Quadruple split.

Chapter 2642 Interlude: Lionheart
"Alright, alright, let's put Kevin's matter aside for now."

Clara waved her hand helplessly to interrupt Hess's reverie, and shrugged, "So here's the problem. Although Louise and I are the nominal leaders of this investigation team, I'm just an innocent and kind nun, and Louise's military skills are beyond expectation. If Theresa isn't here... tsk tsk, to be honest, it's not going to be easy."

Louise picked up her glass of water, took a sip, and said meekly, "I'm very good at fighting."

"No, no, no, darling, the problem now isn't how good you are at fighting, but how we should fight."

Clara sighed and chuckled dryly, "After all, although we are an 'investigation' unit, if we only consider the investigation results, the fact that Knight Commander Madoran returned directly to the City of Light speaks volumes."

Louise blinked, asking curiously, "What's the problem?"

"..."

Clara glanced at this somewhat naive and innocent saint with a subtle expression. After confirming several times that the other party was not playing a trick on her, but genuinely did not understand the situation, she explained with a forced smile: "The problem is, whether it is our Black Vane Priest, or your Avery and Philip, or even the troops that should theoretically be stationed in Dunbua City, nine times out of ten nothing has happened to them."

"Eh?"

Louise paused for a moment, then let out a long sigh of relief and smiled, "That's great."

"You're so cute, baby."

Clara, who was shorter than Louise sitting up, stood on tiptoe, reached out and patted Louise's head, then turned to Hess and said, "In short, our problem right now is that we're 'outsiders.' Logically, this should be Madolan's responsibility, but he ran back to the City of Light and didn't even send someone who knows how to fight. I contacted Sister Xia Lian before, and guess what? She told me to handle it myself. What the hell am I supposed to handle?"

"I understand."

Hess nodded and said seriously, "So your current concern is that you two are unsure how to cooperate with Pastor Black Vane, Prince Philip, and Prince Avery, who, although confirmed to be alive, have unknown motives and are not convenient to contact us, is that right?"

Clara shrugged and nodded, "That's how it is. I was thinking that if Theresa could help, at least we'd have some direction. Hess, you don't know, but that girl has a thing for our Black Vane priests..."

"Sister Clara!!!"

Theresa blushed and let out a soft, animal-like scream, exclaiming in a panic, "What are you saying!"

"Uh... no, well... you don't think I can't tell, do you?"

Clara was also taken aback, then scratched her head and said with a subtle expression, "Although we haven't known each other for very long, the way you talked about Black Vane didn't seem like you were trying to hide anything. I thought you never intended to keep it a secret from the beginning."

"!?"

Teresa, who had thought she had hidden herself quite well, froze on the spot as if struck by lightning. Then, mechanically, she turned her head to Ren, who had been following her, and cast a pleading and inquiring look at her.

However, Lian, who would never deceive Theresa, only gave her a look that said, "That's right, you're too obvious," which immediately short-circuited the child.

"cough."

Not entirely clear on the situation, but sensing the somewhat awkward atmosphere, Hess coughed lightly and steered the conversation back to the main topic: "Is there no word from the City of Light?"

Clara shook her head and replied, "Judging by the time, if they had any instructions over there, they would have arrived here by now. So I think their intention is to let things take their course and let us decide what to do."

[Considering that the Black Brahma Priest and the two Holy Sons are safe, and that the highest-ranking officials in this investigation team belong to the Dawn and Justice factions respectively, their intention is probably for us to cooperate as much as possible with the missing persons in Dunbua City. Furthermore, considering my position as one of the temporary leaders of the support force and the standard-bearer of the Sun Sect… I see, it's a test.]

Hess's gaze narrowed slightly, then he took a deep breath and said seriously, "I think that at this stage, our investigation team's first priority is to make contact with Pastor Black Brahma and the others. Even if we can't make direct contact, we should try our best to find out their purpose, and then cooperate to the maximum extent within the authority of the 'investigation team,' and even restrain the Blood Barbarians if necessary."

"Oh? That's not appropriate."

Clara sat next to Louise, swinging her legs as she said leisurely, "Since the Alliance hasn't given us any clear instructions, and the missing people in Dunbua City haven't tried to contact us, even without a legendary-level powerhouse like Knight Commander Madoran, rashly starting a conflict with the Blood Barbarians probably isn't a good idea."

Although Clara already knew someone's core purpose and general plan from Xia Lian, she clearly didn't intend to reveal it under these circumstances, after all—

[The investigation team is composed of diverse individuals. Even if they wanted to cooperate with their "own people" who are plotting something in the Blood Barbarian heartland, they probably wouldn't be able to convince everyone before openly revealing their plans... Ha, so that's why they need me, someone who has no vested interests with Black Brahma and the two Holy Sons, and can simultaneously represent the positions of both the Sun Cult and the investigation team, to "take a stand"?]

Hess Wintertooth, whose mind was far more profound than most people's stereotypical image of him as someone with only maxed-out mental attributes and relatively average personal combat and tactical skills, was a young standard-bearer who reacted almost before Clara finished speaking, and then answered very seriously: "In any case, compared to the Blood Barbarians, I think the Survey Corps' stance should at least be more inclined towards our 'own people'."

"Oh haha~"

Clara let out a cryptic sigh, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips, and said leisurely, "In that case, as the standard-bearer of the Sun Church's Knights of the Guardian, Sister Hess... I wonder if you would be interested in taking on the important task of overseeing the strategic direction of the investigation force at this stage?"

【I see. 】

Only then did Hess realize that neither Sir Guest, the person in charge of Gospel Mountain City, nor Sister Clara in front of him, had ever truly intended to have Theresa join the investigation team from the beginning. Hess nodded slightly and said seriously, "I am willing to do my best to cooperate with you two and, within my capabilities, do my best to ensure that the investigation team performs its duties and exerts its due effectiveness."

Although he was only one of the leaders of the investigation team during the march, considering that the other three leaders belonged to the Dawn Cult, the Abundance Cult, and the Justice Cult respectively, Hess knew very well that he did not need to worry about the three people who knew more about the inside story than he did, so he stated his position directly.

After all, the orders she received before leaving were to cooperate fully and without reservation.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Sister Hess."

Clara clapped her hands happily and said, "Don't worry, Louise and I will be with you the whole time. If there are any problems or things that need to be discussed, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Ah."

Louise nodded obediently, then said to Hess in a serious tone, "By the way, could you keep an eye on Kay for me...?"

"A few."

Just then, a tall, elderly man, though advanced in years, still brimming with energy, strode into the camp and said solemnly, "There's been a small incident outside."

"Minor situation?"

Hess paused for a moment, then turned to look at Geist, the high-ranking paladin belonging to the Founding Church and the supreme leader of Gospel Mountain City, and politely asked, "What's going on?"

“A young man came from outside the city and said he wanted to join the Allied Forces.”

Guest briefly explained the situation, then handed a parchment envelope to Hess, adding, "He has a letter of recommendation from Razdunk Blaze, the High Priest of the Mist Cult and the Dean of the Academy City's Radiant Theological Seminary."

"The Dean of the Heavenly Radiance Academy?" Hess paused for a moment, then handed the envelope to Clara without even opening it.

"The Dean of Skyradiance Theological Seminary?"

Clara muttered something in a daze, but after quickly glancing at the letter, she gave a rather amused smile and said softly, "Tsk tsk, so it's that lecherous brat."

[Absolutely audacious?]

Although he didn't listen attentively, because Clara didn't try to hide anything, Hess clearly caught the key words, and his expression became increasingly bewildered.

Clearly, she didn't immediately realize why the highly respected dean of the Sky Radiance Theological Seminary would write a recommendation letter for such a lecherous young man.

Then--

"Well, since Razdunk personally recommended him for the internship, we can't refuse him."

Clara grinned, then turned to Hess and said cheerfully, "Here's what we'll do, Hess. You'll have to do the work of getting that kid from our sect into our joint investigation team. But he doesn't need any special treatment. If the situation allows... you can even make him suffer a little."

[A member of the Dawn Cult?]

While thinking rapidly, Hess hesitated and said, "Assigning him to the investigation team is fine, but wouldn't it be a bit much if he had to endure some hardship..."

"It's ok."

Clara grinned and explained, "That kid tried to poach our Black Vane priest before. Yes, he pursued Prince Wangyu quite aggressively. Logically, he should have suffered a lot after graduation, but unexpectedly, he took the initiative and came here to 'suffer' under the guise of an internship. Plus, he has Razdunk's recommendation letter. Although we can't send him back to where he came from, giving him a little hardship isn't too much."

"Eh!"

Upon hearing this, Theresa, who had been feeling down because her unrequited love for someone had been exposed and had been sitting silently with her neck hunched over, immediately looked up and exclaimed softly, "Could it be that senior Richard Lane?"

Clara immediately turned to Theresa and asked curiously, "What? Do you know that Ryan kid?"

"Well, I wouldn't say we know each other."

While unconsciously playing with the braid on her shoulder, Theresa hesitated and said, "However, I have seen Senior Ryan's performance in the War League. Although he is not mature enough in many aspects, if he had not met that Chief of Staff Ramorok of the Dream Kingdom, he might have gone much further."

Clara was taken aback: "So he's very powerful?"

"I wouldn't say it's that amazing."

While recalling Richard's crushing defeat to Ramorok that day, Theresa said quite objectively, "But it's not too bad. In terms of skill level alone, Senior Ryan should be about the same as Senior Barty Arthur, the champion of this year's Warfire League."

"Oh, I see."

Clara nodded as if she understood, revealing an expression of profound awe and bewilderment.

[The championship level of the War League...]

Hess narrowed her beautiful golden vertical pupils. Clearly, as the standard-bearer of the Sun Church's Knights of Protection, she, who had been paying attention to the military field for many years, was well aware of the prestige of the [War League]. Therefore, she was somewhat interested in Richard Lane, who the [Witch] said was on par with the current champion.

Of course, this interest has nothing to do with personal feelings or preferences. In fact, ever since Clara made that comment about Richard being 'bold and audacious,' Hess's liking for him has plummeted to rock bottom.

"all in all……"

Hess took a deep breath and bowed to Clara, Louise, and Guest: "I'll go check on the situation and make some simple arrangements for Mr. Ryan."

After saying this, she nodded to Theresa and Lin, and then quickly left.

"Ugh."

Louise let out a reluctant groan and muttered, "I haven't even asked her to keep an eye on Kevin for me yet."

"You should rest for a while, baby."

Clara sighed, glancing helplessly at Louise who was puffing out her cheeks and muttering, and comforted her, "You have to believe in the God you worship. If you and Kevin are truly destined for each other, He will surely bless you."

"He won't."

Louise shook her head and said seriously, "Tychus said he asked the God of Justice, and He said He doesn't interfere in matchmaking."

Clara: “…”

……

Ten minutes later, at the edge of the Gospel Hill Training Ground, in the temporary rest area

Click——

The moment the door opened, the restless Richard Lane instinctively stood up, tense and taut like a prisoner awaiting trial.

Then, like a ray of brilliant sunshine shining into the room, a beautiful, charming, yet icy woman walked in, making Richard subconsciously raise his hand to tidy his somewhat messy blonde hair.

"Hello, Mr. Richard Lane."

“Ah, uh, you… hello, ma’am, I am Richard Lane of the Dawn Cult.”

"Hess".

"what?"

“Hess Winter’s name is my name.”

Chapter 2633: The End