Chapter 123: Chapter 95: Cutting the Mouth with Scissors, You’re Really Asking For It

Before leaving, Wei’en didn’t forget Lisi’s reminder. He took out the report he had already written and knocked on Minister Yegor’s door. "Minister, this is the report on last night’s incident..."

"Just leave it on the table." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Yegor, a cigar dangling from his mouth, poked his head out from behind a thick newspaper and glanced over. "You’re teaming up with Tina?"

"Yeah." Wei’en glanced at a clown doll, then hesitated before asking, "This doll...?"

"So you know?"

"I have... a few suspicions. So it really is..."

"It won’t affect anything. Just remember not to do anything too rough to it," Yegor replied lazily.

Wei’en nodded. ’So I guess cutting its mouth off with scissors would count as "too rough"...’

"I know what to do, Minister."

"Good. Also, about that person from the Dawn Church, if you run into him again, remember to run as far away as you can. You’re not strong enough to deal with him yet."

"Understood."

With that, Wei’en turned and left with Tina.

Of course, he knew to avoid Melbel for now, but it was as if they were fated to clash, always running into each other at the worst possible times.

It was only because Wei’en’s strength was not yet on a minister’s level. Otherwise, he would have made sure Melbel ate a few bullets...

...

...

With Lisi absent this time, Wei’en and Tina couldn’t enjoy the perk of a mechanical vehicle.

However, he had no intention of going on foot, so he splurged by hailing a horse-drawn carriage, indulging in a middle-class luxury.

"Mr. Investigator, where to?"

"Natali District, Number 32."

"Ceres Manor?"

"Yes, you know of it?"

"Gentlemen from out of town who arrive by ship often go there; it’s one of our most common destinations. You and the young lady, please sit tight. We’re off."

The carriage driver wore a black hat and a cheap suit of coarse fabric, but this did nothing to diminish his professional attitude.

"Sir, you must have been at the celebration yesterday, right?"

"I was. Why do you ask?"

"Then you’re brave to be wearing that uniform that identifies you as an Investigator..."

Wei’en was taken aback. "Oh, that. I have run into quite a few people who are very unhappy about what happened yesterday morning."

"More than just unhappy! Those wealthy gentlemen were blocking the entrance to the newspaper office first thing this morning, demanding the truth of what happened yesterday be published."

The driver was quite talkative. As he steadily guided the two ponies, he said, "In Ruer District, there were even a bunch of Dawn Believers gathered there, looking to cause you trouble."

"Luckily, the City Guard found them in time, or it would have definitely been tomorrow’s front-page news in the Caster Newspaper."

"Is that so?"

Wei’en knew those people were angry, but he hadn’t expected them to become so fanatical.

"But most people are still rational. As for the Dawn Church... er, perhaps it’s not appropriate for me to say this..."

"You wanted to say the people from the Dawn Church are overbearing?"

The driver fell silent for a moment. "Truth is, all we see is the cost of candles going up every month, and the tragedies that happen to people around us from time to time."

"As for the Dawn Church, maybe they really are protecting us, but..."

Wei’en grunted in acknowledgment. "I suppose quite a few people feel that way?"

The driver seemed pleased by his attitude and continued, "Yes. We in Laos... ahem, I mean, the people who live not far from Laos District aren’t very interested in the Dawn Church."

"Comparatively, we prefer the teachings of the Storm Church—to be reborn amidst the endless wind, rain, and lightning."

’From Laos District?’

"There must be quite a few believers of Storm in Caster, right? Like you Vasquez People?"

"Of course, I..."

The driver glanced back at him, an apologetic look in his eyes under the brim of his hat. "Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to hide it. I just wanted to complete this fare..."

"It’s alright. I’m sorry for the plight of the Vasquez Race."

Whether it was the Oldes Race, the Vasquez Race, or even his own Sarut Race, Wei’en didn’t have strong feelings one way or the other.

He certainly wasn’t full of hostility toward the Vasquez People like Ariana was.

"Bloodline is something you’re born with, not something you can control..."

"What was that?"

"It’s nothing. You don’t need to worry about it. Just get us to our destination safely. That’s your job, isn’t it?"

The driver said gratefully, "Sir, you’re the kindest person we’ve ever met."

’The kindest?’

Wei’en didn’t feel he had done anything particularly friendly. It seemed the situation for the Vasquez People was truly dire.

"I remember a lot happened in Laos District a few days ago. You must have quite a few people there, right?"

"We do indeed,"

The driver’s expression darkened. "A lot of our companions got dragged into those damned struggles. Sorry, I didn’t mean to swear."

"I understand. Can you tell me the details? Did a lot of people leave?"

"If you’re willing to listen..."

Listening to the driver recount the events of the night before last in a calm voice, Wei’en finally understood what Clelia and the members of the Despair Sect had done in Laos District.

Hector from the Despair Sect was responsible for luring those people out of their sanctuary, and the Red Moon Church was responsible for turning them into slaves of the Red Moon.

And Clelia... she had managed to control all those people at once. It was a classic case of when elephants fight, the grass is what gets trampled.

’It’s a good thing the Ghost Soul School didn’t have its outpost in Laos District; otherwise, it’s hard to say whether I would have survived.’

But what made Wei’en most curious was the Red Moon Church. That ability to forcibly change a person’s body and appearance felt bizarre no matter how he thought about it.

The impression it gave him... hmm, it was as if they had somehow positively transformed the Red Moon’s corrupting power.