Chapter 1493 Father Bertrand <TOC> Chapter 1495 Ghostly Hand
Next page password is bold portion: RlVu_ru+8sPa
Translator: SumTLMan
Watching the townspeople of Ghust Town, who were packing their bags to leave, Angel quietly said, “Aren’t you going to stop them?”
“It’s their personal choice, and they need to face the consequences themselves,” replied Alex coldly.
“If you don’t intervene, it may lead to greater casualties. If the residents of Ghust Town catch wind of what’s happening, the situation might spiral out of control,” cautioned Angel.
Angel could even envision that if everyone who left died, the townspeople might conclude that leaving Ghust Town was the cause. Panic would then spread, fear would boil over, and the repercussions of everyone realizing they were caged birds would be unpredictable.
“Only by tearing off the façade of tranquility can we see the turbulent undercurrents beneath,” Alex murmured.
Angel was sure that Alex was well aware of the potential consequences, yet he remained unmoved. Underneath his placid and non-confrontational demeanor lay a hidden restlessness, perhaps even agitation.
“Only when the illusion starts to crack can we see a way out of the cage,” Alex said softly.
Angel didn’t reply, continuing to watch the people in the distance who were leaving. Suddenly, Angel’s eyebrows lifted, “It seems tearing off the façade of tranquility is no longer an option for you.”
Following Angel’s gaze, Alex saw a squad of knights on spirited horses, blocking the path of the departing townspeople.
Whatever was said, those who were leaving eventually chose to turn back.
“If this isn’t a coincidence, then the hidden hand in the darkness still intends to maintain a semblance of peace,” said Alex, a wry smile forming at the corner of his mouth. “Though it’s not the outcome I was hoping to see, it’s still an unexpected variable.”
With that, Alex turned and left the watchtower. Dressed in a neat and formal robe, he exited the church.
After leaving the church, he greeted the fearful residents with a warm smile, comforting them with Holy Scriptures. No one could imagine that not long ago, this man had nearly pushed the entire population of Ghust Town into the dark abyss.
Alex walked along the main road until he reached the patrol area of the knight’s guard.
With a friendly smile, he struck up a conversation. The knights he spoke with were the very ones responsible for intercepting those who had left the town.
After a while, Alex left, still wearing a smile.
Once he reached a secluded area, Alex’s smile disappeared, and his face returned to its emotionless state.
“I’ve found out that someone did order them to intercept. The excuse they used was a pack of wolves sighted on the way to the Holy City, claiming that the missing Knight Reven’s body was likely devoured by them,” Alex paused, his eyes flashing with irony. “A pack of wolves? There might be wolves, but whether they are actual wolves, that’s another story.”
A figure emerged from the darkness; it was Angel. “So, did you find out who ordered this?”
Alex responded, “The news about the wolves was communicated by the sheriff to the knight’s guard. However, I don’t believe the sheriff is one to gloss over the issues.”
Angel had once infiltrated the sheriff’s home in Ghust Town to gather intelligence, so he had some understanding of the man. In Angel’s eyes, the sheriff was a somewhat arrogant individual but had never severely wronged the residents. Considering his position, he was barely qualified.
If someone was to equate the sheriff with the hidden manipulator, Angel wouldn’t believe it.
“Then who could it be, if not the sheriff?”
“Given the sheriff’s arrogant character, he rarely listens to his subordinates. Only two people can influence his decisions: one is the real lord of Ghust Town, Viscount Vega; the other is… Father Bertrand,” Alex lowered his eyebrows, “I just inquired — Viscount Vega has not left his mansion today. On the other hand, Father Bertrand left early in the morning and met with the sheriff.”
In other words, Father Bertrand was the root cause preventing these people from leaving.
Angel reminisced about Father Bertrand and, to be honest, compared to the overpowering aura of Alex, Bertrand seemed as inconspicuous as a firefly, with virtually no presence.
However, as events unfolded, his presence began to skyrocket.
The people of the entire town of Ghust seemed largely ignorant; Father Bertrand, on the other hand, seemed to have seen through something.
“I still don’t think Father Bertrand is the puppeteer of the ghosts,” Alex suddenly said on their way back to the church.
Angel remained noncommittal: “Whether he controls the ghosts or not is another matter, but his intention to whitewash the reality is quite clear.”
Following this logic, the task Father Bertrand was most committed to, aside from painting a rosy picture, must have been brainwashing Alex. Therefore, Alex might indeed be intricately linked to the cage; and if we consider the cage as a prison, then no one else matters, perhaps Alex is the one it truly aims to imprison.
Upon pondering this, Angel found it increasingly intriguing.
Originally, he was just testing the gateway’s effects but ended up witnessing such an interesting spectacle.
Initially, Angel planned to return to Black Castle if he couldn’t find the location information. With the capabilities of a wizard, there would surely be a way to locate it. And if all else failed, there was always Totoro.
However, due to these theatrical events unfolding, Angel suddenly became interested in seeing the final outcome.
Alex returned to the Church of Kruja with a somber expression. The church was brightly lit, and Father Bertrand stood in front of the statue of the Father God, speaking with a compassionate tone about suffering, redemption, and hope.
Regardless of whether they believed or not, everyone was silently reciting the scriptures along with Father Bertrand.
Alex did not immediately seek out Father Bertrand for answers; instead, he quietly observed the scene before him. He neither recited Holy Scriptures nor wore an expression of pity. He mirrored the stoic countenance of the divine statue in the church, as if he too were a true deity, impassively watching over all living beings.
The wait was far from tranquil.
Alex heard hurried footsteps from the street outside the church. Angel stepped out to take a look, only to find that another life had been lost.
And this time, it was no ordinary death.
With a thud, the sweaty sheriff burst through the church doors. The congregation’s eyes widened in alarm, but the sheriff said nothing. He quickly approached Father Bertrand and whispered something in his ear.
Father Bertrand’s pupils contracted sharply. After a moment, his lips turned pale, and he gently nodded to the sheriff. Then, he told the congregation, “Due to certain circumstances, I must temporarily leave. Feel free to continue reading the Holy Scriptures in the church. I believe that under the Father God’s gaze, all darkness will be dispelled.”
Despite Father Bertrand’s assurances, the congregation was far from at ease. Their anxious expressions and fearful eyes clearly revealed their internal unrest.
Without further explanation, Father Bertrand sighed and swiftly followed the sheriff out of the church.
As he passed by Alex, Alex softly said, “I’ll come too.”
Bertrand turned his head to glance at Alex, looking at him with eyes that were completely different from before, and finally nodded slightly. “Let’s go.”
…
This time, the urgency of the sheriff was dripping with sweat, and it was due to the high-profile nature of the deaths.
The deceased were the wife and children of Viscount Vega.
When they arrived at Viscount Vega’s mansion, the scene was utterly chaotic. Viscount Vega knelt in the courtyard before the statue of his ancestors, holding three heads in his arms, muttering to himself in a dazed and agonizing manner.
The grieving steward informed them that a series of horrific murders had occurred in the town, and Viscount Vega had been resting in his private chamber, sleeping until noon. When he emerged from the chamber, he discovered that almost everyone in the mansion had perished.
It was only then that Alex understood that, besides Viscount Vega, eighteen lives in the mansion, including the maids, had come to an end. The steward had luckily avoided the tragedy, as he was in town arranging accommodations for his parents due to the murders.
Learning that as many as eighteen lives were lost, the sheriff was utterly dumbfounded. This was not just a matter of human life; the deceased were the close relatives of a Viscount!
As the sheriff fretted about his own future, Father Bertrand’s lips turned pale, and his hands and feet trembled.
“Are you alright?” Alex stepped forward and supported Bertrand.
Bertrand did not respond but only muttered softly, “It’s over… it’s over…”
The steward, who stood closest, also heard Bertrand’s words and asked in confusion, “What’s over?”
Before Bertrand could respond, Alex said, “Viscount Vega’s emotions haven’t yet settled. Conducting a memorial service now could further agitate him. Moreover, Father Bertrand, seeing so many children of God suffer, is also deeply grieved and wouldn’t be in the right state of mind to lead the service.”
“Let’s all take a moment to calm down.”
Having said that, Alex escorted Father Bertrand to a secluded corner, seemingly hoping to help him regain his emotional composure.
After Alex had laid things out in such a manner, the steward could only nod in agreement.
On the other hand, Alex led Bertrand to a small flower garden. Due to the upheaval at the Viscount’s residence, there were no servants to tend to the plants. Except for the flourishing, almost dazzling, blossoms, no one else was present.
“Father Bertrand, I think it’s time we had a talk,” Alex said, seating Bertrand on a bench and then taking a spot opposite him, facing the light.
Bertrand seemed still submerged in his own emotions, but the repetitive muttering of “it’s over” ceased. Clearly, he had heard what Alex said.
“Before we move on to other topics, could you explain why you keep saying… ‘it’s over’?”
“What’s over? Are you saying it’s the end for people, for the town of Ghust, or is it that…”
“The cage is over.”
Alex swallowed the last words, not showing his cards just yet, but quietly awaiting Bertrand’s response.
Chapter 1493 Father Bertrand <TOC> Chapter 1495 Ghostly Hand