The villainous young master just wants to live a Buddhist-like life.

　"From this perspective, what they are asking for may be quite significant."

　After thinking for a moment, Dak said, "Let's get straight to the point and say what we have to say."

　Upon hearing this, Aaron Reeds couldn't help but glance at Aviva Julius again.

　The half-demon old woman had a stiff expression, clearly indicating that she was extremely bad at asking for favors.

　Aaron Reeds had no choice but to bite the bullet and speak up: "It's like this, some members of our order encountered a squad led by the Valkyrie in the western district of the capital and were all captured..."

　"Wait, your cult members have been arrested? What about me?" Dark interrupted halfway through the conversation.

　Aaron Reeds lowered his head, even more embarrassed: "But the one who captured them was led by the Valkyrie..."

　Dark smiled and said, “Elder Reeds, you should know that the Valkyrie you usually refer to is Alvette Saint Dimon, the kingdom’s only duchess, one of the thirty-six councilors, and the Minister of the Kingdom’s Security Department, not specifically my mother. I have no right to interfere with her administrative actions.”

　Aaron Reeds' face turned ashen.

　But Dark added, "Of course, I'm a tiny bit interested in why your cult was arrested. If you're willing to reveal a little bit, then this cup of tea tonight won't be a waste of my time."

　His voice was very flat, and there was no trace of "interest" in it.

　Aaron Reeds wouldn't really think he was interested either.

　And he seemed to have caught the unspoken meaning in those words.

　Aviva Julius, who was standing next to him, clearly understood what he meant, and her lips twitched slightly.

　Aviva Julius, a half-elf hybrid, is a natural-born fairy mage. Together with Aaron Reeds, a senior mage, they possess a confidence that rivals most people.

　But even in the Duke's mansion, they could only lie down.

　Even though the blond young master in front of her spoke threateningly in such a direct tone, she could only suppress her volatile temper.

　Aaron Reeds never expected that he and his companion would be threatened before they could even make their request.

　It seems they won't be able to leave the Duke's mansion until this matter is clarified.

　Left with no other choice, he had to speak after a brief moment of deliberation: "They are holding an illegal assembly in a house in the West District."

　“Illegal assembly?” Dark tapped the table with his fingertip and said, “If you don’t make it clearer, I’ll be very troubled.”

　Aaron Reeds added helplessly, "The six elders of our church have gathered the people to spread the faith in the God of Knowledge..."

　Darke instinctively interrupted, "Wait, six? If I remember correctly, your church only has thirteen elders, right?"

　After a moment of silence, Aaron Reeds forced himself to say, "That's how it is."

　Dark couldn't help but chuckle: "So, nearly half of your elders were arrested for illegal assembly? No wonder you came to visit so late at night. Losing half of your elders at once would worry anyone. But have your six elders lost their minds? Spreading a faith other than the Holy 39 within the capital? Do they think the Holy Church is too busy with rituals to take advantage of this?"

　“No, how could I dare?” Cold sweat beaded on Aaron Reeds’s forehead.

　Dark continued, "I think it's lucky you were caught by the Kingdom's security department this time. If you and Ms. Aviva Julius had been captured by the Holy Church, you probably wouldn't be sitting here so peacefully."

　Aaron Reades and Aviva Julius remained silent.

　Clearly, both of them felt the same way.

　Dark observed their reactions and said calmly, "Even a six-year-old knows this. How could highly educated people not know it, right?"

　A sense of oppression gradually crept into the reception room.

　Finally, Aviva Julius couldn't help but say, "They are deluded and unwise. But our Church of Knowledge believes in pure 'knowledge,' and the so-called 'God of Knowledge' we spread is merely a fiction; it doesn't constitute a struggle for faith. Therefore..."

　"So what exactly are they doing today?" Dark slammed his hand on the table, stopping her from continuing.

　Aviva Juliusz paused, unable to continue her sophistry.

　Aaron Reeds picked up the thread, forcing himself to speak: "Show the public the importance of knowledge, make them understand the tragedy of ignorance, and the importance of seeking knowledge."

　Dark sighed and then said to his left, "Eve."

　"Here!" Eve suddenly shouted softly.

　Dark had intended for Eve to see the guest out, but he was startled by her sudden increase in volume.

　However, his expression remained unchanged, revealing no flaw.

　Aaron Reeds was also startled and subconsciously said, "These past few days might be a bit special."

　"Hmm?" Dark nudged Eve, who was about to get up.

　Aviva Julius's expression immediately underwent a subtle change.

　Aaron Reeds's expression froze for a moment, but it was too late to stop himself. He could only continue, "The Ghost Festival, the middle of the year, is the day when the gates of the underworld are about to open but not yet open. During these days, the barrier between the underworld and the human world is at its weakest, making it the most suitable time to summon souls and offer sacrifices to ancestors. And the capital city is located in the very center of the continent. Our Church of Knowledge holds a sacrifice on this night every year, hoping that the souls of great figures throughout history can hear our call and descend upon the members of the church."

　After listening, Dark wanted to say, "That's it?" But he didn't. Instead, he slowly asked, "You guys succeeded?"

　Aaron Reads lowered his head slightly and said, “No. It couldn’t possibly succeed, could it? It was just a regular ritual, without any necromancy. Besides, those great figures of the past, no matter how great they were in life, after death they are just one of countless souls in the underworld. The underworld has the River of the Underworld and the Wall of Sighs. If you linger on the banks of the River of the Underworld for too long, your consciousness will be eroded. Even if you cross the River of the Underworld, you can’t get through the Wall of Sighs and reach the Pure Land of Bliss; it’s all in vain.”

　Dak frowned.

　Aaron Reeds' words touched on a blind spot in his knowledge.

　There is no underworld or reincarnation in this world, no Ox-Head and Horse-Face demons. The remains of a person's soul after death will disappear in the wind, but there is indeed a place for souls—the underworld.

　Ultimately, how does the soul ascend to the underworld?

　In what form does the underworld exist?

　How much of Aaron Reeds's statement is true or false?

　He began to wonder what the Church of Knowledge had done that night, or what it intended to do.

　……

　【5100+】

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Chapter 505 Cheese Sandwich Between Two Breads (4k)

　"Just a regular sacrificial ceremony?"

　达克的语气一如既往的平淡。104;116;116;112;58;47;47;119;119;119;46;50;99;121;120;115;119;46;99;111;109;47;

　But neither Aaron Reads nor Aviva Julius could dismiss it as a casual remark.

　From the moment we first met at the Horseshoe Tavern, this thirteen-year-old boy displayed a maturity and wisdom far beyond his years.

　The two difficult problems, in particular, had a tremendous impact on them.

　Aaron Reades and Aviva Julius came to him because they subconsciously regarded him as the head of the household in the ducal mansion.

　But Dark Dimon clearly had no intention of helping them.

　Moreover, they not only didn't want to help them, but even showed an attitude of further accountability.

　Ultimately, their relationship with Dak was not "good" to begin with.

　Turning to Dac was a desperate measure, a case of grasping at straws.

　The Church of Knowledge was, after all, just a small sect, and couldn't find any other lifeline.

　Aaron Reeds said cautiously, "Even if they aren't ordinary priests, they just want to pursue the truth..."

　Dark looked at him: "You're a mage, don't you know that replicating historical figures is a taboo within a taboo?"

　Aaron Reeds sighed, "I know, that's why I actually disagree."

　“Reeds expressed his resistance,” Aviva Julius said suddenly, looking up. “But our Order is actually a relatively loose organization. The thirteen elders each have their own opinions, and we only reach a consensus on the pursuit of knowledge. So we usually use a voting system when deciding on something. If more than half, seven people, vote in favor, we can get permission to implement it.”

　"Seven people? Weren't they supposed to only have six arrested?" Dark asked, puzzled.

　Aviva Julius said in a deep voice, "One person didn't come."

　Dark: "A mole within the group?"

　……

　At this point in the discussion, a small oddity seems to have arisen.

　Upon learning of the capture of the six elders, Aaron Reeds and Aviva Julius rushed to the Duke's mansion as quickly as possible.

　Therefore, although they were aware of this aspect, they did not think about it in depth.

　Looking back now, I suddenly realize that the whole situation was as simple as it seemed on the surface.

　After a moment's thought, Dark said with a strange expression, "Could it be that you were reported by your own people?"

　If that's the case, then the previously missing logic has become clear.

　In fact, although the Church of Knowledge did pose a threat to Dark, a thorough investigation revealed that it was entirely the personal act of Ignaz Cooper.

　Dak didn't actually have a bad impression of this religious group that taught poor children to read and write for free. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been speaking so calmly with the two elders in front of him.

　I imagine that's true of Alvitt as well.

　If it weren't for someone reporting it, probably very few people would pay attention to such a seemingly harmless little religious group.

　Darke's eyes held a hint of mockery: "I never expected that even such a small cult would have internal strife."

　Although neither Aaron Reeds nor Aviva Julius admitted it, their expressions strongly suggest it's true.

　Dark laughed and said, "Personally, I think instead of pleading with me here, you should think carefully about what kind of person he is. What will he gain after he imprisoned half of the elders?"

　Aaron Reeds and Aviva Julius clearly realized something.

　But they didn't seem to want to say much in front of outsiders.

　This is, of course, only common sense.

　But with such a melon in front of you, how can you not eat it?

　So Dark coaxed, "If you can reveal some inside information, I might be able to help you out. What do you think?"

　Aaron Reeds and Aviva Julius exchanged a glance after hearing this, seemingly reaching a consensus.

　Then Aaron Reeds finally spoke: "Mercury Hell, that's his name. A scholar who, at the beginning of the year, replaced the ailing Isaac Bradley as the thirteenth elder."

　"Mercury Hull, Isaac Bradley... who are these people?"

　Dark rolled his eyes discreetly, but quickly regained his composure.

　Isaac Bradley was one of the thirteen elders of the Church of Knowledge.

　However, the elders of the Church of Knowledge seem to be all elderly. While this fits the impression of "erudition," it also brings some unavoidable troubles.

　Once a person gets old, all sorts of health problems start to appear.

　You never know when your health might suddenly collapse.

　Isaac Bradley is a prime example.

　He suddenly fell ill after the New Year, and his health deteriorated rapidly until he was unable to recover.

　Before resigning his position as elder, he recommended Mercury Hell to the Order, an older man with an impeccable resume.

　With his extensive knowledge and gentle temperament, Mercury Hel was quickly accepted by the other elders.

　However, neither Aaron Reeds nor Aviva Julius expected that Mercury Hell would betray the Order at this crucial moment.

　They were baffled by this action, but based on the current indications, he was the only one who betrayed the cult.

　……

　Dark spent nearly half an hour talking with the two old men about this Mercury Hell, but still couldn't find Mercury Hell's motive for betraying the Church of Knowledge.

　According to Aaron Reads and Aviva Julius, Mercury Hull was learned, wise, refined, and kind; he was not the kind of person who would do such a thing.

　From the standpoint of maintaining the security of the capital, even if Mercury Hel was indeed the one who reported the crime, he could only be commended, not held accountable.

　Therefore, this matter can only be left at this point for now.

　Dak wouldn't just listen to one side of the story.

　While Aaron Reeds and Aviva Julius were still trying to plead for the arrested men.

　Darke then frankly stated, "I will look into the situation, but it will take until after tomorrow night."

　Tomorrow night is a dividing line.

　Everything will have to wait until the "Demon King's Execution Ritual" is over.

　After careful consideration, Aaron Reeds and Aviva Julier could only accept the outcome with resignation.

　Dark smiled slightly and raised his hand, saying, "Well then, goodnight, you two."