“Beheading?”
Everyone present was stunned. Did we hear that right? Did the Saintess just say she wanted to drag this girl to the market square for beheading?!
“Wait, why am I getting my head chopped off again? I haven’t broken any laws that warrant beheading! Also, where’s the conviction phase? Where’s the judge, the jury?!”
Rachel, who had only made a few careless remarks about the Saintess, immediately panicked.
She started chattering nervously among the Enforcers, trying to explain the law.
Though her arguments made sense, nobody really paid attention.
“Bloodshed on the very first day in office…?”
The nobles began reevaluating Truth’s character. Could she really be that kind of person who settles grudges with blood? But if that were true, how did the Goddess choose her?
Shouldn’t the Saintess be more forgiving…?
Or perhaps the Ninth Saintess was a special choice by the Goddess of Life for the Deya Plateau, a Saintess who believed that only through strong authority could prosperity be brought to this region?
If that was the case, then Deya City must not have had a public beheading for a long time. Looks like we’re in for a show! Excitement grew among the crowd.
The Enforcers’ eyes shone with anticipation as one of them cautiously asked:
“Shall we proceed with the beheading now?”
“Yes, yes…” Truth nodded repeatedly, signaling the Enforcers to act quickly.
Just as Rachel was about to be dragged away, Tia’s sharp voice stopped the Enforcers:
“Hold!”
Like a savior appearing, Rachel immediately looked at Tia with pleading eyes. Surely there was still a sane person here. Priest Sister, save me…
How could you joke like that? Tia bent down and whispered into Truth’s ear:
“You absolutely must not say nonsense. The Enforcers would really drag her to the market for beheading. Let’s just give a light punishment first. Reputation matters—Saintesses must act like Saintesses!”
Tia didn’t believe kind-hearted Truth would truly behead Rachel. Most likely, she was just trying to scare her. Truth sighed.
She had originally planned to stop the execution just as Rachel was pinned on the chopping block, waiting for the blade to fall.
She just wanted to see if Rachel would wet herself from fright. Now that she had become a Saintess, couldn’t she indulge in this little wish?
“This…”
The Enforcers, called to a halt by Tia, looked back at Truth. Should the Saintess continue?
“Ahem.” Truth cleared her throat and revealed a triumphant smile:
“Alright, alright, you can let her go. I was only joking. Rachel is my good friend. Friends tease each other sometimes, but this time she went a bit too far, so I just wanted to scare her a little.
Do you understand what you did wrong, Rachel~?”
Truth stuck out her tongue playfully at Rachel. Only then did Tia nod in satisfaction.
A kind Priest like Truth wouldn’t start handing out death sentences right away. At worst, she was just being a little mischievous.
Rachel was stunned, then nodded repeatedly. She had never imagined hearing the words “Rachel is my good friend” come from Truth’s mouth.
She thought that since the day she desperately flattered Truth, Truth had been looking for a chance to kill her.
Turns out Truth could be quite gentle…
Or maybe it was because of her Saintess identity that she couldn’t just kill her outright? Whatever—so long as she stayed alive, that was enough:
“Y-yeah… I’m sorry, I know I was wrong…”
“Then you know how you should apologize to me, right?”
Truth gave Rachel a meaningful look, immediately reminding her of what Truth had said before. What was it again? Something about kneeling…
Wait, is she seriously asking me to do that here, in front of all these people?! Rachel asked incredulously:
“Now, here?!”
…..
“So you’re certain that there’s something hidden within the Ninth Saintess even you can’t see clearly?”
Inside the Sanctuary of the Life Goddess, the Prophecy Goddess Olivia voluntarily disclosed to the Goddess of Life that she could not see through Truth’s nature.
That was all she said, leaving the rest to the Goddess’s imagination.
“It seems that the little brat got something quite precious from beneath the labyrinth. Now she’s even more worth investing in. But before that, we need to figure out the secret she’s hiding…”
The Goddess of Life pondered for a moment, then moved her right index finger.
Ripples appeared on the small pond nearby, and soon two figures formed from Faith Power—one tall, one short—appeared in the Divine Domain.
The Sixth Saintess Aisia and Shadow Guard O’Mily had been summoned by the Goddess. After they bowed, the Goddess asked:
“Do you know what secret Truth is hiding? O’Mily, you go first.”
O’Mily immediately revealed Truth’s experience of being kidnapped by the Assassin of Wangsheng City:
“Before I arrived, a mysterious senior saved Truth, leaving no trace behind. I estimate that senior’s level is at least the same as mine—Rank Nine.”
A mysterious senior? Olivia frowned. Normally, Truth wouldn’t need anyone teaching her. Wait—could it be that the current Truth was still a weakling who hadn’t fully grown? If she were to be eradicated now…
Olivia secretly imagined in her mind issuing a duel challenge to the current Truth.
The next moment, a vision appeared of herself, naked except for a sheer white shirt, wearing a collar and a black blindfold, being led to stroll down a night street.
Though Truth’s appearance was still impossible to divine through Great Prophecy, at least Olivia could see herself…
When she was ordered to lift her leg and urinate in an alley, Olivia silently dispelled the Great Prophecy spell.
Alright, now she could die in peace and issue that duel challenge to Truth.
“Aisia, how about you?” the Goddess continued, addressing the Sixth Saintess.
“I-I-I-I know something!” Aisia proudly placed her hands on her hips and nodded.
“Truth said there’s an old lady inside her body. All those pieces of Ancient Knowledge were taught to her by that old lady!”
Old lady?! Everyone except Aisia fell silent.
O’Mily thought to herself, so Truth was rescued because that old lady inside her body intervened?
Phew, good thing I restrained myself from doing anything weird to Truth back then. Otherwise, that old lady might have targeted me.
Olivia pondered another possibility—that perhaps Truth was just an ordinary girl, and the old lady inside her was the being she could not look upon directly.
Hmm… this definitely warranted careful study.
The Goddess of Life was also somewhat shocked. Who exactly was that old lady? She must be investigated thoroughly.
If she was a “Player” as described by the Order God, things would be complicated.
The Order God had said that a single Player could upheave the current era. Two could shatter the world. Three—unimaginable.
After all, compared to a Lone Wolf or a Two-Person Team, a Three-Person Team could produce exponentially more crazy ideas.
So, a strict investigation was imperative!
“Aisia, I’m assigning you a Task: before you leave Deya City, try to learn more about the old lady inside Truth’s body,” the Goddess commanded.
“I will complete the Task, Goddess!”
With that, Aisia’s projection dissipated into Faith Power. Then the Goddess spoke to O’Mily:
“You will observe Truth secretly, and protect Aisia. If anything happens, act freely as you see fit.”
“Understood!”