The crime of being “cute”… Honestly, Truth was utterly baffled by it.
When the crowd saw Truth being cuffed, the surrounding civilians instantly erupted in outrage and almost clashed with the Soldiers. Luckily, Truth spoke up in time:
“Everyone, please don’t fight. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine—the Goddess will protect me!”
Truth decided to see what this was all about first.
The young Priest’s innocent words rang clearly in everyone’s ears, making them pause in regret.
Who would’ve thought Deya City had become so dark, that even the Goddess’s faithful would fall victim to such cruelty!
No matter how you looked at it, this seemed like some noble abusing their power to satisfy their twisted desires, sending the Law Enforcement Bureau to scour the city for someone!
Liking Priests, and on top of that, cute Priests… The nobles were so arrogant they didn’t even fear the Goddess anymore—utterly lawless!
The crowd still wanted to pressure the Soldiers, but soon reinforcements from the Law Enforcement Bureau arrived.
With more than a dozen First Rank Enforcers showing up, no one dared act rashly anymore— they could only watch helplessly as Truth was taken away.
Goddess, did you see that? How dark this world has become…
Suna had originally wanted her father to help rescue Truth, but Truth told her to head into the Mist first, even sneaking her a heart gesture.
Oh, right, she still had that perverted demon with her— there was nothing to worry about, really.
Thinking back to what happened to the Oracle Klar, Suna felt relieved and headed alone toward the Mist.
Half an hour later, Suna stood before the main entrance of the Mist Dungeon, feeling the chill on her lower half grow more pronounced. Why was the entrance so crowded today?
Looking closely, it seemed everyone here was from the Law Enforcement Bureau. Was this related to the Mist Gang?
Suna nervously clutched her skirt and carefully slipped past them, about to touch the Mist when an Enforcer suddenly called out:
“Miss Adventurer, please wait! The Mist is acting strangely today— you’d better not enter!”
“Strangely?”
After asking around, Suna learned that most people who’d gone into the Mist today hadn’t come back out.
Even the Director of the Law Enforcement Bureau, who was Third Rank, had entered and not returned after nearly an hour.
That really was strange, but if she just walked a little at the entrance, it should be fine, right? After all, the Mist was that demon’s domain— it wouldn’t let her die so easily.
Besides, her panties had already been taken. If she didn’t reach Second Rank, it would all be for nothing!
After confirming several times that she wanted to enter the Mist, the Enforcers finally made way for her.
They were also curious whether someone could come back after just walking around the entrance.
So, in full view of the crowd, Suna ventured alone into the Mist. As she entered, she silently counted her steps forward.
The familiar forest within the Mist appeared before her eyes, and she noticed the Mist seemed even denser than before.
“This should be fine, right? I’m just walking back and forth at the entrance.”
Suna turned and tried to leave the Mist, five steps, ten steps…
Huh? Where was the exit? She’d only walked ten steps forward!
She kept walking ahead— twenty steps, thirty steps… Suddenly, an ancient tree appeared before her. The familiar exit was nowhere to be seen.
It was only then that Suna realized she seemed to have lost her way, going deeper and deeper inside?!
Oh no, I’m lost!
Ten minutes later, at the Mist entrance, seeing that Suna hadn’t come out, an Enforcer glanced at his pocket watch and said to his companions:
“It’s confirmed— even just walking around the entrance, you lose contact. Everyone, let’s have a moment of silence for that brave young lady.”
The Enforcers all solemnly removed their hats, earning eye rolls from the surrounding Adventurers. You haven’t even confirmed if she’s dead yet!
……
Deya City Law Enforcement Bureau. Truth was brought to the station entrance.
On the way, she noticed she wasn’t the only Priest arrested. Wanted posters had been plastered all over the notice boards.
Looking closely, these special wanted notices were issued in the name of the Border Garrison, and the content was far too targeted at herself!
It was obvious Wilona wanted to get back at her. Not satisfied with just a little groping, huh?
She figured someone would soon come to identify her once she entered the station. If she was recognized, she wouldn’t be able to run around in this disguise anymore—so she couldn’t go in.
Time for that trick.
Just as she was about to step inside, the three Soldiers escorting Truth noticed she had stopped, lost in thought.
“What’s wrong, Miss Priest?”
“I… I’m a little scared of this place…”
Truth’s little face suddenly looked aggrieved, instantly stirring the three men’s protective instincts. They hurried to comfort her:
“I don’t know why the higher-ups issued such a dumb warrant, but I promise you’ll be fine. They probably just need to confirm something.”
“But last time I was here, someone dressed just like you kept secretly touching me, and said if I dared tell anyone, they’d throw me in a cell… mm…”
Truth covered her chest with both hands and lowered her head, leaving the three Soldiers shocked. What, there was such a beast in the station? We ought to beat that bastard up!
Before they could figure out how to comfort her, Truth pulled out a shiny Gold Coin from her pocket, looking pitiful:
“This is the most valuable thing I have… Please, let me go, okay?”
“Uh…”
Seeing the flawless Gold Coin in her hand, the three Soldiers were stunned, exchanging glances for a long while. Who would’ve thought this little Priest actually had a Gold Coin!
That was at least four months’ salary for them!
What should they do—take it?
If they didn’t take it and still escorted her in, maybe she’d get bullied by some bastard again. If they took it…
Well, nothing much would happen. Just say they never met a Priest matching the warrant.
Letting people go for money happened all the time in the Law Enforcement Bureau.
There was another option— take the coin and still send her in…
But not only would that risk her reporting them, just having such thoughts made them feel like real scum.
They really couldn’t bring themselves to bully a Priest!
In the end, under the triple pull of morality, sympathy, and greed, a while later, Truth emerged from an alley beside the Law Enforcement Bureau, wrapped in a light blue robe.
The three Soldiers had thoughtfully given her a robe to cover her Priest Robe, and Truth had also taken off her Priest Headdress, swaggering past the Bureau’s entrance.
EZ…
At that moment, a tall woman, also wrapped in a black robe, strode past Truth and entered the station.
“Mid Rank?”
Truth’s nose twitched slightly— she caught the unique scent of a beastkin from under the black robe. A Mid Rank bird-person…
Sure enough, not entering the Law Enforcement Bureau was the right move. Who knew the Northern Royal Family would move so quickly to help Wilona get justice.
“But that one didn’t even notice me. Guess I’ll slip away now?”
Truth vanished down the street, while the black-robed beastkin pushed open the Bureau’s doors. Very soon, Vice Director Huaen greeted her obsequiously:
“Welcome, Lady Airwing, thank you for assisting with our investigation!”
“Cut the nonsense. Let’s get to work!”
The beastkin, addressed as Lady Airwing, pulled back her hood to reveal a cold, striking face. Rainbow feathers and pale hair formed a hairstyle that looked almost like a work of art.
As Princess Wilona’s personal Shadow Guard, Gadelia had come by order to capture whoever dared stain the Northern Royal Family’s honor.
Though Wilona herself didn’t seem all that keen on revenge— after all, the other party wasn’t male…
But royal dignity had certainly been trampled, so action was necessary.
Letting Her Highness get hurt was Gadelia’s own failing. If she couldn’t even catch the culprit, she’d have no face left to see Wilona.
The reason Vice Director Huaen called Gadelia “Lady Airwing” was not just because she was Fifth Rank, but also because she belonged to the rare flying race among beastkin— the Airwing!
Led by Huaen, Gadelia arrived at an interrogation room, where five young Priests were chatting and laughing.
None of the Priests were cuffed, and there were no instruments of torture on the table— only heaps of common snacks, making Gadelia frown:
“Is this how you usually interrogate suspects?”
Huaen hurriedly explained:
“Lady Airwing, you must understand—they’re just Priests! Just bringing them here has already enraged the public. If we treat them badly, the Goddess’s faithful will tear this place down tomorrow!”
The moment he received the military warrant, Huaen had wanted to politely invite the Priests for tea, or go to the academy to ask High Priestess Tia for a list.
But who knew this bird-woman would insist, “Anyone who harms a royal must be wanted citywide, or it’s an insult to royal dignity,” and put the Bureau under pressure.
Now, even just “arresting” these Priests had caused a citywide uproar.
Originally, this was supposed to be Chief Koster’s job, but something strange had happened at the Mist, so he had to go investigate with the Adventurers’ Association. Huaen was left alone to deal with Gadelia…
Hmph, fine. The Church of the Goddess of Life still deserves respect. Deya’s Law Enforcement Bureau already gave us enough face by arresting Priests under pressure— pushing further would end badly.
So thought Gadelia.
Looking at these Priests, who were nowhere near as cute as her own Princess, Gadelia’s eyes glimmered faint blue as she activated Visual Sharing:
“See what I see, Your Highness. Please identify the culprit.”
In the barracks, Wilona’s eyes also flashed faint blue as she saw the five Priests arrested today. Hmm… they’re all cute, but still not quite right…
Soon, Gadelia received Wilona’s mental reply:
“None of them.”
None of them… Gadelia turned and looked disdainfully at Huaen, who was a head shorter. For an Airwing, a two-meter-tall female was perfectly normal, though it looked especially imposing among humans.
Huaen quickly realized the culprit wasn’t among the five Priests. Before Gadelia could speak, he immediately said:
“There are still some Priests adventuring in the Mist. We haven’t caught them yet—the culprit is probably inside.”
That Newbie Mist Dungeon?
Gadelia pondered for a moment, then strode out of the Law Enforcement Bureau, intending to search the Mist herself:
“Release these five Priests. I’ll go into the Mist myself to catch the culprit!”
A mere Newbie Mist Dungeon— at Fifth Rank, she could turn the place upside down with ease. The culprit would never escape her clutches!
Still cloaked in black, at the Bureau’s entrance, Gadelia willed a pair of ethereal, enormous magical wings to appear on her back.
With a graceful leap of her long legs, she soared above Deya City, flying straight toward the Mist!