Peaceful Life System: I only need to live peacefully-Chapter 121: Old Chamberlain (1)

"How can this be..." The High Archon Seraphina whispered to herself.

The silence in the hallway was thick with shock. Lysaria clung to Riku, completely lost in the overwhelming relief of the moment, her world narrowing to the simple, solid fact that Riku was with her now. For a heartbeat, she was oblivious to everything else.

"Ahem."

Seraphina cleared her throat, a sharp, pointed sound that cut through Lysaria’s emotional haze like a shard of ice. The sound jolted her back to reality. She remembered where she was, who she was, and most importantly, who was watching. With a small gasp, Lysaria finally pulled back from Riku, her face flushing a deep crimson as she shyly avoided Seraphina’s stony gaze.

Seraphina’s mouth snapped shut. The stunned horror on her face morphed into a mask of cold, controlled fury. Her perfect trap had not only failed but had detonated in her face, revealing a secret that could ruin them all.

She pointed a single, trembling finger into the parlor she had just exited.

"Inside," she commanded, her voice a dangerous whisper. "Now. Both of you."

The power dynamic had flipped completely. Riku and a red Lysaria followed her back into the room. With a sharp gesture, Seraphina slammed the doors shut, and a shimmer of light pulsed across them—a powerful silencing ward. They were sealed in.

"Lysaria," Seraphina began, her voice dangerously quiet as she rounded on the younger Vestal. "Explain yourself. You have sworn an oath. To see you embrace a man, a stranger, a pervert who trespassed in my own home... Have you lost your senses?"

"Sister Seraphina, you don’t understand!" Lysaria pleaded, her earlier righteous anger now replaced by desperate earnestness. "He is not what you think! This is Riku! He is the one who helped the orphans in Vintross! He confronted the corrupt Vestarch Elian when no one else dared!"

Her voice grew stronger, filled with conviction. "It was because of him that the Herald Duriel descended! The Herald himself cleared my name and gave me a sacred task! Riku isn’t an enemy of the Church; he is an instrument of its truest justice!"

Seraphina stood rigid, processing the impassioned testimony. Lysaria was many things, but she was not a liar. And the Flame Matron and many others had gone to fact check the descent of the Herald.

"But how can you be sure that he was the one who caused the Herald to descend? Did you see him calling the Herald?" Seraphina countered.

"I am sure of it. I tried to tell he same thing to the Flame Matron as well, but no one would believe me. I had previously seen the Holy maiden of Ressurection Axia descend when Riku called her. So this must have been Riku’s doing as well."

Lysaria was about to say more when Riku gave her a slight elbow. Realizing that she was speaking too much, she shut her mouth.

Seraphina noticed Riku’s actions and was even more confused. Lysaria was actually building a case for him, yet he was stopping her? What exactly was going on here?

The contempt in her eyes now warred with a grudging, unwilling curiosity.

Riku saw his opening. He knew a direct accusation against the Grand Luminar would only be met with more denial. He had to offer her a different path, a verifiable one.

"High Archon," he said calmly, "forget the Grand Luminar for a moment. Let’s talk about someone else. Another victim in this conspiracy. Someone you yourself saw dismissed from his position."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, her arms crossed.

"The former Lord Chamberlain," Riku stated. "The man who held the post for many years before recent events, known for his integrity. The man who was suddenly replaced by the one who accompanied you to Elowen."

Seraphina’s eyes widened slightly. "Lord Arnold... I heard he retired due to ’ill health.’ It was... abrupt."

"It was a conspiracy," Riku said flatly. "I learned in my investigation that Arnold discovered the Society’s activities. They couldn’t kill him without drawing the King’s direct attention, so they took the next best thing: his family. They hold them hostage, while he is now a fugitive, hiding somewhere in this city. They fear him, High Archon. He knows their secrets. Finding him is the key to unraveling all of this."

Seraphina was silent for a long moment, connecting the pieces. The Chamberlain’s sudden replacement, the new Chamberlain’s immediate alignment with allowing research into the Creep with protection to the researchers, all of it reeked of foul play.

Riku’s story, while outlandish, provided a logical thread that tied it all together. It was a lead she could investigate without committing the political suicide of accusing her direct superior.

"If what you say is true..." she began slowly, her voice cautious, "...finding the former Lord Chamberlain is a matter of state security. It falls within my purview to investigate." She finally met Riku’s gaze, her expression a complex mixture of suspicion and reluctant acceptance. "This is not an alliance. But I will accompany you. I must verify these claims for myself."

"That’s all I ask," Riku replied.

"Can I come as well?" Lysaria asked with shining eyes.

"No. You have made a huge mistake, Lysaria. Stay here and reflect." Seraphina’s voice allowed no room for discussion.

"But.." Lysaira’s face immediately fell.

"I will be back later, Lysaria. Just stay in the mansion for now. Don’t worry about anything." Riku gave her a soft, reassuring smile. He also gave her a couple of pieces of chocolate and buns, asking her to eat them later.

"Okay, however, you have to come back later. The trial against that corrupt Vestarch is in five days, and after that, I plan on returning to Elowen. I hope my church is shaping up well. That witch Sherry would have already have hers up and running by now." Hearing Riku, she cheered up once again.

Seraphina wanted to scold Lysaria once again, but seeing her happy face, decided against it. She could always talk some sense into her later.