Chapter 661 — The Oracle
Blade of Dawn · Page 1 of 4
Within the Silver Fortress, Amber had brought Gao Yang the materials he had requested.
"These weren't hard to find—though they're kept secret from the outside world, they were never a secret to the former court advisors," Amber said, unable to hide her satisfaction. "Every detail of the royal family's daily life was recorded. These concern Virodai…"
Gao Yang took the neatly organized rubbings and let his gaze travel slowly across the lines of text.
"Virodai Morn possessed powerful magical and spiritual gifts from the moment she was born, yet the physicians and priests had all but declared her dead at birth," Amber said, standing at his side as she watched him read. "There was no heartbeat at first—she seemed a stillborn child. Then, an hour later, life suddenly flickered within her.
"The Radiant Church later explained this as 'divine grace'—the power of the God of Holy Light had preserved this infant blessed with such extraordinary affinity for the Light. It sounds like utter nonsense, but the physicians could not explain the phenomenon either, so they simply recorded it as 'divine grace.' This became one of the reasons Virodai Morn later converted to the God of Holy Light…
"Before the age of six, Virodai frequently fell into comas without any warning. Despite countless examinations—and every physician and priest declaring the little princess perfectly healthy—she kept collapsing. So before she was six, she had scarcely ever left her room, and maids had to watch over her around the clock.
"Her conversion to the God of Holy Light appears entirely above suspicion—at ten, Virodai Morn accompanied the other royals to the church. It was her first contact with the power of the Holy Light, and during that visit she displayed remarkable spiritual gifts and affinity for the Light, which drew the attention of Saint Ivan III. After that, she gradually showed an interest in the Holy Light, and following several years of study and inquiry—along with extensive overt and covert negotiations between the royal family and the Church—the princess finally 'converted to the Holy Light.' She was sixteen by then.
"The whole affair looks like an entirely ordinary transaction reached after negotiations among all parties, and the role Virodai played throughout never exceeded what was proper to her station."
Gao Yang turned a page of the document in his hand, his tone calm. "As an ancient soul who has lived a thousand years, she has ample patience and wisdom to ensure none of her actions leave any doubt. Her 'conversion' is of course beyond suspicion."
"Fair point, I thought the same," Amber said with a nod, arms crossed. "So do you think those coma records from before she was six might be connected to her 'soul parasitism'?"
"A girl not yet six—her brain should be unable to bear a high-order soul. These records corroborate, at least in part, that Virodai's account of herself is true," Gao Yang said, setting the materials down. "Is there anything else?"
"That's all the recorded material there is," Amber said, spreading her hands. "Well? Do you think this 'Defiant' poses a great risk? Should we keep investigating the maids and physicians who cared for her back then, the court scholars who taught her? Quite a few of them are still in the Silver Fortress…"
"No need. Excessive investigation would seem overly intrusive, and I doubt anything more would turn up anyway," Gao Yang said with a wave of his hand. "The situation is roughly as I expected—there is evidence that corroborates Virodai's words, but no additional evidence will ever surface to reveal her secrets… None of which affects our cooperation with her."
"She does seem to be honoring her promise, keeping the believers in the city in order. And as of this morning, she has helped the White Knight Order enter the Yaoxiao Cathedral without incident. Setting aside who she is, her usefulness is considerable."
The White Knight Order had already entered the Yaoxiao Cathedral.