope of Xia'er’s power.
A rather standard tactic.
"If you agree to the terms outlined, please sign this holy contract in the presence of the Mother Goddess," Madeleine offered a golden quill.
Tara, who had stepped back behind Xia'er, couldn't help but smile at Madeleine's words, her previously tense expression relaxing.
You want the Mother Goddess to witness the signing of a holy contract to ensure that the Mother Goddess does not betray herself under her own supervision?
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.
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PS:
I’m doing my best to maintain attendance; I’ll definitely make up for the extra updates!
Tomorrow, 8K, Kun Danji, still before six in the morning!
Guitar Hero! It’s all yours!
Good night!!!
Chapter 223: Returning to Reality, Segmenting Archives? (8372 words)
Xia'er held up the ancient sheepskin scroll that constituted the "holy contract," giving it a casual shake before turning to Tara.
"What is this holy contract?" Xia'er asked directly.
Is it like the "Contract of the Eye of Order"?
If so, Xia'er would find it difficult to evade the contents of the contract.
Seeing Xia'er’s inquiry, Tara paused for a moment before responding, "Your Excellency, this is actually a byproduct of a high-tier sealing artifact within the Church of the Savior Goddess."
"What happens if I breach it?" Xia'er asked casually, as if she were merely probing for loopholes in front of the two members of the Church of the Savior Goddess, showing no concern at all.
"The sealing artifact will issue a warning," Tara shook her head. "There won't be any consequences; it's essentially just a sealing artifact from the 'Penance Scholar' path, with no direct connection to the Mother Goddess."
Oh...
A high-tier lie detector.
Xia'er glanced over it again, confirming that its contents would not impede her actions. She then raised her eyes to the two before her.
"Are you sure this contract will still hold after the time reversal?" Xia'er placed the sheepskin scroll on the table.
Madeleine had been increasingly displeased with Tara's responses since earlier, but she refrained from expressing it openly. Lowering her gaze, she said, "No matter how time and space change, the Goddess remains eternal; the contract will always be effective."
"Oh? Does the Mother Goddess know what she has given you this sealing artifact to witness?" Tara retorted, not holding back, her interest piqued.
Tara was well aware that this artifact had nothing to do with the Goddess, nor was it a technique associated with "uniqueness" like the Contract of the Eye of Order; it could not possibly affect the Mother Goddess in any way.
Tara's continuous revelations finally caused Madeleine to frown. She shot a cold glance at Tara before turning to Xia'er, her voice icy. "If the people of the Holy Ascendancy maintain this attitude, I believe it won't bode well for the merger of the sects."
"Tara," Xia'er called out, stopping Tara from provoking the other side further.
She remembered that before summoning the Annihilation Worm, this person named Madeleine had been a fervent opponent of the Holy Ascendancy, even disregarding the Pope's words to try to stop her, only to be thwarted by Eleanor.
Now, in this situation, which was extremely precarious for the Church of the Savior Goddess, Madeleine had somewhat restrained herself, but there remained an undeniable animosity toward the Holy Ascendancy.
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