Charlotte had no suitable reason to prevent the other party from coming in.
Even if she did, she could only delay them temporarily, which would only serve to raise suspicions further.
She quickly withdrew from that miraculous state and lay back down on the hospital bed. While silently praying for the blessing of the Blood Holy Scripture in her heart, she feigned weakness and said,
"Cough cough... please come in..."
The door was gently pushed open, and the figure of Church Priest Lotti reappeared.
Behind her followed seven or eight people, making the already modest-sized hospital ward feel even more crowded.
Charlotte's gaze slowly swept over these visitors, easily judging that they must belong to three different factions.
The two leading individuals were dressed the same as those who had burst into the basement last night, one male and one female, presumably the so-called Demon Hunting Knights.
Following these two were individuals dressed similarly to Lotti, both marked with the Ring Cross symbol of the Holy Royal Court, and must also be Church Priests from the Church Hospital.
At the very back were several people in much more lavish clothing, clearly Nobles, with the leader, a rather fat man that Charlotte even felt a sense of familiarity with—likely someone from the original body's memories. He was accompanied by a young Noble Swordsman.
As she quickly assessed the situation, Charlotte's gaze soon fell on the female Demon Hunting Knight following closely behind Lotti.
She was a tall female Knight, with shoulder-length black hair tied back in a neat ponytail.
A horrifying scar diagonally crossed her cheek, marring what should have been beauty, lending her an extremely fierce and fearsome appearance.
Her face was expressionless, her demeanor ice-cold. Aside from Lotti leading the way, everyone else fell half a step behind her, the occasional glance from the Nobles carrying awe and wariness.
Especially the young Noble Swordsman among them, whose strong presence and clearly superior strength kept his serious eyes never straying from the female Knight.
Yet, it was strange that Charlotte could not feel any oppression emanating from the female Knight.
She instantly became even more tense.
"Miss Charlotte, this is Captain Kara, a Silver Moon Second Tier Demon Hunting Knight, and also the most likely in the Bold Duchy to step into the Blazing Sun Third Tier Transcendent in recent years." Lotti said gently.
Charlotte was not surprised.
She had already guessed the identity of the female Knight.
Suppressing the alertness and tension within her, Charlotte put on an act of timid pity.
She shrank back into her little blanket, and her innocent big eyes accidentally met Captain Kara's gaze.
Time seemed to stop at that moment.
Those were deep black eyes as cold as icebergs, shimmering with a faint silver light.
Chilly, profound, like a bottomless deep pond, and yet like a sharp sword capable of piercing everything, carrying scrutiny and inquiry...
Just one glance made Charlotte feel as though she had been stripped naked, completely seen through.
The female Knight's eyes flashed, and Charlotte felt her form tower impossibly taller in her vision, surrounded by turbulent seas of blood and mountains of bones, as though tangible murderous aura was rushing toward her face.
She felt like a tiny boat facing a storm or a hare on the plains under the gaze of a cheetah, potentially to be destroyed and torn apart by an overwhelming force at any moment.
How many people had she killed?!
Charlotte was shocked in her heart.
"Kara, you've frightened her! She's not a subject of interrogation but a victim, a patient of our hospital!" an elderly voice sounded, slightly tinged with helplessness.
The speaker was one of the two Church Priests who followed, much older and seemingly of high status.
The female Knight paused for a moment and withdrew her gaze.
Only then did Charlotte break free from that terrifying pressure.
Her chest heaved violently, and in her heart, her alertness towards the female Knight escalated to the highest level it had ever been.
This was undoubtedly a "God Slayer"!
"I apologize, Miss Charlotte, Captain Kara has been working with the Demon Hunting Institute for many years, accustomed to killing and interrogation; we did not mean to startle you." The elderly priest said with an apologetic look.
"This is our Dean, Lord Lawuer, a Second Tier priest." Lotti quickly introduced him to Charlotte.
Silver Moon Second Tier... Blazing Sun Third Tier...
Is this the hierarchy of Transcendent powers?
What tier would I be now?
Charlotte felt a slight stir in her heart.
Lawuer was a kind old man.
His hair and beard were white, and he held a Divine Staff, his whole being suffused with a divine presence that made Charlo subconsciously think of Gandalf, the white-robed wizard from "The Lord of the Rings."
He took a step forward, stood next to the female knight, first made the sign of the Ring Cross over his chest with his right hand, devoutly murmured, "Praise the Divine Lord," and then comforted her gently,
"Miss Charlotte, I am Lawuer, the Dean of the Bold Church Hospital, affiliated with the Holy Royal Court."
"I know what you went through last night was both frightening and painful, but for your safety, there are a few details the Church needs to inquire before Captain Kara can conduct a physical examination."
After he spoke, he whispered a few words to the Church Priest by his side, who then turned and signaled for the following Nobles to leave the room.
The faces of several Nobles turned sour immediately.
The leading fat Noble frowned,
"Dean Lawuer, this incident involves the Nobles of the Duchy, and we represent the Duke Mansion, we have the right to be informed."
Dean Lawuer rubbed his temples with a pained expression, looking at the female knight with difficulty.
The female knight, Kara, did not turn around, but her voice was cold and calm, and left no room for doubt,
"Those uninvolved, leave."
The Nobles did not move.
Kara glanced at them indifferently.
She did not repeat herself, but the unmistaken undertone was once again cast in that cold gaze and the subtly raised silver sword.
Looking at the silver sword that shimmered with a chilling light, the Nobles' complexions changed.
The young Swordsman was also taken aback.
His brows furrowed, he was about to say something, but the leading fat Noble stopped him,
"Alright, we will listen to Lord Kara."
The fat Noble forced a sheepish smile, then frantically made eye signals to those around and dragged the young Swordsman out of the room.
Before departing, he did not forget to send Charlotte a friendly and radiant smile.
Once the Nobles left, the room was soon left with only a few Church officials and Demon Hunting Knights.
The Church Priest Lotti breathed a sigh of relief.
However, the female knight's gaze soon fell on her and the remaining Church officials and Demon Hunting Knights.
"Captain Kara, Lord Dean, we will also take our leave now."
She quickly understood the hint, gave a wry smile, and along with the remaining Church officials and Demon Hunting Knights, left the room.
At Charlotte's bedside, only Captain Kara and Dean Lawuer remained.
The number of people had decreased.
But Charlotte felt the atmosphere become even heavier.
Dean Lawuer coughed lightly, breaking the strange heaviness.
Then, he looked at Charlotte and said with a smile,
"Miss Charlotte, now it's only Kara and me."
"Please relax, we only want to ask a few simple questions, it's okay if you can't answer, but please don't be silent, and don't lie..."
Charlotte poked her little head out of the blankets, nodding gently like a small animal, a picture of innocent composure trying to act brave after a fright.
The more critical the moment, the less she could afford to slip up.
However, just as Charlotte was mentally prepared.
The old priest's question made her heart race again:
"How did your abdominal wound recover?"