Chapter Ninety-Six
The adjudicator's brow twitched, but he said nothing.
Indeed, he couldn't change the outcome. It had already been accepted by most people, so even his refusal wouldn't make a difference.
He heard a whistle, turned his head, and saw Benny's smile.
She definitely needed a smile, because the information this guy currently had was completely useless. This was something every newcomer went through—the feeling of plunging headfirst into a pool of cold water, full of enthusiasm.
The feeling that you can't do anything but maintain the status quo is very disheartening, just like how it took almost fifty years for Benny to figure it out after she arrived. In fact, everything we have now is already the greatest tolerance and kindness the church can offer.
Regardless of his reasons for coming here, he has no way to contend with the established system.
Moreover, his addition itself makes the system more complete. Some people even said recently that the arrival of the arbitrator is the most celebratory event in recent times.
That so-called land of the dead? It doesn't matter if it develops for a thousand years, as long as no demon god species appears in the demon camp, then everything is fine.
“Alright, then I have other questions to ask.” The adjudicator looked around, his pupils slowly dimming.
This guy always gave off a cold and sinister vibe, but that coldness was only concealed by his cloak. The cloak concealed his burning passion.
Benny yawned, then saw the guy's hostile expression, which made her feel uneasy.
"It's about a monster named Ark. I want to know his classification," the Arbiter said, emphasizing each word. "As a monster, haven't we given him too much freedom? I've looked at his file, he..."
“Well, if you want to discuss this issue, I suggest we talk about it privately.” The immortal coughed lightly a few times to remind him that he had said something he shouldn’t have.
“It’s alright, let him talk,” Benny said softly, patting the table and revealing a beautiful smile.
The Arbiter frowned, for he saw the Immortal's helpless expression.
Such an expression shouldn't appear on the face of a saint; they are important figures in God's camp. Why would someone make that face just because they're talking about a demon? It's incomprehensible. Although the reason is unknown, not continuing the conversation would violate his creed.
“He was recorded a thousand years ago, which means this guy existed before the war between the monsters and the church.” The Arbiter paused and said, “For a monster, his lifespan is far too long. It’s astonishing to me. I believe he is a demon, but the mark you gave him is merely a calamity.”
“You saw that guy too, he’s just an ordinary guy, not as strong as you think.” Benny rested her head on her hand and looked at him, saying, “As for the lifespan issue, I brought him the Church’s Water of Life, and drinking that stuff can indeed prolong life.”
“Eight-Colored Glass, that’s a demon.” The Arbiter paused, his voice gradually lowering as if he were suppressing his anger.
"So what?" Benny propped her head up with her hands and leaned back, her legs casually resting on the table. Her arrogant demeanor was truly infuriating.
Of course, no one would dare to hit her.
He paused for a long time, taking a considerable amount of time to recover from the fact that a saint had brought a very important material from the church to a monster. If it were anyone else, they would have cut off their hands on the spot as punishment.
However, no one can question everything the saints do; they represent God's will, and no one can doubt the decisions God makes.
So, aside from expressing his dissatisfaction, he had no way to punish her. Although he could challenge her to a duel, the frustrating thing was that he couldn't beat her. The Heroine is unique; her abilities were created specifically for combat.
Although the Arbiter's combat power was definitely above that of multiple Demon Kings, in terms of ability, he was completely helpless against this child who did not seem to have fully grown up.
“Nothing much, I just noticed from his recent records that he used your emblem to protect a demon.” He paused and said, “The fact that this guy would actively protect a demon raises suspicions about his motives.”
"You mean that adorable child? What a coincidence, if I were there, I would definitely choose to protect her too." Benny said with a smile, "How badly do you think the world would have to be destroyed before we would harbor such malice towards a child?"
“That’s enough. We’ve seriously violated God’s will by maintaining the world to this extent.” The Keeper of the Way suddenly interjected, “I want to remember that we have been disobeying God’s will for almost two thousand years.”
Benny and the Arbitrator glanced at him at the same time, then simultaneously turned their heads away.
It's a paradox that they, as saints, are forced to disobey God's will.
According to scriptures, about two thousand years ago, God intended for this place to be completely destroyed. It was beyond saving, or perhaps God simply couldn't be bothered to repair it.
After its resurrection, it rebuilt paradise on the ruins, which have now become hell. Everyone will completely disappear from this world when this plan is completed.
“I also agree with the newcomer… no, the Arbiter. Ark used your emblem to protect a demon this time.”
"I have already submitted the relevant documents."
"That's not the point. The point is, we don't know this demon's rating." The Guardian paused, then said, "If she's just a Gamma-level demon, you certainly have the right to do this. But if she's not Gamma-level, you'll need someone else's consent to protect her..."
“She’s just a child, and I hope we all understand that. She’s just a child.” Benny took a deep breath and said slowly, “Shouldn’t we be more forgiving of a child?”
“It’s precisely because she’s a child that it’s so difficult,” said the compassionate person beside her. “Never let a child hold the key to destroy the world; in every sense, that’s a disaster. This child has found a key, and we need to know what kind of calamity she can unleash from that key.”
“You’re talking a lot today,” Benny said, frowning as she looked at the benevolent person sitting in the corner.
This person is the church's representative of benevolence towards others, but I have absolutely no good opinion of her. For some inexplicable reason, every time I see her, I feel like this person, whose smile is as warm as a spring breeze, is destined for hell.
“I don’t think Benny’s judgment is wrong, after all, the child has been very well-behaved so far. She’s a newly transformed demon, and before that, she was just an ordinary human.” The Immortal paused and said, “The Demon God doesn’t casually bestow advanced abilities upon ordinary humans. And even if it’s a Beta-level being, I can vouch for it.”
Benny glanced at the Immortal and breathed a sigh of relief.
It's a safe move for two people to protect one demon, especially since it's uncertain whether there are even any Alpha-level demons left. Currently, the highest level is Beta-level.
"Thanks." She smiled at the immortal and said, "That was a surprise."
"You're welcome. Want to grab a drink afterwards? Working too hard isn't good; you need to relax sometimes." The Immortal said casually, sprawling in his seat and looking at everyone. "Our meeting needs to move forward. I'd like to go for a drink."
“I’m sorry, but I don’t drink.” Benny shook her head, looking at the arbitrator whose expression had hardened. “Is there anything else you’d like to say?”
“No, that’s all.” He looked at Benny and said, “Then I think we need to find that child and have her unleash her power in front of us to determine her level.”
“This is unnecessary. Can you even get away right now? I’ve looked at your schedule, and you won’t have much free time for the next six years.” Benny paused and said, “If it’s really necessary, I can go.”
"I don't think you can make a fair and impartial judgment."
"You're going too far. If I remember correctly, I beat you up not long ago. Have you forgotten how painful it was?" Benny's smile froze for a moment before slowly turning cold.
This guy's constant nagging about her own issues has really put her in a bad mood. Maybe she should find a quiet corner and drink some alcohol after this is over. It's been a long time since she's had any alcoholic beverages; perhaps she should use this method to soothe her somewhat weary mood today.
"Gentlemen, may I interject here?" the Benevolent One suddenly spoke up: "That child must be a demon from the Flavos lineage, right?"
"Hmm, what's wrong?" Benny looked at the guy, only to see a rare smile on his face.
“That is indeed a bit difficult. Have I told you before? If a demon is killed and its soul is not cleansed, it will revive after a week.” She paused and said, “Currently, the only way we can destroy a soul is to use angelic flames to burn it, but angelic flames are essentially flames, and this will not work on demons of the Flavos lineage.”
"so what?"
“We couldn’t kill that child, so we had to neutralize him. Oh, I’m basically the one who deals with most of the demons, so there are some reports you might not have seen.” She took a strange stone off her cross and tossed it over: “It contains a few mental images. This is the method I use to deal with this type of demon. You arrived late and don’t know yet.”
She tossed the stone in her hand to the judge.
"If that child is truly someone we have to deal with, then it will be just like the image in the video. Perhaps it will give you a little more time to think things through."
Benny clearly saw the arbitrator's expression twitch, and after a moment of hesitation, he sighed.
“The Immortal is right. Such a child cannot become a powerful demon. Now that we have two pieces of proof, I don’t need to investigate any further,” he said softly, then slowly sat back down in his seat.
This surprised Benny a little; she hadn't expected things to end this way.
This made her a little curious about what kind of images were inside that little stone.
She had used that thing before; it only required slightly activating the holy power within to visualize a video recording in her mind, and if done well enough, it could create an immersive experience.
Generally speaking, the guys sitting here might have some naive ideas, but they've definitely made up their minds. Like this guy, Benny can tell he's seen hell, so he's eager to change something.
This guy should have found a breakthrough, which is that the abilities of the demon named Lori have not yet been determined.
He could easily use this as leverage to demand personal confirmation; Benny's mentioned schedule was merely a way for him to back down. If he really wanted to do it, there was no need to care about Benny's opinion.
But now he has given up, all because of this little stone.
She tapped the table, and the stone bounced up due to the force of the impact, landing in her hand.
She slowly ran her fingers over it, and her expression gradually froze.
She threw the stone back, and the benevolent man caught it.
“They’re all good kids.” She said with a smile, “Yashiro, there’s no need to look at me like that. I’m just doing my job.”
“Did I say I hate being called by that name?” Benny’s voice was soft, but anyone could hear the anger in it.
“I’ve said it before, many times. But the name Benny is not suitable for a saint.” The Immortal paused and said, “None of us sitting here can act according to our own whims. We must do our duties, although we may disagree on how to do them because of our personalities. But we are saints, the watchdogs of this world. So who is watching us? The answer is no one. We can do whatever we want. Everyone here has immense power.”
So he glanced at the adjudicator: "These words are for you. We're at the top now, and nobody cares whether we're doing good or bad things. But personally, I still hope we can all behave properly. If you really want the world to be a better place, then do your part. There are only five of us; it's not difficult to get everyone to stick to their responsibilities."
The Immortal suddenly stood up, looked at Benny sitting there, and said:
“This matter can’t be left like this. There can’t be any demons without a record. I assure you that I will protect her no matter what level she is. But there can be no exceptions for demons. We must find out their background. You go, or should you go?” He looked at the two guys sitting there looking at the table and said softly, “Or I can go.”
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