Ethan expressed understanding.
Justice playing three against one, no one could withstand that.
However, he discerned many subtle details from Lindong’s account. The reason she could heavily wound Henry VI in the battle at the Imperial Capital was that the two foreign Saints contributed little until Henry VI was gravely injured by a major spell from Lindong. Only then did they reveal their true abilities.
Lindong could confirm that one of them was a follower of the Goddess of Life.
A priest paired with a knight, this combination has existed since the founding of the Empire. Yet it was absurdly ineffective in the battle, lacking in blessings and protection, and even unable to heal Henry VI’s wounds afterward.
Ethan now suspected that Henry VI chose the strategy of trading wounds due to overtrusting the Saint of the Life Goddess path, which resulted in cold entering his body, leading to a deterioration over two years until his complete collapse.
Even as an outsider, Ethan could easily discern that there were culprits in the battle at the Imperial Capital, who contributed nothing yet benefited, with a strategy that was very non-team-like.
"Those two Saints should be the Pope’s trump card. Over the years, they have been manipulating the Empire through the Vatican behind the scenes."
Ave exclaimed in shock, "Is this why you want them to infiltrate the Vatican, the Judicial Court, and the Freeman Mansion?"
"’As long as you investigate, you will always find something,’ this is what the Judicial Court taught me."
"One of them is the ’High Priest’ Turzan."
Everyone except Ethan was shocked by Lindong’s investigation results, "Turzan? You mean the Pope from Henry III’s era? Hasn’t he been dead for hundreds of years?"
The Empire’s history books record Turzan.
Since Turzan, the Empire’s Vatican has never produced another Saint, and Turzan himself lived in the Imperial Capital for ten years after completing his papacy, dying of natural causes, and his soul returned to the Sanctuary of Life with the support of the Vatican and the royal family.
"He changed his body and appearance, now resembling a middle-aged man, so I didn’t recognize him at the time."
Lindong said, "The Vatican has a secret room right behind Saint Hilman’s portrait, where Julius has always referred to him as ’Teacher’."
The investigation process was exceptionally smooth, almost as if...
Someone was guiding her.
"Ethan, what is the ultimate goal of this plan?"
At this moment, the Imperial Capital still poured with torrential rain, seeming to signal the nearing end of their investigation, yet Ethan had never explained the ultimate purpose of these investigations.
"The Vatican’s domination of the Empire is deeply entrenched, even if Julius dies, Turzan can quickly appoint a new Pope."
"So, are we to assassinate a famous figure in the Empire’s history?"
Rowena’s heart pounded wildly; if they counted the recently completed ascension ceremony to the other shore, their faction would effectively have three Saints.
The situation was reversed, and it was their turn to play justice three against one.
Even facing a renowned Pope in the Empire’s history, Rowena was full of confidence.
"Leaving him to the teacher is enough."
Ethan said, in his view, the only way to change the situation of the Empire’s faith was, "I want to convey a message to everyone in the Empire——their rightful god has long since fallen."
At the same time, the Imperial Capital Cathedral, secret room.
"Teacher, the execution was interrupted by a torrential rain."
After completing the summoning ritual, Julius stood reverently before the mirror, the majestic Pope now like a student who had made a mistake, not daring even to breathe.
Before heading to the execution platform, the teacher assigned him two tasks.
Collins-Margaret was a bearer of ancient technological knowledge. If he died, it was necessary to ensure Ave was firmly under the Vatican’s control. He had already made plans to take Ave to the Vatican after the execution, where, with the teacher’s help, her consciousness would be completely erased.
However, now, he had accomplished neither task.
The figure in the mirror did not blame him but pondered, "This torrential rain is unusual, almost like a natural disaster... lightning element or water element?"
Julius cautiously asked, "Teacher, do you mean the caster is likely a Saint like you? I’m quite certain that since the Lindong Witch died, the academy has never had another Saint ascend, and the current head is a Tier Four Element Shaper skilled in earth elemental magic, this is beyond his ability."
He found it hard to imagine anyone capable of altering weather alone.
"Ave did not speak the truth to the Reception Bureau."
Thought the figure in the mirror, "The investigator who solved three areas of pollution in succession did not rely on luck. You haven’t found his whereabouts yet?"
Upon getting the confirmation of his vague premonition from the teacher, Julius’s mood plunged instantly.
The situation in the Imperial Capital was moving in an unpredictable direction, a feeling he deeply disliked, as if entrusting fate to the unknown.
"That investigator was just a drifter, definitely not a student at the academy. Where could he possibly be from..." Julius suddenly thought of something, full of disbelief, "Could he be a student of the Lindong Witch?"
Since he became Pope, only the Lindong Witch had ever instilled fear in him.
That was a terrifying power beyond political scheming.
"There is only this one explanation."