Life Potion

"My strength had increased by nearly twenty percent. The surface of my skin had grown much firmer, improving my ability to withstand blows. My speed had increased slightly, and my ability to recover from injuries should have improved to some degree as well."

Karl loosely clenched his five fingers, silently sensing the changes in his body.

"Besides that..."

"Negative emotions in my heart, such as caution, fear, and worry, have weakened. I've become more courageous."

All these changes had happened in an instant.

So powerful!

Was this divine magic?

It couldn't directly harm enemies, but it could greatly enhance the strength and Fighting Will of one's allies.

And it wasn't limited to a single person. It was a blessing that covered a wide area.

If it were used on the battlefield...

Turning the tide would be child's play!

Though Karl was amazed by the priest's methods, he wasn't surprised.

The Church wielded power beyond the secular authorities in this world of Extraordinary Power. How could it be thanks only to some ethereal faith?

Without great power, it would have been impossible.

"Charge!"

At the priest's sweeping gesture, two hulking figures were the first to burst from the crowd, crashing into the wall ahead.

BOOM!

The tall wall of brick and stone was as fragile as a stack of tofu before them.

In an instant,

two man-shaped holes had been smashed through the wall.

Knights!

And they were fully armed.

An Official Knight's strength could overwhelm a ferocious beast. The weapons in their hands alone weighed dozens of pounds, and out in the wild, a single knight could slaughter an entire pack of wolves.

Their heavy armor could shrug off ordinary attacks.

The two charged into the manor and slaughtered its people amid the flames. Corpses littered the ground wherever they went.

By the time Karl followed the crowd inside, the fighting was nearly over. Blood flowed across the ground, and there wasn't a single survivor in sight.

"They killed the old and the children, too?"

The bodies on the ground weighed heavily on Karl's heart, giving him a deeper understanding of the Church's brutality.

"Don't just stand there."

Dina patted him on the shoulder.

"Let's go to the next place."

"Yes."

Karl came to his senses and nodded.

Maybe the Church's power was simply too great. Today's operation had seemed to fizzle out almost as soon as it began.

Aside from some resistance at a manor on the outskirts of the city, the other locations had been swept through like a plow, with hardly any meaningful opposition.

By dusk, it was over.

Dina pushed aside the exhaustion from a day of rushing about, straightened her clothes, and followed someone into the hall.

This was the Council Hall.

The three highest-ranking figures in Signo City were the Bishop, the City Lord, and an elder of the Noble Council.

The elder was in poor health and hadn't attended a council meeting in years. Most of his duties were handled by the Council Chairman, Frank.

He was a highly respected viscount, a man of noble character whom the nobles deeply admired.

"I never expected the followers of the evil god Elise to be hiding in the city. Fortunately, you discovered them in time."

When Dina entered, Frank gestured for the others to leave, then praised her.

"Viscount Sassoon has every reason to be proud of a daughter like you."

"Thank you for your praise, Chairman." Dina placed one hand over her left breast and bowed, then asked, "Have you found any clues about what happened last night?"

"Hmm..." Frank fell into thought.

"According to our investigation, the one who killed the followers of the evil god was probably the Fire Thief. There were clear traces of fire at the scene."

"The Fire Thief?"

Dina frowned unconsciously.

"Correct."

Frank nodded.

"Earlier, when you were investigating the Mummy Case, Elise's followers deliberately led you to one of the Fire Thief's hideouts, causing it to be destroyed. This time was likely the Fire Thief's revenge."

"Even followers of different evil gods don't get along."

Dina slowly nodded.

That explanation made sense, but if the Fire Thief was responsible, why hadn't they killed her while they were at it?

They'd even helped free her from the spiderwebs.

She was the one who had destroyed the Fire Thief's hideout.

"Chairman."

Dina spoke up.

"According to our investigation, besides the people who were killed yesterday, there should be someone else pulling the strings behind them."

"This person holds a certain amount of social standing and often frequents high-end establishments. He was the one who selected the targets."

She continued, "We probably didn't catch him during today's operation."

"Is that so?" Frank stroked his chin, then nodded. "I understand. Someone will continue investigating the matter. For now, let's talk about you."

"Your conduct has met the knightly principles of upholding justice and protecting the weak, and you've shown courage in the face of death. The Council has decided to reward you with a Life Potion."

He took a bottle of potion from his desk and held it out to her.

"Congratulations!"

"I hope you can truly become a knight. The country and its people need people like you to protect them."

Life Potion!

Dina's heart pounded wildly. Her hands trembled slightly as she carefully accepted the potion. For a moment, she even forgot the questions she had about the case.

"Chairman, I...I'll do my best."

"Mm."

Frank smiled and nodded.

"Go on. Take good care of yourself during this time and prepare to take the potion. I'm looking forward to the day you become a knight."

"Mm."

Dina nodded firmly.

After watching Dina leave the hall, the smile on Frank's face slowly faded, leaving him looking livid.

He turned and entered a side room.

Someone was already waiting there.

"You gave our enemy a Life Potion." The person waiting in the room spoke in a muffled voice as Frank entered. "It could become the weapon that kills us."

"Hmph!"

Frank snorted.

"I wasn't the only one who approved and distributed the Life Potion. Besides, if you'd been more discreet, things wouldn't have come to this."

"Discreet?" The other man looked disdainful. "Taking other people's lives pleases the Mother Goddess, but we're not the ones who need Purity Potions. You are."

"A maiden's blood can preserve youth and beauty. The wealthy women in the city can't wait for us to kill more people. They'll pay any price for their looks."

If Dina had heard their conversation, she would have been utterly shocked.

The respected Council Chairman Frank was secretly colluding with the followers of an evil god. He knew exactly what they were doing, yet he didn't stop them. Instead, he had chosen to let them carry on.

"Enough."

The tattooed, bald Big Man waved his hand and spoke in a muffled voice.

"I want to know who killed Jeff!"

"We don't have any leads yet." Frank spread his hands. "Are you sure it wasn't the Fire Thief?"

"Of course."

The bald Big Man narrowed his eyes.

"I know them well. And if they were responsible, there'd be no reason for them to let that girl go."

"Perhaps..."

He looked at Frank and spoke slowly.

"It was a wizard?"

"A wizard?" Frank's expression changed. He seemed deeply wary of the word and shook his head at once. "Even the Church can't control them. Don't expect me to investigate. They're a bunch of faithless people."

"I know." The bald Big Man asked, "But you should know something about the Wizard Apprentices in Signo City, shouldn't you?"

"...Yes." Frank hesitated before nodding. "I do know a few, but I don't think any of them can conjure fire."

"They usually hide their abilities." The bald Big Man was just as troubled by wizards. He shook his head, then changed the subject. "The defeat at the front is already certain. It's time for you to make a decision, too."

Frank's expression darkened.

Grand Duke Saxen, who had led the expedition against Coburg, had died in battle a few days ago. The front had collapsed, and the enemy's army was rapidly advancing toward the Kingdom of Gondo. This was the latest news from the front, and the public hadn't been informed yet.

"Signo City isn't on the front lines."

Frank said, "And we haven't necessarily lost."

"Heh..." The bald Big Man sneered in disdain. "You'd better hope so."