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Chapter 182: Erroneous Doctrine

“How do you view…?”

Even as the truth loomed large, the two girls seemed to share a silent understanding, not daring to pierce that thin piece of paper. Upon seeing the Holy Knight hesitate slightly, Miss White Fox shook her head gently, as if to say she understood.

“Then let me rephrase it, Edwina, can I trust you?”

“…”

A breeze swept by, lifting the girl’s crystalline golden hair, creating a “rustling” sound between the neatly trimmed trees lining the road.

She did not hesitate, nor did she respond with a simple “yes” or “no.” Instead, she took a deep breath, released it slowly as if realizing something, and solemnly placed her hand on her chest.

“If you are willing to give me that trust… then it will be the honor I cherish for life, and I shall defend it with my life and soul.”

“…Edwina, I’m not a deity.”

“I know.”

“Is that so…”

Upon receiving a response, Miss White Fox nodded thoughtfully.

Edwina Cecelia was different from Yuna Summerfield.

While both were devout followers of the Church of the Goddess, Vilyric sensed a notable difference between them.

The Saint of Bright Light was a true believer; beneath her pure and gentle exterior… she likely possessed a pure and gentle heart as well.

However, when it came to “faith,” Vilyric couldn’t quite judge what radical actions Yuna might take, leaving an unbridgeable gap between the two. Miss White Fox had her reservations and kept secrets, and Yuna probably did as well.

But Edwina, while a devout believer, was more flexible, capable of making judgments based not solely on divine will but her own values.

To put it simply, Yuna Summerfield was good because of faith, while Edwina Cecelia became a follower of faith because of her goodness.

Thus, Vilyric never considered sharing Eudora’s situation with the Saint of Bright Light, but felt it could be worth a try with Edwina.

Miss White Fox rested her hand on the pink-haired girl beside her, gently stroking her.

“As you guessed, Eudora is a demon, and at present, I am personally looking after her.”

“…”

A direct revelation.

Of course, Vilyric wasn’t sure what kind of response she would get. The Church’s doctrine clearly stated, “Demons are pure evil, and the clergy must purify all demons,” a command conveyed by the Light Goddess herself. To abandon such teachings was nearly tantamount to heresy for a believer, even if they were close friends, Edwina should…

“The Church… actually made a mistake? This war…”

Thus, this shocking murmur, nearly unbelievable, entered Miss White Fox’s ears as she waited patiently.

“…?”

However, before Vilyric could gather her thoughts from such a nonsensical statement that surpassed her expectations, the Holy Knight suddenly widened her eyes as if jolted awake from a morning bell and almost couldn’t help but exclaim!

“I see! No wonder… no wonder the teacher would say such things, no wonder my sister…”

With an expression of “I completely understand now!” the Holy Knight suddenly bowed her head, appearing flustered, yet as if suppressing her own shock and… realization?

“Miss Xī… did you come here for this matter?”

“?”

Wait, so this matter… what matter are we talking about?

The speed at which this Holy Knight accepted was so swift that it left Miss Vilyric unable to catch up.

Alright, alright, calm down. Judging by common sense and considering the current environment and events, Edwina was likely referring to… bringing Eudora to meet her?

Yeah, that must be it.

Otherwise, Vilyric simply couldn’t fathom what else she could be hinting at.

After all, with Edwina’s intelligence, she was already one of the more straightforward ones among the priesthood, unlike the Saint of Bright Light, who spoke in riddles that left everyone baffled about her thoughts.

She had already confirmed that Edwina didn’t see her as some nonsensical figure of the Light Goddess.

Though that unexpected trust was somewhat irrational, in such moments, it was better to be decisive than to appear hesitant.

“….”

After a long pause, the golden-haired girl remained silent.

Finally, she nodded, as if her thoughts had aligned, and gave a formal response.

“I understand. I… no, the Cecelia family will fully support you. Rest assured, Miss Xī, thanks to our teacher’s foresight, we are already well-prepared.”

The Holy Knight turned her gaze toward the pink-haired loli, who appeared just as bewildered, and quietly said without hesitation by the empty roadside.

“So, this child is the demon’s spawn, right? Some sort of… succubus?”

“U-um, big fox sister…”

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid~”

Though somewhat surprised by the other’s unwavering stance, at least the Holy Knight had made her supportive attitude clear with her earlier words.

With so many people and prying eyes around the Theological Hall, it would be best to seize this moment when no one else was around to clearly explain the situation to Edwina.

“That being said, let me keep it brief. Eudora…”

After roughly a few minutes, Vilyric described in as concise a manner as possible how they found the child in Mingguang City and brought her, nearly lifeless, back to the inn for treatment, along with mentioning a similar child they encountered in Holy Star City.

“Such a thing exists…?”

After hearing the explanation, the Holy Knight frowned, resting her chin in contemplation.

“Normally, the phenomenon of demonification only occurs when worshippers actively pray to the supreme four lords and perform specific rituals, and even then, it’s often just partial demonification. It’s rare for beings from our world to transform into higher-tier demons at their core.”

“Ordinary folks only know one side of the story and might think that demonification signifies the demons encroaching on their territory. However, during a true invasion from demons, it’s quite rare for a higher demon to bother turning other races into their kind.”

“If they wanted to create servants or spread influence, mental corruption, charm, or brainwashing would be far more convenient. Demons certainly have no shortage of such methods.”

“Let alone the method you mentioned, Miss Xī, implanting latent demon genes that only surface at a certain age—such a thing is simply unfathomable. What could be the purpose behind that…”

Without needing Miss White Fox to bring it up, Edwina immediately followed up.

“Miss Xī, rest assured. I will mobilize the family’s resources to investigate this matter deeply. As for children like Eudora… I currently plan to further search for them and discreetly protect and observe them.”

“After all, the children themselves are innocent; they are not purely invaders and shouldn’t be persecuted for such reasons. How to handle them will depend on whether there’s a threat or if they will show malice towards us like other demons.”

“Historically, our Holy Kingdom and the demonic forces have been at odds. If we could take this opportunity to understand this race more deeply, perhaps we could adopt a more effective strategy against their invasions in the future. What do you think, Miss Xī?”

“Ah! You’ve said everything already, what more can I add?”

“Ahahaha…”

Thus, the two girls exchanged glances and once again shared a silent laugh.

Miss Vilyric’s worries finally dissipated.

Indeed, trusting Edwina was the right choice.

“Ah! Speaking of which, such important content needs to be remembered…”

“Just use your brain to remember it!”