“Sis, hurry and check, how’s Ciel’s ntal state?” Adele asked Uris, who had arrived, imdiately after giving Ciel the potion.
Ciel was clearly in a very dangerous state right now.
Although her mind hadn’t collapsed, according to Ciel herself, the whispers in her head were severely affecting her spirit, even preventing her from hearing surrounding sounds clearly.
Such a condition was usually a warning sign to being consud by the potion.
Uris didn’t speak. She knelt beside Ciel, her four white shadows overlapping with her figure. She reached out her right hand and placed it on the head position of Ciel’s shadow.
Voom—
Like a monstrous tsunami crashing down, endless black noise instantly flooded Uris’s mind. Two streams of blood flowed down her cheeks from her ears.
The white shadows overlapping Uris’s body began to twitch spasmodically, unable to maintain complete cohesion with her form.
Suddenly, Uris withdrew her right hand. The overlapping white shadows within her body seed to suffer so impact, ejected from her back and hovering in mid-air.
The pure white shadows had beco sowhat murky, their forms flickering constantly.
Ciel, who had been lying on Avena’s lap with a pained expression, semi-conscious, gradually relaxed her furrowed brow, seemingly drifting into a peaceful sleep.
“I... helped absorb so of the ntal interference. She should be fine for now...” Uris supported her forehead. Just as she tried to stand, her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the floor.
Bearing the ntal and physical suffering of others was a distinctive ability of the “Ascetic” path. Uris had previously helped Ciel bear so of the burn pain during her “Avenger” advancent.
But now, even enduring just a portion of the whispers and ntal interference in Ciel’s mind caused the nearly digested potion within Uris to boil.
Countless absurd and bizarre images even began flashing before Uris’s eyes. Unheard-of, indescribable creatures road in the darkness before her.
For transcendents, damage to sensory organs often ant being more susceptible to seeing things others couldn’t, making them more prone to madness.
The problem with Uris’s eyes prevented her from bearing any more of Ciel’s suffering.
“I can’t hold on for much longer...” Uris steadied her breath, her voice weak. “We must quickly take Ciel to the Church of the Savior Goddess...”
Uris continued, “Let baptize her, the Goddess will help her. When the ‘Radiance Bishop’ arrives, we will take her to the Holy See for treatnt of her ntal condition...”
“That won’t be necessary, High Priest.” Avena interrupted Uris flatly, her tone leaving no room for argunt.
“Thank you for your help, High Priest. I will donate the corresponding amount in su pounds in your na to the Church. I will also personally pay you a generous reward.”
Avena lowered her head, gently placed her hand on Ciel’s forehead, and carefully brushed aside the hair from her brow.
“Ciel is my friend. I will handle her subsequent treatnt.”
Behind Avena, the “Crown Guard” Nia slowly stepped forward, her sword and shield still drawn.
Even though Nia said nothing, anyone could see that if Uris didn’t agree, she would resort to force.
Avena would never hand Ciel over to the Church of the Savior Goddess, even though the Church had ample reason to investigate Ciel, now being a “Judicator”—a path strictly controlled by them.
Handing Ciel over ant she would likely be baptized and beco a mber of the Church... At that point, would Ciel, prioritizing the Church’s interests and the Goddess, still be the sa Ciel?
She wouldn’t be.
“Miss Roswell, please forgive my bluntness,” Uris’s usually kind expression gradually turned indifferent. “Your family cannot resolve Miss Ciel’s ntal condition.”
“Moreover, I promised Miss Ciel. She provided intelligence to and the Holy See, and I helped her complete the Reconstitution Ritual... Her condition hasn’t stabilized yet, the transaction is still ongoing.”
“The agreent, the promise to her, wasn’t just mine.”
“It was the entire Church of the Savior Goddess.”
Uris could not hand Ciel over to Avena.
The “Radiance Bishop” would arrive within 24 hours. Although the Church’s influence wasn’t as strong in Ansu, in Berren City, the Church of the Savior Goddess reigned supre.
Before then, she had to ensure Ciel remained within her sight. Once the “Radiance Bishop” arrived, even Avena wouldn’t be able to keep Ciel.
Uris was almost certain Ciel was a Saintess candidate. If she baptized her, she herself might complete the final part of her own ritual and obtain the “Radiance Bishop” potion and ritual.
Whether for personal gain or the Church’s interests, Uris had to keep Ciel by her side at all costs.
Uris swayed as she stood up, the flickering white shadows surrounding her.
The atmosphere grew tense, charged with hostility.
The alliance, seemingly unbreakable just minutes ago, now showed widening cracks.
Neither wanted to relinquish Ciel to the other.
“You need not worry about stabilizing her spirit. The ‘Sacrificial Saint’s Relic’ can help Ciel stabilize her mind,” Avena countered firmly. “The transaction is concluded.”
Uris: “Your esteed family doesn’t possess many ‘Sacrificial Saint’s Relics,’ do they.”
Avena: “Enough to last until she regains her senses and digests so of the potion. If it’s not enough, I will acquire more.”
A deathly silence fell over the area.
Avena gently lifted Ciel’s shoulders, cradling her in her arms, completely unconcerned about the bloodstains on Ciel’s maid dress smudging her own exposed skin.
If Uris made any sudden move, she could imdiately scoop up the light Ciel and have Nia escort her away.
Seeing the escalating tension in the exchange area, Adele, standing to the side, grew anxious.
On one side was a friend she had recently made, soone who had listened to her inner turmoil and secrets. On the other was her sister, with whom she had depended on since childhood. Caught in the middle, Adele felt overwheld.
But she felt she had to say sothing, or they would start fighting.
“I...” Adele slowly raised her right hand, but no one seed to notice her.
“Um...” Seeing the “Crown Guard” already raising her sword, Adele shut her eyes tightly and stepped directly between Avena and Uris.
“Listen to !” Adele opened her eyes to find both Avena and Uris looking at her.
“I have an idea...” Adele instantly lost the courage she had mustered monts before, speaking softly, “Ciel could stay at my place for now... I’m a ‘Physician,’ I can look after her physical condition.”
“Staying deadlocked here will only make Ciel’s situation worse...”
After speaking, Adele peeked nervously at both sides, seeing they had fallen silent.
Uris remained silent for a long mont before saying, “I have no objection.”
As long as Ciel wasn’t with Avena, once the “Radiance Bishop” arrived, even if Avena objected, she could forcefully take Ciel away.
As for her sister Adele, she couldn’t possibly stop her from taking Ciel. She just needed to coax her later, promise to bring her to visit Ciel periodically.
anwhile, Avena, lost in thought, hesitated for a while before also saying, “I have no objection either.”
Adele lived at 31 Gem Avenue, very close to Sir’s Bridge District, but quite far from the Clock Tower Church—a normal carriage ride would take twenty to thirty minutes.
Ciel’s physical condition was indeed poor. Having a top-tier “Physician” help nurse her back to health would speed up her recovery.
She owned several properties on Gem Avenue herself; she could even move directly across from Adele. Once Ciel’s condition improved slightly, she would take her away imdiately, bringing her sister along too.
As for the High Priest of the Church of the Savior Goddess? Would she rent a place near Adele too?
Unlikely. Avena would simply rent out all the nearby buildings.
Avena knew that the Church of the Savior Goddess funneled most of its collected funds back to the Holy See in Ansu to solidify its base. Furthermore, because the church frequently antagonized rchants, nobles, and factory owners, it was seen as a thorn in the side of capital and aristocracy.
They possessed few inco-generating assets themselves, and any they had would likely be driven to bankruptcy by other capitalists due to high labor costs and insufficient production capacity.
Moreover, mbers of the Church of the Savior Goddess, starting from “Ascetics,” constantly gave away their wealth to help others. By the ti they reached “Missionary,” they were practically broke. They wouldn’t have much disposable inco until reaching “Radiance Bishop.”
Even “Physician” Adele could afford to live on Gem Avenue, but mbers of the Church of the Savior Goddess mostly resided in or near Clock Tower Alley.
Would they station people nearby?
Sorry, the police departnt belongs to the Russells. How could they compete? A simple pretext would be enough to detain them. Ordinary “Ascetics” and church attendants wouldn’t resist.
As for Adele?
She wasn’t even a factor in Avena’s considerations. Her threat level was probably only slightly higher than a goose on a farm.
Seeing both sides reach an agreent without resorting to violence, Adele let out a long sigh of relief.
A surge of pride filled Adele’s heart. With her unparalleled wisdom and extraordinary courage, she had successfully prevented a conflict between the Roswell family and the Church of the Savior Goddess.
At this thought, Adele couldn’t help but puff out her chest slightly, then hunched her shoulders slightly, adopting a posture like a hunting wolf, and said firmly, “My house is just over there. I... I’ll lead the way...”
Since Avena and Uris’s clothes were badly damaged, and the only available garnts in the manor were standard-issue maid dresses, they temporarily changed into those to cover themselves.
Avena carried Ciel onto the carriage, holding her directly, letting Ciel lean against her, seemingly afraid that the mont she let go, Uris, sitting opposite, would snatch Ciel away.
Adele and Nia took the reins up front, driving all the way to the entrance of 31 Gem Avenue.
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