Chapter 538

【Gray: "Teacher, what happened?"】

【"I mostly found the answer. However, this..."】

【After a silence, the Second suddenly turned his head and asked: "Trimmau, how many minutes until sunrise?"】

【Trimmau: "If sunrise is defined as the sun completely rising, I estimate there are thirty-seven to forty-three minutes."】

【"Leave here immediately!"】

【The Second let Trimmau take back the number dials floating in the air and turned to leave here.】

【Gray hurriedly followed behind him and asked: "What's going on? Teacher?"】

【The Second: "Sorry, there is no time to explain in detail now; we must hurry to the swamp and talk while running on the road."】

Rin Tohsaka: "Did he solve this affinity diagram? What exactly did he discover?"】

Kairi Sisigou: "Don't know, the screen was too fast, didn't see it at all."】

Waver: "Is it the swamp again? What secret does that swamp hide?"】

【"Hey hey, I think you will collapse first like this?"】

【Kay looked at the Second's pale face and said half-jokingly, but as soon as he walked out of the hut, his expression stiffened.】

【"Oh my, this is dangerous."】

【Gray: "What are you referring to, Sir Kay?"】

【Kay: "Sigh, although I thought they would find their way here, I didn't expect it to be so fast."】

【At this moment, Gray also heard it; on the other side of the forest, that is, the direction of the village on the opposite bank of the swamp, noisy human voices were approaching here.】

【Kay: "It looks like the villagers think the situation is wrong and have started searching the mountain. Haha, going to the swamp by this route will lead to a direct conflict with them. Unless you run away, otherwise you will kill each other with people you know; make up your mind now."】

Kairi Sisigou: "Another hurdle that must be faced."】

Kayneth: "Hmph, I hope this girl won't be soft-hearted, otherwise she will definitely regret it."】

【On the other side, on the hillside, Fernand was climbing the hillside with difficulty, sticking to the mountain wall.】

【He was also washed away by the flood before, and luckily climbed out of another cave, successfully survived, and then received a voice transmission from Ilumia, who was also safe and sound.】

【"Actually telling people to rush to the swamp immediately, I almost drowned... sigh, how much manual labor does Sister Ilumia intend to force me to do..."】

【Fernand climbed up the hillside with sweat on his forehead, panting and complaining.】

【At this moment, a voice suddenly sounded.】

【"You are safe and sound, Priest Fernand."】

【A figure appeared from under the shade of the trees; it was Bersac.】

Rin Tohsaka: "How should I put it, such a big flood, and yet everyone is fine, it feels outrageous."】

Kairi Sisigou: "Yes, I thought this fat priest would be saved by that nun even if he could survive; who would have thought he actually escaped on his own."】

Illya: "But because he is too fat, it allowed him to float on the water surface instead."】

【"Be, Bersac! What, what do you intend to do to me?"】

【Seeing the person who suddenly appeared, Fernand was startled directly.】

【Bersac shook his head and said: "I have no intention of harming you, I just have something I want to ask you."】

【Fernand: "... As a Gravedigger of Blackmoore?"】

【"Perhaps."】

【Bersac said seriously: "I have felt suspicious since before; you and Sister Ilumia often find Gray to chat. The nun is mostly to monitor Gray, but you are truly concerned. Can you tell me your stance?"】

【Fernand cleared his throat and said: "Um, um, from the perspective of the Holy Church, King Arthur is of course a heretic. That way of existence is too deeply integrated with local customs and beliefs to be regarded as belonging to the same religion as us. However, that kind of thing has nothing to do with that girl in essence, right?"】

【Bersac: "You say it has nothing to do with it?"】

【"How could it be related!"】

【Fernand became emotional: "In the final analysis, imposing the customs of the past on people of the future and forcing them to sacrifice, if this is not considered a mistake, then what is? It's just that I am not qualified to say such things."】

【Bersac: "Why?"】

【Fernand: "... Because ten years ago, it was I who reported the news of Gray's appearance suddenly changing to the Holy Church."】

【"..."】

【Hearing this, Bersac was speechless.】

【Fernand: "At that time, I didn't think things were so serious; seeing a girl's appearance gradually change, this indeed made me afraid, but after the change, it wasn't too different from her original impression; I at most treated this as a situation that might happen during the developmental period. But the villagers began to be obsessed with believing in her, especially that mother, which made me feel that I must report to the church. So for the sake of caution, I wrote about this in the regular contact report. Speaking of what I have done, at most it is only this. As a result, not long after, the church sent Sister Ilumia over."】

【"She is a true member of the Holy Church, a young talent who has been trained in the Order of the Holy Knights and has obtained the ability to expel magicians and non-humans; she is different from a monitor in the backwoods like me who was forced to be selected because I had a bit of talent. She told me several times that if an existence that endangers the church is about to be born, plucking the buds of disaster is also the teaching of the Lord. Ah, that must be the correct point of view."】

【"Strictly speaking, she and I belong to different sects. If it were in the past, I would probably be a heretic chased by her. So, I am not qualified to say such things. Of course, I am convinced that the actions at that time were based on my duties and were correct. Although I am convinced of this, I have been thinking for these years whether that can be asserted as a holy duty... why, your expression is strange, did I say something ridiculous?"】

【Bersac: "No, it's just that everything that happened in that village is not a lie, which makes me very grateful for the things I believe in. At least I think that what you saw in the village is the same as me."】

Rin Tohsaka: "So that's how it is; looking at it this way, this fat priest is actually quite good."】

Kayneth: "Provided that what he said must be the truth."】

Risei Kotomine: "He doesn't need to lie about this kind of thing."】

Mordred: "Actually saying my Father King is a heretic! You guys are the heretics who should be eradicated!"】

Feng Xi: "Not to the point of getting angry about this kind of thing; for the Holy Church, as long as you don't trust their God, then you are all heretics that should be eradicated."】

【Fernand: "Which side do you intend to support? Do you support us, or do you support the villagers?"】

【"We have long known that you have contact with the government of this country, because Sister Ilumia is very sensitive to things in this regard. However, you are not a spy for the government, right? The history of the Gravedigger of Blackmoore itself should be older than King Arthur. Then, you won't blindly believe in King Arthur like the villagers. Even if you support us, it doesn't violate your beliefs, right?"】

【Bersac raised his eyebrows and said: "I seem to understand why the Holy Church chose you to be a monitor. In times of peace, no one will be more suitable than you to slowly let heretics adapt to the environment."】

【Fernand: "Is this considered a compliment?"】

【Bersac: "That's what I meant. As the successor of the Gravedigger, I will protect that girl. If Gray falls into the hands of your Holy Church, the outcome will not be peaceful. Of course, your religion appeals to forgiveness, but the scope of application does not include our world. Forgiveness exists for humans; there is no need to apply it to non-humans."】

【Fernand: "Um... you are right, but..."】

【Bersac folded his arms and leaned against the tree trunk, closed his eyes and said: "I didn't see anything here, didn't meet anyone. Because I am a bit tired, I decided to rest for a few minutes; maybe someone happened to leave in the middle."】

【Fernand also understood the opponent's meaning and immediately walked towards the hillside, saying as he walked: "Although there are still things I want to say, I appreciate your favor."】

【Bersac: "Next time we meet, we will have to fight for our lives."】

【Fernand: "No no no no, spare me."】

Waver: "Because of the opponent's attitude, so he let him go."】

Kayneth: "Hmph, I hope it's not letting a tiger back to the mountain."】

【After Fernand disappeared into the thick fog, Bersac also picked up his axe and set off to climb the hillside.】

【The front leads to the swamp; he has a premonition that most things will be settled there.】

【"Ah!!!"】

【Just at this moment, a scream tore through the forest.】

【Bersac's expression changed, he suddenly pulled his legs and ran, soon arrived at the place where the scream came from, and his eyes widened.】

【I saw Fernand lying on the ground, and bright red blood had already stained his back.】

【Bersac hurriedly ran over to touch his neck, and then his whole body stiffened.】

【Fernand was dead; he had only left his sight for a few minutes, and it had only been a few seconds since he heard the scream and came over, and he was already out of breath.】

【In just a few minutes, what exactly happened?】

Rin Tohsaka: "Hey hey, this development is too..."】

Kairi Sisigou: "This instead became a good deed that turned into a bad one."】

Waver: "It looks like it was a fatal blow; who could have done it?"】

Kayneth: "Is it those villagers? No, Bersac heard the scream and rushed over immediately; those villagers don't have such skills. Then, is it that nun? Did she hear the conversation between the two?"】

【Bersac checked Fernand's corpse.】

【It looks like someone stabbed him from behind with a weapon like a short knife? Fernand has not received combat training; no matter who in the village it is, as long as they catch him off guard, they should be able to kill him easily. However, who exactly did it? After all, at such a time, Fernand would naturally increase his vigilance. The only people he might feel at ease contacting are Sister Ilumia, but she should have no reason to kill Fernand.】

【"Hm? His body, is it dry?"】