Chapter 545
Ruthless Rabih
Hearing this, Eivass finally confirmed what had just happened.
His previous intuition was indeed correct; this was someone “sending a message with their life”!
“…So that’s how it is.”
Sherlock also reacted simultaneously: “By cursing the troll Curse Master, he lured us here.
“That’s why the curse only lasted for a brief moment and didn’t repeat after being stopped; and he didn’t even bother to move from his position, knowing he had been discovered…
“It wasn’t that an ambush was prepared here—rather, this old troll gentleman was using this method to tell us the location of ‘Mr. Red Wine’.”
But soon, Sherlock’s doubts arose: “However, how did you know we were near Her Highness the Saintess at that time?”
This was something he couldn’t deduce. If the old troll was imprisoned here, how could he know information about their situation?
Could it be that just as Cardinal Loki could monitor the Church, he too could monitor Cardinal Loki?
“No, I don’t know.”
The old troll sat cross-legged on the ground and replied honestly.
He calmly answered slowly: “But I know the three of them would definitely come to the Church. And I also know that given their personalities, they would likely get into some trouble.
“I calculated the time, and they should have arrived a while ago. So, just before noon, I cursed Zumadi—knowing their personalities, they would most likely be looking for food at this time. Once Zumadi caused a commotion, I would then curse Babulo… I should be able to lure them over.
“I can only say luck was on my side. The first attempt was successful.”
…No wonder.
Bram gritted his teeth.
He had actually sensed something slightly discordant just now.
The “Old Rabih,” who had been silently enduring since being captured, suddenly softened his attitude and started chatting with him!
But at the time, he didn’t think much of it, assuming the other party had come to terms with it—after all, going to the Ancient Kingdom of Anxi was much better than staying in the tropical rainforests of the Southern Continent. The “career overview” he had introduced to Old Rabih was not false; he genuinely believed it was a good job.
The power of the Lord was even greater than that of the Monarchs of Avalon and Star Antimony!
They were truly absolute rulers who had the final say. Anyone who dared to defy them would have no water to drink; anyone who dared to kill them would have a city destroyed due to the interruption of its water supply.
In Bram’s opinion, this was a win-win situation—
Being the most trusted secret servant of such a ruler with absolute power and the ability to act arbitrarily, wasn’t that much more enjoyable than being a tribal leader of a group of trolls, hiding deep in the entertainment-less rainforest, eating raw meat and gnawing on herbs every day?
For the suspicious Lord, the most important thing was “trust.” And trolls who had no social connections and whose lives were in his hands were the most trustworthy people. He would definitely be heavily relied upon, and even expensive longevity medicines could be used.
—And to think, this old man actually preferred to return to that tropical rainforest where there was nothing.
In order to backstab him, he even went so far as to curse his own loyal tribesmen to death!
Hearing this, Sherlock’s eyes narrowed slightly.
He realized that this old troll was not a good person either.
Although it was a coincidence that Pure White happened to be nearby when Zumadi was cursed… if Pure White hadn’t been there, the final outcome would have been the same. As long as one of them, a troll, died, using curses for murder in the Church would alert the Church of the Nine Pillar Gods.
Unlike Avalon, where many people died every day even on Glass Island.
In the Church, where the security was sufficiently good, the death of any single person was a serious matter—although trolls had a low status, in a sense, they were even more worthy of attention.
In the Church, this was also a form of “political correctness.” Although it wasn’t for anyone’s benefit, one’s heart—or rather, one’s Path—could not be defied.
Because any clerical official with some status had to attach great importance to “a young troll coming to the Church to rescue a kidnapped tribal leader, and the kidnapped leader was to conduct a secret transaction with someone in the Church, and the young troll was cursed to death on the street while investigating.”
—These buffs were stacked too high.
To retreat now would likely cause his Devotion to waver—
Do you think this matter is too dangerous, or are you afraid of trouble? Do you discriminate against trolls and are unwilling to devote yourself to them? The Church prohibits the slave trade and regards trolls as people, not commodities. Why didn’t you stop the transaction? Murder on the street, and even by a Curse Master, why did you turn a blind eye?
Moreover, a tribal leader could, in a sense, be considered a monarch. And the political leader of the local forces being disrupted and harmed by foreign, non-national Extraordinarys… this was also a major direction for the Church’s sanctions.
—This old troll named “Old Rabih” fully understood the elves’ pain points.
Even Bram, who had captured him and brought him here, probably didn’t understand the elves as deeply as Old Rabih did.
And to achieve all these purposes.
Simply “cursing him to be injured” was not enough to alarm the high-ranking officials of the Church.
The curse only took effect for a brief moment and then automatically canceled itself, which could only be considered a threat or a prank; if the curse was too light, the Bishop would at most just dispel it. Even these three young trolls themselves would not take it seriously, but would rather feel that such matters were trivial and too common on the Southern Continent.
It had to be a fatal curse, and it had to cause a swift and painful death. Only then would everyone take it seriously.
—From the very beginning, Old Rabih intended to personally curse two of the three trolls who came to rescue him to death.
“…I think I know you.”
Sherlock asked with a frown: “Are you the prototype for ‘The Troll Wizard’s Escape’?”
Hearing this, Eivass also raised his gaze and carefully examined the troll.
He had also read this novel—it wasn’t exactly a literary classic, more of a leisure read.
Its full title was “The Story of How a Brutal Troll Wizard, Sold into the Star Antimony Kingdom by Slave Merchants, Deceived and Killed His Master, Then Escaped with His Lover, the Female Troll Barbie Wood, and Returned to the Southern Continent After Drifting for Twenty-Eight Days on a Raft.”
—Yes, such book titles were popular among the Iris people now.
Rather than a book title, it was more like a synopsis… because these books were placed on the shelves, and if you only saw the title, it was difficult to attract readers’ attention. Without the recommendation of a book critic, you could easily get overwhelmed.
Your book is called “The Noble Lady’s Secret Love Affair,” and someone follows up with “The Noble Madam’s Secret Love Affair.” Unsuspecting readers might think it’s a series and perhaps look forward to when “The Noble Young Master’s Secret Love Affair” would be released.
In such a situation, Bram invented a new type of title:
He printed the most striking plot points in bold red uppercase letters on the book cover. From afar, it was clear and could pique interest—this trend was started by him.
The side effect was that these book titles were difficult to promote, and readers found them hard to remember. So, after these books became popular, he would contact major publishers to give the books shorter names and new covers, placing the original titles inside as synopses.
At least in terms of the skill of writing bestsellers, Bram could indeed be considered a genius.
“How do you plan to deal with him?”
Eivass looked at Pure White.
“Lock him up first.”
Pure White explained with his head bowed: “According to the usual procedure, for a prisoner like this, we first contact his home country. Either for extradition or authorization for punishment…”
“I am an Iris person! I am an Iris person!”
Bram shouted: “Please contact the Speaker! I also want a lawyer!”
“—However, this matter not only involves an ongoing troll trade but is even related to the remnants of the Giants. It also involved an attack on the Pope’s Guard. Therefore, until we deal with his other crimes and extract all his secrets, we will not contact anyone.”
Pure White continued calmly.
“…Tch.”
Bram clicked his tongue.
But Eivass noticed that even so… Bram didn’t seem very afraid.
And at this moment, Bram suddenly looked at Eivass.
“Don’t think you can escape, Eivass! Is helping people fun?”
He shouted, even breaking his voice: “When you saw me, my Lord could already smell your presence!
“When you enter dreams, claws will scar your flesh—”
*Bang—*
Eivass suddenly stepped forward, raised his heavy scepter, and smashed it heavily onto Bram’s face!
In an instant, he coughed out blood, along with shattered teeth. The intense pain caused tears to well up instinctively.
As a Fourth Tier Extraordinary of the Path of Devotion, Eivass had excellent physical fitness. Although not comparable to melee professions like Haina, he was considered a mid-range profession—at least much stronger than agile physical professions like Hunters and Assassins.
His strength made Bram faint instantly.
Eivass raised his hand slightly, and radiance instantly healed Bram’s injuries.
“I was targeted, that’s a matter between me and the Bear Heavenly Envoy.”
He wasn’t angry, but said calmly.
“You…”
When Bram woke up groggily and opened his eyes, before he could reply, Eivass swung his scepter again!
“—You are not qualified to challenge me.”
“I…”
“Be grateful that if Her Highness the Saintess weren’t here, I would have burned you to death.”
After repeating this three or four times, Eivass knocked out all of Bram’s teeth.
Because teeth are not considered flesh and blood—the loss of bone cannot be instantly restored by the Illuminate Spell. At least in the judgment of divine arts, “tooth loss” is considered a disability—just like a lost limb, it can only be healed through rituals.
When Bram was healed again by Eivass and woke up, he looked at Eivass with a bit more fear in his eyes.
Eivass raised his scepter again, as if to strike. Bram instinctively closed his eyes, flinched, and tears flowed out uncontrollably.
But Eivass’s scepter did not fall.
“Go and repent… although you won’t.”
Eivass glanced at Bram contemptuously and turned to leave.
Lily immediately followed Eivass, then Sherlock.
Two of the three trolls remained there, helping up the old troll, including Zumadi, who had nearly been cursed to death by him. On the other hand, the grandson of the old troll, the brown-skinned “Little Rabih,” hesitated for a moment before walking out with Eivass.
And as he realized his weakness, Bram was stunned for a long while, then suddenly burst into tears:
“Mo-Mom…”
With his mouth full of knocked-out teeth, he mumbled.
Since leaving Avalon, things had gone smoothly, and he hadn’t encountered any setbacks. In a sense, he was still that young man from back then who only thought about how to rebel against his father.
“Take him away and lock him in the Eighteenth Ring.”
Pure White waved his hand and ordered, “I need to interrogate him alone later.”
She needed to properly question him about where he stole the Genesis Blood required to steal the Giant’s bloodline power.
Pure White thought.
…Could it really be you, Cardinal Loki?
She looked at Old Rabih and then added after some thought: “Also, find out who the buyer is and give them a warning.
“These people are becoming more and more presumptuous—let them remember that the sacred Church is not a place for them to act recklessly.”
The Saintess, whose eyes were covered with white silk, commanded with a cold voice.
(End of this chapter)
