Chapter 516: Lina’s Doing

Isaac looked rather battered. Several large holes had been torn in his clothes. Although no bloodstains could be seen on his body, his complexion was extremely pale.

“While the Resistance Army was fighting the opposite side, the Church of Candlelight’s ‘Investigator’ rushed in as well. Granny and I fought them.”

“Is Granny alright?” Gwen asked nervously.

“She suffered some injuries, but it wasn’t serious. As long as a ‘Chrysalis’ didn’t die, there was no major problem. We didn’t have weaknesses.”

“So the Grand Duke Dragonfang’s troops ended up like this because of the ‘Investigators’?” Hodge asked.

“No, it was the exact opposite. They were also investigating this matter. To be precise, that group of Investigators was lured here by the Grand Duke Dragonfang’s army!”

Isaac’s expression turned cold.

“Someone took control of the Grand Duke Dragonfang and his troops in advance and issued the order to hunt down the Resistance Army. That drew the Investigators’ attention, and naturally they tracked us down, then fought with Granny and me.”

Hiss.

Everyone sucked in a cold breath. So the Resistance Army had been schemed against?

What was crucial was that, if the Expeditionary Army hadn’t appeared, the Resistance Army might never have understood how they had perished—someone had successfully borrowed the Church of Candlelight’s blade to kill them.

No wonder the Grand Duke Dragonfang inexplicably came seeking revenge. These soldiers attacked like madmen, and the Investigators had shown up right behind them.

“Can you tell which faction did this?” someone asked.

Isaac shook his head.

“This prolonged, large-scale bewitchment of minds wasn’t from any Extraordinary Path I knew. Even the Watcher of the Night’s Radiant Dream couldn’t maintain such powerful effects.”

“But I do have one suspect.”

He gritted his teeth and squeezed a name out between them: “Lina, that traitor!”

Once the Resistance Army had been found, the good news was immediately sent back to the Expeditionary Army’s temporary camp in the Northlands. Alexei promptly dispatched several support teams, bringing every medical team and all sorts of supplies to meet them.

The Resistance Army actually wasn’t very far away, but the Northlands were simply too vast. The Expeditionary Army had been groping around in the dark for a long time without finding anything, until someone pointed the way this time.

With the Expeditionary Army’s help, the Resistance Army quickly retreated to the Expeditionary Army’s camp. The disturbance along the way wasn’t small; it attracted the covetous gazes of several lords’ armies and bands of bandits—who were all talked down by Gatlings.

As many had been wounded in the previous battles, the Expeditionary Army immediately organized trains to send people to the rear. But there were thousands of Resistance members; even if the steam locomotive’s capacity was pushed to the limit, it would take several days.

Fortunately, a large amount of supplies had been shipped earlier. Although they could only stay in temporary tents, food was not lacking.

After the Resistance were settled amid chaos, Alexei finally had a little time to speak with Gwen and the others.

Alexei flipped through a report in his hand while looking at the girl sitting nervously across from him.

“I’ve read Isaac’s report. He personally witnessed your bravery. He gave the Resistance very high praise.”

“Th-thank you, sir!” Gwen said stiffly, her voice stumbling.

Heavens knew—she had only been a farm girl before, and the strongest person she had ever seen was Nora.

But Nora was merely an ordinary priest of the Silent Sanctum, a Burier responsible for funerary rites. Above a priest was the Master of Ceremonies, who handled church affairs and oversaw a region.

Above the Master of Ceremonies… above that…

Gwen didn’t know what it was.

But it definitely wasn’t higher than the person before her.

The one sitting in front of her was the Archbishop of the Imperial Truth!

Gwen had secretly asked Nini what rank came above Archbishop. Nini said that above the Archbishop hung Chloe, and above Chloe there was no one.

Although Gwen didn’t know what “hung” meant, this Lord Alexei was someone second only to one person and above tens of thousands in the entire Church!

Such a figure speaking to her personally… She felt her knees were already trembling.

“Miss Gwen, your meeting with Nora is arranged for later. Oh, the other Nora,” Alexei said, tapping his own head.

“After you meet, the two Noras will also meet. No one knows what will happen when they are put together, so we plan to be cautious. There will be some guards present then—I hope you won’t mind.”

Gwen took some time to understand what Alexei meant. Her confused expression gradually turned to joy.

“You… you mean Lady Nora is still—”

“Yes. The Nora you know is still here. She remembers you. You can talk properly when you meet.”

Gwen froze for a moment, then rubbed her eyes with a smile. Large tears spilled down her cheeks.

She and Nora truly had so much to say. She wanted to tell Nora all the grievances she had suffered these days, wanted her to see how much she had grown, and wanted to tell her personally—

She had successfully led the Resistance to hold on until now. Even during the hardest days, she hadn’t given up. She had fulfilled the promise she made to Nora.

Alexei handed over a handkerchief and patiently waited for Gwen to calm down.

“Sorry, sorry, I was too excited, my lord.”

“This is normal. You all went through a great deal. Resistance itself is a great thing.”

Gwen took a deep breath and bit her lip, finally steadying herself again. Determination returned to her gaze.

“My lord, you must have other matters to discuss with me, right?”

“Yes, I do. I know you must want to take the steam locomotive south to Castel right now—that’s only natural. So what comes next is not an order, not even a request, but a question. Whatever you decide will be supported.”

He looked steadily into her pure white eyes.

“Miss Gwen, do you wish to return to Castel for now, or assist us in continuing the pursuit of Earl Bazel?”

“I want to stay!”

Gwen answered without hesitation.

“We shed too much blood in the Northlands. Bazel and the other lords committed too many sins—against the Northlands’ refugees, against their own people.”

“I want to stay here and see with my own eyes when they are put on the gallows!”

Alexei blinked and showed a smile.

Gwen was only a farm girl; she didn’t know that nobles and lords wouldn’t be sent to the gallows even when they erred.

Hughes had no intention of sending them to the gallows either—he preferred beheading.

But this spirit, this unyielding will, this fearless expression—Alexei admired it greatly.

“Whether they will be put on the gallows is the Tribunal’s matter. My duty is to send them to the Tribunal.”

As Alexei spoke, he extended his hand. Their hands clasped firmly together.

“Pleasure working with you.”