Sijina’s invitation came too suddenly, and Ni Wei was stunned for a while before she could react.
“An in-person confrontation?”
“Yes.”
Sijina nodded her head firmly in response.
“Didn’t you just say that your sister was being controlled by him? Don’t worry, the Church of Light won’t sit idly by.”
Hearing Sijina’s indignant words, Ni Wei couldn’t help but hesitate.
She did want to take her sister away from there, but the way she imagined it was to slip away quietly while that evil young master wasn’t paying attention.
An in-person confrontation like that seemed a bit too much…
“You’re not brave enough?”
Perhaps seeing the girl’s hesitation, Sijina’s brow furrowed slightly.
“No… it’s not that.”
Ni Wei lowered her head, feeling embarrassed.
“That evil young master… he’s very cunning. If we alert him…”
“Don’t worry, the Church of Light has great influence. As long as the evidence is sufficient, he can’t turn things around.”
Seeing that Ni Wei was still reluctant, Sijina had to continue putting out bargaining chips.
“I have a magic detection tool provided by the church. Whether your sister is controlled or not, one test will tell. If he really used magic to control your sister, then the evidence will be ironclad. The church will definitely step in and communicate with the kingdom to punish the Blackstone family.”
Ni Wei raised her head, looking at Sijina’s determined eyes, the scales in her heart beginning to slowly tip.
What if my sister really is being controlled by that evil young master…
“Alright… fine.”
Ni Wei clenched her small fists and stood up.
“I’ll take you there.”
***
From the town to the Blackstone Duke’s Mansion was not far.
The two walked along the main road for a while, and the imposing mansion appeared in sight.
Ni Wei had originally wanted to use the side door. After all, she was still a maid at the Blackstone Duke’s Mansion, and she had some reservations about bringing an outsider to confront her employer.
But Sijina forcefully pulled her to go through the front gate.
“Wait! We…”
“If you’re going to do it, do it openly and aboveboard.”
The red-haired girl’s steps did not pause at all.
When the guards at the gate saw a red-haired girl approaching with such a fierce demeanor, they instinctively tried to block her.
“Church of Holy Light Investigator. I request entry into the Blackstone Duke’s Mansion to verify some matters.”
Sijina pulled a silver badge from her pocket and flashed it in front of the guards.
Upon seeing the badge, the expressions of the two guards instantly stiffened.
In the kingdom, no one dared to directly refuse someone from the Church of Light.
Even if they were under the Duke’s mansion.
“Please wait a moment. The Duke is currently not at the mansion. I need to inform Young Master His first.”
Sijina did not answer.
She simply crossed her arms and stood at the gate.
Seeing this, one guard quickly ran into the mansion.
Ni Wei stood behind Sijina, her heartbeat starting to race.
Watching the red-haired girl make such a big scene, she suddenly began to regret it.
Before long, Rafina appeared at the front gate following the guard and bowed to Sijina.
“Hello, Young Master His is already waiting inside.”
After speaking, Rafina straightened up, and her gaze fell on Ni Wei, who was standing behind Sijina.
Feeling her sister’s eyes on her, Ni Wei instinctively turned her head away.
“Alright, take me to see him.”
“Please.”
Rafina stepped aside to make way.
***
Blackstone Duke’s Mansion living room.
His was sitting in the main seat, wearing a smile.
By his side, Rafina quietly poured a cup of tea for him.
Sijina sat opposite His, staring straight at him.
‘His Blackstone… finally we meet!’
“So, what you’re saying is that I used a mind control type of magic on the maids in the mansion?”
“According to Miss Ni Wei’s account, the maid by your side is not obeying you voluntarily, but because you used magic to force her.”
Feeling the gazes from His and Rafina on her, Ni Wei completely shrunk into her chair, wishing she could hide herself.
“This is a ‘Spirit Cleansing Crystal’ certified by the Church of Light. It can detect any residual negative magic attached to a person’s body. If she was controlled, it will definitely leave a mark.”
Sijina pulled out a crystal the size of a palm from her clothes, engraved with pale golden light patterns.
“This thing is really nice. Does your church sell them externally? I’d like to stock up on some.”
“Please be serious!”
Feeling His’s indifferent attitude, Sijina couldn’t help but get angry.
‘You’d better not let me catch you!’
“If she really wasn’t controlled by you, I don’t think you’d mind having me check, would you?”
“If that can clear the church’s misunderstanding of the young master, I am willing.”
To Ni Wei and Rafina’s surprise, before His could speak, Rafina, the “victim,” voluntarily agreed.
“Wait a moment…”
Just as His started to speak, Sijina, as if she had caught a handle, immediately interrupted.
“What? You don’t dare?”
“No, I was just asking, will this test harm the body?”
“Of course not.”
“Then I have no further objections. Go ahead.”
Sijina was slightly taken aback.
She hadn’t expected these two to agree so readily.
‘Could it be… the information is false?’
But now that it had come to this, she had no choice.
She could only pick up the crystal and walk over to Rafina.
“Please place your hand on the crystal.”
Rafina obediently complied.
The golden light patterns began to flow, and a soft glow emanated from within the crystal.
Sijina stared at the crystal for a long time, her brow furrowing more and more.
“No way…”
She had Rafina switch hands and test again.
The result was the same.
The girl before her indeed had no residual negative magic in her body.
“This…”
Sijina looked at the crystal in her hand, feeling a bit confused.
“I told you, I was never controlled by any magic.”
Hearing this, Ni Wei felt her mind go blank.
‘Impossible… if that evil young master didn’t use magic on my sister, then why would she…’
“Even if he didn’t use control magic on you, that doesn’t mean he’s innocent!”
Sijina raised her head to look at His, raising her voice.
“As far as I know, you often bully the maids in the mansion. Some have even been forced to leave.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
A voice full of charm came from the doorway.
“Florin, you’re back?”
His nodded to the housekeeper, who had been away from the mansion for a long time.
“Yeah, I just got back and heard that the Church of Light had come knocking?”
Florin swept her gaze around and landed on Sijina.
“Regarding whether our young master bullies the servants, I think this is very easy to prove.”
With that, she walked over to Rafina and leaned in to whisper a few instructions.
Rafina nodded, left the living room, and soon gathered all the maids from the mansion together.
“This esteemed church official says that Young Master His often bullies you all.”
Florin adjusted her glasses.
“What do you think?”
“Young Master… although he can be a bit forceful sometimes, he’s never forced us to do anything.”
One maid spoke up first.
“Yeah, a while back, when someone in my family was sick, Young Master His not only gave me a few days off but also gave me a gold coin!”
“The last time I accidentally broke a vase, the young master didn’t scold me. Instead, he asked if I had been cut.”
***
Several maids spoke all at once, their words full of support.
Sijina stood there, her face full of shock.
‘This… this is nothing like I imagined!’
‘Where’s the oppression I was told about?’
‘Why are they all defending him?!’
“So, esteemed church official…”
Florin looked at the red-haired girl before her, a hint of amusement in her eyes.
“Are you satisfied with this outcome?”
“E-even so…”
Sijina took a deep breath and pulled out her final trump card.
“Even if you don’t bully the people in the mansion, how do you explain your business dealings? Do you know how many people have lost their jobs because of your business?!”
Hearing Sijina’s accusation, His finally put down his teacup.
“Miss, may I ask how long you’ve been in this town?”
“Why do you ask?”
Sijina frowned.
“Did you notice the row of newly built houses on the east side of the town?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Those are the relief houses we just built.”
His tone was casual.
“Funded by the Blackstone family, they’re specifically for residents of the town who have financial difficulties. As for the rent… we symbolically collect one copper coin per month.”
Seeing that Sijina didn’t respond, His continued.
“I know what you want to say. I’ve been expanding my business recently, so it’s possible that some vendors have been affected. That’s why I’ve tried to make up for it as much as possible.”
With that, His glanced at Florin.
Florin understood and began to explain to Sijina.
“Young Master His recently issued a new policy. Now, many of the Blackstone family’s chambers of commerce and industries are providing a large number of job opportunities, and the wages are quite decent. Especially for some mercenaries who lost their assignments due to our recent business activities, Young Master His specifically arranged to place some of them as guards in various Blackstone family industries.”
“If you still think that’s not enough, then we really have nothing more to say. Why don’t you go back and report to the church’s higher-ups, and then have the kingdom come and deal with it?”
The atmosphere in the living room began to grow tense.
Sijina opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out.
The thoroughly evil young master she had imagined was now sitting right in front of her.
His calm and unhurried demeanor made Sijina’s face grow hot.
‘She had barged in here with such force, hoping to expose this evil young master’s true colors, only to find that it was all just her own wishful thinking.’
‘Now she looked like a jumping jack…’
“I understand.”
Sijina took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and struggled to maintain the last shred of dignity.
“I didn’t investigate thoroughly enough. I came here presumptuously. My apologies.”
With that, the red-haired girl turned around and quickly left the mansion.