Secrets: Priestess

Chapter 160 Handshake
"The night is quieter tonight than I expected."

Tessa walked slowly over, her eyes sweeping over Daly, who had a clean make-up, and Claire, who had an elegant temperament. Her divergent inspiration was searching for possible hidden figures.

but--

Gain nothing.

Daly also looked at the classical doll-like beauty before her, and said with a mixture of regret and wonder, "It's hard to believe you're a man, Tai Perslan."

Tessa glanced at Daly without explaining, or rather, her purpose was to make others mistakenly believe that she was a man.

"It's rare that a member of the witch sect like you is willing to communicate with us. Naturally, we must show corresponding sincerity." Without any ambush, Claire was the first to reveal the purpose of agreeing to this meeting.

Of course, the stated purpose was this: "Although Backlund harbors many hidden organizations, the Aurora Society and the Witch Cult have been particularly active this year. Now that the Aurora Society has been hit hard and forced to lie dormant, the only one left is the Witch Cult. I hope to get information about the Witch Cult from you."

Daly also spoke up, "Tai Perslan, what you've done so far isn't considered evil. There's still hope for recovery."

Tessa's expression was filled with undisguised disappointment as she asked, "Where's Claire?"

Claire replied calmly, "Her condition makes it inconvenient for her to go out, so she can't meet you for the time being."

Tessa frowned. She didn't quite believe what she said because the last time Claire beat her up, she didn't see Claire in any discomfort!

Seeing Tessa's disbelieving gaze, Claire sneered, "Even if she can move freely, do you think she will miss any opportunity to capture you? Do you think we can still communicate here peacefully now?"

Tessa looked at the woman in front of her, whom she had heard of many times but had never seen before, and raised her eyebrows. "Galadia, do you understand Claire's inner thoughts?"

Claire held a hint of smile on her face as she slowly said, "Our relationship is closer than you think."

Tessa suddenly stared at Claire fiercely like a ferocious animal, her eyes revealing a cold murderous intent: "This joke is not funny."

"You think this is a joke?" Claire chuckled.

The ice spear shot up from the ground and pierced through Claire, who was still smiling!

But this was only a dream.

The Lady of the Lake summoned by Daly appeared next to Claire.

Standing next to the Lady of the Lake, Claire's figure became hazy, as if protected by a layer of waves. Her voice also became ethereal. "Tessa, can I assume that you made a malicious choice?"

Bathed in the cool crimson moonlight, Tessa narrowed her eyes and said, "Galadia, let me see her."

Claire waved her hand, letting Daly retract the Lady of the Lake. She dropped all her guard and walked towards Tessa. "You will meet eventually, but not today."

Tessa looked at the elegant woman so close to her and suddenly said, "I've kidnapped you. Can I see Claire now?"

Claire showed no fear and smiled, "You can try. But if you do that, I'll definitely consider you an enemy."

Tessa didn't do anything in the end. After sighing softly, she simply asked, "Is she doing well?"

"The evil god's pollution cannot be dealt with, so her condition is unstable. She can only stay behind the Chanis Gate and rely on the power of the goddess to suppress the evil god's pollution that has completely erupted once." Claire said this with a calm expression.

"Chaness Gate..." Tessa sighed helplessly and gave up the idea of ​​sneaking into St. Samuel's Church. Even if she was lucky enough to sneak into the church, the place behind the Channess Gate was a place she could not reach at all.

"How about you help me with the work and I'll help you make peace?" Claire took the opportunity to say.

Tessa sneered and asked, "How can I trust you?"

Claire lowered her head slightly, met Tessa's dark eyes, and suddenly said, "She asked me to ask you something. Is Omlet your hometown?"

Tessa was stunned. At that moment, her tough attitude was shattered, revealing a look of astonishment and vulnerability, but this change in expression was fleeting.

Tessa said calmly, "Let's talk about cooperation. I want to discuss what she wants to ask with her in person, rather than through a third party like you who has unknown origins."

Tessa deliberately put emphasis on "The Third Party".

Claire didn't seem angry. She said, "Okay. Then can you tell me what the Witch Cult is planning in Backlund?"

Tessa frowned and said, "I haven't been with them for long, and I don't know what the Witch Cult is planning in Backlund. I need time to investigate this matter."

Claire didn't intend to give up and continued, "Tell me what you know first. It's impossible that you don't know anything at all."

Tessa smiled playfully and said, "I only know that they care a lot about Duke Negan. The task assigned to me recently is to find out the relationship between Duke Negan... and the Church of Evernight."

Claire was stunned for a moment in confusion.

What is the relationship between Duke Negan and the Church of the Goddess? What is the relationship?
Claire continued, "So what did you find out?"

"It's funny, isn't it? You, a Red Gloves captain, are asking me this question." Tessa scoffed lightly. Before Claire could respond, she replied, "Overall, I haven't found anything unusual, but the timing of Alicia's intervention in the attack on Duke Negan was incredibly clever."

Alicia...

Claire never thought that this name would be associated with Duke Negan.

Tessa added, "And you, Galadilla. You were also at the scene and participated in the subsequent pursuit of Qilingos. Although the investigation shows that you were a security guard brought in by the Hall family, who can tell the truth?"

Facing Tessa's random accusations, Claire rolled her eyes. "Stop using such cheap provocations. You just want me to investigate Alicia."

Tessa smiled and said, "After hearing the information I provided, won't you investigate Alicia?"

Claire remained silent. If Daly hadn't heard this, she wouldn't have bothered to investigate Alicia's situation. This kind of thing just sounded like a nuisance.

Seeing Claire fall silent, Tessa continued, "I'll give you another piece of information for free. Beth Lyonness, who is being pursued by all forces in Backlund, is actually a member of the royal family."

"How is that possible?" Daly, who had previously investigated Beth Lyonness, interjected in surprise. "Beth Lyonness is a white glove supported by the conservative aristocracy. The interests involved are absolutely shady. How could the conservatives allow such a person to have any connection with the royal family?"

"Or, in other words, why would the royal family be involved with Beth Lyonness? Doing so would only provoke the delicate balance between the royal family and the conservative aristocracy..."

"But that's the truth." Tessa glanced at Claire, then turned to look at Daly and said, "Beth Lyonness, besides helping many conservative nobles run various businesses and acting as a political broker, is also secretly involved in the shady business of human trafficking. What's even more surprising is that members of the royal family are involved in this human trafficking." "Human trafficking? The royal family?"

Daly found it even more ridiculous.

Claire also found it hard to believe, but she knew that Tessa was the real murderer who disguised herself as Beth Lyonness and assassinated Ambassador Bakerland, so she was generally skeptical about the news revealed by Tessa.

"I've provided the information. Whether you believe it or not is up to you." Tessa shrugged.

Not seeing the person she wanted to see was not unexpected for Tessa, but it still made her feel disappointed and relieved at the same time.

Tessa was both looking forward to and dreading the reunion with Claire.

Also...what happened to Claire? The memory of Omlight seems to be fading?

Tessa was worried, but outwardly remained calm. She said to Claire and Daly, "To facilitate our communication, I'd like to suggest that I invest in your Beyonder gathering in Backlund. What do you think? I have a suitable place for the gathering."

"You've found out a lot." Claire looked at Tessa in surprise, but after a moment's thought, she didn't reject the offer. She also wanted to establish a stable communication channel with Tessa, so she said, "Since you're interested, let's try collaborating. As for this matter... I think you already know who you need to discuss it with in detail."

Tessa smiled and said, "'Arbitrator' Hugh Dilcha. Aside from her somewhat low Sequence, this girl is quite talented. The place I'm offering is a bar, and I'd like to invite her to be the manager. I wonder if Captain Galadilla agrees?"

Claire looked at Tessa with a hint of surprise. She hadn't expected this woman to recognize Xio's excellence. She said nonchalantly, "It depends on Xio's wishes."

Tessa smiled and said, "Then this matter is settled."

Claire glanced at Tessa and chuckled softly, "It seems you've done some mental work on Hugh beforehand."

Claire extended her hand to Tessa and said, "I hope we can have a pleasant cooperation. Tessa Perslan."

Tessa looked at Claire's outstretched right hand and said, "It's a pleasure to work with you, Ms. Galadilla."

Two people with different thoughts.

They shook hands.

……

The next morning, Claire, disguised as Flora the Viper, found Hugh in the East District, who had come out early to help someone resolve a dispute.

"Is dealing with this kind of dispute your hobby?" Claire sighed as she watched Xio send away the child laborers who had been blackmailed.

Xio sighed softly, "I simply want to do my best to change things I find unbearable. I once came from a wealthy family and enjoyed a luxurious life, but seeing so many people living in poverty has given me a desire to do something about it... It's this feeling that keeps me persevering."

Claire asked, "Are you sympathizing with these people?"

Xio shook his head. "I can't explain it, but I don't think this inexplicable feeling that's welling up in my heart is pure sympathy."

Xio didn't want to discuss this topic in depth, so he took the initiative to ask, "Flora, you suddenly came to me because of the party, right..."

Claire, shrouded in a classical robe, said, "The captain said the venue has been decided. It's at a bar in the East District. I heard it was provided by a collaborator named Tessa Perslan. The captain asked me to come find you so we can do some detailed research together."

Before leaving last night, Tessa gave Claire the specific address of the bar.

"It seems that Miss Perslan has reached a cooperation with Captain Galadilla as she wished." Xio said with obvious relief.

Seeing this, Claire was a little curious: "Do you know this Tessa Perslan? It seems that you care about her a lot."

Xio scratched his head sheepishly and said, "Miss Purcell saved my life and the lives of my friends. I think she's a good person. So I really hope to reach a cooperation with her."

Claire, whose finances were becoming strained, waited at the bus stop with Hugh. While waiting for the public carriage, she said to Hugh, "Really? But I heard the captain emphasize that Tessa is not a good person. Although we are partners, we still have to be careful."

"Ah? Did the captain say why Miss Persland is not a good person?" Xio asked doubtfully.

Claire whispered, "Because this person is a member of the Witch Cult. You've heard of the Witch Cult, right?"

Xio nodded hesitantly, "I've heard a little bit about it. It's a terrorist organization whose top leaders are all women... Could Miss Purcellan be a witch? If so, why did the captain choose to cooperate with Miss Purcellan instead of arresting her directly?"

As a former wild Extraordinary, Xio had felt the official hostility towards them, not to mention the Witch Cult, a secret organization that was often accompanied by disasters. They were definitely mortal enemies.

Claire said, "I don't know the hidden truth, but what is certain is that you must be cautious when interacting with Tessa Perslan. Don't be deceived by such a dangerous person."

Xio nodded in understanding.

Afterwards, the two waited for a public carriage, took it for a while, changed lines in the middle, and finally arrived at a bar with an "Oak Leaf" sign.

Since it was early morning, there were no guests here. There were only a few idle people chatting with wooden wine glasses. Next to them, there were even people sleeping soundly on the table.

Seeing Claire and Xio come in, one of them stood up and walked over, reeking of alcohol and speaking in a frivolous tone, "Two beautiful ladies, it's not even business hours yet. Of course, we brothers don't mind if you stay and play with us."

It turns out that these idle people are the employees of the bar...

Xio had heard Tessa say that her bar was poorly managed, but he hadn't expected it to be this chaotic. Xio said, "It was your bar owner, Ms. Christina, who invited us here."

Christina was the disguise Tessa used when she purchased the bar.

Hearing Xio's intention, the thug whistled to his companions nearby: "Brothers, a beauty has arrived. It seems the boss has finally realized that the reason for our bar's poor business is the lack of girls..."

Interested by the gangster's words, the companions sitting around the table also started to gather here. They were all drunk and looked at Xiu and the other man in a rather impolite manner.

Xio, a bounty hunter in the East District, was no stranger to this scene. She stood in front of Claire. Despite her small stature, she glanced at the drunkards with authority and said calmly, "Quiet!"

As the "arbitrator" spoke, these noisy drunks suddenly squatted down with weak legs, as if they had met a majestic police officer, and they held their heads in their hands obediently and skillfully. It seemed that these guys were frequent visitors to the police station.

Seeing this, Xio heaved a sigh of relief.

She wasn't afraid that these drunks would harm her, but she was worried that because of their offense, her companion "Viper" behind her would directly massacre the Oak Leaf Bar...

(End of this chapter)