Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 400: Interrogation of Purge and the Unfortunate (6k)

Ariel Sigalia said this, and a glimmer of hope flashed in his turbid eyes.

He was so eager, eager for the two leaders of the border court and the church - "Commander" Albert and "Bishop" Luo Xiu to ask him.

"..."

After Ariel said that, neither Albert nor Luo Xiu responded to him.

Albert looked at the "Royal Guard Knight" who was in the same room. The knight quickly understood what Albert meant. After respectfully bowing to Albert and Luo Xiu, he retreated out of the door.

"…You get out too, Lusa."

Ariel Sigaria looked at the serving maid, and a hoarse voice came out of his throat.

"When you go out... remember to close the door."

When Ariel finished speaking, the "slave" who was holding a hot towel and wiping the body of the old man on the sickbed was stunned for a moment, then nodded and did what Ariel said.

She left quietly and closed the door gently as Ariel had instructed.

"Now, my two adults... ahem."

When the "Royal Knight" and the "Maid" left the room, Ariel Sigaria coughed heavily twice and said:
"There are no irrelevant people in this room."

"..."

"Ariel Sigallia."

Albert stared at the old man on the sickbed with his sharp eyes. At the same time, he slowly raised his arm, and a dark red light was faintly floating on the outline of his palm.

At the same time, he issued an "imperial decree" to the old man on the sickbed and to "Ariel Sigalia":
"——In the name of the Most High."

"——【Tell them not to tell lies】."

"——[Order him not to be released on parole]."

"——【Forbidden to respond and remain silent】."

"..."

The red light that emanated faintly from the surface of Albert's palm also emanated from the outline of Ariel Sigalia's body.

The "decree" has come into effect. Luo Xiu, who was observing from the side, could clearly feel that the soul of "Ariel Sigalia" had been tightly grasped by an invisible big hand.

“…cough, cough, cough, cough.”

Old Sigallia said nothing, but kept coughing.

Until the "edict" imposed on him was confirmed to be effective, Albert looked around the room, found a chair and sat down.

"That is a necessary guarantee, old Sigallia."

Albert said in a calm tone, but with a certain irresistible meaning:

"To us, you are still a fugitive, Sigallia - but we are not unable to meet your previous request. However, that depends on your next performance."

Then, he looked into Ariel's cloudy eyes and said:
"Then let me ask you—"

"Have you ever imagined that Zaska, the 'Executioner' and 'Soul Taker', would one day send someone to assassinate you?"

"……certainly."

Ariel's face was a little pale, and the wrinkles on his face were trembling a little. He said:
"I knew that day would come. I have helped Zanskar so much and I know so much."

"Just now... cough cough cough. I heard some noisy and unusual noises outside. Are they... assassins sent by the remnants of Zanskar? I know they would do this."

"Since you have killed Zaska, his minions will definitely not let me live. The 'Reverse Thorn' buried in your team... Even if Zaska is dead, it will still be useful to other 'Executioners'."

"Very good." Albert nodded.

The first question was just a test, but the spirit connected to Ariel Sigalia did not tremble, and he was indeed not lying.

He was also showing his value to Albert and himself... Luo Xiu, who remained silent and watched, thought about this. He had also found a chair to sit down.

"Then let me ask you again—"

Albert then asked:

"Did you keep the evidence that Zanskar and the other executioners 'infiltrated' us?"

"Of course, of course..."

Ariel Sigalia did not think for too long before answering Albert:
"Including Zanska and other 'executioners'... all the 'transactions' that were conducted through me were recorded in my account book."

"So, where is the ledger?"

"Outside the Kaveri Fortress... in the village at the foot of Pons Mountain, in the cellar of the hay warehouse near the foot of the mountain."

Ariel Sigallia answered honestly.

Luo Xiu silently memorized the place name, thinking that the place where Ariel hid the account book was quite remote.

If they could get the account book, they would be able to sort out whether there were people suspected of infiltration among the senior leaders of the expedition team - and more importantly, they would try to catch the traitor who was still in Songyuan Territory and in the rear through Ariel Sigalia.

The "Order Killers" - After the previous incidents of Velino Bakar and several other "Order Killers", Albert paid particular attention to these.

Luo Xiu remained silent and did not interrupt Albert's questioning of Ariel.

After that, he listened to Albert as he continued to ask Ariel Sigalia questions.

This included having Ariel "prove" from multiple angles that the account book was real and not forged, and also having Ariel reveal information about the "executioner" Zaska's hidden private wealth.

In addition to "external plunder", the "executioners" of the Dark Principality have many other ways to amass ill-gotten gains.

For example, "asset infiltration", "illegal monopoly", "slave trade", etc., and these ways of making money often require the assistance of businessmen like Ariel Sigaria, who are "experts" in this field.

And Ariel Sigaria naturally learned more about the "Executioner" Zaska through repeated "help".

Luo Xiu, who was listening in, also learned that the treasures they found in Zaska's mansion were actually only one-tenth of his real wealth.

He had assets worth nearly one million gold coins, which Ariel had "invested" in financial institutions of various forces on the Fanol continent through him, earning tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest every year.
There are also real estates worth about two million gold coins, which are purchased under various identities in the territory of the Dark Principality, and even in the empire and the church. It seems that they have been prepared to use the ability of [Nothingness] to "change their appearance and start a new life" when they can no longer survive in the Dark Principality.

As the executioner of the Void, Zaska the Soul Taker has amassed one of the most wealth among executioners of this rank.

Although the saints who joined the Dark Principality and became "Executioners" all had their own sins or purposes at the beginning, as a believer in "Nothingness", Zaska's selfish motives were quite simple.

Indeed, there are many extraordinary people in [Nothingness] who do this. They have several or even dozens of identities and will use them when necessary.

According to Ariel Sigalia, "Executioner" Zaska had actually been prepared to turn against and betray the "Dark Duke".

But now, it no longer matters what Zaskar is thinking.

Albert was thinking of confiscating these properties for military use, while Luo Xiu also wanted to get a piece of the pie.

……

The interrogation of "Ariel Sigalia" lasted for about an hour.

The old man on the sickbed said too many words at once, and his face became paler and paler, but he showed no intention of stopping.

He was too cooperative, and in Albert's perception of his "decree", most of what he said was believable truth, and the mixed emotions of fear and hope were extremely real.

The few whitewashed words can be ignored. At least Albert knows that most of the information provided by Ariel Sigalia is very important for the self-rectification of the Supreme "Border".

"…Um."

Finally, Albert nodded slowly, having memorized the information that Ariel Sigalia had said.

He then looked at Luo Xiu, signaling him with his eyes whether he had anything else to ask Ariel.

Luo Xiu maintained a calm smile on his face. His golden eyes turned towards Ariel Sigalia and he asked softly:

"I would like to know, Mr. Sigallia."

"What on earth made you cooperate so well?"

"..."

He had wanted to ask this question for a long time.

For no other reason than pure curiosity.

Ariel Sigalia, who was lying on his sickbed, seemed to have foreseen that the "bishop" would ask this question.

A kind, benevolent and gentle smile appeared on his face. It was hard to imagine that an old man who had done evil things for most of his life would have such an expression.

"Because I have a request for you, and Lord Albert... cough, cough, cough."

Ariel Sigalia coughed heavily a few times, his face was so pale that no blood could be seen at all, but he still spoke hoarsely to Albert and Luo Xiu in a broken voice:

"I'm dying... I'm already seventy-nine years old and I don't have much time left to live."

"I don't want to escape anymore, and I can't escape anymore... I know that I am now paying for the sins of my younger self, but what I just said... I think it should be able to reduce my sins a little bit."

"I was forced by Zanska to do something, and I had no choice. But... My Lord Bishop, and my Lord General, I only beg you for one thing, to let me die peacefully and without threats..."

"I don't want to suffer anymore. It's too painful and too heart-wrenching..."

"..."

Death without threat...

Luo Xiu chewed on the "request" that Ariel Sigalia had just spoken.

Maybe he wants us to protect him... Luo Xiu thought.

But Luo Xiu actually didn't have such an idea - no matter how pitiful the old man on the sickbed looked, Luo Xiu would not feel any sympathy.

He actually did not think that Ariel Sigaria's "repentance" in his later years was enough to wash away the crimes he had committed by assisting Zaska.

At the same time, Luo Xiu looked to the other side, at "Thunder General" Albert - a subtle deep red light flashed in his eyes, and he seemed to be thinking the same thing.

After getting information from Ariel Sigalia, Albert will probably get rid of him. Ariel Sigalia is no longer of any value to the expeditionary force. In this regard, the Supreme will only show cold-bloodedness and ruthlessness.

"What else do you want to ask of us?"

Albert did not agree to Ariel's request, but continued to ask him.

Ariel, who did not receive the promised answer, had a flash of disappointment in his cloudy eyes, but it did not last long, as if he had already known that he would eventually face an unfortunate ending.

He simply went on to say:

"if you can……"

"Let the slave who just left the room... redeem her with all the valuables in my mansion and let Lusa leave."

"Let her leave Kaveri Fortress and the Dark Principality. The farther away the better..."

"I have nothing else to say. Just think of it as the last good thought of an old man who is about to die and has been plagued by sin for half his life..."

"..."

"can."

Albert nodded slowly.

It was not about letting Ariel Sigalia live, but about redeeming his "slave" and letting her go. In Albert's opinion, such a request was not impossible to agree to.

According to the laws of the empire, the status of a "slave" should be commensurate with the crime they have committed. If the "slaves" in the Cavernier Fortress have not committed any serious crimes, they will be liberated from their "slave" status and become the new, free "subjects" of the empire.

This was in compliance with the imperial law, and Albert did not think too much about it.

And when he agreed to Ariel's last request, Luo Xiu also saw a flash of satisfaction, as if without regrets, in the eyes of the old man on the sickbed.

"Thank you for your kindness... Lord Albert."

Ariel Sigallia gave his final thanks.

Then he closed his eyes.

Because he was too weak, he fell asleep quickly. The heavy breathing caused by phlegm came out intermittently from his nose. Albert and Luo Xiu also stood up from their chairs at the same time and walked out of the room.

There is really nothing. I'll ask this old Sigarian man again.

When they walked out of the room, the guards stationed outside the door immediately saluted them respectfully and returned to the room and their close surveillance posts.

And Ariel Sigalia's "maid" just now, the female slave named "Lusa", was standing in the corner of the corridor, wiping a white porcelain plate with an expressionless face.

When he saw her again, Luo Xiu had already opened his "Spiritual Vision" and sent a detection towards her——

He then understood why Ariel Sigalia deliberately wanted to let Lusa go.

Because she is pregnant.

A ball of green spiritual light flickered in her abdomen, and when Luo Xiu saw Ariel Sigalia for the first time, he also sensed a life breath of almost the same origin in his spiritual perception, but it was dim and weak.

The "slave" was pregnant with Ariel Sigalia's child, and it looked like the baby was about two months old.

God knows how Ariel, who was already seventy-nine years old, did it - he might have used some extraordinary means, but he didn't seem to tell anyone else about it.

As for the known information about Ariel Sigalia, he once had three sons, but they all died young. The child in the young slave's belly might be the only remaining bloodline of Sigalia.

Luo Xiu thought about these things in a divergent way.

But he didn't care, nor did he "share" his new discovery with Albert. He just remained calm as usual, walked out of the villa with Albert, and left the Sigalia Mansion.

……

After "Thunder General" Albert and "Bishop" Luo Xiu left the Sigalia mansion.

According to the information he got from Ariel Sigalia, Albert sent people to the place he mentioned to retrieve his "account book".

It does record quite a lot of financial transactions related to "infiltration".

Albert personally took charge of the matter, compiled the list, and asked a "Throne Knight" to take the list back to Songyuan City to report to the Marquis Vizia.

On the same day, in the evening.

One "inquisitor", three "royal knights", and two "arbitrators" were ordered to be imprisoned. Their names appeared in Sigalia's "account book", and Albert personally interrogated them.

It was under the influence of the "edict" that they finally admitted the crime of treason.

They were then stripped of all their weapons and escorted back to Songyuan City by four "Royal Knights" sent by Albert to stand trial by the Round Table.

The same situation also occurred among the clergy of the church and the sorcerers of the Fangbei Academy.

Luo Xiu learned that a "deacon" of the church had also committed the crime of treason.

That was "Qihui Zhushou" Qilanta - the one who was caught for corruption when Luo Xiu first went to the Red Maple City Church to take up the post of "High Priest".

It seems that some time ago, "Black Fang" secretly contacted him and successfully turned him over with tempting benefits.

Luo Xiu also interrogated Qilanta, and he also confessed to his crimes.

Also discovered to have committed treason were four clergymen with a "double destiny".

The four were escorted back to the Red Maple City Church for imprisonment, and the "deacon" Chilanta was executed personally by the "Bishop" Luo Xiu in the Kaveri Fortress, the "Church" camp.

All the clergy who participated in the expedition witnessed the scene of Qilan Tower being burned by the holy flame.

This is a necessary deterrent.

And what Chilanta did was indeed despised by the clergy - killing him did not shake the clergy. On the contrary, it made their faith more firm and they respected "Bishop" Rossu Carlos even more.

The dangerous "nails" in the expeditionary force that could hurt themselves at any time have also been removed.

……

One day later.

In the early morning, on the main street of Fort Caveri, in the area where the church clergy were stationed, "Guiding Pastor" Colen made his routine report to his "Bishop" Rossu Carlos as usual.

It was from the reports of many matters that Luo Xiu heard a piece of news that was not important but caught his attention -

It was last night that Ariel Sigalia's condition seemed to suddenly worsen, and around three in the morning, he died suddenly due to the rapid deterioration of his condition.

The royal guards stationed at Sigalia's mansion burned Sigalia's body that night and dismissed all the slaves in the mansion.

However, the slave that Ariel Sigalia had designated to be freed, Lusa, did not live to see the day of her redemption.

According to the report from the Royal Guard Knight, after hearing the news of Ariel Sigalia's death, the maid committed suicide by cutting her throat with a dinner knife in the kitchen.

At that time, all the guards were distracted by the death of Ariel Sigaria, and no knight noticed Lusa's unusual behavior.

No one knew why she committed suicide. When the Royal Guard heard the noise and rushed to the kitchen, he saw only a still warm body lying in a pool of blood.

"..."

When hearing the news, Luo Xiu felt helpless.

That is indeed an unfortunate sight...

Maybe the "slave" didn't think that he could continue to live after Ariel Sigaria's death.

Slaves often no longer feel that "freedom" is something they once had.

Perhaps Ariel Sigaria has become all that slave has—

In their subconscious, when Sigalia died, the fate of "slaves" was to die with their master or be sold to other slave owners.

They have become numb - some things that are deeply ingrained in their bones are indeed difficult to change.

"..."

Luo Xiu was thinking about this.

And Colen also reported other things to him at the same time.

For example, "Border Court" has also investigated the origins of those slaves and the reasons why they became "slaves".

The slave named "Lusa", her full name is "Lusa Giana", was originally the daughter of a farmer's family in a village on the border of the empire.

Apparently to avoid debt, her parents moved out of the village at night with their son, leaving behind only Lusa and another little daughter.

And then - they seemed to have been taken away and sold by creditors who failed to collect debts, and were taken to the border of the principality to become "slaves", and Lusa was finally given to Ariel as a "gift" by Zaska.

Albert has ordered that Rosa be buried outside the Kaveri Fortress, on a hill with a beautiful view.

He attached great importance to the "contract" - Albert seemed to feel bad after this happened.

However, the officials he sent out to investigate later reported to him that "Lusa's" sister seemed to be still alive, and had been rescued and returned to her hometown village.

Albert sent officials to provide her sister with a pension of 130 gold coins, and asked people to help her renovate the house in her hometown village and rebuild the tomb of "Lusa Giana", but that happened later.

……

The Red Maple City Expeditionary Force, on the third day of occupying Fort Cavery.

A dark tide was surging on the plain outside the fortress, and the horns on the city walls were blowing one after another.

The flags fluttered in the wind, and the armor reflected the sparkling light. "Thunder General" Albert and "Bishop" Luo Xiu led a huge army to gather in front of the city, ready to go.

They are about to go to a new battlefield——

"Latama City", the town that the oracle hides disaster.

It is the next target of the expeditionary force.

……

(End of this chapter)