After the semi-transcendent Thomas and Blackwater Gang leader Solari were killed by her, Ciel only asked Avena to help eliminate Solari’s nephew, Eian. Subsequently, her attention was completely drawn by the dehydration syndrome, and she paid no further attention to the Blackwater Gang matters.

In her view, the Blackwater Gang issue was perfectly resolved. Barring accidents, this gang should never have any connection with her again in this lifetime.

But Ciel never expected that after reaching rock bottom luck, this originally insignificant foreshadowing, buried for over a month, almost cost her life.

After gradually escaping the range of despair’s influence, Ciel’s mood sank.

Misfortune... didn’t stop after she intervened in the simulation, even though she arrived here with a new save file completely devoid of cause-and-effect relationships.

This meant she was constantly under surveillance by certain people or certain things.

This misfortune, if correlated with Ciel’s notes, should be a Level 2 misfortune, the kind that would cause minor injuries even if dodged using 【Precognitive Sight】 when she had no transcendent abilities.

If Nia, whom she hadn’t directly contacted, was excluded, she had already contacted three third-tier transcendents today. This didn’t match the intensity of the misfortune at all.

The real misfortune... was still waiting for her later.

Ciel gradually slowed her running pace, calming her slightly rapid breathing, warily observing her surroundings.

Where.

The next misfortune, in what form, how will it descend upon her?!

In a slum area, a misfortune that even a second-tier “Judicator” couldn’t resist...

Ciel abruptly looked up towards Clock Tower Alley not far away. The high tower top glowed faintly, as piercing as a lighthouse beacon in the dark night.

To avoid the wailing in her head, she had run back to the area closest to the Church of the Savior Goddess!

Surely she couldn’t be that unlucky...

Ciel immediately changed direction, ducked into a small alley, intending to take a long detour to leave Clock Tower Alley directly. But just then, a white light flashed abruptly before her eyes.

Damn!

Four black shadows instantly emerged from beneath Ciel, surrounding her in the narrow alley—front, back, left, and right. The next moment, a white light slashed towards Ciel’s back.

Ciel only felt a huge force push her forward from behind. After rolling several times on the ground, she managed to stabilize her form with the help of 【Dexterity】 and looked behind her.

Behind her, the black shadow holding the black flame tower shield had been sliced clean in half and was slowly dissipating. Not far from the black shadow, a familiar white shadow was rotating its wrist, its fist clenched, looking towards Ciel.

As if a light had been turned on in the alley, the entire dim alley flickered. Countless white shadows distorted into view from all directions—on window sills, rooftops, at the end of the road—watching Ciel.

It’s Hugh!

But why did she attack her directly?

Stabilize her first!

“Hugh! Is that you?” Ciel shouted. At this moment, she only hoped Hugh could hear her voice, completely disregarding whether other ordinary people might hear.

The shout had an effect. At least the white shadows made no further moves, as if the previous attack was just a test.

Tap, tap, tap...

Footsteps sounded from the end of the alley. Hugh, wearing magnificent white church robes and a faceless mask, walked slowly towards Ciel.

“Judicator’s Court, is it.” Hugh looked towards Ciel and spoke, her tone devoid of any fluctuation.

“You heard?” Ciel didn’t answer immediately, just stalled for time, her brain rapidly thinking of escape methods during these moments.

“Are you referring to starting from Oppold? If so, yes. I heard.” Hugh spoke calmly, answering Ciel’s question.

“Oppold Thaddeus is a person of key interest.”

“I’ve answered your question. Please answer mine.” Hugh looked towards Ciel and continued, “Are you from the Judicator’s Court.”

This was a lie detector question.

As soon as Ciel answered, her truthfulness would be immediately judged.

This question, Ciel could absolutely not answer under any circumstances.

Previously, Ciel had taken out the 【Echo of the Silver-White Timebinder】 to free up inventory space. The 【Radiance Bishop’s Token】 had remained inside, finally proving useful now.

“Hugh, have you forgotten who I am? Do you still remember this?” A silver-white light flashed. A letter and an emblem appeared in Ciel’s hand. “You gave this to me personally.”

A white shadow leaped down from the rooftop, landing before Ciel, reached out to take the letter and emblem, and stuffed them directly into its mouth.

The next moment, the white shadow beside Hugh reached into its abdomen, retrieved the envelope and emblem, and handed them to Hugh.

Hugh unfolded the envelope, scanned it, then stared at the emblem in her hand, examining it carefully.

It was her handwriting, the ink was also the church’s special ink, even the emblem...

The white shadow reached into its abdomen again, took out an emblem, and held it next to the one in Hugh’s hand.

Identical... Even the aura was exactly the same.

“...Hmm?” An irrepressible doubt rose in Hugh’s heart, making it impossible for her to remain calm.

Dehydration syndrome... This was clearly an incident she was fully responsible for, and it was resolved before it even happened. She hadn’t even had time to travel to Berren City... Where did this letter come from?

Even the spiritual imprint inside the emblem was identical. If both emblems were mixed together now and Hugh had to distinguish them, even she couldn’t tell which was real and which was fake.

Most crucially, the “Judicator” opposite her wasn’t lying.

Could she really be from the Judicator’s Court?

No, she hadn’t met everyone from the Judicator’s Court, but Hugh had a list and information on “Judicators” above second-tier. No one on it matched this body type and hair color.

And... the girl before her carried a repulsive aura. From her, Hugh couldn’t sense any reverence for the Savior Goddess—logically, people from the Judicator’s Court should have even more fervent faith.

Based on these points alone, Hugh couldn’t be convinced. The evidence the girl presented couldn’t clear the suspicion surrounding her.

She looked up towards Ciel and continued, “Please present your emblem, ‘Judicator’ Excellency.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com