Chapter 480: Jipri’s New Mission

With a mix of nervousness and curiosity, Jipri arrived at the lord’s manor, located in the heart of Cecil’s southern district.

The former “witch,” with her healthy sun-kissed complexion, striking features, and modest magical skills—once surviving by her sharp tongue and cunning tricks among adventurers and street thugs—sat anxiously in the audience chamber. She wondered what kind of task the lord himself would assign her. She had seen Duke Gawain Cecil before, but only once, during the graduation ceremony for the first batch of Intelligence Bureau operatives. Back then, she stood among a crowd of fellow trainees in the plaza, swearing loyalty to the duke on stage. Never had she imagined that one day she would be sitting here, receiving orders from the lord in person.

Would it be a highly dangerous mission? A difficult one? Or something so unique that only a select few could handle it?

No matter how she thought about it, Jipri couldn’t pinpoint any decisive difference between herself and the average Intelligence Bureau agent. The first batch of operatives all had roughly the same skill level, and since it was a crash course, many of them were outpaced by newer recruits trained later—especially since she had been posted away for so long, losing touch with the homeland and desperately needing to catch up…

The room was empty except for the lord’s chief maid, who accompanied her silently. As a servant, the maid naturally wouldn’t engage in casual conversation with a guest. In the slightly stifling, awkward silence, Jipri found herself unconsciously finishing yet another cup of tea. Just as she set the cup down, the sound of pouring water came from beside her.

The chief maid, Betty, held a large teapot and refilled the empty cup in one go, then gave Jipri a somewhat vacant smile. “Please, have some more.”

“Ah, thank you…” Jipri replied instinctively, only then realizing she had already drunk several cups without noticing. She was completely full now, yet somehow, just a glance at the dazed little maid brought on an inexplicable mental pressure—as if refusing the tea would be a crime.

Strange psychological pressure… no wonder these people close to the lord were so formidable.

Blinking, Jipri reached for the cup again, but before she could lift it, the door to the audience chamber suddenly opened.

The lord appeared.

Almost becoming another victim of Betty’s relentless tea pouring, Jipri quickly put the cup down and stood, bowing respectfully and crisply. “Greetings, Your Grace.”

Gawain waved off the formality casually. “No need for that—sorry to keep you waiting. I was preparing some things. How was your trip to the capital?”

Jipri’s nerves tightened. She awkwardly folded her hands over her abdomen and lowered her shoulders slightly—a rare “upper-class conversational posture” she had learned during her Intelligence Bureau training. “Everything went smoothly, Your Grace. The capital outpost has been handed over to the later batch, and the reports have been submitted.”

Gawain took his seat and noticed the “senior operative,” who seemed about the same age as Hetty, was still a bit tense. He chuckled. “Good—no need to be so stiff. Sit down and let’s talk.”

Jipri sat before Gawain, who appraised her slowly and said, “Jipri. No surname. Born in the Peipo region. Basic magical knowledge. Briefly apprenticed in magic, but fled to the Leslie territory after your mentor was killed in a vendetta. Made a living through divination and selling charms. Codename ‘Witch,’ correct?”

Still nervous but calming somewhat, Jipri nodded. “Yes, that’s my past.”

“Amber recommended you specifically,” Gawain said. “She said you have great talent. That you’re quick-witted, skilled at deception, and adept at reading the wind…”

Jipri’s expression twisted into an awkward, strange smile. She never expected her former boss—who was also her current superior—to use such flattering words. After all, that boss was known for a foul mouth and a reputation for being hated by everyone, surviving only by excellent escape skills. Hearing those words from the ruler of Cecil was… a bit overwhelming.

Fortunately, Gawain quickly eased the tension. “Don’t worry, I know Amber’s way with words. I can filter through it and see your true strengths. You’re a natural with words, and you probably know how to strike a chord with people, win their trust and approval, right?”

Jipri felt a little embarrassed. “Just some… unrefined skills.”

“That’s exactly the kind of talent we need. And I have a mission for you that requires those skills. I should warn you, this mission will have a profound impact on your career in the Intelligence Bureau, but it’s very important.” He casually picked up a stack of papers. “Take a look at these.”

Curious, Jipri took the papers and was surprised to see vivid images—at first, she thought they were oil paintings, but soon realized these black-and-white pictures were unlike any artist’s work. They were hyper-realistic, almost photographic, and the content was far from artistic or pleasant.

She saw priests and disciplinarian monks beating civilians, soldiers dragging residents from their homes into the streets, clergy directing arson, church knights seizing property from commoners, and bloodied people lying on the ground begging in pain…

Many images were blurry or awkwardly angled, as if secretly recorded from the shadows. This perspective gave the viewer a strong sense of immersion, as if these events were unfolding right before their eyes, right now.

Most importantly, even in the least clear images, the twisted faces of priests, clerics, and church knights were unmistakably vivid.

A wave of disgust and resistance rose in Jipri’s heart—because she had seen these scenes in real life, had even lived through them.

A refugee from another land, not truly a gifted mage but with some magical skills, using divination and “witchcraft” to “bewitch the people”—it was normal for the local church to reject and persecute such a person. Whenever crimes involving supernatural powers occurred, she was the first suspect, often beaten or expelled. Even on quiet days, the church or the lord’s men would extort her…

Many believed in the Holy Light, but in this world of many religions, there were also many who opposed it. Among the lower classes, non-believers were everywhere. Jipri, a mere magic apprentice, was no exception.

Gawain watched Jipri’s changing expression and calmly picked up a magical device from the side—a simplified version of a magic network communicator, with few runes on its triangular base but a high-quality projection crystal embedded at the top.

He placed the device on the table and activated it under Jipri’s curious gaze. “Look at these images again.”

The device projected moving images stored in the crystal—this time, Jipri saw live scenes of church members beating civilians in the street.

The footage was brief and shaky, clearly recorded in a panic and in secret.

As a magic apprentice, Jipri was unsurprised by a device capable of projecting images, but she was intrigued by the content. “Your Grace, what are these…”

“Events that have happened and are happening in Luan City,” Gawain said solemnly, locking eyes with her. “I ask you, after seeing these pictures and videos, if you were to tell more people what you’ve seen and thought, and make them aware of the dark side of the Holy Light Church, how would you do it?”

Jipri seemed to understand her mission. Thinking carefully, she said, “Direct criticism and curses might work well on those already opposed to the church, but could backfire on neutrals or supporters. Presenting the facts in the most neutral way possible, stating ‘the church has always been this dark’ as a fact, would resonate most. Also, connecting the victims in these images to the audience, making them realize they could be next to be beaten, robbed, or burned at the stake. If you don’t mind me fabricating some additional background beyond these images, I could create a whole narrative…”

“We don’t need to fabricate anything. We only state the facts,” Gawain said calmly. “That’s enough.”

“Just stating the facts will achieve your goal,” Jipri agreed immediately, then frowned. “But there are so many people in the southern territories—believers in the Holy Light, followers of other gods, and non-believers… that’s a huge number.”

As a smart woman, Jipri had already guessed the lord’s intention. As someone who didn’t believe in the Holy Light herself, she had no resistance to the idea. Now, her only curiosity was how her modest skills—usually enough to persuade just a few people—could accomplish what the lord demanded.

The lord had summoned her personally and gathered these materials (though she had no idea how, since she hadn’t yet seen the printing presses or magic network devices in the territory). Clearly, the goal was to strike at the Holy Light Church across the entire southern region. This was not something a couple of silver-tongued individuals could pull off alone.

Gawain looked at Jipri’s face and slowly smiled. “What if your voice could be heard by everyone in the southern territories?”

Jipri looked up in surprise, meeting Gawain’s eyes. Then, recalling the incredible things that had already happened in this extraordinary land, her shock turned into a determined mindset: “…If that’s really possible… then I’d better prepare myself well.”

“Then prepare yourself, Miss Jipri,” Gawain stood and spoke deliberately. “A new war has begun.”

(End of chapter)