Secrets: Priestess

Chapter 43 Visit
Old Neil's home is a single-family house located on the outskirts of the northern district of Tingen.

Roses and golden mint are planted in the small garden in front of the house.

Leonard went up and knocked on the door, and soon Old Neil opened it.

Claire noticed that there were remnants of ritual magic in the house.

"Why are you two here together?" Old Neil asked in confusion as he asked them to sit on the bench next to the round table.

Klein was helping Old Neil pack up the ritual materials in the living room.

"I've been feeling a bit stressed lately, so I wanted to take a break. Just then, I heard from Roshan that you invited Klein to your house... Claire has been on the team for a while, but she's never been to your place, so I brought her here to meet you."

"When did you get a piano?"

Leonard pointed at the piano and mentioned it casually.

Old Neil went to make coffee for everyone. Klein whispered, "Mr. Neil's late wife loved music..."

Leonard was stunned.

Among all the current members of the team, including the civilian staff, only Captain Dunn and he have a relatively detailed understanding of Old Neil's past.

"Where did you get your deceased wife?" Leonard blurted out.

Placing the brewed coffee in front of Claire, Old Neil raised the corner of his mouth, revealing his usual mischievous smile: "Leonard, what are you talking about? Did Dunn tell you about my deceased wife?"

"Hmm? But I remember the captain said—"

Before Leonard could finish his words, Claire stepped on him hard under the table.

Claire clearly sensed that when Leonard mentioned Old Neil's deceased wife, Old Neil exuded a strong wave of contamination.

In order to prevent the pollution from erupting prematurely, Claire interrupted Leonard's speech by stepping on him.

Leonard looked at Claire in confusion, "You stepped on me?"

Claire was holding the coffee, and her calm expression almost failed to hold. Her hand trembled and she wanted to splash the coffee in the cup on Leonard's face.

How come Leonard is so smart and confused at the same time?!
But during this pause, Leonard seemed to have received some guidance. He reacted and did not continue to talk about Old Neil's "deceased wife". Instead, he pointed at Claire and said:
"She stepped on me for no apparent reason. Klein, Old Neil, please be fair. Shouldn't this woman apologize to me?"

Klein, standing nearby, seemed to sense something was amiss in the atmosphere and conversation, and continued Leonard's words, "When there's a conflict between Seniors Leonard and Claire, you'll definitely choose to listen to Claire. That's what Ms. Daly taught me."

As the three of them chatted and laughed, Claire discovered that the pollution fluctuations on Old Neil had dissipated.

Then, including Old Neil, the four of them started chatting, interspersed with discussions about the ritual magic knowledge that Old Neil had just taught Klein.

After chatting for a while, Claire and Leonard stood up to say goodbye, and took Klein with them.

Klein readily agreed, "Then I will go back with the two seniors."

Old Neil smiled and said, "Then you guys come together. I won't go. I just need to rest at home for a day."

Claire, Leonard, and Klein retreated from Old Neil's house.

But none of them went to look for a public carriage, but gathered together not far from Old Neil's house.

"What's wrong, Mr. Neil? I heard you guys seem to be hesitant to speak." Klein asked, confused.

Leonard pointed at Claire and said, "She suspects Old Neil is trying dangerous ritual magic."

Claire pursed her lips and sighed, "It's not a doubt, it's basically certain, and the danger is probably quite high." "How do you know for sure?" Leonard looked at Claire with suspicion.

Claire ignored him and asked, "That's not the issue we should focus on right now. Do you know Mr. Neil's deceased wife?"

Leonard stared at Claire, trying to pressure her into answering his question. However, seeing Claire show no reaction, he scratched his head and sighed.

"Old Neil never married."

"The captain said that Old Neil once had a lover who was about to get engaged, but the woman suddenly fell seriously ill and was difficult to treat."

"Old Neil risked revealing the Beyonder's secrets by trying to save her with ritual magic, but failed..."

"The Nighthawks at that time were even wary that Old Neil would lose control, but fortunately, he didn't. Old Neil is still alive and well today."

After hearing this, Claire connected it with the knowledge she had gained about "Life Alchemy" and basically confirmed what Old Neil was doing.

Resurrect his lost lover.

Claire opened her mouth and said in a low, hoarse voice, "I'm afraid Mr. Neil is currently attempting a ritualistic magic to revive her former lover."

Leonard said in astonishment: "That's impossible. I've never heard of a method to resurrect someone..."

Leonard's voice became quieter as he spoke, and then he said in disbelief, "Old Neil is praying to the evil god?"

Praying to the evil god will not revive others, but those who cling to an illusory straw will only hope that the straw is real.

"You go report to the captain immediately. I'll stay here and monitor Old Neil's situation." Leonard said decisively after realizing the seriousness of the situation in an instant.

Claire didn't accept Leonard's arrangement and said, "I'll stay too. If things really get out of hand, I might be able to play a key role."

"you?"

Leonard looked at Claire deeply and finally agreed:
"Alright, one person is enough to go back and deliver the message. Klein, I'm leaving it to you!"

After watching Klein walk away worriedly, Leonard and Claire found a place where they could monitor Old Neil and hid.

While she was waiting, a faceless face with an open mouth and a lolling tongue emerged from Claire's side, and the small hand on the tongue waved back at Claire.

"Is it Daly's messenger?" Leonard also recognized him.

Claire nodded, picked up the letter and quickly read it:
"...devout believers will return to the goddess's dark heaven after normal death. However, the fragments of the soul indicate that the deceased encountered interference or erosion by extraordinary forces during their lifetime. This is a state in which there is neither return nor dissipation."

"In terms of death, if fragments of the soul still exist, that means that in a practical sense, the person has passed away, but in mystical terms, they are not completely dead."

"But as far as I know, there is no such thing as a miracle of resurrecting another person."

"Don't attempt any resurrection powers! If you discover any unusual incidents, please report them to the church immediately!"

After reading Daly's reply, Claire folded it up and put it away, not letting Leonard, who was looking over here curiously, see it.

Leonard muttered in his heart: "Old man, is Claire hiding some secret?"

A mysterious voice responded in Leonard's heart, "This Claire is shrouded in the hidden authority of your goddess, so I can't discern anything... But one thing is certain: Claire is no ordinary 'Sleepless One.'"

Unable to hear the conversation between Leonard and the "old man" hidden in Leonard, Claire occasionally activated her Secret Eye to observe Old Neil.

During this silent wait, before anything unusual happened on Old Neil's side, Dunn, wearing a black top hat and a knee-length windbreaker, appeared in their sight.

(End of this chapter)