Volume 1 Chapter 175.1
by Need_More_SleepVolume 1 + Chapter 175.1: Investigating In Secret
Vivian walked out of the Church, her mind heavy, her steps somewhat hurried, as if the turmoil within had seeped into her actions.
However, she hadn’t taken more than a few steps before she saw several church guards clad in armor standing in neat formation beside an ornately decorated yet cold-looking carriage. Their expressions were serious, their hands resting on their swords, waiting respectfully for her arrival.
But what mood did Vivian have to deal with these people right now?
A fire was burning inside her. That old bastard Pope was so impatient, unwilling to delay even for a moment, urging her to set off for the border immediately.
What bullshit “Holy See’s plan”, full of holes, utterly unfeasible. She could casually think of a long list of problems, yet that old bastard, like a clueless puppet, didn’t even show a hint of doubt, foolishly accepting it all. It was absolutely laughable.
If magical beasts could truly be controlled by a piece of scrap metal, then Vivian might as well change her surname to the Pope’s!
And seeing a person of the Pope’s level being so ignorant firsthand only deepened Vivian’s disdain and disgust. She couldn’t help but wonder, if even an existence like the Pope was this foolish and self-unaware, then how many people in the entire Church truly understood what they were doing?
The more she thought, the more she realized just how important and precious the things Eve had taught her truly were.
Whether it was how to interact with others, how to see the subtext behind words, or the various understandings about the essence of magic, Eve had imparted knowledge to her early on that most people would never touch in a lifetime.
It was these teachings that had, imperceptibly, helped her avoid many potential pitfalls, saving her from countless detours.
As she grew older, she saw more and more clearly, Eve was far more formidable than she had ever imagined.
Yet, it was such a person, so crucial both to the Empire and to herself, who had been…
Her thoughts stopped there. She didn’t dare continue. She was afraid tears would slip out unbidden.
She pulled her thoughts back and cast a cold glance at the guards before her, her tone devoid of any warmth. “I have some personal matters to attend to. I cannot depart for the border immediately. Furthermore, I don’t require any carriage arranged by the Church. I will make my own way once I’ve finished my affairs.”
After all, she was the Saintess. Although the Pope had long wished to push her off this position, unfortunately, her Saintess title was personally conferred by the Holy See, its foundation far more solid than the Pope imagined.
At least within this Empire-level Church, no one could truly shake her status, let alone deal with her easily.
Precisely because of this, faced with Vivian’s cold yet unyielding response, the guards by the carriage didn’t dare say much more.
They exchanged glances, and though hesitation lingered in their hearts to varying degrees, they ultimately lowered their heads silently and agreed in unison.
After all, no matter what they thought, Vivian’s contributions and achievements within the Church were plain for all to see. One could even say they were far more dazzling than those of the lofty Pope himself.
As for that old geezer Pope, his greatest skill might be taking credit for others’ work, claiming all honors for himself while trampling the real hard workers underfoot.
Having shaken off the Church’s so-called “escort”, essentially surveillance, Vivian didn’t hesitate for a second. She strode quickly away from the Church’s entrance, merging into the flow of pedestrians on the street, heading towards the apartment she had rented.
Along the way, she deliberately slowed her pace, scanning her surroundings warily. Only after confirming no suspicious tails were following did she swiftly slip into a dark, deserted alley. Under the cover of shadows, she rapidly adjusted her appearance, skillfully using small tools she carried to disguise herself. Once certain she wouldn’t be easily recognized, she returned to the street and continued towards her destination.
After all this, Vivian quickly adjusted her state of mind, fully immersing herself in the identity of “An Wei.”
After adapting last night, she now instinctively maintained silence upon entering this apartment area, avoiding speaking easily to prevent any slip-ups.
As she walked down the corridor, she happened to encounter apartment staff cleaning. Seeing her, they greeted her warmly.
Vivian merely paused her steps slightly, maintaining “An Wei’s” habitual reticence. She only gave a light nod in acknowledgment before continuing towards her room.
However, a sliver of doubt couldn’t help but stir in her heart.
Leah had mentioned yesterday that her mother was usually very busy, working two jobs to support her. One of those jobs was as the administrator of this very apartment.
Yet now, Vivian saw with her own eyes that the cleaning work was clearly handled by a group of well-dressed office staff, not Eve.
Moreover, Eve had also told her that she was the administrator and that Vivian could come find her anytime she needed something. But it seemed Eve never actually did these trivial chores an administrator should do. There wasn’t even a trace of work related to these duties.
Even so, her salary was paid in full, not a cent short.
The truth behind this… was rather intriguing.
What puzzled and intrigued Vivian even more was Eve’s other job.
According to Leah, Eve had found employment with the Imperial Royal Family, going to work at the Imperial Palace every day.
But that was precisely the problem, the Imperial Palace wasn’t a place just anyone could casually enter. Even she, as the Saintess, couldn’t come and go as she pleased. She had to go through layers of notification and review to barely obtain permission for a single visit.
Even someone of the Pope’s stature had to make a formal appointment at least two to three days in advance to gain entry, otherwise, it was impossible.
As for the Empire’s civil and military officials, they were subject to strict regulations, allowed to move only within specific areas, not daring to overstep by half a step.
But Eve could enter and leave the Imperial Palace daily? This sounded utterly unbelievable.
Vivian couldn’t think of anyone else who might possess such a privilege, apart from special individuals simultaneously recognized by the Imperial Trinity.
Since Eve was clearly not an ordinary person, her identity must have hidden depths.
And this solidified Vivian’s resolve, she would take advantage of the house being empty now to secretly investigate Eve’s daily movements.
She would start with her living habits.
After all, yesterday’s discovery at the cemetery had planted a seed of doubt in her heart.
She wasn’t certain, but she had a bold guess, her mother might not be dead at all.
Otherwise, why would that grave have been dug up? Why was it empty inside, not a trace of remains left?
If Eve were just an ordinary person, Vivian might have considered grave robbery and wondered why a daring thief would target such an old, decaying grave.
Was it a mistaken belief that there were valuable burial items, or was there another motive?
The problem was, Eve wasn’t ordinary.
She was a witch…
This thought struck Vivian’s heart sharply. An unavoidable conjecture surfaced in her mind, making her heartbeat quicken involuntarily.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, then stood before the door to Eve and Leah’s room.
Based on her observations over this period, Leah should be busy working at the Imperial Commerce Guild right now. And Eve… she too should be inside that strictly guarded palace, occupied with that mysterious job that allowed daily entry.
In other words, at this time, the room should be empty, at least, that was the logical assumption.
Thinking this, Vivian couldn’t help but reach out, her fingertips lightly brushing the doorknob.
The door was locked, but this level of security obviously couldn’t stop Vivian.
She closed her eyes slightly. With a subtle exertion of will, magic quietly seeped into the lock core, effortlessly deciphering its mechanism.
A soft click sounded. The once-secure lock instantly became useless.
She gently turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, her movements smooth, as if she were the master of the house.
The room remained as tidy and bright as ever. The window was half-open, sunlight streaming in, casting warmth upon the neatly arranged furniture.
Clothes washed the night before were drying on the balcony, completely dry now. A breeze wafted through, carrying a faint, gentle, familiar fragrance, a scent reminiscent of Eve’s consistently clean and efficient manner.
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