Chapter 186

Chapter 158 The Children and the Water Chestnut Grass

“Everything else is normal; I didn’t see Sister Teresa. However, there is something that caught my attention…” Reckt pondered for a moment before continuing, “For a long time, Catauloma has been sending new recruits to the Church. The children there are selected from orphanages all over the world, and the Church’s screening process is always strict. By rights, their overall quality should be quite good. But strangely, I saw some people… boys and girls alike… how should I put it…”

“Their expressions were blank, their spirits dull, looking lifeless, as if they had some serious illness… And that girl named Aba, the gatekeeper said she was weak and sick… I know these children are pitiful, but I’m somewhat puzzled—why would unhealthy children appear in Catauloma?”

After hearing Reckt’s words, I subconsciously stretched my thumb into my mouth and bit my nails with a “crunch, crunch.”

Blank expressions, dull spirits, unhealthy children… I remembered seeing Aba in Catauloma the day before yesterday, and his appearance back then seemed to match what Reckt described.

But he wasn’t like this before. The Aba I met in Silgay was… although a bit slow-witted, he was very lively. Something must have made him this way.

What could it be?

Victoria sitting opposite me crossed her hands on the table, thinking for a moment, then asked Reckt, “Who is specifically responsible for the screening?”

Reckt immediately replied, “It’s someone named Charles, who is in charge of the administration. He’s the main culprit we caught when intercepting the goods, and he was also the one who traded Water Chestnut Grass with the Gate of Truth.”

“Where is he now?” Victoria asked again.

“He’s in the underground prison. Ah… a headache-inducing place… the guards do not allow anyone near during interrogations. It’s a rule of the Church for hundreds of years… We cannot get any information from there, only wait.”

Underground prison… Charles…

Judging from his behavior that day, I felt that things wouldn’t be so simple. My intuition told me he wasn’t the person we needed to focus on.

We still need to start from Catauloma… those children with blank expressions must have something wrong. But what exactly caused them to change…

What…

Thinking about it, the only thing I could think of that might be connected to this was the Water Chestnut Grass.

Apart from that, I couldn’t think of any other possibilities.

I quickly expressed my guess, “Could those children, perhaps, be taking Water Chestnut Grass? That’s why they became like this.”

After saying that, I suddenly remembered what Carlos and his father had said at the Empire.

The heretics continuously sent Water Chestnut Grass to the royal city, but the quantities were always small. Their purpose wasn’t to earn gold coins. Moreover, given the current situation, the heretics still insisted on transporting goods despite the high risks, which means that this Water Chestnut Grass must be indispensable to them in some way.

And Doctor Bird’s mouth also mentioned that Water Chestnut Grass could numb the senses, even causing people to lose fear and experience hallucinations… What else? Anyway, this stuff makes people behave abnormally, similar to those harmful things from the past. Therefore, Water Chestnut Grass likely has a significant possibility of suppressing the central nervous system, leading to various aftereffects with prolonged consumption. For example, blank expressions, physical weakness, delirium… just like those children.

Victoria might not understand these symptoms, but the more I thought about it, the more convinced I became.

However, Reckt didn’t seem to agree with my speculation, only frowning, “Those children taking Water Chestnut Grass… doesn’t make sense. Why would they do that?”

“Hmm…”

I tilted my head slightly to the right, biting hard on my fingernail… ah, almost finished with my thumb, better switch to my index finger.

Click, click, click… spit it out.

My mind was still turning.

I felt Reckt was right too.

It was impossible that the heretics would go through such great lengths and take risks to send Water Chestnut Grass to the royal city just to harm those children… Who would do something that harms others without benefit?

They were all unfortunate orphans, having nothing and no one caring for them, needing every ounce of strength just to survive… What could they gain from them?

Wait…

No one cares about them?

Doesn’t that mean—

“Victoria! How long will those children stay in Catauloma?”

Victoria looked at me in silence for a moment, then shifted her gaze to Reckt.

“Uh…” Reckt scratched his head awkwardly, “Half a year? One year? I really don’t know… I think it might vary from person to person, but I know that eventually, they will all be sent to different dioceses to continue their training until they become official clergy members.”

…These children seem to truly lack care.

So, even if anything happens to them… whether they disappear or die, no one would notice.

Thinking this, I felt rather sad.

Aly…

The innocent smile of a little girl involuntarily appeared in my mind.

If… someone truly had ulterior motives towards the children, I would definitely not let them off easily.

Directly in front of me, Victoria lightly tapped the table with her index finger, making a “thud, thud” sound.

“Reckt,” her reaction speed was quick, understanding my meaning in a second, “Check the records of the children’s entry and exit from the orphanage. Clarify where they were sent over the past ten years and whether anyone followed up.”

“Yes.”

After hearing Reckt’s response, Victoria turned her gaze back to me.

“You will go to the academy tomorrow.”

I was stunned, “Why?”

There was a high probability that the children were in danger.

Given this fact, how could I possibly have the mood to go to the academy!

“If you’re not there, someone will be wary.” Victoria said calmly.

I frowned.

…Someone will be wary?

After a moment of thought, I understood who she was referring to.

Teresa.

If I wasn’t at the academy, Teresa would immediately notice and quickly connect what I was doing, then take countermeasures… This was probably Victoria’s idea… damn, she was right.

“But…”

But I didn’t want this.

I had to do something… otherwise, I would feel uneasy and anxious…

Obviously, Victoria wouldn’t consider my feelings.

She no longer paid attention to me, turning to Reckt again, “Tonight, you will go to Catauloma again and see if the situation changes.”

Before Reckt could respond, I immediately said, “Let me go, my senses are very sharp!”

“How is your body?”

Victoria rarely asked a question showing concern for someone.

“I’m much better.”

She examined me, seemingly thinking I looked energetic, then nodded, “Alright, then you and Reckt will go together.”

After a moment of thought, she added, “Don’t be seen.”

“Okay.”

Next, we discussed some details further, and the conversation ended.

As we were about to leave, I suddenly remembered something, “Victoria.”

She turned to look at me.

“Is there any bird in the royal city?”

“Yes.”

“Why haven’t I seen any?”

“There is ‘Boswell’ in the city, so wild birds from outside can’t fly in, hence there aren’t many.”

“…Oh.”

I nodded casually.