In the study, candle flames flickered, and the air carried the faint scent of ink and parchment.
Prinshitt sat behind the desk, while Dorias stood beside her like a silent statue.
Gro pulled out a chair and sat down, and Ileil leaned against the door, arms crossed, her gaze warily fixed on him.
“So, Mr. Gro, what do you mean by this ‘unusual news’?” Prinshitt interlaced her fingers, asking in a calm tone.
Gro crossed his legs, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest, slowly saying the words he had carefully considered.
“Your Highness has been tracking the traces of Mor believers recently, right?”
“Yes.” Prinshitt nodded. “But so far, we haven’t made any substantial progress.”
“Hmm…… I have some discoveries on my side. On the way, I heard some interesting rumors.” Gro narrowed his eyes, his tone growing a bit heavier.
“What rumors?” Dorias asked. “Her Highness the Princess has investigated almost every place in Renn Town where information could be gathered this week, and hasn’t found any particularly noteworthy news. Where did the rumors you heard come from?”
“Bandits roaming near Renn Town,” Gro said. “Just inquiring from the townspeople might not be enough… Even if they know something useful, they might hesitate to speak due to certain concerns, right?”
“You believe the words of bandits?” Ileil interrupted.
“Let me finish first, kid.” Gro sighed and continued, “Those bandits say they’ve been working for the ‘True God of Death’ recently.”
“True God of Death? Sounds like a made-up name, and an ugly one at that,” Ileil said.
“Yeah, a foolish name. But unfortunately, those ‘True God of Death’ people can really offer decent rewards, even claiming—His believers can control life and death, and even revive the dead.”
Ileil stood to the side, her heartbeat quickening slightly.
(Resurrecting the dead…)
A vague thought flashed through her mind, but she quickly suppressed it.
The air in the room seemed to freeze for an instant.
“Absurd,” Dorias said coldly. “The souls of the dead belong to the gods; mortals can never reverse life and death.”
“Yeah, it is absurd.” Gro shrugged. “However, I have heard that recently, quite a few people have mysteriously disappeared and then mysteriously ‘returned.'”
“Where?” Dorias asked.
“A few towns in the western border, and near the wastelands on Aressto’s frontier.” Gro stroked his chin. “These places aren’t too far from Renn Town.”
“This ‘True God of Death,’ no matter how you hear it, sounds related to Mor believers.”
Ileil couldn’t help but comment.
“You can’t jump to conclusions. Besides, not many people know about Mor. I remember telling you last week—Mor is a god who can’t be brought to the table,” Gro explained.
Prinshitt was silent for a moment, then slowly asked, “Then do you know what those people who disappeared and came back are specifically like?”
“Hmm… let me think. Some say their eyes are vacant, like they’re being controlled by something; others say they can move, but they’re no longer the original person. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?”
Prinshitt and Dorias exchanged a glance, both their expressions turning grave.
“Isn’t this just like those flame-burning undead from last week, and they’re unkillable too?”
Ileil hit the nail on the head.
“As expected of my daughter, so smart!” Gro clapped his hands; Ileil really wanted to slap him directly.
“Is the source of this information reliable?” Dorias asked.
“Reliable or not… hard to say.” Gro spread his hands. “But since Your Highness is investigating heretics, and there happen to be such strange rumors, I think paying attention to these grapevine news can’t go wrong.”
Prinshitt’s fingers lightly tapped the desk as she fell into thought.
Dorias looked at Gro and asked, “In that case, Gro, what do you plan to do next?”
“Me? Of course, continue sending people to keep watch. Someone like Your Highness is too conspicuous; for inquiring information, it’s better to let the professionals in our group handle it.”
Prinshitt nodded, then looked at Gro. “Thank you for your information, Mr. Gro. We will investigate further.”
“You’re too polite, Your Highness. I’m paid for this; if I don’t produce some results, how can I face my employer?”
After saying this, he winked at Ileil, then turned and walked toward the door.
“See you later, everyone.” He stopped at the door, turned back with a smile. “Ileil, next time we meet—I’ll bring you something else good to eat.”
Before Ileil could react, Gro had already walked away laughing.
…
After Gro left, the study fell quiet again.
Prinshitt sighed lightly and rubbed her temples.
“Dorias, what do you think?”
“If the rumors are true, then the people behind it have big ambitions.” Dorias said gravely. “Resurrecting the dead is a taboo among taboos; even Mor believers are unlikely to achieve it.”
At this point, Dorias suddenly recalled the moment he killed that witch’s clone in the sea of fire.
From that ominous black-gold flame, Dorias clearly heard the shrieks of countless souls before they perished.
He had originally thought it was the cruel witch using human souls as fuel for the flames.
But now it seemed that strange fire was not just the witch’s doing—
…
“Unless…… they received help from some ‘external force.'” Prinshitt said thoughtfully.
Ileil stood to the side, recalling the speculation Kaze had mentioned before, and interjected, “Is there a possibility that the witch and those Mor believers are in cahoots?”
“…That idea is a bit too far-fetched.” Prinshitt said dismissively, her tone heavy. “How could a witch cooperate with those clownish Mor believers? Those arrogant humanoid monsters… even if they have a connection with Mor believers, it would only be one-sided exploitation.”
Prinshitt looked at Dorias, who had been deep in thought since earlier, and asked, “Mentor, do you have any ideas?”
“I don’t rule out the possibility Ileil mentioned.” Dorias did not deny Ileil’s statement. “Your Highness, I suggest we split up. You continue investigating in Renn Town, and I… perhaps I should go alone to the places Gro mentioned to check personally.”
“Is that okay? Are you really safe going alone?” Prinshitt clearly showed worry, but Dorias just shook his head with a smile.
“Your Highness, please trust me. A saint’s duty is to purify these blasphemous existences that defile the gods.”
“No… if you encounter any accident alone—”
Prinshitt wanted to say more, but Ileil interjected at this moment.
“Your Highness the Princess, you should just follow Mr. Dorias’s arrangement.”
Both turned to look at her; Ileil held her arms, her tone flat. “To put it bluntly, Mr. Dorias’s biggest flaw right now is you, Your Highness.”
Ileil’s sharp critique immediately lowered the atmosphere.
Dorias looked at the outspoken Ileil with a complex expression, then at the somewhat angry Prinshitt, without speaking.
“What do you mean?”
Ileil stared directly into Prinshitt’s eyes. “The literal meaning. If Mr. Dorias acts alone, with his strength, he can retreat unscathed even if he encounters danger. But if he has to divide his attention to protect you—” She glanced meaningfully at the greatsword behind Dorias.
“Even the strongest warrior will become restrained.”