Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

"As expected, Your Highness is right. You are someone who overthinks things and tends to worry too much."

Seeing the silent Ryuka, Felicity added insult to injury. But as soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly stood up abruptly.

"Your Highness is in danger."

Felicity left those words behind and decisively rushed out. Ruka, disregarding everything else, immediately followed.

Is Tipalotura in danger? In Sochi? Inside this academy?

Ryuga was deeply skeptical, after all, her witch abilities seemed quite formidable; she could manipulate people's minds, something he had witnessed before. After Tipalotura unleashed her domain, the golden halo binding the witch's remains, and the witch army residing within those remains, all testified to the princess's unfathomable power.

What dangers might Tipalotura encounter in the Sochi Academy's cafeteria?

The distance from here to the restroom was only a blink of an eye for Liuxia and Felicity. If it weren't for the fact that it was almost lunchtime and the number of ordinary students in the restaurant was gradually increasing, the two of them would probably have flown there like a dump truck.

When the two arrived at the restroom entrance, a group of students had already gathered there, and a voice that sounded somewhat familiar yet strange to Ryuka could be heard from inside.

"This student not only bumped into me, but also got my clothes wet. You think you can just say sorry and be done with it?"

The dialogue was incredibly melodramatic and provocative. At the bathroom door, Tipalothura was being held tightly by the wrist, unable to break free. This completely surprised Ryuka. How could she be so easily captured? Putting aside mind control, if Tipalothura wanted to, she could probably punch someone twice in person and they'd be completely ignored…

At this moment, Tipalotura's expression was also very serious, her brows slightly furrowed, and her dark blue eyes were unpredictable. After seeing Ryukyu and Felicity, the girl who was holding onto her noticed her gaze and turned around towards Ryukyu and Felicity.

Upon seeing the girl's face, Ryuka immediately went on high alert! She unleashed her power in an instant! Even though there were ordinary people around, Ryuka enveloped them as well, creating a barrier that isolated them from sound and attention!

Because the girl in front of me shouldn't be here!

Her long, pale hair and skin were barely concealed, her two astonishingly full breasts tightly wrapped, as if about to burst out. Her beautiful face featured piercingly emerald-like eyes, and a wanton smile revealed a row of sharp shark teeth beneath her red lips…

Before Ryūsha stood Luminova, who had vanished long ago! The foolish nun who had been taken away by Sinatiel and sent to the Holy City of the Church!

No! Even if she looks exactly the same! Her demeanor and manner of speaking clearly belong to another person! The person before me could absolutely not be Luminova!

Body...

This ranking resurfaced in Ryukyu's mind. Indeed, if he could restrain Tipalotura, who possessed both the power of order and the power of a witch, then the opponent could only be someone from the Holy See.

Regardless of what kind of trick it was, it felt to Ryuka like a volcanic tsunami suddenly erupting right in front of him.

Especially since... right now he's surrounded by freshmen who are reporting for duty on their first day!

Upon seeing Ryūka, 'Luminova' smiled even more smugly. She slightly raised her chin and said arrogantly to Ryūka and Felicet:

"Ah~ it seems you're together? Perhaps you could apologize properly to your friend? And you... handsome young man?"

Chapter 16: The Foolish Nun is still 'foolish' inside.

Faced with the sudden appearance of 'Luminova', Ryuka's expression darkened, feeling as if he were facing a formidable enemy. He snorted coldly, no longer concealing his aura, and shouted at the unsuspecting boys and girls who were still watching the commotion:

"Everyone, get out!"

At the same time, Ryuu's eyes were fixed on Luminova in front of him, preventing her from doing anything he wouldn't have time to react to. The moment he released his powerful pressure, the surrounding students who were watching the commotion immediately changed their expressions and scattered like birds and beasts.

"Hehe~ Look how nervous you are, I just want you to apologize on behalf of your friend~"

Luminova, standing before him, was dressed in the clothes of a common girl, not the black and white nun's habit that Ryuga was familiar with. Her tone was also quite flippant, like a predator toying with its prey. Ryuga had nothing to fear; after all, this was his territory, and he had the advantage of his Leader's Certificate. And the ordinary students he was only worried about had all left.

"Melanie, seal off this part of the restaurant for me. Don't let anyone get in!"

Seeing that 'Luminova' only held onto Tipalotura's wrist tightly and did not take any further action, Ryuka calmed down a little and sent a message to Melanie, who was closest to her, in her mind.

"What happened?"

“Luminova appeared, but it was clearly not her.”

With that one sentence, the intelligent and perceptive Melanie stopped asking questions. Clever as she was, she understood what it meant and focused on carrying out Ryukatsu's instructions. Ryukatsu, in turn, finally turned all his attention to Luminova in front of him.

"There's no need for any mystical pretense, Your Excellency of the Inquisition. Let's speak frankly."

Ryūka is still unclear about the Vatican's 'body creation' project and its purpose. However, one thing is quite obvious: someone is controlling Luminova's body, just as Chloe controlled Sasha's body back then. As for whether the person currently inside Luminova's body is the rumored Cardinal Carmela, Ryūka cannot be certain; it could be someone else within the Vatican.

"The Tribunal?" Upon hearing this, 'Luminova' immediately chuckled. She shook her head and laughed, "Looks like you think I'm that bitch Carmela or one of her henchmen. It seems you don't know much about the Holy See at all~"

Ryūka frowned. It sounded like the person controlling Luminova's body wasn't from Carmela's faction; she wondered if it was true. But amidst their conversation and struggle, Tipalotura, who was being pulled along, lost her composure first. Seeing that there was no one else around, she coldly snorted, and a surge of magic power erupted from her wrist, instantly absorbing all the surrounding colors like a black hole. The black and white barrier that Ryūka had seen before was about to reappear!

Boom!!! Just as Tipalottura's barrier was about to expand, Luminova unleashed an even more dazzling burst of holy magic energy! The wrists of the two, which were entangled together, reacted violently as if repelling each other. The two incompatible forces forced them both back a step. As their wrists separated, Tipalottura's barrier was also pushed back, and it had failed to unfold!

"Don't be in such a hurry, Your Highness. I was just joking with you."

The instant the two separated, Felicity immediately cut in, her massive scythe blocking Tipalottura's path. Facing Luminova directly, she whispered to Tipalottura behind her:

"Your Highness, are you alright?"

"fine."

Tipalotura remained remarkably calm, gently rubbing her wrist. Aside from some red and swollen marks from the strap, she was otherwise unharmed. Luminova, on the other hand, had her hand, which had just collided with Tipalotura's, dangling uncontrollably at her side. The slightly charred skin, as if burned, hissed and emitted blue smoke.

But Luminova herself seemed completely unconcerned, still wearing a smile. She ignored Felicity, who was pointing her blade at her, and instead looked at Ruka, who had not yet made any move.

Although the boy stood still, the aura he exuded and the slight adjustments he made made him seem like a beast poised to pounce, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment. This brought a hint of admiration to Luminova's eyes. She took two steps back, showing that she meant no harm, and instead innocently complained:

"Fine, if you're not going to apologize, then don't. Don't scare people like that. If you ruin this body, you'll be the one who feels the pain later."

"What do you mean?"

Facing Ryūka's fierce gaze, Luminova shrugged: "What I mean is, I'm here to express goodwill and return this little girl to you. You see, the most intense emotions in her few memories are all from here~"

Ryūka remained unmoved and returned Luminova to him? Although Luminova had caused quite a bit of trouble in Linhu Town, the townspeople still quite liked and accepted this simple-minded nun. But this didn't mean Ryūka would have any special feelings for this white-haired, big-breasted, foolish nun; she was a member of the Holy See. Even with Sister Lindsay, who sided with the Otus Empire, Ryūka maintained a proper distance and wouldn't easily involve his emotions.

They're not even our own people, so what's the point of talking about 'returning' them? Hopefully, it's not a ticking time bomb...

As she spoke, pure holy energy once again condensed in Luminova's other hand. Facing the tense faces of the group, she boldly raised her scorched hand:

"Just treatment."

A flash of holy light, and the small, white hand was quickly restored. Although Luminova was a holy nun, Ryusha had only ever seen her fight like a martial artist, never use healing magic. If it was the person within her who performed it, such skillful use of holy magic undoubtedly indicated they were a member of the Holy See.

Seeing that Ryūka remained wary and had no intention of joking with her, the 'Luminova' in front of her, having healed her hand, stopped wasting words and went straight to the point about her purpose:

"Everyone, you're about to go to the Bauhinia Kingdom, right?"

It seemed the other party had come prepared, having done thorough prior intelligence gathering. Therefore, Ryuka saw no need to mince words and asked directly:

"so?"

"Let's talk about a deal, but before that..."

She raised her nose and sniffed, her gaze drifting towards the table where Ryūka and the others had been sitting.

"Perhaps we can talk while we eat?"

-----------------

"How are things?"

"There's no problem, you don't need to make a fuss over there."

Having mentally conversed with Melanie and Kania, Ryuga watched helplessly as 'Luminova,' reborn like a starving ghost, devoured the food they had left behind. Seeing her utterly lacking in manners, Ryuga couldn't help but wonder if such an extraordinary person truly existed within the Holy See.

"So..." Ryuka, still savoring the words 'Luminova' had uttered while eating, couldn't help but ask:

"You want us to bring Princess Linor on this trip without her, but with the Bauhinia Tear, that gem, is that right?"

“That’s right, hiccup~” 'Luminova' wiped her mouth, let out a burp, and then called out towards the order window downstairs:

"Auntie~ another one, please! Hmm? Strange, where did everyone go?"

Everyone had already been evacuated, of course. 'Luminova' pouted, her emerald green eyes silently looking at Ryuka.

The meaning couldn't be clearer: she hadn't had enough to eat.

Tipalotura, having regained her composure, also looked at Ryukyu: "Ryukyu-sama, I'm also looking forward to your cooking."

Ryuka sighed helplessly, said "Follow me," and led the three girls to the kitchen on the first floor. The kitchen was fully equipped with ingredients and tools. Ryuka casually picked out a few items and began cooking on the stove, while continuing to ask Luminova questions:

Could you explain it more clearly?

"That girl is useful to Carmela, but not to us. But that stone is useful to us... Hmm~ this looks good, is it a rabbit? I'd like one, please~"

Ryuka watched as she pointed to a skinned rabbit, washed clean of blood, lying in a cupboard filled with ice. The three girls beside her weren't the type to find a skinless rabbit scary; however, Ottos didn't have any specialized rabbit dishes, usually just roasting it casually during hunts. Therefore, they were curious about how Ryuka would prepare it.

This harmonious scene struck Ryuuya as somewhat unsettling. The Ottus royal family and the Papacy, two forces that had been locked in a power struggle for centuries, stood behind him, discussing their upcoming trip to the Bauhinia Flower Garden, and seemingly concealing something from each other. Was he the only one who found it strange to be worrying about what to eat at this moment?

Snap! A gleaming cleaver chopped off the rabbit's head, and Liu Xia chopped the rabbit into pieces with a series of thuds, asking at the same time:

"So, Your Excellency, you belong to the faction within the Holy See that is at odds with Carmela and the Inquisition?"

He glanced at Tipalottura, and the princess, who knew more about the Papacy, immediately looked at 'Luminova' and asked:

"Are you a Templar Knight who is directly loyal to His Holiness the Pope?"

"No need to ask so many questions, what is this? It smells quite nice..."

'Luminowa' picked up a spice prepared by Ryukyu, held it to her nose, and inquired.

“Angelica dahurica,” Liu Xia replied calmly, grabbing a few slices and putting them into a pot that had already been stir-fried with star anise and Sichuan peppercorns. She added water and started stewing it. “If you want us to do what you say, you should at least be more honest.”

"There's nothing to be honest about. Take the Bauhinia Tears to the person I designate. I'll give you this girl in return. Isn't that simple?"

As 'Luminova' said this, she gave Ryuka a wicked grin and gestured towards herself... or rather, towards her magnificent breasts, but Ryuka only glanced at them before coldly saying:

"I have nothing to do with this stupid nun."

"Really? But she doesn't seem to think so. The memories of you in her mind are all... oh!"

'Luminova' seemed to think about it carefully, and then became annoyed with herself, leaving Ryuka completely confused about what she was talking about.

"Alright, you're a heartless kid. Hmm, let me think..."

She paced back and forth in the kitchen, picking up a carrot and munching on it, looking like a starving ghost reincarnated...

“If you want to cooperate, then at least be honest.” Ryuga used his fighting spirit to heat the pot, observing the 'Luminova' in front of him. In any case, the person controlling this body hadn’t shown any malice so far, and didn’t seem to have much social or planning ability.

However, there is one thing: she doesn't get along with Carmela, and she wants the Tears of the Bauhinia... The national treasure of the Bauhinia Kingdom, a special magical crystal gem, a sealed magic sword—it's unclear which one she wants.

"If you think you can get the Bauhinia Tears just by using Luminova, that's impossible. Rather, since you can control her body, who can guarantee that leaving her in Sochi won't be a hidden danger?"

Ryūka's ruthless behavior caused 'Luminova' in front of her to widen her eyes. She grabbed a kitchen knife and held it to her own neck:

"You really don't care?"

"Think what you want." Ryuga looked at the man's insane behavior with a speechless expression, unmoved even as a drop of blood seeped from Luminova's fair neck.

"Tsk..."

'Luminova' clicked her tongue, slammed the cleaver back onto the cutting board, and crossed her arms angrily: 'I knew it! They were just trying to fool me when they told me this body might be useful to you!'

Ryuka didn't know what kind of deception she had been subjected to, which made her foolishly control Luminova to come to Sochi, but she could clearly see that the 'person inside' Luminova was just as abnormal as her 'suit'...

Because she finished eating the carrot, wiped the blood from her neck with her thumb, and then put the wiped-off blood in her mouth and licked it off with relish...

Chapter 17 The Purpose of the Theory of Faith

Just as Luminova was hesitating, Ryuka was simultaneously communicating with Kania in her mind, urging the little witch to quickly interrogate the still stubborn Hinatil to see if she could get any information out of this confidante of Carmela.

"He's mentally unstable, doesn't get along with the court, and likes to eat... I understand. If you stall for a little longer, I'll go ask Hinatil right away."

After instructing Kania, Ryusha was no longer in a hurry. Their itinerary required notification to both countries, so it wasn't exactly secret; it was practically an open declaration of war against the Bauhinia Kingdom and the Papacy. The 'Luminova' before him was clearly not there to cause trouble, and she was obviously not aligned with the Inquisition, indicating that Tipalotura's mission to the Bauhinia Kingdom had caused some changes within the Papacy.

Where is Tipalotura? Ryūsha glanced at the princess. She possessed precognitive abilities; she must have calculated everything perfectly beforehand for such a momentous occasion as her mission to the Bauhinia Kingdom. But the appearance of this 'Luminova' today was clearly unexpected…

Either this uninvited guest knows how to counter Tipalotura's abilities, or Tipalotura's abilities are not as powerful as he imagined.

Steam billowed from the pot, and the aroma of rabbit meat, accompanied by the fragrance of angelica, wafted through the air. Ryuga's patience finally paid off; news of Kania arrived, giving Ryuga some confidence in the 'Luminova' before her.

“There are many Papal factions that disagree with Carmela, and the Knights Templar are all bound by the principle of strict self-discipline, so there shouldn’t be anyone like that. The probability of it being the Cardinals is also not high, as most of them are civilian elites like Rocco… The most likely candidate is the ‘Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,’ which was separated from the Inquisition in the past.”

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith? Ryusha recalled his knowledge of the Vatican. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was one of the major congregations of the Vatican, officially known as the Congregation for the Theory of Faith. It was responsible for upholding faith and doctrine, and for investigating and punishing any words or deeds that violated the principles of faith and the rules of the Church.

It sounds similar to the duties of the Inquisition, but the difference is that the Inquisition is an external body, the Papacy's institution for punishing violent forces in the secular world. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on the other hand, is more like an internal disciplinary body overseeing the clergy, created by the current Pope in his youth to limit the separation of powers from the Inquisition. However, according to Sinatiel, although they are enemies of the Inquisition, their power is pitifully small, and they still need the assistance of the Knights Templar under the Pope for most of the operational matters.

Furthermore, due to their fear of Carmela, who is the frontrunner for the next pope, most clergy with any sense wouldn't risk their future by joining this department. Adding to this, the Pope is old and frail, and the situation at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is... quite dire...

So it was just a nobody. Ryuka looked at 'Luminova' with a hint of pity. But the fact that she managed to get Luminova out of the Inquisition and try to use herself and Tipalotura to do something in the Bauhinia Kingdom showed that the Faith Department was quite capable of struggling.

No power in this world can be monolithic. Even a large empire like Otus is not immune, and even the Sochi province of Ryukyu cannot be entirely at Ryukyu's behest. The Papacy is no different. Ryukyu's principle is that the enemy of my enemy is my "handle," and using them to achieve his goals is his consistent approach.

After all, he and Tipalottura were, respectively, the rising 'young tyrant' of Otto and the emperor's most favored princess. Their joint mission to the Bauhinia would undoubtedly attract the attention of any secret rivals within the Inquisition…

Meanwhile, more information about Kania is coming in:

"Although Hinatil is very stubborn and remains loyal to Carmela, believing she is the most suitable person to become the next pope, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith clearly doesn't think so..."

In Hinatil's words, the Faith Council was nothing but a bunch of despicable scoundrels who wouldn't leave their Inquisition alone. Even though everything their Inquisition did was righteous, these flies just wouldn't leave! This was all too pleasing to Ryusha, since Hinatil herself was a 'raw body' and naturally trusted Carmela implicitly. But based on his own experience, there were definitely serious problems within the Inquisition! Otherwise, Archbishop Randall of the Imperial Capital wouldn't have chosen to side with Otus rather than oppose the Inquisition. And now, the arrival of the Faith Council only confirmed this…

"I know you're in a difficult position." With that thought, Ryuka showed understanding and comforted the still hesitant 'Luminova' before her:

"Your attitude toward Cardinal Carmela and the Inquisition just now has made me realize that there are still reasonable clergy within the Holy See..."