Chapter 690 Interrogation of Honey Badger

Cardinal Dominic chatted with Aiwas and his party as they walked inwards, and soon they reached the deepest part.

This place is completely different from the loose and natural-style disciplinary facilities outside.

The surrounding buildings, seemingly unsettled, were suddenly clad in a layer of silvery-white metal. Dense black runes were painted on the walls, creating a strange artistic style.

Simply by being in this space, Aiwass felt his exposed skin tense up—a sensation like being wrapped in plastic wrap. He also felt a faint discomfort on his wrist, as if he were wearing a heavy watch, but a quick glance confirmed it was an illusion.

That is the effect of overflowing authoritarian power on the material world.

——This entire building has been transformed into the "Temple" of the Silver Crown Dragon.

Even if the entire Eighteenth Ring is equivalent to the prison of the Theocracy, this Silver Temple is the "prison within the prison".

In this area, even a first-level lawyer could probably easily exert the third-level binding force.

This is a domain field that is quite characteristic of the Church. If one were to achieve this level of sustained gain in intensity simply through rituals, the price to be paid would be almost unbearable.

The elves' idea was to build a large enough temple. This was much simpler than the former... all they had to do was assign enough bishops to the area, and the entire building could be continuously sanctified.

Aiwass estimated that this prison for serious criminals, which was actually a "temple", was at least 30,000 square meters - an area equivalent to the size of four standard football fields.

It's not because there are enough criminals locked up there.

Rather, everything inside is completely cut off from the outside world—it forms a self-contained circulation system, and the criminals' "atonement" must be completed within. Unless specifically authorized, even a bishop who enters cannot leave at will... because even the warden here is a serious criminal.

—that is, Cardinal Dominic himself, in straitjacket.

"…Have you ever committed any crime, Dominic?"

Upon hearing this, Aiwass asked curiously.

Cardinal Dominic said gently, “That’s a lot, Pope Edwards.

"The Theocracy has no [Laws]. Therefore, no one can legitimately judge another person—and as I said before, criminals in the Theocracy must demonstrate their worth.

"Those who know healing spells can heal others, and those who can synthesize medicine can do alchemical labor. If you have a talent for research, writing, or calculations, there are also places where they can utilize their abilities. Even if you don't know anything, the Church will generously train them... You can learn anything you want, as long as you can ultimately contribute enough value.

"But even so, there are still stubborn fanatics. Some are truly rotten wood, with no other skills except evil deeds, and they cannot learn to do valuable work; the value of their contributions is far less than the damage they cause. And some are unwilling to cooperate..."

As he spoke, Cardinal Dominic raised his hand slightly.

A heavy door without a handle opened up and down like a beast with its mouth open.

A woman sat in the room. She was naked, her arms spread to the left and right, held in place in the void by a silvery triangle of light. Her feet hung naturally, while an even larger triangle of light held them together, binding them together and causing her to levitate in the air.

At the same time, at least twenty strong light sources shone down on her from all directions, making her body shimmer with dazzling brilliance. No part of her body was connected to the "shadow."

The woman looked up in surprise, but couldn't see who came to the door at all. Then she closed her eyes again under the stimulation of the strong light.

Isabel blushed and instinctively turned her head away. Seeing that Aiwass was still looking intently at her, she puffed up her lips. But considering this was serious business, the Queen's puffed cheeks quickly deflated like a popped bubble.

Cardinal Dominic continued: “Because they are unwilling to cooperate, they are unable to provide any value.

"As for these people, we need to deploy the 'Decomposition Institute'.

"To completely dismember an unredeemable, worthless sinner... Such an act is tantamount to murder. And it's a sin even more serious than murder... Such a sin must be borne by someone.

“—That’s me.

"I will sign all these documents. I am solely responsible for the Theocracy's 'necessary evil'..."

...A necessary evil?

Aiwass suddenly heard a familiar term and turned to look at Cardinal Dominic.

Cardinal Dominic took a step forward and stared at the Master Assassin who was locked in the bright spotlight.

"A master assassin from Hawkeye, a fifth-level [Shadow Dancer]. Hired by Cardinal Loki for one million Star Antimony Gold Coins, he was sent to assassinate the Eternal Saint, Grey.

"Sixty-five years old this year, possessing the fourth level of the Path of Beauty and the fifth level of the Path of Adaptation, codenamed [Honey Badger]. He is the disciple of [Butterfly] and mentor to [Deer], [Dancing Skirt], and others. To date, he has served the Hawkeye Organization for fifty-eight years.

"Your initial motivation for joining Hawkeye was that your parents, a council member and a renowned dancer, were attacked and killed by the Children of the Moon. Your mother was awakened and became a new Child of the Moon. Following her memories from her previous life, she returned to hunt you, who had been placed in her brother's home. Although she didn't find you, she still killed your uncle's entire family, transforming some of them into new Children of the Moon.

"You currently hold three identities simultaneously: dance instructor, councillor's widow, and female fortune teller. As a councillor's widow, you've had four lovers, marrying two of them. One of them divorced due to emotional discord, and the other was the Son of the Moon, whom you plotted to assassinate.

"You have three children, one boy and two girls, all of whom have joined the Hawkeye organization. None of them know your true identity, and one of them is your disciple 'Little Deer'...

"...Do you want me to continue?"

Cardinal Dominic's face grew stern and grim.

She read out the other person's identity word by word and unraveled the other person's secrets.

Kurt Ludwig, codenamed Honey Badger, simply gave a wry smile. "Need I say anything more? Haven't you seen my memories clearly?"

In the past, this would definitely have been handed over to Cardinal Loki for star divination.

But Cardinal Dominic did not use divination - she used the advanced divine arts of the Path of Authority to directly read the other party's memory.

"Do you have any requests?"

Cardinal Dominic said calmly, "If you were to be sentenced to death, what would be your last wish?"

"...Anything?"

The honey badger asked back.

She was not afraid of her own death, or rather, as a failed assassin, she had already anticipated it.

"That's not necessarily true, but it doesn't stop you from saying it first... Maybe anything is fine."

Cardinal Dominic shook his head slightly and remained noncommittal.

"Then I hope... you can let Alice de Harcourt go."

The honey badger pondered for a moment, then answered, "Because she truly did nothing. Her only responsibility is, at most, knowing about it but not reporting it. And given her position, she couldn't possibly betray her identity. The most she could do was remain silent. You can verify the truth of this... She was simply being used by me."

"Why should we let her go?"

Cardinal Dominic asked, "Do you have a good relationship with her? Or do you think it's wrong to drag someone else into this?"

"…Because the Hawkeye Organization cannot easily withstand the wrath of Duke Harcourt."

The honey badger smiled helplessly: "Especially Hawkeye after losing me.

"Alice is the most beloved daughter of Grand Duke Harcourt. Both Hawkeye and the Iris Gazette are exploiting her identity. If they succeed, then everything will be fine. But now that they have failed, there will definitely be a price to pay.

"--If Duke Harcourt harbors ill feelings towards Hawkeye because of this incident, those old nobles who are like fence-sitters will also follow suit and distance themselves from Hawkeye. But Hawkeye is an organization that fights for the freedom of the human soul--"

"It would be ridiculous if the Moon Children seized power because of something like this."

(End of this chapter)