Secrets: Priestess

Chapter 126 Recruitment
A secluded corner of Backlund's alley.

Quinn stared at Claire with a look of astonishment: "Galadia..."

Claire stopped walking towards him, keeping a distance that wouldn't cause him to overreact, and said:

"Xiu, the fact that you were able to find me here by following this code proves that you have reconnected with the man in the golden mask. Did you eventually purchase the Sheriff's potion formula from him?"

Xio looked puzzled and asked, "You've also been in contact with the man in the tuxedo and the golden mask? Are you working for him? No, you're a Nighthawk, and the man in the golden mask is also a Nighthawk?"

"He's not a Nighthawk," Claire reminded him. Then she said something that shocked Xio's heart: "He was your father's former subordinate, an intelligence officer from MI9."

Father? Xio's pupils shrank slightly, and his whole body tensed.

"Mason Dill." Claire whispered a name.

At this moment, Quinn almost wanted to use physical means to deal with Claire out of habit.

When she subconsciously grasped the triangular spike hidden in her clothes, she remembered that she could not beat the woman in front of her.

Seeing Xio's reaction, Claire gently soothed him, "Xio, don't panic. I'm a clergyman of the Church of the Evernight Goddess. I follow the oracle, not the king's orders."

Quinn took a deep breath and, facing Claire who had rendered her powerless to resist, resigned herself to staying where she was.

After making this choice, Xio felt more relaxed. She even mustered up the courage to ask Claire, "Ms. Galadilla, do you also know about my father?"

Claire responded, "Just a little knowledge."

After learning about Mason Dill from the man in the golden mask, Claire also did some research privately.

Various records clearly state that Mason Dill died of "treason". The Dill family's titles and fiefdoms were taken away, and all family members were implicated to varying degrees.

"As for you, Hugh Dilcha. According to records, you, your mother, and your brother were saved by the 'King's mercy,' but you were also forcibly expelled from Backlund..."

Claire said playfully, "Why did you come back to Backlund and change your last name? What are you planning to do?"

Xio had completely calmed down at this moment. Facing Claire, who smiled at her, she recalled the years since she returned to Backlund, like a headless fly, forced to wander around the bottom of the East District...

I won't be able to find out anything at this rate...

With this in mind, Xio spoke, "Although my father had many shortcomings, he was upright and brave, and he valued honor above all else. I don't believe he was involved in a rebellion. That's simply impossible... I risked my life to come back this time just to find out what exactly happened back then!"

Quinn's attitude basically showed his willingness to join Claire clearly on his face.

Regardless of whether Mason Dill was a traitor back then, the difficulty of investigating him was far beyond the reach of a mere Sequence 9. Especially if Mason Dill was framed for treason, then the forces behind it were far beyond the power of Hugh Dill.

In the Kingdom of Loen, only the Beyonder organizations of the three major churches held a relatively transcendent status. Rather than continuing to waste time, it would be better to truly turn to the Church of Evernight for support. Even if it was just a status-based support, the benefits that could be obtained were beyond imagination.

Seeing Xio Dilcha's openly expressed concerns, Claire said, "I do have something to entrust you with, so I'm willing to lend my support to help you investigate your father's case." Claire then took out the Red Gloves Team 7 badge she had prepared and invited him, "Xio, since you also believe in the Goddess, would you like to join my team?"

"Your team? Ms. Galadria... Are you a captain-level Nighthawk?" Xio, who had suspected Claire's identity and even discussed this topic with Fors, blurted out.

Claire simply extended her hand without saying a word. The side of her open palm bearing the holy emblem of darkness had a strangely calming effect in the shadows of the alley.

Looking at the badge in Claire's hand, Xio hesitated and slowly raised his leg. Then he breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze becoming determined. He took two quick steps to Claire and took the Church of Evernight's identity badge from her palm.

Seeing the name of the organization on the other side, Xio couldn't help but open his eyes wide and muttered, "Red Gloves..."

Xio roamed the underground world of Backlund and had heard of this name in some urban legends. According to rumors, the "Red Gloves" was an organization of Beyonders within the Church of Evernight that was even more mysterious than the Night Watchers, and every member was at least Mid-Sequence or above.

Some people simply call it "the goddess's hunting dog."

"Can I, an 'arbitrator', also become a member of the Red Gloves?" Xio wanted to gain an official background, but she didn't expect that this background would be much bigger than she expected.

Claire smiled and said, "It's half. I'll first apply for you to be a Nighthawk, and then I'll transfer you to my team. That way... you can use your ID badge to call yourself a member of the 'Red Gloves Team 7'."

Xio saw that Claire was speaking lightly, but the action behind her words made Xio's thinking a little slow. He couldn't help but say dully, "Can it be like this?"

Even just having the "Red Gloves" skin can make it much easier for Xio to collect information and reduce a lot of concerns.

Soon, Quinn regained his composure while holding the badge in his palm. He paused and asked Claire nervously, "What do you want me to do?"

Claire raised the corner of her mouth and said slowly, "I want you to monitor Audrey Hall."

"Hmm? Miss Audrey?" Xio's eyes were filled with confusion. "Isn't Miss Audrey Ms. Galadilla's...informant?"

"Ms. Audrey is not as simple as she appears." Claire recalled the last gathering in the Gray Mist World, when Miss Justice acted as if she wanted to recruit new members for the Tarot Club.

Although Justice hadn't specifically stated who it was recruiting at the gathering, Claire, as the person involved, could clearly sense that she was also under Justice's scrutiny, and that she was definitely the one with the most weight...

In addition, Fors and Xio, who are also Beyonders, must also be considered in the "justice" considerations.

Claire even felt that the golden retriever Susie was part of the concept of "justice."

Seventeen-year-old Audrey possesses a simple romantic spirit. She feels a strong sense of ownership in the Tarot Club and is proud of it, hoping to bring people she approves of into the club.

This is also a kind of youthful feeling.

Don't think too much, don't look ahead or behind, be able to unite the people around you, dare to think and act, and always be full of expectations for the future.

"Audrey, she's a member of a secret organization."

(End of this chapter)