171: Chapter 171 The Inquisition Squad is Deployed! The Baron was So Terrified He Cried on the Spot!

Frostwind City, Church of Dawn.

In a quiet room.

Priest Ezra knelt before the holy icon, hands clasped, whispering the evening prayer.

He appeared to be an old man over fifty, wearing simple, clean white priest robes.

Just then, a nun walked in on tiptoe and whispered a few words into his ear.

With that, he opened his eyes.

Those eyes, originally calm and waveless, narrowed slightly, rippling with a hint of emotion.

Count Golden Flame.

He was no stranger to this name.

As a mid-to-high-level cleric of the Northern Diocese, he knew far more about the rise of the newly appointed Count than the average person.

Especially — the role played by that genius priest of the Windsor Family throughout the entire process.

After pondering for a moment, he put down his prayer book and said, "Please have them come to the prayer room to see me."

A moment later.

The door to the prayer hall was pushed open.

Two women walked in.

Ezra's gaze swept over them —

The one walking in front was a young woman, extremely beautiful, with delicate and soft features, her eyes clear and captivating.

The other was a middle-aged woman, her aura steady, her gait vigorous, carrying a distinct military air about her.

He gestured for the two to sit and patiently listened to the young woman's statement.

During this, he nodded slightly from time to time.

When the young woman finished her last word, the prayer room fell into a brief silence.

Ezra lowered his eyelids, thinking quietly.

Baron Harper.

He knew this person.

A declined, landless Baron whose family's transcendent heritage had long been severed, his only reliance now was his brother working at City Hall.

A mediocre bureaucrat.

This connection might be able to intimidate some people on a secular level.

But compared to a young Count who had personally slain a Lord-tier magical beast and held real power —

He glanced almost imperceptibly at Portia, who was standing behind Helena.

That female knight stood tall and straight, her gaze sharp, and the hilt of the sword at her waist was engraved with military-standard patterns.

Judging by the refined aura about her, she was at least a Senior Knight.

To be personally guarded by such a person —

The status of this Miss Helena within the Golden Flame Earl Manor went without saying.

Ezra's mouth curled up slightly.

A multiple-choice question, for him, was not difficult to answer at all.

He raised his eyelids, his face still wearing that gentle smile, but his tone carried an added sternness:

"I understand the matter. Please wait a moment, both of you."

He stood up and left the prayer room.

A moment later.

Ezra returned, followed by a young cleric in a black uniform with a cold and stern expression.

The man was in his early thirties, lean and capable, with a pair of deep brown eyes as sharp as a hawk's.

He wore a silver holy emblem on his chest —

That was the symbol of the Inquisition!

"This is Sawyer Byrne," Ezra introduced, "a field captain of the Church's Inquisition."

Sawyer nodded slightly without speaking.

Ezra turned to Helena, his tone returning to its previous gentleness:

"He will accompany the two of you to the Harper Manor to handle this matter. As for your brother's leg injury..."

He paused, his smile deepening slightly:

"Once this matter is concluded, you may bring him directly to the church, and I will personally arrange for a priest proficient in healing divine arts to treat him."

"As for the expenses, they will be charged according to the Church's most favorable internal rates."

Hearing this, Helena felt a weight lift from her heart.

She had lived in Frostwind City for so many years and had never even met the Chief Priest, let alone imagined that one day, the Chief Priest of this church would step in on her behalf.

She, of course, knew why.

Thus, she stood up and bowed slightly, saying:

"Thank you for your help, Priest!"

Ezra smiled and waved his hand:

"It is but a small favor."

But immediately, he changed the subject, as if he had suddenly remembered something:

"I have a daughter, a bit older than you, who currently works at a trading firm."

"She often goes to Gino City to handle some business matters."

"You are both young, perhaps you could get to know each other; you might get along well."

Hearing this, Helena was slightly taken aback.

She looked at Ezra's still-gentle smiling face, and understood in her heart.

But she had no reason to refuse, so she just nodded: "Okay."

On the way out of the church.

The evening breeze brushed through the streets, swirling up a few fallen leaves and making a rustling sound.

Helena walked in the shadows between the pillars, her steps somewhat unsteady.

Introducing his daughter to her.

She, of course, knew what he meant.

But she was only a maid.

A maid who handled miscellaneous tasks for The Count.

Did he misunderstand something?

Portia walked by her side, seemingly sensing her concerns, and spoke in a low voice:

"Miss Helena, do not worry."

Helena turned her head to look at her.

Portia's gaze was fixed straight ahead, her tone flat yet firm:

"You know, The Count does not seem interested in worldly affairs."

Helena was silent.

Yes, she knew.

Most of the external affairs of the Golden Flame Earl Manor were handled by her drafting opinions on his behalf.

Rowan had always been impatient with these trivial matters, pushing them off whenever he could, discarding them whenever possible.

But precisely because of this, she could not make decisions without authorization. She did not want to betray that trust.

Seeing her still furrowing her brows, Portia added, "You will eventually report the process of this matter to The Count, won't you?"

Helena's steps faltered.

Portia stopped, turned around to look at her, her gaze calm and clear:

"The Count surely would not want you to be wronged."

Helena stared at her blankly for a long while —

Her cheeks flushed slightly.

She remembered that night.

She lowered her head, took a deep breath, and when she looked up again, most of the hesitation in her eyes had dissipated.

"You are right," she said, "I will tell The Count everything that happened, exactly as it occurred."

Seeing this, Portia said no more, just nodded slightly.

At the church entrance.

The Inquisition squad leader named Sawyer was already waiting there.

He had put on a black cloak, covering most of his face.

Behind him stood a squad of similarly black-clad auxiliary friars, expressionless.

The two sides exchanged a few pleasantries.

Sawyer looked up at the last trace of sunset on the horizon and said in a flat tone:

"There is no time to lose, let's go."

"Yes."

Not long after, when the carriage stopped again in front of the tightly closed iron gates of the Harper Manor.

The manor was brightly lit, and one could vaguely hear the sounds of clinking glasses and laughter from inside, mixed with the coquettish laughter of women and the boisterous chatter of men.

Clearly, the Harper family was enjoying a dinner party.

This time, the one walking in the very front was not Portia, nor was it Helena —

It was, Sawyer.

He walked up to the iron gate, did not knock, did not announce himself, but simply raised his hand —

And waved it gently.

The two auxiliary friars behind him immediately stepped forward, each delivering a heavy kick to the cast-iron gate!

"Bang — !!"

The iron gate let out a deafening crash, swung violently inward, and slammed against the stone walls on both sides, shaking dust down in a flurry.

There was a flurry of panicked movement from the gatehouse, and immediately after, a fat gatekeeper in uniform stumbled out, cursing:

"Who?! Which blind fool dares to —"

Then, his words came to an abrupt halt the moment he saw the black-clad cleric at the gate.

His gaze fell upon the silver holy emblem on Sawyer's chest, his pupils constricted sharply, and his face turned deathly pale at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The... The Inquisition?!

Why would they come here?!

He opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Sawyer didn't even glance at him, stepping directly past the iron gate and striding toward the manor.

Helena and Portia followed closely behind.

Inside the banquet hall.

Baron Harper was holding a wine glass, beaming as he clinked glasses with his wife. His younger son, Anthony, sat at the other end of the dining table, excitedly recounting how he had made another profit today.

The atmosphere was perfect.

Just then —

The doors to the banquet hall were violently pushed open from the outside.

The hall instantly fell silent.

Everyone turned their heads to look at the entrance.

A man in a black uniform stood there.

He was expressionless, his gaze icy, like a judge walking out of the abyss.

"Baron Harper."

Sawyer's voice carried no emotion, yet it scraped against everyone's eardrums like cold iron:

"Someone has reported that you are suspected of defrauding others of money to sacrifice to an evil god. According to Article 7, Clause 3 of the 'Imperial Inquisition Cooperation Regulations,' this Inquisition has the right to investigate this matter."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present like a blade: "Please cooperate!"

As soon as he finished speaking.

The two auxiliary friars behind him simultaneously took a step forward, heading straight for Baron Harper with clear intent.

"Clatter —"

The wine glass in Baron Harper's hand fell to the floor, and the pale red wine splashed everywhere.

His face turned deathly pale in an instant, his lips trembling, wanting to say something, but he found that his tongue seemed to be tied in a knot, unable to squeeze out a single word.

His gaze passed over Sawyer and saw the two people standing at the door.

It was the two women he had turned away that afternoon.

At this moment, they were watching him quietly.

His brain exploded with a buzz.

He understood.

He understood everything.

That woman!

The woman who, in his eyes, was nothing more than a maid at The Count's manor!

How could she possibly have enlisted the help of the Inquisition?!

And it was an official field captain who came!

What did this mean?

It meant that her status within the Golden Flame Earl Manor was far higher than he had imagined!

He turned his head sharply to look at his younger son on the other side of the dining table.

Anthony Harper was already pale with fright, his legs trembling uncontrollably, and he was slumped in his chair.

Baron Harper wished he could slap this troublemaker onto the wall!

But at this moment, it was too late to say anything.

Under the intimidation of the Inquisition, his little bit of aristocratic dignity couldn't even last three seconds.

He scrambled and crawled to Helena, wearing a fawning smile, apologizing and begging repeatedly:

"Miss Payne! A misunderstanding! This is all a misunderstanding! I had absolutely no idea about the bastard things that rebellious son did! It was all his own doing! I..."

As he spoke, he turned his head and roared at the butler:

"Go! Go to the treasury and get the gold coins! Get more! No! Take it all out!!"

Upon hearing this, the butler ran out in a panic.

Baron Harper turned back to Helena, fawning:

"Miss, you are a magnanimous person, please do not lower yourself to the level of that bastard!"

"I have decided! From now on, Anthony Harper is no longer a member of my Harper family!"

"I am expelling him from the family and stripping him of his surname! From this day forward, he has no relationship with the Harper family whatsoever!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a shrill wail came from behind: "Father!!"

Anthony Harper fell to his knees with a thud, scrambled over to grab his father's leg, tears and snot streaming down his face:

"Father! Don't drive me away! I know I was wrong! I really know I was wrong!!"

He turned to Helena again, kowtowing like pounding garlic:

"Miss! I beg you! Let me go! I will return all the money to you! I will never dare to do it again! I beg you —"

His forehead knocked against the floor tiles.

Making a dull thudding sound.

Helena looked down at this farce unfolding before her.

The person who had previously been an arrogant, insufferable young noble was now lying at her feet like a stray dog, kowtowing and begging for mercy.

For some reason, her mood inexplicably improved.

Immediately, she sighed again and looked at Portia beside her.

Portia was expressionless, just nodding slightly at her, signaling —

It is your decision.

Helena was silent for a moment.

In the banquet hall, everyone held their breath, waiting for her verdict.

Eventually, she said softly:

"Let it be."

She did not look at the young man kowtowing and begging for mercy on the floor again, turned around, and left the manor.

The night breeze blew against her face, brushing against her slightly warm cheeks, bringing a touch of coolness.

She discovered —

She seemed to actually enjoy this feeling...