‘Divine Trial? Cancel it?’

Xidis’s interest was instantly piqued, after all, her goal was to stop this trial, maybe she could get some useful information out of this naive priestess.

So she invited the girl into the carriage and had Rong’an prepare tea, hoping to hear something interesting about the Church.

After sipping the tea, the priestess let out a long breath, calming herself before speaking seriously.

“My apologies, I lost my composure earlier, but even now I still don’t recommend you participate in this Divine Trial, because it is essentially a blasphemy against the Holy Spirits.”

“How so?”

Shuling raised her eyes, a trace of hatred flashing in her golden pupils, though she spoke gently.

“This is a disgraceful political performance, the Cardinal and Saint Liyat have long been at odds, now that Liyat’s eldest son has come of age, the Emperor arranged this trial and southern tour. The trial is to preselect Liyat’s son as a Hero candidate, and the southern tour is to raise funds under the guise of disaster relief.”

It seemed like a win-win, but in reality—

“Letting that useless son become a Hero candidate insults the Nine Holy Spirits, and this fundraising is nothing but exploitation, the money won’t even go to relief. Tell me, shouldn’t such a trial be cancelled?”

She bit her lip, then regained composure.

“So if you truly believe in the Nine Holy Spirits, I suggest not participating.”

“I see… how much tax are they planning to collect?”

Lisea understood taxes well, the Southern Region was already stretched to its limit.

“Lisea, you’re too naive, they don’t raise rates, they demand a fixed amount, probably at least one million gold.”

The Empire takes one share, nobles take another, officials take another, squeezing the people dry.

Lisea fell silent.

Maybe it was better if the Church never came.

While Rong’an and Lisea were shaken, Xidis immediately caught a flaw.

“You speak well, but how does a ‘normal’ priestess know so much?”

“Eh? I… um…”

The priestess panicked, then quickly pulled out a mithril cross badge.

“To be honest, I am an Inquisitor of the Church, here to investigate corruption!”

“So it really is an Inquisitor’s badge… from the Central Continent, quite the important figure.”

Xidis narrowed her eyes.

There were five regions, each with twenty Inquisitors and one Grand Inquisitor.

Only elites could hold this position.

This girl wasn’t simple.

“Haha, I just started, still learning!”

Under Xidis’s gaze, Ovina grew uncomfortable and quickly pointed outside.

“Look! We can see Migendorf’s gate!”

“Finally! No more duck demons!”

Lisea quickly changed the topic to ease tension.

But trouble awaited at the gate.

* * *

Migendorf, the capital of the Southern Region, known as the City of Mithril and True Gold.

Its walls stood ten meters high, built by mages, inside lay dazzling white marble buildings.

Yet outside—

Endless tents.

Starving refugees knelt along the road, begging for food.

“What is this?”

“You’ve never seen refugees? People too poor to survive.”

Xidis observed them with amusement.

Women showing skin, people displaying injuries, even mothers holding dead infants begging.

“More and more appear each year…”

“No matter what, they are victims, show some respect!”

The priestess protested.

Xidis grinned.

“If I throw coins and save some while others fight to death, am I worse than the Church?”

She tossed a handful of coins, chaos erupted outside.

“Some may die fighting, but some will live, your Church will only push them deeper into despair, so who’s worse?”

The priestess clenched her teeth, almost crying.

“The Church… is trying to help…”

“Oh?”

Xidis was about to push further, when Lisea gently grabbed her hand and whispered.

“Teacher, I know you care about them, but throwing coins causes chaos, leave charity to me next time.”

…Xidis froze.

She wasn’t caring about them at all.

But seeing his sincere expression, she couldn’t say it.

“…Tch.”

She bit his hand and glared.

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

“Okay—”

The priestess was stunned.

How did someone like Xidis raise someone like him?

Before she could think further, loud hoofbeats sounded outside.

A cavalry unit charged into the refugee camp—

Screams filled the air.