When the plot-skips players into the game world

Chapter 692: Chapter 81 Controlled Flame Chapter 692: Chapter 81 Controlled Flame “…What if it were Grey?”

After a brief silence, Aiwass suddenly spoke.

He looked at Cardinal Matilda and repeated, “What if the person here were Her Highness the Saintess, what then?”

Upon hearing this, Matilda hesitated for a moment.

Without waiting for her response, Aiwass softly continued, “If Her Highness the Saintess were to face trouble or danger because of this matter, then this would not be an accident.”

He looked at Matilda, questioning, “Is it…

Amberficate?”

—This was a very good opportunity for Aiwass to align the information and thus enter into the heart of this event.

Although Aiwass knew some intelligence, if he didn’t get it again through legitimate channels, it wouldn’t be good for him to use it.

And now was the perfect chance to “launder” such advanced intelligence.

Upon hearing these words, Sherlock was instantly shocked.

He was still pondering the killer’s motive, and Aiwass had already deduced this far?!

Despite the many missing clues and possible theories, Aiwass seemed certain that the murderer was trying to catalyze the Amberficate of the Pure White Saintess…

Rather, it was as if he had prioritized the possibility of “something happening to the Saintess concerning Amberficate” from the beginning.

It was almost as if he had the answers and was fitting them to the questions.

But considering Aiwass’s prophetic abilities, Sherlock chose to remain silent for the time being.

…Maybe it really was so.

Yet Cardinal Matilda showed no particular reaction to this.

She let out a sigh of relief, and even seemed somewhat relieved, “You’ve discovered it after all…

Well, it makes sense.

After all, that fruit grew from you, it’s hardly possible you’d be completely unaware.”

After all, their reactions at that time were too strange, and with a little thought, one could feel something was amiss.

“I mostly couldn’t keep it from you, but I can’t tell you directly.

After all, it’s Grey’s secret…

and it’s crucial.”

Cardinal Matilda bowed earnestly to the three of them, “I ask that you please keep this matter confidential.”

“By crucial, you mean…”

Sherlock narrowed his eyes, capturing the key point of interest, “If this gets out, it will cause trouble for Her Highness the Saintess, right?”

He suddenly thought of something, “Is it…

that the Pure White Saintess is about to succeed the throne?”

Cardinal Matilda looked at Sherlock somewhat surprised, then nodded in admiration, “That’s right, next month.

“That’s why I said there’s no rush with the matter of Advanced Divine Arts.

Because soon, the Holy Nation is going to see a major event.”

…A major event?

I feel like it’s going to be a huge problem…

Sherlock murmured to himself in his heart.

But with his character, he actually became interested in this sort of challenge—He wouldn’t bother with things that weren’t troublesome.

“I have another question,” Sherlock asked again, “If the matter of the Saintess’s Amberficate gets exposed, wouldn’t that have a negative impact on her succession to the Papal throne?”

“It can be said…

the controversy will be quite significant.”

Cardinal Matilda nodded, “Especially recently with the ‘Controlled Flame’ movement.”

“Controlled Flame?”

Sherlock had never heard of this term before.

“—Light and fire are the Holy Nation’s sacred symbols, but compared to light, flame undoubtedly has a greater dangerous quality.

And its danger comes from its freedom.”

The one who continued the conversation wasn’t Cardinal Matilda, but Aiwass, “Controlled Flame refers to the regulation and control of flames that can produce light but also burn human flesh.”

As he said this, he pointed at the flame lamp on the table.

The fire, contained within glass, was the same kind of “seemingly just a texture” flame that did not flicker at all, “This is ‘Controlled Flame.’ It itself is what the ‘Controlled Flame’ organization distributed nationwide when they initiated the movement.

A safer, ‘cooler’ kind of fire.

Even children won’t get hurt if they touch it.”

“…You’re quite knowledgeable,”

Cardinal Matilda looked at him somewhat surprised, “To know even this.”

Aiwass humbly nodded, “After all, it has been decades.”

This was not the advanced intelligence from the game—the Theological Seminary taught this.

It’s also an example of the rule in Avalon that unauthorized burning of flame within a church is not permitted.

Burning real flames has a sacred significance, while summoning a mere image of fire is different.

“…Decades have passed already.”

Hearing this, Cardinal Matilda sighed with some wistfulness, “It feels as if it was just last month.”

“It sounds like an organization that simply advocates for a change of light sources.”

Sherlock followed up with a question, “What else do they advocate?”

“—Yes.”

Cardinal Matilda nodded gravely, “It’s exactly what we were just discussing, concerning the matter of Heirs and professionals.

They hold much more radical views on this.”

Sherlock caught on, “They want all elves to become professionals?”

“Exactly.”

“Why is that?”

“It’s simple,” Cardinal Matilda replied, “because of Amberficate.”

“…Amberficate?”

“Yes.

The Controlled Flame was established initially because Cardinal Loki collected data from an investigative report.”

“The data showed that the number of Amberficates among Heirs far surpassed that of professionals—not by just a few percent, but by a tenfold difference.

In the past century, the proportion of Heirs’ Amberficates accounted for 96% of all elves.”

“…That doesn’t sound right, does it?”

Without Aiwass needing to speak, Sherlock intuitively realized there was something amiss with this report, “Didn’t you just say that the number and status of Heirs were supposed to be greater than those of professionals?”

“That was also the original source of this report.

Although the Holy Nation advocates for Heirs, the profession system has been in existence for a thousand years.

There are still many elves who fail to secure an inheritance…

In your words, professional elves are equivalent to ‘commoners.’ It’s because their parents don’t know powerful Transcendents, therefore they can’t provide them with better inheritance.

“Originally, they could only become true commoners, protected by the Transcendents; or they would delve into the Dream Realm themselves, taking risks to find their own paths.

But after the creation of the profession system, they had the opportunity to become professionals.

“Then, just over thirty years ago, the ratio of existing elven professionals to Heirs within the Holy Nation just happened to reach 1:1.

Cardinal Loki wanted to trace this phenomenon and investigate the differences between these two groups.

However, he accidentally discovered that the proportion of Amberficates among professional elves was far lesser.”

“…That’s not easy to say.”

Aiwass shook his head, “It could be a self-selection bias.”

“Self-selection bias?”

Sherlock asked subconsciously.

But before Aiwass could answer, he caught on, “Oh, well put.”

“Exactly.

Elves who are willing to become professionals, whether actively or passively, generally have more open minds and families, free from many traditionalists.

They are more active, more curious about the lives of Short-Lived Species, willing to experience different lives, thus the proportion of their Amberficates is also lower.”

Aiwass also frowned slightly, “Although this data of 96%…

is a bit astonishing.”

“Therefore, Cardinal Loki believes that the ‘profession system’ is not meaningless for elves—it has the effect of permeating and solidifying the soul, which can effectively prevent or even cure Amberficate Syndrome.

Hence, he took the lead in transitioning into a professional and established Controlled Flame.

The other members of Controlled Flame are also those willing to accept this idea, attempting to reform elven tradition through the profession system…”@@novelbin@@

At this point, Cardinal Matilda subconsciously glanced at the corpse of Bishop Mercedes on the ground.

“It seems quite a good idea.”

Sherlock commented.

“That’s why I don’t have any prejudice against them.”

Cardinal Matilda covered her forehead with distress, “But the only problem is…

The ‘Saintess’ is not a profession.

They must be nurtured from childhood, receive complex education inheritance, chosen from among dozens as the best.

Hence, one of Controlled Flame’s contentions is that the Pope should no longer be selected from among the Saintesses—because the mere existence of a Saintess is equivalent to the Holy Nation encouraging the inheritance system.”

“…But I remember that, in theory, a Cardinal Archbishop could also assume the role of Eternal Pope, right?”

Aiwass asked.

He remembered that the Holy Nation had such a provision, but he was not sure about it.

“It’s only theoretical, right.”

Without waiting for Cardinal Matilda to answer, Sherlock’s lips curled up ironically, “Just as the Knights of the Round Table Hall theoretically could also decide legislative bills through voting.”

“That’s how it is.

In theory, the Pope is elected, but since each Cardinal manages a different sphere, there are significant differences in thought.

In the Hall of Cardinals, no matter who is chosen, they would be substantially voted down by other Cardinals.

The Saintess is the best choice…”

Cardinal Matilda clearly saw this as a matter of course, “After all, Saintesses have been taking over the duties of the Pope for a long time.

They are essentially the real Popes, and becoming Pope is rather akin to stepping back.

To serve as a guide to the new Saintess—that’s how it has been for thousands of years in the Holy Nation, and nobody has said anything against it.”

“But now, this tradition has come into conflict with ‘Controlled Flame,’ right?”

Sherlock responded.

He squinted at the body, “So the suspect is Cardinal Loki?”

“Hah, it sounds plausible.

He is a Cardinal Archbishop, able to open this door.

He is also the leader of Controlled Flame, and a radical at that.

He wants to remove the Saintess, so he planned to stimulate her Amberficate—by doing so, if the Saintess developed Amberficate Syndrome, it would corroborate his claim as being correct.

It would also benefit his election as Pope…

since there have been Saintesses with Amberficate before, hence the tradition of Cardinals being elected as Pope.

It seems logically sound…

huh.”

At this point, Sherlock suddenly chuckled, turning to Aiwass, “Aiwass, what’s your take?”

“The logic is too perfect.”

Aiwass shook his head, “So I don’t quite believe it.”

“—Then we’ll go with your gut.”

Sherlock immediately abandoned his own conjecture, so quickly that it even surprised Aiwass somewhat—do you trust my intuition that much?

But Aiwass actually did have evidence, only that evidence couldn’t be revealed.

Because Aiwass knew that amidst the chaos brought upon by the “Calamity of Tree and Amber”…

the first Cardinal Archbishop to die was Loki.

Very classic—the most suspect perpetrator dying on the spot.

Aiwass looked towards Sherlock, suddenly realizing.

It was because of your presence as “Sherlock” that this kind of storyline emerged!