Chapter 619: Can you tell me now?

Yawn~

Amon sat lazily on a wooden bench beneath the shade of a large tree.

There were several other benches scattered around the area, most of them occupied by elderly villagers. Old men and women sat together, enjoying the gentle morning breeze while chatting among themselves.

The peaceful atmosphere of the village almost made it difficult to believe they were investigating some hidden evil.

Amon stared ahead with a tired expression. "We’re not getting anywhere."

Arnold sat beside him, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. "Yes. We haven’t found a single useful clue. The village just seems... normal. There doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with it."

Amon sighed.

For the past four days, they had been investigating Leonera from different angles.

They had visited various places, talked to numerous villagers, observed people’s behavior, and even followed several suspicious individuals.

Yet nothing. There were no strange incidents, no unexplained disappearances, no suspicious gatherings, and no obvious signs of evil magic.

It was simply an ordinary village.

Perhaps too ordinary.

Birds chirped from the branches above them as a gentle breeze rustled through the nearby trees. Leaves swayed softly overhead, casting moving shadows across the ground.

After a moment, Amon spoke again. "Should we ask that Atlas guy about it?"

Arnold immediately frowned. "No. I don’t think talking to him about this would be a good idea."

"Why?" Amon asked.

"What if he’s the danger we’re looking for?"

Amon glanced at him. "Tch. You’re getting too paranoid."

He paused before his expression became slightly more serious. "But... we can’t completely rule it out either."

Arnold raised an eyebrow.

Amon leaned back against the bench.

"And sometimes churches and temples can be corrupted. They might even be the real reason behind whatever evil is happening here."

Arnold stared at him for a moment. "Where did you learn that? That temples and churches can be evil?"

"Huh?"

Amon looked at him as if the answer were obvious. "Of course, from novels."

Arnold sighed deeply. "You read too many fictional books."

"They give me ideas in situations like this."

"That’s not exactly reassuring." Arnold couldn’t help but chuckled.

"Hehe." Amon smiled.

The two fell silent again.

They continued observing the people around them, just as they had been doing for the past several days.

Then Amon’s gaze suddenly shifted. A girl was walking along the road a short distance away.

She appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old.

Her dirt-blonde hair was tied into a loose ponytail, with a few strands hanging around her face. She had a cute, diamond-shaped face, fair skin, and a scattering of small freckles across her cheeks.

At first glance, there was nothing particularly unusual about her.

But her behavior immediately caught Amon’s attention.

She looked tense, almost frightened.

Her eyes constantly moved from one side of the road to the other, as though she were checking whether someone was watching her.

No one seemed to be paying any particular attention to her. The villagers continued with their morning routines, barely sparing her a glance.

Yet the girl continued looking around nervously.

It was as if she was afraid of being recognized.

Amon narrowed his eyes slightly.

"What do you think? Why does that girl look so tense and afraid?"

Arnold followed his gaze. He studied the girl carefully.

"It’s my first time seeing her."

Amon nodded. "Mine too."

Both of them had spent the last four days exploring Leonera and paying close attention to the villagers.

By now, they had memorized the faces of many people.

They knew the regulars at the tavern, the merchants in the market, the workers in the fields, and even several elderly villagers who spent their mornings sitting around the square.

But they had never seen this girl before.

Arnold continued watching her. "You think she’s new here? Like us?"

Amon shook his head. "We’ve been here for four days, and we’ve never seen her. So it’s possible she arrived today."

He paused and examined her clothing. "But her clothes match what the villagers wear. She doesn’t look like a traveler."

Arnold nodded. "You’re right."

"Also..."

Amon pointed subtly toward the road. "Someone just waved at her."

Arnold glanced in that direction. "Yes. I saw that."

The girl had indeed received a brief wave from an older woman standing outside one of the nearby houses.

The girl had responded with a small nod before continuing on her way.

"So she’s definitely from the village," Arnold concluded.

"Most likely."

Amon rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe she’s just not very outgoing. She could spend most of her time at home, which would explain why we haven’t seen her before."

"That’s possible."

The two continued watching her.

The girl walked farther down the road. Then, without warning, she turned onto another street.

Amon and Arnold lost sight of her.

Arnold immediately stood up. "Let’s follow her."

Amon’s expression instantly became exhausted.

"Not again..."

Arnold looked at him. "We’ve followed more than ten people by now. We observed them, watched where they went, and investigated their routines."

Amon shook his head. "And what did we get from all that?"

"Nothing."

"Exactly." Amon spread his hands. "Maybe we should accept that Leonera really is just a peaceful village."

Arnold slowly turned his head toward him.

He gave Amon a long, silent glare. Amon stared back. A few seconds passed like that.

"..."

"..."

Amon eventually sighed. "Okay, okay. Let’s go."

He reluctantly stood up. "You’re way too stubborn."

Arnold turned toward the street where the girl had disappeared.

"Come on."

The two quietly followed after her.

---

While Amon and Arnold continued their investigation into the hidden evil within Leonera Village, something else was happening elsewhere.

Not too far away from the village stood the nearest major city.

Eldermere City.

It was a massive and prosperous city, bustling with activity even though it wasn’t nearly as advanced or magnificent as Elarith City.

Merchants filled the streets, travelers came and went through the gates, and the voices of countless citizens blended together into the constant hum of city life.

Among the many impressive buildings scattered throughout Eldermere stood a particularly magnificent structure.

It was a tall white building constructed from marble and polished stone, its walls decorated with intricate carvings and religious symbols.

It was none other than the Church of the Goddess of Light, the larg temple dedicated to the Goddess of Light in the city.

People constantly entered and left through its grand entrance, some coming to pray, while others sought blessings, healing, or guidance from the priests.

However, away from the main hall where ordinary citizens gathered to pray was another section of the temple.

This area was reserved for the priests, temple workers, and higher-ranking members of the Church.

At the end of one corridor stood a large, imposing door.

It belonged to the Bishop responsible for governing and overseeing the temples and religious affairs in the region surrounding Eldermere.

After some time, the door finally opened.

Two women stepped out.

The first woman had midnight-blue hair that framed her beautiful and mature face. Her striking golden eyes gleamed with quiet amusement, giving her an elegant yet approachable appearance.

She looked to be in her mid-forties, yet the passage of time had done little to diminish her beauty.

She wore an exquisite white robe decorated with delicate golden patterns, while a cross-shaped necklace rested against her neck.

She was Archpriestess Stella.

Beside her walked another woman wearing a similar white robe.

Unlike Stella’s elegant and luxurious attire, however, her robe was much simpler. Nevertheless, it was clean and well-maintained, fitting gracefully around her curvaceous figure.Her huge breasts had perfect round curvy shape. If Amon were here right now, he had glanced at them multiple times.

Her long hair was a beautiful light-green color, contrasting with her bright yellow eyes. Her fair skin and striking features made her exceptionally beautiful.

A simple veil covered part of her head, while a cross-shaped necklace rested against her chest.

She was Adelia.

Both women turned toward the office door.

Standing there was a wheat-blonde-haired man who appeared to be in his late thirties.

He gave them a respectful bow.

"If you need anything, please inform me, Archpriestess."

Stella gave him a gentle smile. "Of course, Bishop Jonathan. We will let you know if we require anything. For now, you should focus on your work."

She glanced toward the corridor. "We’re going to rest in the temple’s quarters for a while."

"Understood." Bishop Jonathan bowed once more before returning to his office.

Stella and Adelia then continued down the corridor.

Their footsteps echoed softly against the polished stone floor as they walked deeper into the temple.

For a while, Adelia remained silent. But eventually, curiosity got the better of her. She turned toward Stella.

"Can you tell me now?"

Stella glanced at her. "Tell you what?"

Adelia gave her an unimpressed look. "Why you actually brought me here."

She folded her arms. "And now I don’t believe this is some ordinary temple assignment or another routine campaign for the Church."

A faint smile appeared on Stella’s lips. "Haha. Dear Adelia, you’re not entirely wrong."

Adelia’s eyes narrowed slightly. "So there really is something else?"

Stella chuckled softly. "I’ll tell you everything once we reach our quarters."

She looked ahead, her golden eyes carrying a hint of mystery. "I suppose it’s finally time you knew."