Chapter 118: The Price of Protection

Fiery heavenly flames blazed in Alice Liddell’s eyes, illuminating her pupils.

To carry Martha, she had switched her power to “Abyss,” transforming back into a demon. This temporary transformation cost her the witch’s precognitive abilities.

The direct interference of a Fifth-Tier powerhouse with fate had also prevented her from foreseeing the imminent threat to her life earlier, even in her witch state.

Had it not been for her demonic carapace, she would have been riddled like a hedgehog by the inescapable volley of arrows moments ago.

Even without precognition, she understood this was a death trap. Facing the heavenly flames summoned by the “Sunfire Knight” completely unprepared, she had no time to dodge and no means to resist.

Yet, just as she was about to be incinerated by the heavenly fire, Jeanne Decker, who had been standing outside the attack’s range, suddenly rushed forward without hesitation.

She raised both hands high, unleashing a Divine Sanctuary.

Alice Liddell, shielded by the sanctuary, and Count Dunois, who had launched the attack, were both equally astonished. Resisting a Fifth-Tier attack with Seventh-Tier power was an act of pure self-sacrifice!

The heavenly fire slammed into Jeanne Decker’s holy shield. In an instant, the shield became covered in cracks and dimmed.

In that critical moment, Count Dunois hastily retracted his power. The halo in the sky immediately shattered, transforming into a ring of flames that spread outwards and quickly extinguished.

The holy shield broke, and the cascading heavenly fire ceased. Jeanne Decker and Alice Liddell remained unharmed, while Count Dunois broke out in a cold sweat.

He had almost inadvertently killed his most promising disciple.

However, Jeanne Decker’s actions also left him utterly bewildered.

“What in the world are you doing?!” Count Dunois roared, his voice laced with fury.

Jeanne Decker, still shaken, had no strength left to respond. It was not so much that she had protected the witch, but rather that her mentor, mindful of her life, had withdrawn his attack in time.

Against the Knight Order, which had already deemed the witch and Martha targets for eradication, she was utterly powerless to protect either of them.

“Go, quickly!” Jeanne Decker urged Alice Liddell in a low voice.

Alice Liddell looked at Jeanne Decker in surprise. After a second of hesitation, she calmly assessed the situation. Clutching Martha, she turned and fled, her dark witch’s dress melting into the night.

In this predicament, staying meant certain death, and Martha would also be executed on the spot by the paladins. Jeanne Decker’s actions would undoubtedly put her in a precarious position, but not to the extent of immediate execution like Alice Liddell. Moreover, Alice Liddell could do nothing to help her.

“Take me to your master! Hurry!” After briefly explaining her predicament, Alice Liddell shouted at the Abyss Messenger perched on her shoulder.

Since the Jabberwock bird could return to the Mad Hatter to deliver a verbal message, she could find the Mad Hatter simply by following the bird’s flight path!

Jeanne Decker pushed aside the knights rushing towards her and shouted loudly, “Stop! Stop at once! They are not the Killer!”

—Count Dunois, who had been leading the charge, widened his eyes in astonishment. He reined in his horse before Jeanne Decker and angrily rebuked her, “Are you insane, Jeanne Decker?”

“Please, let me explain…” Jeanne Decker looked up at the Count.

“Silence! You have no idea how serious this is!” The Count angrily cut her off. He turned his head and ordered the troops behind him, “First and Second Squads, step forward! Pursue them immediately!”

Having twice acted to shield those two heretics, Jeanne Decker’s actions now left no room for excuse.

Ordinarily, he might have been able to calm himself and listen to Jeanne Decker’s reasons, but at this moment, he simply couldn’t.

A cold voice echoed from the rear of the formation: “There’s no need to pursue, Count. That blasphemer is likely a Sixth-Tier. Your knights rushing in rashly would only lead to unnecessary casualties.”

Count Dunois gestured to revoke his previous order. He turned his head.

Three swift horses advanced from the rear of the formation. The riders were not paladins, but Inquisitors wearing iron masks and long robes.

One was a senior Inquisitor in a black robe, followed by two executioners in grey robes. Their iron masks gleamed with a cold luster in the moonlight.

After the captain of the guard informed Count Dunois of Jeanne Decker’s unauthorized actions, the Count immediately organized a support team. This team included far more than just paladins; it also comprised Inquisitors from the Inquisition.

While Count Dunois understood the situation, he was not accustomed to operating with the Inquisition. However, this was a strict decree from the Church: any incident involving heresy, especially matters concerning blasphemers, had to be reported to the Inquisition immediately upon discovery. Unless the Inquisition was unable to participate, no other organization could intervene in such matters without the Inquisition’s approval or cooperation.

“Leave the rest to us. We know where those heretics are headed. The Grand Inquisitor has already gone there. Rest assured, we have the situation under control,” the senior Inquisitor stated.

“Such efficiency is truly admirable,” Count Dunois said politely, though his expression remained rigid.

“After all, dealing with heretics is our duty. There’s no need to worry about that side. The problem lies…” The Inquisitor paused, fixing their gaze on Jeanne Decker, “—here.”

Jeanne Decker felt that sword-like gaze and involuntarily tensed her entire body.

“Isn’t this the Saint who carried the Church’s banner during the recent Holy Sea Day parade? I thought I had seen wrong,” the Inquisitor said in a low tone.

“Inquisitor, regarding what just happened, may I explain?”

Jeanne Decker finally understood why her mentor was so anxious and why the paladins had rushed directly, disregarding the hostage. It seemed the Inquisition had dispatched someone of higher status than her mentor to lead this operation.

Eradicating heresy above all else—this was the ruthless modus operandi of the Inquisition.

Yet, from the recent conversation, this person was merely a senior Inquisitor. Had the higher-ranking figure, superior to her mentor, not personally participated in the action?

“You can save your excuses for the Iron Prison of Divine Wrath. We will interrogate you later,” the senior Inquisitor replied mercilessly, then waved a hand. “Apprehend her!”

Two executioners dismounted and approached Jeanne Decker.

“Wait a moment, Inquisitor. Please hear her out first. Perhaps she truly has some difficult circumstances…” Count Dunois interjected anxiously, knowing what being taken to the Iron Prison of Divine Wrath implied.

“Count, you saw it yourself. She is perfectly lucid, yet she sheltered a heretic in front of a dozen people. Regardless of her reasons, this action itself is a grave crime. Is there a problem with me apprehending her?” The Inquisitor turned to look at Count Dunois. “Is the Count intending to shield his student? Though I am merely a senior Inquisitor, if the Count insists, I will have no choice but to report this impartially.”

Count Dunois was speechless. Given his status, he had no reason to fear a senior Inquisitor, but today, the other party had a powerful backer.

“Take her away.”

The Inquisitor commanded again, and the executioners stepped forward to shackle Jeanne Decker.

Jeanne Decker did not resist; resistance would have been meaningless.

At this critical juncture, she instinctively glanced in the direction the witch had departed. From the Inquisitor’s words, it seemed the Inquisition had made prior arrangements.

To her own surprise, she found herself more concerned about that witch than about her own fate.

‘Please, be safe…’ The same thought that had crossed Alice Liddell’s mind yesterday now surfaced in Jeanne Decker’s heart.