NOVPUBThe office’s occupant, Warden Corentin, sat behind his desk, his face pale and perplexed.
He had already lowered his posture considerably, so the students would have rejoiced if they had completed their intern guard assessment normally. So why did they seem so off now?
"..."
Warden Corentin clenched his hands tight, trying to remain calm.
Meanwhile, not far from there.
Even if Hyperion wanted to say something, she felt it was too late. Interrupting would only add to the chaos for Lanci and the others!
"We are all in a difficult situation, but rules still need to be followed. Your debt needs to be paid now."
The three intern prison guards displayed a side completely different from their professional identity.
This attitude and bearing put an unprecedented pressure on the warden.
The young men in front of him were no longer the respectful, obedient intern guards he once knew. Instead, they showed a distinct sense of lawlessness.
Warden Corentin had no choice but to handle the situation more carefully, to avoid triggering uncontrollable consequences.
"I do not understand what you are implying. Could you please clarify?"
Corentin said in a deep voice.
Seeing Corentin looking clueless, the male priest chuckled. He moved closer to Corentin, put his arm around his neck, and asked:
"Do you think the compensation for Mr. Rocky McCarthy’s loss of reputation, the mental damage compensation for our two respectable young ladies, and our keeping quiet about what happened today -- protecting you from undergoing Warden Bacas’s reform on the sixth floor -- come free of charge?"
Their conversation was low and forceful, their words direct and oblivious of consequences.
"You are extor...!" 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝒑𝙪𝒃.𝒄𝒐𝙢
But when Corentin was about to retort, he was confronted by three figures that resembled three towering walls of darkness. Their bearings were like those of believers from the Rebirth Church, bearing no resemblance to students from the Protoss Royal Magic Academy at all.
They leaned forward slightly, their arms hanging at their sides, their fingers slightly curved as if ready to make a fist, giving away a feeling that they could act at any second.
Even though the prison’s barrier would suppress violators, if he was hit by an unavoidable vital blow before it was activated, Corentin doubted his ability to withstand the attack.
Corentin had just promised Warden Bacas that he would treat the students of the Protoss Royal Magic Academy well.
If he attacked the students from the Protoss Royal Magic Academy right after hanging up, Warden Bacas would certainly dismember him himself!
It’s a case of - he may or may not win if he fights, but either way, he’ll surely die!
Sweating profusely, Corentin was forced to override everything with rationality, trying his best to analyze the most reasonable course of action in this situation.
"Calm down, students, let’s talk. We can negotiate your demands," he said.
Soon, Corentin gave a knowing smile, a look of someone who knew the times and circumstances.
Hyperion’s lips moved slightly, uttering two incomplete syllables. But she realised it was too late to say anything now.
The three of them cornered Warden Corentin, intimidating, extorting, done all at once.
The situation had changed - Corentin now smiled at her pleadingly, and the three priests of Hegemony turned their attention to her, as if everything was settled, inviting her to propose the compensation clauses after their successful negotiation.
In the high dimension observation space.
Not only the High Priest and Paladin.
Even the Bingxue Witch, sitting on the temple sofa, fell silent.
Leaving aside what the social professions of these three helpers were, they didn’t look like believers of the Goddess of Destiny at all, did they?
The Bingxue Witch’s expression was mixed, as if trying to convince herself, these three people definitely weren’t Rebirth Church believers, Hyperion certainly would not betray, she was a one-in-a-million good kid, also her most important disciple, she must trust her.
But the Bingxue Witch always felt that the vague humanoid figures of High Priest Loren and the Paladin were looking at her.
Silence was indeed golden at this time.
This gaze made Almis feel as if she were sitting on a bed of nails.
The awkward part of the priest evaluation was that if a priest under someone’s charge caused a problem, everyone else would stare at that person. Even without verbal or facial communication, it could put invisible pressure on that person.
...
Inside the warden’s office, facing the dream-like scene where everything had been taken care of.
Hyperion lowered her head, covering her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking. It was unclear if she was crying or laughing, she was just a step too late.
Once those three started talking, they could never go back.
They had to jump forward.
"This is what we’ll do. Give each of us 1000 service points, and write the evaluation as we tell you to. Then you’ll use your authority to send us directly to the inner prison."
Hyperion said in an emotionless voice.
"This..."
Corentin, hearing this, his eyes widened.
Writing an evaluation was bearable, and if anything, just embarrassing because the students were making him write it. The transport authority generally did not allow for direct transmission of prison guards to the inner layers of the prison - also known as minus four layers.
But even if he were to be held accountable, Warden Bacas would probably understand.
But the service points, despite being freely tradable among the prison guards, translating to 1000 for each of these five people meant he would have to pay out 5000 service points himself!
Just as Corentin was about to start bargaining.
"Double it."
The Great Love Poet suddenly said it softly from the side.
"This..."
"Say another word, and we’ll double it again."
The three priests all moved closer to Warden Corentin, as if they were about to start something or teach him how to talk to important people.
The indifferent gaze that treated him as nothing more than a bug explicitly told Corentin that he had no room for negotiation given his current predicament.
"2000 service points per person, 10000 in total, I’ll give them to you right away, please convey my sincere apologies to Mr. Rocky McCarthy…"
Corentin’s tone became very compliant, as he kept nodding and manipulating the magic instrument in front of him, giving the trainee prison officers the highest rating and starting to write.
"I always liked your rebellious side."
The Great Love Poet commented with a smile.
Corentin looked up, unsure whether or not to listen. He could only keep wavering between a pleasing smile and an awkward grin.
Even though this black-haired, green-eyed girl’s face below the mask was hidden, her eyes were filled with a seductive charm.
Right now, Warden Corentin couldn’t quite understand what this girl was thinking. He realized that the three men behind him were like puppets controlled by her.
Despite appearing to be the most innocent and weakest of everyone, she was always exuding an inexplicably weird aura.
Whenever she opened her mouth, his heart would become restless, filled with fear. It felt like magic, yet also like a gift she was born with.
This led Corentin dare not talk to her or even make eye contact anymore.
"....."
Hyperion, leading the pack, looked at the warden’s honest to goodness compliance in awe. She was so overwhelmed that she almost burst into tears.
Why on earth did they double it?!
By rights, things had been going too smoothly so far. They had bypassed the outer layers of the prison and gained a tremendous number of service points. They should be able to see the Great Demon Clan at level minus four once they enter the inner layer of the prison.
But now all she could feel was that once this mission was over, the Church of the Goddess of Destiny was going to cut ties with her, directly giving her the official certification of being a fallen priest.
She didn’t want to be part of the Clergy of the Rebirth Church!!
