usenovelgroup 002. Church Appointment
002. Church Appointment
Xinlai clasped her hands together, her left index finger unconsciously tapping the back of her hand.
Eighteen years have passed since his rebirth here, but the system has yet to arrive, and he lives each day as if walking on thin ice.
Lacking the natural talent of his two elder brothers, he could only compensate with diligence, relentlessly cultivating his skills, vying for resources, and carefully navigating the treacherous royal court...
All this is so that we won't be eliminated by this dog-eat-dog world.
Now that the system has finally arrived, a wave of bitterness suddenly welled up in my heart, which then transformed into an indescribable sense of relief and joy.
He no longer had to strategize for those limited resources, nor did he need to waste his energy on hypocritical maneuvering...
For a fleeting moment, he even wanted to smile at the world and say, "I don't eat beef," then completely unleash all the darkness within him, bringing a tiny bit of destruction and shock to the world.
With a thought, Xin Lai brought up the system panel.
Name: Aryan Bomirt Sinlai
Race: Human (Short-lived race)
[Level: 21]
[HP: 400/400]
【Magic Power: 400/400】
Experience points: 1350/3650
【属性：体力21、奥术20、力量21、技巧20、敏捷21、精神21】
[Skills: Hyperdimensional Link Lv.1, Mutual Appreciation Lv.1, Whirlwind Slash Lv.5, Cleave Lv.5, Thrust Lv.5, Fireball Lv.1, Illumination Lv.2, Purification Lv.2, Health Regeneration Lv.2]
"Knock, knock."
A gentle knock on the door pulled him back from his thoughts.
"well……"
I glanced at my system panel, which I'd accumulated over eighteen years, and realized it was clearly not the right time to do that...
Because his talent was far too mediocre compared to his two older brothers, he did not yet have the right to act recklessly.
We still need to lie low and be patient.
"Please come in."
The door was pushed open, the system panel vanished in pieces, and a tall, imposing figure stepped into the room.
He wore a beige robe with gold trim, holding a crowned scepter with a faint golden glow in one hand, and a thick, black and red leather-bound law book floating silently in the other.
"It's been a long time, my dear Third Prince."
The visitor was Harleton, the head of the Church of Light's Asgard diocese, a five-ringed archmage.
"Good day, Your Excellency Hallerton." Sinley rose, straightened her robe, and gave a perfectly appropriate apology. "Your arrival was unexpected. I had just woken up and was not prepared. Please forgive me."
Harleton's snow-white beard fluttered slightly. He was pleased and gratified by the third prince's unwavering respect.
"It's alright," he replied peacefully, while gently turning the floating law book with his magic, causing the pages to turn. "I've come here to inform you that a trial will be held in the royal city tomorrow."
Xinlai nodded, knowing it was about Eve. If nothing unexpected happened, that girl would eventually fall into the trap of becoming a witch rejected by the world, feared by the church, and guarded against by the empire.
In this world, witches are not the corrupted girls in movies and novels who fight tentacle monsters several times a month, but are heretics in the truest sense.
Their magic will increase exponentially out of control over time, eventually leading most of them to mental breakdown or self-destruction.
Some of them were manic, some were paranoid, some were lustful, and some were furious...
In short, witches are a threat that every dynasty must be wary of. They can destroy cities and slaughter people in the blink of an eye, causing widespread devastation.
Therefore, every dynasty regarded witches as beings that must be nipped in the bud.
Xinlai's face showed a look of bewilderment and curiosity, as if she knew nothing about it, while her gaze fell on the law code in Hallerton's hand.
The pages turned for a long time before finally stopping. At the top of the page was a striking line of black runes:
[Imperial Regulations for the Disposal of Witches and Related Personnel]
"Recently, a member of the Tanstin family's collateral branch reported that Tanstin Eve, the daughter of the Marquis Tanstin, is suspected of being a witch. After investigation, the allegations have been confirmed."
"Lady Tanstin fled to avoid punishment, and the Marquis Tanstin, who was stationed at the border, has now been ordered to return and face sanctions."
Sinlai was well-versed in the law and knew that Asgard's laws were known for their iron-fisted nature:
Those who knowingly give birth to a witch, if they are direct relatives, will be burned at the stake; collateral relatives will be deprived of their right to reproduce. Those who secretly conceal and raise a witch will be hanged. Only by actively reporting a witch can the family be spared death, but at the cost of extinction.
This is not cruelty, but a survival rule written in blood by countless dynasties.
The birth of every witch adds an unhealable, hideous scar to this world.
Therefore, all empires have explicitly forbidden marriage between those whose magical power exceeds a certain threshold, in order to prevent the birth of even more terrifying beings.
"So, has Tanstin Eve herself... been captured?"
A flush rose on Harleton's face, and he nodded with pride and self-satisfaction: "Fate is also on our side. She was found unconscious on the beach by our patrol team and is now being held in the royal city's dungeon."
Xinlai, feigning deep thought, echoed, "The witch's harm is too great; timely action can indeed minimize the damage."
"Exactly." Hallerton raised an eyebrow, suspended the Codex in mid-air, and slowly walked to the window. "And the main purpose of my visit is to convey the Church's appointment: you will serve as the executor of this witch trial."
After saying that, he turned around and met Xinlai's gaze.
Upon hearing this, Xin Lai bowed slightly, neither servile nor arrogant, placed her right hand on her left chest, and spoke in a calm and clear tone:
"It is my honor, and I will certainly live up to the trust placed in me by the church."
Let the church put their hearts in Jesus' hands and entrust this matter to Sinley; there's no need to worry.
Harleton secretly admired her. Xinlai was composed, humble, and well-mannered, neither servile nor arrogant; in his eyes, she was far superior to his two older brothers…
Xinlai's elder brother treated women like an addiction; once he started, he couldn't stop.
Back then, Xinlai asked her older brother why he didn't just take addictive drugs to get pleasure, and her brother bluntly said that women were cheaper than addictive drugs.
His second brother valued money above all else, and was even willing to sell his wife to his eldest brother for a small sum of money.
"That's my beloved wife, whom I cherish and protect like a precious gem!!"
"You'll have to pay more."
……
With that thought in mind, Hallerton patted Sinlai on the shoulder meaningfully, "The future of the empire may truly rest on your shoulders."
Xinlai immediately shook her head, her posture respectful: "My father is wise and mighty; he is the true lion protecting the empire."
The answer was watertight, neither taking sides nor overstepping his bounds. Hallerton smiled, said nothing more, put away the law book, and walked towards the door.
"Then I won't disturb you any longer. If Your Highness wishes to learn about the details of the execution in advance, you may go to the dungeon to check it out yourself."
"Please take care, sir."
After seeing Hallerton off, and until the alternating sounds of his footsteps faded completely at the end of the corridor, Sinley finally let out a slow breath.
These old foxes always try to trap him with their words, attempting to bind him to their respective camps. But Xin Lai, who has exchanged ideas with thousands of netizens, is already used to carefully considering his words before speaking.
He glanced at the time; it was almost afternoon.
"We need to hurry."
He had to see Eve in person.
This was not only to verify whether the prophecy based on personal experience was true, but also to lay the groundwork for a backup plan:
Eve must not be allowed to die at tomorrow's execution.
The system explicitly states: As long as a soul contract is signed with the witch, Xin Lai will receive several times the benefit in the feedback every time her strength increases.
The growth of a witch is already terrifying; imagine what it would be like if it were multiplied many times over to oneself...
After making up her mind, Xinlai took a cold shower to clear her head.
Standing in front of the mirror, beneath his jet-black hair parted in a 3/7 ratio, were a pair of heterochromatic eyes, blue and gold like cold stars. His nose was straight as a peak, and his lips were thin and sharp. His resolute and handsome features exuded elegance and nobility.
His appearance was probably the only thing he was good-looking about among the three brothers...
He doesn't have as many resources as his eldest brother, nor as much wealth as his second brother. In fact, in the eyes of those ministers, because of his heterochromatic eyes, he is not even qualified to be the crown prince.