Aililan felt a bit guilty.
At the same time, she was muttering to herself. Surely her little affair with Diligence wouldn’t be found out by others?
Aililan wailed in her heart, ‘I clearly like Temperance, but I climbed into someone else’s bed, so I really am a bad woman, right?’
Her current state of mind was extremely complicated.
On one hand, she didn’t know how to face Diligence, nor did she know how to handle the relationship between them.
On the other hand, she liked Temperance.
Therefore, the sneaky feeling between her and Diligence was simply terrifying.
Seeing that Aililan was a bit distracted, Lizberu called out in confusion, “Chastity? You don’t look very well. Did you not sleep well last night?”
Aililan jerked, her head shaking like a rattle.
“No, no, nothing like that. I slept very well.”
Lizberu pondered for a moment and said, “Then that fellow Diligence must have played too wildly with you. She is just too playful. I’ll have a few words with her later.”
Cold sweat immediately broke out on Aililan’s forehead.
Precisely because she had a guilty conscience, a casual remark from Lizberu made her jumpy.
She even wondered if Temperance already knew something and was making indirect jabs.
Aililan opened her mouth, wanting to explain.
In the end, she swallowed her words.
Her current mindset was clearly off; the more she said, the more likely she was to make a mistake.
The two chatted for a while longer.
Lizberu did not ask about Aililan’s purpose for coming yet. Instead, she pulled her to the large table and handed her several documents.
“Take a look at these.”
Aililan took the documents and leafed through them seriously.
As the pages turned one by one, her expression gradually became solemn.
“Kingdom factions, ministerial leanings, royal secrets, military structures, and commercial relationships…”
Aililan couldn’t help but gasp.
“The Church’s control over those kingdoms has actually reached this extent?”
Lizberu habitually stroked her head, her tone filled with doting.
“How can you call this infiltration?”
“These are methods of control.”
“Do you really think that faith alone could make those kingdoms absolutely devoted to the Church?”
Aililan asked in confusion, “Won’t those kingdoms resist?”
Lizberu snorted coldly.
“Resist?”
“What do they have to resist with?”
“Those who do not submit, we simply beat them to death.”
“Those who do not comply with the Church, we clear them away.”
“Those who remain are naturally people loyal to the Church.”
She looked at Aililan.
“Chastity, do you really think we relied on the Church’s charisma to unite many kingdoms and launch the Saint War expedition?”
“Those kingdoms are never short of ambitious and talented people.”
“Those who can be absorbed are brought into the Church’s system.”
“Those who cannot be absorbed are branded as heretics and eliminated directly.”
“This is the true reason the Church has stood tall until today.”
“It’s not because you speak of benevolence that others will believe you, or even risk their lives for you.”
Aililan’s heart was shaken.
She seemed to see those distant kingdoms —
Ambitious ministers brought down by conspiracies.
Brilliant princes and princesses strangled in the cradle.
Wherever the Light of the Church reached, all power was firmly controlled.
Lizberu took a deep breath and sighed softly.
“I only hope someone will inherit the position of Pope in the future.”
“This position has been vacant for many years.”
Aililan suddenly asked, “Temperance Sister, do you want to be the Pope?”
Lizberu shook her head.
“My personality is not suitable for the position of Pope.”
Aililan asked curiously, “Then who is suitable?”
Lizberu smiled mysteriously.
“Temperance, Generosity, and Humility — the three of us are relatively conservative. We don’t quite fit the Church’s current political line.”
“If we need a ruler to maintain the status quo, Tolerance and Gentleness would be good candidates.”
“As for Diligence — she is a radical.”
At this point, she suddenly looked at Aililan with a faint smile.
“Then what about you, Chastity?”
Aililan shook her head.
“I don’t have any thoughts on it.”
Lizberu couldn’t help but laugh.
“It’s not a matter of whether you want to or not.”
“We, including that one of the Seven Regents, are all observing you.”
Aililan was a bit curious.
“Then what is your opinion of me?”
Lizberu shrugged.
“Currently, in our eyes, you are just like Diligence — you belong to the radical faction.”
“I suppose that’s why the two of you can play together.”
Aililan, “…”
It wasn’t just playing together. They had even played their way into bed.
After thinking for a moment, Aililan still argued, “That’s not right, is it? Why don’t I feel radical?”
“I’ve been in Atester for so long, and I’ve actually only done some economic construction.”
The smile on Lizberu’s face deepened.
“This is precisely what makes you special.”
“You do want to start a war.”
“But you can restrain yourself while simultaneously developing the economy.”
“That mess in Atester would be difficult for anyone to clean up.”
“But you not only revived it, you also made the merchants of the entire Fifth Wing run there.”
“In terms of governance ability, Tolerance and Gentleness might not even be better than you.”
She paused for a moment.
“Moreover, you are actively preparing for war.”
“You’ve even declared that you will destroy the Beastman Royal Court.”
“On this point, you are even more radical than Diligence.”
The more Lizberu spoke, the brighter her eyes became.
Aililan, however, felt that something was more and more amiss. Able to govern, yet radical… this sounded like they were grooming some kind of leader.
“Stop, stop, stop.”
Aililan quickly waved her hands.
“Temperance Sister, let’s not talk about this today. Let’s talk about something else.”
She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. If they continued talking, she felt she was going to be molded into one of those great lords who expanded territories.
Aililan immediately changed the subject.
“Temperance Sister, I had people in Atester compile a Civil Code specifically for the common people.”
“I plan to separate it from the Religious Law of the Inquisition.”
“Do you think it’s feasible?”
Lizberu threw up her hands.
“See? I told you that you are very radical.”
“The population covered by Religious Law is originally the ruling class of the Church.”
“Like crops in a field, it’s fine if someone treads on a few stalks or if some livestock nibbles on them.”
“To the Church, it’s actually harmless.”
Lizberu looked at her.
“Are you worried about the crops being trampled?”
Aililan shook her head.
“I’m worried —”
“That one day, the crops will stand up and hit us.”
Lizberu, “…”