Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Stabbing with a Soft Knife

"To think I would have the pleasure of meeting you on such a harsh winter’s day! This must be a grace bestowed by the Tina Goddess!"

This man wore a black velvet jacket embroidered with gold thread, a gold rose brooch pinned to his jabot. His features weren’t bad, but his makeup was so thick it made him look rather effeminate—a total fop.

He was bowing to Reya with great exaggeration, his words rising and falling as if he were singing.

"Might I have the honor of offering a devout prayer to the Sun God alongside you?"

After speaking, he straightened up and extended a hand to Reya.

A flicker of cold, imperceptible light passed through Reya’s emerald eyes, but her face bore a perfectly calibrated, distant smile.

She took a subtle half-step back, avoiding the outstretched hand, and gave a slight nod.

"Good day, Mr. Newman. Thank you for the invitation."

"But prayer is a sacred affair. True piety is shown when one faces the Deities alone with a clear heart."

"You’ll have to excuse me."

She turned to Evans, her tone natural.

"Sir Evans, let’s go inside."

"Oh, don’t go, Miss Rhea! I—"

The man wouldn’t give up. He spread his arms to block Reya’s path, but before he could finish his sentence, a tall guard beside the girl took a long stride, planting himself directly between him and Reya.

Newman tried to sidle around him a couple of times but found he couldn’t get past the man at all. He couldn’t even see the hem of Reya’s dress!

This made him quite incensed. He pointed a finger at the guard’s nose, his tone turning sharp.

"A mere guard dares to block my path!?"

"I command you to move!"

Yet the tall guard didn’t even budge. A cold sneer emerged from beneath his half-visored helmet.

"Before the God of Blazing Sun, there is no noble or common."

"Sir, please do not forget that."

"You—!"

Newman’s eyes widened, but he quickly bit back his words.

Just as this damn guard had said, this was the Domain of the Sun God Poao.

Any act that transgressed the doctrines of the Blazing Sun would be punished, and "Beneath the Blazing Sun, all life is equal" was one of the first tenets.

Therefore, he truly couldn’t use his status to command others to do something against their will.

But by the same token, others couldn’t stop him from doing things that were within reason.

The blond youth’s eyes narrowed, staring intently at the tall guard’s ice-blue eyes visible through the slit of his helmet as he slowly backed away.

"Fine, you’re right. I’m going to pray to Lord Poao... Goodbye!"

With that, he detoured around them and headed into the church.

This guard was, of course, Jon.

This time, he didn’t stop Newman.

Because while he was blocking the man, Reya had already walked deep into the church. A Monk had guided her into a private prayer room, and Evans was standing guard at the door for her.

In this situation, as a "guard," there was no need for him to go join the crowd.

But that didn’t mean he had nothing to do.

’Isn’t this clown who just popped up the perfect target to pass the time?’

It wasn’t that Jon was arrogant, disregarding the rules of the God of the Blazing Sun and contemptuously calling someone a clown. He actually knew this blond noble.

The man’s codename was [The Clown]!

’Jeffrey Newman, The Clown III of the Blood Eye Association... Didn’t expect this, did you... I’ve farmed you so many times. No amount of makeup can hide you!’

Seeing him, Jon was reminded of the time he had farmed the hellish Horror Dungeon, searching cell by cell for this guy, all for the [Clown’s Red Nose] cosmetic item. The memory made his teeth itch.

But personal feelings were personal feelings; he had to think rationally in the present moment.

Jeffrey’s appearance meant the Blood Eye Association hadn’t actually relaxed its surveillance on Reya. They had just changed their tactics. His vigilance along the way had not been in vain.

Jon watched the man, who reeked of powder and perfume and swayed ostentatiously with every step, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

’He’s here as a lookout, to prepare for their operations outside...’

’Since that’s the case, I can’t let you have your way...’

He released the hilt of his sword and turned to follow Jeffrey’s footsteps.

Unlike the people of this world who dared not transgress before the Deities, players had long ago, with fearless spirit, figured out "how to behave inside a church" and summarized the rules.

That is—render unto faith what is faith’s, and unto the mortal world what is the mortal world’s.

As long as you didn’t cross the red lines of doctrine, the Deities couldn’t be bothered with you.

Therefore, Jon followed Jeffrey in an almost brazen manner.

Wherever the man went, he followed. Anyone who didn’t know better would think he was a guard Jeffrey had brought with him!

This behavior naturally made the blond youth extremely uncomfortable.

Finally, as he tried to approach the prayer room where Reya was, only to be enveloped by the shadow cast by Jon’s tall frame, he could no longer control his suppressed emotions.

Jeffrey spun around and glared viciously at Jon, his face a mask of grief and indignation.

"You insolent lout! Why are you following me?"

The loud voice immediately attracted the attention of the surrounding clergy, and curious gazes focused on the two of them.

Jon’s expression, however, remained unchanged, his tone as placid as ever.

"Sir? Are you speaking to me?"

"My apologies, I wasn’t following you. I was just taking a stroll through the church."

"You’re lying!"

Hearing this, the blond youth’s eyes lit up as if he had caught Jon by his weak spot. His pointed finger trembled as if he were having a fit.

"Do you dare swear to the God of the Blazing Sun that you had no intention of deliberately following me?"

"Oh?"

Jon’s eyes narrowed, his tone dropping a few degrees.

"You dare to stand here, in this Saint Sanctuary of Poao, and suspect me of having impure motives?"

Seeing that Jon’s reaction showed none of the fear a normal person would have when accused in a church, and that he had instead retorted with a question, Jeffrey instinctively hesitated.

But before the crowd, especially under the gaze of a gaunt, elderly man in a Priest’s Robe at the edge of the group, he steeled himself and continued the confrontation with Jon.

"What else could it be! What do you want, following me around like this!?"

"No normal person acts like this! You must be a villain with evil intentions!"

Hearing this, Jon nearly burst out laughing internally.

’An intelligence officer from an extremist restorationist organization, a scout sent to case the church, is accusing someone else of having evil intentions!?’

’With a brain like that, no wonder he ends up in prison later!’

But laughter aside, when Jon took off his helmet, his face showed no trace of a smile. Instead, it was filled with the fury of a man who had been insulted.

He scanned the surroundings gravely and spoke with righteous indignation.

"All you believers of Poao, you heard him!"

"This gentleman has leveled a vile accusation against me, and I cannot accept such an insult!"

"With all of you as my witness, I request a divine duel! To defend my honor!"

With that, he pulled off his gauntlet and threw it viciously at the feet of the deathly pale Jeffrey Newman!

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