A few days later, Clementine and Bei 'Lu' successfully completed their mission to support the Dragon Kingdom and returned to the Slane Theocracy.
Since the support for the Dragon Kingdom was confidential, few people knew about it, except for the hundred monks who were previously disliked.
Clementine's request to restore her identity as the ninth seat of the Black Scripture upon her return was also dismissed with a simple 'it still needs to be discussed'.
Just as a displeased Clementine parted ways with Bei 'Lu', Bei 'Lu' immediately received a summons from Archgod-Official Dominic, who was in charge of the Windflower Scripture.
After separating from Clementine, Bei 'Lu' seemed like a different person; she no longer had the playful demeanor she had with Clementine earlier.
With a serious expression, she arrived at the Windflower Scripture's meeting hall as agreed.
"You're here, Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina?" Archgod-Official Dominic, who had been waiting there, showed a kind and amiable smile as soon as he saw Bei 'Lu' arrive.
The de facto leader of the Windflower Scripture, Dominic Ilei Baiduosi, always maintained that kind and amiable demeanor towards everyone, provided, of course, that he wasn't angered.
"I'm back, Lord Dominic," Bei 'Lu' replied in a toneless voice, devoid of any emotion.
"So, regarding the surveillance mission on Clementine, did you discover anything?" Dominic asked.
"Lord Dominic, please take a look…" Bei 'Lu' handed over the observation notes on Clementine that she had prepared earlier.
"Very good, Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina, although you, as the ace of the Windflower Scripture, are always meticulous in your work, this time, you didn't expose yourself, did you?" Dominic took the notes and began to flip through them.
"No…" Bei 'Lu' still replied in that emotionless tone, as if Bei 'Lu's speaking manner had always been this cold.
"Hmm? You repelled the beastmen army with just two spells? Uh… Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina, can you describe the two spells you saw?" Dominic did not doubt what Bei 'Lu' had recorded; if she didn't have such ability, it would have been impossible to drive back the beastmen forces so quickly.
"…" Bei 'Lu' nodded, then described in detail the Explosion Magic and Ultimate Magic Skyfall that Bei 'Lu' had seen Clementine cast at the time.
"Uh… So, in the second city, Clementine only used Explosion Magic and didn't use that Ultimate Magic again?" Dominic listened while continuing to read the contents of the notes Bei 'Lu' had handed over.
"No, she only used Explosion Magic," Bei 'Lu' replied.
"I see. So, in the third city, Clementine had a one-on-one fight with the Lion King? This result is somewhat intriguing. Clementine, who can use Ultimate Magic, was surprisingly not inferior to the Lion King of the Beast Kingdom in close combat. This is very strange. With this level of strength, wouldn't it be as easy as flipping a hand for Clementine to kill the Lion King? Why did the Lion King escape in the end? Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina… Were you present at the time? Did you suspect she held back?" Dominic continued to ask.
"No, Clementine swiftly defeated the Lion King. Just as she was about to use magic to end the Lion King's life, she was tricked by the Lion King using his magic-countering weapon, the Dragon King Battle Axe, and the Lion King's subordinates were also ambushed nearby, allowing the Lion King to escape," Bei 'Lu' said.
"…" Dominic was silent for a long time, then handed the notes in his hand to the priest waiting nearby.
"Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina, you completed your mission very well this time. You've worked hard. You won't be responsible for Clementine's matters from now on. Please go back and rest well!" Dominic said.
However, Bei 'Lu' below remained completely unmoved.
"Hmm? Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina? Do you have anything else?" Seeing this, Dominic's lips curled up slightly. He knew that Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina in front of him would not let "Clementine" off so easily, after all… that "Clementine" was the murderer of her older sister.
"Chief Priest Dominic, please continue to let me be responsible for monitoring Clementine!" Bei 'Lu' said, lowering her head.
"Hoh… This is rare. This is your first time proactively asking for work. So, what's the reason?" Dominic knew why Bei 'Lu' wanted to keep an eye on Clementine, but he deliberately asked her to say it herself.
"…" Bei 'Lu' didn't answer, but just bit her lower lip tightly, looking as if she was enduring something.
"Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina, I know you resent your sister's death, but… the one who committed the crime was the former Clementine. The current Clementine has no past memories, so she should be considered a reborn Clementine. You mustn't hold past grudges against her reborn self," Dominic said.
"But! Chief Priest Dominic! Even if she has lost her past memories! Her true nature is still that cunning, bloodthirsty, and cruel Clementine! So…" Bei 'Lu' did not finish her sentence.
"Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina, during this mission, did you see the reborn Clementine display any bloodthirsty or cruel behavior?" Dominic asked.
"…" Bei 'Lu' was speechless. She could only clench her fists and endure.
"No, right? Hehe… Human nature is inherently good. I suppose the reborn Clementine has also returned to her original self!" Dominic continued.
"But!" Bei 'Lu' still wanted to argue… and once again, she was interrupted by Dominic's stern words.
"Enough, Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina!"
"…" Bei 'Lu' could only turn her face away unwillingly, trying to suppress her emotions that were about to erupt.
"I can understand your feelings, Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina. Your only family member was murdered so cruelly, and we also feel very sorry about it. However, why can't we broaden our minds and look at the reborn Clementine with a smile? You have also personally witnessed Clementine's combat power. To take a step back, even if I agreed to let you avenge your sister, do you have the confidence to kill her?" Dominic continued to ask.
"No… no…" Bei 'Lu' slowly replied, like a deflated balloon.
"So… the reason I'm not letting you continue to be responsible for Clementine's surveillance is actually for your own good. You are an ace I personally trained. How can I bear to watch you go to your death?" Dominic said earnestly.
"Thank you for your concern, Chief Priest Dominic, but even so… I hope you can continue to entrust this mission to me," Bei 'Lu' said bitterly.
"Uh… Alright! It's not impossible to continue entrusting it to you, but you must promise me! Absolutely do not do anything foolish! If you find anything amiss, please tell me immediately, and we will find a way for you. If… Clementine eventually reverts to her former rampant self, then I will create an opportunity for you to personally avenge your sister," Dominic said.
"Thank you, Chief Priest…" Bei 'Lu' showed a very grateful expression and bowed deeply to Archgod-Official Dominic in front of her. Just as Bei 'Lu' bowed her head, Dominic revealed a very sinister smile.
After seeing Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina off, another Chief Priest walked out from behind the screen in the meeting hall. He was the leader of the Water-Light Scripture, the aged Shui Shenguan Zhang Xineding De Lan Guierfei.
"I didn't expect you to use such a despicable method, Dominic… The murderer of her sister wasn't the current Clementine at all, was it?" Xi Neiding said.
"Hmph! So what? Since we can use this reason to make Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina monitor the fake Clementine more diligently for us, isn't that good?" Dominic snorted and said.
Given her character and style, she must be dreaming of killing that Clementine!
But now, there is a strict order from above not to lay a hand on Clementine, and her own strength is no match for Clementine.
So, all she can do is work even harder to monitor Clementine for us, thereby finding evidence that would make the Theocracy's highest church eliminate her. Why not?
"Alright, how to monitor Clementine is your Windflower Scripture's business. I won't say anything more," Xi Neiding shook his head helplessly.
"Hmph! If Astrology Thousand Miles wasn't so useless, the Windflower Scripture wouldn't need to interfere in this matter, would it?" Dominic said unhappily.
After all, Bei 'Lu' Aidokemisilaina is the ace of the Windflower Scripture. Having her responsible for long-term surveillance of Clementine would be a great loss of combat power for the Windflower Scripture.
Furthermore, most of the Windflower Scripture's personnel are currently fully searching for the Crown of Intellect stolen by the real Clementine, so losing another ace would indeed be a significant blow to the Windflower Scripture.
"Has Astrology Thousand Miles not recovered from that blow yet?" Xi Neiding asked.
"No… She still stays in her room all day and refuses to come out. Besides, is there really such a magic that can take 80,000 lives with one blow? Could it be that Astrology Thousand Miles was just making it up?!" Dominic expressed his doubt about this.
"If it's an Ultimate Magic only recorded in legends, it's possible," Xi Neiding took the notes Bei 'Lu' had handed over from the previous priest and roughly flipped through them.
"Ultimate Magic… Does such a thing really exist?" Dominic still didn't believe this explanation.
"Isn't there someone here who can cast Ultimate Magic? Find an opportunity to let her cast it once and you'll know, won't you?" Xi Neiding said, shaking the notes in his hand.
…
After Bei 'Lu' walked out of the meeting hall, her original vexed expression switched back to a cold face, as if everything that had just happened hadn't occurred.
Heh heh! That old fox would never dream that some of the information she provided him was false! And he would never think that she had hidden a lot of very important information, would he?
And he would never think… that she actually knew that the current Clementine was not her sister's killer at all!
After all, he simply didn't know that she had met the real Clementine. Bei 'Lu' thought.
"Eavesdropping Talisman, disperse!" Bei 'Lu' silently dispelled the eavesdropping magic applied somewhere…
At the same time, Iri was walking back to her room with a sour face, completely oblivious to a small, inconspicuous piece of paper, only the size of a fingernail, quietly falling from her shawl.
The princess of the Ainz Ooal Gown Magic Kingdom?
Bei 'Lu' rubbed her face, once again returning to her previous playful expression, and skipped towards Lord Clementine's room…
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 70 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!