She Really Does Care About You...

Under Bishop Paul's command, fully armed clerics swarmed into the room, handcuffed the half-dead Bishop Terry, and forcibly escorted him away.

Ansu glanced at Cecilia for confirmation. She gave him a reassuring look.

"His internal organs are too badly damaged. He can't be saved."

She spoke in a low voice. "None of the Holy Light Divine Arts will work. Unless the Goddess descends in person."

Ansu felt relieved. Good.

After all, Cecilia had been quite "restrained" when she'd attacked. Every arrow had been aimed at a vital spot. If Terry still survived this, that really would be a miracle...

Meanwhile, Freya also breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the clerics escort Bishop Terry out.

"This should be over now, right..."

Freya quietly looked at Ansu, who was standing far away from her and didn't even dare to look her in the eye.

Strange...

Employees were usually afraid of their bosses, but Ansu seemed a little too nervous...

Could his boss actually eat people?

Freya furrowed her delicate brows, growing more and more indignant on Ansu's behalf.

How could the Chosen One be exploited by a boss like that? Who did she think she was?

Even Freya, who was usually good-natured, couldn't help getting angry. She strode forward with an unfriendly look, ready to stand up for Ansu.

As Freya kept walking closer, Ansu's heart leapt into his throat...

Don't come any closer!!

"She really does care about you..." Cecilia had clearly noticed Freya's expression too. She said coolly, "Looks like the two of you are even closer than I thought."

At first, based on what Ansu had told her, their relationship was merely one of using and being used, under threat. But today... it clearly didn't look that way.

When the Saintess had first pushed open the door, her anxiety and worry had been written all over her face. That was hardly a simple relationship of "using" each other!

Cecilia was getting more and more suspicious...

"We've only attended a few classes together. Once this is over..." Ansu lowered his voice, trying his best to dispel Cecilia's doubts. "We probably won't have much chance to see each other again. Don't worry..."

"Oh?" Cecilia gave a cold laugh. "I hope so."

"An—!" Just as Freya was about to speak,

Bishop Paul returned with a sigh.

His aged face was full of weariness. "Mr. Ansu, Freya just told me what happened. I'm truly grateful for your help in exposing Terry as a traitor to the faith."

"Don't mention it. I'm a member of the Royal Academy, after all." Ansu smiled, thinking that Bishop Paul had come to the rescue at just the right time.

"If you and Freya hadn't investigated in secret, a tragedy might have happened. And at the Benalu Royal Academy, no less..." Paul was still shaken by the thought.

"I can't imagine what the consequences would have been. For Terry to make such a grave mistake just to claim credit... I don't even know what to say..."

"You might be overreacting a little." Cecilia glanced at Bishop Paul and remarked coolly, "After all, there's no telling what kind of fool might turn up in the Church. Even if it wasn't him today, it could be someone else tomorrow."

"How can you speak so ill of the Church of Holy Light?" Freya glared at her. What was the matter with Ansu's boss? How could she be so unpleasant?

Ansu hurriedly grabbed Cecilia, who was smirking. What was the Scum Witch on today? Why was she so irritable?

"The lady has a point," Paul said with a rueful smile, unfazed by the insult.

"These days, there aren't many who truly believe in the gods. Many noble children join the Church simply to find a good job. It's hard to say how much unity the Church of Holy Light still has..."

Bishop Paul sighed, then turned to Ansu with gratitude. "In any case, I must extend my special thanks to you, Mr. Ansu. The Holy Light will remember your brave deed. I have to return today to deal with Terry's case, so I won't keep you any longer. Once I have some time, I'll invite you to visit the Holy Dome Cathedral. I hope you'll accept."

"The Church will surely reward you handsomely, Ansu!" Freya understood what Bishop Paul meant and smiled as she winked at him.

"Mm... Does that mean money?" Ansu asked.

"Money?" Bishop Paul was taken aback. He hadn't expected the young hero before him to be so direct.

He shook his head with an amused smile. "Of course. And after such a great service, money will probably be the least significant of your rewards. Don't worry—the Church of Holy Light isn't that stingy."

After Bishop Paul left, Cecilia glanced at Ansu and said wistfully, "Do you like money that much? Didn't I already give you plenty?"

"How could anyone have too much money?" Ansu said with righteous conviction. "I'm just a shallow man, so please, bury me under even more money!"

Cecilia burst out laughing and poked him in the head, exasperated. "Fine. Since you like money so much, I have a job for you. You'll definitely like it."

"What job?" Ansu wondered if it might be the "Demon Army treasure" she'd been investigating.

"You'll find out in a while." Cecilia smiled mysteriously.

Freya silently watched the two of them share their rather affectionate banter, her expression growing more and more puzzled.

Ansu and his mysterious boss were actually pretty close...

Not long after Bishop Paul left the room, Ansu suddenly heard the sounds of an argument and discussion coming from downstairs. Paul seemed to be talking to someone.

Then footsteps slowly sounded on the stairs, and an unwelcome visitor entered the room.

"Are you two the ones who helped Paul capture Terry, the traitor to the faith?"

Ansu sized up the man before him. He was a little older than Terry but younger than Paul, dressed in simple white clerical robes. His unusually sharp eyes studied Ansu and Cecilia.

It was Bishop Leonard.

Ansu hadn't asked Freya to inform him. He hadn't expected Leonard to find them here too.

"Ah! This is Bishop Leonard!" Freya hurriedly introduced him to Ansu. "Bishop Leonard has also been staying in Benalu City. He's in charge of the Demon Hunter Organization of the Church of Holy Light, and he's an archbishop as well."

"Hello, Bishop Leonard." Ansu knew the areas of authority of the three archbishops. Paul was in charge of the local diocese, Terry oversaw the Tribunal of Heresy, and Leonard commanded another of the Church's militant organizations, the Holy Light Purification Department—in other words, the Demon Hunter Organization.

"Hello." Bishop Leonard first gave a polite nod, then frowned and looked around the inn room. "I can smell a trace of magical energy. It's very faint... but there are definitely signs of a battle with a magic user here..."

Ansu and Cecilia exchanged a glance. Cecilia raised an eyebrow, surprised that the man could detect the magical energy she'd deliberately concealed.

"And I saw the puncture wounds on Terry just now. They definitely show signs of magical erosion." Leonard's gaze shifted between Ansu and Cecilia.

"So it wasn't Bishop Paul who defeated Terry just now. It was the two of you, wasn't it?"