Secrets: Priestess

Chapter 84 Swain's Request
On a thunderstorm night.

Occasionally, flashes of light would bring about a series of thunder, drowning out the sound of horses galloping through the streets.

Claire sat in the car in a somewhat awkward manner, wiping the water stains on her body and wet hair with the dry towel provided in the car.

In order to hunt down the cultist who stole corpses in the cemetery, Claire staked out the cemetery late at night. Although she caught the criminal and expelled the evil spirit with ritual magic, she encountered a thunderstorm during the arrest and was soaked through.

"It's dark and raining, so you don't have to wait for me at the police station." Claire said, sneezing several times in succession.

Sharon, wearing a raincoat, drove the carriage, tilting her head as the sound of the rain subsided. "You want me to not wait for you? Your period hasn't ended yet, has it? Look at how miserable you look... You might get sick from all this. Do you really think Beyonders can't get sick?"

"How could that be possible?" Claire looked at the street lights outside the window that were constantly moving backwards. She chuckled, but she sneezed again right after she finished laughing.

Could it be that I really caught a cold... A few sneezes made Claire wonder in her heart, but there were no other symptoms for a while afterwards, which made Claire feel relieved again.

After returning home, Claire took a bath first.

Lying in the single bathtub, Claire felt a little dizzy, and then her whole body ached.

Beyonders really do get sick.

Thinking that Sharon's words had come true, Claire was speechless and helpless.

She tried to reach for the towel in the wooden basket hanging on the bathroom wall, but the momentary distraction caused by her illness caused her to knock the basket over onto the wet floor.

Looking at the wet towels and clothes, Claire knocked on the bathroom door helplessly, pushed it open a crack, and called out, "Sharon, help me get some changes of clothes. They're in those closets."

Claire dried herself and put everything away.

Sharon, who was waiting at the door, came over and helped Claire, who was dizzy and heavy. She said in a calm tone, suppressing her distress, "You're running around outside at midnight every day. What did I say?"

Claire sighed softly, "It should be the end of her period... I'll probably be fine after taking some medicine and lying in the holy coffin for a while."

But illness came like a mountain, and this cold triggered the pain and fatigue that Claire had accumulated over a period of time, making her so weak that she could not stand steadily.

After drinking the medicine, Sharon supported Claire and lay down in the holy coffin together.

This was Sharon's first time coming in.

"So big." In the quiet darkness, Sharon admired it and sat down, letting Claire lean on her legs.

Claire fell into a drowsy sleep on the soft pillow.

I don't know how long I slept before Claire woke up from her coma. The effects of the medicine and the holy coffin made me feel much more refreshed. My body was still lazy, but not as uncomfortable as before.

The darkness did not affect Claire's vision. She saw Sharon's gentle profile as she sat in the quiet darkness.

The mature charm of a woman in her thirties is tinged with the sweetness of a young girl... and this look of letting down one's guard can easily make people unable to help but be moved.

Seeing Sharon like this, Claire recalled the illusion she had a month ago: Sharon liked me.

This wasn't an illusion. At least not now, Claire was certain.

But...she doesn't want to accept anyone's feelings.

The trauma in her heart belonged to Tai, and it was also a scar deep in her heart. Because from the very beginning, she was Jiang Zhe and Tai Perslan. There was no so-called master and deputy.

But Tai, who has no relatives, has lost his only tie in this world.

And Jiang Zhe still has family members in that world that he cares about.

So she would rather go back to the Earth before the time travel.

Of course, if you think greedily, it would be even better if you could bring extraordinary abilities back with you.

She longed to go home and had a secret ambition to become a god...Now Claire had no intention of falling in love again.

Claire sighed softly and sat up from Sharon's soft legs.

"you're awake?"

"Just woke up."

"It's quiet here. I like it here."

"Sleep and silence are the authority of the goddess."

Claire noticed that Sharon looked calmer and more peaceful than usual. Sharon in the holy coffin seemed to have put down a heavy burden.

After observing this, Claire temporarily postponed the idea of ​​opening the holy coffin.

After a moment of silence, Claire broke it, "Han'er has made it clear that he doesn't intend to become a Beyonder. And you seem to be still hesitating?"

Haner, who became a Night Watchman clerk at the same time as Sharon, was very satisfied with his current job as a coachman and his salary. He made it clear to Dunn, who asked him about it, that he did not want to be a Beyonder.

Compared with danger and opportunity, Haner prefers to be with his family.

Sharon was silent for a moment, then asked, "Why did you become a Beyonder back then? You're a noblewoman of the Meazza family. You could have lived a prosperous and happy life."

After hearing Sharon's question, Claire thought for a moment and replied:
"Back then, when I came into contact with Extraordinary, I was also worried and afraid. But to be more honest, I was generally excited at that time... So even if there was no other reason, I would have become an Extraordinary."

"Of course... there are reasons. I want to find a place back, I want to capture someone, I want to do what I want to do."

Sharon was speechless after hearing this. After a while, she smiled and said, "Let's go out."

……

Jessica took Liliana back to Backlund to handle family affairs.

Sharon made up for the missed duty days at Blackthorn Security Company during this period.

After staying at home for two days, Claire's lazy life was interrupted by Swain, the owner of the Dragon Bar and former captain of the Punishers.

Swain looked older and more dusty, but the smell of alcohol on him was much lighter.

Swain's blue eyes were cloudy but firm. He spoke to Claire:

"Do you remember the Lanevus case?"

Claire was completely confused by the questions and didn't even understand what had happened to Swain to make him become like this.

Ever since he killed the Out-of-Control that night, Swain rarely took care of the bar's affairs. The black arena and underground trading market were all managed by his brothers.

"of course I remember."

Lanevus disappeared without a trace, and the more than 10,000 pounds that were defrauded could naturally not be recovered, including the life-saving money that was defrauded from the orphanage supported by Gawain.

Later, it was Jessica who took over the orphanage that was on the verge of closing after asking Gawain to give up his involvement in the management of the orphanage.

With her memory library, Claire naturally wouldn't forget the name Lanevus.

Swain rubbed his tired forehead and said, "I've been investigating Lanevus's case all this time. I found his abandoned fiancée... She's pregnant with his child, and she insists on keeping it. She said the child hums and whistles in her belly, and uses music to help her fall asleep..."

When she heard the first half, Claire imagined a love-struck and pathetic woman, but when she heard the end, it seemed a bit absurd.

Judging from this description, is it still a child?
Swain continued:

"Laneverus contacted a psychiatrist for that woman. The real 'psychiatrist' is a member of the hidden organization, the Psychological Alchemist Society, a Sequence 7 'Psychiatrist' of the 'Audience' pathway."

The doctor we invited turned out to be a member of the Psychological Alchemist Society?

The "audience" path... Miss "Justice" of the Tarot Club is also the "audience" path, and there have always been reports of high bounties being offered by the "Psychological Alchemy Society."

But before Claire could ask.

Swain said, "He's dead. I killed him after he lost control. Psychopath wasn't very capable in frontal combat."

After hearing this, Claire asked, "Where are the relics of this 'psychiatrist'?"

Swain understood that Claire was referring to the Beyonder's remaining characteristics, and replied, "I gave it to the Mandated Punisher. It's already tainted."

Claire sighed regretfully for "justice."

Swain continued, "Based on this clue, I found clues that Lanrvus was involved with the Beyonders, and then further investigated that Lanrvus was an accomplice of Heinus and Sirius, and a member of the Aurora Society."

"Finally, I found Lanevus's safe house in Tingen, at 62 Holz. But I couldn't find any clues there, and the Mandated Punishers have been incredibly busy lately... I heard you're skilled in ritual magic, so I'd like to ask you to look for some clues."

Hearing this, Claire understood what Swain had been busy with for the past month. She also understood why Swain was so tired and the smell of alcohol on him had faded a lot - he must have put all his energy and time into the case.

"Why are you so obsessed with Lanevus's case?" Claire asked.

Swain narrowed his eyes.
"Daftron's loss of control is related to Lanevus."

"From the clues I've investigated, Daftren once got a clue about Lanevus. He lost control while trying to capture Lanevus."

"And the 'psychiatrist's' loss of control has made me certain that Daftren's loss of control must be related to Lanevus!"

"I'm going to beat that bastard to death with one punch!"

……

It wasn't difficult for Claire to find clues in the suspect's safe house.

But when Claire found the letter Lanevus had left behind in the hidden compartment of the room, she frowned.

"You idiots haven't been killed by the 'bomb' yet? That's really a pity!"

"But I think it will happen soon! A 'bomb' that has absorbed countless resentments is being nurtured, and it will destroy Tingen!"

"I sincerely hope you can solve it before it explodes!"

"Lanevers is the most sincere to his friends."

When Claire saw the letter, she felt as if she saw a face with the corners of its mouth slightly raised, mocking everyone.

Swain hurried away with the letter and went to report the matter to the Mandated Punishers.

Claire returned to Blackthorn Security Company, intending to report the contents of the letter to Dunn as well.

Back to Blackthorn Security Company.

Claire saw Leonard and Klein receiving a pregnant woman.

The pregnant woman was not old, at most in her early twenties, wearing a lotus leaf hat and a loose skirt.

The moment she saw the young lady, Claire, who had a "memory library", retrieved that she had seen her before while waiting for the bus at a public bus stop.

At that time, the other person's belly was not this big yet, she was a girl.

At that time, the girl was snuggling sweetly beside the young man with round glasses.

Claire used the wanted poster to identify the young man with round glasses she had encountered at the station sign as Lanevus.

The young man had affectionately called her "Megose."

This pregnant woman is Lanevus's fiancée!

Why did she appear in Blackthorn Security Company? !
Claire subconsciously wanted to activate her Secret Eyes to check on this suspicious woman.

But at this moment, the spirit began to frantically remind her that she should not use her prying eyes to look at a woman's...belly!

At the same time, almost instantly, Claire's mind searched for keywords such as "Lanevers", "Aurora Society", "pregnancy", "bomb", and "child".

Putting all these things together, Claire came to a conclusion:
There is a "bomb" growing in Megose's belly!
-

In a moving carriage, a passenger quietly held an antique feather pen in his slightly pale hands and spread a notebook on his knees.

Lines of stories have been written in the notebook:

"After cooperating with the skilled Nighthawks to eliminate the monster Biber, Dunn Smith came into contact with the Antigonus family's notes and read through their contents, and was secretly contaminated a little!"

……

"Having completed all preparations, Lanevus bewitched 'psychiatrist' Hood Eugen, asking him to help him perform a ritual, using his swindled fiancée, Megose, as a carrier to conceive the 'True Creator's' offspring."

"Laneverus has little chance of success. The most serious problem is that even with the protection of the ritual power, Megose cannot withstand intercourse with the illusory projection of the god. She will die on the altar."

"At this time, the kindhearted Ince Zangwill secretly helped Lanevus. He separated half of the Death Descendant's traits from the skulls he had collected and implanted them into Megose's body a certain amount of time in advance."

"Hood Eugen put Megose into a semi-comatose state, causing her to mistake the illusory projection of the 'True Creator' for Lanevus. Fueled by the resentment accumulated day and night in the factory district, and fueled by the tangible darkness and oppression, the ritual succeeded. Megose became pregnant with the 'True Creator's' child. The deity saw the coincidence, but hoping to break through the Seven Gods' blockade, he didn't refuse."

……

"The Nighthawks found Heinus Vincent, but the Aurora Society had just been rewarded for their success. Therefore, Dunn Smith and Claire Meazza coincidentally saw a clear image of the True Creator in his dream, causing them great harm."

"Unfortunately, the damage Claire suffered while possessing the holy relic was less than Ince Zangwill expected."

"However, this injury has further exacerbated Dunn Smith's infection with the secrets of the Antigonus family notes. His symptoms of trance and omissions have intensified. He will gradually meet Ince Zangwill's requirements."

……

"After Ince Zangwill took the skull, he accidentally caused an ancient vengeful spirit to form. Ince Zangwill was careless and didn't notice this. Claire Meazza discovered Ince Zangwill's whereabouts through the ancient vengeful spirit and reported the matter to Dunn Smith."

"Dunne Smith is preparing to send a telegram to the Holy Temple, reporting that they have found Ince Zangwill."

"Naturally, the symptoms of trance and omission caused Dunn Smith to forget to send a telegram to the Holy Temple reporting Ince Zangwill's whereabouts."

……

"After the ritual was successful, the mad Lanevus regained his sanity. He knew perfectly well that if the offspring of the gods were truly born in the real world, he would become one of the sacrifices. How could a mortal possibly become the father of a god's offspring? This would be the utmost blasphemy!"

"Lanevers decided to leave Tingen early and inform the Nighthawks, the Mandated Punishers, and the Mechanical Heart about this 'bomb,' asking them to deal with the consequences. Madness always comes at a price."

"However, Lanevus didn't write directly to those Beyonder teams. He thought it would make him look like an idiot."

"He decided to leave the letter in a house he rented, pretending to be playing a game with the official Beyonders."

……

On the last line of the notebook, there was handwriting with wet ink:
"Megose was inexplicably summoned to Zouteland Street and entered the Blackthorn Security Company. The baby in her belly was in a critical period, and it failed to stop her impulse."

Inside the carriage, Ince Zangwill, whose features were as deep as a statue, continued writing in his notebook:
"Claire Meazza looked directly at the offspring of the gods."

"It's a pity that Claire Meazza's spirit stopped her." The "008" seal in his hand playfully pulled back the description.

Ince Zangwill was accustomed to this matter and remained unmoved. He continued to write, drawing on the powerful force of the seal:

"Under immense pressure, Dunn Smith, in a trance, made the wrong choice. He brought the sacred relic, Saint Selina's ashes, with him and chose to stop the situation outside the Chanis Gate before the divine offspring was born."

(End of this chapter)