Chapter 40: Exposed?

"Is this your doing?"

Faced with Aleca's accusation pointing at the empty classroom, Ron froze for a moment, never expecting that someone could actually appreciate his good intentions.

So the young man stood up and proudly puffed out his chest.

"That's right, it was my doing!"

A clear conscience fears no dark shadows.

Caring for the physical health of new cult recruits was Ron Griffith's unshirkable duty.

He actually admitted to it so shamelessly!

Aleca's face clouded over as if covered by dark rain clouds, and his gaze pierced toward Ron like a cold, sharp dagger.

Inside the classroom, the atmosphere dropped to freezing point.

"Good, very good, exceptionally good."

Suddenly, the scarred face of the stronghold leader shifted dramatically, unexpectedly squeezing out a trace of a smile.

The formidable aura of a Tier 4 warrior instantly vanished. Aleca put away his weapon and patted Ron on the shoulder once again.

"Gandalf, we are in dire need of talent just like you!"

As soon as his voice fell, as if he held Ron in extremely high regard, he reached inside his blood-red military uniform and pulled out a brass pocket watch.

"I feel that the status of a newcomer is a bit beneath your talents, and wasting time in a classroom is completely meaningless."

With that, Aleca tossed the brass pocket watch to Ron. "In light of your capabilities, I have decided to promote you to a deacon of the stronghold!"

Hearing this, Ron, who was still slightly dazed, felt a sense of unreality.

He got promoted?

His very first promotion in life, and it happened inside an undercover cultist stronghold.

This left Ron feeling somewhat lost, because cultists fundamentally didn't have basic salaries to speak of...

No, the obvious issue right now wasn't a pay raise, but rather why this guy known as the "Jaws of Torment" had suddenly become so easy to talk to?

The youth still remembered the scene from two days ago when he had first gone undercover here.

In the interrogation room, the maid had been tortured beyond human recognition, and despite Mr. Snake's recommendation, Aleca hadn't believed it.

Instead, he had cooked up a test that made things quite difficult for him.

This was enough to demonstrate Aleca's sinister cunning, and his cruel methods were so terrifying that Mr. Snake, an undercover operative of many years, didn't dare to reveal the slightest flaw.

He was an opponent on the level of a final boss.

Yet right now, this final boss was actually smiling at him...

Could it be that I am really well-suited for doing evil things?

No, what does that have to do with me? It must be because the Matriarch downstairs keeps peeping at me.

Yes, that must be it!

His overly exuberant imagination instantly led Ron to consider this possibility.

Without changing his expression, he took the pocket watch and said with a solemn air, "Can I move into the official cultists' dormitory?"

"No!" Aleca refused Ron's proposal without even thinking.

Are you kidding? This fellow had barely been in the newcomer dormitory for two days before causing such a massive commotion.

If he were to enter the official cultists' dormitory...

A cold and venomous gaze swept across Ron's face. Just like the previous two days, Aleca could only perceive the youth's boundless vigor and proactive, upbeat spirit.

What a tricky fellow to deal with. No wonder he managed to catch the Matriarch's attention...

At this thought, Aleca waved his hand, signaling that Ron could leave.

To be frank, he had noticed the abnormalities in Gandalf as early as yesterday.

Yet he had simply chosen to act as if nothing had happened, wanting to continue observing Ron for a few more days.

After all, he was still somewhat undecided about the fellow Snake had recommended.

Right now, Aleca wanted to see what exactly this newcomer named Gandalf was trying to achieve.

"Things are getting more and more interesting. According to the information provided by the Cult and the intelligence I extracted through interrogation, the princess is most likely fake, otherwise some kind of anomaly would have manifested by now."

"The Cult only told me to hold my ground and wait patiently, without mentioning anything else..."

"Snake has always been responsible for liaising with the Holy See, and after running into mishaps several times in a row, he might have already been bought off."

"Furthermore, during his final contact with the Holy See, he even brought back a newcomer from the outside."

Measuring the belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain, Aleca certainly wouldn't be naive enough to believe all of this was mere coincidence.

It was just that what baffled him was what an acquired undercover agent, a substandard fake princess, and a bad seed of unknown origin could possibly accomplish?

Before these fellows exposed their true motives, he mustn't disturb the prey~

I really am despicable enough!

Aleca praised himself smugly in his heart.

***

"What? A deacon!?"

"That's impossible!"

At noon in the stronghold's cafeteria, the "undercover agent" Snake let out an exclamation as his wrist jerked, causing his iron meal tray to clatter heavily to the ground.

His lean face, hidden beneath a black robe, gradually turned deathly pale.

He had expected to witness Ron make a fool of himself during today's assessment, but never imagined that the failure would turn out to be himself.

How could this be possible? He was just a newcomer, and moreover, one brought back by me!

I have been utterly loyal to the Cult for many years, even willing to take huge risks to conduct transactions in the Holy See's territory, yet I never received such treatment!

The flames of jealousy ignited within the cultist's heart, driving Snake to a point of near-madness from the agony.

Gandalf, you bastard, could it be that I can never surpass you no matter how hard I try!?

Ever since he found out the princess was a fake, he could distinctly sense that Lord Aleca no longer trusted him, and instead placed increasing value on that newcomer "Gandalf."

No matter how hard he tried to display his evil nature, he couldn't even earn a single word of praise.

This left the gentleman cultist with grievances he couldn't voice, feeling that the old, seamless intimacy between himself and Aleca was gone, replaced by an odious third wheel inserted right in the middle!

No, I'm going to go find him and clear things up!

Leaving his meal tray behind, Snake didn't even bother to eat, storming haphazardly out of the cafeteria.

With a ferocious look in his eyes, he grabbed everyone he crossed paths with and demanded repeatedly, "Where is Gandalf!?"

After a frantic round of grabbing and questioning, he finally extracted the answer from a newcomer with silver hair.

"Are you the benevolent Mr. Snake?"

"Gandalf told me at noon that he went to the interrogation room."

Syd maintained a aloof posture as he looked toward the trustworthy undercover agent spoken of by Ron.

Lord Aleca's private interrogation room?

Hearing this, Snake's mind spun with dizziness, on the verge of fainting.

Such a private place required escort clearance even for capable veterans like himself to enter, yet why on earth could that newcomer waltz in whenever he pleased!?

The preferential treatment Ron received only served to cement Snake's resolve.

He had to find a way to get through Gandalf's back door, hoping that the other party would remember their past ties and put in a good word for him before Aleca.

Thereby lifting Lord Aleca's misunderstanding.

This was the best course of action Snake could come up with.

"The interrogation room... the interrogation room... it's in that direction!"

The stronghold nestled within the canyon was not particularly expansive. Snake confirmed the location and hurried forward in quick strides.

He could no longer wait to demonstrate his loyalty.

Even if it meant becoming Lord Aleca's dog, he was willing!