Chapter 10 (3/3): The Tribunal

A man in a pure white robe walked out from the forest.

He had a slender build, wore glasses, and carried a standard magic spear on his back. The spear was longer than an ordinary rifle, with holy inscriptions carved along the edge of the barrel.

But the moment he appeared, Liuna’s expression completely changed.

“Again…”

Ailuwei asked:

“And who are you?”

The man smiled slightly and gave her a bow.

“Miss Demihuman over there.”

His voice was polite, gentle, with no hint of hostility.

“Please leave those two behind. They are the Oracle’s targets.”

Ailuwei squinted.

“Oracle?”

The man took out an Inquisition identification card.

“Don’t worry, I won’t make you give them up for nothing. If you hand them over to me, the Inquisition will also help you if you have any requests later.”

He pushed up his glasses.

“What do you think, Miss Demihuman?”

Liuna’s fear was stronger than before.

The girl carrying the cross earlier was already crazy enough, but this man was civilized and polite, making him even more eerie and terrifying.

Ailuwei looked at the man and asked:

“They are important to you?”

“Of course, important~”

The man stepped closer, took out an Oracle scroll, and handed it to Ailuwei.

“You can take a look.”

Ailuwei took the scroll.

It said: Grant redemption to the border town.

Below was a long list of names.

Guards, merchants, civilians, mercenaries.

Some names were crossed out, while next to others were marked “Redemption accepted,” and there were still blank spaces waiting to be filled.

The man smiled gently, staring at Ailuwei.

“We are a legitimate missionary institution. We don’t kill indiscriminately. We just protect the people the Oracle says need protection.”

Ailuwei slowly looked up.

“Protection?”

“Yes.”

The man walked to Liuna and took out a bandage.

Liuna instinctively stepped back half a step.

“What are you doing?”

“Please don’t move,” the man said softly. “You are the ones designated by the Oracle, and you must receive the sermon in the most perfect state.”

He reached out.

“Could you give me your hand? I’ll bandage you, miss.”

The more Ailuwei watched, the stranger she felt.

Liuna assessed the situation and finally extended her hand.

The man indeed bandaged her.

He even used healing magic.

Warm light covered the wounds, and the pain in her arms eased slightly. Liuna stared at him blankly, utterly unable to understand his actions.

“This…”

The man didn’t explain. He walked over to Luo Sha.

Luo Sha was semi-conscious and only felt a gentle magic covering her body, temporarily easing the pain. The next second, her right eyelid was gently pried open by the man’s two fingers.

The man’s smile suddenly brightened.

“Well, well…”

He excitedly examined Luo Sha’s right eye.

“An actual wild Adept. What a big catch!”

Liuna’s heart tightened.

“What do you mean?”

The man stood up, his voice still gentle.

“Alright, Miss Demihuman. I’ve found the sacrifice I need to take. As for the rest of you…”

He suddenly drew his spear and pressed the muzzle against Liuna’s forehead.

“Please accept the sermon nicely, okay~.”

Ailuwei’s tail was faster than sound.

Bang!

The dragon tail slammed into the spear barrel, knocking the muzzle aside.

The next instant, a gunshot rang out.

The bullet hit a tree trunk beside them, and the thick tree had a chunk completely erased from the impact.

Ailuwei’s gaze turned cold.

“What are you doing?”

The man sighed regretfully.

“Oh dear, oh dear… Why can’t you all accept the sermon quietly? The most beautiful flowers bloom when they are at their most intact.”

Ailuwei drew her sword and thrust.

The man used the spear barrel to deflect the sword tip, then spun the spear one-handed. A casing flew out from the side of the barrel, arcing through the air before falling to the ground.

She stared at this madman and said, “Definitely problematic.”

Ailuwei swung her tail again.

The man blocked the dragon tail with the handguard, then pulled the barrel down with the momentum, ejecting another casing. He reversed the spear and swung the grip, quickly driving Ailuwei back.

Ailuwei retreated to dodge.

The next moment, the man threw the spear into the air. The spear spun midair. Ailuwei saw his weakness and thrust quickly, but he simply sidestepped, put his right hand behind his back, and unhurriedly caught the spear, the muzzle already aimed at her head.

Bang!

The bullet hit the ground, creating a neat hole.

He then thrust with the spear barrel, straight at Ailuwei’s face.

She grabbed Liuna and tried to escape, but the spear barrel grazed her back. The pain made her frown slightly. The man even used the recoil from hitting her back to eject another casing.

This fighting style was too troublesome.

And this was not a place for her to fight a prolonged battle.

Luo Sha had already lost consciousness, and the man was too close to her. If Ailuwei tried to forcefully take her, the next shot would likely hit Liuna.

Ailuwei made a decision.

She held Liuna tightly and spread her dragon wings.

“Let’s go.”

Liuna instantly understood what she was going to do, her face changing color.

“…Luo Sha! Luo Sha is still there!”

Ailuwei didn’t look back.

“I can’t take her now.”

“But…!!”

The man didn’t chase. He just stood there, looking down at the unconscious Luo Sha.

“As an Adept, it seems the Angel allowed you to live as Xiaona’s successor.”

Liuna watched the forest growing farther and farther away.

Luo Sha’s figure grew smaller and smaller.

Finally, only the man in the white robe and the bloodstained camp remained.

Liuna bit her teeth hard. Tears finally uncontrollably poured out.

This time, she couldn’t convince herself to hold it in.

***

Ailuwei flew all the way back to Vylindross.

The Water City grew closer and closer. The white city walls, canals, bridges, inner lake, and the sea all glittered in the sunlight. If it were a normal day, Liuna, seeing this city for the first time, might have been awed, curious, and would have taken Luo Sha to explore various places.

But now, she didn’t want to do anything, didn’t want to explore.

Her mind was full of Luo Sha left behind and her father who died in the square.

After flying for a while, Ailuwei finally entered the academy area and landed in the student council room.

Sailafei was returning from the corridor and saw Ailuwei flying back with a child.

“…What happened?”

She looked at Ailuwei, then at Liuna whom she had brought back.

“You look like you were chased back…?”

Ailuwei landed, folded her dragon wings, and let out a light breath.

“I’m not entirely sure myself.”

Wei’erna, who had been sitting inside processing documents, immediately looked up.

“Xiao Ai, are you okay?”

His gaze first swept over Ailuwei, confirming she had no obvious external injuries, then turned to Liuna.

Sailafei frowned.

“Who is that?”

Ailuwei pointed at Liuna.

“This person. I don’t know who she is either. I just saved her and ended up fighting with the Inquisition.”

The air in the student council room instantly went silent.

Wei’erna’s expression visibly tensed.

“Why did you attack the Inquisition?”

He pressed his left hand to his left temple, massaging it slowly.

“If they come down to clean us up, we’re all finished. Those people wouldn’t dare to openly touch the Magic Academy, but messing with a few students… they can do that.”

Sailafei also clicked her tongue softly.

“Those bastards are going to be a pain.”

Ailuwei was silent.

She didn’t regret it.

But she also knew Wei’erna was right.

Wei’erna looked back at Liuna.

Red hair, green eyes, border noble-style clothing—though already damaged beyond recognition, the remnants of the family crest could still be seen.

“This red-haired young lady… should be the daughter of Count Kapei.”

Sailafei also looked at Liuna.

“Aren’t you going to say something?”

Liuna opened her mouth.

“Yes…”

Just saying that one word, tears fell again.

She didn’t want to cry.

She even felt she shouldn’t cry in front of strangers. But when someone spoke her identity as “daughter of Count Kapei,” she uncontrollably remembered her father who fell in the square.

And the image of Luo Sha left in the forest.

“I…”

Her voice broke.

Sailafei was momentarily at a loss.

“Hey, don’t cry… We can’t help you if you cry…”

This statement clearly had no effect.

Liuna’s shoulders trembled slightly. She felt she hadn’t protected anyone. Her father died, Luo Sha was taken away, the border town was swallowed by fire. Why was she the only one who survived?

Wei’erna sighed.

“I’ll go find medical staff and also check on the Inquisition’s movements. Raph, Xiao Ai, take care of her.”

“Got it.”

“Mm.”

Wei’erna hurriedly left.

Sailafei walked over to Liuna, hesitated, then reached out and gently patted her head.

“Want to sit down and rest for a bit?”

Liuna looked down and said softly:

“Thank you…”

Sailafei led her to a chair and let her sit.

Ailuwei stood nearby, quietly watching her.

Liuna wanted to say more, at least tell them what happened at the border, that the Inquisition had taken Luo Sha, that her mother was in this city.

But she was too tired.

Her body without mana felt heavy, not like her own. The continuous fighting and escape had almost exhausted her last bit of strength. She leaned back on the sofa, her vision darkening.

Before her consciousness sank, the last thing she thought was—

Luo Sha.

You have to survive.

Then, she slowly fell asleep.

***

When Luo Sha opened her eyes again, she sat up calmly.

She found herself lying on a large bed with white sheets. The air had a faint scent of spices and holy oil. The distant sound of bells came from outside the window. Light streamed through stained glass, casting red, blue, and gold patches on the floor.

Her right eye was wrapped in bandages.

The pain had lessened considerably, but there was still a heavy feeling of a foreign object buried deep in her eye socket.

Luo Sha sat up abruptly.

“Awake?”

Standing by the bed was a silver-haired girl.

Luo Sha recognized her immediately.

Mili.

The nun she had seen in the border town’s grand cathedral.

“Good morning.” Mili blinked, then looked out the window. “Oh no, it’s afternoon now.”

Luo Sha did not answer immediately.

She quickly recalled everything before she lost consciousness.

The young lady was taken away by that ice-blue demihuman.

Though she didn’t know how trustworthy that person was, at least the young lady didn’t fall into the hands of the Inquisition.

“Where is this?”

Mili’s tone was light.

“Inquisition camp.”

Luo Sha’s fingers instantly tightened.

Mili acted as if she didn’t see her vigilance and continued:

“Let me introduce myself again. I am Mili of the Holy Council, one of the Light Priests. Don’t worry. You are now chosen as an Adept.”

Luo Sha closed her eyes and let out a light laugh.

“So it seems I still have use to you, sir.”

“That sounds harsh.”

Mili sighed.

“The Inquisition and the Holy Council never abandon any comrade.”

“Comrade…”

Luo Sha repeated the word softly, a faint sarcasm appearing at the corner of her lips.

“Unexpected, yet logical.”

Mili walked to the bed, pulled up a chair, and sat down.

“Other members of the Inquisition are chosen the same way. You killed Xiaona. According to the Oracle, you should have died without a doubt.”

“Xiaona?”

“The child you killed.”

Mili said this in a strangely calm tone.

“But you survived the trial of the Retributive Evil Eye. Not only did you survive, but you also withstood its ordeal. Therefore, you are an Oracle Adept.”

Luo Sha was silent. She raised her hand and touched the bandage on her right eye.

“This eye…”

“The formal name of this magic eye is the Stigmata Eye.”

Mili explained:

“Simply put, it has changed your ‘destiny.'”

Luo Sha frowned slightly.

Mili reached out and undid part of the bandage for her.

“Open and see.”

Luo Sha hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened her right eye.

The world had changed.

She saw several faint phantom images on Mili’s body. Those phantoms didn’t actually exist, like hints only she could see, lingering at Mili’s shoulder joints, wrists, and knees.

Next to one of them, small text appeared.

Minor injury.

Then, more information spread like ripples.

If attacked here, high probability of causing mobility impairment.

If stabbed at the right shoulder, can sever the enemy’s tendon.

If slashed at the knee side, can disrupt balance.

Luo Sha’s pupils shrank as she saw all this.

Mili handed her a mirror.

Luo Sha saw her own right eye in the mirror.

It was no longer its original brown.

Instead, it was a cross-shaped pupil with faint golden patterns.

She closed her right eye, and the world immediately returned to normal. Those phantoms and text also disappeared. When she opened it again, the power of the Stigmata Eye activated once more.

“I see…”

Luo Sha’s voice was very low.

Mili propped her chin and looked at her.

“But right now you only have one eye. If you use it too much, it will overload, and you’ll end up really blind. So you can’t use it much.”

She paused, then added lightly:

“But don’t worry. Once you get familiar with everything, the craftsmen of the Celestial Wing Tribe will forge another eyeball for you and implant it.”

Luo Sha looked at her.

That gaze was calm, but full of hatred.

But Mili stood up, completely unbothered by her look.

“Get some more rest, Luo Sha.”

She turned and opened the door, leaving the room.

The sound of the door closing was very soft.

Sitting on the bed, Luo Sha was silent for a long time.

Outside the window stood a huge Sanctum Council Cathedral. The white spire stood tall, the golden holy emblem shone in the sunlight, and the entire building was filled with a sacred and solemn atmosphere.

The stained glass depicted the mythology of the Celestial Wing Tribe.

There were angels descending to the earth, holy swords cleaving darkness, sinners kneeling in the light to receive forgiveness.

Looking at those images, Luo Sha suddenly found it a bit ridiculous.

Forgiveness.

Judgment.

Redemption.

‘These words are always painted so beautifully.’

But in the places where light doesn’t reach, there are still liars, bandits, robbers, and a bunch of madmen.

She raised her hand and gently touched her right eye.

The pain was still there.

But she could already endure it.

“Is there no other choice…”

Luo Sha whispered to herself.

After a moment, she raised her head again.

“No. There’s just no choice for now.”

She looked out the window at that magnificent cathedral.

The young lady should have entered Vylindross by now.

As long as the young lady was alive, she still had a place to return to.

As for this so-called Stigmata Eye, as for the Inquisition, as for the Holy Council—she would destroy them all with her own hands.