Chapter 313: Loseweisse: You Wouldn’t Want Certain Things to Be Known, Would You?
An unexpected bonus!
He could learn about Kasidar Forest from Carlos, his enemy. This was valuable information for his upcoming expedition.
Carlos hesitated, seemingly reluctant to speak in front of Qin Chu.
Seeing his silence, Natia frowned: “Mr. Carlos, why aren’t you speaking?”
“Does the Adventurer’s Guild charge for information? How much? I’ll buy it,” she said quickly.
Money was no object to her. She didn’t even know how much she had, but it was surely enough to buy this information.
Even Carlos was taken aback by her naivety. He scratched his head: “Very well, Miss Natia. I’ll tell you.”
“The adventurer was a rogue, level 70+.”
“While not as powerful as the Grand Mages, Titled Knights, and War Gods who explored the forest, he was still quite skilled. And he had an innate ability to completely conceal his presence, far superior to ordinary rogues’ stealth skills. Even those stronger than him would have difficulty detecting him.”
“I don’t know what he experienced in the forest, but he returned insane. Even the Holy See’s Archbishop couldn’t heal him. His mind was completely shattered.”
“He kept muttering about a heart, vampires, monsters…”
“He also said the forest was filled with ghosts and demons.”
Both Natia and Qin Chu frowned.
Qin Chu knew about the heart. The Second Jie Luo had seen it.
But the soul fragment hadn’t mentioned vampires, monsters, or ghosts. Had the Second Jie Luo simply ignored them, deeming them insignificant?
And the rogue returning insane… in Qin Chu’s experience, only Evil Gods could cause such madness.
Carlos paused, then continued: “However, one thing is certain: there’s something within the forest that can drastically increase one’s power. After returning, despite his madness, the rogue’s strength increased rapidly. He quickly became a Master Thief, albeit an insane one.”
“He even stabbed his own ears, claiming voices were whispering to him. But even after destroying his ears, the whispers persisted.”
“In the end, he couldn’t bear the torment and killed himself.”
“So, Miss Natia, if you’re planning to explore the forest, I advise you to reconsider. That place is cursed.”
Natia absorbed the information, then placed a thick stack of 10,000 mana bills on the table, at least a hundred of them.
Payment for the information.
Qin Chu’s lips twitched. As expected of a Grand Mage from Sage Mountain. Money is no object. A million mana, just like that.
Natia quickly returned her book to the shelf, then headed downstairs.
She needed to return to Sage Mountain and inform Zimmerman, preventing him from venturing into the forest.
Carlos, surprised by her abrupt departure, called out: “Miss Natia, about dinner…”
“Did I agree to have dinner with you?” she asked, puzzled. She didn’t see anything wrong with her actions. She had asked a question, he had answered, and she had paid him for the information.
Carlos’s face fell. She hadn’t actually agreed. He had simply volunteered the information.
And her payment was far more than he had expected.
Qin Chu smirked inwardly. Is this guy an idiot? He should have invited her to dinner first, then revealed the information during dinner.
Natia, having returned her book, glanced at Carlos, then at Qin Chu, adding: “And Mr. Carlos…”
“I’m in love with Mr. Qin. Having dinner with another man would be inappropriate. It would make him misunderstand.”
Qin Chu almost choked. Why did she have to add that?
Carlos’s face turned green.
Natia nodded politely, then turned to Qin Chu, her expression unchanged: “Mr. Qin, I’ll return to Sage Mountain now. Please consider my proposal.”
Her proposal?
Qin Chu’s head ached. She was referring to her marriage proposal, wasn’t she? He remembered her even mentioning that she was wealthy and could support him even if he didn’t work.
He was almost tempted to say, Sugar momma, please take care of me.
Natia, seemingly oblivious to the awkward atmosphere, left, leaving Qin Chu and Carlos staring at each other.
Qin Chu knew he had made an enemy, but he didn’t care.
…
Meanwhile, at the Holy See.
Archbishop Cain hurried towards the Saintess’s chambers.
He didn’t know why she had summoned him, but judging by the messenger’s urgency, it must be important.
He felt a knot of anxiety in his stomach. The Holy See had been in turmoil lately.
A Vice-Captain of the Holy Knights had been exposed for embezzling six million mana, for nepotism, and for having an affair with a nun…
Frankly, as a Vice-Captain, six million mana was a drop in the bucket.
And who hadn’t engaged in a little nepotism?
And an affair with a nun?
Cain almost admired him. With so many beautiful nuns in the Holy See, and the Vice-Captain being powerful, handsome, and influential, he had only had an affair with one nun?
Gods, what a virtuous man.
Cain felt unworthy to be called a clergyman in his presence.
For those in positions of power, these things were… commonplace. I do it, you do it, everyone does it. Let’s not pretend otherwise.
But knowing was one thing, and public exposure was another. The Vice-Captain’s scandal had rocked the Holy See. Even the Pope’s order to silence the rumors hadn’t been entirely effective. The nuns, priests, and Holy Knights still whispered about it… and even the believers outside the Church.
Especially the Holy Knights, whose wages had been embezzled. They were the direct victims.
Fueled by some unseen force, their outrage had escalated, turning a minor incident into a major scandal. The Vice-Captain, unable to withstand the pressure, had resigned.
Then, he had been arrested by the Inquisition, awaiting investigation and trial.
Cain hadn’t expected those ordinary nuns, Holy Knights, priests, and even the powerless believers, to exert such pressure, forcing a Titled Knight to resign.
This had made everyone in positions of power cautious, fearing their own misdeeds might be exposed.
As he reached the Saintess’s chambers, a shiver ran down his spine.
As Archbishop, he was technically outranked by the Saintess, but she was more of a figurehead, while he held real power. He shouldn’t fear her.
But a heavy weight pressed down on his chest, a chill running down his neck.
As he hesitated, Loseweisse’s voice echoed from within: “Archbishop Cain? Please come in.”
Having been discovered, he had no choice.
He took a deep breath and opened the door.
His heart sank as he saw the scene within.
Two figures stood in the room. One was the beautiful Saintess Loseweisse… despite having seen her countless times, he was still captivated by her beauty.
She was a truly alluring woman, elegant, noble, proud, and infinitely charming.
Perhaps the most beautiful Saintess in history.
Even Cain, knowing it was inappropriate, occasionally entertained… sinful thoughts.
But today, such thoughts were far from his mind.
Because…
Behind Loseweisse stood another figure.
A tall, lean man in crimson robes, the color of the Inquisition. His nose was sharp, his pale grey eyes like bottomless pits, his sea-blue hair messy and unkempt, a stark contrast to the Holy See’s usual pristine appearance.
But it was this man who made Cain’s breath catch in his throat.
His face paled, a sense of dread washing over him.
It was Douglas, the Cardinal of the Inquisition.
The second most powerful figure in the Holy See, second only to Pope Augustus.
What was he doing here?
There were rumors of him being close to Saintess Loseweisse…
Countless thoughts raced through Cain’s mind.
As Douglas’s grey eyes fixed on him, Cain felt as if he were being pulled into a whirlpool, dragged towards a bottomless abyss.
He swallowed hard: “Saintess, Your Eminence… what can I do for you?”
Loseweisse closed the black notebook she had been reading and smiled at him, a beautiful smile that belied the chilling words that escaped her lips:
“Archbishop Cain… you wouldn’t want certain things you’ve done to be known, would you?”
Loseweisse has learned well!
She was practically his great-grandstudent.
