Secrets: Priestess

Chapter 67 Nightmare
Jessica, her hair disheveled, stood at the entrance of the hallway as dusk fell. She stood dignified and steady, her smile delicate and beautiful, giving Claire the oppressive feeling of her mother from her memory.

"My dear Miss Nighthawk, I'm honored that you still remember this family."

Facing Jessica like this, Claire couldn't help but feel a little weak and said, "I'm back."

Sharon covered her mouth and laughed secretly.

Jessica's beautiful eyes widened. "Should I add two more words: 'Dear Ms. Nighthawk' and 'Dear Mr. Nighthawk'?"

It seems that the church has consulted Jessica again - and told the Count Meazza's sister, the head of the Meazza family in Tingen City, that after the Meazza family's eldest daughter became a Night Watchman, your family's partners and your family's coachmen will also become Night Watchmen!

Jessica laughed angrily and creepily. "Is the Nighthawk planning to change his last name to 'Meazza'? I'm out with no one to accompany me, and I can't even find my own driver... I even lost my carriage!"

Claire didn't know what to say for a moment.

Sharon walked over and affectionately pulled Jessica up, saying, "Yes, Mr. Haner and I happened to encounter and rescue some people, but we were forcibly taken away by Miss Claire... Later, I was forced to join their organization, and only then was I released."

Claire sighed helplessly: "Aunt Jessica, this is a necessary review to ensure the safety of Sharon and Han'er."

Jessica looked at Claire steadily, her tone softening. The dignity and refinement she had maintained through her aura collapsed as her shoulders relaxed. She said calmly:
"Over the years, I've traveled to many places to expand my family's business, and I've heard of some 'incidents', but they were just hearsay, like supernatural stories or gossip at tea parties. But since coming to Tingen, and since you joined the Nighthawks, I've always heard about the dangerous things you encountered through various channels."

"I even heard that you were attacked by many homeless people... Those who informed me were afraid of the deaths of so many homeless people, and they trembled with fear when they mentioned your name. But when I heard those things, I was so scared that my legs went weak. I couldn't imagine what would happen if you were not strong enough and were surrounded by those crazy people..."

Whenever the Meazza family wants to pay attention to something, there will always be someone who comes to pass on the news with the intention of making good friends. Especially when the incident involves the cooperation of the police station, it is difficult to hide it from Jessica Meazza.

However, this also made Claire realize that ever since she joined the Nighthawks, the seemingly invisible Jessica had been secretly paying attention to her recent situation.

Although Jessica couldn't find out most of the things through these channels.

But what she did find out was enough to make Jessica worried, such as the homeless people who were bewitched by Tris and attacked her.

Captain Dunn and his teammates in the Nighthawks team had increased their trust in Claire because she could handle such incidents on her own. The police officers who participated in the blockade and aftermath of the incident had a terrifying legend of "Miss Nighthawk" because of this incident.

But Jessica, as an aunt, was so scared when she heard this that her legs went weak.

Claire wanted to say that she was strong enough and a night watcher who could stand on her own, but even if she said this reason, it was pale and powerless in Jessica's ears.

Just like this time when Sharon and Haner were involved in the world of Extraordinary People, Jessica was not really worried about what would happen to Sharon and Haner.

Jessica, who was already suppressing her worries, was simply afraid that Claire would fall into greater danger.

What can I say at a time like this? What should I say?

Claire just wanted to scratch her head. Even when facing the most dangerous cultists, she was never as helpless as when facing Aunt Jessica.

Claire saw Sharon, who was holding Jessica's arm to comfort her, constantly giving her glances and repeating the same words with her mouth in secret.

The lip movements seem to be... "hug" and "idiot"?
Claire raised her eyebrows, then stepped forward stiffly and hugged Aunt Jessica.

Sharon behind Jessica was still mouthing to her, "Hold tight."

At this moment, Claire acted as if she had grabbed a lifeline and followed the instructions of Sharon, a shrewd person.

The method Sharon suggested was surprisingly effective.

The sense of power conveyed by the hug softened Jessica's emotional body. Only then did Claire speak, "I don't regret becoming a Nighthawk. I don't want to live in a muddle."

Claire felt that Jessica was crying. She patted Jessica's back gently. After a while, she felt that Jessica's breathing gradually became smoother.

The body in my arms also became heavy.

Claire looked down and saw that Jessica had fallen asleep like that.

It seems that Jessica is so worried that she has not had any rest until now.

Claire took Jessica back to the room to rest.

After coming out, Sharon, who was still in the living room, said to her, "You and your aunt have a really good relationship."

Claire sighed and said, "Aunt Jessica is the only person in the family who treats me well."

Sharon narrowed her eyes after hearing this, then smiled again and said, "That's good enough. People like me who live like stray dogs now have no friends or relatives."

Claire looked at Sharon in confusion: "Are you unhappy?"

Sharon smiled even more beautifully and said, "No, I'm very happy now. It's the kind of happiness that comes from being freed from restraints."

"Would you like to have dinner?" Not wanting to understand a more complicated woman like Sharon, Claire walked towards the kitchen and asked casually.

Tessa came over and said, "I'll help you this time."

Claire's cooking skills captured Sharon's heart.

After dinner, Sharon, who was very satisfied with the meal, took the initiative to wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen. After finishing all this, she went back to her own house to rest.

Sharon left and Jessica fell into a deep sleep.

The atmosphere in the room became quiet.

Claire also felt a little tired, which was rare at night.

Perhaps it was because of her period, or perhaps it was because of her fluctuating mood, but she curled up on the soft sofa that Jessica had replaced, and slowly began to feel sleepy.

Claire's eyelids felt heavy.

Something is wrong!
Claire was about to raise her head in alarm.

Then she saw Dunn, standing next to the sofa, wearing a black trench coat.

Dunn's gray eyes calmly examined Claire, as if observing something, before he spoke: "Claire, you really can stay awake in your dreams."

"Hmm? Captain, are you pulling me into a dream? We can actually communicate in dreams?"

Claire thought Nightmare was really cool. Being able to communicate with people remotely in their dreams was even more advanced than a video call. However, Dunn shook his head and said,

"It's probably because you're a follower of the goddess that you can stay lucid in your dreams. It's difficult for the others to communicate as fluently in dreams as you do, and they can only vaguely understand my simple instructions in the dream."

"The last time we entered Hainas's dream together, I noticed that you could stay awake in the dream. I tried it tonight and confirmed my suspicion."

Claire didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Captain, you came into my dream so late at night just to confirm this matter?"

Dunn nodded naturally. "Ever since I learned about the 'acting method', I've entered certain people's dreams every night. This helps me act out 'nightmares'. In fact, I can actually feel the potion digesting in my body."

After hearing Dunn's words, Claire observed a moment of silence for the citizens of Tingen. She selectively forgot that she had actually unleashed this "nightmare."

Dunn continued, "I'm also planning to enter Sharon's dream. Since you can stay awake, do you want to come with me?"

"Yes." Claire responded enthusiastically.

"Follow me." Dunn walked out of the house, and the way he walked seemed to be floating on the ground.

Watching Dunn walk through the door, Claire tried to bang her head against the closed door, almost waking her up.

"Nightmare is amazing..."

Claire obediently opened the door and walked out. In the dark night, she saw Dunn's figure standing in front of Sharon's house.

Claire followed, and Dunn easily opened the door from outside.

Dunn's manipulation of dreams is as smooth as silk.

I don’t know how many people have suffered from the captain’s “poisonous hands”.

Claire complained inwardly and followed Dunn into the house.

However, as soon as I stepped through the door, the whole scene suddenly changed.

It's like walking into a magnificent hall with walls painted pale yellow extending upwards to a soaring vaulted ceiling.

The ceiling is decorated with exquisite reliefs and gorgeous ceilings.

But compared to the clear and realistic scene, the people walking back and forth in the hall seemed sinister and strange. They were all wearing monotonous black formal wear, with only a mouth on their pale face, and those big mouths were constantly talking and laughing.

Sharon stood in the crowd, completely different from her dressing style. In her dream, she wrapped herself in tight black clothes.

Thin chains were wrapped around his arms, shoulders, and legs.

Holding a glass of champagne, she walked numbly past one gentleman after another.

"The various symbols in bizarre dreams can better reveal a person's inner world." Dunn sighed.

Dunn ignored the crowd and walked up to Sharon, whose eyes were glazed over. "Do you know Jie Shi?"

Sharon nodded stiffly, "I asked Jie Shi to deliver something."

"Who is it for? What is it?"

"I sent Viscount Graham, who had given Backlund a gift, the painting 'Dream Lover' by Vincenzo Malins."

The corners of Dunn's mouth twitched slightly.

The well-informed Claire also instantly remembered who this Vicenzo was.

He was a much-touted erotic painter whose paintings could fetch over a thousand pounds.

Sharon is such a wild gift-giving woman...

"Do you know Ermo?" Dunn continued.

"I know him, a gangster."

"How did you meet him?"

"I met Ermo at a private dinner hosted by Mayor Dennis."

"Do you know Tris?"

"do not know."

"Do you know the person who attacked the Mechanical Heart?"

"You attacked Ebanks?"

……

Dunn made inquiries from all sides, and although he uncovered a lot of negative information about the powerful people in Tingen, he was able to rule out Sharon's connection with the Gnosis Society and the Witch Cult.

"Did you find anything?" Dunn asked Claire.

Claire shook her head.

Sharon indeed seemed to be fine.

"That's all for tonight."

Dunn had just finished speaking.

The magnificent hall was cracked like a mirror.

All figures became blurred and all scenes shattered like glass.

Claire opened her eyes and found herself lying on the sofa in the living room. She was the only one in the living room, and there was no one beside the sofa.

(End of this chapter)