After Alice briefly thought for two seconds, she repeated her old trick, so Luan's legs went soft and knelt to the ground, but he didn't bother to get up, instead, maintaining this posture, choking up as he said:
"You, your magnanimity makes me admire.
"You will be the one I, I…"
He couldn't continue, and started bawling loudly on the ground, and Klein finally couldn't bear to watch anymore, in his heart he began to curse Alice.
Alice, what are you doing again!
Turns out as long as the intensity of the "Tide of Misfortune" is well-controlled, it can make people's emotions violently fluctuate… hmm, this, this could barely be counted as a kind of mental disorientation?
Alice tilted her head, suddenly realized the scene had awkwardly stalled here, even Flett Ken was looking at Luan in shock.
This great task of saving the scene will be left to you, Mr. Fool!
—Alice irresponsibly averted her gaze.
Even though Alice didn't say anything, Klein understood, letting her clean up the mess was impossible. After thinking for a few seconds, he said with an unchanged expression:
"The previous sentence still had the latter half: 'Strictly punish them for repeating their mistakes.'"
Admiral, no need for you to come back, there's someone more like you than you... Alice took a small breath watching the calm-under-pressure Klein, and silently raised the probability of Luan's emotions stabilizing a little.
Please, let him recover a bit faster… In Alice's prayers, Luan's emotions gradually calmed down, though he still hadn't completely come out from that emotion, at least he wasn't sitting on the ground bawling anymore.
Thank heavens.
Alice looked at Luan apologizing and adjusting his emotions on the side with relief. This meant Klein wouldn't take it too seriously with her—probably wouldn't.
After this interlude ended, Klein's expression unchanged, let Luan leave, then once again looked at the expressionless Flett Ken, calmly asked:
"What is your relationship with the 'Rose School of Thought'?
"What is the relationship between the 'Mother Tree of Desire' and the 'God Bound in Chains'?"
Alice perked up her ears.
Flett Ken's expression instantly became a kind of suppressed fanaticism, he said excitedly:
"We, we are a branch of the Rose School of Thought, my mentor is Zatwin the Saint of the Rose School of Thought.
"'The God Bound in Chains' is an incarnation of the 'Mother Tree of Desire.'
"'Mother Tree of Desire' is the true, only, god that transcends the Seven Gods and the 'True Creator'!
"Admiral, you are the chosen one of Her!"
Then he's now going to become the favored one of four gods... Alice quietly muttered, "But this name 'God Bound in Chains', no matter how you hear it, sounds like they were kidnapped by the 'Mother Tree of Desire' huh…"
Flett Ken looked in horror at Alice who suddenly appeared out of thin air, watched her walk up to him in a lively manner, then squat down to meet his gaze, tilting her head as she asked:
"Your 'Mother Tree of Desire' couldn't have tied up the 'God Bound in Chains' and had a kid with Him, right?"
Flett Ken collapsed to the ground under her curious gaze.
"You're really bad at being scared…" Alice muttered under her breath.
"Alice!" Klein called out to her with a frown, interrupting her.
This made Alice have to turn back and ask: "Don't tell me you originally planned to let him go?"
Klein was silent for a moment, walked closer and lifted her by the collar. Alice didn't resist at all, followed his force to stand up from the ground, then stepped back two steps.
"Don't get so close." Klein didn't look back at Alice, but stared tightly at Flett Ken.
Alice blinked twice before realizing his meaning—this was a reminder for her not to get too close to the enemy unless it's confirmed they're really dead.
No, based on his style, even if confirmed dead, he probably wouldn't touch them personally either… Alice discreetly glanced at Klein's gloves, quickly remembered this detail, but corrected:
"Final counterattacks and such, I still know about those… it's just that even if he counterattacked, he can't do anything to me—after all, I can barely count as one of Fate's Chosen!"
Klein was too lazy to respond to her, but didn't suppress his smile either, instead showed a refined smile that absolutely didn't belong to Emilus, and lowered his head to ask:
"What things have you done that violated the kingdom's laws and societal customs?"
Flett Ken hesitated. He should have relaxed because of this, but this smile gave him an indescribable sense of unease, and also…
He hesitantly glanced at Alice.
The suddenly-appearing Alice had, in a few words, revealed a large number of secrets, each one seeming to indicate he wouldn't live long—the way Alice behaved clearly didn't intend to let him leave this room alive.
Alice noticed his gaze, her eyes turned slightly, tone light and cheerful as she asked:
"Do you think your crimes deserve death? Are you willing to repent, to pay the price for them?"
This question seemed to imply a hint of sparing him—at least giving him a chance for redemption?
Flett Ken lowered his head in thought, trying to make himself appear full of regret:
"I once, to seize others' property, tortured their entire family overnight, and killed and discarded them in the forest. Then, using forged documents, successfully obtained considerable wealth.
"I deliberately misled many believers to indulge in desire, watched them, in the emptiness and regret afterward, step by step become nourishment for the 'Mother Tree of Desire.'
"I deceived quite a few madams, under the pretense of helping them liberate their nature and attain spiritual salvation, took them for myself…
"I, I've done many wrong things, I truly deserve death…"
"Then go die!" Alice cheerfully agreed to this.
Flett Ken's voice got stuck in his throat, the fake remorse on his face frozen, and Klein finally couldn't hold back, smiling as he joined Alice's act:
"Since you've sincerely prayed and repented, then I shall follow my Lord's will and grant you death."
In Flett Ken's look of disbelief, he raised his left palm, from which a terrifying mouth opened, two rows of illusory teeth white and icy.
"No… no!"
A shrill and terrified scream rang out, and Alice, while he still had consciousness, quickly said:
"No one will hear you even if you scream till your throat breaks~"
Klein, unable to bear it anymore, raised "Creeping Hunger" and aimed it at Alice.
There was no danger in this, without involving authority, it's very hard to hurt a real angel—but Alice still obediently covered her mouth with her hand.
Klein glared at her, then asked grumpily:
"Exactly which four gods am I the favored one of? Why don't I know?"
(End of this chapter)