Seeing Heloise so weakly falling out of her room, her expression and body both weak to an extent.
Ronald realized something was wrong, and with a quick movement, he was at her side, supporting her.
"What’s going on with you?"
"Cough, cough cough..."
Heloise was clearly not in a good state.
Just as Ronald had embraced her, she immediately began coughing breathlessly. Only after regaining a bit of strength and carefully recognizing Ronald in front of her did the girl struggle to say,
"Please...hide me and don’t tell anyone I’ve been here. My injuries will heal on their own, please..."
These few sentences seemed to exhaust all of Heloise’s strength.
After she finished speaking, Ronald could clearly feel her body go limp, her head resting in his arms. In the blink of an eye, she had already lost consciousness.
Faced with this situation,
Ronald first tore off her clothes that were stuck to her with blood, and after confirming that the knife wound on her waist and abdomen had healed, he gently picked up Heloise.
With that movement, a book hidden inside her underwear fell out.
"The original text..."
With just one glance, Ronald recognized the "Harmony Elements" written on the cover.
This was the original text he personally helped Heloise obtain on the Wis River steamer. Now, with her injuries so severe, she even let such an important original text fall to the ground.
Of course, it might also have been an accident caused by tearing her clothing...
Thinking this, Ronald placed the unconscious girl and the original text together on his bed, and after covering her with a blanket, he closed the bedroom door and returned alone to the living room.
Ronald had no covetous thoughts regarding his friend’s original text.
He took a few steps back to his somewhat gloomy room and turned his head to check the balcony.
Heloise had entered without leaving any bloodstains, and the curtains were already drawn to block the view from outside.
Seriously injured, yet she still managed to conceal her tracks so well.
"This really is remarkable..."
Muttering softly to himself, Ronald picked up a kettle and went to the fireplace, lighting a fire to provide some light in the room and also to boil some water for a drink.
Staring at the flames that had begun to flicker in the fireplace, Ronald’s mind was still pondering the possibility of Heloise showing up at his house.
First and foremost was the phrase, "Don’t tell anyone I’ve been here."
Given Heloise’s identity, this phrase likely meant more than just helping her block potential enemies; even if it were Heloise’s former companions who appeared, Ronald would probably have to act as if she wasn’t there.
Otherwise, knowing his friend’s habits, she would never use the term "anyone."
Then there was the question of why Heloise came to his house.
From the previous several encounters, this girl, originating from the neighboring country of Entrod, should be a member of an intelligence agency or some secret organization, and she also played multiple roles.
People with such identities, in emergency situations, definitely have their own safe houses established. That should have been the sanctuary Heloise chose.
But now she had come to his house with serious injuries...
Could there be a traitor in her organization?
At that thought, Ronald’s expression hardened, but he quickly shook his head.
"No, there’s more to it than that."
Ronald interrupted his previous conjectures.
He felt that these deductions still lacked a great deal.
Currently, Spring City’s situation is chaotic; one must not view things from a single perspective alone.
Think about my own experiences today.
The high-ranking officials in the church district, who are almost certainly original scripture holders, are nowhere to be seen, and the top brass from the investigating bureau who should have provided quick support also failed to appear.
This means that Spring City’s powerful Casters, who are officials, were almost entirely pulled away by something today, causing this situation.
And those who could directly interfere with personnel changes of this level...
In all of Spring City, or rather in the nation of Grit, probably only Her Majesty the Queen would have such authority.
From there, the most crucial information points were lined up one by one in Ronald’s mind, and then the specific logical sequence began to emerge.
Taking advantage of the convergence of various forces in Spring City at this time.
The queen of Grit commanded the powerful Casters on the mystical side to purge the forces that Entrode had implanted within the country to ensure this plan went off without a hitch. Strong Casters like Spencer, who had defected from Entrode, were even entirely excluded from the plan.
Then the battle occurred.
The official forces in Spring City held an absolute advantage.
It was only because Herois demonstrated an extremely high combat capability and had just become an original scripture holder, thus being overlooked, that he finally managed to break free and escape.
Ronald thought of something else.
Today’s enemy who stole the Sword of Saint Catherine in the church district was certified by Spencer, a man from Entrode, as using that nation’s secret spells.
I pursued along with the nun Martha.
It was still at the Oak Theater, near Herois’s stronghold, that we regained the Saint’s relic.
Although it was indeed unknown beforehand.
It’s very possible that Herois’s current predicament is also related to me...
Just then, the water in front of Ronald boiled.
He immediately took the kettle from beside the fireplace to pour some water, but as he turned to get his own cup, Ronald’s smooth movements halted mid-air.
Encountering such events late at night.
The surveillance of Fury’s power was naturally incessant.
Thus, the moment someone filled with killing intent came to this street, Ronald also sensed their arrival.
"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear..."
Although frowning, there was no fear in Ronald’s heart.
This person, filled with murderous intent, was alone now, unlike investigators who would usually operate in pairs at least, and after sensing carefully, the magic wrapped around him didn’t seem like it belonged to someone from the church.
Since he wasn’t from either the Investigating Bureau or the Church, these two official forces.
What did Ronald have to worry about?
Carefully hanging the kettle on a nearby rack, Ronald walked slowly to his balcony.
This sudden visitor was very quick.
In just a few seconds, he had already gone around the back of the apartment, preparing to leap onto the balcony just as Herois used to.
"Just perfect, coming in this way makes it easier for me not to be seen."
Murmuring softly, Ronald even generously went ahead and drew back the curtains.
Then, the enemy simply leaped up, reaching Ronald in a few jumps.
Gazing at him holding a blade, his face anxious.
Ronald’s expression subtly lifted an eyebrow:
"Didn’t expect it to be you?"