When the plot-skips players into the game world

"——Lily, reply for me."

"Tell them I agree to proceed with the second method of response, and emphasize that... according to the information I have, Griffiths indeed has connections with the Star Antimony people. We need to get involved in the 'search for evidence' operation—I'll personally participate, and 'definitely' find evidence."

Aiwass said softly.

The so-called "search for evidence" was actually a raid.

Today, Aiwass did not know whether the torso part of the "Sasha's Holy Banquet," a priest graduation set, was already in Griffiths' hands. This was also the reason he needed to conduct a thorough raid.

But he was indeed capable of using this set of equipment.

Griffiths' profession on the Path of Love was that of a Blood Magus, which required the use of life to cast spells. This would also trigger the special effects of the torso part of "Sasha's Holy Banquet."

The Privy Council would definitely not oppose this matter. Whether Aiwass could find evidence or not, they would not want to be associated with it, especially after Aiwass was so certain he could find new evidence after two rounds of searches at the Arbitration Hall and the Supervisory Bureau, which would most likely mean constructing evidence.

Then, they would urgently wish to distance themselves from Griffiths, to avoid being dragged down with him—especially those ministers who held a small meeting with Minister Griffiths last night.

At the same time, this was also Aiwass' final opportunity for them.

Aiwass did not expect the first "informer" to be the Minister of the Privy Council.

Therefore, in his reply to him, he mentioned that "several people sent letters." This was a trap casually set by Aiwass, though he did not expect it to be used so soon.

No matter whether he believed it or not... after Griffiths got into trouble, he would certainly convene another "Chocolate Faction internal meeting," report Queen Isabel's response to them, and claim that there were several others who informed as well.

After he warns them again, his side should soon receive a second batch of informant letters.

Of course, considering the nature of these letters, they should be confessions. Because they did not send letters to inform at the first opportunity like those "colleagues" did.

And if they do not send letters this time...

"...Hmm."

Aiwass sneered and leaned back in his chair, "It's gotten cold; it's time to give the old gentlemen a break to tend to their gardens at home."

"What do you mean?"

Lily, who was writing the reply, looked up, somewhat confused.

"Gardening leave."

Aiwass explained offhandedly.

Seeing that Lily still did not understand, he further explained, "It means they retain their salary, akin to paid leave. But during this time, they are not allowed to work, nor are they allowed to enter the workplace."

"...Sounds quite nice, doesn't it?"
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Lily, as a personal maid, blinked, unable to understand.

Receiving salary without having to work, could such a good thing exist?

"It means suspension for isolation and scrutiny; the Supervisory Court and the Arbitration Hall will visit at any time, so you shouldn't go out either... it's essentially house arrest."

Aiwass said with a light laugh, "It's just admitting the possibility that nothing incriminating will be found after the investigation, which is why it's only a suspension and not a dismissal. But even if nothing is found in the end... that also means the Queen holds hostility and suspicion towards them. Their circle would naturally dare not let them get close, lest they bring the suspicious gaze along with them.

"——Besides, if the Queen has issued gardening leave, it would be a slight to Her Majesty if nothing is found, wouldn't it? So the Supervisory Bureau will have to find something... it won't be just going through the motions like usual."

To search, to genuinely search, to search diligently—these three are naturally different.

Moreover, there would certainly be something to find on these people. If the Minister of the Privy Council did not warn them, one could say that they truly didn't anticipate it; but after Minister Camelot's reminder, if they still refuse to bow to Isabel... well, we shall see if their necks are indeed that stiff.

Aiwass squinted slightly, his gaze deepening.

He pondered and suddenly turned his head to ask Lily, "Did you just say, you saw Griffiths conversing with an Eye Demon?"

When it came to Eye Demons, Aiwass could only think of the Giant Prince's brother.

After his death, he became an Eye Demon and ultimately a Lord of the Eye Demons—though at this point in time it should have been just an Eye Demon.

It belonged to a top-powerhouse of the Rose Cross Society. He was a very powerful general of the Star Antimony. He was a Fifth Power Level incarnation of a demon. He casually captured many demons to enter into contracts for himself and his children, one of which was this Eye Demon.

As for Minister Griffiths, in the original timeline, his master, Count Leipzig, was also a member of the Rose Cross Society. It was quite normal for him to know the master of the Eye Demon.

But after careful thought, Aiwass felt that something was amiss.

——Did Griffiths need this Eye Demon to serve as a go-between to contact his master?

"What else did the Eye Demon say?"

Aiwass pressed further, "Besides wanting Yulia's blood."

Lily had come back in the morning and was the first to report this matter to Aiwass, explaining why she hadn't followed the agreement.

But Lily shook her head: "Aside from that, the Eye Demon didn't say anything else... however, I used the 'Love Elixir' to interrogate Minister Griffiths and obtained some intelligence."

Immediately after, she recounted in detail the intelligence she had gathered from her interrogation of Minister Griffiths, the proposals he made during the "Chocolate Faction meeting," and her own speculation about the "Blood of Heracles" and the "Swampfolk" to Aiwass.

In conclusion, Lily summarized: "I can only reason up to this step. Maybe there is something I don't know about..."

Even though Lily was Aiwass's personal maid, that didn't mean she was devoid of feelings for other members of the Moriarty Family.

When she learned that Yulia might be harmed, Lily was very angry, too.

Aiwass nodded in surprise and approval: "You've done very well, Lily. Your on-the-spot decision was entirely correct.

"As to why use this matter to lure Miss Aleister... heh. That couldn't be simpler."

Aiwass's lips curled up slightly: "Previously 'I' had claimed to be a 'citizen of the Empire' in front of the media."

—I am a noble of the Helasal Empire, coursing with noble blood, blessed by the Pillar God!

"That was what 'Miss Aleister' said at the time. These were her sworn words of truth to the Pillar God."

Aiwass spoke slowly: "Under what circumstances could someone be a noble of an empire that has been destroyed, yet still have 'noble blood' and be blessed by the Pillar God?

"—There is only one possibility. That is, being a Son of the Moon from the time of the Empire, or a direct descendant of the Son of the Moon.

"The Eye Demon has the gift of Clairvoyance. It's highly likely that it had seen me before—as the Son of the Moon, using the identity of Beyard. Therefore, it concluded that Aleister was actually a Son of the Moon who has lived who knows how long, and now is likely fleeing to take this intelligence back."

"From this perspective, it is probably true that Yulia is a 'Heracles'... Because as a real Imperial person, Miss Aleister probably has a way to determine royal bloodlines."

Strange indeed...

Aiwass murmured to himself.

He recalled Yulia's unreasonable strength from when she was a child... That was a characteristic of Heracles.

"Heracles" means "the glory of Hera," but this Hera does not refer to the queen of the gods, Hera, but to the Helasal Empire.

In the stage of babies and young children who cannot read, this divine power serves as protection for the "Heracles"; after they learn to read and write and have rationality, this power rapidly fades. Even in its weakened state, it remains far superior to that of ordinary people.

Without a doubt, Heracles should no longer appear in this era.

By the last generation of the Helasal Empire, they had all perished. Three hundred years have passed since then; it's impossible there was a legacy that wasn't discovered until now.

There's only one possibility left.

—Yulia indeed is "Swampfolk."

Just as fragments of Lancelot are stored within Hayna, and just as Aiwass is a fragment of a Holy Entity... the "fragment" stored inside Yulia may well be the Defiant Flame Butterfly.

This might also be why, in the game, the Defiant Flame Butterfly is a Phantom Demon of "uniqueness"... Apart from the one inside Yulia, there is no second Defiant Flame Butterfly.

At the same time, this is why the Defiant Flame Butterfly, despite not having completed hatching, holds the rank of a Superior Phantom Demon and possesses the rationality and intelligence equivalent to a human!

The Rose Cross Society clearly knew this all along but kept silent about it.

Only after they received information about Aleister did they bring out this secret as a bargaining chip.

If the Helasal Empire were to be reestablished, Yulia would be an essential "symbol" to acquire.

Clearly, the Rose Cross Society hoped that "Miss Aleister," as a remnant of the Helasal Empire, would take the initiative to approach them, to inquire about this matter!

If Avalon hadn't ultimately forced Aleister to flee, they would have sought another way, to lure her away in search for the truth!

Then did my grandfather Jacob or Foster Father James, have any connection with the Rose Cross Society?

"...So eager to have me, huh."

Aiwass narrowed his eyes: "Then I shall grant your wish."

It seems like during the visit to the Holy Nation, it's indeed necessary to take a detour to Star Antimony.